October 23, 2007

Technical Aspects

When one is writing a book, or especially a series of books, technical details must be attended to. In the Tellurae Aquaous series I have created such details as a currency system (based on the "stater" which is the equivalent to a penny, or a pence), and even new constellations. I thought my readers might be interested to hear the "legends" behind some of the constellations:

Yorien: the wandering warrior, unjustly cast out from his home and forced to wander the desolate plains of the night sky alone, with only his sword and a broken shield. He is said to be the protector of the innocent.

Chareele: the fair princess who fell in love with Yorien. But alas, he did not love her in return, for her love was kept secret even from him. Eventually her love was discovered by her enemies, for her heart shone in her eyes. She was banished from the kingdom and made to walk the nighttime sky as well, but upon the opposite horizon from her love and forever facing in the opposite direction. However, the brightest star in the sky is that of Chareele’s heart, and the purity of her love shames the blind eye of Yorien.

The Gryphon: with outspread wings, the gryphon is a symbol of courage and daring, he follows Yorien on every quest, but far enough behind so that Yorien never knows or sees who it is that gives him aid.

Wyvyrn: the long, powerful king of all dragons flies through the night at the top of the sky. He is the symbol of nobility and magic, both of which are now at best difficult to find in the world.

Artairus: The constellation named in honor of the great king Artair. When that King among kings passed into the shadow realm, his people named a group of stars after the great man who had led his people in peace. His is a constellation of seven stars, six forming a half circle, and one lone star centered beneath them, symbolizing the Great King as ruler over the six main powers of Tellurae Aquaous. (Llycaelon, Aom-igh, Effoin-Ebedd, Endalia, Kallayohm, and Yochathain)

Ethalon: The eagle, the symbol of pride and nobility, flies across the southern part of the sky

Alianna: A unicorn, the symbol of beauty and love, appears in the sky above Chareele’s head, protecting her.

October 04, 2007

What I Write/Why I Write

I wonder why my words
Never seem to stay
Exactly how I mean them
But change from day to day.

I write what I feel
Deep down inside of me,
Using my pen
Setting my emotions free.

I write what I see
In the world around
People I meet
Their stories abound.

I write to remember
Feelings I’ve felt,
Struggling to record
Hands that I’ve been dealt.

I write to fascinate
To evoke emotion,
I write to create:
Express fantastic notions.

I write to reveal
The deepest part of me
Thoughts, dreams, ideals
Helping others see.

I offer only insights
To try and leave you thoughtful
And perhaps to shed some light
Upon this darkening world.

And so, dear reader,
I give my words to you
Do with them what you will
Be harsh not in your view.