Hello, Readers!
I am taking a vacation from blogging for a bit to work on Trolls for Dust, book 2, to be out later this year. Also, the show Castle is pretty good and I’m enjoying finally watching it. Do you know they have actually books written by “Richard Castle?” Sandra Vale from TfD would lo–ve that marketing idea.
Happy Spring! (well, almost–it’s a bit chilly tonight in MN) –Pixie
This past Tuesday, I had the privilege of hearing a wonderful folk concert by the Finnish group Aallotar at Bethany Lutheran College in Mankato, MN. As an alumnus, I have long appreciated and made use of the great acoustics in the chapel, from listening to world class violin concerts to singing church Christmas music to a packed house. With this concert, though, it really struck me just how amazing the acoustics are in Trinity Chapel.
I blame it on the accordion – in a good way! Ok, I was a bit skeptical about listening to an accordion and violin duo, as I’ve only associated accordions with polka, often really bad polka, but Aallotar showed me a different side to the instrument. The accordion added the “band” to the performance. It was the waves, wind, and water of each heartbreaking song, and the acoustics added such breathtaking depth that it almost felt at times as if the whole chapel were adrift at sea or on a lonely point overlooking the Baltic Sea.
Aallotar has a unique style, including original songs and altered tunes from the duo’s childhood. The two women, violinist Sara Pajunen, and accordionist Teija Niku grew up in Finland not far from each other. Since one is now in America, they collaborate via modern technology, and tour together periodically. They both have superb vocals in addition to their instrumental expertise, and it’s a pleasure to listen to them. The songs were nearly all about the tortures of the heart, of missing loved ones and knowing you may never see them again. Every piece was filled with such atmosphere and emotion and given another dimension again by those wonderful acoustics. If you enjoy folk and/or chamber music, check out Aallotar.
Ever wonder what it would be like to throw all of the old fairy tales together and see what happens? That’s pretty much the plot of Into the Wild by Sarah Beth Durnst. The “Wild” is a storybook forest that’s goal is to complete story upon story of fairy tales, recycling the characters such as Rapunzel and Cinderella through their stories over and over again with no end. Rapulzel or Zel, as she’s called in the story has beaten the Wild once before, forcing the forest into a little tumble of weeds that hides under her daughter’s bed. All of the fairy tale characters have moved into the real world and set up homes, businesses, etc, and are all too happy to be away from their respective stories.
Julie, the daughter, has grown up knowing the characters apart from their tales and thinks of the Wild as a nuisance that eats her shoes and turns them into Seven League Boots. She knows her grandmother, not as the witch she once was in the Wild, but as someone caring and loving, who has a good relationship with Zel and would never want her back in the tower. Julie’s father is MIA, and no one seems to want to tell her what happened to him.
The Wild, being, well, wild, gets out of control, taking over Julie’s town and imprisoning her mother and friends back in their stories and taking townsfolk with them. Anyone stuck in the growing forest could become a knock off Red Riding Hood or Sleeping Beauty. Julie finds she must navigate the strange rules of the Wild in order to save her mother, grandmother, the town, the world…you get the idea.
I loved this book! It’s a quick read and is for younger readers, so romance is thankfully thin, and the adventure thick, magical, and leafy. References abound for those who know their Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Anderson, and the like, and the stories generally stick to their original alarming endings.
If you need a change from YA fairy tale romances, give this a try.
I also attempted to read Winterspell, a YA romance loosely based on The Nutcracker and sadly, I could not finish it. Slinking seductively in the arms of a statue just…should not happen, I don’t care if the statue does turn out to be an enchanted prince. The sexual awakening and predator scenes dragged the beginning of the book, and having the prince run around naked for an extended time after that just became creepy. Guys aren’t just pieces of meat either, you know! A lesson I dearly hope Clara learns throughout the story, though I did not want to take the time to find out. I like to think of YA fantasy-romances as something apart from the “Romance” genre, but maybe I’m kidding myself. At any rate, kudos to the author for trying to tell The Nutcracker in a new way. Sadly, it just wasn’t for me.
If you’re a bookworm like myself, you like always have a stack of books waiting to be read in your spare time. Here are a few that I can’t wait to crack open and get into the adventures already!
1. Mary Barton by Elizabeth Gaskell. Ever since watching the BBC miniseries of North and South and Wives and Daughters, both by Ms. Gaskell, I’m hooked on her stories. Mary Barton promises to be the most exciting of the three, as the plot boasts both a murder mystery and jail time for the leading lady. My copy is an old paperback of my Dad’s. He remembers the story fondly and as being pleasantly exciting, as he had to read it for school.
2. The Four Graces by D.E. Stevenson. In 2014 I read the first of Stevenson’s books, and I think I’m in love. She’s a comedic, yet poignant author, with relatable heroines and provincial life tales that share quaint similarities to the works of L.M Montgomery (Anne of Green Gables).
3 & 4. The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester and Into the Wild by Sarah Beth Durst. No year can go by without me getting my YA/juvie fantasy fix, and I have a great friend who sent me these books for the holidays, and finally, finally, I will have time to read them!
5. The Crochet Stitch Bible by Betty Barnden. Everything I’ve every wanted to know about crocheting. I have discovered, that no, I am not a knitter, but a crocheter, and with a long Minnesota winter settling in, I hope to crochet a few scarves and/or blankets while I get my K-drama fix. Reading, watching, crocheting all at once. I think I’m addicted to multitasking.
6. In the Kingdom of Ice by Hampton Sides. I’m a shameless fan of great historical yarns, and this promises to be one, being about “the grand and terrible polar voyage of the USS Jeannette.” I also want to get to In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick, but that won’t be until much later in the year, and I kinda want to see the movie first.
7. Poems: Rossetti by Christina Rossetti. This is a book I bought in college. I’ve read most of the poems, but not all, and this year would like to read it cover to cover. Christina Rossetti is one of my favorite poets, as she combines faith and imagination in wonderful ways.
8. Winterspell by Claire Legrand. The latest book I happened to come across during my weekly wander through my local B&N. This is what sounds like a fantastic retelling of The Nutcracker, and a good after-Christmas tale to get me through the doldrums of winter. Plus, I’m familiar enough with ballet to enjoy the references, but not such a big fan that I will shudder at every change. I’m hoping this one’s a keeper.
9. Trolls for Dust: Season One by moi. Shameless plugging, I know, but what writer’s blog would be complete without it? They don’t tell you when you become a writer that you better like your own stories, because you’ll have to read and reread and reread them, especially if you’re writing a series and want to make it all cohesive and stuff. TfD Season Two is still on its way, and I’m so glad to have writing time again.
Cheers to 2015, and as always, Happy Reading! –Pixie
Sorry, blogging world. I’ve been a bit busy lately, but plan to get back to writing soon. More Kdrama reviews and others coming starting New Year’s Day! Can you believe it’s almost 2015? Where does the time go?
–Pix
My family has long been addicted to board games, starting with Candy Land, Scrabble, and Monopoly from when I was a kid and turning into long (and sometimes angry) bouts of Risk, Settlers of Catan, and Ticket to Ride. We’ve gotten addicted to Sequence, Rummikub, Old Maid, Clue, Spoons (play with care), Operation, Mouse Trap, Jumanji board game, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles board game, Spy Alley, Power Grid, and many many others. As kids, we went through phases of Guess Who?, Hi Ho Cherry-O and Cootie and Yahtzee. The search for the next best game to play is ever on, and I’m feeling good about Siege Warfare, a new card game a friend is putting together. Not only is it educational, but sounds fun to play, and is based on the Civil War. Check out their Kickstarter page if you have a chance.
Happy Halloween and Reformation!
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Happy Halloween, TfD readers: One of my favorite episodes from Trolls for Dust, Season One, is Episode Five, All Hallow’s Mayhem. Enjoy the free read. –Pixie 🙂
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EPISODE FIVE: ALL HALLOW’S MAYHEM
Something was in the works at Vale TV Studios, particularly something with Trolls for Dust. Tippa wasn’t sure what it was, but she was determined to find out. She waved hello to Michael Abner, who sat outside eating a heaping bowl of oatmeal topped with raisins and almonds.
“Keeping up that fine physique, Ab?” Tippa called.
“It’s all for you, babe!” he shouted back. His expression then returned to the contemplative look that Michael had sported ever since coming back from the hospital.
Tippa avoided being seen by Sandra Vale and her new best friend, Jin Yang, both of whom were berating Harvey Candish for showing up late and being drunk. From…
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(Spoilers)
She’s back! Amusing episode ending with a great scene of Audrey being exorcised from Mara (or vice versa). So, I was wrong in that they weren’t two people, they are, proving Nathan’s faith in true love. Kudos also to Duke (in Nathan’s body) for thinking up the idea of using a Trouble to force Audrey out of Mara.
Great acting in this episode, and I think now that the Scooby Gang is trying to figure out both weekly troubles and unpuzzle the greater arc over the trouble origins, Haven feels like, well, Haven, again. The best parts of this ep were Mara now obviously pretending to be Audrey to manipulate Duke and Nathan in their switched bodies, and the end scene with the three of them. Pretty compelling. Also, the South Carolina Thinny thing is a freaky vacuum vortex!
Like Sherlock, LOST, and a few other shows, the writers don’t feel obligated to explain certain plot points, like how Audrey is now a separate person. And that’s ok for now, but if the reason stays as being an unknown trouble it may hurt the impact of the show as a whole, for the show has always been about who or what exactly Audrey (and now Mara) is as well as why the Troubles exist. Leaving an explanation for later, however, keeps the momentum of the storyline going strong.
Nathan, dear Nathan, finally gets some lovely time with his one true and Duke has an interesting verbal sparring match with Mara. Will there be a Duke/Mara relationship? Could prove amusing, but perhaps too much fan service if the show goes that route. And now Audrey is a separate person, yet no longer immune to the Troubles. I think, though, that she will still be good at helping the Troubled despite that.
Trouble of the week: Awesome. A Trouble that flips people to a ghost-like existence while leaving a burnt shadow figure on the floor. And Nathan’s the one who gets ghosted!
The Guard: They seemed shoehorned in in far too many scenes. In the earlier seasons, the Guard seemed relevant, but now I just don’t see the point of them other than to promote more Hollywood stereotypes that “hicks” often with Southern accents (never mind we’re supposed to be in Maine, here) are easily-led goons who stick with their traditions or marching orders no matter what. Duke’s addressing Guard members in a mocking Southern accent both mocks these members and pokes fun at the show itself for portraying these people as hillbilly types. The writers are possibly acknowledging that for now Haven needs a villain, and the Guard works in that capacity. Mara’s evildoing ability is currently put on hold as she is prisoner on Duke’s boat.
Speaking of Duke, he seems more like S1-S3 Duke, though I can’t put my finger on why. Maybe its his drinking of hard liquor and threats of violence towards Mara. Plus, a gun just looks so right in his hands.
Nathan gets his own screen time and scenes that are not so Audrey-focused in what seem like forever. In them, he shines! He, too, is born to figure out Troubles.
Audrey: Yes, she’s back, but she’s nowhere near her old self. She appears weak compared with Mara, but then it’s supposed to be that way. She’ll find her way.
Trouble of the week, dos: It is not the Trouble of the week, but of the fortnight (for you Austen lovers.) I’m thinking this Trouble is photography-based, and figuring that, it’s pretty obvious who’s behind it. Dun, dun, dun!
(Spoilers ahoy!)
Not a lot happened in this episode but a few parts were very good, especially Duke’s nonsense curse. Delicious taco!! Eric Balfour was so great at delivering the ridiculous lines, that half of the time, I belatedly realized he hadn’t said anything understandable. I’m sure his costars were ready to burst with laughter by the time “cut” was called. Also, Mara is really a great character. She’s a mean girl, yet somehow likable…perhaps some inner Audrey peeking through?
We also get a hint of what kind of creature Mara actually is, someone so far above humans they are like insects to her. I give Dwight/Sasquatch props for trying to get some information out of her. Nathan is no use in this area, as he is only focused on getting Audrey back. Duke is just trying to deal with everything.
The last scene where Nathan, Duke, and Dwight try to bring Audrey out of Mara by treating her like Audrey is outstanding. Emily Rose really shines and the humor is spot on.
Body switching! This is a good “trouble,” especially for actors who like to have fun imitating their costars. I thought that John Dunsworth (Dave) did an awesome job being his brother Vince. The standout, however, was Lucas Bryant (Nathan) mimicking Duke’s mannerisms to a T.
As far as the long arc plot, we get more hints about Dave Teagues’ dubious origins that are connected both to the world Mara is from and/or the New England Roanoke legend. North Carolina looks uncannily like Nova Scotia 😉 and we get another “Thinny” or door between worlds as a cliffhanger.
Nathan is still on his quest to draw Audrey out of Mara, or change Mara into Audrey or whatever. He recruits Duke’s help and Duke discovers (dun, dun, dun!) Mara is pretending to be Audrey! This presents the possibility that every time Audrey has appeared in S5, it has simply been Mara pretending to string the Havenites along, so we come back to the question: Does Audrey still exist? I say, and I think Duke would agree, that Mara is Mara, and Audrey is Mara, and there has never been two separate entities. There is only one woman. She may have multiple personalities, but she’s still one woman. a woman who may have both the desire to give people “troubles” and to help cure them. No real answers, yet, however, and I still miss Jennifer. Duke needs another Jennifer. And as much as I love the Nathan/Audrey love story, this “saving Audrey” thing is dragging the storyline a bit. Nathan could use another love interest or just another focus for a couple of episodes. Maybe a woman with long black hair? That seems to be his type. Or maybe he could just deal with this obsession off-screen for a bit? Let Duke, Dwight, and Gloria handle a really whizbangwow Trouble until the writers are ready for the big Mara/Audrey reveal and we can get on with the big arc already! Ok, it’s not that big of a deal, it’s just annoying when plot points are prolonged or withheld because the story needs to be x number of episodes long, or x number of pages (I know, I do it myself in my own writing from time to time, roll my eyes, sigh heavily, and keep going with the story). Filler episode, filler scenes, filler characters, these are the Troubles that plague storywriters.
Season 5 is good, yet I’m wanting more rewatchable moments and episodes. Too much fill means too much going through the motions and who wants to rewatch that? Seasons 1-4 all have a very rewatchable quality to them. Again, S5 isn’t bad, it’s just having difficulty finding its footing, probably because of Mara/Audrey. Audrey and her desire to help people is the glue that holds the series together. So, as much as I love watching Mara, Haven needs Audrey back, and soon.
A Life of Story 