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  • The Rules of Magic
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  • Fairy Kingdom Survival Tips
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  • The Kingdom's Guide to Approaching Other Species
    • The Kingdom's Guide to Approaching Other Species Part 2
  • What the Kingdom Would Like To See
    • What the Kingdom Would Like To See 2
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  • Appropriate Songs for My Characters
    • Appropriate Songs for My Characters - 2
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WHO MY CHARACTERS WOULD INTERVIEW...RODISH

31/3/2015

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  1. The Seven Dwarves from Snow White.  Rodish would want to berate them for having such soppy names (the only one that pleases him at all is Grumpy).
  2. Ronnie Corbett.  Rodish would be curious as to how those below average height manage on a planet where fitting in is so important.  Rodish would admire Ronnie for making a career out of this though.
  3. Beer Producers.  Rodish is not fussy about who, ideally he would interview them all given he thinks beer production is the very height of the creative arts.  Most dwarves share that view.
  4. Bakers, particularly bread specialists.  Dwarves are very fond of their bread and Rodish would like to try breads from around the universes.  Unfortunately the Chief Witch put paid to that ambition.
  5. Axe Manufacturers.  Rodish likes to keep in touch with those who still manufacture classic dwarf tools in the old fashioned way.  Rodish likes old fashioned ways.  He also likes a decent axe blade.
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WHO MY CHARACTERS WOULD INTERVIEW...L'EVALLIER

30/3/2015

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  1. Roherum.  L'Evallier would like to know whether FNN's lead presenter has always been an idiot or whether there was special training.  (And if so where the hell was that training and who was responsible as they need to be "dealt with").
  2. The Duke of Norfolk.  As the country's leading nobleman, he would be the obvious one for L'Evallier to compare notes with on everything from etiquette to dealing with servants to managing awkward monarchs/politicians.
  3. Michaelangelo.  L'Evallier would want to discuss the work behind the Sistine Chapel.  Naturally L'Evallier and his wife, Melanbury, appreciate fine arts across the dimensions and have a particular fondness for wonderful images, whether they are in portrait form, sculptures, photographs or on highly ornate ceilings.
  4. Mozart.  Again L'Evallier (and Melanbury) adore wonderful music so he would be keen to interview a great composer who began his career very early as a child genius.
  5. William Shakespeare.  L'Evallier would complete his interviews of people in the arts by asking Shakespeare to confirm once and for all whether he wrote all of the plays or not.  L'Evallier has never really cared much about who he offends but here he would see it as giving Shakespeare the chance to put the record straight.
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WHO MY CHARACTERS WOULD INTERVIEW...L'EVALLIER

29/3/2015

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WHO MY CHARACTERS WOULD INTERVIEW...HANASTREW

28/3/2015

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  1. James Bond.  Not sure who would be giving each other tips on how to deal with villains here but it could be an interesting conversation.  (Though JB would be well advised not to try the old charm on Hanastrew.  She has blasted people away for that - and not in a good or pleasurable way either!).
  2. Paddington Bear.  Hanastrew is curious as to how a bear got all the way from Peru to Paddington Station.  Any creature capable of achieving that kind of travel without being stopped and questioned should be watched warily.  What else can they do?  (In Paddington's case, it's eating all those marmalade sandwiches and not develop diabetes).
  3. Boadicea.  Hanastrew would want to discover what made the Iceni Queen tick (and any tips on thwarting those who opposed you would be welcomed by Hanastrew as well).
  4. L'Evallier.  Hanastrew is well aware the Chief Elf is unlikely to agree to be questioned at all, yet alone by the likes of her, but she would love to know what makes him the way he is - honourable but tetchy, brave but snobby and so on.  She is also aware that even if he agreed to be questioned, he wouldn't like that  line of approach but it is the one she'd love to take.
  5. Snow White's stepmother.  To find out exactly why this woman couldn't get on with Snow White or find a better way of getting rid of her.  Snow White could have been married off and sent far, far away that way.
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WHO MY CHARACTERS WOULD INTERVIEW...HANASTREW

27/3/2015

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WHO MY CHARACTERS WOULD INTERVIEW...  THE FAIRY QUEEN AGAIN

24/3/2015

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  1. Cleopatra.  This would be mainly to ask how the Egyptian Queen coped with being beautiful and knowing you're not being taken seriously because of that.
  2. Doctor Who.  To try and get the inside word as to what planets to avoid at all costs.   Not sure she'd succeed but the Queen would seek warning as to what species are likely to turn up where.
  3. Agatha Christie.  The Queen enjoys a good puzzle and as well as enjoying the novels for that, will also use them to study the human condition.  (She's not impressed with what she's found out reading the books.  Her prejudice against humanity continues...).
  4. Boadicea.  For tips on crowd control and dealing with unwelcome "guests".
  5. The British Tourist Board.  If there is a way that the slight hiccup with crossing dimensions can be overcome so people survive (!), the Queen would love to talk to these people with a view to setting up a magical tour of her realm.
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WHO MY CHARACTERS WOULD INTERVIEW... THE FAIRY QUEEN

23/3/2015

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  1. Eileen but this would not be so much of an interview, more of an interrogation with whatever she says possibly being used against her!
  2. The Witch.  Same comments apply!
  3. Queen Elizabeth Tudor.  Roxannadrell would like to talk to someone sympathetic about the problems of being a ruling monarch, rightly believing nobody else will quite understand.
  4. Any classical composer.  The Fairy Queen has a great appreciation of their art and would arrange a private concert at the same time.
  5. John Constable.  Roxannadrell loves his landscapes.  She likes creative humans (well creative in the arts anyway.  She's not so keen on those who are creative when it comes to inflicting misery on others).
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WHO MY CHARACTERS WOULD INTERVIEW... EILEEN AGAIN

22/3/2015

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  1. Florence Nightingale.  Eileen is a huge believer in hygience so would see Florence as a heroine.
  2. Hans Christian Anderson and the Brothers Grimm.  She would want to share the Fairy Kingdom's version of the classic fairytales with them.  This could be interpreted as revisionist thinking!
  3. Those behind the return of Doctor Who - Eileen loves  sci-fi shows, fantasy shows , and (almost) anything that can open human eyes to the idea of other lives being "out there".    Why?  The more aware you are of the possiblity of other life forms, the more likely it is you will treat your own life form reasonably well.
  4. Those behind any form of wildlife conservation.  Eileen would want to find out if they were as fanatical to the cause as Fresdian was.
  5. The local news presenter, regardless of region.  Eileen would want to double check there could be nobody else remotely like Roherum and be reassured as to that point!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
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WHAT I LOVE MOST ABOUT WRITING...

22/3/2015

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  1. Coming up with characters who spring to life and develop in front of your "eyes".
  2. Coming up with world(s) that fascinate you.
  3. Coming up with villain(s) that fascinate you!
  4. Coming up with hero(ines) that also fascinate but show why they are the good guys.  They've got to have a good cause, literally.
  5. Being able to write short length stories from flash to standard length (up to 2000 words) to novels to plays...  the only limit is your imagination.
  6. You can explore ideas.
  7. You can discover ideas from the characters you develop, not just in terms of new story ideas, but you get to learn how your "people" think and why.  Could it change how you feel about issues?  Can be fun finding out!
  8. Receiving feedback which helps you improve your work (this is not necessarily complimentary, though nice responses are obviously nice, but so you can see how well you "got through" to your reader).
  9. Winning or being shortlisted for competitions is a huge morale boost.
  10. Getting to talk about your work at writing festivals and enjoying hearing about others' work.  I love both aspects here.  I think it's like a kind of celebration of the work of the imagination.
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wHO MY CHARACTERS WOULD INTERVIEW... EILEEN

21/3/2015

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Eileen
If my characters were given the chance to interview anyone in any time, dimension or world, they would probably take it.   Eileen definitely would as she relishes knowing what makes people tick.  It makes her job as fairy godmother extraordinary easier to carry out if she knows the kind of person she is dealing with.  Her choices to interview are:-

  1. The Fairy Queen - Eileen would put her on the spot and ask the questions that in the magical world would land her at best in jail or at worst facing the prospect of having her powers stripped away.  This is painful and strip away enough of them, the magical being concerned dies.
  2. Queen Elizabeth Tudor - Eileen admires this lady and would love to know how she coped with knowing what her father did to her mother. It is one hell of a burden to take with you throughout life.
  3. Jane Austen - Eileen admires the wit of Pride and Prejudice in particular and would quiz Jane over her working methods and inspiration.
  4. Jeremy Paxman - Eileen would put him on the spot and happily ask him the same question a dozen times, even if he did answer it the first time, simply to be annoying.  She'd relish every moment of that!
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MY TOP TEN TERRY PRATCHETT CHARACTERS

21/3/2015

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  1. Commander Samuel Vimes.  For the way he develops from a drunk to a hero unafraid to tackle villains or argue with the Patrician. 
  2. Death.  For his compassion and for making me see humans from the viewpoint of someone who definitely isn't human.
  3. Moist Von Lipwig.  The ultimate in reformed rogues. In real trouble with Vetinari at the start of Going Postal, with no sure way of getting out of it at all, the book takes off from there and hits the ground running.
  4. Granny Weatherwax.  This witch can and does face down almost anything.
  5. Mustrum Ridcully.  The Unseen University's Guiding Hand does not believe in subtlety.  It's just as well really, he'd be no good at it.
  6. Nanny Ogg.  This witch likes a good pint and a good time in equal measure and is clever enough to know it pays not to look clever.  Granny Weatherwax would be lost without Nanny.  Nanny is the foil to Granny in many respects.
  7. The Patrician, Lord Vetinari.  Clever, oh so clever yet can issue dire threats with the best of them. And someone who can try and reform Moist Von Lipwig is capable of almost anything.
  8. Susan Sto Helit.  Death's granddaughter has had a lot to get used to over the years.  As a result she is impossible to shock (and some would say  just plain impossible).
  9. Rincewind.  The coward's coward has heroism thrust upon him at every opportunity.  It was a shame really.  He never wanted it.
  10. Albert.  Once a powerful mage, now Death's personal servant.  Is to grace, charm and good manners what a dung beetle is to grace, charm and good manners.  And that's on a good day.   Still nobody can smoke as ferociously as Albert and his cooking has to be seen to be believed.  Probably best not eaten though.
Great characters live on...

And how to write your own characters.  Read the works of other authors.  You learn as you read.  Just pick the best to learn from, that's all.



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ASIDES TO MAIN WRITING...

20/3/2015

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One joy about writing a series is that, as you go along, you obviously get to know more of how your world works, how its societies/peoples develop and so on.  This knowledge helps you add depth to the stories but there is another advantage.

In my case, I've been able to envisage how local communities work, devise a Highway Code for the magical realm (huge fun to write!) and I hope at some point to produce other works.  I can envisage a guide to magical law, Palace etiquette and that kind of thing.

I am thinking of developing these kind of works into future books (possibly ebooks) and see how things go but I do know now it is satisfying to invent things like this that can back up my Brenebourne novels and other stories.

I love The Discworld Companion for its details and I am pleased I can genuinely invent things for my own creations.  I hope it is a sign of a very active imagination I can use to promote and back up my main works.  Certainly it is good to have the option!
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MY FAVOURITE FAIRYTALES

20/3/2015

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  1. Cinderella.  I have a soft spot for rags to riches story and particularly when the hero(ine) has been groundtrodden, ill-treated etc.  I also love fairytales in general for being upfront about the story.  There is no tweeness (unlike the musical, Annie, which is not to my taste).
  2. Little Red Riding Hood.  Aside from approving of people trying to care for the elderly properly, I also like any story where villainy is overcome.  I love the film Hoodwinked which takes this fairytale and runs with it.  I highly recommend it.  It is very humorous, suitable for older kids upwards and any fan of police procedurals will like it too.
  3. The Happy Prince.  At the moment, this remains the only Oscar Wilde story I've read but it is a cracker.  Good social comment and conclusion - that true riches are not in material things. 
  4. Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.  Again villainy is overcome, jealousy is shown leading to other evils (which it does), and I love the Shrek films take on Snow White as being more of an action girl than we have been previously led to believe.  I have written a short piece briefly summing things up from the stepmother's viewpoint and this was huge fun to write, which gives me more reason to like this tale.  A really good story lends itself to all kinds of adaptations, including spoofs.
  5. The Three Little Pigs.  A strong moral story showing the importance of investing in decent building materials.  It really does save trouble in the long run!
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TEN FAVOURITE CHARACTERS

14/3/2015

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  1. Sam Gamgees - for loyalty to Frodo, courage and a determination to see things through.
  2. Elizabeth Bennet - for wit, determined to marry for love and not just for financial security in an era where that would been considered odd.
  3. Sam Vimes - for going from a drunken failure to a brave, honourable and all round good guy (though he'd hate that term!).  For overcoming his own prejudices to work with dwarves, werewolves and vampires.  Now there's a calling if ever there was one...
  4. Scout Finch - for showing life through a child's eyes without being twee.
  5. Ebenezer Scrooge - for the redemption story and for giving us the wonderful We are Marley and Marley in the Muppet adaptation with Michael Caine.  Easily my favourite bit of that film.  I always did like those two old hecklers.
  6. Alan Grant - for investigating Richard III in The Daughter of Time despite being confined to a hospital bed and using his analytical skills to show there is no case against the king when it comes to who "killed" the Princes in the Tower (if they did - disappearance is not necessarily the same thing).
  7. Treebeard - one of my favourite stories within The Lord of the Rings is the March of the Ents, which is so wonderfully brought to life in the Peter Jackson film adaptations.
  8. Sherlock Holmes  (and Watson) - the detective's detective and the assistant's assistant.  The stories are fabulous but Holmes would be nothing without Watson.  Geniuses need someone to bring that side out in them.  (It was why Poirot had Hastings as a sidekick).
  9. Cinderella - my favourite fairy tale character.  I am a sucker for the hopeless case to magical transformation and justice being done in the end kind of story.
  10. Jeeves (and Wooster) - The finest comic creations in English literature and, as with Holmes, Jeeves needs Wooster.  Jeeves has to have someone to be brilliant for.

These are in no particular order but their stories are just fantastic (even when they're not written in that genre!).


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TOP TEN REASONS TO LOVE BOOKS

14/3/2015

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  1. You can visit any era, country or world (real or otherwise) at your convenience and without leaving a comfy chair.  Even Doctor Who can't do that.  He needs the Tardis.
  2. The range of topics covered by either fiction or non-fiction is truly breathtaking.
  3. There is always the joy of re-reading an old favourite and/or author.
  4. Which can only be topped by discovering a new favourite book and/or author.
  5. Books as a form of entertainment are relatively cheap.  And then there are the different formats.  There's bound to be at least one to suit you.  (For me, it is the paperback that rules).
  6. You look intellectual when you're reading!  (It helps if, like me, you also wear glasses.  They give gravitas).  Okay not the world's best reason for loving books but it is a valid point.
  7. Books are a wonderful form of escapism and you can tailor your reading to suit your mood.  It probably says something for me that I love humorous literature so much. (Well when the real world is violent, sad and depressing, name a better form of escapism that is legal, you can't overdose on it, nor does it make you put on weight).
  8. There are truly beautiful books out there so those that like aesthetics will find something to please.  And then there is something amazing about seeing early editions of classic novels.  I find those awe inspiring.  Good books last.
  9. While those of us who are still lucky enough to have libraries realize that luck and make the most of it, books are one of the few forms of entertainment where you can borrow them, decide if you like them and then make a purchase or not depending on the result.  You really can try before you buy.
  10. You always learn something from a book even if it is you discover you don't like it!
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ten books that changed my life

13/3/2015

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  1. The Bible - everything from the emotions in the Psalms to the story and teachings of Jesus.
  2. The Lord of the Rings - for its scale and being under 5' I love the idea of a hobbit being a hero.
  3. Pride and Prejudice - for introducing me to wit in literature in the first place.
  4. Uncle Fred Flits By - to represent all of P.G. Wodehouse's wonderful writings.
  5. Reaper Man - to represent the much missed Terry Pratchett's Discworld series.
  6. To kill a Mockingbird - I remember the anger that the injustice in this novel roused in me.
  7. Day of the Triffids - Thanks to my English teacher, I discovered the joys of sci-fi.
  8. Oliver Twist - I first saw the Alec Guinness version, then read the book.  Both are superb.
  9. The Daughter of Time - is the only novel to change my mind about the identity of a murderer.
  10. Murder on the Orient Express - My favourite Christie novel and an interesting dilemma.
It is just as well Desert Island Discs gets their castaways to take records.  I'd never get my book list down to 8.  I can't leave any of the above off the list (though having the Bible, along with Shakespeare, already there helps reduce the dilemma to getting rid of one book rather than two).


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ADVANTAGES OF WRITING ABOUT YOUR OWN FICTIONAL WORLD                                                                                                      

12/3/2015

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  1. You are in control of your own world.
  2. Therefore you can set things up as best suits you.
  3. You can populate your world with the characters you want to write about/for.
  4. You can write in your own in-world jokes. 
  5. You can use your own knowledge of geography, climate, history to create a good back-up story.
  6. The more you write, the better you get.  A blog is a good way of advertising what you are doing.
  7. You know the limits of your fictional world and can write to its strengths and, where apt, to its weaknesses as well.
  8. You can set up its political world, which will feed into how your society is governed (and how your characters respond to that).
  9. You can set up its criminal world/underworld, which will feed into your stories either directly (great fantasy crime stories, anyone?) or as information which affects your plot and which adds depth to it.  It shows there is more to your world than you are currently showing.
  10. With everything set up, you can set your stories in contemporary times or go back in time to write a historical story, based on the history you have already invented.
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THE FAIRYTALE WORLD

9/3/2015

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  • Everyone knows their place in society as a whole and their village/town locally.
  • A basic struggle of fairytale heroes/heroines is to cross barriers and to be able to wed way above their "punching weight".  This is particularly true of Cinderella.
  • There is always a magical villain.  Witches never come out of it well.
  • There is always a magical hero/heroine.  They do come out of it well.
  • There is always someone who think they can handle magic and it turns out they can't.  (Though it tends to lead to a wonderful spotlessly clean floor!).
  • The deserving are always ill-treated in some way (usually by a step parent or sibling) but will make good in the end.
  • The undeserving, though they may seem to do well at first, will get their comeuppance. This can be quite comforting to those who are their victims but patience is a must.  Nobody says it has to happen quickly.
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MORE CARTOON LAWS

8/3/2015

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Road Runner
Birds are known to have a brain the size of a pea but not this one apparently!

Scooby Doo
The big mystery here is why Scooby didn't put on loads of weight thanks to all those Scooby snacks.  (Poor dog wasn't walked much either).

Daffy Duck
One of my favourite films is Who Framed Roger Rabbit? featuring the late Bob Hoskins.  One of my favourite scenes is at the Pen and Ink Club where Daffy and Donald Ducks are playing at two different pianos and all out war erupts between them.  It is all very funny and I can't help but wonder just how much comedy we have missed out on because these two weren't paired up a lot sooner.  What an opportunity missed!
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CARTOON LAWS

8/3/2015

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Cartoon laws are an aside to the fairy laws that directly affect what I write but for fun, here goes:-

The Law of Size
The smallest creature is always the smartest.  Tom is not cleverer than Jerry.  And this is how it should be.  As someone who is under 5' tall herself, I like this.

Acme
The company with the monopoly on supplies for all cartoon creatures.  I suspect Wily E Coyote must have a special discount arrangement given the amount he spends with them, not that it does him any good.  I can't think where he gets the money but Acme would go bust if they gave their stock away, especially to him.

Yosemite Sam
Really ought to invest (from Acme of course) in fire proof trousers and underwear given the number of times his rear end is set on fire.  It might also be prudent for him to re-examine his personal insurance policies and see if he can get compensation somehow.

Bugs Bunny
By now it should be realized that it never pays to cross a smart talking rabbit.  Those attempting it never succeed and usually come to various degrees of physical harm (or ritual humiliation at best).


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THOUGHTS ABOUT WHAT CARTOONS CAN TEACH YOU

8/3/2015

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Humility
The over-confident always get their comeuppance.   If only that was true in life!

Judging by Appearances
Basically, don't.  Look at how often cartoon characters get it wrong and end up landing themselves right in it.  Amongst others, consider what happens to Wily E Coyote, Elmer Fudd (when after Bugs Bunny especially), Yosemite Sam, Sylvester and Inspector Clouseau (from the Pink Panther cartoons.  How often does a film spawn a successful cartoon series?).

Spotting the Villain
According to Scooby Doo, it nearly always is the caretaker.

Spotting the Unlikely Hero
The obvious candidate for this is Hong Kong Phooey  (the mild mannered janitor turned secret super hero) though I always felt sorry for the cat sidekick for doing most of the work and getting little of the credit.  That does reflect life!
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THE JOYS OF BLOGGING

8/3/2015

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I am really enjoying blogging for the Chandlers Ford Today website.  My posts have been about the area, writing and books.  My current post is my appreciation of Jane Austen who is buried in Winchester Cathedral.  There are also links to where she lived in Southampton and Bath.  There are easy rail connections to both places here.

The feedback has been positive and helpful.  I've learned of the existence of a dog walking/countryside management forum, which may well be helpful.  The site's editor has given me links to copyright free imaging websites and I feel I am learning more skills which I hope will feed into my fiction.


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FAIRY LAWS 7

8/3/2015

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Law Enforcement
The one with the more powerful wand wins.  End of.

Traffic Control
The one with the fastest broomstick wins.   End of.

Animal Racing
The tortoise wins.  So there. 

(In cartoon circles it is always the Roadrunner that wins).

Endangered Species
Generally any non-magical species, especially given there are plenty of witches and wizards who feel such types are there for them to exploit.  Sadly this is usually as ingredients for spells.  There are lots of half blind newts in the magical world...  (incidentally why is it only eye of newt, singular? Wouldn't both eyes make more sense?).




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FAIRY TALE LAWS 6

6/3/2015

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Hope
The Fairy Kingdom is one of those places where hope is expected to triumph over experience.  Unlike on Earth where so often experience tramples hope.

Comfortable Footwear
Forget it.  You are either going to dance to your death if you wear a rather special pair of red shoes or you hope and pray your glass slippers are not going to break and splinter as all the little pieces will go straight into your foot.

Journeys
You will be accompanied by talking animals, someone magical who does not want to draw attention to the fact, or you have the unenviable task of going to a place of utter darkness in order to get rid of a rather troublesome ring.  Nobody travels in the magical world for fun.
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FAIRY TALE LAWS 5

5/3/2015

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Expectations
If you are a mistreated step-daughter, you can expect (a) your stepmother to try to kill you via her huntsman and, failing that, a suspiciously bright red apple and (b) your fairy godmother to turn up and make it possible for you to go to the ball after all.  The important thing is you must be humble, kind to others and willing to be subservient for a bit before coming into your true inheritance.  Any sign of arrogance on your part will immediately disqualify you for the "major rewards and happy ever after" prize that is so often on offer in the fairy tale world.

Talking Animals
Do not be surprised by these and do listen to what they have to say.  They are usually on the side of the good guys and can be very useful to have on aboard (Puss in Boots is a good example).  But there are exceptions to every rule and if you come across something that looks grey and hairy and wears a dress your granny would wear, run away.  Fast.  It'll take the Big Bad Wolf a while to shake off that dress to pursue you so you should build up a good head start.


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    Author

    I'm Allison Symes and I write novels, short stories as well as some scripts and poems.  I love setting my work in my magical world, the Fairy Kingdom, and my favourite character is Eileen, who believes hypocrisy is something that happens to other people without caring that statement is hypocritical in itself!  Eileen is huge fun to write for and about. 

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