Ancient Ink

Welcome to Rudan Thursdays where we talk about…things! Anything from books and movies, to blog posts and authors, to food and drink ~ and everything in between!

My Aunt, a.k.a. Super-Snoop, snitched to my dearest Granny my desire and intention to get inked.

This, of course, sparked a huge debate between them, myself, and my dad (who, being a navy veteran, has tats himself).

My Granny was horrified…my Aunt gleeful that she got me in trouble…and my dad did his parental duty by telling me not to get them – then proceeded to share stories of how he’d gotten his own art.

None had any viable reason against getting tattoos, other than telling me repeatedly not to get a “tramp stamp.” My admonition that I am a grown woman – in my thirties – and can do what I like with my body fell on deaf ears.

*Sigh*

So, in honor of my uninformed and unimaginative family – whom I love with all of my heart – I offer this documentary from the History Channel: Ancient Ink.

You watching, Auntie?

So talk to me. What is your opinion on tattoos? How do you express yourself?

~*~ Psst…remember that Author Spotlight with James Hutchings? Well, he picked a winner! FUONLYKNEW – please send your contact info to celticsenaxi@gmail.com to receive your free copy of THE NEW DEATH and others!! Woo hoo! ~*~

Express Yourself

Welcome to Rudan Thursdays where we talk about…things! Anything from books and movies, to blog posts and authors, to food and drink.

Tattoos and tattooing have been around for probably as long as we have walked the earth. They are part of many cultures, and can be an artistic expression of self, an expression of belief such as religion or spirituality, or a way to memorialize values, people, or events.

“…the island of Great Britain takes its name from tattooing, with Britons translating as ‘people of the designs’ and the Picts, who originally inhabited the northern part of Britain, which literally means ‘the painted people’. British people remain the most tattooed in Europe. Despite some taboos surrounding tattooing, the art continues to be popular in many parts of the world.” ~ Wikipedia

My good friend Diana Murdock blogged about tattooing and body art several months ago, and that post has stayed with me since. Definitely check it out; there are several beautiful photos, including one pretty badass triskele 

I’ve always wanted tattoos. Not one. Many. I have just never been able to figure out what I wanted to express. A tattoo is for life. My thought is, if you’re going to ink your body you’d better make sure what you choose is meaningful, and that ‘meaning’ is going to last – forever.

I’m a Sagittarius. For those who know and understand the signs, you right away see my dilemma. My thoughts, opinions, interests…they change with the wind! I’m constantly growing, learning, evolving. So for me, the decision of getting inked is a fairly monumental one.

Discovering the depth of my passion for the Celtic traditions has provided a starting point for me in this particular area. This passion (or obsession, depending on how you look at it) is soul deep. It is so much a part of me that no matter what happens in my life or how many times I change my opinions ~ this will never change.

Normally I cringe at words like “never,” “always,” “forever” because those are too confining for me. I like room to move, room to change…I’m like Baby – no one puts me in a corner

But this…saying “this will never change” is like giving myself a gift. I am free to express myself in such a way that will always bring me joy and comfort. Plus, there are SO many aspects to the Celtic tradition that there is plenty of room for me to grow and stretch and evolve.

                                       

So…I’m getting inked! I haven’t quite decided where to start or exactly what to get first ~ I have so many ideas, they’re all crowding my mind, vying to be chosen first. But I’ll share my ideas with you as I move forward…and maybe you can give me some ideas

So talk to me. What is your opinion on tattoos? How do you express yourself?

~*~ Psst…remember that Author Spotlight I hinted at several weeks ago? Well, stay tuned, it’s happening soon! ~*~

Epic St. Patty’s Day

Welcome to Rudan Thursdays where we talk about…things! Anything from books and movies, to blog posts and authors, to food and drink.

While I’m busy packing for the move, you can have fun with this!

The boys over at Epic Meal Time thoroughly enjoyed their St. Patty’s Day, as only they can:

**WARNING: Explicit Language**

So talk to me. What did you think? Have you heard of Epic Meal Time before? Ok, so MusclesGlasses is definitely a favorite, and I’m a big fan of Harley though he had less attitude this time. I like a man with some ‘tude, what do you think? I’m not sure why I enjoy these boys so much, because c’mon, watching them eat their creations is just simply disgusting, but they make me laugh and who doesn’t love a man who can make them laugh??

Epic…Revisited

Losing someone is never easy, even when you know they’re in a better place. Rest in peace, Gramps, I love you!

Carl W. Paulsen

While I’m with my family now, please enjoy this oldie but goodie

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Welcome to Rudan Thursdays where we talk about…things! Anything from books and movies, to blog posts and authors, to food and drink.

My husband recently introduced me to the gentlemen at Epic Meal Time. Not directly face-to-face, I mean he introduced me to their youtube channel. Yes, channel. These Canadian boys are so popular they have their own channel, and the hits just keep climbing.

I immediately felt it necessary to share this with all of you. My husband and I have watched almost all of the episodes to date, and I found myself at times disgusted, intrigued, baffled – but always entertained.

Words like this immediately come to mind when I think of Epic Meal Time: “epic,” “gross,” “giant,” “gross,” “monstrous,” “gross,” “colossal” …ok, you get the picture.

Anyway, take a looksie and tell me what you think.

**WARNING: Explicit Language**

So talk to me. What did you think? Have you heard of Epic Meal Time before? I noticed that for all the…um, artistry…they actually seemed to know how to cook. Well, perhaps that wasn’t fully represented in this particular video, but if you watch more episodes you can see that they actually seem to know what they’re doing…interesting..

The Power of Three

Welcome to Tursan Tuesdays where I take you on a journey through the Celtic world.

In earlier posts we’ve chatted about the triple aspects of The Great Mother, The Green Man, The Mórrígan, and Macha. Thus far, we’ve gotten a glimpse of how significant the triple aspect is in the Celtic traditions.

As you know by now, the Great Mother is the Goddess of all goddesses…and gods for that matter. She is The Lady, the female aspect of all creation. And, of course, she has three facets to her which we’ve gone over previously: The Maiden, The Mother, The Crone.

courtesy of lightgrid.ning.com

In each of her guises, the Great Mother represents a specific part of life. The Maiden represents beginnings, births, new cycles. She is the springtime of life, the glorious and precious creation in the natural world. The Mother represents the ever-changing, ever-growing part of life. She is the summer of life, the grower of all creation in the natural world. The Crone represents the ending of a cycle. Note I do not say, “life” here as life does not truly end in the Celtic tradition. Life is ever-changing, everlasting in new forms. The Crone is the winter of life, when all things prepare for winter’s sleep and for the new cycles The Maiden, or springtime, will bring.

Similarly, the Great Father is the god of all creation, including the gods and goddesses. While he is born from the Great Mother, he is no less important a deity. He is, in fact, consort to the Great Mother. As discussed previously, he not only has triple aspects, he also has many names! “The Great Father,” “The Green Man,” “The Horned God,” “Cernunnos (as some infer),” to name a few.

courtesy of hesternic.tripod.com

By the way, “The Horned God” is never to be confused with the Christian devil or Satan. They are not based on this Celtic creator, nor do they share any similarities. The Horned God is a benevolent deity, one who is full of love, compassion and tenderness for all of creation. Interestingly, I have not found any god, goddess, or deity thus far who is in any way similar to the Christian devil/Satan. It is my understanding there is no such being in the Celtic tradition.

Like the Great Mother, the Great Father represents a specific part of life in each of his three guises, which also compliment each of the Great Mother’s. In the springtime, he is the Divine Child, representing new beginnings and cycles. In the summertime, he is the Son or Lover, representing the maturity of the cycles, balancing sexual desire and need with companionship and tenderness. In the wintertime, he is the Sacrificed Savior or Lord of Death. In this guise he guides souls to their next phase in the cycle. He is renewal and reincarnation. He is wisdom and enlightenment.

In many of the Celtic traditions, the various goddesses have many of the same characteristics of the Great Mother, which makes sense considering she is responsible for all life ~ even the goddesses themselves. Some say goddesses such as The Mórrígan and Macha are separate aspects of one whole deity, others claim they are whole deities unto themselves with their own triple aspects. So, too, do the Celtic gods have similar aspects as the Great Father.

Interestingly, this belief in the power of three is not restricted to Celtic traditions. All over the world we see other traditions and religions which have similar symbolisms.

Christianity ~ The Cross, representing The Father, The Son, The Holy Spirit

Germanic Paganism ~ The Valknut, consisting of three triangles interlocked

Germany ~ yet another triple symbol here, the Trefot, consisting of three spiral arms which represent the Germanic god Woden

Europe (mostly France) ~ The Fleur De Lis, consisting of three flowers

Sicily ~ It’s flag consists of two separate triple symbols: the Trinacria (three bent legs) and three ears of corn, both adorning Medusa’s winged head

Denmark ~ Odin’s Horn, from Norse tradition

So talk to me. What do you think of the power of three? Some say there are magical powers associated with this mystical number, do you agree? Do you disagree? What other religions or traditions support…or refute!…the power of three?

*Swing by on Thursday for my interview with the wonderful and talented Nancy Lee Badger. We’ll be chatting about her new release DRAGON IN THE MIST, and there’ll be a fun giveaway! See you then

NaNoWriMo ~ Are You Prepared?

Welcome to Rudan Thursdays where we talk about…things! Anything from books and movies, to blog posts and authors, to food and drink.

Today, I’m sharing the blog I posted last Saturday over on NKotWB (that’s New Kids on the Writer’s Block, or New Kids, for those that don’t know. Look on my sidebar – go check us out). It’s all about preparing for NaNoWriMo, courtesy of in-depth tips n’ tricks by none other than Mr. Larry Brooks.

Here we go…

As most of you are aware, NaNoWriMo is right around the corner. I stumbled across Storyfix.com whilst perusing my good friend, Gene Lempp’s blog treasures one day…and I’m SO glad I did!

Larry Brooks, author of DARKNESS BOUND and BAIT AND SWITCH, is The Storyfixer.

Recently, he’s been writing posts specifically for NaNoWriMo, and I wanted to share what he’s posted so far with you. So here we go:

#1 – Nail Your NaNoWriMo. Larry kicks off his series telling us that while the name of the game in November is to write and finish our novel, we can begin to develop it in October – start early, be ahead of the game. In this first NaNoWriMo tip, Larry says, Know What You Are Planning ~ imagine that story inside of you inside and out, frontward and backward, and side to side. Visualize all of the angles, visualize the different arcs, characters, plot points. Really immerse yourself in it.

#2 – Keep Your Character Close To Home. Larry says by casting yourself in the lead role, you will develop a character full of visceral emotion and hardy responses.

#3 – Vet and Fertilize Your Story “Idea.” In this tip, Larry explains the differences between “winning” and “succeeding,” as well as “idea” and “story concept.” ~ Differences every writer should know.

#4 – Tell Your Story In Context To…Something. Larry offers tools to enlighten and empower…priceless.

#5 – Don’t Forget To Fall In Love. Use NaNoWriMo to your advantage. Don’t just sit at the computer and “see what happens,” take the concept that speaks to you, that you dream about, that you see in the back of your mind every day, and write that story. Live it, breathe it. Put 200% into it. Fall in love with it.

#6 – Filling Out The Big Picture. Before you can write your story, you must be sure to have three key elements in place. Larry outlines each of these categories in easy to understand language that’ll have you sittin’ up and takin’ notes. So get to it.

#7 – The Most Important Moment In Your Story. Your first plot point. Larry gives advice and tools on how to get it right, even during NaNoWriMo.

#8 – Why and How Your First 12 to 15 Scenes Are Different. Because the First Plot Point is so important and so pivotal to your novel, Larry goes into it further here. He also gives great information for more in-depth study.

#9 – Take A Hike. During the planning stages, it’s easy to become confused and feel adrift. Larry says to take some time to verbally work through these moments with a partner who will quietly listen to you. This can literally be a hike, or as is my case, you can work through it on the elliptical at the gym. He also gives a fantastic bonus tip – you gotta see this.

#10 – Specifics On How To Plan Your Story. Larry dissects and defines each level of story planning: The Visionary Level, The Architectural Level, and The Construction Level. Keys to NaNoWriMo success!

#11 – Cast Your Story With Familiar Faces. Here’s a tip that I not only practice myself, but I’ve also heard about recently from another peer. Using a color photo of an actor as a visual aide is very helpful in adding depth and edge to your character’s personality.

#12 – May The “Forces” Be With You. Here, Larry breaks down five powerful forces, or physics, behind the core competences of writing.

#13 – Begin To Write It Down. Wait just a minute! No cheating here…it ain’t November 1^st yet, kiddies… Larry explains in detail just exactly what the heck a beat sheet is, finally.

#14 – Surrender To The Process. The halfway-point pep talk. Definitely need this right now. All of this prep work is a lot to take in, a lot to process, and a lot to manage. Whew!

So there you have it…we’re not finished, not by a long shot, but this is a fantastic start to planning for NaNoWriMo. I encourage all of you to subscribe to Storyfix.com immediately so you don’t miss out on the upcoming posts (which you need to head over there right after you finish this to get posts 15 ~ 19!) but if you don’t – for what reason I can’t imagine – I will post a follow-up to this one next week…just in time for Day 1 of NaNoWriMo.

So talk to me. What do you think about Larry Brook’s approach to novel planning? Are you prepared for NaNoWriMo? What do you do differently? Are you going to participate in NaNoWriMo? Why, or why not?

Do You Know Your Celtic History?

Welcome to Tursan Tuesdays, where I take you on a journey through the Celtic world.

Today, we’re going to take a look back at the history of the Celts. This may be a refresher for some, or something new for others.

Ok, really, I’m sick. I’m surrounded by germ infested children, and my house has turned into a contagion zone – they’re going to have to put up the white tents soon…

That said, we’re taking a bit of a break on our Gods & Goddesses comparisons, but fear not! A brand-spanking new post will be up next Tuesday…even if it kills me

And now, here you are, a brief history of the Celts…

Who Were The Celts?

A better question would be “Who IS a Celt?” because the Celts are alive and well today my friends, just as they were thousands of years ago.

Some say a Celt is a mystic or witch who dances around stone circles in the moonlight. Some say a Celt is a nature loving person who is kind to animals and people. Some say a Celt is someone who lives in either Scotland or Ireland. Still others say that a Celt is one who speaks the Celtic language, produces Celtic art, or proclaims himself or herself a Celt.

My opinion? Sure, any of those could be correct, but there is much, much more to a Celt than that. Celts are not an ethnic group, and there are many varied religious beliefs associated with them.

The fact is, Celts embrace a certain way of life, a certain way of being.

I believe, however, in order to understand the modern Celt, you must first know their history. Don’t worry, I’ll keep this brief.

First, let’s talk about the “text book” stuff.

The ancient Celts were the first European people north of the Alps to emerge into recorded history. They distinguished themselves from their fellow Europeans by virtue of the languages which they spoke, now known as the Celtic languages (i.e. p-Celtic, q-Celtic, Gaelic, etc.).

Now, the exact geographic location from whence the Celts came is unknown, but you better believe everyone has a theory.

There are historians who say they branched off from other tribes in the lands between the Baltic and Black Seas. Some scholars argue that they originated in the areas now known as Switzerland and South-West Germany.

Regardless of exactly where they began, it is well-known the Celts migrated north, expanding their settlements in various lands throughout Europe. Due to the rise of the Roman Empire, and then the expansions of both the Slavs and the Germanic Peoples, the Celts eventually settled in the lands of Ireland, the Isle of Man, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall and Brittany. These six are now known as the Celtic Nations.

However, I would like to point out that there are Celts living in almost every country on the planet, from Argentina to Australia, and from Russia to Canada and the U.S.

Now, let’s chat about the fun stuff.

The Celts were and are a very resilient people, known for their fiery passion, strength, courage, imagination, creativity and easy eloquence.

The mystic and otherworldly aspects of the Celts are certainly real, but only a part of who they are as a people. Not every Celt is a witch, and not every witch is a Celt!

*Fun Fact: Many of the traditional Christian beliefs have roots in ancient Celtic culture.

The Celtic people believe in the power of Nature; they see the land as the embodiment of the Great Mother – nurturing, loving, and elemental. They lived then, and now, in tune with the rhythms of nature and their yearly cycle of festivals reflect this. They are a harmonious and peace-loving people, unless threatened…then, watch out! Their passion, courage, and unwavering devotion to their cause are the hallmarks of a Celt.

So talk to me. Do the characteristics of the Celtic People ring true in you? Do you notice any similarities between yourself and the Celts? I am passionate about these people and love learning about them! What knowledge do you have about the history of the Celts?

Your Health!

Welcome to Slàinte Sundays where I give a toast to those posts I enjoyed during the week.

It seems like this week’s theme was overcoming fear, which I appreciated since I’ve been struggling with that. (If you’re a writer, than you have too – so read up and kick fear’s a$$!) We have quite a bit on craft as well, and a TON that’s just for fun! Enjoy!

On craft…

David N. Walker continues his series on character outlining. This week’s post is about those other guys, the supporting characters.

Kristen Lamb begins her series on novel structure with Structure Matters. A must read.

Elizabeth Spann discusses outlining and its benefits in her post, Changing Our Book’s Game Plan.

Annalise Green gives her take on outlining in her post, That Outlining Thing, Or No Pants!

On publishing…

Bob Mayer stresses the importance of team building in his post, Reamde, Pottermore, Hyperion and other mistakes from publishing “experts.”

On motivation…

D.A. Watts at Writers On The Storm Blog continues their series on identifying and overcoming fear. These are excellent posts and I strongly suggest you read the other posts if you haven’t already.

Jenny Hansen follows it up with her post at Writers On The Storm Blog asking Do You Fear Your Dreams? These posts are so inspiring. Fear is the noose around a writer’s neck and these ladies are shoving it into the spotlight so we can all face it together. Totally awesome!

Kait Nolan inspires us in her post on facing and overcoming fear, Explore Your Ragged Edge.

Pam Hawley visits David N. Walker and shares her views on facing fears in her post, Sticking Our Necks Out.

Gary Gauthier is hanging out with Marcia Richards and talking about ways to beat procrastination in his post, How To Turn Your Goal Into A Reality. Great post, Gary!

Marcia Richards puts in her two cents on fear in her post she shares on Sonia Medeiros’s blog, Fear Not.

On Social Media and Networking…

Jenny Hansen offers 8 excellent tips for expanding your network with social media.

Kristen Lamb gives us a much-needed refresher on tips for branding our names and building our platforms.

Roni Loren talks about how she built her author platform and what she would do differently in her interview with Laura Barnes in her latest Savvy Sensation segment. Very insightful!

Techy Stuff…

Carrie Spencer, via her good buddy Woodie, shows us how to add HTML code in our blogs on WP in this segment from Woodie Knows WordPress.

For Fun!

Jenny Hansen asks Do I Have A Dirty Mind? Uh…yeah, Jenny, you do…and I dig it! :p

Steena Holmes announces a new release in the new Bandit Creek Series! 33 Books + 32 Writers + Multi-Genre = Awesomeness!

Piper Bayard announces her running mate for the 2012 Presidential Election…the Dream Team! Ok, seriously, how can we make this actually happen, ‘cause I’m so in!

Annalise Green offers a fun post on the dark side of Mermaids.

Gene Lempp gives yet another thrilling post from his Zoo Arcane with Slayer Spirits and the Unredeemed…muahahahahahaaa!!!

Jess Witkins shares her freaky and appropriate post, I See Dead People. (Cue spooky music)

Mums the word topic in this sweet post from Jillian Dodd, Is Bigger Really Better? (Get your filthy minds out of the gutter!)

I absolutely could not do this post without mentioning; yeah you guessed it, invisible porn! Piper Bayard opens her store and her heart in her post, Invisible Art? That’s Nothing. We’ve Got Invisible Porn. Bust out the credit card, you are not going to want to miss out!

Elena Aitken asks Fashion Forward, Or Totally Backward? in her post about models in magazines, and how ridiculous they all look.

Natalie Hartford shares the Urban Word of the week: Webtrovert.

Shéa MacLeod dishes on some of the sexiest paranormal studs around in her post, Zombies, Vampires, and the Delicious Mr. Spock.

Diana Murdock points out that tattoos aren’t just for gang members or street thugs…they can be inspirational, personal expressions of our inner selves. Awesome post!

Carrie Spencer shares a very cool video on pumpkin carving in her post, Get The Chainsaw Honey, Let’s Carve A Pumpkin!

And there you have it.

To David, Kristen, Elizabeth, Annalise, Bob, Deb, Jenny, Kait, Pam, Gary, Marcia, Roni, Carrie, Steena, Piper, Gene, Jess, Jillian, Elena, Natalie, Shéa, and Diana…  *takes a breath*

Slàinte…your health!

Your Health!

Welcome to Slàinte Sundays where I give a toast to those posts I enjoyed during the week.

In this, my very first toast, I wanted to send a special shout out to those people who helped me make it happen:

First, I would never have even considered a blog if it weren’t for the amazing Kristen Lamb. I’ve taken two of her blogging & branding classes, and have been following her for months. I’ve learned so much from her…she is a genius, and I recommend every writer, regardless of where you are in your career, to not only check her out, but subscribe to her blog AND buy her books, “We Are Not Alone: The Writer’s Guide To Social Media,” and “Are You There Blog? It’s Me, Writer.” I believe that every bit of information Kristen has to offer is critical to achieving a successful and rewarding career as an author.

Next up, Kerry Meacham and Kate MacNicol. When I was at the end of my rope, they walked over and tied an extra bit of length to it. THANK YOU, Kerry and Kate, for snapping me out of my creative block!

Then there’s Sharron Gunn. Sharron, a fellow author, is an expert in Scottish history and Celtic studies. She is a particular hero of mine and I cherish her teaching spirit, and her patience with all of my questions. Thank you, Sharron!

And finally…Carrie Spencer. Oh, how I adore thee, let me count the ways… Ok, enough silliness. Carrie is not only an unending fount of knowledge of all things WordPress, but she also has endless patience. I know me…quite well, in fact…and I can say without any doubt that I can be a bit slow (read frustrating and/or annoying) when it comes to the techy stuff. My hat off to you, dear Carrie, for being the wonderful teacher you are. Thank you so much for everything…if it weren’t for you, this blog would not be here.

By the way, check out Carrie’s group blog – Romance University – where she and six other witty and talented authors are, “Dedicated to helping writers establish and advance their careers, introducing readers to a variety of authors, and delving into the ever-inscrutable male mind.”

To Kristen, Kerry, Kate, and Carrie…

Slàinte…your health!