Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Wielding The Power

As an author, there's a certain satisfaction in watching your characters develope.  They're like your babies that blossom from a hunch to full grown personalities.  Though many times my characters let me know how their story should be told, I've found that I love wielding my powers as author and setting them in situations that question their integrity, test their limits, and help them mature. 

Then there are the times that are just fun.  On The Character Cafe blog, I got to perform a small favor for one of them and use my position as the all-mighty author to make sure things went as he wanted.  Lol.  I love playing my part in making sure love can happen. : )  *You're welcome, James*



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Friday, March 25, 2011

Fantastic Friday Writers - Languages In Sci-Fi and Fantasy

Is it any wonder that Star Trek's Klingon and Star wars, Return of the Jedi's Huttese was named in the top 10 best sci-fi languages by Wired magazine?  When creating new worlds for our imagingations to explore, amazing authors fashion realistic and many times fully realized languages for their characters to use.  I do think HP Lovecraft went a bit overboard with his, but I believe that was his intention.  Lol.  What do you think?  ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn!  Uh...yeah.

As in sci-fi, fantasy gives us the opportunity to dive into new worlds, even if they exist within our own.  Elveish, faery, mermish, magical spells, (and so many more) all give rich fertile ground for a writer's imaginaiton to go to work.  The possibilities are endless.




In the series that I'm writing now, The Chronicles of Shilo Manor, there are five dimensions.  Though in the Cornerstone Deep books we are introduced to Terra and the characters appear to speak English, later in the series, as they travel the spectrum, we'll see the struggle to understand the other realms' foreign languages.  The Shilo brothers, however, are not from Terra, but Meridian, and we get a taste of that gifted plane's language through magical spells they use and an occasional slip-of-the-tongue when their nature overrides their brain.

When I sat down to create their language, I wanted something that matched the enchantment of Meridian.  A large part of their culture encompasses eternal progression through a soul's rebirth.  Once they find a soul mate, they reunite each life thereafter and continue their progression together.  That being the case, love is at the center of most of their thoughts and their language reflects that.  

Many of the same words are used in different ways but relate to much the same thing.  For example, Unsigh, means one heart.  It can be used when speaking of love, cherishment, a giving of love.  This quote is from Cornerstone Deep Echoes.  In this scene, James is asking Linda for permission to kiss her.  "Troi unsigh vi, Leenja?"  It translates to, "A kiss from the heart, Linda?"

So, while some authors may create languages or spells that are derived from Latin as JK Rowling did in Harry Potter or merge known languages such as in Blade Runner, I chose to develope something entirely new.








 

Please take time to check out the other Fantastic Friday Writers' blogs.
And until next time, love life.
Charlene






Monday, March 21, 2011

Introducing FFW

As I gear up to begin my new blogging venture with Fantastic Friday Writers, I thought it'd be great to introduce the other bloggers who will be taking part.
They can also be viewed on my new FFW page listed on my menu.  It also has the schedule for the topics we'll be posting about.  Without further ado, may I introduce our fantastic group. : )
Fantastic Friday Writers

Elizabeth Mueller:  Fantasy writer. Mother of four children she has also finished 8 novels and 3 children’s books! Check out her blog here: http://elizabethmueller.blogspot.com/.

J.D. Brown:  Urban Fantasy writer. Author of Dark Heirloom, a book full of action, thrills, and a touch of romance. Check out her blog here: http://authorjdbrown.blogspot.com/  and her website http://authorjdbrown.com/.

Alex J. Cavanaugh:  Science Fiction writer. Author of Cassastar, released October of 2010! Check out his blog here: http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/.

Deirdra Eden-Coppel:  Fantasy writer. Her novels entice indulgence of the fine line between fact and fantasy. Check out her blog here: http://astorybookworld.blogspot.com/  and her website http://www.knightess.com/.

M. Pax:  Science Fiction writer. Mary is also an ametuer astronomer! Check out her blog here: http://mpaxauthor.blogspot.com/.

Jeffrey Beesler:  Science Fiction writer. Author of The Flettleglag Force, will be published by Cyberwizard Productions. Check out his blog here: http://flettleglag.blogspot.com/.

Andrew J. Cooper:  High Fantasy writer. Author of Nocturn, Son of the Night, recently e-pubbed and available on Amazon. Check out his blog here: http://andrewjcooper.wordpress.com/.

Anastasia V. Pergakis:  High Fantasy writer. Author of Cleanse Fire, the first book in a fantasy adventure series. Check out her blog here: http://thelabotomyofawriter.blogspot.com/  and her website: http://avpergakis.com/.

Charlene A. Wilson:  Fantasy writer. Author of Cornerstone Deep, published November 2010! Check out her blog here: http://charleneawilsonblog.blogspot.com/  and her website http://charleneawilson.com/.


I hope you drop in and check everyone out.  And remember, this all starts for me this friday!  Squeee!
Until next time, love life.
Charlene

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

New Site In The Works For Shilo Manor

I was going  to wait to share this, but I'm just too excited about it!  The new site for my series, Chronicles of Shilo Manor is all most finished!  All I need to do is add the details.  There will be excerpts, insights, deleted scenes, and character pages.  And for the character pages, I'm commissioning a fantastic artist to depict the Shilo brothers, Lord Dressen, and the ominous "harvesting" scene in the alley.  This is going to be great!  Information on upcoming books in the series will also be there with sneak peaks at the next chapter in the lives of Wizards of Shilo Manor. 

If there's anyone who would like to contribute with their own interpretation of scenes or characters, feel free to contact me. : )

My Characters Need Me

Today on The Character Cafe, Cole, James, and Vincent try to convince me to get back to work on the next book in their series.  Geez, all they had to do was ask.  Honestly.  Come on over, leave them a note, and remind them patience is a virtue.  Please!

New Look For The Character Cafe

The Character Cafe has a brand new look! 

This is the blog where six authors' characters take turns blogging about their lives outside their story's plot.  In this relaxed cafe setting, the characters' personalities really shine.  Get to know them all!

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Joining Up With A-Z Blog Challenge

That's right.  I've committed to blog every day for 24 days starting on April 1st.  Well, excluding Sundays.  I do get a break in the week...and so do my dedicated blog readers. Lol.  Love you guys. :) 

With the A-Z blog challenge, I pledged to relate my blog topics to each letter of the alphabet consecutively.  We get to choose the overall theme of our posts and I chose to go with something I know.  My own experiences with my books.  You'll get to know the inside workings of the worlds in the series The Chronicles of Shilo Manor; how I put them together, how they differ from each other, the inside scoop on the magic that's performed, and even secrets of some of the gods.  Some of the characters agreed to help out with this, too.  Their points of view should be interesting. :s

So, starting April 1st (great April Fool's Day beginning) the alphabet and Cornerstone Deep merge.  Hope you watch for the posted notice and join in with comments and questions for the characters.  They're standing by to help you understand their worlds.

Until next time, love life.
Charlene

Monday, March 14, 2011

I'll try. Really. I'll...try.

I just joined the Fantastic Friday Writers group!  Maybe it will help me jump start this blog and break me into the world of blogging.  Maybe.  *snicker*  I'm really terrible about voicing my views...but I'm determined to work on it.  Really.  I am.  Really. 

With the other blog group I work with on The Character Cafe, I have SO much fun.  If you haven't checked it out yet, there are six of us that take turns blogging with the characters from our books.  You can always hop in and see what they're doing in their lives outside the book's plot line.  And sometimes they get into some real fixes. Readers can comment on the blog post and ask questions or talk with characters who answer back. 

The Fantastic Friday Writers group is geared to the fantasy/sci-fi genre, so this should be fun too.  There's a set topic that we all blog about.  Instead of going to a certain page and reading on one blogger's point of view of the subject, you get to start right here with me.  Check out what I think about it, experiences I may have had with it, advice I might be able to offer...*clears throat at that one*...and then I'll list the links to the others in the group and you get to check out their views on it too.  Our next posted is on March 25th and the topic is Language.  That's right.  With so many fantasy/sci-fi stories encompassing new worlds, or magical spells, a lot of times there are new languages to grasp. Including the worlds of my own books.  The Shilo brothers from my novel Cornerstone Deep are from another dimension and to add to that, are wizards who perform spells in their native tongue.

So, I hope you help me out as I turn this blog site from an announcement list into a real live breathing blog.  I'm even going to put up a follower's button. *GASP* 

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Character Cafe Blog Entry

My childhood.  Grrr.  This is impossible.
Vincent has a difficult task on The Character Cafe.  Hop over and support him in the effort.