"There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed." - Ernest Hemingway

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Book Review: Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard: The Sword of Summer

Personal book rating: PG-13
Recommended Audience: Teen/Young Adult

For me, one of the best things about summer is the abundance of free reading time! Not too long ago, I finished Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard: The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan. This is the first book in yet another series that has sprung off of the Percy Jackson series like a set of heads off a decapitated Hydra. While it definitely follows Riordan's (very profitable) story formula, and could easily be classified as "mind candy" there's a lot more going on in this book than meets the eye. 
The book is told through the first-person narrative of Magnus Chase, a 16-year-old homeless boy living on the streets of Boston. Through an increasingly strange set of circumstances that make the world of Percy Jackson look normal, Magnus discovers that he's a demigod and must go on a quest to save the world. The difference is that Magnus is a child of the Norse gods, not the Greek gods. I thoroughly enjoyed Magnus' humorous, sarcastic narrative and the breathlessly-paced, action-packed  plot--for entertainment alone, it's a fun summer read. Riordan's books have an impressive power to suck the reader in that rivals the Harry Potter books.  However, without giving away too much, I will say that I actually put the book down for a while because I couldn't handle the weirdness of it, perhaps because I'm not as familiar with Norse mythology as I am with Greek mythology. I'm still puzzled as to how Riordan plans to reconcile the decadent, golden world of the Greek gods with the darker, finite world of Norse mythology. 

While the formula is the same as Percy Jackson, Magnus' world is quite different. Perhaps because Magnus is initially older and in far worse circumstances than Percy was at the beginning of the series, his outlook on life is more cynical, with a deep sense of lost innocence and fatalism. Much of the difference in tone comes from the vast differences between Norse mythology and Greek mythology. On a surface level, the Greek gods' main occupation is typically pleasure-seeking, bickering and carelessly wreaking havoc on humanity. While the Norse gods also share these characteristics to some extent, they are more unified, and more focused on honor, glory, sacrifice and (spoiler alert) the end of the world. The Norse gods' main occupation is actually preparing themselves for the great world-ending battle of Ragnarok. They all know how the battle will play out and how each of them will die. Their fate has already been decided. This opens up interesting discussions within the book about fate, free will, and the importance of our own actions. A sense of fatalistic nobility haunts the book, particularly in its closing chapters. This same aura permeates throughout Tolkien's works of Middle-Earth. I remember that somewhere in the middle of reading Lord of the Rings, I was certain that there was no way this story could end well, and yet I wanted to finish it anyway, to see the story to its end, however depressing it might be. The need went beyond my usual desire to know what happened. I really cannot explain why. Riordan does a fantastic job of capturing a hint of the depressing grandeur of people (and gods) bound by fate, striving to do right anyway. The questionable ethics of the Norse gods prompt discussions on the nature of justice that can easily be carried on outside the text as well as inside. There are also some Hobbit-like values to be found in Magnus' personal philosophy, and that of (spoiler alert) his father, Frey.

 Of course, the overtly pagan nature of the book has to be taken into account. This is obviously a work of fiction and not religion, but stories often shape our worldviews far more than religious texts, so be aware of what you're absorbing. On the other hand, we need to gain a greater understanding of the mythologies that shaped our civilization, and Magnus Chase explains Norse mythology brilliantly. 

In conclusion, I have two side notes, one writerly and one nerdy: 
1. Loki is a far better villain than Kronos--though Kronos was impressive, Loki is far more interesting.
 2. Do not expect Thor in the book to be like Thor from the Marvel movies. Loki, on the other hand, is fairly close to the Loki in the Marvel movies.   

At this point, it's difficult to discuss the Norse gods without mentioning Marvel. :) 

Happy Reading!
--Jodi

     

Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Inventing Words


In honor of the Alice Through the Looking Glass movie that came out not too long ago, this week, I challenge you to invent new words!

If you do so, you'll be in illustrious company: both Alice in Wonderland's author, Lewis Carroll, and William Shakespeare invented many of the words used in their works.  Carroll often experimented with new words, most famously in his poem "Jabberwocky."  Shakespeare is credited with creating over 1700 words (according to Google), including bedazzled, multitudinous, and eyeball, to name just a few. (http://mentalfloss.com/article/48657/20-words-we-owe-william-shakespeare)

J.R.R. Tolkein went wonderfully overboard and created several entire new languages and alphabets for his books!

Often, new words are just modifications or combinations of new words, so the process is fairly easy and fun! It's also helpful to draw on different language, es
Here's my poem of mostly-made up words for an example:

The Bendelightier Flitterang
by Olivia Taylor

Embelograved upon
Script dipped in galeriand
Ink was the motto of the Bendelightier Flitterang,
A noble crew that
Did scintillerate across
A universe of ill repute:
“Austraillery makes
The heaviest adventure light--
Never forget that there are

Two kinds of tears.” 

Feel free to post your new words in the comments section here or on Facebook! But please, keep it clean. 

Saturday, May 28, 2016

Sherwood Salutation

Once upon a time, many books ago, I read some extremely helpful advice about what to do when you have writer's block. I believe the suggestion came from Mr. S. (otherwise known as Daniel Schwabauer of OYAN fame) When the creative part of your brain feels like a dried-up pea, take in some other artwork and take a break from putting out artwork. Can't figure out where your plot is going? Read someone else's book. Watch a movie. Listen to music, or look at paintings. I've always found it extremely helpful. Be aware that this can turn into procrastination if you're not careful, but you have to get your creativity from somewhere. Art is one of the many things that fuels imagination. Last semester, my creative writing professor sent us on a field trip to the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach. Our assignment was to choose two paintings, and write a poem about each of them. I found enough inspiration that day to fill a lifetime of stories. As I was wandering through the confusing conglomeration of rooms and hallways, I came across a massive painting by one of my favorite artists, N.C. Wyeth. Apparently, it was one of the paintings he did as illustrations for Robin Hood. I scoured the internet, but unfortunately I couldn't find a digital copy of it to share with you, but this painting, also by Wyeth, will give you some idea of what it was like:
It was startlingly bright and vivid, so big that it seemed more like a doorway into Robin Hood's world than a painting. I was alone, and a little lonely, so the sudden appearance of Robin Hood in that quiet world of stiff Renaissance nobles and tortured modern shapes felt like the appearance of a long-lost friend. I adored the Robin Hood stories as a child, and still love them to this day.
I tried to capture a little of the joy of the painting and my own joy in the poem:

Sherwood Salutation
by Olivia Taylor
They told me you were dead--
 My old friend Robin Hood
When I came to the end of the story
They told me you were dead.
But the news-- like everything else about you--
Must be greatly exaggerated, for
I ran into you yesterday
Not quite as I remembered, but it was
You all the same.
Launching sporting arrows
Into the warm rich world of summer afternoon sun
That divine jewel-bright workmanship of light
Lending a bit of heaven’s color to
Our Sherwood:
Verdant greenwood splashed with
Cerulean blue under twisting pillars of
Smooth rough towering oaks
You and the Merry Men
Take the forest as your style
In the green of leafy shadows,
Dull grey of ancient forbidden wood
Calmly glowing
 Brown of
A smile always in your eyes 

With laughter quick to follow.
  

Saturday, May 14, 2016

Experiments in Poetry

I know I haven't posted in ages... College has taken up most of my creative writing time, but now it's summer!
 Last semester, I was fortunate enough to be able to take an excellent creative writing class. It was wonderful to be able to count creative writing as homework, and I immensely enjoyed being able to re-enter the magical world of imagination. One of the main purposes of the class was to help us explore different types of creative writing, including poetry, drama, and stories, my personal favorite. 
Poetry was definitely the most challenging--I tend to go big when I'm writing, which is partly how I ended up with four books to my name. In poetry, everything is generally much smaller and more concentrated. Like story-writing, it's challenging, and while you always want to revise and do your best, you'll lose your mind if you obsess over the imperfections too much. It's a great way to practice writing creatively when you don't have much time to spare, and the tighter focus will help your prose stories be more vivid. Trying out different styles of writing gives me better perspective on all areas of writing, and I encourage you to do the same!

I thought I would share one of the poems I wrote for creative writing class as a way to begin the summer. 

"Pro" Tip: If you're feeling stuck with your current project, take it outside if you can! There's something about being outside that's extremely stimulating to creativity. I was completely at a loss for a topic until I went outside and looked up at the sky. It was a beautiful day, and it reminded me of my undying love for the color blue, so I wrote this poem:     

Blue Happy
by Olivia Taylor

Blue like fish-sparkling ocean tide swirling cold
Against my bare ankles
Ringed in salty impossible lace
Dissolving in the wind
The infinite taste of summers gone by and returning
Blue like infinite canvas of sky with new eyes spreading end of night
Music of the spheres opera notes flying
Blue like moody star-flung twilight roaming into cloth of memories 
Familiar metal dull sheen of everyday miracles
Turrets of Cinderella Castle reminding the sky
Blue like a stuffed kangaroo from a misty bedtime story
Mismatched china plates telling stories
Indigo’s name and Errol’s eyes
America trying to keep its color
The hottest of fires and icicle lights
Blue staining raspberry slushies on Yellowstone roads.  


**Indigo and Errol are two of my characters, Errol being my favorite**
Best of luck on your next writing adventure! 
--Jodi

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Sorry for not posting in 79 years, heh....

Here is a post somewhat explaining my absence.

Hello All!

I have been thinking and praying about this quite a bit recently.

You know how we always hear at church about how God has plans for your life, and about following His will?

I thought I /had/ been following His will, concerning careers. I thought I knew that I was going to go to college, majoring in either illustration or costume design. But know I'm wondering if that's /my/ will, not God's.

I've felt uncertain about it. I still don't know and I'm going to keep praying about it.


As most of you know, I write- or I used to.

I was convinced that my writing wasn't very good. I'm still doubting it. But I think that's what God wants me to do. I want to spread God's love in the writing industry. I want teens my age to be able to read books that are clean but not boring.

That being said, I'm not going to stop doing art. I just want to focus on writing right now.

I'm going to be working on my 3rd(?) draft of my novel, Worlds Away, seeing if I can salvage it. AKA major rewrites. I also have another book idea that I might pursue.

I will keep you updated! Prayers would be much appreciated. <3

E.C. 

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

Music!

Hello everyone, my name is Corinne Starr, I'm sixteen and the second oldest of ten kids.

I don't know about you guys but for me, music is a huge part of my writing. It makes my imagination run wild with new ideas, story plots, plot twists, characters, scenes, etc. If I haven't made it clear enough already, I love music (and not just because it blocks out the noise of all the chaos and craziness going on around me ;) I honestly have no idea what I'd do without it.
So, I thought that I would compile some lists of music that inspires me the most when writing. Almost all of these songs I pulled from my Spotify playlists so you can search for them there or on YouTube too. (Spotify, by the way, is the greatest music app ever invented. If you haven't heard of it, I highly suggest you check it out.)
Anyway, here are my lists, which I hope spark your imagination and boost your motivation.

HEROES/HEROINES:

1. Unstoppable - E.S. Posthumus
2. Epic Game of Thrones - Pisces Rising (no, I don't watch this TV show, I just really like the score)
3. Adagio in D Minor (Orchestra Mix) - John Murphy
4. The Tribute/Agnus Dei - Michael W. Smith (if you want, skip to 3:05 for the best part)
5. Return of the Heroes - Patryk Scelina
6. We Will Not Lose - Mayrain, EpicMusicVn
7. Heroes - Michael W. Smith
8. Facing His Destiny - 8Dawn
9. Surrender to Hope - Immediate
10. I Like to Win - Shonlock
11. Top Gun - Sound Adventures
12. Aura - StoneOcean
13. Arise - E.S. Posthumus
14. A Useful Striker - Murray Gold & BBC National Orchestra
15. Isles of Wonder - London Symphony Orchestra


HAPPY:

1. More Love - StoneOcean
2. Celebration - StoneOcean
3. Medieval Anthem - Peter Crowley
4. Night of My Life - Group 1 Crew
5. Oraanu Pi - E.S. Posthumus
6. Code Lyoko 'A World Without Danger' - Walt Ribeiro
7. Awaken - StoneOcean
8. Hard Headed Woman - Elvis Presley
9. Smack Attack - Audiomachine
10. River's Dance - Firefly OST
11. The Bathtub - Beasts of the Southern Wild(soundtrack)
12. Finale (William Tell Overture) - Hans Zimmer
13. Spirit of Moravia - Two Steps from Hell
14. The Kiss - Trevor Jones


SAD:

1. Remember Me - Ivan Torrent (ft. Roger Berruezo)  
2. Love Lost - Mattia Lupelli
3. D*** Few - Nathan Furst
4. Cows on a Hill - Jay Ungar
5. Legends Never Die - Ferras, Katy Perry
6. Eulogy for a Friend - Harry Gregson-Williams
7. Safe and Sound - Taylor Swift
8. Porcelain - Helen Jane Long
9. The Last Paradise - Yiruma
10. Only the Winds - Olafur Arnalds
11. Home - Clinton Shorter
12. Patriot - Michael W. Smith
13. See You on the Other Side - Harry Gregson-Williams
14. Children from the War - Two Steps from Hell
15. A Song for Sienna - Brian Crain


DEFEATED/BROKEN:

1. Rain and Pain - Christian Reindl
2. Because of You - Kelly Clarkson
3. Lost on You - LP
4. Rosebud - Marco Beltrami
5. Torn - Nathan Lanier
6. Resistance - Muse
7. Runnin' - Adam Lambert
8. On Trees and Birds and Fire - I am Oak
9. Tessa - Steve Jablonsky
10. Nuvole Blanche - Ludovico Einaudi
11. Land of Shadows - Audiomachine
12. An Old Friend - Henry Jackman
13. Hunted - Steve Jablonsky
14. Fix You - Coldplay
15. My Blood - Ellie Goulding


FIGHT SCENES/CHASE:

1. Run Boy Run - Woodkid
2. Invaders Must Die - The Prodigy
3. Dope Nose - Weezer
4. Fever - Wisin & Yandel
5. Hong Kong Chase - Steve Joblonsky
6. If it Ain't Dutch - Armin Van Buuren, W&W
7. Must Be Love - Christina Grimmie
8. Run - Pryda
9. Surpass - PostHaste Music
10. Xscape - Audiomachine
11. Kalki - E.S. Posthumus
12. One Minute Over - Zack Hemsey
13. Sinister Threat - Danny Cocke
14. This is Our Legacy - Zack Hemsey
15. Tribal Battles - West One Music


VILLAINOUS:

1. Glory and Gore - Lorde
2. Blood Red Roses - C21Fx
3. Silent Runner - Alexis Troy
4. Ushas - E.S. Posthumus
5. Everybody Wants to Rule the World - Lorde
6. Power Changes Everything - Harry Gregson-Williams
7. Skyfall - Adele
8. Why So Serious? - Hans Zimmer
9. Santa's Nightmare - StoneOcean (ignore the bells and the 'ho, ho, ho')
10. A Thousand Details - Trent Reznor
11. Main Title (Terminator 2 theme) - Brad Fiedel
12. Tech War - Dark Electronic Music
13. Informing the Target - Zack Hemsey
14. Shredder - ReallySlowMotion Music
15. Outlaw - Peter Roe


COUPLES:

1. If I Had You - Adam Lambert
2. Hanging On - Ellie Goulding
3. Compass - Jonathan Thulin, Manwell Reyes
4. ABC - Alexander Fairchild
5. Hypnotize Me - Taylor Berrett
6. Stand By You - Rachael Platten
7. Oh My Love - The Score
8. Surrender(acoustic) - Cash Cash
9. Hero - Enrique Iglesias
10. I Love You - Alex & Sierra
11. Such a Night - Elvis Presley
12. Magic of Love - Celtic Music
13. Romantic Flight - John Powell
14. More Than Friends - Two Steps from Hell
15. Take My Hand - Emily Hackett, Will Anderson


VICTORIOUS:

1. Stand Up - The Prodigy
2. If Elephants Could Fly - Marcus Warner
3. Road to Victory - Veigar Margeirsson
4. Go Time - Network Music Ensemble
5. Pulsaris Prime - Gothic Storm
6. Demacia Rising - League of Legends
7. Hope of Men - Blytheway-May
8. Vishnu - E.S. Posthumus
9. Rise (epic music) - John Dreamer
10. Let Them Up - Tom Holkenborg (dang...what a name...)
11. Glory Battle - Michael W. Smith
12. Autobots Reunite - Steve Jablonsky
13. Breaking Through - Audiomachine
14. Victory Lap - Audiomachine
15. The New Earth - Audiomachine


RANDOM (AKA: no category but still freakin' epic)

1. Myotis - Hans Zimmer
2. Molossus - Hans Zimmer
3. Tai Lung Escapes - Hans Zimmer, John Powell
4. Arabian Nights - StoneOcean
5. Who We Are- Imagine Dragons
6. Time is Running Out - Muse
7. Echo Sensation - DJ Airecho
8. Awakening - Michael Allen Harrison
9. Assassin's Creed Rogue Main Theme - Elitsa Alexandrova
10. Whitaker's Wonder - Michael W. Smith
11. The Wild West - Wild Western Music
12. Rising Force - R. Armando Morabito
13. Lockdown - Steve Jablonsky
14. Pirates - Sound Adventures
15. Turning Point - Audiomachine


There it is. Hope you enjoy! :)

-Corinne