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YOU NAMED ME WHAT?

9/15/2017

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WHICH FICTIONAL CHARACTERS STAND OUT IN YOUR MEMORY?
Think about it! There will be certain ones from movies, TV, books, video games and so on that always come to mind. Now, think about the names of these characters. Is the name part of the reason why you remember the character? Does the name fit the personality of the character? Would Scarlet O'Hara be as memorable if her name had been Judy Smith? [My apologies to all the Judy Smiths out there. It’s a perfectly fine name.]
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CHARACTER NAMES DO MATTER
There is a plethora of advice available on naming fictional characters, and all agree that choosing names is an important part of structuring a novel. The name is an important part of the fictional person's personality just as your name is part of who you are.

Character names do matter, and bestowing them can be as stressful as naming your baby. In fact, in a way you are naming your baby. You are breathing life into your character and creating a new being.

Some perfectly good names can be poor choices for your novel, or they may be fine but not as fitting as they could be. The author really doesn't know all the ins- and-outs until the character starts to speak, take actions, and make decisions during the course of the first several chapters.
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WHERE TO GET IDEAS FOR NAMES
Be observant, listen, and write ideas down. Inspiration for names is all around us. I keep a list of interesting names I've run across. Eventually, a character and circumstance will show up that is appropriate for the name.

Author Dan Schmidt suggests starting with people you know either because of their interesting names and/or characteristics. Get a map and look at names of towns, cities, rivers, streets, and so on. I love the name of a town in Arkansas: Smackover.

He also suggests authors pay attention to movie credits and products. When he wrote "Playa Perdida" he named one of the characters Charlotte Pipe after a length of PVC tubing he saw in a lumberyard in North Carolina. His approach is to write first names and last names on separate index cards, so later you want match them up for a specific fictional character.
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RULES OF THUMB FOR CHOOSING CHARACTER NAMES
Most of the many articles and books I reviewed give "Rules of Thumb" for naming characters which are substantially the same. Do's and Don’ts are essentially two sides of the same coin; it all depends on how you word the sentence, and there are a lot of considerations. I've limited them to those I feel are most important.

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THUMBS UP DO'S

● Keep names short and pronounceable, even in Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Historicals
Avoid character and place names that are awkward to read or pronounce. Even if readers don't say the names aloud, they still pronounce them in their heads. Some awkward names cannot be avoided because you're using them in historical context, and scenes set in one-of-a-kind locations that are vital to the story but happen to have clunky names. Give them nicknames or shortened versions.

● Think about your character's physical appearance, ethnicity, personality, profession, interests, social status, and backstory.
Names should suit the character. Unlike parents naming a new baby, authors have the advantage of making the character's features and personality whatever they want to fit the story.

● Make the name appropriate for the year and location when named.
Take into account the names used at the time in history this character was named by the parents in the context of the location and social station. Take into account the character's ethnicity and national origin.

● Speak the name aloud

● Give siblings the same style of names.
An example would be all biblical names. Another, all begin with the same letter.

● Names should suit the character
If the character is to be quite strong-willed and stubborn, strong sounds like "k" and "p" will pick up well here. On the other hand, if your character is pretty and a bit shy, soft sounds like "f" and "s" work much better.

● Determine if name is in the correct language
This is a pitfall if you have characters with foreign names. If your character is Chinese, be sure you're using a Chinese name, not Japanese. And be sure you spell it correctly.
            Chinese                      Japanese                       Korean
Also, different languages put the given name (first name) and surname (last name) differently, and have different name parts. Russian names are complicated and express family relationships. Look it up if you don't know for sure.
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THUMBS DOWN "WATCH-OUT-FORS"
In my opinion, there are no specific Don’ts. In fiction you will see everything in print and many of them would be characterized as "Don't" or "Never Use". Anything goes if it works. Therefore, I characterize these rules of thumb as "Watch-Out-Fors."

● Watch out for a character with many names.
Because the author knows the characters, he can read the manuscript many times without seeing any problem with multiple names. In reality, we often use different names under different circumstances, or different people refer to the same person by another name or nickname.

In real life, a person named Manfred Carlyle McDonald, who is a lieutenant in the military and is also a medical doctor, could be referred to as Mr. McDonald, Doctor MacDonald, Lieutenant McDonald, McDonald, Manny, Mac, Fred, or all of those.

In fiction, the reader tends to associate the character with the name first used to introduce him/her. When that same character shows up again, sometimes many pages later, and is referred to or addressed by another name, it can be very confusing.

● Watch out for many characters with similar names.
Authors are smart enough to figure out that two characters shouldn't have the same name. The only exception I can think of would be a child named after a parent, but that would have to be necessary for the storyline. A more frequent problem occurs when two or more characters have names that begin with the same letter [Sam and Sydney] or same sound [Craig and Greg]. This is particularly annoying to the reader if the two characters spend a lot of time together in the story.

● Avoid famous names
Unless your novel is the fictionalized version of a real event that involves a famous person, famous names are distracting and focus the reader's attention on the famous character, which pulls him out of the story. Plus, using a real name may have legal consequences. It can work as a plot device, or if the parents had a reason for naming their child after someone famous, but be careful. While Princess Diana may be a perfectly fine name for a character in a fantasy, using it will evoke images of the Princess Diana of our world and distract the reader. A body builder named Arnold? I don't think so.
● Avoid trends, overly strange names, and androgynous names.
Sometimes names are trendy, particularly those of characters in current movies, TV, video games, etc. Those become overused. You want names readers accept and feel comfortable with, even though "cute" spellings exist, particularly today. Watch out for names that could be either gender, unless there is a specific reason which is explained near the beginning of the novel.

● Watch out for the man or woman with no name
Not every character needs a name. Giving a name to a secondary character or "walk on" usually implies that this person will show up again in the novel. However, the main character's wife cannot be repeatedly referred to as "his wife" nor can an important character be referred to only as "the man." There might be some exceptions in the mystery genre where the author doesn't want the readers to know who the "bad guy" is.
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Science Fiction and Fantasy
Some potential problems with names in SciFi and fantasy don't occur as often in other genres. When writers have more freedom to create character
 names, they also have more potential for making mistakes. The biggest Watch-Out-For is long and/or unpronounceable names. The other trend in Sci Fi and Fantasy that annoys readers is the use of t'oo m'any ap'ostrph'es. [Author Ann Marble calls these "The Ap'ostrph'e of D'oom."]

NAMES CAN BE CHANGED
Computers make changing a character's name somewhat easy, but once an author starts using a name, it's often hard to get rid of it. If the name doesn't work, or has some unforeseen connotation you don't want, ditch it. You are not really killing your children.

The caution I would add is to use "find and replace" for all references, including nicknames. Remember our guy, Manfred Carlyle McDonald, who might be referred to as Mr. McDonald, Doctor MacDonald, Lieutenant McDonald, McDonald, Manny, Mac, or Fred. You have to catch all of the variations. Don't be afraid to change the name if it is not right, just be careful when you do it.
 
Resources
http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/the-7-rules-of-picking-names-for-fictional-characters
http://onceuponaword1.blogspot.com/
http://thewritepractice.com/8-tips-for-naming-characters/
http://www.wikihow.com/Name-Your-Fictional-Character
http://www.obsidianbookshelf.com/html/fantasycharacternames.html
ttp://www.theweeklings.com/golear/2013/10/08/the-50-greatest-literary-character-names-of-all-time/
http://www.writing-world.com/romance/names.shtml
http://www.writing-world.com/romance/lindo.shtml
http://www.writing-world.com/sf/crafting28.shtml
http://www.writing-world.com/fiction/namegame.shtml
http://www.namenerds.com/uucn/listofweek/nobility.html
http://characternames.com/
http://www.babynames.com/lists/character-names.php
http://www.be-a-better-writer.com/character-name-generator.html
http://www.whoisjaylamm.com/2015/06/11/stop-naming-your-kids-after-fictional-characters/
http://www.writersdigestshop.com/the-writers-idea-thesaurus-group?utm_source=writersdigestshop.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=wd-bak-fb-150827-ideathesaurus
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Writing A Book Blurb

9/8/2017

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Lately, there's been a lot of attention given on blogs and writer's loops to cover scribing; that is, writing a blurb for your novel's back cover. Maybe all the hoopla has something to do with a full moon...
Or...
Maybe, as some authors claim, it's because the cover blurb is one of your book's most important selling factors (along with the cover).
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So, here's the deal. You wrote the book -- all umpteen thousand words of it -- you and others edited it; you polished it. You've read it so many times, you know it by heart. How hard can it be to write three or four paragraphs of two to three hundred words describing what it's about?

Answer: P.D.H. Pretty darn hard.

I found several different approaches to writing the all-important blurb. Some authors focus on process, others on content. All focus on the importance and choice of words. And they all overlap to one extent or another.  Who knew?

PROCESS
By process I mean the steps you go through to writing the cover copy: where you start and how you approach it.

● Read other blurbs in the same genre
Nothing will give you better insight than to read other book blurbs, particularly in the genre of your novel.
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First, go to the bookstore or library (or your own TBR pile) and read the back of books in the same genre as yours. Which books would you like to read? What elements of the blurb interested you and made you want to read it? What clues and buzz words did the copy use to tell you what kind of book it is?

If the book is a comedy, was this obvious in the way the blurb was written? If the book was dark, could you tell? Could using the distinctive voice of the narrator have improved the blurb?

Second, study the blurbs for books you've read and analyze how well the copy writer has condensed the content and hit the major points, as well as answering the other questions above.
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● Start by asking yourself
• What's the overarching question/conflict in my book?
• If readers take away just one thing from this book, what do I want it to be?
                     • What's special about my plot? Why is this book different from any others?

You need to be able to articulate the answers to these questions, not just for the blurb but because they are paramount to your pitches and other promo materials. Besides, if you still don't know after finishing the book, perhaps you should reconsider publishing it.
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● Consider using a Shoutline
A shoutline is bolded text at the start of a blurb, or between paragraphs, that grab readers' attention and entice them to read on. Good shoutlines are unique, short, and convey at least one hook to the story. I consider a shoutline equivalent to a tagline. Whether or not you use it in the cover copy, you'll need to write a tagline.

● Use lines from the manuscript
This gives the reader the flavor of the book and the author's voice. Amy Wilkins, copy writer for Harlequin, says she reads the first 15 pages of a book and highlights passages of the manuscript that are suitable for the cover copy. She uses this example from The Hollow House by Janis Patterson.

      “I decided to use the name Geraldine Brunton. It’s not the name I was born with, nor the name
      I married, but it will hide who I really am…and what I have done.”

Ms. Wilkins indicates that the text is "almost straight from the book, with some tightening. It’s perfect for copy because it sets up so much: the protagonist’s name, the fact that she’s under disguise, and she’s done something in her past she has to run from. It also conveys the voice and the fact that the book is written first person."
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● Assess the Plot
You don't want too much plot. Write down the key points the reader needs to know about the book. Be tough with yourself. Don't try to explain the twists and turns. Write a hook that captures the interest of the reader. Check for spoilers. Are you telling the whole plot, including how the conflict or problem is resolved? 
                         No, no, no!
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● End with conflict
Write an ending hook. Amy Wilkins also points out that the blurb should leave the reader -- or agent, or acquiring editor -- wanting more. "The last line should leave them dying to read the book to learn how the story ends, and the best way to do this is by beefing up the conflict in your final line."  There are few different ways to hook your readers:
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▪ End with a question
“What will Adam do when he discovers Florentina’s deception?” – A Scandalous Proposition

▪ Hint at future danger
“When their investigation leads them to a city hall conspiracy, both their lives and their newly reignited flame could be permanently extinguished…” – Risking Trust
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Remind them what’s keeping the hero/heroine apart 
“But amidst rival reporters, eager fanboys and overzealous role-players, it’s Emma’s secret that may put the brakes on their sizzling attraction for good…” –Defying Convention

Resist the urge to hint at how things will work out—editors and agents will find that out in the synopses and readers will find out by reading the book!"

● Edit, Edit, Edit!
There's nothing worse than cover copy with errors. Your blurb should be clean, short, error free, and screened for spoilers. No matter what, do not give away the resolution. This is not a synopsis. Have others read the blurb and comment; use your critique group or partner, find another pair of eyes.

CONTENT
This is what to include in your three to four paragraphs. Yes, I do mean three to four.
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● Hook
Whether or not you choose a shoutline or a few sentences from the opening of the book, the first sentence needs to grab the reader's attention. This is the big idea of the book.

● A hint of the plot
The premise, the initial action, the inciting incident.

● A hint of setting and time
The reader needs to know where and when the story takes place, but remember that your book is about people. Don't emphasize setting over your characters.

● Name and characterize main characters, including the antagonist.

● Goals or what the main character(s) wants
Include the stakes or a ticking time-bomb. Urgency. Show that something can be lost.

● Central conflict and end Hook
Who is keeping the main character from getting what he/she wants? Hint at a question to be answered or a mystery to be solved that draws in the reader. In establishing the conflict, hint at what could happen. Here's where the question or hint of future danger and the stakes comes in. While some authors suggest that the blurb should end with a hint at resolution, it's critical not to give away too much. At all costs, avoid spoilers. Leave the reader wanting more.

I particularly like Marilynn Byerly's article on this subject because she makes differentiations between genres in a way that made sense to me. She addresses romance, romantic suspense, mystery or suspense, science fiction and fantasy.[http://www.marilynnbyerly.com/blurb.html.] Here is what she says about romantic suspense. "If some important point fits one paragraph better than another, don't feel as if you must follow my structure. Put it where it fits."

First paragraph:
Simple plot set up, and main character's emotional involvement with it. What is the exterior conflict of the novel? (What are the hero and heroine fighting against and why?) The examples are from my THE GAME WE PLAY.
     "Schoolteacher Faith Cody thinks she has the perfect summer job as nanny to Nicholas Price's two
     visiting children, but the children are kidnapped, and she and Nick are compelled to join forces to
      steal the ransom documents incriminating vicious criminals."

Second paragraph:
More simple plot set up and hero's or second lead's emotional involvement with it.
    "An investigative journalist trained in the ways of the professional cat burglar, Nick has the skill to
    steal the hidden documents, but their dangerous owner guards the documents well since they
    prevent his death."

Third and Fourth paragraphs:
What is the interior conflict of the novel? (What tears the hero and heroine apart emotionally?) What must both must achieve or defeat and what do they have to lose? This can include plot set up, place set up, the important secondary characters, and the villain.
   
    "At the secluded estate of their intended victim, on the catwalks above a Las Vegas stage, and in a
    back alley at the mercy of killers, Faith and Nick face danger with a witty quip and a willingness to
    risk anything and anyone, even each other, for the sake of two children they both love.In this game of
    betrayer and betrayed, the kidnappers seem determined to destroy Nick's sanity as well as his life,
    and Faith's life and love may be their ultimate weapon against him."
 
Here's a different blurb which focuses on my hero. It's more suspense than romantic suspense.
    "The prize: His two kidnapped children
    The rules: Trust no one, betray anyone, win at whatever the cost
    His pawns: His lover and his best friend
    His opponent: The most dangerous catburglar in history
    The game: A game of betrayal, THE GAME WE PLAY".

CHOICE OF WORDS
It's not too difficult to understand why choice of words is important. Each one has to convey information to the reader in a clear and enticing manner. You should use the same techniques as writing a logline or tagline. You're shooting for effect, and it's not an easy task, but here are some hints to make your words count.

● Use words that evoke images and resonate with readers of the genre
It is important to know your audience, the terms and buzz words they use (or abbreviations for people who text a lot), and the images and references they understand. Ideally, that's the way your novel is written too. Imagery is very important. You can set the stage by using a word or two that your audience can envision.
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● Use a descriptive adjective to give the main character depth in a word or two
For example, instead of describing the main character as "a detective", use "a cynical fifty-year-old detective" or "a young, enthusiastic detective."
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Using "an ex-superhero" tells a lot more than "a superhero." "An alcoholic ex-superhero" conveys even more to the reader.

But don't get carried away with adjectives. You don't want your blurb to sound flowery and overenthusiastic.

● Use hyperbole
This is deliberate and obvious exaggeration or overstatement used for effect, e.g. "I could eat a million of these."

● Use extreme action verbs
Providers of book blurbs like to promote literature with words like "sizzling", "crackling" or "shattering".

● Use bright, compelling language
Since the purpose of a blurb is to promote your novel, write passionately about it. The question your reader will have is "Why should I read this?" Give them a convincing reason to do so.

● Stay away from clichés
Need I say more? Write a thoughtful description without resorting to other people's wording. Avoid schmoozy hype and over-blown descriptors, such as amazing, life-changing, incredible’ etc.

● Use keywords where appropriate
Keywords are words people use with search engines to find things on the Internet. There are certain words which will get better results than others when consumers are looking for offerings like yours.

I can understand using keywords as tags on Amazon and Barnes & Noble (although I don't believe people look for books this way), but I can't see the point in a cover blurb. Still, some authors recommend the use of keywords when they fit, so I'm passing that on.

CONCLUSION
To reiterate, your cover blurb is one of your books most important selling factors and will probably determine whether or not readers select your book over other choices. It is an invitation for readers to step into your book and is worthy of your best thinking, insight, and writing.
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An invitation, not a demand.

So, as much as you may dislike doing it, take the time to read other cover blurbs and analyze them. Analyze your own novel with the most critical eye you've ever used. Ask for other opinions and listen to the comments, do your homework, and employ your best writing skills. You'll be pleased with the results.

AFTERWORD
After you've done the research and written the cover blurb for your completed novel, try this. Take a shot at writing the cover blurb for the novel you are working on. It will force you to focus on the big idea and the key points for the novel you intend to write. Every now and then, update it without making it longer. You'll be surprised how useful this will be for keeping yourself on track, and when you finish, your blurb will already be written.

Please share your thoughts and, also, the worst and blurbs you've ever read.
□
Resources
http://www.bpsbooks.com/BPS-Books-blog/bid/24819/Writing-Tip-How-to-Write-a-Winning-Blurb
http://www.angelascottauthor.com/2/post/2013/04/are-you-having-a-difficult-time-writing-a-book-blurb-youre-not-alone.html
http://www.lightmessages.com/lmjom/writing/229-how-to-write-a-book-cover-blurb.html
http://www.bpsbooks.com/BPS-Books-blog/bid/24819/Writing-Tip-How-to-Write-a-Winning-Blurb
http://www.ehow.com/how_2074207_write-book-blurb.html
http://blog.emilysuess.com/better-book-blurb-copywriting-for-fiction/
http://www.marilynnbyerly.com/blurb.html
http://spiritauthors.com/news/how-to-write-good-blurbs-and-back-pages-for-your-book/


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Labor Day and International Worker's Day

9/1/2017

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WHAT ARE YOU DOING ON LABOR DAY?
Labor Day is most commonly known in the USA as the last of the summer holidays which is spent celebrating outdoors, usually with family and friends.
In an article on Celebritycafe.com by Danielle Costa (8/31/2012) she writes, "Labor Day is approaching fast and, with it being the last big weekend of the summer, you need to make sure you have a ton of fun with the people you care about and let summer go out with a bang."
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Is that what Labor Day is all about? Just another holiday? A chance to celebrate the last days of summer? A three day weekend?

Well, yes, it's all those, but is there more? It irks me that our national holidays have become just another three day weekend and many people have forgotten what those holidays were originally intended to stand for.

HISTORY OF LABOR DAY IN THE US
There seems to be a discrepancy about who actually suggested the Labor Day holiday. Some say that in 1882, the secretary of the Central Labor Union, Matthew Maguire, came up with the idea. That's contradicted by others who argue that it was Peter J. McGuire of the American Federation of Labor who proposed it after attending Toronto's annual Labor Festival. We'll never know for sure, and most of us don't care.

Labor Day in the United States was first celebrated on September 5, 1882 in New York City. Two years later, in 1894, the US Congress proclaimed September 1 as a national holiday entitled Labor Day. Its purpose was to celebrate and value in American society of the role of our workers and their work by providing, ironically and fittingly, a day off to rest and enjoy the fruits of one’s labor. One website characterizes the day as a celebration of the American worker and his/her sacrifices and economic and social achievements.

Supposedly, the form for the celebration of Labor Day was presented in the original proposal for the holiday: A street parade to exhibit to the public "the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations", followed by a festival for the workers and their families. This became the pattern for Labor Day celebrations. A day of rest for the worker of America. I'll drink to that!
THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY
I can imagine that most Americans who celebrate this holiday have no clue what it is and how it started. That's sad.
The reasons behind declaring Labor Day a holiday stems from more than a desire to recognize the importance of American workers. At least in part, it came about as the result of the Pullman Strike, which occurred in Illinois on May 11, 1884. Without going into the gory details, three thousand railroad workers went on a wildcat strike without the authorization of their union because of the way George Mortimer Pullman, founder and president of the Pullman Palace Car Company, treated his workers.
Ultimately, in trying to subdue the riots, a number of people were killed by the US Military and US Marshalls (some sources say hundreds, other say as few as eight). President Grover Cleveland made peace with the labor people, but fearing further conflict, the US Congress voted to approve rush legislation establishing Labor Day a national holiday. It was signed into law only six days after the end of the strike.

A date in September was selected rather than May 1, which is celebrated throughout much of the world as Labor Day, for fear it would be associated with nascent Communist, Syndicalist, and Anarchist movements and would appear to celebrate the labor riots of 1884, the Haymarket Affair in 1886, and other May Day riots.

Everything is political, isn't it?

INTERNATIONAL WORKERS DAY
International Worker's Day, often called May Day, recognizes the International Labor Movement and is celebrated on May 1 in at least eighty countries in the world, including most of Europe, and particularly communist countries. The date was chosen by a pan-national organization of socialist and communist political parties to commemorate the Haymarket Affair.

The Haymarket Affair occurred on May 1, 1886, in Chicago. According to Wikipedia, "The police were trying to disperse a public assembly during a general strike for the eight-hour workday, when an unidentified person threw a bomb at them. The police reacted by firing on the workers, killing dozens of demonstrators and several of their own officers. Reliable witnesses testified that all the pistol flashes came from the center of the street, where the police were standing, and none from the crowd. Moreover, initial newspaper reports made no mention of firing by civilians. A telegraph pole at the scene was filled with bullet holes, all coming from the direction of the police."

In Europe and communist countries, May 1st has become associated with demonstrations by various socialist, communist, and anarchists groups all over the world..
    London,  2002                  Greece,  2015                  Manila,  2015                      Paris, 2017                    Seattle, 2017
Subsequent protests and riots related to establishing fairer and more humane worker's rights have been scheduled for May 1. So for most of the world, May 1 isn't about the mystical or medieval pagan fertility festivals or maypoles (I doubt that any of us have ever seen a ribbon-bedecked birch maypole) but about protesting for worker's rights.

WHAT A GREAT IDEA!
Actually, the idea of a three-day weekend to have fun with your family and friends sounds  pretty nice. Parades, picnics and outdoor fun are much better than dancing around a maypole or getting your head beat in by the riot squad. Enjoy yourself.

Rosie the Riveter says
"Take the day off"                    Go to a parade                           Have a cookout  or picnic with the family     
See a baseball game                  Participate in a sporting event                            Enjoy a concert

                                                                             Just remember to pick up up your trash!

Resources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Workers%27_Day
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/04/day-international-workers-day-170429074724991.html
https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/international-workers-day/
https://www.daysoftheyear.com/?s=Labor+Day&post_type=days
https://www.thesun.co.uk/living/3437491/international-workers-day-uk-labour-day-may-day-2017/
http://www.history.com/topics/holidays/labor-day
https://www.dol.gov/general/laborday/history
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/history-labor-day-forgotten-article-1.1923299
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COLLECTIVE CONSCIOUSNESS and BOOKERS'S SEVEN BASIC PLOTS

8/25/2017

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THE SEVEN BASIC PLOTS
All writers and readers have experienced a sense of déjà vu when writing or reading a novel. Have I read this before? Didn't author so-and-so write this same story? Didn't such-and-such a movie have this plot?

You're probably right. It's been done already, because everything has already been done.
According to Christopher Booker's 2004 book The Seven Basic Plots: Why We Tell Stories, there are only seven basic plots for all stories told, written, or shown visually. These are the seven, according to Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Seven_Basic_Plots).
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1. Overcoming the Monster
The protagonist sets out to defeat an antagonistic force (often evil) which threatens the protagonist and/or protagonist's homeland.
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2. Rags to Riches
The poor protagonist acquires things such as power, wealth, and a mate, before losing it all and gaining it back upon growing as a person.
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3. The Quest
The protagonist and some companions set out to acquire and important object or get to a location, facing many obstacles and temptations along the way.

4. Voyage and Return
The protagonist goes to a strange land and, after overcoming the threats it poses to him or her, returns with nothing but experience.
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5. Comedy
Light and humorous character with a happy or cheerful ending: a dramatic work in which the central motif is the triumph over adverse circumstances resulting in success or a happy conclusion.
Picture from YouthTime Magazine http://www.youth-time.eu/slideshow-tips/weekend-picks-bring-light-hearted-humor-to-your-synapses
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6. Tragedy
The protagonist is a villain who falls from grace and whose death is a happy ending (or he/she gets away with their deeds as with "Cask of Amontillado").

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7. Rebirth
During the course of the story, an important event forces the main character to change their ways, often making them a better person."
You may or may not agree with the way the standard plots are described by Booker or the number of plots, but we've all heard or read versions on the same theme. If you're really interested, you can find volumes written on how many basic plots there. Pick a number, and you can find it.

The unusual part is Brooker's assertion that "the force of convention" does not explain the connection, and the reason lies in something much deeper, such as the collective consciousness. In other words, he believes "that archetypal stories are rooted in the human unconscious." http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/15/books/the-plot-thins-or-are-no-stories-new.html?_r=0

COLLECTIVE CONSCIOUSNESS
So, what is collective consciousness? That depends on how you define it. The idea was proposed by Émile Durkeim (The Father of Sociology) in 1893. His theory related to a "shared understanding of certain morals and social norms based on people either imitating others, explicitly passing on these behaviors to one another, or agreeing certain ideals in order to feel accepted". His concept is more that shared beliefs, ideas, and moral attitudes function as a unifying force within society. (Wikipedia)
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The sociological definition used refers to the knowledge and beliefs shared by all the members of a particular group, whether that group encompasses a few individuals, a nation, or the planetary population as a whole. By this definition, collective consciousness allows members of a group to share common goals, behaviors, and attitudes. It also encourages individuals with differing views to conform to the beliefs of the overall group.

Today collective consciousness is a term used by some scientists to describe the practice of humans and animals sharing behaviors and ideas when they have never come into contact with each other. In other words, the theory that we are all interconnected and interrelated on a paranormal level.
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GREAT MINDS THINK ALIKE!
This phrase "Great minds think alike" was first written by Carl Theodor von Unlanski in his biography in 1816. Similar phrases date back at least to the 17th century. Apparently, great minds have been thinking alike for at least several hundred years.

The concept of a paranormal level of collective consciousness is more pronounced in the world of science, math, and physical inventions. Throughout history two or more people, in different locations and unbeknownst to the others, have come up with the same idea at the same time. Today, we question this and believe it must be a "stolen" idea.

The "P" word…Plagiarism. That might be true…or not.

This sort of overlap of ideas has happened throughout the world long before we had the television, the internet or cell phone to spread ideas quickly from continent to continent. Sometimes, the ideas or inventions do happen through pure synchronicity of thought. Two people are trying to solve the same problem with the same basic available knowledge, and come up with the same answer. It happens.

A good example that is well-known and scientifically significant is the development of differential calculus by both Isaac Newton and Gottfried Leibniz.       
          Newton                            Leibniz
Each man was known for working in alone in secrecy, yet they both developed the same idea at about the same time in complete isolation from each other. According to Tom Evans in The Art and Science of Light Bulb Moments, "Even if there had been espionage, the postal service from Germany to England would take weeks."

Newton used his calculus to develop the Theories of Gravitation, which we use today. Leibniz came up with binary notation used by modern day computers.

DO YOU BELIEVE IN THE COLLECTIVE CONSCIOUSNESS?
I don't believe or disbelieve in collective consciousness or that we are all interconnected on a paranormal level. I believe, however, there is a lot about the human mind we have yet to discover.

As a writer, I don't worry about how many basic plots there are or if "it's been done before" (although that can affect what a publisher will buy). I write what I am inspired to write, and the way I handle a "basic plot" (if that is what it is) will be different than other writers.

In my opinion, "basic plots" derive from our instincts and universal emotions as human beings. That is what connects us. It makes sense that humans would be similar no matter where they are from, based on DNA or whatever gives us instincts. The differences are more likely to be what moral values and cultural traditions have been superimposed on the basic emotion.

What does matter to me is making at least a tiny contribution to the deluge of data floating around out there and to the ever-increasing oceans of literature.

Resources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collective_consciousness
http://csmt.uchicago.edu/glossary2004/collectiveconsciousness.htm
http://www.carl-jung.net/collective_unconscious.html
http://www.hungerforculture.com/?page_id=502
http://www.creativity-portal.com/articles/tom-evans/collective-thoughts.html
http://phys.org/news/2011-07-minority-scientists-ideas.html
http://www.bloomsbury.com/us/the-seven-basic-plots-9780826452092/
http://thegreaterpicture.com/collective-consciousness.html
http://www.learnmindpower.com/using_mindpower/the_subconscious_and_synchronicity/
http://www.bloomingrosepress.com/collective-consciousness.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2509971/Are-PSYCHIC-Scientists-believe-animals--including-humans--collective-consciousness.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/15/books/the-plot-thins-or-are-no-stories-new.html?_r=0
 
 
 
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Using Birth Order To Develop Fictional Characters

8/18/2017

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What effects do you believe birth order has on how people develop, their character
traits, and values? 

DEVELOPING FICTITIOUS CHARACTERS
All authors, when they first begin writing, search for ways to develop characters and their motivations out of nothing but an idea. None of the innumerable approaches are right or wrong. Whatever works for the writer.

My novels tend to be driven by external conflicts, so I usually have the story idea before I start developing the characters. That provides clues about the personality traits my characters will need to support and move the storyline. What sort of people, under what circumstances, could reasonably get themselves into that situation? And what kind of character would figure a way out? Other writers start with the characters, some meld both situation and characters.

There are innumerable books on how to develop characters, basic personality types, and what traits go with each. Those authors are more qualified to give advice to other writers.

A writer can always use real people as models for characters or create a written biography of the person. The biography approach has never worked for me. I like to discover who the characters are is and what they like and dislike. Part of the joy of writing is when they do or say something I never expected or planned.

A couple of other fun methods I've tried include: Astrological signs [which works best for matching the personalities of the hero and heroine and their compatibility issues]) and birth order [which can provide strong motivations].

To tell you the truth, I've never put much stock in either astrology or birth order … you can always make a case for or against the traits and/or motivations of any particular character … and real person. But they can provide a beginning point and are fun to play around with.

BIRTH ORDER
Although birth order has been studied extensively over the years, it's a difficult area to study, which makes the topic controversial … both the studies themselves and the findings. Studies have always been complicated by the genders of siblings as well as the birth order and the time span between children.

Today, making studies even more confusing, we have blended families of step-siblings and half-siblings which obscure the "real" birth order. We have single parent families. Ethnically blended families. Also, large spacing between siblings and other factors skew birth order effects.
Many families are different than the typical ▼
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Nonetheless, birth order does affect, but does not determine, how we interact with the others, our personality traits, and romantic compatibility. Birth order has a great deal to do with how parents treat children, which is part of what forms personality.

When I write, I use birth order to help me identify the characters' motivations.
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First-Born
These traits showed up in all or most of the sources I reviewed as characteristics of first-born children:

● Conscientious, reliable, serious, mature, cautious
● Natural leaders
● Diligent, high achievers, goal-oriented, want to be the best at anything they do
● Ambitious to succeed
● Structured, controlling
● Perfectionist
● Strong need for approval from people in charge
● Don't easily admit they are wrong
● Don't like surprises
● Protective
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Middle-Born
In my opinion, the character traits of middle-born children are questionable. After all, in many families with more than one child, the middle-born may be a last-born child for a number of years, and the poof … suddenly he or she finds himself [herself] now in the middle.  I suppose that's why spacing between children is so important in studies.
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Middle-borns are difficult to categorize, but you can be sure they will develop different interest and skills from those shared by the family. They will also prioritize friends and peer groups since they don't feel they have a special place in the family. These traits are identified as characteristics for middle-born children:

● People pleasing, good friend, peace-maker, go-with-the-flow attitude
● Social, thrives on friendship
● Rebellious, doesn't like being told what to do, doesn't like to be boxed in
● Adaptable
● Independent and resourceful
● Insecure and secretive
● Obsessed about fairness

There seems to be more agreement among the experts on the middle-born personality traits, although to me rebellious seems to be in conflict with other traits such as adaptable.

    Imagine - Four Older Brothers                      The Kennedy Family                                The Only Child
The Only Child
Only-children are similar to first-born, only more so. They are typically mature for their age. This may have something to do with spending time with adults. Many only-children are high achievers, some are rebels who march to the beat of their drum. Remember, first-borns are also only children for a period of time.

● Mature, confident
● Comfortable with adults as children which makes them comfortable with people when they are adults
● Perfectionist
● Conscientious
● Diligent
● Verbally precocious
● High achievers
● Don't take criticism well
● Tend to do well in school as children
 
WHAT IS YOUR EXPERIENCE?
According to Chinie Diaz [http://www.rappler.com/] "Whatever the case – whether you're true to you birth order personality type or not – it's always good to remember that personality type theories only serve as a tool for greater self-awareness. And any tendencies we many have are simply that – TENDENCIES.

If they're good ones, then by all means nurture them and allow them to blossom. If they're bad, well … that's the beauty of being free and intelligent human beings. We always have the choice and ability to overcome that which makes us less than great."

THAT ABOUT SAYS IT ALL!

Resources
http://www.parents.com/baby/development/social/birth-order-and-personality/
http://www.lexiyoga.com/birth-order-can-predict-romantic-compatibility
http://www.parents.com/baby/development/sibling-issues/raising-only-child/
http://www.rappler.com/move-ph/ispeak/35606-birth-order-personality
http://www.cracked.com/blog/5-things-people-dont-understand-about-only-children/
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TURKISH DELIGHT ON A MOONLIT NIGHT?

8/11/2017

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How many of you remember the 1953 swing-style song "Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople" and the line, “Now it’s Turkish Delight on a moonlit night”? Probably not many, but you still may have heard of Turkish Delight. [Not the Erotica kind]

WHAT IS TURKISH DELIGHT?
Actually, Turkish Delight, or Lokum, is a family of absolutely yummy confections concocted of a gel made from starch and sugar and dusted with icing, sugar, copra, or powdered cream of Tartar, to prevent clinging. The Turkish term for the confection, rahat lokum, literally means "throat's ease".

Oh, I’m gaining weight just writing this.

When I was in Turkey I visited the Spice Market (Misir Carsisi) in Istanbul and learned there are many varieties of Turkish Delight, consisting largely of chopped dates, pistachios and hazelnuts or walnuts bound by the gel and most frequently flavored with rose water, mastic, lemon, cinnamon or mint.
Originally, honey and molasses were used for the sweeteners, and water and flour as the binding agents, and rosewater, lemon peel, and bitter orange as the most common flavors.  They are usually made in bars or logs and cut into approximately 1” square pieces.  But I saw several other shapes labeled as Turkish Delight. The following are just a few.
ORIGINS
The Turkish words lokma and lokum are derived from the Turkic luqma(t), meaning morsel and mouthful.  Egypt, Bulgaria, Syria, Greece, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina all have their versions of the delight and their own names.  In English, it was formerly called Lumps of Delight.

Its precise origins are unknown.  Like most foods, it no doubt existed in some form, for centuries, made from locally available ingredients.  Turkish legend has it that a Turkish sultan, tired of rumbling of discontent with his harem, summoned all confectioners in the land and ordered them to come up with a new dessert to quell the unrest.  As a result, lokum was born.

The sweet as we know it today is credited to Bekir Effendi, who moved from his hometown Kastamonu, Turkey (although some references say Anatolia – maybe that’s the region) to Istanbul and opened a confectionery shop in 1776.  He was a hit.  Soon, fashionable ladies began giving Turkish Delight to their friends in special lace handkerchiefs.  These were also used as acts of courting between couples, as documented by traditional Turkish love songs of that era.  The confection was introduced to the western world in the 19th century. Again, unconfirmed stories tell of an unknown Briton become fond of the delicacy, purchased cases of lokum, and shipped them to Britain under the name Turkish Delight.

Turkish Delight can be a euphemism for hashish candy, as hashish (an extract of cannabis) is sometimes thought to have been an ingredient in the original recipe.  The candy’s other claim to fame is its mention in C.S. Lewis’ "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" where the White Witch tempts Edmund with Turkish Delight.

RECIPES
And speaking of recipes, here are a few.  I’ve never made Turkish Delight, or seen it made, but the ones I had in Turkey all had pistachios or other nuts in them.

● Recipe 1
From http://mideastfood.about.com/od/dessertssweetspastries/r/turkishdelight.htm
by Saad Fayed, About.com.Guide

Since I wrote this blog a few years ago, I checked this website recently. Since it is current date-wise, I'm not sure that the recipe posted now [July 2017] is the same as the one which follows. The following photo [by Rosemary Calvert/Photographer's Choice RF/Getty Images] is with the current recipe.
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Preparation time:         15 minutes
Cooking time:               1 hour, 10 minutes
Total Time:                   1 hour, 25 minutes



Ingredients:
4 cups granulated sugar                              1 1/4 cups cornstarch
1 teaspoon cream of tartar                           4 1/4 cups water
1 tablespoon lemon juice                             1 1/2 tablespoons rosewater
1 cup confectioners sugar                           Vegetable oil or shortening

Preparation:
In a 9 inch baking pan, grease the sides and bottom with vegetable oil or shortening. Line with wax paper and grease the wax paper.

In a saucepan, combine lemon juice, sugar and 1 1/2 cups water on medium heat. Stir constantly until sugar dissolves. Allow mixture to boil. Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer, until the mixture reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat and set aside.

Combine cream of tartar, 1 cup corn starch and remaining water in saucepan over medium heat. Stir until all lumps are gone and the mixture begins to boil. Stop stirring when the mixture has a glue like consistency.

Stir in the lemon juice, water and sugar mixture. Stir constantly for about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and allow to simmer for 1 hour, stirring frequently.

Once the mixture has become a golden color, stir in rosewater. Pour mixture into wax paper lined pan. Spread evenly and allow to cool overnight.

Once it has cooled overnight, sift together confectioners sugar and remaining cornstarch.

Turn over baking pan containing Turkish delight onto clean counter or table and cut with oiled knife into one inch pieces.

Coat with confectioners sugar mixture. Serve or store in airtight container in layers separated with wax or parchment paper.

● Recipe 2
From April 1997 Gourmet at: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Pistachio-Rosewater-Turkish-Delight-14057 
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Cuisine:                                 Middle Eastern
Dietary considerations:         Low sodium
Yield:                                     Makes about 36

This recipe is called non-evil Turkish Delight. 

Ingredients
Four 1/4-ounce envelopes unflavored gelatin (about 3 tablespoons)
1/2 cup shelled natural pistachios
2 3/4 cups cold water
1 cup cornstarch
Four 1/4-ounce envelopes unflavored gelatin (about 3 tablespoons)
3 cups granulated sugar
5 teaspoons rosewater
1 drop red food coloring if desired
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar plus additional if necessary

Preparation
Oil an 8-inch square baking pan and line with plastic wrap. Oil plastic wrap.

In a small saucepan of boiling water blanch pistachios 3 minutes and drain in a sieve. Rinse pistachios under cold running water and pat dry. Rub skins off pistachios.

In a small bowl sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water and let soften. In another small bowl stir together 1/8 cup cold water and cornstarch.

In a 4-quart heavy kettle stir together remaining 1 1/2 cups cold water, granulated sugar, and rosewater and bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Stir in gelatin and cornstarch mixtures and boil over moderate heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spatula, 10 minutes (mixture will be very thick).

Stir in pistachios and food coloring and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Pour mixture into baking pan, smoothing top with spatula, and cool. Chill confection, loosely covered, until set, about 4 hours.

Sift 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar onto a work surface. Invert confection onto sugar and peel off plastic wrap. Cut confection into 1/8-inch cubes. Sift remaining confectioners' sugar over cubes and toss to coat. Wrap cubes in parchment paper (do not use wax paper, plastic wrap, or airtight containers because confections will weep) and chill.

Turkish delight may be made 2 weeks ahead and kept chilled, wrapped in parchment paper.

Just before serving, recoat Turkish delight in additional confectioners' sugar.

ENJOY!
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FERRAGOSTO

8/4/2017

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CLOSED FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST
Ferragosto, translated from Italian, means August holiday. It also means three to four weeks of vacation for most Italians. Everything except tourist attractions are closed for the month, and the Italians head for the beaches or mountains. If you travel in Italy during August, most of the people you encounter in the cities are other tourists, foreigners, and a few disgruntled Italians who work in the tourist industry.

Chiuso Per Ferie - Closed for the Holidays
The idea of getting an automatic, mandatory three to four weeks off would be unheard of in many countries. But when the company, government office, or business you work for closes for the month, what else can you do? The Italians have done this for hundreds of years, regardless of the economy. They may have to work harder in July to get projects and tasks completed, but come August, they are out of there. A mass exodus from the big cities always creates traffic problems, news articles, and the incessant question, "Where are you going this year?"
                                        Beaches in Italy in August                                               Italian Alps in the summer
ANCIENT ORIGINS
Like most holidays in Italy and much of the western world, the origins of Ferragosto date back nearly 3,000 years to the early Romans. The festival of the Consuali, dedicated to Conso, the god of the harvest, took place on August 23 (or, if you accept Plutarch's version, on August 18) and workers and animals were granted a time of rest after the harvest. It was unique in that it was the only festival when masters, freemen, and slaves celebrated together.

Legend tells us it was initiated by Romulus, founder of Rome and, according to the ancient stories, it was at the first games for the Consuali that the Sabine women were abducted as future wives for the Romans.

Romulus' followers were mostly men, so after the founding of Rome they tried to negotiate with a nearby city state, the Sabines, for wives. The Sabines, however, feared the emergence of a rival society, and they brought negotiations to a screeching halt.

So the Romans planned an abduction during a festival--some sources say it was the Festival of Neptune Equester, others say the festival of the Consuali, or maybe they were the same thing. All the surrounding peoples and city states were invited, including the Sabines. During the festivities, the Romans snatched the Sabine women, then battled and defeated the Sabine men.

According to the writings of Livy and Plutarch, there was no sexual assault involved—rape in this context means taking the women away by force. However, Romulus offered the women free choice and, if they accepted Roman husbands, promised civic and property rights to them.

Apparently, many accepted because, not long after, there was a war between the Sabines and the Romans. The Sabine women who had become Roman wives stopped the fighting by inserting themselves between their Sabine fathers and Roman husbands on the battlefield and demanding that the war cease. They said they would rather die than to lose both husbands and fathers. The fighting stopped.

In my opinion, this is an example of how much better off the world would be if women were the leaders, not men. We operate on a more compassionate win-win level.
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The Rape of the Sabine women has been a favorite subject for sculptures and paintings over the centuries, and I think it would make a terrific historic novel.

Another version of the origins is that the name is Latin (Ferie augusti) for Augustus holiday. Some sources indicate that the tradition began in 18 AD when Emperor Augustus celebrated the end of the harvest season with three weeks of rest and activities. These sources also cite the unusual practice of mingling all social classes at these events.

Take your pick of legends.  Actually, they're are not mutually exclusive.

IN THE MIDDLE AGES
With the rise of the Roman Catholic faith, church authorities stepped in and turned the pagan festival into a religious celebration, proclaiming Ferragosto, celebrated on the fifteenth of August, as the Feast of the Assumption. This is the Roman Catholic feast day that celebrates the belief that Mary, the mother of Jesus, at the end of her earthly life, physically ascended into heaven.

While origins of this religious belief remain vague, by the fourth and fifth centuries AD it was mentioned in religious texts. There are debates about it, but by 847 it was solidly embedded in Roman Catholicism.

At some time during the Renaissance, to celebrate the assumption, the Church made it obligatory to recognize workers with a bonus in relation to this feast. That was, apparently, the beginning of the modern Italian practice to give workers a tredicesima, or thirteenth month paycheck in December.

To this day, my husband, who gets a pension from the Italian government, receives a 13th month payment every year. However, because he lives outside Italy, he isn't entitled to it. Still, each December, the Italian government sends his tredicesima. Then, in May they send a letter telling him he isn't entitled to it, and that they're deducting it from his June payment. It's happened that way for years. Don't these people have computers?

FERRAGOSTO IN ITALY TODAY
In addition to swarming the beaches and going to the mountains, contemporary Italians celebrate the holiday in various ways, many of them traditions that have existed for centuries. And, of course, everyone has a big family feast. Italians never miss an opportunity for a feast.

In Sienna the famous horse race Il Palio dell'Assunta is held on August 16 in honor of the Assumption of Mary. Ten horses, whose riders wear the colors representing the ten city wards, ride bareback through the streets. It's a very exciting event and a "must see" if you're in Italy in August.                                                                               Photos by Patricia Winton
At one point in time, the Romans used to flood Piazza Navona and hold boat races. Another source claims it was customary to spray everyone with water and push them into this artificial lake. This is linked to the older rites focusing on Neptune and purification with water. This particular tradition has been discontinued.

Another ancient rite associated with the harvest festival was purification with fire, so in the countryside, you'll see many bonfires. In Trapani, there is a procession where the townspeople burn the grass along the procession route.

In the City of Messina, my husband's home town, there is a procession called La Vara. La Vara, which is derived from the verb meaning to launch, itself is actually a three- to four-story statue representing The Assumption of Mary. It is pulled through the streets of Messina, mounted on wooden beams like railroad ties, by people wanting to do penance. Dressed in white and barefoot, they pull on huge ropes to drag the statue about five miles to the cathedral.
 A city water truck drives in front of the procession spraying water on the cobblestone streets to make the pulling easier. It's a very moving spectacle. I remember one year they tried putting the statue on wheels, so it would be easier to pull, and everyone complained. They went back to the wooden beams.

Another tradition that I've experienced is Cocomerata, or watermelon feast. August is the time for watermelons. On August 15, my husband's family in Messina eats a big feast (usually at someone's beach house), gets inebriated in various degrees, and finishes with watermelon for dessert. That turns into a food fight where everyone chases each other around and smears other people's faces with watermelon.
ECONOMICALLY SPEAKING
Closing down for three to four weeks in the middle of the tourist season may not make sense to others or seem economically feasible in today's world-driven economy, but it's been a tradition in Italy for eons. Employers may be looking at a shorter Ferie (holiday) in the future, and Italians may have to chose more affordable locations to enjoy their days of rest, but Ferragosto has survived through hard times, two world wars, and a myriad of other crises. It will come this year, and next year, and the year after that. I don't see it going away.
So on August 15, sit back, relax, drink a glass or two of wine (or other beverage of your choice), and eat some watermelon. The food fight is optional.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
□
Resources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferragosto
http://goitaly.about.com/od/festivalsandevents/qt/august-italian-holiday-ferragosto.htm
http://voices.yahoo.com/the-italian-holiday-ferragosto-sacred-profane-11321.html?cat=16
http://www.visit-rimini.com/blog/ferragosto-an-italian-holiday/1,056 words
 
 

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RUBY FRIDAY: The july Birth Stone

7/28/2017

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In keeping with the birthstone for July, I had to write about rubies. The heroine in my romantic suspense series is named Harriet Ruby, so I couldn't pass up the connection.  Harriet's last name was originally Rubinetto, which means faucet in Italian. It was changed by an immigration officer who must have thought no one should be named after a plumbing fixture.
 
WHEN IS A SAPPHIRE NOT A SAPPHIRE?
Answer: When it's a ruby.
Huh?
That's because both rubies and sapphires are created from corundum (aluminum oxide plus various traces iron and sometimes small bits of chromium and titanium). Mineral Corundum creates two distinct gemstones: Rubies and Sapphires. The only difference is color.

While sapphires come in many beautiful colors, only red corundum with a certain saturation of color is considered a Ruby. Otherwise, it is classified as a pink sapphire. Until the 1800s, gemologists didn't understand that rubies and sapphires come from the same mineral.
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Corundum is a tough mineral second only to diamonds in hardness. Although it is found in many places throughout the world, including the US, rubies have become hard to find and stones over three carats are quite rare. Most rubies today, even expensive ones, have been treated in some manner. Heat treatment is the most common.
 
All natural rubies have imperfections in color and inclusions of rutile needles known as silk because of their thread-like pattern. Gemologists use these, which are found in all natural rubies, to identify them from synthetics, substitutes, and treated stones.
Below - Photos of rutile patterns in rubies
WHAT ARE RUBIES USED FOR?

Jewelry, jewelry, jewelry! Yes, yes, yes!
Ruby is one of the oldest gemstones known to man. Representing passion and power, rubies been around for thousands of years and worn by Kings, Queens, royalty, and priests throughout history. In addition to their great beauty, their hardness and durability make them particularly ideal for jewelry.
Industrial Uses
Corundum and very low grade rubies have industrial uses because of the hardness. It's mainly used as an abrasive known as emery (like in emery boards).
 
The mineral also has refractive properties. Because I can't explain something I don't understand, I'll simply point out that the refractive properties of corundum were used by Theodore Maiman in 1960 to made the first successful laser.
 
Medicinal Uses
Clearly, the use of ruby and most other gemstones for medicinal purposes falls into the folklore category. However, leading gemologist and gem expert George Frederick Kunz's book The Curious Lore of Precious Stones, published in 1913, reflects his belief that there was a great deal to be learned by studying the ways such stones were used by different cultures at different times. The roots of folklore stems sometimes from some intrinsic quality of the mineral, sometimes from the symbolic significance of the gem.
     ● Ruby works with the flow of blood as an aid to circulation. It aids the cleansing and removal of infection or germs in the blood. "Ruby is helpful for blood-related health issues, such as anemia, menstrual issues, and poor circulation." http://www.beadage.net/gemstones/gemstonesT_Z.shtml
     ● "Gemstone meanings are derived based upon how the vibration level of a specific stone affects our bodies, minds, and soul. Gemstone Healing is real and allows us to take advantage of this natural magic (energy) as we bring the energy we need into our lives."
http://gemstone-dictionary.com/
 
SOME WORLD FAMOUS RUBIES
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● The Sunrise Ruby
The most expensive colored gemstone in the world, "The Sunrise Ruby," the cushion-cut stone of almost 26 carats set between two shield-shaped diamonds of almost three carats each brought $30.3 million at Sotheby’s Geneva in May, 2015, breaking the world auction record for the gem."  (May 23, 2015 2:42 pm, By Danielle Arnet The Smart Collector)
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● The Rosser-Reeves Star Ruby
The Rosser-Reeves is the finest and largest 138.7 carat star ruby placed at Smithsonian Institution Washington D.C. This brilliant stone was found in a Sri Lankan mine. Named after Mr. Rosser Reeves who donated it, this stone is clear (almost translucent) with a six rayed star. In 1966 it was insured for $150,000.
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● The Liberty Bell Ruby
This is the largest mined ruby in the world. I've included it because in 2011 it was stolen in a gem heist from a jewelry store in Delaware. At that time, the four-pound stone had been appraised at $2 million. Most of the articles predicted it would never be seen again.  Instead, it was recovered in 2014 (more or less a fluke) and four men were arrested. Later newspaper articles about the recovery refer to it as being worth $4 million.
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● The De Long Star Ruby
It is a 100 carat oval cabochon displayed at American Museum of Natural History New York. Martin Ehrmann sold this piece of beauty to Edith Haggin De Long for $21,400.

● The Edwards Ruby
Named after Major General Sir Herbert Benjamin it was 167 carat Burmese ruby donated by John Ruskin in 1887 to British Museum of Natural History.
VARIOUS MEANINGS OF THE RUBY
Over the centuries, various cultures have contributed to the legends and folklore of gems. Because rubies are among the oldest known gems, the stone has a rich heritage of meanings and has inspired philosophers and mystics to attribute unusual powers to rubies.  A few of the folklore "meanings" and "uses" include:

     ● The most powerful gem in the universe, and it is associated with many astral signs.
     ● A strong healer for the heart and blood.
     ● To bring about a positive and courageous state of mind.
     ● To bring enlightenment to humanity.
     ● To encourage passion for life.
     ● To provide a powerful shield during controversy.
     ● A shield that sends out protective energies to surround you at all times.
     ● To provide a protection from misfortune and bad health.
     ● To open the heart and promote love.
     ● A symbol of friendship and love, when given as a gift.
     ● A symbol of vitality and royalty.
     ● To bring contentment and peace.
     ● To bring success in business & good fortune in money matters, if you dream of a ruby.
     ● A ward against bad dreams, when placed under a pillow.
     ● A stimulant to nurturing emotions and economic stability.
     ● To shield from psychic attacks.
     ● To amplify energy.
     ● To give the courage to be best potential that a person has.

The list goes on and on, and I won't bore you with it. It's Mythology. Today, owning ruby jewelry it's undoubtedly a status symbol.

WHAT WOULD IT MEAN TO YOU IF SOMEONE GAVE YOU A RUBY?
Originally posted on RB4U blogsite
Resources
http://www.gemstoneeducation.com/Rubies.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruby
https://crystal-cure.com/ruby-gem.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty_Bell_Ruby
http://gemstone-dictionary.com/
http://famousdiamonds.tripod.com/mandalayruby.html
http://meanings.crystalsandjewelry.com/crystals-r
http://www.jewelinfo4u.com/World_Famous_Rubies.aspx
http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2012/01/09/irreplaceable-2-million-ruby-stolen-in-wilmington-jewelry-heist/
http://www.beadage.net/gemstones/gemstonesT_Z.shtml
http://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/spring-2014-gemnews-tucson-rutilated-quartz
http://www.ruby-sapphire.com/the-silk-road-rutile-in-corundum.htm
http://www.gemselect.com/other-info/gemstone-meanings.php
http://tucson.com/lifestyles/the-sunrise-ruby-sale-breaks-world-auction-record/article_56881674-5de9-59dd-a571-9cae46811a62.html


 
 
 
 
 
 

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an Italian-American Love Story

7/21/2017

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Everyone Has A Story
Everyone has a story, and for many people that story is a romance … although not all of them have happy endings in real life. That's one of the wonderful aspects of the romance novels. You can become anyone, go anywhere, and experience every emotion, without leaving home and without risk. And you experience the joy of H.E.A.

My Story: How I Met My Husband
After graduating from UC Berkeley in 1963 with a degree in architecture, I went to Rome to study at the University of Rome. I arrived via London, where I'd spent a week with a friend from Berkeley. On July 26, my first day in Rome and at the Fountain of Love in Piazza Esedra (also called Piazza Della Republica), I met the man I married and am still married to after more than fifty years.
The Fountain of Love in Piazza Esedra          The Day We Met: July 26, 1963

I’d just arrived by train that afternoon from London, and had eaten nothing all day. Once I found a place to stay for a few days, I went looking for an American Bar that I remembered from my first time in Rome. I was dying for a hamburger after a week in England.

The café (I can't recall the name anymore) wasn't far from my rooming house near the train station, located on Via Nazionale, which intersected with Piazza Della Republica. However, there were, and still are, at least five streets traversing that piazza. I planned sit down by the fountain in the center of the piazza to figure it out.
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In those day (long before air conditioning), during the hot summer afternoons, the Italians sat around the rims of the fountains seeking cool relief from the heat in the light fountain spray. The only cool place around. And, of course, it was packed with photographers taking pictures of tourists.

Love At First Sight: Well, Maybe.
When I got there and waited for a break in the traffic to cross the street, I noticed, sitting on the rim of the fountain, a good looking man who made me think of the Italian actor, Marcello Mastroianni.
Pretty cool.  I didn't delude myself that it was the actor, but the man looked a lot like him. That was good enough. I skipped across the street, dodging cars and motor scooters in my three inch spiked heels, and sat down next to him.

After a while, he started talking to me (Heh! Heh! Heh!), but I don't remember how we communicated. He spoke a little English, I spoke a few words in Italian from one semester of the language at Berkeley. Despite the communication problem, I learned he was a Guardia of the Pubblica Sicurezza, a state policeman, who worked in the passport office.
   Guardia di Pubblica Securezza                    Luciano is the one goofing off                Main Police Station in Rome

And when he invited me to dinner, I accepted. Oh, yeah. We found other ways to communicate, as young people usually do. Things got very friendly on the steps of the Palazzo Della Civitá, but it was dark by then—thank goodness— and we were up a million steps from street level, under the arcade.                                             Palazzo Della Civitá
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Under other circumstances, I probably would have slapped his face (that's my story and I'm sticking with it) and left, but I had no Italian money and didn’t know where I was or how to get to my hotel. Well, I was young, inexperienced, and not the brightest bulb on the tree.

When he returned me to my pensione late that night, we made a date for the next afternoon. A date I almost missed because I had to register for Italian classes at a language school. I met two other American girls who wanted to share a room, and the time slipped away. I had to run all the way from the bus to the rooming house to catch him before he left.

H.E.A.
After that, I was smitten. A couple of months later, I had to look up the word fidanzata in my Italian-English dictionary to find out I was engaged. In December we got married in a civil ceremony at City Hall (the Campidoglio).

But that's just the beginning of the saga. I'll save the rest for another time.
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TIME MANAGEMENT FOR AUTHORS

7/14/2017

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FEELING OVERWHELMED?
Most writers experience, at times, the feeling of being overwhelmed. Sometimes I feel like I'm running on a railroad track, and the train behind me is getting closer and closer. Now, even more so with the growing pressure to have a presence on the social media. One class I took advised writers to do a hundred tweets a day to five hundred people.

I don't know. I don't have a hundred things to tweet about in a day, much less interesting things.
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MANAGE YOUR TIME
Wisdom and experience suggest that many writers could do a better job of managing their time, particularly during those high-intensity weeks or months when everything seems to come crashing down.  Well, duh! That's a no brainer.
.
There are lots of blogs and books about how to do just that. Writers have advice and tips for others and personal experiences to share. And, if you've been part of corporate America at one point in time, you've probably either read books or taken courses on time management.

Yes. Time management is a good thing. It's a skill we all should practice. Taking one class isn't enough. You need a refresher course about every six months to regroup and get back on track.

It's worth doing and there are lots of things writers can learn, particularly from each other, about what works and what doesn't, such as using a kitchen timer and limiting your time on social media. Listen when your friends want to share their ideas.
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WHERE DID WE MISS THE BOAT?
In our efforts to do it all, it's possible to lose our way.

Point One: The Vital Few vs. The Trivial Many
Controlling the time you spend on your different activities isn't enough. Sure, you have to do it, but you need to apply the Pareto Principle (the Golden Rule of Time Management) in the process.

"Which is?" she asked.

Without going into all the gory details of its history, the Pareto Principle states that "20 percent of a person's effort generates 80 percent of the results."
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No matter the nature of the work you're talking about, 20 percent of the work (the first 10 percent and the last 10 percent) consume 80 percent of your time and resources. According to F. Hohn Reh:
     "The value of the Pareto Principle for a manager is that it reminds you to focus on the 20
     percent that matters. Of the things you do during your day, only 20 percent really matter.
    Those 20 percent produce 80 percent of your results. Identify and focus on those things. 
    When the fire drills of the day begin to sap your time, remind yourself of the 20 percent
    you need to focus on. If something in the schedule has to slip, if something isn't going to
    get done, make sure it's not part of that 20 percent." [Pareto's Principle - The 80-20 Rule By
     F. John Reh]  http://management.about.com/cs/generalmanagement/a/Pareto081202.htm

Thus, writers, like everyone, should shift their focus to those activities that produce results rather than on activities which do not.   
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Point Two: Urgent vs. Important
To apply the Pareto Principle, writers must learn the difference between urgent and important activities.

A good share of the 80% of your work that doesn't produce results falls into the "urgent" category. And if you don't think about it, and if you don't set goals and priorities, it's easy to fall into the trap of responding to tasks that may be urgent, but not important.
     ▪  Important activities have an outcome that leads to the achievement of your goals.
   ▪ Urgent activities demand immediate attention, and are often associated with the achievement of someone else's goals. We concentrate on these because they are the "squeaky wheels that get the grease." They demand attention because the consequences of not dealing with them are immediate.

And we tend to set aside the important tasks until later “when I have time.”
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Right. And that “time” never comes. Those back-burner items never seem to get done. Here are three examples of "The Urgent":
     ▪ Pressing or burning imperatives that must be completed
       immediately.
     ▪ Critical or vital tasks that someone else insists be
       performed without delay.
     ▪ Unrelenting and persistent routine demands on your time.
This doesn’t mean that you shouldn't address the Urgent. But instead of dropping what you’re doing, ask yourself the following and then decide if you are going to stop working on the important activity for the urgent one.
     ▪ Is it a priority? Will it produce a longer time, important result?
     ▪ Does the task need to be done right at this moment, or is there something else on
       your list that should come first?
     • Could someone else do it?
     ▪ Is it going to take your focus off of more important tasks with long-term results?
     ▪ Does the task need immediate attention, though it has only small and short-term
       results?
     ▪ If left undone, is the problem likely to grow into something important as well as urgent? What are the consequences of not doing it right now?
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Point Three: Effective vs. Efficient
Many writers often don't have a clear understanding of the difference between working efficiently and working effectively.

We all should strive to use our time both effectively and efficiently; there's a difference and we need to be aware of it.
     ▪ Effective (adj.) Adequate to accomplish a purpose; producing the intended or expected result. Being effective is all about doing the right things (to produce the results, achieve the goals, etc.)
    ▪ Efficient (adj.) Performing or functioning in the best possible manner with the least waste of time and effort. Being efficient is all about doing things in the right/correct manner.

Tim Ferris, in his 2007 bestseller The 4-Hour Work Week suggests we learn to focus our attention on the 20% of our activities that contribute to 80% of the results. Gee, that sounds familiar.

Point Four: Overcome Procrastination
Procrastination is a time stealer that can be eliminated.  People tend to procrastinate for two reasons.
     ▪ The task is considered to be unpleasant.  To overcome a reluctance to engage in less pleasant tasks, tackle the difficult ones first and get them over with.  Otherwise, you will fret about it and not do anything and it still needs to be done.
     ▪ The entire task looks overwhelming. So much so that a person doesn’t know where to begin.  Break the task down into smaller tasks based on sequence and priority, and tackle them one at a time.

Point Five: Doing the Right Things
How do we figure out what "the right things" are? Well, they are those activities that produce the results we want.

There's rub. You have to know what results you want. Not enough writers take the time to really understand what they want out of writing or what results they want to produce.

I know, I know. Every writer wants to be on the New York Times best seller list. We all want to sell millions of copies of our books and earn a seven figure salary. We want it all...and most of us probably can't have it all.  And ... it isn't all about what we want, or think we want?
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WHY DO I WRITE?
We all know the answer to that. We write because we are compelled to write. Our DNA demands it. No choice. I think of it as a genetic defect all writers share.

However, we do make choices about what we write, how often, the genres we write in, how or if we publish, and so on. Just like our characters, those decisions are driven as much by what results we need as those we want.

When we create a character in a novel, we write down what the character is most afraid of, what he/she wants (goals), and what he/she needs (internal motivation). And as a writer, you know "wants" and "needs" are not necessarily the same thing. That works in novels because those motivations also drive real live human beings. Us.

Do you have a handle on what you need as a writer? Not what you want, but that subliminal inner need that compels you to write?

Can you articulate your need to write? If you can, you shouldn't have any trouble figuring out "the right things" to spend your time on.

MY 2 CENTS, FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH
● Know why you write
● Know the results you need and want from your writing
● Set goals and priorities
● Focus on those activities that produce the results
● Be aware of time management and don't leave it to chance
● Avoid Procrastimation
● Ask yourself constantly, "What is the best use of my time right now?" and
● PUT YOUR BUTT IN THE CHAIR AND WRITE

If you're not actually writing, then most of the other activities aren't going to matter anyway.
There! Now, that was easy. I feel so much better and relaxed.

Resources
http://www.procrastinationhelp.com/time-management/gurus.html
http://derekstockley.com.au/guru.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pareto_principle
http://management.about.com/cs/generalmanagement/a/Pareto081202.htm
http://www.pinnicle.com/Articles/Pareto_Principle/pareto_principle.html
http://management.about.com/cs/generalmanagement/a/Pareto081202.htm
 

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    Author R. Ann Siracusa

    Novelist, retired architect and urban planner, world traveler, quilter, owl collector, devoted wife-mother-grandmother, great-grandmother, and, according to some, wild-assed liberal.

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