tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54583802012-01-29T16:02:43.792-05:00"And so Theseus rightly felt love’s flame, for he was acquaint with all your charms, and you seemed fit spoil for the great hero to steal away, [...]. His stealing you away, I commend; my marvel is that he ever gave you back."<a href="http://www.theoi.com/Text/OvidHeroides4.html#16"> Ovid, Heroides: 16</a>. A letter from Paris to Helen.Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.comBlogger3271100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-70107421146526245702012-01-13T00:01:00.000-05:002012-01-13T00:01:03.648-05:00

In my absence from actual blogging, I thought it might be fun to offer some Old Icelandic words from my fabulous Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic by Geir T. Zoega. Today's word is Bjórreifr: cheerful from beer drinking.  I think this proves once and for all that Old Norse/Old Icelandic are the BEST languages in the world. Bjórreifr in a (modern Icelandic) sentence:Ég er bjórreifr.* I am

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-32741110739031587362012-01-06T00:01:00.002-05:002012-01-06T00:01:00.435-05:00

FABULOUS news, blogfriends! If you had not already heard on twitter, el husband and I are MOVING! Benefits of this move include, but are not limited to: Future dog ownership. Future cat ownership. A backyard of significant acreage (for the dog and the cat, obvs -- except maybe not the cat because it will likely get eaten by coyotes). Highland Cattle living down the road a piece. FUTURE GOAT

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-15881035585312713772012-01-02T00:01:00.003-05:002012-01-02T00:01:01.226-05:00

It is the Third Annual No-Kiss Blogfest today, hosted again by the fabulous Ms. Mallis. Be sure to check out all the other participants for a no-kiss festival of fun. My unkiss comes from my Pirithous book (I really have to come up with a title for this thing) wherein Pirithous, son of Zeus, is finally released from the Underworld and the chair of forgetfulness 3000 years later, and finds

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-90091260005050166312011-12-13T00:01:00.003-05:002011-12-13T00:01:03.404-05:00

My gift to all of you this fabulous season: Santa Herc and his steadfast companion, the Nemean Reinlion! Have a Happy Holiday, Friends and Followers! You can thank Mr.  Z. Tringali for putting together this particular masterpiece of holiday cheer for us!(Original from wiki commons, by Rufus46.) I'll be back January 2nd for the No-Kiss Blogfest! 

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-91418350018041666912011-12-09T00:01:00.000-05:002011-12-09T00:01:03.737-05:00

from Wiki commons, by Wolfgang Sauber I've been thinking about Eiriksstadir a lot. In part because I picture my orcs living in a very similar climate to Iceland* (shocking, I know). And in part because I really would like to see it with my own eyes one day. It seems like it would be a powerful experience, whether Erik the Red actually lived there or not. There is something tremendous about

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-77429371469030610852011-12-06T00:01:00.000-05:002011-12-06T00:01:03.330-05:00

Yesterday morning I read a blogpost over yonder at Firefly Willows about Mars. It's kind of a reflection on what Play might mean to him, and that aspect of his character, and all I could think about was how much I kind of gloss over Ares in my head.* What do I really know about the character of Ares, or his personality? How do I think he plays? Off the top of my head, I would say hard. A god of

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-72085418431414876172011-12-02T00:01:00.001-05:002011-12-02T00:01:01.865-05:00

Because there are more holidays around the corner, and there isn't really a lot of point in blogging to an empty room during the Christmas rush-- but I am back! For the moment. Things are really up in the air on my side of the computer, and mostly there's a lot of finger-crossing going on (seriously, cramped fingers from crossing them so hard), so I'm not sure how LONG I'm back for-- maybe two

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-72225135075944179382011-11-16T15:10:00.000-05:002011-11-16T15:10:59.274-05:00

My flash story "Ned Thrall" is now live on Daily Science Fiction! I hope you all enjoy it! I made 50K yesterday afternoon so my NaNo madcap journey is now complete. I know I said I wasn't going to write madcap this year, but it is a hard habit to break, and there were all these people around me writing madcap and I just could not stop myself from competing. Plus, I wanted to make my goal before

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-56915666639052508572011-11-08T14:30:00.000-05:002011-11-08T14:30:26.022-05:00

Firstly) Orc Romance Draft One is complete! 101,000 words. Is there at least one more book for Bolthorn? Um. Yes. NOT BY DESIGN. And actually, I'm really impressed with myself because this book feels like it found a very natural and satisfying conclusion which allows it to stand alone. Secondly) My flash fiction story "Ned Thrall" is going out to all subscribers of Daily Science Fiction,

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-65943858645101092732011-10-18T00:01:00.002-04:002011-10-18T10:09:45.919-04:00

So, here is the deal, blogfriends. I am coming down with a case of Houseguests for the coming week (arriving today!), during which my computer access will be severely limited, and following that is the mad dash of finishing Orc Romance (77.5K and counting!) in time to gorge myself on Heracles Myths for NaNoWriMo, and following that is NaNoWriMo itself, and following THAT is

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-4907010184085326272011-10-14T00:01:00.001-04:002011-10-14T00:01:01.707-04:00

Better late than never and also because I'm busy Romancing Orcs. Or um, with Orcs Romancing. I have a new favorite character named Fossegrim, if you're wondering. He is SUCH a cranky old man, and I would not be shocked if he yelled at someone to get off his lawn. Anyway: AVENGERS! A real trailer at last! It does look like it is kind of Iron Man and friends, maybe but you know, as long as they do

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-68677803815870073922011-10-11T00:01:00.001-04:002011-10-11T00:01:03.172-04:00

If you hadn't heard, they're doing a wickedly cool reconstruction of the bronze age settlement Pavlopetri, which was found underwater. My friends, it is awesome. It is even MORE awesome, because the reconstruction shows us how the other half lives, so to speak. We have so much (relatively) information on the palaces of Mycenae and Crete, but so little about regular Joes and non-palace life. Just

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-19961348789428925602011-10-07T10:15:00.001-04:002011-10-07T10:18:11.578-04:00

Today I will hit 50K in the Orc Romance. In honor of making it this far in what was supposed to be a short story (Dag Nabbit Orc Romance!), and to appease my aunt who asked for a sample paragraph, allow me to share this very small bit of Bolthorn and Arianna. What you need to know: Arianna, a human princess, stumbles across a room in which an orc, Bolthorn, is trapped inside a mirror as her

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-16160959686616554662011-10-04T00:01:00.001-04:002011-10-04T00:01:03.016-04:00

While writing the Orc Romance, I found myself researching place names, particularly in the Saga of the Volsungs, since I have it so conveniently close to hand. King Volsung ruled over a land called Hunland, and his enemy and son-in-law, King Siggeir, ruled over Gautland, a land associated not just with the Saga of the Volsungs, but Beowulf (the Geats of Geatland) and Roman history (the Goths of

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-53128706799921198972011-09-30T00:01:00.002-04:002011-09-30T00:56:07.271-04:00

The family tree of the Volsungs is something else. King Volsung, for whom the family is named, is the son of Rerir, himself the grandson of Odin through Sigi. And Volsung was born after six long years of labor (the result of an apple of fertility during Rerir's advanced years), and had to be cut from his mother's body. On top of the Aesir blood and favor, Volsung married the daughter of a giant,

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-83975780945213115492011-09-27T00:01:00.000-04:002011-09-27T00:01:00.871-04:00

15 days in and the Orc Romance has left any dream of Short Story behind at 25,500 words. I feel like I'm doing a dry run for NaNo or something, except at half-speed. What am I going to do with more than 25,000 words of Orc Romance?! Other than researching Ogres as they relate to Orcs, of course. For which I have another installment, a la Beowulf illustrations. They predate Lord of the Rings by a

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-17717721480486969252011-09-23T10:36:00.001-04:002011-09-23T10:37:12.068-04:00

The women in the Saga of the Volsungs are incredibly insightful across the board. Not only does Brynhild know-- well, almost everything. But the women in Sigurd's line are all very aware of what is to come. You'd think that knowing this is an inherited trait, the men would pay more attention to it. Then again, it seems the men who do not pay attention to it end up dying off before they can pass

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-83141831034790360052011-09-20T00:01:00.001-04:002011-09-20T00:01:02.615-04:00

I have been writing. A lot. 13,000 words of Orc Romance so far, and I think I've given up on the idea of managing to fit it into a short story. Fingers are crossed for some kind of reasonable novella length. But! Writing does not stop me from coming across some fabulous links of interest, so let us begin! First, during the search for information on... I bet it was the whole citrus in Mycenae

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-31768961099363980592011-09-16T00:01:00.003-04:002011-09-16T15:02:47.211-04:00

I'm writing a short story. A romance, I suspect. An Orc Romance. Now, those of you who follow the blog fairly closely might remember when I discussed my lack of appreciation for mythical beasts-- centaurs, satyrs, hydras, etc. I just don't find them all that compelling as a writer. Yes, I did write a story for Ariadne and the Minotaur in Crete. It was an exception, and really, the more

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-47336380449973002132011-09-09T00:01:00.001-04:002011-09-09T00:01:01.656-04:00

I was hoping I wouldn't have to, but I must away from the blog. Illness, etc, plus setbacks. So, instead of another phoned-in blogpost with a video component, I am just going to call a spade a spade and touch base with you guys again in a week. Try back on September 16th! Hopefully I will be back on top of my life and my research by then! Or at the very least, I will be able to offer you some

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-46080149145853865252011-09-06T00:01:00.000-04:002011-09-06T00:01:01.927-04:00

I'm still out of commission (I'm not even going to get into it here because it is just a streak of terribly bad horrible luck) but I am not leaving you bereft of mythic commentary! There are so many stupid things wrong with this version of Theseus that I don't even know where to start, but the bow and arrow business stands out as the thing that ticks me off the most in these trailers. I'm

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-52618459166442775152011-09-02T00:01:00.001-04:002011-09-02T00:01:00.204-04:00

I rest my case. (Sorry guys, I am sick, so if you do not like the muppets-- WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?)

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-62721220314411207832011-08-30T00:01:00.001-04:002011-08-30T00:01:01.061-04:00

Paris always has such a dumb hat. © Marie-Lan Nguyen / Wikimedia Commons I haven't talked about him a lot, because I haven't written about him. His story was always supposed to be Helen's sequel, maybe even an independent companion novel. But Paris doesn't hold the same fascination for me that Theseus does, or even Menelaus. His story has been done so many times, and no matter how hard

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-75964719439162631132011-08-26T00:01:00.001-04:002011-08-26T00:01:02.883-04:00

Super huge thanks to Zachary Tringali for the guest post! If you don't already, you can follow him on Twitter and check out his website! He is super cool, and you might remember him from the Pirithous vs Pelagia grudgematch of doom. All this to say, he writes like the wind and never fails to get me motivated again when I falter at my own writing projects.  Let’s talk about history! I know, you

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-22859285778698978172011-08-23T00:01:00.002-04:002011-08-23T00:01:00.137-04:00

Thrud and Alviss What do we know about Thrud (AKA Þrúðr)? Well. We know (According to Snorri in the Prose Edda) that Thor can be referred to in a kenning as Thrud's father, and we know that there are references to a Valkyrie named Thrud as well, who may or may not be the same woman. We know also, that she's the daughter of Sif (by another kenning for Sif) -- and as far as I can tell, she's

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-81663988045363038472011-08-21T22:27:00.000-04:002011-08-21T22:27:04.364-04:00

710 words: Theseus was trapped by the chair of forgetfulness in Hades. But fate isn't quite finished torturing him yet, and apparently there are worse things for Theseus than being lost in the Underworld. The last thing he remembered was Helen. Not as he had known her for the last two years, her hair dyed raven-black and her eyes painted with kohl, but as she had appeared the night of their

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-57799388489900073942011-08-16T00:01:00.000-04:002011-08-16T00:01:00.137-04:00

So. I'm kind of sort of maybe vacationing. Or something. It's a strange situation during which I should be writing but somehow am failing utterly to do so and instead spending my days eating unimpressive food and windowshopping for things I cannot afford and don't really want. Also, the twist-cone-with-rainbow-sprinkles situation is just... it's the saddest thing ever, you guys. This might be my

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-53694508591837914862011-08-12T00:01:00.000-04:002011-08-12T00:01:05.414-04:00

Head over to Tessa's blog to find the other participants of Tessa's Hatefest, and leave them some comment love! I have a very short excerpt. I wrote this short story about Samson a long time ago, because let's face it, he is pretty awful, and I am forever trying to find ways to make awful characters redeemable, especially when they are considered "heroes" of some kind or another. I don't know

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-23419423051169188862011-08-09T00:01:00.000-04:002011-08-09T00:01:08.128-04:00

bronze armbands from the bronze age! The fact of the matter is, I have been reminded on multiple occasions that worldbuilding is sometimes a weakness for me in my writing. I'm slow about it-- I take a long time to build up a world in small drips and drabs, and I expect readers to fill in the blanks and be part of the process. Usually this means that I have to go back through and add

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-28471208333489696742011-08-05T00:01:00.001-04:002011-08-05T00:01:01.609-04:00

This is Minoan, not Mycenaean but Wow. This post is mostly the result of having WAY too many tabs open, but the reason I have way too many tabs open is because I was researching rings-- in particular, signet rings, which can be ASTOUNDINGLY detailed-- of the Mycenaean period and the late bronze age for Pirithous. (Pirithous, being Pirithous, gets all the best gold jewelry.) Anyway, there are a

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-22901070376237576362011-08-02T00:01:00.014-04:002011-08-02T00:08:36.544-04:00

Because seriously, what if Heracles really WAS some portion of Zeus who just really wanted to spend a few years getting laid without hiding it from Hera? (And it would explain why Hera was SO MEAN to Heracles, too, because she was too smart to be taken in by THAT ruse. Guys. For Real. It could have happened.) Jesus Heracles Son of God Son of a god Likes the children Likes the children

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-86639658907406108092011-07-29T00:01:00.001-04:002011-08-02T00:14:55.493-04:00

I wasn't originally intending to promote more naked sculpture this week. I was actually planning an interesting insight into the similarities between Jesus and Heracles instead. But (or should I say butt?) I found a picture on wiki commons of a sculpture which really, really deserved its own post. And not just because of the pantslessness. This image deserves its own post because it is just

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-18787153199879295152011-07-26T00:37:00.003-04:002011-07-26T02:06:14.785-04:00

Unfortunately, there are not a lot of truly awesome pantsless Thor images floating around. Most of them are semi-strange or creepy, if you ask me, not to mention that his pantslessness does make it a little bit awkward for the whole belt of strength required to make the best use of Mjolnir. But! For Tina, I have found a couple striking images to share. Now, I'm not an art historian, but most of

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-81519513823900946372011-07-22T00:01:00.001-04:002011-07-22T00:06:15.344-04:00

I don't know what it is about him-- maybe because he's so well-known, but I just don't feel drawn to Heracles, generally. If I were to write a sequel to Helen of Sparta though, I'd end up having to research him. In my Pirithous book, I toyed with the idea of bringing demigods into the modern world. A missing father is really a god called back to Olympus, etc. I didn't actually go with that,

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-63181251139877783302011-07-19T00:01:00.001-04:002011-07-19T00:01:00.369-04:00

While doing some research on Loki's parentage (which is pretty fascinating by the way, because he is known as Laufey's son-- that is the son of his mother-- and not as the son of Fárbauti the giant who was his father, which is very odd for ye olden days. I mean, today people in Iceland use matronymics because women are liberated and claiming descent from your mother is just a personal choice, but

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-71914019603194114722011-07-15T00:01:00.000-04:002011-07-15T00:01:10.272-04:00

With the help of Random.org on which website I rolled some virtual dice, the winner of the autographed copies of Kevin Hearne's HOUNDED and HEXED is: Scifipoinsettia! Congratulations to you! Your fancy signed books will arrive by media mail in the not too distant future, once I get your address! I hope you enjoy them! Thanks to everyone who entered and tweeted and retweeted this giveaway! And

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-39815465411636840232011-07-05T00:57:00.003-04:002011-07-05T23:44:52.490-04:00

Friends and followers, if you found my interview with Kevin Hearne interesting*, I have the giveaway for you! Leave a comment on this post before July 12 with your email address and become a follower of my blog, and you will be entered to win a copy of HOUNDED and HEXED-- both autographed by the man himself! You Must be a Follower of The Blog to be Eligible To Win, but otherwise that's it!** I

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-91129073038368387822011-07-01T00:01:00.029-04:002011-07-01T00:01:03.170-04:00

Kevin Hearne is the author of the Iron Druid Chronicles, a new Urban Fantasy series (Hounded and Hexed are out already, and Hammered will be out on Tuesday, with another three in the works!). Of COURSE I had to read his books, seeing as the main character Atticus is constantly finding himself in fights with living breathing gods and goddesses in modern day Arizona. In HOUNDED, he faced the Celtic

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-32550117752005216122011-06-28T00:01:00.009-04:002011-06-28T00:01:01.675-04:00

Friends, it has come to my attention that there are very few picture books for children relating to Norse Mythology. The ones that do exist seem to misrepresent Thor as a son of Frigg (GASP!). Now, I know absolutely nothing about what it takes to write a picture book, but guys, how the heck am I going to indoctrinate the children of my acquaintance if I cannot get my hands on a picture book that

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-68983769629527835872011-06-24T00:01:00.002-04:002011-06-24T00:17:19.557-04:00

A friend asked me for a link to a very particular illustration of Theseus the other day, and I was reminded of just how much art we have of Theseus and the Minotaur. Seriously, surfing Wiki commons, every other image is Theseus whooping on the Minotaur. So for those of you who do not feel compelled to google Theseus imagery, I thought I'd share some with you. To begin, of course, Theseus and the

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-12598882590906675952011-06-21T00:01:00.001-04:002011-06-21T00:01:05.392-04:00

Yesterday I spent some time researching Iceland. I do this periodically, and not just for my own pleasure, but because I find that no matter how hard I fight it, a lot of my short stories wind up taking visits there, if they don't just flat out move across the Atlantic. Today was all about The Ring Road (interesting article from the New York Times), and the sights to be seen along the way. I

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-13067719029759632602011-06-17T00:01:00.004-04:002011-06-17T00:01:04.099-04:00

Every once in a while when I am between projects for too long (in this case I just wrapped up a giant revision and have been submitting some things and working through the business end of the writing process, as opposed to the writing end), I have a terrified moment where I actually stop and think about what I do-- that is, write-- and realize I have no idea HOW I'm doing it. How does one go

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-65221683331165897572011-06-14T00:01:00.000-04:002011-06-14T00:01:02.112-04:00

You might have heard some things about me and Pirithous from that rapscallion also known as Zachary AKA Zak AKA He who likes WHO. You may even have heard of our GRUDGE MATCH-- Pirithous vs. Pelagia, winner takes ALL. I have bumped his fist via the interwebz and I have read his blogpost, and his badmouthing of my fair Pirithous. He would have you believe that Pirithous is just some no good

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-9455128951429674462011-06-10T00:01:00.000-04:002011-06-10T00:01:00.922-04:00

I have been doing a lot of reading lately. And obviously I've been doing a lot of writing. But I want to ask you a question, my followers, because I feel that if you were not interested in mythology, you would not really be reading my blog. I mean, let's face it, it is mythology city over here. SO. When does Historical Fiction, influenced by myth, become Fantasy? We have Homer, and Virgil, both

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-57876836655385426102011-06-07T00:01:00.001-04:002011-06-07T00:01:03.104-04:00

Today IS Tuesday, and a Norse day, and I think this kind of qualifies as Norse-ish at least. um. I hope. I am working on a real post for the future, I promise, but in the meantime, enjoy the entertainment! *I don't actually think this is how the movie should have ended, of course, though I would kill to see Thor, Batman, and Superman sitting around in a diner, drinking coffee and

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-74074315907293983822011-06-03T00:01:00.003-04:002011-06-03T00:01:00.534-04:00

It's not a Tuesday and thereby a Norse day, but this is probably the best ever and I could not wait to share it. SO, I bring you this MOST excellent of all short films for my return to blogging. It is 7 minutes of awesome, and if it doesn't make you laugh then I do not know what will. The Saga Of Biorn from The Animation Workshop on Vimeo. Now, the question is, will I ever get back to Norse

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-10641302832206451922011-05-18T10:53:00.000-04:002011-05-18T10:53:08.196-04:00

To let you all know that a flash fiction piece of mine is up on vis a tergo, an online lit mag. It is titled "The Hammock" and was written for combat words a bit ago. Oofda that is a lot of links. SO. Go read it! I'll be back June 3rd! I hope you are all enjoying the month of May!

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-17506188638104885782011-05-10T00:01:00.002-04:002011-05-10T09:17:26.478-04:00

A couple of things: First, Blog Hiatus, from today until June 1! I am sorry to do it, but May is going CRAZY on me with travel and family obligations (birthdays and anniversaries and weddings galore!) and I really just want to focus on getting this Pirithous draft done with the LITTLE time I will not be spending running around like a chicken with its head cut off. Check back Friday, June 3 for

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-46219123019463095502011-05-06T00:01:00.002-04:002011-05-06T00:01:00.352-04:00

In CELEBRATION of today being THE DAY, I give you this most excellent youtube video. You can rest assured that I am going to see Thor today in IMAX 3D. A report of its greatness (Please God, let it be great!) will follow in good time.

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-31884584803245508892011-05-03T00:01:00.002-04:002011-05-03T00:01:00.879-04:00

Studying mythology is very much a journey of faith for me. I don't talk about it a lot on here, because I don't like to step on toes-- it isn't really about TRUTH, or one right way, and I've always felt faith and religion are and should be very private things. Whatever my beliefs, they're between me and the powers that be, and the same for yours. We don't have to agree. In fact, the world would

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-90518039180534827242011-04-29T00:01:00.001-04:002011-04-29T00:01:00.058-04:00

This is going to be shock to all of you, I'm sure, but when it comes to mythical beasts, I am not really up on my stuff. I don't know how that facet of my education has been neglected all this time. I guess I just find them less interesting than the actual people involved. I'd rather write about Theseus and Ariadne than the Minotaur, and I'm more interested in Pirithous and Hippodamia than I am

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-69747599942081957012011-04-26T00:01:00.004-04:002011-04-26T00:01:01.857-04:00

I'm about 48,000 words into Pirithous' book. (Who knew Pirithous had a WHOLE BOOK in him? I didn't. I mean, I love the guy, but I really didn't think he could carry a whole book. I guess he is showing ME.) What this means for YOU blog-followers, is that my brain is spinning in circles about centaurs and how much zippers will blow Pirithous' mind, and I'm drawing a big fat blank on Norse mythology

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-76211004087792273842011-04-22T00:01:00.000-04:002011-04-22T00:01:00.642-04:00

I'm working on a Pirithous book. I've been wanting to write him one for a while, but it never came together until I had a conversation with my mother. She asked the right question, and I couldn't stop thinking about it. Two other books in progress, and Pirithous called my name. 37,000 words later, and I'm reliving one of the problems I had when I wrote Helen. Anatomy. Pirithous is a very hands

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-695972455504070522011-04-19T00:01:00.000-04:002011-04-19T00:01:00.689-04:00

When last we left our hero sidekick, Thjalfi had just been taken into Thor's service with his sister, Roskva. But that was not the last of Thjalfi's adventures. Thor, being Thor, struck out again on his journey, continuing on his way to Jotunheim with his two new bondservants in tow. Thjalfi was put right to work carrying Thor's bag during the journey, and Snorri even tells us: "Thjálfi was

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-14229476517358089012011-04-15T00:01:00.000-04:002011-04-15T00:01:07.508-04:00

The story goes that Pirithous and Theseus made a pact that they should both marry daughters of Zeus, because they were demigods and as such deserving of marriage to women of divine lineage. Leaving aside the fact that a daughter of Zeus would also be Pirithous' half-sister and the marriage slightly incestuous, a demigod deciding he deserves some kind of honor or another for himself is never

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-6358996541277924022011-04-12T00:01:00.000-04:002011-04-12T00:01:02.474-04:00

One day, Thor and Loki decided to go for a journey. This is not at all abnormal for Thor. He does a lot of journeying. Mostly to pick fights with giants, or to pal around with Loki. They get into a lot of trouble that way. This particular journey, Thor stopped at a peasant's house to spend the night. Because Thor is aware of his own appetite, and generally just a generous guy, he offered one of

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-3417529502886851552011-04-11T10:08:00.000-04:002011-04-11T10:08:24.935-04:00

Hello Friends and Followers! My short story, "Bride Price" has been published in Birdville, an online magazine! Head over yonder and give it a read-- it's less than 2000 words, so it won't take you long. I hope you enjoy the Frenchmen!

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-52042116375664536012011-04-08T00:01:00.000-04:002011-04-08T00:01:03.755-04:00

The story goes that Pirithous, having heard of Theseus' prowess in battle, wanted proof of his courage and strength, and so, as all good heroes do, he went out to rustle some of Theseus' cattle in order to test him. A time honored tradition among demigods! Plutarch tells the rest of the story in his essay on Theseus: [...]when the news was brought that Theseus pursued him in arms, he did not fly,

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-30837379361981668382011-04-05T00:01:00.001-04:002011-04-06T00:03:57.086-04:00

Keeping with the generally Norse Tuesdays, Classics Fridays theme, I thought it might be appropriate to offer a very special AFFAIRS OF THE GODS: NORSE EDITION today instead! who can resist this guy? Now we all know that Odin liked the ladies as much as any Olympian, and we'd definitely be doing the All-Father a disservice if we didn't mention him as one of the more amorous All-Fathers. Odin's

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-51812457117826762822011-04-01T00:01:00.002-04:002011-04-01T00:01:03.281-04:00

So. There has been a lot of fiction up the last couple of days! Totally accidental. I promise we'll get back to more informative and informational non-fiction posts soon. I used up my buffer of blogposts these last couple of weeks while I plowed through revisions 1, 2, 3, and 4 of Postcards from Asgard to get to a finished product that actually works for me, start to finish. It has been a busy

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-47034061928074134912011-03-30T00:01:00.002-04:002011-03-30T00:01:06.492-04:00

At the request of my fabulous friend and beta Zak Tringali (and if you do not follow his blog, get on that because he posts awesome stuff on writing, and the ingredients of good books), today I present to you my top three Fictional Female Protagonists, cross-genre and cross-media! Firstly, this is the hardest decision I've ever had to make in my life. Only three?! From ALL fictional works?!!? My

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-64582598247261822892011-03-29T00:01:00.004-04:002011-03-29T00:13:52.149-04:00

Odin riding Sleipnir I read bits and pieces of three different* translations of the Hávamál, but finally settled on this translation by Olive Bray as the most readable. I'm sure I'll go back and reread the Bellows translation on Sacred Texts another time, because it has a lot of notes that look interesting and enlightening, and I'm all about the learning. But for now, I thought I'd share some

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-17942397208173482812011-03-26T00:01:00.002-04:002011-03-26T13:36:13.475-04:00

Thanks to Tessa and Laura for hosting this most excellent blogfest on what magic means for us or our characters! Please do head over to Tessa's blog to read the other contributions! This little gem came from a new, um, what-seems-to-be-a-novella-in-progress, about a woman, Gwen, who finds herself saddled with two MEAN and NASTY goats (named Masher and Blender) out of nowhere, followed shortly

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-3286517647503480912011-03-25T00:01:00.004-04:002011-03-25T00:01:06.902-04:00

(Written originally for Combatwords.) I am Europa. The bull stares at me from the other side of the fence, and I am transfixed. I've never seen a bull like this one, snow white despite lying in a rain-wet field churning with mud. The bull plods forward, his deep chest bumping against the rail. The damp wood flakes beneath my nails. I am Europa, and this is my moment. The chance encounter

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-15636161961981239742011-03-22T00:01:00.001-04:002011-03-22T00:01:00.722-04:00

I give Snorri a lot of grief while I'm reading. Heck, I give Snorri a lot of grief when I'm not reading. Often times, I feel like I want to throw Snorri's Edda across the room, I'm so irritated by him. But he's still one of our best sources for the Norse gods and the pantheon. And even I have to admit, through my rage, that Snorri MUST have seen some reason to record them, and it couldn't have

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-12711129971535255212011-03-18T00:01:00.025-04:002011-04-07T22:08:42.191-04:00

In my research on Theseus' paternity, I was reading Ovid's Heroides. In particular, I was taking a look at Phaedra's letter to Hippolytus, where I came across this particular gem as part of her appeal to her step-son to give in and have a love affair with her: The hero son of Neptune is absent now, in happy hour, and will be absent long; he is kept by the shores of his dear Pirithous. Theseus –

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-14488162676460665432011-03-15T00:01:00.005-04:002011-03-15T10:42:18.149-04:00

(When last we left out heroes, Thor was swallowed under the weight of zombie flesh in the Zombie Glitter Riot of Doom in order to allow Amalia and Mia to escape to the bus stop! Part VII point 0 is yonder on Mia's blog, so head over there first for the COMPLETE and EPIC conclusion of The Wheels on the Bus!) The pitch of the zombie mob changed, the shouts resolving themselves into acclamations

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-60993104900039064372011-03-11T00:01:00.005-05:002011-03-11T00:01:05.393-05:00

Aphrodite/Venus and Adonis You can't really expect a goddess of love to stay loyal to her husband, whether or not her husband is a crippled Hephaestus or some perfect specimen of manliness. Aphrodite has a history of affairs, and poor Hephaestus probably didn't have any chance of stopping her (not that he didn't engage in his own um, adventures, but Aphrodite seems to have him outnumbered by

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-79731599243951054112011-03-08T00:01:00.000-05:002011-03-07T22:56:01.945-05:00

Things have gotten away from me this last week (reading the best book of my life and writing like the WIND), so you'll have to wait until NEXT Tuesday for the next (and final!) Wheels on the Bus episode. Meanwhile, we've been doing a lot of Nordic Bronze Age research here at the House of Begin Well, for two different works-in-progress. Most recently, I was looking for reminders of what Bronze

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-57307545541604272712011-03-04T00:01:00.000-05:002011-03-04T00:01:03.198-05:00

Europa on the back of her Bull Europa was the daughter of King Agenor* of Tyre, in Phoenicia who happened to catch Zeus's eye one day while frolicking around on the shore with her father's herd of cattle and some friends. Zeus, determined to have her for his own, turned himself into a beautiful and gentle white bull among the herd in order to get close to her. Europa, evidently finding nothing

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-60463995450390116912011-03-02T10:05:00.003-05:002011-03-02T21:59:49.360-05:00

Anyone who edits this into a Thor wearing a Santa-hat with wings for this Christmas gets SUPER AWESOME BONUS POINTS. Anyway, this is Thor v3. Apparently he is the only thing I sketch anymore. Blame him, not me. I am not the best artist in the world, but sometimes I just like to sketch. I don't do it in any disciplined way, and I will probably never improve because I don't put the time in and I

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-91299170277627411312011-03-01T00:01:00.004-05:002011-03-01T00:01:04.968-05:00

According to Snorri's Prose Edda, there are Twelve Aesir (though apparently by twelve he really means 14--is that a godly dozen? Lest you think this is some coincidence that there are "Twelve" Aesir, just as there are Twelve Olympians, you should know that Snorri also wrote in the Prologue of his Edda that Asgard is also known as Troy. I think that should answer your question. But the Twelve

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-2161914576639159552011-02-25T00:01:00.003-05:002011-02-25T00:01:02.764-05:00

Last week I mentioned that my mythology textbook posits Aegeus is himself an aspect/stand-in for Poseidon. On the one hand, this makes so much sense it's ridiculous that I didn't see it myself, but on the other hand, I have a hard time imagining an Olympian god spending years on earth in mortal guise to be king of a city which honors a different higher power. Unless of course the

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-88691561905975784112011-02-23T08:55:00.000-05:002011-02-23T08:55:21.569-05:00

For those of you who enjoyed Karen Slagle's guest post two fridays back, she's got a new post on music responding to one of the comments, over on her blog! With some more links to music on youtube! For those of you who prefer listening to me rant about why everyone who is writing stuff with mythology needs to lay off of Hades, you can find that particular post on GeekaChicas. Don't worry, it is

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-6720067813987404512011-02-22T00:01:00.002-05:002011-02-22T10:54:26.793-05:00

(Part VI point 0, is as always over yonder at Ms. Hayson's awesome blog. When last we left our heroes, Thor had just promised he would do no harm to the zombies, to save Amalia and Mia a trip to jail for breaking the Zombie Treaty. Except, something ELSE has caught his eye in the mob of glittered and feathered undead!) "Oh no," I said, my voice small. Thor charged. The static field collapsed

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-29312836085235338682011-02-18T00:01:00.001-05:002011-02-19T16:04:43.396-05:00

This one is kind of tricky. Primary sources which state outright that Aethra and Poseidon had a bit of an affair are hard to come by, but Theseus is fairly well known as a son of Poseidon as well as Aegeus, so SOMEONE must have spread it around at some point. I expect the issue is that Theseus got pretty overlooked in later ages, in favor of Heracles, who became Hercules, so the stories didn't

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-49052470439434308132011-02-15T00:01:00.009-05:002011-02-15T07:27:14.050-05:00

Okay, so. Wheels on the Bus had to take a backseat this weekend (No one is sorrier than I am because I know how excited you will all be by the next episode which is vaguely plotted but not written yet), but it will return NEXT TUESDAY, same bat-time, same bat-place. Cross my heart! In the meantime, enjoy today's post: a topic resurrected from the archives while I recover from a grueling weekend.

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-64607916711649214932011-02-11T00:01:00.001-05:002011-02-11T00:11:57.914-05:00

A very special guest, Ms. Karen Slagle (she holds a Masters of Music specializing in Education), the beta who caught the musical-inaccuracy in my manuscript (thankfully it was tiny and easily fixed) is here today to school us all on the music of the ancient world! Check out her website and give her a warm Good to Begin Well welcome! (Yeah, yeah, I know I complained about Italics just yesterday on

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-61995100058762641612011-02-08T00:01:00.003-05:002011-02-08T00:01:03.052-05:00

(Be sure to hit up Mia's blog for part V point 0 before reading this one! Haven't heard of it? Check out the Thor in Zombie Land page up top! When last we left our uh, heroes? Thor was just about to engage in a brawl with the entire Zombie Pageant Community in order to stop that godawful racket which is also known as Zombie Song. MUCH to Mia's dismay.) He glared at Mia, Adam, and Tyler, a

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-28221208752844988072011-02-04T00:01:00.003-05:002011-02-19T16:04:43.397-05:00

As Valerie pointed out in her fabulous guest post last week, Zeus wasn't the only god who got it on wherever and with whomever he wished. Poseidon had his fair share of indiscretions-- one of which included Tyro. Poseidon and his Mighty Beard Tyro was in love with a river god, maybe to the point of obsession. But Poseidon, not unlike Zeus, had no qualms about shape-shifting if it meant he got

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-64133591024725308032011-02-01T00:01:00.001-05:002011-02-01T00:01:00.447-05:00

(As usual, special thanks to co-author Mia Hayson, without whom these fabulous scenarios would never have been imagined! Thor's adventures in Zombie Land continue! When we last left him, Thor had just found himself trapped on a ZOMBIE bus, and none too pleased. Luckily, Mia arrived with her glitterati to rescue our intrepid adventurers and direct them to the correct busline! But just when you

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-27982859826622843762011-01-28T00:01:00.003-05:002011-02-19T16:04:43.397-05:00

(As a special treat today, I offer you a most excellent guest post, written by the fabulous Valerie of As The Moon Climbs! You can check out her poetry and flash fiction on her blog, and I trust that you are all already following her on twitter? RIGHT? If not, after this post you will be persuaded, I'm sure.) It's easy to talk about the many, many, MANY times that Zeus fooled around and got

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-68034834053550757462011-01-25T00:01:00.003-05:002011-01-25T09:27:25.105-05:00

(The continuing adventures of Thor and his navigation of public transit! The first half of today's story is over YONDER on Mia Hayson's blog. Please do pop over there to read it! I will wait. .... .... .... Back?! YAY! And now, without further ado: Part 3.5!) I tried to warn him, but the words stuck in my throat, and then there was glitter raining down everywhere, sticking to his hair and skin

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-73821753077051304282011-01-21T00:01:00.000-05:002011-02-19T16:05:13.655-05:00

Thanks to Valerie for reminding me of this particular myth! Pretty commonly, when Zeus wanted to get it on with a lady forbidden to him (either by his marriage to Hera, or parental control, or virginal vows), Zeus took the form of something else to disguise himself. Sometimes this disguise was for the benefit of those who might be watching for his next infidelity, but sometimes it was to deceive

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-22944617000321821152011-01-18T00:00:00.002-05:002011-01-18T07:27:02.036-05:00

(Back by popular demand! In our last episode, we left Thor and his companion in ZOMBIE LAND after their near-miss encounter with that Frost Giant on the bus. Their adventures continue today, much to the chagrin of all parties, in GLITTER-TOPIA! This episode would not have been possible without Mia's co-authoring excellence!) Now, I have nothing against zombies themselves, really. As long as

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-47725301245817659992011-01-14T00:01:00.002-05:002011-06-29T00:29:27.191-04:00

Google Image Search Leda and the Swan at your own risk. To say that Zeus has a reputation for raping and seducing women would be an incredible understatement. You really can't turn around without hearing about some woman Zeus* made off with/made love to/brutally raped in the guise of some animal or other in Greek mythology, and Leda is really no exception. The story is that Leda (perhaps

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-74696326935850481842011-01-11T01:14:00.002-05:002011-01-16T22:26:12.428-05:00

(Happy Tuesday! I thought you might like a little flashy kind of treat, and it's been a while since we've seen Thor around these here parts--kind of. Really this is the result of my lack of focus today, but you know-- lemons into lemonade, and all that! I hope you enjoy it!) We were on the bus.Normally, I wouldn't have taken it, being that it travels through the less than savory part of town,

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-20205415859914442302011-01-07T00:01:00.007-05:002011-02-19T16:13:51.809-05:00

They both lost a brother. Because Being a Twin? It SUCKS. Ill-fated twins pop up all over the place, often enough that you'd THINK being born a twin would immediately start people panicking over the future results. Three  Two (Thanks Wendy!) case studies today! Romulus and Remus Growing up they were heroes (according to Plutarch) and so honorable that after they helped Numitor (their

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-79207448506599075252011-01-04T00:01:00.007-05:002011-01-04T00:39:28.829-05:00

Vicky quoted me a quote the other day on my Fall of Theseus post, and I thought the answer to her question deserved its own post: This is what Edith Hamilton in MYTHOLOGY, says about Theseus after his return from killing the minotaur:  "So Theseus became King of Athens, a most wise and disinterested king. He declared to the people that he did not wish to rule over them: he wanted a people's

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-36912294391817626442011-01-02T00:01:00.001-05:002011-01-16T22:26:12.429-05:00

Friends and Followers, I give you Young Thairon. You may now swoon. Once you're finished reading and swooning, be sure to head back over to Frankie's blog and follow the Mr. Linky to the other participants! Gwen ran her fingers across her lips, staring at her reflection in the mirror. She sighed and dropped her hand from her mouth. She had spent half the night tossing and turning thinking

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-37565745530532306362010-12-30T23:11:00.000-05:002010-12-30T23:11:15.135-05:00

You'll see me back here on January 2nd for the 2nd Annual No-Kiss blogfest hosted by the fabulous Frankie Diane. Yes, that's right. TWO DAYS EARLIER than planned! Look, I found the perfect scene and I just couldn't resist the siren song. I may be cheating SLIGHTLY but I think you will all appreciate the ROMANCE. I promise it is not even Mythology Related. Go sign up and let's DO THIS THING.

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-26711888543199713202010-12-19T09:34:00.000-05:002010-12-19T09:34:47.880-05:00

Regular posting will resume on January 4th! Possibly with less Theseus, though I'm making no promises. In the meantime: Happy Holidays! Special thanks to @trinza for this awesome Thor-with-Santa-hat, and also thanks to Mia for THE FOLLOWING image! If by any chance you have a Thor-wearing-a-Santa-Hat image you'd like to share, leave a link in the comments and I will add it to this post! Just

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-36456318634287379322010-12-17T00:01:00.000-05:002011-02-19T16:13:51.810-05:00

In The Pericles Commission, Nico, the main character, wonders briefly why Theseus is not included among the statuary at the Monument of the Eponymous Heroes in Athens. Ever since I read it, I've been turning the problem over in my mind as well (a compliment to you, Gary Corby, because I love nothing better than a book which gives me something to chew on in regard to history and myth!). But I

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-6344475603261771322010-12-14T00:01:00.001-05:002011-02-19T16:13:51.811-05:00

The conflicts between Sparta and Athens run deep and long, and as we all know from reading Homer and Herodotus, it was the habit of the ancient world to take common ideas and issues along with common ways-of-doing-things and reflect those back onto the struggles of their heroes in myth. Perhaps then, it would be stranger if Sparta and Athens did not have anything to fight over during the age of

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-32230053058999177642010-12-12T22:36:00.000-05:002010-12-12T22:36:01.345-05:00

I'm pronouncing this round of Helen COMPLETE. Now I just have to wait for the betas to read it. This is the worst part. The waiting for readers to read. It's funny, because the general reader complains about how long it takes authors to write books, but I have a hard time finding people who can keep up with me--reading as quickly as I write. It isn't even that I'm all THAT prolific, but reading

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-49992253525907495082010-12-10T00:01:00.011-05:002010-12-10T00:01:00.977-05:00

I made it to Tessa's short list for the Blogontest! Now usually these kinds of things you can't really help me with, because they are random drawings and you all know that randomizer is not my friend, but TESSA is asking for you to vote. So please, read my contribution, and the others in the short list, and cast your vote for whichever you feel should win on Tessa's sidebar! You have until

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-86560017041559397032010-12-07T00:01:00.002-05:002010-12-07T00:23:20.180-05:00

I don't usually write reviews, but since this novel is not just a novel, but also a love letter to Classical Athens, I feel in this instance you will all understand why I am COMPELLED to do so. And I know also that you'll forgive me for not being GOOD at writing them. Gary Corby's The Pericles Commission brings Athens to life. More importantly (to me, as someone who believes that everyone should

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-3353922571246004312010-12-03T00:04:00.000-05:002010-12-03T00:04:53.712-05:00

The Napkin goes on the left. At age 26, I can't tell left from right when I'm driving, or faced with a fork in the road, but I will always, ALWAYS remember which side of the plate my napkin belongs on. I also know how to sew buttons, make pillows using old pantyhose for stuffing, and of course, how to paint. Grandma taught me how to doggy-paddle in the river, catch crayfish and clams, and row a

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-65439740841936265092010-11-23T00:01:00.011-05:002011-01-16T22:26:12.429-05:00

Tessa of Blurb has challenged us to write something outside our comfort zone for her blog contest, and for NaNo, I'm definitely doing that. For one, it's a book set in the early 1900s, which is definitely not my area of expertise. For two, it's psychological thriller/horror-esque, which is also, absolutely not something I do. Until now, I guess. So in honor of Tessa's Blogontest, allow me to

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458380.post-52899007187335438732010-11-19T00:01:00.008-05:002010-11-19T00:01:02.552-05:00

William Hunt & Edward Hughes Lady of Shalott I went to see Morning Glory with my parents and husband this weekend, and it was great. Harrison Ford makes a fabulous curmudgeon, and Rachel McAdams is a wonderfully naive and perky go-getter. And of course I can't say no to Jeff Goldblum. For a drama, Morning Glory was punctuated with the perfect number of laugh-out-loud moments (none of which

Amalia T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.com7