Old characters brought to new light

So I'm not much for talking on here about what I am working on. I'd rather talk about what I've read and what I've experienced in the world of literature, music and art. But for once, I'm going to break out of my norm and talk about something that has been close to my heart for many, many years. In fact, this has been a story I've been working on since 2001.

Over the years, I have talked to a few people about "The Legend of Jade" (my opus as I call it) I have been so scared of this story for so long - it's been something that I have held onto so tightly that I am afraid that people won't like what they read. I won't go into detail about the story, mostly because I want people to read it and enjoy it someday. I want my fans to exclaim loudly "YES! This is what we've been waiting for!"

There have been so many influences into this story and these characters. Most of them are based on people in my life. As I have gone through to re-read what was previously written, I can tell exactly what I was feeling and exactly what I was going through. I have always been able to write better when I was mad. I guess it's because I've always worn my heart on my sleeve. I pride myself on being an honest writer and having honest characters.

I have been in love with this whole story and part of my soul has gone into it. I am so excited to have everyone read what I have worked on for so long and I love the fact that there are people out there actually excited to read it. I want nothing more than to bring this to all of you. I just ask you to be patient with me and let me finish it and make sure it's worthy of all your excitement.

Happy reading all!
~ Anastasia

It's that time of year again....to pick up my favorite book

This time of year, I tend to re-read my favorite book - The Mists of Avalon - written by Marion Zimmer-Bradley in 1981

Last year, I bought myself the hard cover edition because I had lost my soft cover book I had read in college. If you ever have the chance to read this book, I suggest that you do. It is a wonderful version of a story we all know so well - King Arthur. Only this time, it's told from the point of view of Morgaine La Fey.

(This is my favorite picture of her. I think it's perfect with her coming out of the mists on the boat from Avalon.)

 

 A Brief over view of the book - 

Mists of Avalon is a generations-spanning retelling of the Arthurian legend, but bringing it back to its Brythonic roots (see Matter of Britain). Its protagonist is Morgaine, who witnesses the rise of Uther Pendragon to the throne of Camelot. As a child, she is taken to Avalon by High Priestess Viviane, her maternal aunt, to become a priestess of the Mother Goddess and witnesses the rising tension between the old Pagan and the new Christian religions. At one point, she is given in a fertility ritual to a young man she will later learn is Arthur, her half-brother. Unbeknownst to Arthur, Morgaine conceives a child, Gwydion, later called Mordred, as a result of the ritual.
After Uther dies, his son Arthur claims the throne. Morgaine and Viviane give him the magic sword Excalibur, and with the combined force of Avalon and Camelot, Arthur drives the invasion of the Saxons away. But when his wife Gwenhwyfar fails to produce a child, she is convinced that it is a punishment of God: firstly for the presence of pagan elements (a stance which Morgaine deeply resents), and secondly, for her forbidden love for Arthur's finest knight Lancelet. She increasingly becomes a religious fanatic, and relationships between Avalon and Camelot (i.e. Morgaine and herself) become hostile.
When the knights of the Round Table of Camelot leave to search for the Holy Grail, Mordred seeks to usurp the throne. In a climactic battle, Arthur's and Mordred's armies square off, and in the end Avalon and Arthur are magically removed from the circles of the world. It is Morgaine alone who lives to tell the tale of Camelot. (Taken from Wikipedia) 

A few words from Marion Zimmer-Bradley herself -  (Taken from Wikipedia)

 

“

About the time I began work on the Morgan Le Fay story that later became Mists, a religious search of many years culminated in my accepting ordination in one of the Gnostic Catholic churches as a priest. Since the appearance of the novel, many women have consulted me about this, feeling that the awareness of the Goddess has expanded their own religious consciousness, and ask me if it can be reconciled with Christianity. I do feel very strongly, not only that it can, but that it must... So when women today insist on speaking of Goddess rather than God, they are simply rejecting the old man with the white beard, who commanded the Hebrews to commit genocide on the Philistines and required his worshipers daily to thank God that He had not made them women... And, I suppose, a little, the purpose of the book was to express my dismay at the way in which religion lets itself become the slave of politics and the state. (Malory's problem ... that God may not be on the side of the right, but that organized religion always professes itself to be on the side of the bigger guns.) ... I think the neo-pagan movement offers a very viable alternative for people, especially for women, who have been turned off by the abuses of Judeo-Christian organized religions.[2]

”

(This is my second favorite picture of Morgaine Le Fey. I find her striking as she stands in the circle at the ring of sacred stones in Avalon. She is the picture of pure serenity as she accepts the goddess into herself.)

 

 

I may be a bit bias when I say that this is the best book of the Arthurian myths - but I am a bit of a feminist and I think that anything written from a woman's point of view is amazing, especially because the majority of the legends surrounding King Arthur are told from a male perspective. 

 

I leave you all with a little bit of advice - even if you don't think that The Mists of Avalon isn't for you - pick up something different. Find something out of your norm and see if maybe, you find a book that turns out to be your favorite. 

 

Happy Reading! 

~Anastasia 

Saying good-bye to 2011

Soon we will all be saying good-bye to 2011 and hello to 2012 and I couldn't be more happy! I, like many people I know, have had a crappy year and I am looking forward to ringing in the new year. Well I can't say it was completely crappy. I did finish writing another book and start another one after all. But I am still looking forward to having a better year in 2012.

I won't bore any of you with a list of my favorite things of 2011, nor will I bore you with my expectations of 2012. I refuse to let myself have resolutions. I would rather have oaths for the new year. And my one and only oath for 2012 is patience. I would rather have more patience in my life than anything else in the world.

So I toast to all of you on this wonderful dawn of a new year. 

And I leave you with my favorite Irish toast - 

May you always have walls for the winds,
a roof for the rain, tea beside the fire,
laughter to cheer you, those you love near you,
and all your heart might desire.

Happy Reading everyone! And have a happy and wonderful New Year!!

~Anastasia

*~* Winter Wonderland *~*

Christmas is always a magical time of year for me. The air gets cold and the snow flies, dancing like pixies on the wind leaving frosty footprints on windows. 

I tend to look at the season from a different point of view than many other people my age. I guess in a way I romanticize the season and see the magic in it that only children possess. But me, I love to watch the magic of the season from beginning to end. The lights on the houses that sparkle in the blackness of night, the trees in windows that twinkle against the frosty glass – they are all things that I look forward to for every December.

My favorite thing to do (and this isn't just a winter thing for me) But I love to cozy up in a warm blanket or near the fire and read. Any book really, it doesn't matter what one. 


All I want each year is for my family and friends to be warm, safe, happy and joyful. That's what the true meaning of the holiday's is. So from my winter wonderland to yours - enjoy the snow!!


Happy Reading!
~Anastasia

Communication in a time long since forgotten

I have been in a rather contemplative mood as of late. Perhaps it is the fact that for the past several weeks I have immersed myself into the history of 1500s England and the reign of King Henry the VIII while watching the 4 seasons of the Showtime show, The Tudors. I have always been fascinated with the English monarchy and for some reason the reign of the Tudor dynasty is the most intriguing. What's not to love? There was sex and drinking and jewels and dresses and intrigue. True, there was a butt load of death, most of it at the hands of Henry himself, but I think we forget that first and foremost, he was a man first.

(No he didn't look like this, but damn did Jonathan Rys Myers do such a good job at playing him)

 

 

(King Henry VIII after his victory in France in 1545)

But I have to say that though Henry was king and yes he was a man, the time they lived in was magical. Well, yes, I understand it wasn't so magical for the poor and yes I am romanticizing the time period, but I would have liked to visit there for a day. To receive the royal court treatment - the dresses, the dancing, the wine - would be amazing. A time when men were men and woman were....well they weren't very well respected (except for maybe Catherine Parr....she was made regent when Henry left to battle in France)  But at least a woman was bowed to and men stood up when a woman came into a room. 

Well regardless of how men or women were treated during that time, I still find myself thinking about the way people spoke to each other. Each word was carefully crafted and constructed to convey what they were trying to get across. Even the simple manor of apologizing was a long dissertation. People don't speak like that to each other anymore. We spend more time using short hand or text speak and less time face to face and actually listening to what the other person is saying. Words don't mean the same thing as they did in a time when words were the only thing many people had. Language has also been another fascination of mine and I find it such a heart ache that people can't speak to each other anymore without using "omg" or "lol" in quickly typed messages to each other. Whatever happened to the day when letters were written with such care that each words was a statement of intent? Wax seals and envelopes and parchment are items of a long forgotten past. A few years ago I had a was seal made for myself. It's beautiful and I use it whenever I can. 

(The artfully crafted wax seal I had made)

 

 

Well my friends, I bid you all a good night, but first I charge each of you that read this with a task. Take a few minutes and write down a letter to someone you haven't spoken to in a while - or even someone you have spoken to in a while. I am sure that the note will be appreciated and well received. And guys, just a little tip - regardless of the times we live in - women still like love notes. So why don't you write one down? They mean a whole heck of a lot more than you might think and guess what....it's not corny or embarrassing to express feelings in words. It's actually quite encouraged.

Happy reading and happy writing!

~Anastasia

How my love of books has transcended time

The book above is the Book of Kells. This book is the oldest book known to western man and it is in one of the world's largest libraries - Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. And before I go on a long tangent of how much I LOVE Ireland, I will stick to the point of this blog and talk about books. (But just and FYI, I do LOVE LOVE LOVE Ireland.)

(The Long Room in the library at Trinity College of Dublin)

So I have a very strong belief that my love for books and the love for the written word has transcended time and space...and maybe even my own past lives. I think that I was meant to love the written word with all of my heart and soul from the beginning of my time here in this realm. And I love how as we have evolved as a race, not only has the written word evolved, but how we read as well. As much as I love the feel of paper between my fingers, but I have to admit that I am liking how technology is making books into digital media. Each generation evolves as the technology evolves and even though I wasn't on the Kindle bandwagon to begin with, I have to say I love mine now. 

(I have to admit that I agree with this statement)

 

So to come to a very fast conclusion to this very uninformative blog, I don't mind the way we are moving forward. Technology doesn't have to mean the end of books. It also means the way we learn will change and for the most part, I believe this is a good thing. Just, don't forget about the real thing. Sometimes there is no comparison to the real thing.

Happy reading everyone!

Anastasia

How romance novels ruined my view of relationships

All girls dream of their knight in shinning armor. For that gorgeous guy to show up on his white steed and sweep us off our feet and take us away to his castle in this hills where we will live happily ever after. Well, that doesn't happen every day, wait...it doesn't happen ever! But we still wait and hope for that to happen; and reading romance novels and watching romantic comedy movies don't help the situation. I am sure I am not the only woman in the world that has cried at the end of a book/movie and felt a bit of self loathing over the fact that we aren't that lucky. We don't have the long flowing hair that is always perfect or the figures that make men want to haul us into their arms and keep us there for always. And let's face it, who doesn't want that to happen? 

I have been single for so long now, I have honestly come to rely on the men in my books and movies. They are always there for me, always happy to take me into their world and for a moment, I am one of those tragically beautiful girls that the most gorgeous men in the world fall for. One good thing is at least the woman in those books and movies are strong and independent. But like me, they safe guard their hearts and keep part of themselves back, so people won't know how completely vulnerable they are. To portray yourself as a completely whole person, void of any flaws, is, in itself a flaw. But as the story progresses, we learn that those women overcome those flaws and realize it's okay to wear your heart on your sleeve - and show that to the gorgeous man she's has fallen in love with in, say, 2 days, is a whole person. 

And me, I wish for the kiss that always happens at some point in the story. The kind of kiss that takes not only your breath away, but makes your soul leave your body for a moment and merge with the one you are attached to. And I have never experienced that kind of soul robbing kiss. 

So here's my question to those reading - especially the girls - am I alone in feeling like this? Or am I crazy for wanting this kind of mind blowing romance? I think every girl deserves this kind of love...even if it is a fleeting affair that turns your world upside down. So here's my advice to any girl out there looking and hoping for romance - don't give up and don't stop looking for it, thinking that you aren't worth the love that everyone else has. And maybe someday, the knight in shinning armor that we have dreamed of since we were little, will ride up and sweep us off our feet.

Happy reading!

~Anastasia