By a Woman’s Hand

Mary Carolyn Waldrep has written and edited somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 books for Dover Publications. Most of them in the craft area. I would recommend them highly. But this one is especially interesting to me because it’s an anthology of women illustrators around the turn of the 20th Century, from a time where women weren’t generally acknowledged for work outside the home. I haven’t had the chance to see this book yet as I’m out of town, but I’m looking forward to it.

If the topic interests you, give it a look over at Amazon and check out Mary Carolyn’s other books as well. You might find the women illustrators interesting to look up online too.

When Mary Carolyn isn’t writing and editing for Dover, she can often be found onstage. She was recently in a production of “Morning’s at Seven” presented by the St. Jean’s Players. It got great reviews! She was also in ”The Soup Carriers” at Manhattan Reperatory Theatre, written and directed by Pamela Robbins. I posted about that in an earlier post. Because of my injured ankle I wasn’t able to run lights for the show, but I did get to see it. ”M.C.” was great as always. She’s one of the best actresses St. Jean’s has.

Let’s give her a round of applause for her newest book!   

Next time … I have two more blog awards to pass on. Ann from My Reading Corner has given me The Beauty of Books Great Blog Neighbor Award. This is a real honor, considering what a Great Blog Neighbor Ann is! And Cheryl of CMash Loves to Read has given me “The Versatile Blogger Award.” Which means I have to come up with a new group of things I have to share about myself. LOL I always have fun with those. Thanks Ann & Cheryl! I’m running late as usual, but I haven’t forgotten!

Blog Award Party!

I’ve been given three very special awards by four very special ladies! And I can’t wait to celebrate them and pass them on. As always, if the new winners don’t have time for the whole award thingy, don’t worry about it. Just know that I think you’re all pretty special!

Tiana Smith gave me this first Award. It’s called The Butterfly Award! It’s “For the coolest blog I ever know.” Thank you, Tiana! I always wanted to be cool!

Tiana is cool as well. She has a heart as big as all outdoors. So not surprisingly, she’s a writer of children’s books and YA stories. Her stories tend toward fantasy. Which means she can still see the magical possibilities in the world that most of us lost after childhood. It’s a rare gift. And she’s a rare person! Thank you so much, Tiana!

I would like to pass this award on to following “Cool” bloggers:

Angela of Vintage Soap Shoppe 
Georgina Dollface
Jaime of Art Making is a Journey
The Salitype Society
Tricia of Talespinning
Unknown Mami- Who’s been struggling with Google Friend Connect since moving to WordPress. Drop on by and unjoin and rejoin if you haven’t been there lately.

The Versatile Blogger Award was given to me by Denise of L’Aussie Writing and Ann of My Reading Corner. It’s an honor getting this award from the two of them, as they are both much more versatile and prolific bloggers than I am.

Deniseis a writer of fiction and nonfiction, including travel articles. And as you might guess from the name of her blog, she is also an Australian. She takes part in lots of blogfests and does a lot of Flash Fliction.  What I like most about her work is that she has such a great range.

Ann  is a reader who writes about books, characters, reading, and occasionally authors. Ann is a book fan, not a book reviewer. She talks about the books and characters she likes  for the sheer joy of it. She likes poetry, fun summer reads, classics, cozy mysteries, and light romance. Visiting her blog is like relaxing with an old friend.

Now, this blog award has some rules to it. First, I have to share some things about myself. And then I have to pass it on to blogs that I’ve recently discovered.

1 –  I’m addicted to regular Pepsi. It’s definitely a full blown addiction. I even keep track of how many I have because heaven forbid I should run out!

2 -  I’ve always been an hysterical maniac. If worrying were a sport, I could easily get on the US Olympic Team. To balance that off, I married a man who doesn’t worry much at all.

3 – I’m one of the world’s worst housekeepers! Obviously cleaning isn’t one of the things I worry about. Or rather…I worry about it, but I don’t do it.

4 -  I’ve always been a sucker for animals. When I was a kid we lived near a zoo for a while and I used to go almost every weekend.

5 -   I’m also a sucker for glitter … maybe because I entered adulthood during the days of disco. I think that’s why I like making jewelry, so I can have lots of sparklies.

6 -  I’m a Doctor Who fan! And I’m so thrilled it’s back on again!

7 -  When I very young I would build cities that took up a whole room, full of tons of fantasy creatures as well as humans. I guess I’m still doing that with my books.

Enough about me! Let’s get to the new Versatile Blogger Award Winners!

Carrie of KeriOkie Entertainment
Cherie of Surrounded by Books
Christine Fonseca
C.M. of States of Mine
Cynthia Reese
Drea of Writing Worlds
Elana Johnson
Gabriela of Embracing Who We Are
Jill Kemerer
Julie Musil – Writing and Blogging Between Carpools
Kristen Rae Photography
Lisa Rusczyk
Megan of Writing, Food, and Life
Natalie of Between Fact and Fiction
Raquel Byrnes
Sally Lee by the Sea
Sandy Shin
Saumya of Quarter Life Crisis
Suzanne of The Question of the Day
Terresa of The Chocolate Chip Waffle

Maria of Personalized Sketches gave me this very stylish looking Stiletto Award! Maria is a gifted artist who puts a lot of love into her work and into her family. She has just about the warmest heart in the world. A trip to her blog feels like a trip home. Thank you so much, Maria!

Here’s what it means: “Heels this high are not meant for clubbing or walking long distances in. They are mainly used for getting from the living room to the bedroom, from the car to the restaurant, or for a short stroll along the catwalk.”

And also: “DO WHAT YOU DO! -keep at it. Keep inspiring and encouraging and sharing your life! We love it and we thank you!!!”

What a beautiful sentiment! So, I’m passing on this award to a group of ladies who have plenty to be proud of.

Aneta of Bobbin Talk
Dellgirl of At the Starting Gate
“Dumb Mom” of Parenting by Dummies 
Jo of A Majority of Two
Jami Lola Denman of Jami Lola 
Libbie of The Middlest Sister 
Natalie Murphy of The Sound of Rain
Nikki of The Housewife Chronicles
Patricia of Readin N Writin With Patricia
Stacey of My Life as an Air Force Wife
Susan of A Walk in My Shoes


Maria of Personalized Sketches passed on this award as well. As she instructed, this Blogger Buddy Award is to be passed on to all those that follow my blog, those on my “Favorite Blogs/Sites,” and those that leave a comment on this post. It’s a Thank You to all of you! Feel free to take it and put it on your blog. 

Thanks once again to Tiana, Denise, Ann, and Maria!!!

“The Soup Carriers” At Manhattan Repertory Theatre

My ankle is definitely improving, though it still has a long way to go. I’m now able to do half the dog walking, but I used to do 3/4. I think I may have given myself trouble by wrangling six loads of laundry earlier in the week, in addition to trying to spend more time on the computer. We have a desktop computer and the configuration makes it hard for me to put my foot up. So I’ve mostly been keeping it down. This evening’s dog walk showed me that I need to keep my foot up more. I need to be more patient and not push so hard. I always seem to be pushing.

My wealth of blog awards is obviously going to have to be postponed another week or so, so I can keep my foot up more. This week I spent a lot of time wading through backed up emails and getting all my old links up again from my old Blogger Blog. It was sad to see that some of the blogs had been discontinued. I’m sure I missed a couple, but I wanted to try and reconnect with some of my old blogging friends, as well as pay tribute to some newer ones by having them in my links. 

In the meantime, I wanted to let folks know that my friend Pamela Robbins has been invited back to The Manhattan Repertory Theatre in Manhattan to do another one of her one-act plays as part of their summer long one-act play festival! I wrote about her play from last year here. Once again, she’ll be directing as well. If you happen to be in the NYC area you can find out more about Manhattan Rep here. It’s a black box style theatre. 

I was supposed to be working tech for the show. But at the moment it doesn’t look likely. I can’t help but wonder if my ankle can take going back and forth to the city. Not to fear, my husband can take over for me, as he’s familiar with the venue. I’ll be disappointed if I can’t do it. Manhattan Rep is right in the Broadway theatre district and it’s nice to feel like I’m a small part of it. But that’s show biz. 

Anyway, “The Soup Carriers” originally had its debut with the St. Jean’sPlayers. Pam is a long-time member of the Players and a board member.  This particular production features Nancy Kellogg Gray, Susan Horowitz, David Mackler, Sharon O’Neal, Kristina Osterling, Bonnie Rosenbaum, M.C. Waldrep, and Aja Yamagata, many of whom have appeared on the St. Jean’s stage as well. 
 
“The Soup Carriers” is a one-act comedy about a support group that breaks all the rules. When new member Brooke meets the seemingly cozy Well Wishers, she is in for the “therapeutic” ride of her life!
 
If you happen to be in town, take a break from the summer heat with this light comedy! 
 
July 28, 30, and 31 at 7:00 PM (note early curtain)
 Tickets $20 
Manhattan Repertory Theatre, 303 W. 42nd St. at 8th Ave., 3rd floor
(next to Duane Reade)
 
For reservations, call 646-329-6588
As for me, it’s time for me to feed the dogs and get my foot up.

The Cecropia Moth

The Fourth of July holiday and a sprained ankle have put me behind once again. So I thought for today, maybe a short post.

The large moth above is called the Cecropia Moth. According to Wikipedia here it’s the largest moth found in North America.

This little lady was found on the screen door to my deck up in the Adirondacks, gently opening and closing her wings. Once they change over from caterpillars, their lives are all about sex. They only live for about a week, or slightly more. They have no mouths, so they can’t eat.

Like I said, it’s all about sex.  

It looks like this lady came right out of her cocoon to my house, as there are still some silken threads attached to her body. She stayed with us for four days and nights, patiently letting me photograph her and scattering her pheromones to the winds to attract a mate.

I guess she decided she was safe from predators clinging to the upper part of the door with a bevy of rowdy dogs often keeping watch well below her. Wikipedia says squirrels are among those who might see her as a meal. But none of them were going to bother her on my deck with “The Pack” on guard duty.

Finally, her waiting came to an end. Her darker colored Prince Charming arrived late one afternoon.

The male is on the left. In the case of this moth, the males are often smaller than the females.

After spending what seemed like several hours together, they went their separate ways. Our lady moth, no doubt went off to lay eggs on one of the nearby trees, while her prince probably went off in search of another lady.

I’ll be on the lookout for their offspring from now on, as I’ve seen what their caterpillar form looks like on Wikipedia.

Next Week (hopefully) I’ll be catching up with some Blog Awards. I’ve been gifted with several beautiful ones recently…

Tiana Smith gifted me with the lovely Butterfly Award!

Denise of L’Aussie Writing and Ann of My Reading Corner gave me The Versatile Blogger Award!

And Maria of Personalized Sketches gave me The Stiletto Award!

So…tune in next week (if I manage not to re-injure my ankle the way I did this week) and I’ll have a lot of new blogs for you to check out as I pass on these wonderful awards.

Thank you so much again, Tiana, Denise, Ann, & Maria!

PubIt!

Barnes & Noble has new plans in the works to serve independent and self-publishers with the perhaps unfortunately named PubIt! There’s no word yet on when PubIt will go live, but B&N is saying it will be some time this summer.

There are a couple of articles from last month announcing the program in IntoMobile here and at The Epoch Times here. It’s supposed to be an easy way to gain access to the Nook and other venues that B&N services including the new iPad, although again, the details are still not out. I don’t know yet if they will require a business license and an ISBN like Kindle and the iPad. It does sound like there’s going to be DRM. I’m not real happy about that as it can discourage sales, but it’s a fact of life with some booksellers.

PubIt is of course meant to help B&N build its share of the ebook market. Although most writers prefer going the traditional publishing route, from what I’ve been seeing on some lists more and more writers are trying their luck with the self-publishing of ebooks. Both offset and POD printing are considered to be too expensive for self-publishing fiction because fiction is considered to be more price sensitive than nonfiction. The assumption is that when people want certain information, they are willing to pay more than a reader looking for a story that he will likely read only once. I’m guessing venues like B&N and Kindle are looking for lots of content at lower prices to fill up all the new e-readers everyone’s hoping to sell.

You won’t get rich selling ebooks at lower prices. But you may build a following if you’re good enough. And some traditionally published authors are releasing their out-of-print books this way too in order to keep their old books alive. It’s a new world. And with major book sellers like B&N getting into the act, it’s probably here to stay.  

I know some people hate the idea of not having gatekeepers deciding what’s good and what’s not. But I’m not worried. I spent time in the fanfiction world where you can get your work out there in minutes through places like http://Fanfiction.net  There’s plenty of bad fanfiction. But the word always gets out as to who the good “fic” writers are and the readers start begging them for new stories. The bad or weak fanfiction writers, meanwhile, usually go begging for readers and commenters. Truth be told, I’ve seen fanfiction writers who told more interesting stories than traditionally published writers. Some of the stories from the Buffy fandom still stay with me though it’s been years since I first read them.

Of course, not every fanfiction writer can carry over to original works. But it shows that the public can work through what’s out there and find what’s really good. Since I’m thinking seriously of self-publishing my present WIP, I’ll be keeping an eye on programs like PubIt. It’s probably a good idea to couple it with Kindle and Smashwords. I can’t sell directly to the iPad because they require you to upload with an Apple computer and I don’t have one. B&N and the like can get me there as well, but Middlemen always affect the profit line.

In the meantime, I’ll watch and learn.

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

These two pictures fall in the “Funny” category.

This first one is of my husband in his bug shirt. He wears this while walking our dogs in the early morning in the Adirondack woods. As you can see, it is not a job for the faint of heart…or the low of blood. I avoid using this shirt because it’s hard to breathe in it. Instead I move quickly and wear one of those new Off fans. They’re pretty good when you come to a full stop or want to sit for a while. They’re not as good while walking, but I tend to walk briskly so they have a harder time catching me. LOL

This next shot is of our dog Buddy shortly after being neutered. Our other dogs stopped wearing their plastic cones minutes after returning home from the vet because they pretty much ignored their sutures. Buddy, however, did not. He ended up wearing his cone for the better part of a week. My husband and I felt bad about it, but Buddy didn’t seem to mind at all. He had no trouble sleeping, eating, and drinking in his cone. And he even found that it came in handy for intimidating our largest dog. LOL Not much gets Buddy down.

Blogger BFF Award

Michelle Hickman aka The Surly Writer has gifted me with The Blogger BFF Award!

Michelle is a truly gifted writer with a knack for snappy irreverant prose. Her main blog, The Surly Writer, is mostly about her life and includes pieces of her writing. I especially love her fractured fairy tales, which are just plain fun. Nothing is safe from her sharp wit, including herself. Even when she takes on the serious points in her life, she writes with such panache that you can’t help but be in awe.

Her writing blog, Michelle Hickman, is more about the writing life itself. There is less snark on this blog. When it appears, it’s more likely to be found in the Blog Chain postings, where she and other writers consider writerly questions like, “What Motivates me.” She also supports the work of other authors on her writing blog. And she always writes about them with great respect. 

I am honored to get this BFF Award, Michelle! Thank you much!

Since Michelle gave this award only to me, I will do the same.  I would like to pass it on to another writer whose work I admire, Yvonne of The Organic Writer!

Yvonne’s writing style is poetic. She has a poet’s way of seeing things. She gently paints word pictures and guides you through the multiple levels of life in ways that only a poet can. When you read one of her pieces, you feel how much she cares about the world. And you sense her standing behind you, almost protectively, as you see its truths.   

Yvonne, thank you as well! For all you let us see through your eyes.

The “Let’s Talk” Blogfest

Today I’m taking part in the “Let’s Talk” Blogfest hosted by Roni of Fiction Groupie. With a name like that, you might guess this is for a “sparkly dialogue scene.”

My submission is once again from my WIP “Betony.” It’s a fantasy saga, so it’s not too surprising that most of this dialogue should take place between a witch and a dragon. This blogfest entry is from the second chapter in the story. I had to keep some description in the beginning for it to make sense.

Before I begin, let me mention that Michelle Hickman of The Surly Writer has gifted me with the BFF Blog Award, which I’m going to pass on next week. Thank you Michelle!!!

And here now, my Blogfest entry:

CHAPTER TWO

Etienne

The dragon stretched his head through the tree branches, snapping them off and shoving them aside till he was able to catch the little girl’s skirt in his front teeth. He wasn’t trying to hurt her. He only wanted to make her come out so he could get a better look at her. But to Sybilla this was right out of the dream she’d had that morning. With another shriek, she ran out from under the tree and dashed into her mother’s skirts.

Sybilla was dirty and disheveled. Her thick black hair was wild and full of hemlock needles, but Etienne didn’t notice any of that. It was her violet eyes that made his fiery breath catch in his throat. The great fear and yearning in them touched his heart.

Not many people know it, but some dragon species are quite fond of children. Not the great black treasure dragons, of course. Those creatures have emotions devoted only to their treasure. But many of the other colors are charmed by the small size and helplessness of children. Such was the case with Etienne.

The dragon’s whole demeanor changed at once. No longer was he the terrifying monster with the thundering voice. Instead he became a gentle creature, who only happened to be of large dimensions. “And what’s your name?” he asked the child, sounding more like a fond uncle than a dragon.

Orlona, the child’s mother, was taken aback. Her metal pot was poised high in the air, ready to strike the dragon again. She didn’t expect the great horned beast to suddenly quit his attack and speak so civilly. It took her a moment to regain her composure. “You frightened her!” she said trying to sound more forceful than she felt.

“You are on my pond,” the dragon said simply. “I have a right to protect what’s mine.”

“So do I.” Orlona lowered the pot cautiously and petted back Sybilla’s hair. “We’ve come from far away. My husband threw us out. I’m a black witch,” she said proudly. “And my husband didn’t like that.”

Etienne sniffed the air around the woman. “I’m guessing the rest of your village didn’t like it either. Your clothes smell as if you’ve come from a place with many people and animals. And you’ve come with very few possessions. That hints at your being thrown out by your village instead of by your husband. Most fathers would send their children away with more. At least if they had the chance.”

Orlona looked away from the dragon’s eyes. “Yes,” she said bitterly. “It was the villagers. But my husband did nothing to defend me.”

“So, you have nowhere to go and, from what I can see, very little to eat.”

“But I’m a very powerful black witch,” Orlona reminded him, thrusting her nose sharply into the air.

“I’m sure you are, or you wouldn’t have been thrown out.” Etienne didn’t say it, but he could sense the strength of her magical power. All dragons and animals have that ability, as well as faeries and elves. It comes across to them as a kind of electrical energy. Etienne had felt it rising off Orlona the first time she’d raised her hands to throw a rock at him. “What is your power based in?”

“Potions and powders.”

“Which you don’t have at the moment, or you would have used them on me.”

Orlona’s mouth moved convulsively, but she didn’t answer.

Etienne’s attention returned to Sybilla. “The child looks hungry. What do you have to feed her?”

“Some bread and cheese.”

“Ffffff!” the dragon said with disgust. “Shepherd food. The girl needs more than that. Young ones need to eat in order to grow. I will bring her some fish. You prepare your pot.” With a swish of his tail, he lumbered back into the pond.

Orlona watched him go, not yet sure what it all meant. She wondered if perhaps the dragon was fattening them up for the kill. They could try running, but how far would they get before the dragon caught them?

“Mama?” Sybilla asked in a small voice.

“Shh. We’d better do as he says.”

Etienne returned shortly with a couple of good sized trout. Orlona nodded guardedly and thanked him. Even if he was only fattening them up for the kill, it was better to die with a full stomach than an empty one. She turned her attentions to cooking and the dragon sat down comfortably on the sand so he could be at eye level with Sybilla. The child was still clinging to her mother’s skirts, but she was beginning to wonder about the great creature.

“You needn’t be afraid of me,” Etienne said. “Brown water dragons don’t eat children. In fact, they don’t eat people at all. At least, not much. Not unless it’s to protect themselves or their homes.”

“We need a home,” Orlona said.

“Well, you can stay here, if you promise not to bring any more humans.”

“What do I care about people?” Orlona said, striking her wooden spoon against the side of her metal pot. “I’m through with them! It’s just me and my daughter now. I’m open to new partnerships.”

“And I am open to sharing my pond, if it’s just the two of you. I have no fear of a black witch. In fact, you may be useful to have around. And you may find it useful to have a dragon around.”

“I am Orlona.”

“And the little one. What’s her name?”

 “Tell the dragon your name,” Orlona prodded her daughter.

“Sybilla,” the child said shyly.

“And I am Etienne,” the dragon said.

Copyright by Mary Anne Gruen

Primal Scream Blogfest

 

This is my first time doing a Blogfest. Raquel Byrnes is hosting it. She’s looking for the most “heart pumping scene” in your WIP. At the moment, she has 22 other people taking part. If you’d like to join too, head on over. As it is, I’m joining late because I’ve been having trouble with an eye infection for the last couple of weeks, which has made it hard to be on the computer for very long.

This excerpt is from a chapter in my fantasy saga “Betony.” I’m about halfway through with it at this point. Of course it’s a series, because that’s what I do best. Even as a kid I would build rambling cities out of blocks, dolls, and toy cars. They would reach from one end of the room to the other. It seems I’m still doing that. LOL

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

Wishes

 

Queen Genevieve still had her doubts about granting Sybilla’s wish. She had consulted the Crystal again the night before and the answers had been the same. If this child was not born to Sybilla by Thodor there would be great peace for many years in the Four Lands. Then the basilisks would come, bringing total destruction. They would pick off the land of Betony first and then the rest of the Four Lands afterward. In their wake they would leave lifeless deserts. Then they would move on to another continent.

However, if this child was born, the time of great peace would never happen. Instead there would great upheaval. First in Betony, then in Tambour, and finally Loren would be caught up in it. The Fourth Land, Gallica, would be spared. But it would put itself on alert. After the conflict ended, it would seek out relationships with the other lands. Many years later, this child of Sybilla’s would rise up again, this time in defense of the Four Lands. And he would use his great power to drive the basilisks back into the sea. Genevieve didn’t know how this change of heart in Sybilla’s son would come about, but the Crystal had hinted it would be because of Etienne the dragon.

So, there would either be great peace and then ultimate destruction. Or there would be great upheaval and ultimate triumph. Genevieve had seen this kind of thing many times in her long life. Great blessings often came at a great price. And great evil could have great blessings. The trouble, of course, was that the future pictured in the Crystal was a possibility, not a certainty. If circumstances changed, the future would change as well. So this was a very dangerous decision. If the outcome had not looked so bleak, Genevieve would have refused to grant Sybilla wish. As it was, there seemed to be no choice but to take a chance on this unknown child … who was to be both a villain and a hero.

Sybilla arrived alone at the overlook near the Crystal Palace at the agreed upon time, her violet eyes set with determination.

“Etienne didn’t come with you?” Genevieve asked. She had assumed Sybilla’s dragon friend would want to be present for this. He was always so very protective of her.

“No,” Sybilla said. “He’s not happy about my doing this.”

“I can’t say I am either,” Genevieve answered. “But it seems your wish is important to the survival of the Four Lands.”

Sybilla gave the old crystal faerie a questioning look. “Is my child to be important, then?”

“Everything is intertwined.”

“Then maybe my mother will receive her wish after all.”

“What do you mean?”

Sybilla turned away. She had never told any anyone in Betony of her mother’s wish for a dynasty. It seemed particularly unwise to bring it up at this moment. Instead she chose another truth. “My mother was disappointed that I wasn’t a witch like her,” Sybilla said. “It was her great wish that I could have magical child.”

“Once again I must caution you. This isn’t like taking a few magic herbs to encourage a pregnancy. Nor is it like putting yourself into the hands of some human doctor. In both those cases, you would merely be prodding nature. The Crystal Triad, however, is powerful enough to override nature’s refusal. And in doing that there is always a price to be paid. At the very least some of your essence will be used to bring about this child. It will probably shorten your life. And there may be other sacrifices ahead for you also.”

“I’ll pay whatever’s necessary.”

“Very well,” Genevieve said. She picked up her staff and held up lengthwise in front of Sybilla. “Behold the Crystal Staff!” she commanded, “it carries out all orders.” Slowly she lowered it to the rocky ground in front of Sybilla. Then she took the crown from her head. “Behold the Crystal Crown! It signifies the one who is in control.” Genevieve placed it behind Sybilla just to her left. Then finally, she picked up the ancient crystal ball from its white woolen cloth. “And last but not least, behold the Crystal! This ball holds within it the power of the crystal faeries going back for generations.” Genevieve reverently placed the ancient crystal behind Sybilla to her right, thus putting her in the center of the Crystal Triad.

As soon as the last piece was in place, all three began to glow. The light leapt up around Sybilla and reached high into the sky above her, as if it trying to pull down the very power of the sun.

Genevieve raised her arms and said, “By my power as the wielder of the Crystal Triad, I proclaim that you Sybilla, wife of Thodor, will have a child! Nothing physical or magical will stand in your way!”

Sybilla felt a warm wind begin to whip around her. Her long black hair flew up away from her face and moved around as if it had a life of its own. A humming began. It sounded like a multitude of voices murmuring. Sybilla couldn’t make out any words, but she wondered if she were hearing the many spirits of the crystal faeries that were supposed to abide in the crystal ball. The murmurs got louder as the heat of the wind intensified. Sybilla gasped. She could see Genevieve’s mouth move as she continued her incantation. But she could no longer hear her above the murmuring.

“Enough!” Genevieve commanded, bringing her arms back to her sides.

The murmuring of the Crystal stopped immediately. And the glowing light that had been reaching for the sun settled down around Sybilla.

“Go now,” Genevieve said. “The magic of the Triad will take you to Thodor.”

Sybilla nodded and turned away. In the next moment she found herself in front of the rock that covered the entrance to Thodor’s cave. Every time she’d visited before her husband’s faerie magic had kept her from even coming close. Now, the magic melted away and the rock pulled back at her touch.

Thodor heard the rock move and came to the cave entrance armed with a spear because his magic abilities were starting to wane. He assumed he was under attack by some powerful wizard. Who else could have broken through the magic protection spells he’d cast when he was stronger? But there was no wizard. There was only his wife, glowing from head to foot with a magic Thodor assumed had somehow been given to her by Genevieve. Thodor stepped back in a panic.

Sybilla waved in the direction of the cave entrance, and the rock moved back into place. Then she raised her hand to Thodor and the spear he’d been carrying clattered to the ground, sending echoes to the large chamber behind them.

Not knowing what else to do, Thodor retreated. He ran back into his treasure cave and planted himself defensively in front of his favorite pieces. His feverish mind assumed Sybilla had come to reclaim her dowry. “Mi…ne,” he croaked. It was hard to form human words because his throat was beginning to change. The ability to speak would return only after his body grew in size and his throat developed sufficiently to allow for both speech and fire.

“Yours. Yes,” Sybilla said.

“Mi…ne,” Thodor repeated.

In the faerie fire and the glittering reflections of Thodor’s well polished treasures, Sybilla saw her husband more clearly than she’d ever seen him before. Etienne had been kind in not pointing out the irony of it all, but of course Sybilla realized it anyway. Her dowry had been stolen from two black treasure dragons. And it had been used to attract a husband whose greed had soon started him on the same road.

Gone was the dashing faerie that Sybilla had fallen in love with. Although the treasure behind Thodor was meticulously maintained and carefully placed to best advantage, he did not bother to keep himself nearly as well. His long dark hair was matted and his clothes were tattered and rank. His back was becoming humped from constant bending over his beloved treasure. His nails had grown long and sharp. Since Etienne had explained the way in which a black treasure dragon changes from its original form, Sybilla knew that if Thodor’s voice was changing, the skin at his throat was probably already showing signs of scales. He was in no way the lover who had literally swept her off her feet and danced her into marriage about a year before.

Like all treasure dragons, Thodor had begun the change by forsaking all other relationships and locking himself away in darkness with only his treasure for company. Day by day, his greed and paranoia would continue to change his outward appearance to match his inner one till it was complete.

For just a moment Sybilla considered turning back. Then she remembered her mother’s words to her, “Power is the greatest asset you can have.”

So far Sybilla had had very little power in her life. She’d been abandoned by her father. Overlooked by her mother. And pushed aside by her husband because he preferred gold and jewels over her. Etienne the dragon was the only one who had stood by her. He was very important to her, but he wasn’t enough. Sybilla thought if she had a child she would finally have the complete family she’d always longed for. And perhaps her mother would know somehow and finally be pleased with her. There would be no need of seeing Thodor again. He could complete his transformation and live in the darkness of his cave, forgotten by most people.

Sybilla approached Thodor and gently pushed back his hair. A soft growl escaped his lips. He wanted to push her away and chase her from his cave forever. But the magic of the Crystal Triad held him fast.

“I will trade you the treasure for a child,” Sybilla whispered. And she pulled her husband into her arms and shut her eyes tightly.

Copyright – Mary Anne Gruen

Tikatok

A lot of traditionally minded writers were horrified recently when the well known romance publisher Harlequin joined with Author Solutions to create a romance subsidy publisher. But for me, that wasn’t the big shock. It was Tikatok, the new subsidy publisher for children owned by Barnes and Noble. That was the true sign of the times. And to give it added legitimacy, it was the winner of the 2010 Parent’s Choice Award Seal of Approval.

When I was a kid, hobby writing was very restricted. There was no such thing as blogging, no Fanfiction.net, and no Internet. A few kids like me would fill lined notebooks with poems, stories, and occasional drawings. But those beaten up handwritten tomes would never be passed around to visiting relatives at Christmas. Tikatok has changed that.

They don’t ask for money upfront, although Barnes and Noble does sells gift certificates for it so grandparents and others can urge things along. A child and parent can put together a book, complete with their child’s drawings and order it put into a hardcover starting at $18, a paperback starting at $15, and $2.99 for an ebook download. (All ebooks are the same price.) You can even add a biography and personal photo.  Only those on the parent account can order books. But I’m sure most parents would be happy to do so. If this had been around when I was little, I can imagine at least one set of my aunts and uncles passing out their child’s book to everyone on their Christmas list. 

As to copyright, that would stay with the child and parent unless they used a special Tikatok program as a guideline for their book.

To me, this is a major sign of the times.

Hobby writing is here to stay. And the same thing is true of subsidy publishing. I firmly believe that self-publishing will become more accepted as children grow up assuming they can publish whenever they want, starting with services like Tikatok.

Traditional publishing will never go away. But I think as it continues to feel the economic pinch and becomes ever more risk adverse, self-publishing will become the norm. Young people will grow up seeing themselves as writers. They’ll try their hand at Tikatok, fanfiction, blogs, and other social writing venues. Then they may move on to sub-pubs or full self-publishing, perhaps mostly in e-book venues. Those who break away from the pack and build a body of work that people are drawn to, will move into the hallowed halls of more traditional publishing. Some of them may prefer to stay with self-publishing because of the greater control or profit.  

To a lot of writers this may all seem strange. But from the acting world where I come from, it’s pretty par for the course. Bands and other performers often start out in showcases. That’s where you hone your craft and see what part of your act works with the audience. You don’t get paid. You often supply your own costumes and material. And you don’t necessarily get any where. But it’s a beginning. Bands especially know they need to get copies of their work out there, that it’s important to build up a body of work. In this aspect, I think publishing will be similar.

It’s a little like that ancient venue I like to remember, Vaudeville. Scribd and a lot of these other venues are a new name for the same thing.

Return top

Mary Anne Gruen

  • a/k/a Starlight Rose