tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21271799905895868932024-03-08T06:34:16.337-05:00* Pixies Don't Have WingsOne writer's musings on writing and faerie folk. Buffy Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02333587332610617209noreply@blogger.comBlogger103125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127179990589586893.post-28939720011340397342013-09-20T07:10:00.000-04:002013-09-20T07:10:03.706-04:00The Root Goddess<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLGLaBOPvjZosgrEyuHgD5oN7ydl4cC5310_2jSpdJyjAs-8A9Iz2vjtASy3RGasNFtIXwV4V6n4u6n9JAT7DCBgzJW8LJ1SnFPWhQ9sz6TrQmr6DIqhrarrlCdX0F2NLsWSKczdclzXXe/s1600/20130914_215944_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLGLaBOPvjZosgrEyuHgD5oN7ydl4cC5310_2jSpdJyjAs-8A9Iz2vjtASy3RGasNFtIXwV4V6n4u6n9JAT7DCBgzJW8LJ1SnFPWhQ9sz6TrQmr6DIqhrarrlCdX0F2NLsWSKczdclzXXe/s400/20130914_215944_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This week’s
Faerie Friday isn’t a normal Faerie Friday post. It’s not even about a Faerie. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Last Saturday, my
husband and I got in the car and headed for parts unknown. Well, they weren’t
exactly unknown. Our destination was Lennox, MA via Route 20. We were pretty
sure we could get there that way. Wasn’t a hundred percent certain. But we were
heading east so confidence was moderately high.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Surprisingly,
Lennox was just where it was supposed to be in my head. That almost never
happens. We did some shopping, had a <a href="http://altawinebar.com/" target="_blank">lovely lunch</a> (I had the Pear Welwood
cocktail if you must know) and even stopped at a <a href="http://www.chocolatesprings.com/" target="_blank">chocolate shop</a> that had the
most amazing chocolates. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">On the way out of
town, my husband pulled into this place that I spotted on our way in but didn’t
give much mind to. At that point, I was a little overstimulated and ready to go
home. If I was a cat, my husband would have been either scratched or bitten or
both. He cut the engine of the car and gave me a look: Just shut up and follow
me already. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So I shut my trap
and followed him into a shop that had some of the coolest things I’ve ever
seen. Masks and statues from all over the world. Jewelry. Artwork. Talk about
overstimulation. As I was coming out of one of the small rooms, I spotted the carving in the
picture above. I couldn’t get to her because another couple was looking at jewelry.
Finally they moved out of the way and I made a beeline for her. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> The owner spotted me gazing up at her. She was strung up against a beam, fastened by a bit of twine. He explained that the
carving was from Bali and was a representation of goddess, Dewi Sri. On the
surface Bali is a Hindu country, but at the core, the Balinese people still
believe in Earth Magic flows through the soil and into the plants. The carving
was made from the roots of a 17<sup>th</sup> century coffee bush and she brings
with her abundance, prosperity and fertility.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I just had to
have her and after debating where to put her, we decided above the mantle in
our living room. I toyed with the idea of putting her over out bed, but I
decided not to tempt fate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Doesn’t she look
lovely in our living room?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The lesson: Don’t
be afraid to check out new places. You never know what you are going to find.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you find
yourself in Lennox, make sure to stop by <a href="http://inspiredplanet.com/" target="_blank">Inspired Planet</a>. You won’t be
disappointed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Buffy Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02333587332610617209noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127179990589586893.post-60328374255809210592013-09-13T07:19:00.001-04:002013-09-13T07:19:49.827-04:00Hey, that chick has my face!<br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Today is Friday
the 13<sup>th</sup>. Yeah, don’t get all excited about it. I’m not particularly
superstitious. I love black cats to distraction. I’ll walk under a ladder with
wild abandon. I’ll even dance a jig if the right song is on the radio. And if
there was any merit to the broken mirror prophecy, my bad luck would last well
into my death. Can a rotting corpse have bad luck? I guess the rotting part doesn’t
suggest exceptionally good luck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">*Buff shrugs*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">My Grandma Wade used
to say that Friday the 13<sup>th</sup> was one of the luckiest days of the
year. I guess she was one of those glass-half-filled kinda gals. I liked that about
her. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Anyway, in honor
of today and the foolish dread some folks will no doubt feel, I decided to
write about one of my favorite faerie like creatures – the Co-Walker. He’s
creepy. He’s bad luck. He's perfect for today's Faerie Friday post.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Some of you folks
will know the Co-Walker by some of his/her/its other names. Fetch.
Doppelganger. Ghosts of the Living.
Copies. I’m especially fond of Thrumpins. Yes, Thrumpins.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Picture this: You’ve
had an exceptionally long, tiring day. You can’t find a parking spot near your
apartment. You drive around and around for what seems like hours and you
finally find a spot in a dark corner three blocks from your place to park. As
you are walking down the street, you hear footsteps behind you. You quicken
your pace, but so does the guy behind you. Your heart pounds in your chest. You
can’t catch your breath. You forget the uneven patch of pavement in front of
your building and you find yourself tumbling onto the ground. When you look up
from your humiliating sprawl, you stare into the face of someone that looks
like you. Just like you. Right down to the hot pink ponytail holder and scuffed
shoes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">No, that’s not
the twin your mother never told you about. It’s a Co-Walker and that fact that
you’ve seen him means only one thing – you’re a dead man. Or woman.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Co-Walker is a
powerful portent of death. Seeing him means your death is imminent. But sometimes, he befriends lonely children. I guess
he’s not all bad, folks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I will concede
this isn’t one of my best Faerie Friday posts. In my defense, a bunch of my
research books are buried under a pile of other books in my office. I had this
incident a few weeks back where my desk collapsed. Long story, but I’ll try to
be more creative in the future. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
Buffy Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02333587332610617209noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127179990589586893.post-48842877006328881882013-01-17T22:48:00.000-05:002013-01-17T22:48:54.951-05:00The Rusalki<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I’m chilling in
Russia this week for Faerie Friday. Again. Just in case you were wondering, I
plan on staying here through next week. And maybe I’ll swing on over to Japan
next month, but I’m undecided. I found this great book on the Yokai. If you don’t
know what the Yokai are, you’ll just have to come back and find out. </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">J</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Rusalki are the
Russian equivalents (sort of) of the Greek Naiad, i.e. hot freshwater nymphs.
Okay, they aren’t hot in all the versions of the story, but for the purpose of
this exercise, they are. Capisce?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In some versions,
the Rusalki wear white shifts and in other, they are completely bare assed. In
all stories, they have long, flowing hair. Sometimes green. They spend the winter months
submerged in the depths of lakes and rivers and crawl out during the summer
months. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You are going to
meet one of two ends when you tangle with a Rusalki. Most commonly she uses her
siren voice and her laughter to lure young men to the water where she takes
them in her embrace and drowns them. The other way is a more ignominious way –
she tickles you to death. Yes, I said tickle. They sing, giggle and swing from
branches and when they have you in their thrall, they sneak up behind you and
tickle you to death. I can just imagine the epitaph: HERE LIKES BORIS, FELLED BY
A TERRIBLE TICKLE. It’s a shameful way to die, but it does play into some boyhood
fantasies. They only thing that’s missing is topless pillow fights.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">By “you” in the
above referenced illustrations, I mean young men. She can’t be bothered with women
and is very hostile toward the fairer sex. As an aside, I know women like that
and they are equally as unlikable as the Rusalki. Just not as deadly.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Russian
villager has a few tricks to keep them away – charms, hanging linen in the
trees, garlic, iron and crosses.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Like many faerie
creatures, they Rusalki are thought of as the souls of unbaptized children,
drowned maidens and unwed mothers. They are considered an unclean force
deriving their allure from the devil himself. Most likely, the Rusalki are the remnants
of pagan goddesses. They are used to illustrate the contrast between themselves
(unclean, devilish) and Christian women (good, chaste.) The Rusalki are
spirited, wear their hair flowing freely, take lovers that are not their husbands,
and in general behave like naughty (albeit more dangerous) sorority girls.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Not a nice girl,
but a fun girl. Okay, fun for just a minute, but fun nonetheless!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Buffy Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02333587332610617209noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127179990589586893.post-69153927475586064732013-01-10T22:12:00.001-05:002013-01-10T22:12:42.105-05:00Russian Water Devil<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Okay, this one is going to be short.
I have a cough I can’t get rid of and a book that won’t read itself. And I’ve
been screwing around on my computer for two hours and haven’t accomplished
anything. Such is the life of me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Anyway, I decided stay in Russia for
this week’s Faerie Friday post, but instead of a forest dwelling creature, we
are going to focus on a guy who hangs around bodies of water looking for some
sucker to drown, i.e. the Vodianoi, sometimes called vodianoi chert or “water
devil.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Russia is a big country, huge in
fact, so the stories of Vodianoi vary from region on region, town to town.
Sometimes he lives in the slimy bottoms of ponds and in other stories he lives
in a crystal palace. He usually resides somewhere near a mill and he’s known to
be a danger to everyone but fisherman and millers. Probably because they know how
to treat him. They leave him the proper offerings – tobacco, bread, salt,
vodka. You know, the usual.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">His appearance also varies from
place to place. Sometimes he’s slimy or scaly with green hair and beard.
Sometimes he’s old, sometimes he’s young. That usually depends on the cycle of
the moon. He’s naked in some stories and half fish in others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">He can be spotted by the water
dripping from his coat. His clothing never dries and he leaves puddles
everywhere. I find that more amusing than menacing. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Buffy Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02333587332610617209noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127179990589586893.post-50942709369505982572013-01-03T20:29:00.000-05:002013-01-03T20:29:12.836-05:00Guardian of the Russian Forest<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyRLTeNIiLEkjnkyMOf6Hv7-mJxpwEA1-9sP-U-tRDT1EZQ72iQfVoU4rh6_gvLI1HarIFFmS9KCGukBa-pcdL7geLHlHeJmdBk8O6AaTQ88sbyLZ6q0XlgxNQs3gJE-Z50sy0i7xscFjF/s1600/Desk+while+working+on+Faerie+Friday+Leshii.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyRLTeNIiLEkjnkyMOf6Hv7-mJxpwEA1-9sP-U-tRDT1EZQ72iQfVoU4rh6_gvLI1HarIFFmS9KCGukBa-pcdL7geLHlHeJmdBk8O6AaTQ88sbyLZ6q0XlgxNQs3gJE-Z50sy0i7xscFjF/s320/Desk+while+working+on+Faerie+Friday+Leshii.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Working on this week's Faerie Friday post. I swear this desk was clean a few days ago. Honest Buff.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">So I took a break
from blogging. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">My intention had
been to take the time to work on a few stories that I was close to completing.
I’d like to say I was successful, but that wouldn’t be true. I’m a lot of
things, but liar isn’t one of them. Well, mainly I’m not a liar. How does that
old Dwight Yoakum song go? “I tell the truth except when I lie.” Something like
that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">*heads to Rhapsody
to add song to play list*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Anyway, I’m back
and I’m heading to Russia for this week’s Faerie Friday post. I’m high on cold
medicine so please forgive the occasion forgotten word or sentences that make
little to no sense. I’m a bit rusty in the blog post writing arena.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Here goes nothing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">As I stated a few
sentences ago, we are traveling to Russia for this week’s Faerie Friday post -
the Russian forests to be more specific to where the Leshii dwell.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The Leshii is a
natural spirit. Think Green Man with a Russian accent. One of my references
says that they are the offspring of human woman and demons. Do what you will
with that piece of information.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Each forest, unless
it’s a big honking forest, has only one. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: 0in;">(Les means forest,
apparently.) He doesn’t just guard the forest, but all of the animals that
reside there. He lives with his wife, known at the Lesovikha. She is portrayed
in a number of a different ways: an ugly bint with big breasts, a woman in white
or a pretty naked chick. Their children are called Leshonki.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">In most stories,
though they vary from location to location, the Leshii isn’t exactly a prize
himself. He wears his boots on the wrong feet. He sports both green eyes and a
green beard and long, messy hair. He casts no shadow and his eyes glow. He is a
shape shifter that can change size and forms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The Leshii, like
many forest dwelling figures of folklore, love to play tricks on unsuspecting
peasants. Making forest noises, laughing loudly, or clapping loudly, he liked
to cause people to lose their way. Not such a big deal in our modern times, but
before the invention of GPS, wandering aimless through a big forest could and would
get you killed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">A way to ward off
the Leshii is to wear your clothes inside out and to put your shoes on the
wrong feet. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Like most of the
creatures/figures I write about, there is a lot more to the Leshii, but I must
leave that for another post. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Buffy Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02333587332610617209noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127179990589586893.post-16723832596470485392012-10-30T14:10:00.001-04:002012-10-30T14:10:19.656-04:00The Next Big Thing
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Last
week <a href="http://jamigold.com/" target="_blank">Jami Gold</a> tagged me in one of her blog posts for <a href="http://jamigold.com/2012/10/nano-prep-whats-your-next-big-thing/" target="_blank">“The Next Big Thing.”</a> I don’t
normally participate in these things though I do appreciate the gesture when I’m
tagged. I usually don’t have the time (i.e. too lazy) but this is the second half day in a row
for me with NYSE being closed so it’s either annoy my husband who is trying to
get some work done or work on this. </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Verdana; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> I took a nap yesterday. Besides,
Jami is a super cool lady and I don’t want to let her down. If you don’t
already, you should check out her Tuesday and Thursday posts on writing. They
are awesome.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></span><br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">So
here goes my answers:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Ten
Interview Questions for the Next Big Thing:<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><strong>What
is your working title of your book?</strong><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Darkness
Peering<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The
title comes from the poem “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Deep into that
darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, <br />
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before; <br />
But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token…<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">This describes the position the heroine is in at the
beginning of the book</span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<strong>Where did the idea come from for the book?</strong><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><strong> </strong> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Regular
readers of my blog know that I have a deep love of faerie lore. I’ve always
been fascinated by the idea of the changeling – a faerie that has been switched
with a human child. I know there are a few YA books that have changelings, but
I wanted to write an adult story about a changeling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<strong>What genre does your book fall under?</strong><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">This
story falls under the Urban Fantasy category, but it has a strong Paranormal
Romance bent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Which
actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The
main character, Greer, would be played by Emma Stone. Her love interest, Thad,
is a little harder to caste. I have a clear picture of him in my head, but no
one seems to be good enough to play him. </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Verdana; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<strong>What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<strong>
</strong><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">A
faerie changeling, now all grown up, must discover the truth about herself and
the circumstance of her birth in order to stop a lethal threat. Yes, I appreciate this is vague.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Will
your book be self-published or represented by an agency?<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Not
sure. I hope that I’ll be able to find an agent, but this is the book of my
heart. I’ll figure out a way to get it published.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<strong>How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I’ve
written parts of this novel before I had an understanding of the characters. I
have moved all of those pages into a folder titled “JUNK.” I’m starting all
over this year for NaNoWriMo. I hope to finish the whole thing in November, but
I’m sure it’ll bleed over into December. I tend to write very bare bones 1<sup>st</sup>
drafts. My guess is 6 to 8 weeks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<strong>What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?</strong><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The
only changeling stories I know are YA and this is most defiantly not a YA
novel!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Who
or what inspired you to write this book?<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">My
love of faerie lore, Russian mythology and an interesting setting – the
Stockade neighborhood of Schenectady.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<strong>What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?</strong><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">One
of the side characters, a cop called “The Face” behind his back, was inspired
by a conversation I overheard at the grocery store between two clerks – one clerk
was bragging about her nephew and the other thought she was talking about this
other guy with the nickname “Face” that is serving time for murder. Interesting
shopping trip to say the least.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Okay,
so I have to tag five folks in this post. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Here
they are:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/#!/NinaAlvarez.WriterEditor?fref=ts" target="_blank">NinaAlvarez</a> – Fabulous friend, suitemate from college, awesome writer and editor. One
of those people who always understands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://minakhan.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Rashda/MinaKhan</a> – Super lady who resides in the Lone Star state where she writes about super-hot
djinns. I love djinns. Oh, and she knows about food!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://badluckdetective.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">SuzyIvy</a> – Really cool lady who just happens to be a cop and a writer! Someone I’d
like to be like when I grow up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://lauraeno.com/blog/" target="_blank">LauraEno</a> – Fun writer and blogger who writes a weekly blog post called “Fantasy
Friday.” Anyone who loves mythology and folklore needs to check that out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://geminiwitching.com/" target="_blank">RobertaJ. Gordon</a> – Awesome gal from Arkansas and author of Gemini Witching.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<strong><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Rules for The Next
Big Thing Blog Hop:</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Use this format for your post<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Answer the ten questions about your
current WIP (work in progress)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3)<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Tag five other writers/bloggers and
add their links so we can hop over and meet them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Ten Interview Questions for
the Next Big Thing:<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br />
What is your working title of your book?<br />
Where did the idea come from for the book?<br />
What genre does your book fall under?<br />
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?<br />
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?<br />
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?<br />
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?<br />
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?<br />
Who or what inspired you to write this book?<br />
What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?<br />
Include the link of who tagged you and this explanation for the people you have
tagged.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
Buffy Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02333587332610617209noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127179990589586893.post-63857981486565274062012-10-20T12:34:00.001-04:002012-10-20T12:36:35.486-04:00Author Photos<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I decided a few months ago that I need to have professional photos taken. I hate, hate, hate getting my picture taken so when it came to picking a photographer, I was really particular. The photographer that photographed my wedding was awesome and she moved back into the area over the summer. Yay for me! You can check her out on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/nnoblephoto" target="_blank">Facebook</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Anyway, two weekends ago I met her down in the Stockade section of Schenectady for the shoot. The hour started with sprinkles, followed by huge gusts of wind from the river and finally sun. Both The Dark Man and the novel I am starting next month take place in this very neighborhood.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Here are some of my favorite shots:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiORKkKs3mAP5fBbHCeZNSoVWCk-M9TRHhZME0ERr2oCqOzcv_TofLF702dyusJ_YG-ixzmuwJdmmU4zpBw4vq7iqoq-VwHuz5qbnDyPlBvW82kbcW37zSoX87qnZz7czZuYdIU40T5rozs/s1600/1a-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiORKkKs3mAP5fBbHCeZNSoVWCk-M9TRHhZME0ERr2oCqOzcv_TofLF702dyusJ_YG-ixzmuwJdmmU4zpBw4vq7iqoq-VwHuz5qbnDyPlBvW82kbcW37zSoX87qnZz7czZuYdIU40T5rozs/s320/1a-8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">St. George's church as a background.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHchT8KoOxvDrysIpSQ8FfJ1lMhhsqFYxbBBDIdLzB6kArV9MsHk3jIFXI-Dl2ho6yXvsMn4LIkx7Pe0OML5k7zZgBIYsKBPr8uKe-Gj2IKGol0XpioROGag7PgevUserBqDffQNmiVPyj/s1600/1a-16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHchT8KoOxvDrysIpSQ8FfJ1lMhhsqFYxbBBDIdLzB6kArV9MsHk3jIFXI-Dl2ho6yXvsMn4LIkx7Pe0OML5k7zZgBIYsKBPr8uKe-Gj2IKGol0XpioROGag7PgevUserBqDffQNmiVPyj/s320/1a-16.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One of my favorite houses on Front Street.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwy7WzcBeTJf5i4dIas1VlziqzbUq3UDyNw5bD9FkSx7e7J-11Tyc1feDtIzZhDSfBeSUt83H0bdI8V9pavhlI_9SBu8QJ0y08cGhfQZXVpJ1zn_beyvA4tzOpcqcYLJPosRwEICjA7T-9/s1600/1a-25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwy7WzcBeTJf5i4dIas1VlziqzbUq3UDyNw5bD9FkSx7e7J-11Tyc1feDtIzZhDSfBeSUt83H0bdI8V9pavhlI_9SBu8QJ0y08cGhfQZXVpJ1zn_beyvA4tzOpcqcYLJPosRwEICjA7T-9/s320/1a-25.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Very authory. Don't ya think?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUK92cuQrdcTC6ZDLrdZyWK_scOAnBVK4WtIX1MqZwXnH24XTtPwc3gVVZXik7bvHHw29j5fTJ3ZP_PrHP34Lq6Duik8gmBpQAF04a6DpWXeaY-2PPpSHWqMjolbmSfJdCmvrIzjhLELIW/s1600/1a-30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUK92cuQrdcTC6ZDLrdZyWK_scOAnBVK4WtIX1MqZwXnH24XTtPwc3gVVZXik7bvHHw29j5fTJ3ZP_PrHP34Lq6Duik8gmBpQAF04a6DpWXeaY-2PPpSHWqMjolbmSfJdCmvrIzjhLELIW/s320/1a-30.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Looking out over the Mohawk. Isle of the Cayugas in the distance.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn_C7ZLBZBbsTyLGv6HaqIANszXjjKaXii8bG9EVtkagI2rnglZdTt4sr1xihBS30pOK0WFge8eK0EmeINeGKY76HS3lrKCj2Nhe5SXC9Cnowej5SoVsPaoXhZKmD9SmVAMkel9npsjsC1/s1600/1a-43.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn_C7ZLBZBbsTyLGv6HaqIANszXjjKaXii8bG9EVtkagI2rnglZdTt4sr1xihBS30pOK0WFge8eK0EmeINeGKY76HS3lrKCj2Nhe5SXC9Cnowej5SoVsPaoXhZKmD9SmVAMkel9npsjsC1/s320/1a-43.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lovely set of gates.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA3PW7NxqIerFOeY7ErTPgFm-yOKPRhYdi8JA1jevyfjE29j6qMOwoX1ezrlKGaOKhqhxyQNphvr3IYOnv29a3O5pVLul9ljH06JMduEIg4HIeqO4_keI6KZEcoIiBwVnlNLesk9zxmEKz/s1600/1a-44.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA3PW7NxqIerFOeY7ErTPgFm-yOKPRhYdi8JA1jevyfjE29j6qMOwoX1ezrlKGaOKhqhxyQNphvr3IYOnv29a3O5pVLul9ljH06JMduEIg4HIeqO4_keI6KZEcoIiBwVnlNLesk9zxmEKz/s320/1a-44.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Riverside Park</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgAQUvgfUHtuWPVJw5rq7yb8L2dowP8pf9ULbiQi_PF4XkuB2QGbOipmvaI_Y7mUaAGZzdKsGpARiXC1bTsOXKQ8WtLagw1y3acAWbnTwkrEB7Cl7IRTK86DRuq-5qco0R3nkPUJraKOCE/s1600/1a-89.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgAQUvgfUHtuWPVJw5rq7yb8L2dowP8pf9ULbiQi_PF4XkuB2QGbOipmvaI_Y7mUaAGZzdKsGpARiXC1bTsOXKQ8WtLagw1y3acAWbnTwkrEB7Cl7IRTK86DRuq-5qco0R3nkPUJraKOCE/s320/1a-89.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Another house on Front Street.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhc3OAoiH-HdT8f5qZQHA2ZtbtzxvpfJ_Fj2ErEoZ8M0Dm5H5-E8OITQHfXPnEVtuoeYoR_WeP9aifR4EGlxrev6Z24RgPy-V_4ZE7Bb4whYxKKLdxAHn6YTiy86butu6POgKiHVItWAey/s1600/1a-112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhc3OAoiH-HdT8f5qZQHA2ZtbtzxvpfJ_Fj2ErEoZ8M0Dm5H5-E8OITQHfXPnEVtuoeYoR_WeP9aifR4EGlxrev6Z24RgPy-V_4ZE7Bb4whYxKKLdxAHn6YTiy86butu6POgKiHVItWAey/s320/1a-112.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">St. George and a few grave stones in the background. Most graves were moved to Vale Cemetery.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUb6UO4nJGDvtEM3zrRdCOt-UpYdkpEkls8T47o1yHqiZMt1AjJATInli47J4c5V0IhlW4OOAUYuIvL2kh56fhB_fpjj1cqJ0QVlMe2c8b49uwZBsNFtcOKl6aOnKhd1XoakvhnZ57s-OY/s1600/1a-126.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUb6UO4nJGDvtEM3zrRdCOt-UpYdkpEkls8T47o1yHqiZMt1AjJATInli47J4c5V0IhlW4OOAUYuIvL2kh56fhB_fpjj1cqJ0QVlMe2c8b49uwZBsNFtcOKl6aOnKhd1XoakvhnZ57s-OY/s320/1a-126.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Street scene.</span></div>
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Buffy Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02333587332610617209noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127179990589586893.post-66009340501255070312012-09-10T19:39:00.001-04:002012-09-10T19:39:37.838-04:00We have a w*nner!!!!<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And it is.... Patricia Lynne! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Patricia Lynne, please email me your address at <a href="mailto:msbuffy@nycap.rr.com">msbuffy@nycap.rr.com</a> and I'll get the book right out to you!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Thanks to all that participated!</span>Buffy Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02333587332610617209noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127179990589586893.post-55362303647192833262012-09-07T07:16:00.000-04:002012-09-07T07:16:38.884-04:00Happy Anniversary and a Give*way!!<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yesterday, Pixies
Don’t Have Wing’s 1st anniversary came and went with little fanfare. To be honest, I almost forgot about it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I’ve had a
blast writing the posts and I hope my readers have enjoyed them as well. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But I have
to do something to celebrate the anniversary.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I mean, it
would be so sad not to.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So, I
decided to give something away. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Rules
(because there always has to be rules):<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You need to leave a comment on this blog post. Tell me what
you like about faeries. And if you don’t
like faeries, tell me what you don’t like about them. I promise to keep an open mind. You have until 5:00 pm EST on Sunday (September 9th). I will post the winner on Monday morning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You don’t
have to like my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/#!/BuffyMArmstrong" target="_blank">Facebook page</a> or follow the blog (though both of those things
would be great) to enter. Just a
comment. It’s easy. I'll pick someone at random. Most likely I'll ask my husband to pick a number between 1 and whatever. He's officially banned from entering.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What do you
win?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I’ve thought
about this for some time (like 10 minutes) and I decided on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Brian-Frouds-World-Faerie-Froud/dp/193378413X/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1346981181&sr=8-3&keywords=brian+froud" target="_blank">Brian Froud’s World of Faerie.</a> If you already have the book,
you can still enter. I’ll just come up
with a different prize.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Can’t wait
to hear what ya’ll have to say.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Buffy Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02333587332610617209noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127179990589586893.post-20403817919238872902012-08-30T20:34:00.000-04:002012-08-30T20:34:00.641-04:00The Lorelei<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEindrUw34TP_U_ZBWDICZ22xaFZc4p4NIPT6N5rEfBzvMPbYBloawiZjpC1w_diojYutuqQwhRL1SYaYqUY-bl5SSJwfYKfULR2IeN-PzarqBoGJjgMfjSc2x6-sjIHY8B3JhDJDasQpM9v/s1600/Lorelei.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" fea="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEindrUw34TP_U_ZBWDICZ22xaFZc4p4NIPT6N5rEfBzvMPbYBloawiZjpC1w_diojYutuqQwhRL1SYaYqUY-bl5SSJwfYKfULR2IeN-PzarqBoGJjgMfjSc2x6-sjIHY8B3JhDJDasQpM9v/s320/Lorelei.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Don’t
I color well?</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Yes, I did shade her
legs.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Thanks for noticing! ;-)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Everyone
has heard of the Greek sirens. You know,
those pesky but beautiful women that lure sailors to their death with their
magnificent naked bods and their insidious songs. Apparently the German’s, not to be outdone by
the Greeks, needed a supernatural explanation for bad weather and poor
navigation skills, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The
Lorelei (sometimes spelled Loreley or Lore Lay) hail from the Rhine where they
play the harp and sing sweet songs.
There seems to be some confusion (at least on my part) if there are
multiple Lorelei or just one. For the
purpose of this exercise we are going to go with a drove of strumpet like
Faeries that have nothing better to do than entice men to their death. If a man sees a Lorelei, he instantly goes
mad and/or blind. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">They
sit on a rock of the same name and wait for a passing boat. Like they have nothing better to do. Just so you know, if I had these talents, I’d
take the show to town and really rake in the dough. Think bigger ladies!! Just because someone put you on a rock
doesn’t mean you have to stay there.
Just saying.</span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Buffy Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02333587332610617209noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127179990589586893.post-21574759096572031632012-08-24T07:29:00.000-04:002012-08-24T07:29:19.761-04:00Puddlefoot <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwMwBhuD_WBvQfidWslpq7A2E8B08z8aYmziVEpeib6hO7xaC89nbzlsboYTCRKzu61X7vuwnWtIq-2i2naSJE61a-RbUmOsoCjppqNByMGl5fKrU5psAhU7xWmAUOzFn_tXZzLRa58mpJ/s1600/Puddlefoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwMwBhuD_WBvQfidWslpq7A2E8B08z8aYmziVEpeib6hO7xaC89nbzlsboYTCRKzu61X7vuwnWtIq-2i2naSJE61a-RbUmOsoCjppqNByMGl5fKrU5psAhU7xWmAUOzFn_tXZzLRa58mpJ/s320/Puddlefoot.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Last
weekend I babysat a pair of five year old twins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Okay, my husband and my mother-in-law
helped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I spent a good portion of
Saturday afternoon sitting indian-style on the floor in front of a child’s size
table coloring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I probably hadn’t colored
in 25 years, maybe longer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t think
I appreciated it for what it was when I was a kid – a damn good excuse to zone
out and relax.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Coloring is the ultimate
de-stresser.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">When
I got home on Monday, I decided I wanted my own coloring books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Amazon to the rescue!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now I have five. (I know. I can’t just buy
just one thought.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thanks to Dover
Coloring Books I have three books with Faeries, one on Gargoyles and Medieval
Monsters and even one with Vampires.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">One
of the coloring books inspired this week’s Faerie Friday post –
Puddlefoot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please see picture
about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know it’s not done yet, but I
was running out of time. I gave him pink and red shorts. :-)</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Puddlefoot
is a kind of Brownie that lives at Clochfoldich Farm in Scotland (somewhere
outside of Tayside thought unless you know Scotland well will mean nothing to
you. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It means nothing to me.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As most good browies, he does a lot of
household chores.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only problem with
Puddlefoot is he likes to go splashing around the pools of the Altmore Burn
before going to work. He gets the work done, but he leaves wet little
footprints everywhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I don’t
know about you folks, but I could forgive a few wet footprints for a clean
house!<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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</span>Buffy Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02333587332610617209noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127179990589586893.post-76943434393044458332012-08-16T21:19:00.001-04:002012-08-16T21:26:33.601-04:00Tuscan Night Elves - The Linchetti<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I
keep a bunch of books on faerie lore tucked in places around the house. One of
my favorites to browse through is Nancy Arrowsmith’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Field Guide to the Little People</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I must have looked through it four or five dozen times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last week I was thumbing through it as I
often do and I came across a creature that I hadn’t noticed before – the Tuscan
night elf known as the Linchetti.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know
it by one of its other names, Buffardello.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Yes, I just happen to like that name.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">These
night elves (also called Caccavecchia and Mazapegolo in other regions of Italy)
have a nasty habit of climbing through keyholes and perching upon a sleeping
person’s chest. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At two feet high and
invisible, they are hard to detect, but nightmares and/or trouble breathing gives
them away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their antics can kill an
elderly person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He doesn’t live in the
house, but rather in the barn where he shows favoritism to certain animals
while starving others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He likes to braid
the hair of horses, but those braids should never be undone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He places all of the good qualities of the
animal in the braids.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">There
are a few ways to get rid of the Linchetti:<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">A person who is
plagued by the Linchetti should leave a bowl of seeds on his/her chest while
sleeping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the Linchetti tries to
sit on the person chest, he will knock the seeds onto the floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Linchetti can’t stand disorder (he
suffers from OCD!)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He will spend the
rest of the night trying to pick up the seeds one by one.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">You can assign him
the task of straightening a curly hair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He hates curly hair.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">This is my
favorite.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you suspect a Linchetto is
bothering your rest, get out of bed and turn on the light.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While sitting on a chamber pot, eat some
bread and cheese.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Between bites, recite
these words: “To shit with the Linchetto! I eat my bread and cheese and shit on
his face.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He will be so disgusted he’ll
leave never to be heard of again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No,
you really can’t make this stuff up.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The
book goes onto tell a story of a young man and his troubles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I won’t bore you with the details, but it
involves multiple annulments, a seemingly impotent man, a dauntless young girl
and a curly pubic hair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m sure you can
fill in the details.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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</span>Buffy Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02333587332610617209noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127179990589586893.post-53941501499115679282012-08-03T07:29:00.001-04:002012-08-03T07:29:47.937-04:00A Fish Called Ceasg<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I returned from RWA12
around midnight on Sunday. To say I was exhausted is an understatement, but it
was the kind of exhaustion only reached when one has had the time of his/her
life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was such a freaking awesome experience,
one of which I will never forget.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thanks
to Jami Gold, Angela Quarles, Janice Hardy and all of those amazing women I met
for the great week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope to see you
all again soon.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you follow my blog
regularly, you will notice a suspicious lack of posts in the month of
July.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I decided to take the month off
from my regular Faerie Friday posts. Granted, I neglected to tell anyone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My bad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I felt like I needed some sort of break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was hot and I was cranky. I’m feeling rejuvenated now that I am back
though I do believe I am coming down with a cold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, well, you can’t meet that many people,
get on that many planes and not contract a horrible death illness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You just can’t.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Okay, so I should
probably get on with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This week’s
Faerie Friday post takes us to Scotland.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I love Scottish faeries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Armstrong is a Scottish name in fact.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I remembered reading somewhere that in the 13<sup>th</sup> century the
Armstrong Clan could raise up 3000 fighting men.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s a lot of hairy, filthy Scottish men in
kilts. </span><span class="st"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Invictus maneo! </span></i></span><span class="st"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(The Armstrong Clan motto – We remain unvanquished!)<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="st"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Anyway, the Ceasg is my topic for the
week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please don’t ask me how to
pronounce its name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes I wonder if these names are elaborate
jokes like the silly names for items in IKEA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Swedish executives just want to get us to say <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Knubbig</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are laughing
behind our backs.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="st"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Ceasg is the mermaid of the
Scottish Highlands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes she is
called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Maighdean na tuinne</i>, or the
Maiden of the Wave. She’s smokin’ hot from the waist up, but from the waist
down, not so much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s half
salmon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like most faeries, she is not so nice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, she likes
to lure men into the water so that she can kill them. Supposedly, she swallows them
whole.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(I find that hard to believe
since she has a human size mouth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
not my job to make sense of these stories, just to report on them.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the man can catch the Ceasg, she will grant
him three wishes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She keeps her soul in
a super-secret place outside of her body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If you can find it, you can defeat her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="st"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So what do you think of the Scottish
Highland mermaid?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you think you could
catch her and obtain three wishes?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did
you miss me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I missed you.</span></span></span></div>Buffy Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02333587332610617209noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127179990589586893.post-15283732799195312272012-07-24T08:15:00.003-04:002012-07-24T08:16:02.316-04:00On my way #RWA12<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I
spent the past few weeks (read months) getting ready for the Romance Writers of
America National Conference in <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Anaheim
(and neglecting my blogging duties.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’ve made a series of strange little lists (only a few were useful.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve made a ton of arrangements – flight,
hotel, shuttle, registration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve
bought new clothes, new shoes and a new purse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’m taking four days off from work and if you know me, that’s a big
deal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve talked about it so much I’m
sure my husband is sick of it and me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m
excited and a little stressed out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m
not even pitching at this event.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I
were, I’d be a puddle of nerves and insecurities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Okay, I’m sorta of there already.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I’m
sitting in the airport now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My flight to
Chicago has been delayed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have no
idea when we’ll be able to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not a
great way to start the conference, but I’m a big girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll deal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Tomorrow
night (if I ever get the hell out of Albany) I will be attending the “Readers
for Life” Literacy Autographing event.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over
400 authors will be present.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I spent
some time the other day going over the list.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I put the list away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was too
much.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I
knew there would 2000 plus writers/editors/agents (I’ll be one of them!), but I
didn’t realize just how many great writers would be there. Big names like Nora
Roberts, Julia Quinn, and Susan Elizabeth Phillips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve read Susan Elizabeth Phillips since I
was 15 years old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah, back when I
might have been a little too you to read them, but they shaped who I am as a
writer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will always be grateful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">One
of my favorite lines of all time came from a Susan Elizabeth Phillips novel,
Fancy Pants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Okay, maybe a few of my
favorite lines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a great book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the opening chapter, the main character turns
to her companion:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Most babies are
conceived in love, but I was conceived on a display platform in the center of
Harrods’ fur salon.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I realized then
that you need humor in romance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>Buffy Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02333587332610617209noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127179990589586893.post-21096067672696170472012-06-28T22:41:00.000-04:002012-06-28T22:41:03.806-04:00The Far Dorocha<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">For those of you who have been
following my blog from the beginning, you may remember that I did “7 Days of
Halloween” back in October.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wrote a
post for seven days that had something in it that frightened me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wrote about my fear of pigs, the Tailypo,
even getting haunted in Savannah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had
about a dozen ideas, but only seven days to write about them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the faeries on the list was the Far
Dorocha or Fear Dorocha.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You know the
Irish, they can spell things a dozen different ways and each time it’s completely
unpronounceable!<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">At the same time I was writing this
series of blog posts, I was contemplating whether I would have the balls enough
to attempt NaNoWriMo. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, I did have
the balls, steel balls in fact.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What did
I have to lose?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The answer was
nothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only problem: What the hell was
I going to write about?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I glanced over my blog notebook.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(I keep a notebook for notes on my posts and
idea for future posts.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I kept rereading
the name Far Dorocha.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was going to
write a story about him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And he wasn’t
going to be the villain in the story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
was going to be the hero.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My novel, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Dark Man</i>, was born.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">You see, the Far Dorocha isn’t exactly
a good guy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, you can argue he’s
a horrible guy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Far Dorocha means Dark
Man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(I know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My novel’s name isn’t very clever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m open to suggestions.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone who studies faerie lore knows that
the faerie queen likes to kidnap mortals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Well, the Far Dorocha does the dirty work for her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He rides up on his black stead and carts
folks back to Faerie for her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He can
compel people to obey without uttering a single word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He acts as a sort of butler serving the queen
her tea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh and he also punishes folks
with a big mouths.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What does he do?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He blinds and/or maims them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Charming really.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Far Dorocha had the potential to be
a complex and interesting character.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How
did he become the Far Dorocha?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did he
like his job?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What was his relationship
with queen like?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What would he say if he
talked?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does he like red or white
wine?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> How do the other faeries treat him? Do they let him join in their faerie games? </span>The questions are endless.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A few weeks after I started writing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Dark Man</i> (which back then was called
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Enlightened</i>), I read about Karen
Marie Moning’s graphic novel, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fever Moon:
The Fear Dorocha</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(If you haven’t
checked out the Fever series I would recommend it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I only read the first book because it was
free on my Nook.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love free books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really loved this book.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">My heard plummeted to into my
shoes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you haven’t experienced this
feeling, you are lucky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I believe I had a
mini-panic attack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How could I compete
with KMM?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The answer was I couldn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her Fear Dorocha is different from my Far
Dorocha.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He appears to be the villain in
her story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t picture him a black suit
and tall top hat like she does.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have
seen a few panels from the graphic novel and her Fear Dorocha looks very much
like how I picture Ankou, the Breton portent of death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There seems to be some relationship been the
Fear Dorocha and Ankou.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Anyway, I put on my big girl panties and got over it.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you’d like to check out my
inspiration board on Pinterest for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Dark Man</i>, you can check it out <a href="http://pinterest.com/buffy422/the-dark-man/" target="_blank">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>Buffy Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02333587332610617209noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127179990589586893.post-52374015818290931182012-06-22T06:37:00.000-04:002012-06-22T06:37:53.935-04:00Repeat Faerie Friday Post - Bwca, Bwca, Bwca<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I’d like to take this opportunity to apologize for my
lackluster (and sometimes absent) Faerie Friday posts. I liked the quick posts I did for the A to Z
challenge, but now after reflection, I’ve decided that this is just making me a
very lazy writer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Starting next week I’ll strive to be better. Right now I am hot and cranky and I have
little confidence that I can be my usual charming self. Instead, I’ll share with you an old blog post
that was one of my favs. It’s from
November’s Hairy Beastie Month. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I hope you enjoy.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik7QLabBBpdrhCTSVE2QCe1lD99aixMXtdbh8CN-bESfV-keb5f9u7_-eZgOoWCiGy6-a0e3uEUycVb_iX6jarOLmv6uJYt1poQ79G9Mt-OSo_nRdF6fWJgjjhlC6qU9WS8tnbb_fFF6pL/s1600/bwca_pointing_large.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik7QLabBBpdrhCTSVE2QCe1lD99aixMXtdbh8CN-bESfV-keb5f9u7_-eZgOoWCiGy6-a0e3uEUycVb_iX6jarOLmv6uJYt1poQ79G9Mt-OSo_nRdF6fWJgjjhlC6qU9WS8tnbb_fFF6pL/s320/bwca_pointing_large.png" width="246" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #4e2800; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Welcome to the last week of Hairy Beastie Month! I know I am two
and a half days late. I blame it on pumpkin pie and sausage stuffing. (Speaking
of sausage, I do realize that the Bwca in the picture above is exposing his
boy-parts. I thought I’d get this out of the way. Laugh and point at the Naked
Bwca. I did.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4e2800; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Bwca is a Welsh House Faerie, kind of like the English
Brownie with a Boggart twist. The Brownie is a faerie that helps out around the
house. Not to be confused with young roving-cookie-peddling division of the
Girl Scouts. A Boggart is a poorly behaved house spirit who makes a general
nuisance of himself (herself?) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4e2800; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Bwca is short, about two to three feet high, with a long
nose and long fingers. He’s described as being shaggy and resides in rural
Wales. He doesn’t like teetotalers or clergy men. (I don’t either to tell you
the truth.) He apparently doesn’t like people with long noses, either. (I bare
no such grudge.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4e2800; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Bwca’s are mainly known for churning butter. If anyone has tried
to make butter, you know it’s a major time suck and not that much fun. Bwcas
also do other chores around the house like weaving, laundry, and general household
drudgery. He just asks that the hearth be clean and that you leave out a bowl
of milk or cream out for him as a reward for a good day’s work. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4e2800; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Should be simple enough, right? A simple
you-scratch-my-back-I’ll-scratch-your-back arrangement. If the Bwca is offended
or slighted in anyway, he can turn horribly vicious pinching, throwing things,
ripping clothes, sharing family secrets, banging loudly on the walls. There is
a popular story about a woman who left a bowl of urine out for the Bwca who did
all the dirty work in her house. The Bwca grabbed the tart by her throat and
dragged her around the house, beating the stuffing out of her. As far as I am
concerned, if you leave a stale bowl of urine out for someone as payment, you
deserve anything you get! She had it coming.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4e2800; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Once a Bwca is offended, you get no more work from him. He sets
about to make your life as unpleasant as possible. The only way to get rid of
one is the hire a Cunning Man to use iron or holy water to chase the little
shit away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4e2800; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’d like a Bwca.
I’d ask him to put some clothes on first, but he’d be infinitely useful. The
laundry is piling up after a month of general laziness and NaNoWriMo. I wonder
if he could wrap Christmas presents and clean closets and run the vacuum. <o:p></o:p></span></div>Buffy Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02333587332610617209noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127179990589586893.post-33004804941719132972012-06-10T14:01:00.000-04:002012-06-10T14:01:58.335-04:00#SixSunday from The Dark Man (Passage 2)<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">My
goal is to share six sentences every Sunday. This one is a little late in the
day, but better late than never at all.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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is the scene where we first meet the Princess.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She’s not as treacherous as her mother, but she’s not to be
underestimated either.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-size: large;"><em>The Princess stuck out her lower lip
and bestowed Carrig the same expression she had been giving him for 648 years,
6 months and 12 days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the look
she used to get him on her side, to bind him to her will; the same guise that
had worked for 648 years, 6 months and 11 days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></em></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-size: large;"><em>Her pout turned to a smile, her
straight white teeth sharp and venomous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Do I need to want something to seek out my favorite Far Dorocha?”<o:p></o:p></em></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-size: large;"><em>“Yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Get to your point.” <o:p></o:p></em></span></span></div>
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</span>Buffy Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02333587332610617209noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127179990589586893.post-24387246003971520022012-06-08T07:12:00.003-04:002012-06-08T07:12:33.645-04:00Exotica or Xotica Part One<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAVSiSrJuL_qUKTyPsHmzjjM-WCc6yCYTjhCpZ7tGw-bro8X-6mgnOnSvFm9OGnOv_O1h1BSCTF3deiBRmvIzGlDs2OXC2y3L9AU3NatKSrWQCbDo-ZdjOCn01idBCPjone6q3M1zKL3Be/s1600/790px-Schadow_Grabmal_Alexander_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAVSiSrJuL_qUKTyPsHmzjjM-WCc6yCYTjhCpZ7tGw-bro8X-6mgnOnSvFm9OGnOv_O1h1BSCTF3deiBRmvIzGlDs2OXC2y3L9AU3NatKSrWQCbDo-ZdjOCn01idBCPjone6q3M1zKL3Be/s320/790px-Schadow_Grabmal_Alexander_2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Three Fates</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">No, I
will not be talking about a strip club.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Origin:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Greece<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Description:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Exotica is a pantheon of Modern Greek
spirits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The word Exotica means “things
beyond” or “things outside.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are pre-Christian
spirits living in a Christian world and considered wicked.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A few
examples:<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Charos
– Personification of death<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Gello
– Killer ghost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A woman who died before
having a child and therefore could not become an ancestral spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With nothing else to do, she takes pleasure
in killing other women’s children.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Gorgon
– Hello, Medusa and her repulsive sisters.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Moirai
– The three fates.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The
Strange Hour – A kind of a demon that possesses humans and sometimes is a
disease demon.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">There
are many more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll save them for
another post.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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</span>Buffy Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02333587332610617209noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127179990589586893.post-82422160282131979412012-06-03T09:04:00.001-04:002012-06-03T09:29:57.733-04:00#SixSunday from The Dark Man<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDDWYxm1kYr1QRwxx_dwrEiPw-PZ-pOzfFcuQPEk4IKTgf2yNVdh4_p5uhpzjg2wuoFxK_YIyzT3VpXEleM2saV_PDqeCWhyphenhyphenxj225rDA-TarwW5_40Ts55YkUQyIK4lN_REo89euhQJJ-7/s1600/12406498007SBiz6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDDWYxm1kYr1QRwxx_dwrEiPw-PZ-pOzfFcuQPEk4IKTgf2yNVdh4_p5uhpzjg2wuoFxK_YIyzT3VpXEleM2saV_PDqeCWhyphenhyphenxj225rDA-TarwW5_40Ts55YkUQyIK4lN_REo89euhQJJ-7/s320/12406498007SBiz6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I
started revising my NaNoWriMo novel this past month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the time it was titled <em>Enlightened</em>, but I
have since scratched that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right now the
working title is <em>The Dark Man</em>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not
exactly enamored with this either, but it’ll do for now:<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><em>The
bitch would not die.<o:p></o:p></em></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><em>Vines
wove around her limbs and girdled her slight frame, squeezing and crushing. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her once porcelain skin had turned an awkward
shade of purple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She should be dead by
now, but instead of kicking up her toes like a good little nature spirit, she
stood ramrod straight and her stormy grey-blue eyes bore into his.<o:p></o:p></em></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><em>Defiance.<o:p></o:p></em></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><em>That
was new, refreshing really.<o:p></o:p></em></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I have a blurb on my new <a href="http://www.buffyarmstrong.com/" target="_blank">website</a></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> about the story. You can check it out <a href="http://www.buffyarmstrong.com/Works_in_Progress.html" target="_blank">here</a>. Please let me know what you think of the site. It's just another WIP.</span></div>Buffy Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02333587332610617209noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127179990589586893.post-68667127667007052302012-06-02T07:04:00.002-04:002012-06-02T07:04:48.750-04:00The Monacielli “Little Monk”<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4GQTHE0SJAtVo3FbKqrDH1c60VLHYhFINXP48w3f-GXPAJwDz_NmVq3_mmnd3D3ZEM-7TpI0yn8ArVmM-iXUOOS4CIdlAhSXxCNjAy0bbnN5Aa87olPEQaDkKI9v4gJtYr5Qbwz4rNQdP/s1600/Monk+with+wine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4GQTHE0SJAtVo3FbKqrDH1c60VLHYhFINXP48w3f-GXPAJwDz_NmVq3_mmnd3D3ZEM-7TpI0yn8ArVmM-iXUOOS4CIdlAhSXxCNjAy0bbnN5Aa87olPEQaDkKI9v4gJtYr5Qbwz4rNQdP/s320/Monk+with+wine.jpg" width="228" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I don't think the Monaciello would be wearing a cross, but I'm not sure.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Origin:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Naples, Italy<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Description:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Monacielli look like tiny chubby drunken
monks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They wear sandals and a brilliant
red habit and hat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They can turn into
cats at will.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Disposition:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are a pain in the ass to have around.
They dwell in human houses where they pinch people (where I do not know), steal
clothes, knock over wine glasses, dance on people’s chests when they sleep, and
make a huge mess.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are even known to
cut off little girls’ braids.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Apparently,
they have an obsessive compulsive streak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If you leave out a sieve for them, they will spend hours counting each
and every hole.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are poor at math and
this task will take hours - a great way to get one out of your hair for a
while.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The
Monaciello are known to guard a massive treasure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you can steal their hat, you can ransom it
back to the chubby little guy for part of the treasure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It can’t live without its hat.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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</div>Buffy Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02333587332610617209noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127179990589586893.post-56621850672114917042012-05-17T21:44:00.000-04:002012-05-17T21:44:56.164-04:00Apple???<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3szT9rzfkiC8dvti8ay4rOKw9Lu0fW5lymj9uSI6InKllIk4wRq-eUGWZZqa7yL8YonUL-iFbUWyGoiLDAExMcePB5MJi3-U35GX84akR_LaFhdjpHUnfvpj2S6ER6q8g_jIenpeHmBRe/s1600/1305531449A5u91K.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3szT9rzfkiC8dvti8ay4rOKw9Lu0fW5lymj9uSI6InKllIk4wRq-eUGWZZqa7yL8YonUL-iFbUWyGoiLDAExMcePB5MJi3-U35GX84akR_LaFhdjpHUnfvpj2S6ER6q8g_jIenpeHmBRe/s400/1305531449A5u91K.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Name:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dirne-Weible, means “Little Serving Maiden”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Origin:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bavaria<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Description:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Faerie dressed in red with a basket in
apples. In Germany, the Dirne-Weible is a type of Wood Wife dressed completely
in white.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Disposition:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Dirne-Weible is a kind faerie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If she gives you her apples, they will turn
into money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is also very sensitive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’ll want to go for a walk with you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you refuse, she’ll run bawling into the
forest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I don’t know about
you, but I’ve read enough fairytales to never trust a woman with apples.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How about you?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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</div>Buffy Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02333587332610617209noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127179990589586893.post-35235816135957000082012-05-11T06:51:00.003-04:002012-05-11T06:51:40.696-04:00Birthday Addition of Faerie Friday<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRdDRnGqAWvJa-BWUNyLWWoq6Y3QYq9hYPHSA8Aye6_YB9vueyc9f5drX64WgNEwsemFeyBXKctXATSwfvoWwV4T3vhGaO1-FL97Z2f2bAAHFs-y4ujRwTzEBQZFJXBkheRWv-imAPqgjU/s1600/acorn_pixie_birthday_cards.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRdDRnGqAWvJa-BWUNyLWWoq6Y3QYq9hYPHSA8Aye6_YB9vueyc9f5drX64WgNEwsemFeyBXKctXATSwfvoWwV4T3vhGaO1-FL97Z2f2bAAHFs-y4ujRwTzEBQZFJXBkheRWv-imAPqgjU/s320/acorn_pixie_birthday_cards.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Normally I write
my Faerie Friday post on Thursdays.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Yesterday was my birthday so I didn’t get around to it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hey, a girl only turns 34 once.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In honor of
my birthday, I am doing something a little different for Faerie Friday.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Yes,
something different.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I want you
guys to tell me what your favorite creatures of lore and myth are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know you have them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Please share! Don't leave me hanging.</span></span></span></div>
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</span>Buffy Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02333587332610617209noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127179990589586893.post-79942950910232239632012-05-03T20:33:00.001-04:002012-05-03T20:33:44.554-04:00Gwrach Y Rhibyn<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thank you to all of you that followed me for the A to Z
Blogging Challenge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I appreciate all of
the support.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The format for the
challenge worked so well I thought I would incorporate it into my Faerie Friday
posts.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPTWxg71YDcq-7iIfMb0XgSZrFlO31YSWreQTGG4pK7HD1mQMMyYNtyhqLl73k8VDHwoXBPSyiow645LnBow3HjtliZyleIu4zzBYmj8WbuTwTD8L8F_16vD0oTKtwSrvQh-KCuoWYw4yM/s1600/imagesCACY6W89.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPTWxg71YDcq-7iIfMb0XgSZrFlO31YSWreQTGG4pK7HD1mQMMyYNtyhqLl73k8VDHwoXBPSyiow645LnBow3HjtliZyleIu4zzBYmj8WbuTwTD8L8F_16vD0oTKtwSrvQh-KCuoWYw4yM/s1600/imagesCACY6W89.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sort of like this but not really.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Origin: Wales (Welsh)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Description:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
Gwrach Y Rhibyn is a hag and she looks like one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She has tangled red hair, sunken eyes and a
hooked nose. She has really long, black teeth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What really gets me are the disproportionally long, shriveled arms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yuck.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Her deal:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is
a Welsh Banshee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She follows besides a
person she wants to warn. She is invisible to said person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When she comes to a crossroad or stream, she
lets out her warning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It could be one of
a couple things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“My husband” means you
husband is going to die.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“My wife” means
your wife is going to die.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“My child,”
means… well, I think you get the picture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If you can’t make out she is saying, you are going to die.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Many scholars look at her as an ancestral figure or a
mother goddess.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have you noticed that a lot
of the old mother goddesses are now portrayed as hags?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I spell a conspiracy!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span>Buffy Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02333587332610617209noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127179990589586893.post-45187623773770096672012-04-29T23:15:00.000-04:002012-04-29T23:46:08.164-04:00Z is for Zwerge #AtoZChallenge<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR2VHLez76bscJUX3qKUTT7-MWveiD9EiUN47iF0rIKSCoxMFwA6eb89K2LauV73m93tnUgVw4mHokVRGN_j4-axMuy_3id3isOq5XPf90FADFU-pdGP58zCEPlg06W7pAaQfVADZbtiM4/s1600/zwerg.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR2VHLez76bscJUX3qKUTT7-MWveiD9EiUN47iF0rIKSCoxMFwA6eb89K2LauV73m93tnUgVw4mHokVRGN_j4-axMuy_3id3isOq5XPf90FADFU-pdGP58zCEPlg06W7pAaQfVADZbtiM4/s320/zwerg.gif" width="316" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Not the smartest Zwerge.</span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Origin:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Germany<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Description:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Zwerge is a dwarf that is known to live a
myriad of places - the Underworld, springs and wells, caves or ruined
castles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> (Zwerge is the German word for Dwarf.) </span>In the Underworld, they have
chambers filled with all kinds of treasures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They can pass through rock and they can become invisible<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Disposition:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes they are helpful to humans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes they give gifts and other times
they steal corn and injury cattle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like
many faeries, there are many facets to their personality.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">I
wanted to take a moment to thank everyone that checked out my blog this
month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope you enjoyed the
posts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know I enjoyed yours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">I
do a Faerie Friday post every week and the occasional post during the
week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please stop by again and check
them out.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>Buffy Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02333587332610617209noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127179990589586893.post-15251653595691424502012-04-28T06:46:00.001-04:002012-04-28T06:46:28.910-04:00Y is for Yara #AtoZChallenge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhci_s5bsnV1nmUygJRlM2W2DAIzbGWpC2xx5SGK58RTHYTE3YVF5IZlpDKRnIrKm20cWKEA6rXDD222xETLlmTqv4bTwU1RIVeJAoOeHuhGsTMqG5zuE-x-tQNZVLcFT3VfHjjhoW2t50R/s1600/papaul+new+guine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhci_s5bsnV1nmUygJRlM2W2DAIzbGWpC2xx5SGK58RTHYTE3YVF5IZlpDKRnIrKm20cWKEA6rXDD222xETLlmTqv4bTwU1RIVeJAoOeHuhGsTMqG5zuE-x-tQNZVLcFT3VfHjjhoW2t50R/s320/papaul+new+guine.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Origin:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Papau New Guinea<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Description:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Water faerie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I know, another freaking water faerie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The world is overrun with them. What can I say?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Dispostion:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lures men into the water using their
beautiful singing voices.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(I know I
could never be a Yara because I can’t carry a tune in a bucket.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Surprise, surprise, once in the water she
drowns him like she should have done to the lying bastard that
murdered her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A
man can protect himself by wearing a seashell necklace. Catch -<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>his love most sing into the seashell.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"></span>Buffy Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02333587332610617209noreply@blogger.com14