Okay! Diving into Draft #3.
(Longer update still forthcoming, haven’t quite had time yet this week.)
~Ethelinda
Author Archives: Ethelinda Webb
Poem: Cold
(Given that the wind chills are at least -35F this morning, it seemed like a good time to post this. Actual update on various things forthcoming.)
Cold
Ice on the window,
Smooth and opaque,
With an ice feather headdress.
Snow creaks and squeals.
Exhaust hangs in the air
Like a restless ghost.
Review: The Martian
(“A book a friend recommended” from the Reading Challenge)
I put this on my Reading Challenge list on the recommendation of a friend, and then ended up reading it for a book club that I’m part of with a few other friends – we definitely did not regret it. I’m probably a little late to the party on this particular book, but in case you haven’t heard about it or given it a try yet, The Martian is excellent. (Spoilers below.)
Review: Jurassic World
I must start this review by saying that I did not expect to love this movie. It’s the fourth JP movie, and the second and third gave me no reason to suppose that a fourth one would be anything but a further slide down from the original. So I didn’t expect to love this movie…but I do, and actually just as much as I love the first Jurassic Park movie.
Let me be clear: Jurassic World is not a good dinosaur movie, in the sense of providing any kind of accurate depiction of dinosaurs as we currently understand them. But it is a fantastic Jurassic Park movie, and for that reason it will always be one of my favorites. (Spoilers below.)
TWoS Fun Fact #7
Birds are very important to the Suomilen people, who see them as being blessed by the Winds. They are not tamed or kept as pets, since to cage one is a grave sin. However, it is quite common in Suomen to plant trees or build perches and houses for birds, and to leave out food and water for them.
The Suomilen people rank different kinds of birds into a hierarchy of sorts, with ground birds that can only fly a little bit (such as pheasant or grouse) as Lesser Birds. If it is considered acceptable to hunt and eat any birds, it is the Lesser Birds, and some in Suomen would still consider that a sin. On the other end of the hierarchy are the Great Birds. These are any species that show a true “mastery” of flight (master of the Winds and air), usually meaning great maneuverability and/or the ability to soar through the sky for extended periods of time. The Great Birds include all of the raptor species, as well as gulls and swallows.
~Ethelinda
Review: Princess Retribution by Elaine Tipping
(“A graphic novel” from the Reading Challenge)
I have enjoyed Elaine Tipping’s art and comics for quite some time, and her latest graphic novel, Princess Retribution, was a very welcome addition! As usual, the art was great, and I especially enjoy her character and clothing designs. Add to that the fact that there is a fun story to go with it, and I’m very glad I was able to contribute to her Kickstarter to support this book! (I’ll cut for minor spoilers.)
TWoS Fun Fact #6
The second draft of The Wizard of Suomen was officially finished at 11:16pm on June 4, 2015. It was 157,000 words, totaling 342 pages in a Microsoft Word document.
~Ethelinda
TWoS Fun Fact #5
Suomen has been settled for 361 years when the war with Galviren begins. Galviren has been settled for 577 years.
(Read: timelines are helpful and fun!)
~Ethelinda
TWoS Fun Fact #4
The number four is very important to the Suomilen people because of their beliefs in the Four Winds. They often structure things around multiples of 4 (their week is 8 days, and there are 4 weeks in each month, traditionally there are 4 Brigades in the Royal Army, etc.).
~Ethelinda
TWoS Fun Fact #3
The Suomilen people celebrate the beginning of the new year on the Spring Equinox, as a combined New Year/Festival of Winds celebration. Traditionally, it lasts for four days.
~Ethelinda
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