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Archive for April, 2011

What Makes a Timeless Hero?

Sunday, April 24th, 2011

I’m looking for input on this one? What makes a hero to you?

As mentioned in the previous post, Hector of Troy is the quintessential hero – for me. Go to fullsize image  “All my life I’ve lived by a code and the code is simple: honor the gods, love your woman and defend your country.” (Hector – Troy 2004)

Writing in Ancient Greece gives me the opportunity to work with legendary heroes. But being legendary has nothing to do with being a hero. That is where my imagination runs free. Making Greece’s mythical monsters and villains into heroes, giving them stories of redemption and healing, has become my favorite ‘hobby’.

But I digress… I do that, sometimes…

Here’s a delectable glimpse of another hero I adore:

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While Connor McCloud isn’t as clear cut a hero as Hector, he’s a hero – in a skirt no less :) .

‘There can be only one.’ – and the Original Film ‘The Highlander’ is still one of my absolute faves. As is Christopher Lambert… Who are your favorite heroes? And why?

Men in Skirts

Wednesday, April 20th, 2011

In my latest stories, most of the men wear skirts – some wear dresses. Before you get ahead of yourself, let me clear something up. We’re talking ancient Greece – so tunics (peplos for the ladies and chiton for men) were the only options.

I’m attaching my favorite example of a Real man in a skirt… Others have tried, but Eric Bana as Hector is one of my favorite heroes of all times!

I hope my heroes impart half as much masculinity and passion.

Waiting

Sunday, April 17th, 2011

As a writer, one must learn to wait.

Wait for your flash of inspiration or the fragments of a lingering dream grow into a fully developed story.

Wait for the first draft to be finished, for those persistent voices and your impatient characters to show you their journeys path.

If you’re lucky, you get to wait for your crit group and beta readers to give you feedback.

The first round of edits to … then another round of edits. Wait a bit and then to go over it one more time to tweak or smooth a polish over the end result… Or rather, what you think is the final draft.

Then comes contests, or querying… And waiting for those results and/or feedback.

Or, possibly, pitching your story to someone who has the power to turn your story, your baby - if you will, into something for Everyone to read and enjoy. You hope, but don’t expect, that this time the waiting will lead to another step along the road to publication.

I’m waiting again. And hopeful. But creating this story gave me so much that I don’t mind waiting for the right champion to come along. Because that person will