Fun Friday: Fantasy Fashions

While most people are content to show their love of books and movies with t-shirts, reusable tote bags, or by hanging maps of Westeros in their office (or is that just me?) others take it a step farther. It's not a contest. . .but if it was those folks would be winning.

For fans of Game of Thrones there's a tumblr dedicated to the latest fashions which would most likely be worn by Daenerys across the Narrow Sea. Aptly called What Would Khaleesi Wear? the site has hairstyles, clothes, jewelry and more.

Tattoos are common enough that getting one inspired by a book or movie isn't too crazy, but I'll probably blog about it at some point. Still it's fan nature to one up each other and now you can go under the knife to live out your nerdastic fantasies.

While it's just a bad idea to accuse vampire-wannabes of being nerds, what else do you call someone who gets the dental implants semi-permanently attached to their teeth?

I mean when they go to Nana's 90th, those teeth are still there.  

  

Source

You can now go the surgical route and have a small operation to get pointed ears like and elf or a Vulcan.





Like I said, it's not a competition....but this girl obviously likes elves more than I do...and I like them a lot. Even if I had "the nine" in Sindarin or Orlando Bloom's face inked permanently into my flesh, she'd still be winning.




Source

Elfophiles (aka Alfariophiles*) who aren't prepared to go under the knife can buy accessories that show off their dedication to the Alliance, Lothlorien, Orilla, or pure logic.

*Yes, I made that word up.

To Query or Not to Query

Since my Beta Readers have (for the most part) read my story the feedback is slowly coming in on my most recent draft. Every time someone mentions reading or finishing or even enjoying my book, I get this queasy feeling and struggle to make eye contact. I keep wondering if it's possible to have an illustrious writing career where no one has to read your work. I wish I was joking. Still I'm easing up to the idea that folks are reading my book. And they claim to want more! They're so sweet. While they beg me for spoilers about a potential sequel, not all the questions are on the novel's content. One thing being asked, is if I will try to get it published. And that, as my writer friends know, is a loaded question.

And wrapped up in that one little voiced curiosity are many other questions:

Do I think it's good enough to be published?

Shrug

Do I think I could find an agent? 

Maybe

Is this a book I want to be known for?

If I edit it again, it might be. 

Will anyone want to read it?

Sigh

Do I have the nerves of steel necessary to handle rejections and professional critiques from agents, editors and publishing houses?

Hopefully

Will I break down in Barnes & Noble because nobody is jumping to publish my book when I see the huge Fifty Shades of Grey display?

Yes.

 Oh, and I'm terrified at the thought of contacting agents.

The thing is, while writing and editing it, I had confidence. I believed it was a story worth telling and I felt-if I got it right-it would be worthy of publication. I don't think I could have spent so long on it if I didn't.

Now I'm working on a new project and I feel more confident. This could be the one. But isn't that how I felt before? Maybe I'm growing as a writer and this is all normal, though the little doubtful voice in my head wonders if I'm like Charlie Brown and every time I convince myself this is it, I'm going to get it right and kick that ball, I'm wrong.



Tragic



Only there is no one playing Lucy in my analogy. I'm my own Lucy. Someday when I do send out query letters, and submission to editors there will be many faces to Lucy. There will be a lot of disappointment and maybe it's fear of the inevitable rejections that's keeping me from answering with a definitive and hopeful, "Yes, I will try to publish."

Still, you don't want to query before your book and you are both ready. Hesitation isn't necessarily a bad thing but I wonder, am I being realistic or just lacking confidence? Maybe it's like falling in love, once you finally experience it, you have no doubts. The doubt is proof that it's not right.

It's tough. I've heard writers claim to never feel done, never feel completely confident in their work. It could always be better in their minds. Is that what I'm feeling? How do you know the difference anyway?

I see you shrugging.

Book Report Monday: Impossible

Title: Impossible

Author: Nancy Werlin

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Synopsis: Lucy Scarborough is only 17, but she carries the burden of a curse that has already struck down several women in her family. Each of her afflicted ancestors failed at completing three seemingly impossible tasks, and each succumbed to madness at the birth of her first child. Facing this tragic fate, Lucy braces herself for a losing battle. Mercifully, she has allies in her struggle: intensely sympathetic foster parents and her loyal childhood friend Zach.
(from Goodreads)

Why did I pick it up?: I saw this on a Teen table at Barnes & Noble. I love the cover, and the dress. I read enough of the description to learn that it was inspired by a Simon & Garfunkel song and I added it to my pile without a second thought.

My Favorite Line: "We formed the Fellowship of the Ring when we should've all just gone on medication."

My Review: A great example of a book that blends fantasy with real life. Lucy is a relatable and practical teenager who lives with her foster parents because her mother is a crazy bag lady. Sometimes Lucy's birth mother shows up singing an old folk ballad and pushing a grocery cart full of trash. Soon Lucy learns the truth about her family and she wouldn't believe it if it weren't for the otherwise unexplainable coincidences.

She accepts the truth, as ridiculous as it sounds to say a demonic elf put a curse on the women of the Scarborough family. In order to break the curse of madness upon birth of her first child Lucy must perform the three impossible tasks mentioned in the song "Scarborough Fair" by Simon & Garfunkel.

Lucy, her foster parents, and her friend Zach struggle with whether or not to buy into the idea of the curse. After all it is completely insane. They approach the tasks practically, first trying to find proof that there is a curse. Then tackling each task in turn.




My only complaint is about the antagonist, the demonic elf. He's the only elf in the book and he's evil. In fact he's the only fantasy creature mentioned at all.
My YA Fantasy has elves and they are divided into good, bad and all the combinations in between, just like human beings. Part of elf-loving Monica was hoping for there to be a mention of the other elves and how the one antagonist ruining the lives of the Scarborough women is not indicative of the race. Unfortunately, there is only one elf and the possibility of good ones is not discussed. Despite this oversight, I enjoyed the book.

Next Week: Beastly by Alex Finn