Hey Potterholics!

Just a heads up. As part of the revamp, Astrid's blog is moving to The Edge of Insanity, the personal site of Official Potterholics Annonymous owner, Christina Torma.
There's more space on The Edge and I can really spread out and expand my articles. Stay tuned, more to come!

Astrid Celestia
~Not all who wander are aimless.

Hey Potterholics!

I'm writing simply to say I'm sorry. I have been SO busy studying and working lately that I haven't had time to write. It makes me very sad that I am losing touch with my fellow Potterholics and I'm truly sorry. I'll be back next week with the rest of the Fablehaven reading journals, some more Story Structure 101 and a new Myth and Mystery articles.
Also, I will soon be revamping this blog to make it easier to read and navigate. Stay tuned, there's a whole lot of new content coming to Astrid's blog!

Astrid Celestia
~Not all who wander are aimless...

Hello Potterholics!
Things have been crazy here in the life of Astrid Celestia. I have finished reading Fablehaven a long time ago and I am trying to type up all of my reading notes. However, it seems their simply aren't enough hours in the day. Here is the second installment of Story Structure 101. The next few weeks look like a flurry of garden knomes and I can't get rid of them fast enough but after that my yard will be clear :) I have many great articles to type up and bring your way.

We continue our discussion with the five Dramatic Throughlines.  A Dramatic Throughline helps you decide what type of situations to use in order to bring out and support your story.  The decisions you make to choose your Throughline will help you design your story and keep it on track.  The Throughline is the first part of your story's foundation.  
To choose your Throughline, ask yourself:
	Do I want the main character to succeed, fail, or give up?
There are five Dramatic Throughlines outlined in the text.   The first three are traditional, they work well with Traditional storylines, which will be explored further later.  Throughlines four and five are Non-Traditional and work best with Non-Traditional storylines.  
The three Traditional Throughlines are: character succeeds, character is defeated, and character abandons his/her goal. Let's explore these a little more. 

A traditional storyline has a clear cut beginning, middle, and end and the throughline is resolved by the end of the story regardless of if the character succeeds, is defeated, or abandons his/her goal throughline goal. This is much akin to episodic television shows where the throughine is defined at the beginning of the show and resolved at the end of the show or series. The beginning, middle, and end are clear throughout the show.

*character succeeds
	-Goal to achieve/question to answer & succeeds in doing so
	-Most novels and films have this throughline
		*The hero accomplishes the goal by:
			1. Means of change (dramas)
			2. Means of ingenuity-brains and creativity (mysteries)
			3. Means of special capacity-special ability or acquired new skill (superheroes)
			4. Means of a special weapon (action stories)
			5. Means of self sacrifice-able to endure anything (melodramas)
			6. Receiving help & working in partnership with others (inspirational stories)
	
*character is defeated
	-character is defeated by events of the story and can't achieve his/her goal. 
	-as if life itself is out to get the character
	-character is defeated by him/herself, not a villain
		-character is his/her own worst enemy
		-hero refuses to face demons and therefore fails to grow as a person
			-masculine journey rebellion stage
			-any structure can be used in this throughline
	-character tries to come up with solutions, but only makes more problems
	-many comedies utilize this
	*struggle is the important element in this Dramatic Throughline when creating the main character
		*The hero is defeated by:
			1. Due to circumstances-deserves a way to achieve his/her goal but doesn't in the end because that's how life is. 
			2. Due to weakness or objection-likeable but has a dark side that clashes with circumstances of the plot and drives him/her to destruction.
				a) 1 & 2 essentially plot driven
			3. Due to choices-has the ability to be successful, keeps making mistakes.

*character abandons goal
	-character abandons his/her goal
		-may or may not pick up a new one
	-realizes either that if his/her goal is achieved it will not bring him/her happiness and may bring misfortune to others. 
	-realizes he/she was lied to or betrayed
		-accomplishing the goal no longer suits him/her
		-it was a lie or an illusion


Nontraditional Throughlines often break with the three-act structure all together.  The two Non-Traditional Throughlines we will now explore further are: character's goal is undefined and reader creates the goal.

*character's goal is undefined
	-story takes an ethereal quality
	-one has to view the story outside of traditional narrative form
	-events not dramatically determined
		-flow with a natural rhythm that reflects true life experience
	-NOT written without planning, focus, and effort
		-can take more creating than traditional stories
		-more intellectual and thought provoking
	-reader or audience has to participate in the narrative
		-following narrative flow and interpreting subtext
		
*the reader creates the goal
	-reader or audience must make the decision on where the story goes next
	-reader takes lead role (role-playing)
	-interactive fiction
		-video games
		-novels that can be rearranged or reconstructed
	-has been around for centuries
	-interesting and rich history

Many authors combine Throughlines, creating many in the same story. Although it is not wise to have more than one Throughline at once, you can fluidly move from one to the other. For example, your main character can abandon one goal, then pick up another later on in the story and succeed; or the main character may succeed and then get defeated by circumstance.  If you are keeping a writing journal of your ideas, as I suggested in part 1, take a look at them now. Maybe you had an idea that you always thought could never make a well developed story. Reconsider such ideas. You may be able to turn it around by adding another Throughline where you got stuck in order to make the story more interesting. This is a great way to twist the plot. 

An important point is to STICK WITH YOUR THROUGHLINE! You should only write a happy ending if you believe it is the best Dramatic Throughline for your story and not because you think it is the only way to write a story. 

The text has five questions to consider when choosing a Dramatic Throughline which I will reiterate here for your own use:
	1. Do you want your main character to succeed?
	2. Will you challenge traditional sotrytelling models or stick with what is known to work?
	3. Will you combine Dramatic Throughlines?
	4. Would changing the Dramatic Throughline add to the story at all? Or to the theme or subtext?
	5. Is there a story of yours you just couldn't finish? Do you have the wrong Dramatic Throughline for the piece? 
	
Try and answer some of these questions in your ideas journal.  You don't need to answer all or any of them in order to build your story.  You simply need to keep them in mind while you shape your ideas in order to make a well developed, compelling story. 

 At this point, we are past the introduction and beginning to build the foundation of a story. I invite you now to send in your own progress. I will be glad to post your submissions as well as provide any guidance you may need or want. 

Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague, Reading Journal 2

We left off at the end of the first chapter last time. Since it’s been awhile, I’m going to include my notes on the next 3 chapters (to the end of chapter 4).

Pg. 25: I love how, after a brief intrigue, Mull returns to the story right where it left off. No gaps from the second book, just a seamless return to the story we longed for him to continue.
Pg. 29: Even though Seth and Kendra have been living in this fantasy, Mull introduces reality with the mention of school. It makes the story so much more real and easy to relate to, bringing you out of your own head for a second, realizing the very real dangers awaiting Seth and Kendra outside Fablehaven.
Pg. 30-31: I think the concept of Scott and Maria walking oblivious around Fablehaven, bypassing all of Grandpa Sorenson’s clues, is hilarious!
Chapter 2 Recap (pg44): The chapter ends with a laugh; the action kicked off with the reader caught up and an exciting event only days away. Already, I love this book; and not even n an obsessive manner, but humbly, truly. This story is simply wonderful.
Pg. 50: The banter between Kendra and Seth shows their close bond along with just enough sibling rivalry. The dialogue is perfect.
Pg. 59: Mull provides good balance between the conflicts at hand. He effortlessly moves between Seth’s disobedience, to the nipsies, to the overheard conversation of the fairies, to Kendra’s worries about her upcoming trip; bringing us to the major conflict (so far) of the Sphinx and the other preserves. You never have a chance to think “but wait, what about that other thing.” Mull draws you into each little conflict, diverting your attention where he wants it to go. The balance is brilliant, paced well and detailed respectively, but not obsessively.
Chapter 3 Recap: This chapter also ends with a cute, witty retort. The conflicts at hand are now well established and all interesting enough to want to keep reading. The characters have been re-introduced. The story is already at a height that draws you in enough to surprise you with something new and unsuspecting very soon. I suspect the next chapter holds our first peak, or at least a big step towards such; then I’m sure this roller coaster will continue to rock the fantasy world. 
Pg. 66: The limo seems suspicious somehow pg.67: could the dream be foreshadowing about the limo’s destination…or the people they will meet there?
Pg. 74-75: everyone is surprised at Warren escorting Kendra, as if they expected (hoped?) for her to arrive for induction unaccompanied.
Pg. 78: I like Gavin from the start and am interested in Estelle. Both new characters seem understated; I look forward to how they will open up.
Chapter 4 recap: The chapter ends nicely but I still feel a big bang coming on. I’m not dissatisfied with the progression of the action, on the contrary I feel exhilarated. The pace is perfect. Kendra and Gavin getting an assignment straightaway is a surprise. Seth will be very jealous! LOL!


Until next time...
~Astrid Celestia
"Not all who wander are aimless..."

Hello Potterholics!

Before we get started, I'd like to let all you readers know that the Burrow and Daily Prophet of the improved Potterholics Annonymous is up and running! Visit our new address, www.officialpotterholicsannonymous.com and take a look for yourself! A big shout out to Vicki "Marauder" Viverito who spent hours recoding and beautifying these pages! ::claps::

WARNING: SPOILERS IN THIS ARTICLE! Look for the WARNING! before the spoiler so that if you are new to HP and haven't read all the books, they won't be spoiled for you. :)

Welcome to Article 2 of Myth and Mysteries in Harry Potter: Mystery of the Muggles. There is a lot of tension between muggles and magic folk in the HP series, most of which is culminated in the first chapter of the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s/Philosopher’s Stone (hereafter referred to as “PS”). When talking about the “Mystery of the Muggles,” we will not be discussing Mr. Weasley’s obsession with rubber ducks and plugs. Rather, we will be discussing the mystery behind the muggles who kept their eyes closed, and the worlds that remained separated for hundreds of years.


For those just getting into HP or for those who haven’t read it yet at all, a “muggle” is a non-magical person. The Dursleys, who refer to themselves as “perfectly normal thank you very much” are muggles. Muggle parents, however, can still give birth to magical children, i.e. Hermione Granger, Lily Potter, etc.
The first chapter of PS, “The Boy Who Lived” paints an intricate picture of the Dursleys lives as muggles and the mannerisms of wizards. First, you have the Dursleys who live in their perfect little house on their perfect little street in their perfect little town. We soon find that they are not very perfect indeed. They pick on Harry because they don’t view him as “one of them” they view him as a “weirdo” just because he was born with special gifts. In fact, Harry is very much like them. He, as well as his cousin Dudley, are both little boys with family, friends, and people who love and protect them. In Dudley’s case, those people are his parents and the community around him, which happen to also be “normal” people in perfect little houses with their noses turned up at the “weirdos” whereas Harry’s support system is his magical parents and their magical friends. The difference is in the magic. They are still family, though, which is why Dumbledore brings Harry to the Dursleys in the first place.


Vernon Dursley’s life is the first view we get. He sees the wizards celebrating on the street and doesn’t even notice the happiness, just the strange clothes and mannerisms, so he simply dismisses it all until he hears Harry’s name, an association with himself. Even then he is afraid of the association in general, knowing nothing of what it entails, good or bad. When Dumbledore shows up at Privet Drive Professor McGonagall is skeptical about leaving Harry there, after watching the Dursleys for just a day. Dumbledore is the only constant in the whole book that never fears or discriminates Muggles.


I could not find a history of the word “muggle” being used anywhere before HP. However, after the phenomenon that is JK Rowling’s prose, the word is now a staple in literary circles when discussing fantasy and magic. Although the word “muggle” has never been used before, the discrimination between magic and non-magic certainly has. From the burning of women accused as witches, the destruction of Pagan temples when Christianity first came around in Rome, to the witch trials and the modern alienation of Pagans and witches alike. Many religions view witchcraft as evil, going as far as to discriminate against the HP books too! Modern day muggles who keep their eyes closed to the wonders of fantasy and magic because they have the wrong idea. We can all learn a lesson or two from Dumbledore, and even from the Dursleys.


WARNING! SPOILERS AHEAD! The Dursley family tried to run away from magic, ignore t, close their eyes to it, and in the end it winds up saving their lives. You can’t fight something that’s a part of you. That’s what Harry learns even in this first book. He sets the python on Dudley, regrows his hair, shrinks a sweater, all unintentionally. Magic is a part of him and a part of his family, Dursleys included. Magic folk and Muggles are separated yet so close together, unable to accept each other even though their worlds intertwine.


So, next time magic presents itself in your life, EMBRACE IT whether you’re a muggle or not. Don’t close your eyes to this mystery. Don’t be afraid to be yourself.

Remain forever: Potterholic and Proud!

~Astrid Celestia
“Not all who wander are aimless….”

Hello readers!
Astrid here. Still pretty busy around here but I'm doing my best. I hope you have enjoyed the past few entries as I enjoyed writing them. :)
I'll be back soon with more Reading Journals, Story Structure 101 and of course Myth and Mystery. As an affiliate of The Official Potterholics Annonymous, I'd like to spread the word that the PA website is currently under some reconstruction. Don't worry, they'll be back soon and in the mean time be sure to keep in touch with the PA myspace and Magykal Forums; both will be the PA hub while the reconstruction is underway.
Keep reading and remain forever...
Potterholic and Proud!
~Astrid Celestia
"Not all who wander are aimless..."

Story Structure 101

Writing a story seems easy when you have ideas running wild in your head; but many times you write it all down and it just doesn’t makes any sense.  
You need a structure to make your story readable for the masses.  
Establishing clear conflicts, genres, plot structure, dramatic situations, 
and researching the material in your story will make your great idea a brilliant one.  
I, myself, am beginning to write a story of my own.  
While the ideas keep on pouring out of my head, 
they are all a jumble of words and undeveloped characters until I include a structure.  
It is the backbone that makes your story stand, the foundation that gives it support.  
In order to make my great idea a brilliant one, I have been reading and researching the art of writing and structure.  
In this new part of the blog, I will share with you the material I use 
and my notes on each thing; along with a few tidbits of my own creation. 
I invite you to join me on this journey, make your own great ideas into brilliant ones, 
and provide your own feedback and notes. 
Together we can help each other make the reading world a better place to explore, dwell, and to have adventures.

The book I am currently reading is about story structure and architect.  
It helps you build dramatic situations and compelling characters. 
 Each chapter explores a different element of building your story.  
My overall impression so far (I’m about halfway through) is that it is well written, 
easy to read, easy to use, and put together nicely.  
The text gives you clear steps to write a story or to make a pre-existing idea even better.  
Each part has questions to ask yourself that help you make decisions 
about the ideas you have and where you want them to go.  
There are also great quotes and thoughts from authors and professionals that 
provide good insight and diverse notes on the subjects.  
I definitely recommend this title.  
I have provided detailed information in the resources section at the end of this article, 
if you’d like to obtain a copy for yourself.


“Trust that little voice that says ‘this might work,’ and try it.” 
					~Diane Mariechild (pg.1)

“Life consists of small things; just your ego goes on saying these are small things.  
You would like some great thing to do- a great poetry.  
You would like to become Shakespeare or Kalidas or Milton.  
It is your ego that is creating the trouble.  
Drop the ego and everything is creative.”
								~OSHO (pg.4)

Be confident.  
Let the words simply flow through you.  
Drafting a plan is important.  
Building a structure is essential.  
However, it is a lot of work, sometimes very tedious work.  
I find that the grunt work can be made easier 
by mixing it with something fun.  
Keep a journal of all your ideas, 
a personal notebook to bring everywhere you go so that you can jot things down 
whenever they come to mind. 
Details can always be changed.  
Facts can be corrected if proven wrong by your research.  
This journal can also help when reach the question sections in this book.  
Use the information you have already written down to answer them.  
It is easy to get lost in your own ideas; 
to end up with pages and pages of unstructured story.  
When it’s all on paper, though, instead of in your head, 
it becomes a lot easier to organize, to build a structure into what you already have.  
Also, a journal like this makes the process a lot more fun.

What kind of story do you want to write?
The first part of this book helps you answer this important question.  
Will the characters drive your story? Or the plot? 
Will your characters succeed at their goals? 
The introduction discusses these topics in basic and also talks about plot driven vs. character driven.  
The main points are all discussed in more detail in the coming chapters.

“Vision without action is a daydream.  
Action without vision is a nightmare.”
					~Japanese proverb (not in text)

When mapping out a plan for your story, ask yourself:
	>What Dramatic Throughline should I use?
	>What type of Conflict works best for my story?
	>Which Genre should I select?
	>What Structure Model works best?
	>How many Situations will I use?
	>How much research should I conduct?

*These six decisions will help you find new and interesting elements to add to your story.

What Dramatic Throughline should I use?
	>Main direction of the story
	>Not goal or theme but basic thrust
	>Asks the central question that keeps the reader reading
	>5 types
	     *Main character succeeds
	     *Main character is defeated
	     *Main character abandons his/her goal
	     *Main character’s goal is undefined
	     *Reader creates the goal

*No story without characters!
*Character’s goal is in direct relationship to the plot.
	*conceived by the character (character-driven)
	*pushed upon the character by the plot (plot-driven)

What type of Conflict works best for my story?
	>Conflicts sustain and reinforce the theme
	>Select one you would like to predominately use throughout your story
	>6 types
	     *Relational
	     *Situational
	     *Inner
	     *Personnel
	     *Cosmic
	     *Social

	>The opposition of forces that serve to advance the plot
	     *Between people
	     *About ideas
	     *Natural or man-made circumstances


*Several types of Conflict can be present at the same time in one story or even just one scene.

Which Genre should I select?
	>21 Genres listed
	     *One, or a combination can be used
	>The choice of Genre greatly influences your story


What Structure Model works best?
	>11 Master Structures outlined in detail
	>Traditional; follow Aristotle’s 3-act structure design
	     *Roller-coaster
	     *Replay
	     *Fate
	     *Parallel
	     *Episodic
	     *Melodrama
        >Non-Traditional
	     *Structure content not structural in design
	     *Beg, mid, and end; but develop differently
	     *Romance, Journey
        >Somewhat Anti-Structure in design
	     *Interactive fiction
	     *Metafiction
             *Slice of life


How many Situations will I use?
	>Based on George Polti’s work
	>36 Dramatic Situations to use in plotting
	>Author developed an additional 19
*Used to add drama and spice to the often-lagging second act
*can be used as story, subplot, or incident


How much research should I conduct?
	>Make the most of the story you’ve created
	>Punch up setting and characters to full effect
	>Make your story stand out!




That's all for this article.  
Next time I will be discussing character driven vs. plot driven and the 5 Dramatic Throughlines.  
Keep on writing and don't forget that you can contact me via comment on this blog, 
my message board on Magykal forums, or by e-mail.  
May you always remain Potterholic and Proud!

~Astrid Celestia
"Not all who wander are aimless."
astridcelestia@gmail.com

resources:
Story Structure Architect: A writer's guide to building dramatic situations and compelling characters 
by Victoria Lynn Schmidt, Ph.D.

Hey Potterholics!
Yes, I'm still pretty busy but as I am also a fast typist, I am trying to get in as much material as possible because I love writing for you!
Here is the first reading journal for Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague by Brandon Mull, the third installment of the series. If you haven't read the other two, I suggest you do and if you'd like me to include some notes on those books, please let me know and I'd be glad to re-read them and include some feedback.

As with Twilight and all future books that I will include reading journals for, please do not put spoilers in the comments. I am writing these journals as I read the book and many others may be doing the same thing. I have enhanced the journals with a recap after each chapter. I hope you enjoy! I would also like to add that I am a HUGE fan of Brandon Mull. I loved the other two books in the Fablehaven series and I warn you there will be some gushing within these comments 

Without further adieu, here are my notes upon reading Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague.

Pg.2 Mull’s writing style leaves you breathless. He wastes no time getting into the action. In only the second paragraph, we have intrigue, conflict. He grips you from the beginning and you never want to let go. Already there are questions, mystery. It makes me wonder if he had this beginning thought out since the end of Rise of the Evening Star (ROTES). The story seems to move so seamlessly from ROTES that it’s like the story never ended in the first place. It’s a wonderful welcome back to Fablehaven, as if I never left.

Pg. 3 Many of the old characters are already back in the story. Mull doesn’t waste precious pages on explaining where they are…and he doesn’t need to. His characters are so strong that they pop back into your head as if they are friends you see and talk to on a daily basis.

Pg.6 Mull explains how Hugo lost his arm and regrew a portion of it. He is simple, to the point, and words the passage eloquently. No over detailed descriptions, no wondering or information left out….amazing.

Pg.9 The journey to the nipsies gold is too easy. You know something else is coming. Do Doren and Newel know more than they say do? I always thought of them as tricksters so I don’t see how Seth isn’t more suspicious…..oh wait it’s Seth. LOL 

Pg.10 I wish there was a drawing of the tunnel walls…

Pg. 13 If you ask me…it is NOT right to steal from the nipsies….let’s see what happens!

Pg. 16 I like how, even in the first few pages, Mull clearly defines the laws of the world he has created and (siting the first two books) he sticks to these laws. The resulting action is to keep the reader enthralled as well as informed. He never confuses you.
Pg. 20 Recap: At the end of the first chapter, you already feel satisfied as a reader and hungry for more. Mull doesn’t seem to stick to any one structure at all yet his stories are still somehow organized, entertaining, and downright brilliant!

Hey Potterholics!
I'm still swamped, but I have the rest of the Twilight reading journal here for your enjoyment.
My overall impression of this book is a soap opera that was WAAAAY too long. It turned me off to reading the rest of the series. I lumped it all together, no more numbers because I didn't have the time and I want to deliver to all you wonderful wonderful readers. :)

Every scene builds to a climax that never seems to occur.
Pg. 252. Bella takes cold medicine to fall asleep. Meyer refers to this as "gratuitous drug use." A noble effort but unnecessary if you ask me. She touches on the bad idea for about two words and then spends another one and a half paragraphs making sure the reader knows it's wrong. Noble, but a little over the top.
Pg. 256. Meyer writes a passage about the look of Edward's chest under his slightly unbuttoned shirt. The most provocative thing I've read in this "love story" so far.
*The hike is the first time they're really alone and comfortable together. To me, it's the first instance they seem more than friends.
*This part (259/260) when Bella first sees Edward glistening in the sun is very well written, better than the rest of the book so far. It paints a beautiful picture that will be very interesting to see in the movie.
Chapter 13: the book takes on a much different tone. With the other characters out of the picture, Bella and Edward's relationship becomes more substantial. Edward seems more like a vampire who's been around for many many years and Bella acts more like a traditional 17-year-old. There is a bit (not much) more tension here and a little (stress LITTLE) sexual tension. It's as if half the book was one way and then it sort of turns. It's disconcerting and makes me feel like I wasted a lot of time reading the first 250 pages.
Pgs 269-273: Edward's speech about his confession to how Bella really made him feel is very moving.
Pg 274: Lion and lamb reference?
Bella's response to Edward's "alien-ness." It sends a bigger message than realized. A message clouded by the soap-opera-ness of the story.
Pg. 276: The way they talk sounds like an after-sex conversation.
Pg. 280: Their trip through the forest with Bella riding on Edward's back will also be quite interesting to see in the movie.
Meyer expertly covers the naivety of this story with details that make you forget what you're missing (that is if you're a twelve year old girl. The gaps are not lost on me).
*The details portrayed between each "event" are so mundane that it makes the story strangely unpredictable. However, the miniscule climaxes are so watered down that it doesn't come close to making up for the lack of action.
Pg. 306: "Just because I can't take the wine doesn't mean I can't admire the bouquet." <--- very funny passage.
Pg.310: He talks about how he could easily kill her by accident. Is he talking about during sex?! The idea of it in this book, hinting that that is the reason it could never happen, seems so absurd and absolutely hilarious. However, this mention of sex (though completely watered-down) makes the claim that Bella is 17 more believable. The claim that Edward is still a virgin after over 100 years, though? Beyond comical.
Pg.315: What's with Edward always wanting to carry Bella everyone????
****This second half begins to be more about vampires and is therefore much more interesting.
Pg. 340: The difference between the London and Italy vampire…wonder where they got that comparison from (I ask sarcastically)?
"Just a few decades" is short to Edward.
Pg. 376: The differences in the other vampires
Pg. 390: The turn of events is exciting, but it took way too long to get there.
Pg. 448: James stringing out his killing of Bella, the way he hunts her; it's very provocative in it's own way. While he's deciding exactly how he wants to feed on Bella, it becomes evident that Bella actually COULD die, become a vampire herself, and the story would easily continue. This realization makes for a little more suspense.

After the vampire attack, blood sucking, near death experience; ending this story back at high school and the prom was a HUGE disappointment.



Coming soon:
Myth and Mystery Issue II: The Mystery of the Muggles
Reading Journals for Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague

Until next time!
~Astrid Celestia
Not all who wander are aimless....

Hello Potterholics!

I'm very sorry I haven't gotten up any new blogs yet. I have a few reading journals and the new Myth and Mistery article all ready to go but sadly haven't had time to type it into this journal. Things have been crazy around here (and let me tell you the gnomes don't help at all! They are so hard to get rid of) but I will be back with plenty of content in a week or so. Hang in there and remain forever...

Potterholic and Proud!

~Astrid Celestia
"Not all who wander are aimless."

Continuing on from the last reading journal...

7. Bella is clumsy and gets upset that people think she's different but she doesn't mind the risk of public alienation when it comes to being seen with Edward.
pg. 181: she says Edward's comment about her mind working differently, "hit home."

8. Why isn't Edward afraid of driving fast with Bella in the car. He may be indestructible but she certainly isn't. Maybe he thinks his quick reflexes and strength would saver her?

9. "Holy Crow"? This isn't quite popular language for 17-year-olds. The Lord's name is never used in vain. A subtlety that portrays the author's views.

10. Edward is upset at the idea of Bella fighting off her attackers. He seems angry every time her mortality is emphasized.

11. At the end of Chapter 9, Bella says she is so deeply in love with Edward but it just doesn't seem real to me, the reader. It's like she's saying it but with her words not her heart. The space between them (lack of touch, nervousness, etc.) isn't like tension building....it's just space that seems to obstruct a bond rather than strengthen it.

12. The kids in the book all seem younger than they're supposed to be. More like junior high age instead of high school, including Edward and Bella.
pg. 205: The way Jessica and Bella are talking about boys. It sounds like girls at a sleep over not juniors in high school.

13. pg. 207: Bella takes and apple from the tray of lunch food first, but doesn't eat it. Symbolic?

14. pg. 220: "I stood with care, worried my balance would be affected by this strange new intensity between us." Their bond seems stronger but the intensity is hardly tangible to me as a reader.

15. pg. 222: Bella and Edward seem to have skipped all the awkward firsts and gone straight to steady. As a reader, I feel robbed. It's like they were awkward and then suddenly together. The mundane details in between made the middle parts boring.

Article 2 is nearing it's completion so here's another little teaser for you! :)

Title: The Mystery of the Muggles

A little more: Chapter one in this first book focuses a lot on The Dursley's normalcy and how the wizards are so much different from the muggles. I will discuss further the origins of the word Muggle itself and it's use in this chapter. Also, there will be some personal opinions and theories on other topics in this chapter (not pertaining to HP but pertaining to Myth).

Stay tuned and I hope you are looking forward to reading as much as I look forward to writing.

~Astrid Celestia
"Not all who wander are aimless."

WARNING: SOME TOPICS MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 14

BEFORE YOU READ: This and all other reading journals are written as I read the books. Therefor, DO NOT put spoilers in the comments section. This is not a request. Other people may be reading along to and it's just not fair. There are threads on the Magykal forum to discuss books. This is for insight as I read along and for others who are reading along. Thank you. Enjoy!

First a bit about my "note-taking." As I read any book, I write things down in a little notebook I always keep with me. I itemize everything, so each point has a number wether it's a reference, a question, a reflection, or anything else. I am going to do the same thing here. Everything is chronological so number 1 will pertain to somethuing near the beginning of the book, and so forth. I include page numbers for pretty much everything, so feel free to read along and provide your own input.

Oh, as stated in my last entry, I read pretty fast so don't feel obligated to keep up with me. These entries aren't going anywhere.


1. There is a quote before the preface:
"But of the tree of knowledge of good and evil,
thou shalt not eat of it:
for in the day that thou eatest thereof
thou shalt surely die.
Genesis 2:17
At first I thought that this was a very strange quote to put in the beginning of a fantasy novel. I was thinking that fantasy is all about an open mind and reading is surely about knowledge. Then I remembered the front cover. If any of you are familiar with the Holy Bible, you will know that the tree of knowledge of good and evil had apples on it (as I recall at least). Apples are the fruit of knowledge and truth in most every myth and religion. In this case, they were "forbidden fruit." I began to make this connection as I read farther and farther into Edward and Bella's relationship. Then, Vicki "Marauder" Viverito at OPA sent me a link to questions from Stephenie Meyer's own sight and one of them answered the question completely. (Thanks Vicki! :) )

"What's with the apple?

The apple on the cover of Twilight represents "forbidden fruit." I used the scripture from Genesis (located just after the table of contents) because I loved the phrase "the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil." Isn't this exactly what Bella ends up with? A working knowledge of what good is, and what evil is. The nice thing about the apple is it has so many symbolic roots. You've got the apple in Snow White, one bite and you're frozen forever in a state of not-quite-death... Then you have Paris and the golden apple in Greek mythology—look how much trouble that started. Apples are quite the versatile fruit. In the end, I love the beautiful simplicity of the picture. To me it says: choice."


There are many instances of Bella's "choices" in this book and the quote is perfectly clear after that. It interweaves perfectly with the message I think Meyer is trying to convey.

2. pg. 124 " 'You see the cold ones are the natural enemies of the wolf- well not the wolf, really, but the wolves that turn into men, like our ancestors. You would call them weerewolves.' "

This is Jacob Black, who is a desendant of the ancient Quileutes (native americans) who resided at the very beach he and Bella wer talking on. He was telling her the story of how the "cold ones" were banished from that land for safety by a treaty written by Jacob's great-grandfather. The cold ones are vampires and in mythology, vampires and werewolves really are natural enemies. There's more to it than that, but it's a whole other story. ;)

3. pg. 134 Bella is looking up information on vampires to try and decipher if Edward really is one, as Jacob said all of the Cullens are.
bodiless spirits, warnings of improper burials, beautigul women as demons and children as victims: these are all things that come up in her internet searches... I've come across all these instances in my mythological studies. note to self: look into it more and look up all the different vampire names mentioned in this section.

3. observation: Bella doesn't watch much television and none of the kids have cell phones. It seems like there is limited technology throughout the book. Significance?

4. pg. 176
Every touch is a big deal, noted here when Bella touches Edward's fingers. The incident with the men "herding" Bella a few pages back: It is obvious that they were planning to rape or otherwise defile her yet no mention is ever made of them even wanting to touch her. They don't make lewd remarks or come close to cursing. Aside from the implications of their "herding" they don't even seem rough. Later, Edward is angry when he rescues her but all he says is it's hard for him to leave them alive after seeing what they're thinking, seeing Bella's face in their heads.

In this instance and throughout the book, it seems like there is something missing, like you're hearing the shell of a story and not the inside. There is alot of emphasis on little details and it seems like this is trying to fill the void.

5. Observation: Edward mentions he is dangerous, he says it is hard for him to leave the men he rescued Bella from alive, but he takes extra care to elude any violence. He pulls Bella out of the way of Tyler's van earlier in the book but never even yells at Tyler. He even helps him later on to ask Bella to the prom. Sometimes it seems as if proposing violence would be ideal but he never does or mentions it. He clenches his fists instead and his eyes get black.

6. Bella is plain yet all the boys like her when she arrives in Forks...????

Antoher quote from Meyers' page solves this one:
"Why do all the guys at Forks High like Bella if she's supposed to be average-looking? Is she pretty or not?

Some parts of Bella's experiences are modeled after real life (my life, to be exact) in order to ground the fantasy aspects of the story in solid reality. Ironically, many of the details that are one hundred percent reality are the ones that are called into question the most (as illustrated by some of my angry Amazon reviews). In this particular case, I modeled Bella's move to Forks after my real life move from high school to college. (Personal story alert!) I mentioned in my bio that I went to a high school in Scottsdale, AZ, which is Arizona's version of Beverly Hills (picture the high school in the movie Clueless). In high school, I was a mousy, A-track wall-flower. I had a lot of incredible girlfriends, but I wasn't much sought after by the Y chromosomes, if you know what I mean. Then I went to college in Provo, Utah. Let me tell you, my stock went through the roof. See, beauty is a lot more subjective than you might think. In Scottsdale, surrounded by barbies, I was about a five. In Provo, surrounded by normal people, I was more like an eight. I had dates every weekend with lots of really pretty and intelligent boys (some of whose names end up in my books). It was quite confusing at first, because I knew there was nothing different about me. (Side note: don't ever let anyone tell you that high school is supposed to be fun. High school is to be endured. College is fun.)

Back to Bella. Here's a short excerpt from a character study I did recently (I wrote the first chapter of Twilight from Edward's point of view; it turned out really cool, and, eventually, Midnight Sun will be published so that everyone can read it.), which shows Bella's first day a school as seen by Edward's mind-reading perspective. It explains the excitement over her arrival:

Today, all thoughts were consumed with the trivial drama of a new addition to the small student body here. It took so little to work them all up. I'd seen the new face repeated in thought after thought from every angle. Just an ordinary human girl. The excitement over her arrival was tiresomely predictable—like flashing a shiny object at a child. Half the sheep-like males were already imagining themselves in love with her, just because she was something new to look at."

Also. in another quote from her site, Meyer clears up the question of Bella's appearance as not only I was left wondering:
What does Bella look like?

I left out a detailed description of Bella in the book so that the reader could more easily step into her shoes. However, so many people have asked this question, I have decided to tell you what she looks like to me. But I want to stress, Bella's looks are open to interpretation.

In my head, Bella is very fair-skinned, with long, straight, dark brown hair and chocolate brown eyes. Her face is heart-shaped—a wide forehead with a widow's peak, large, wide-spaced eyes, prominent cheekbones, and then a thin nose and a narrow jaw with a pointed chin. Her lips are a little out of proportion, a bit too full for her jaw line. Her eyebrows are darker than her hair and more straight than they are arched. She's five foot four inches tall, slender but not at all muscular, and weighs about 115 pounds. She has stubby fingernails because she has a nervous habit of biting them. And there's your very detailed description."

Ok, that's all for now. Keep a lookout for more reading journal entries!

~Astrid Celestia
"Not all who wander are aimless"

Hello Potterholics!
Astrid here with some exciting news about new content for my blog. As you know, Potterholics Annonymous is an avid supporter of literacy. We all think books are wonderful feats, providing everything from knowledge to insight to doors leading to other worlds entirely. I myself am a very hungry reader, eating up every word I can find. I love to analyze the books I read, research the authors, the time period in which a story takes place, the myth behind it, the ideas that were planted in order to sprout these stories. I must confess that I have notebook upon notebook filled with notes that I never share. Simple things I write down as I read. Sometimes it's just a quote or a reminder to look into something further, sometimes it's pages and pages of reflection, my feelings about what I've read, my opinions.

I started this blog in order to share my reflections about the myth and mysteries behind Harry Potter. The articles on the topics that I write here are based on the notes that I always take when reading. Therefore, I have decided to take it all a step further. I'm going to share with you all, the notes I write for EVERY book I read. Please feel free to comment back, e-mail me, or send me your own notes on the selections I post.

The first one....Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer. I'm already almost halfway through, as I read very fast. Very soon, I will post the notes I have written so far, along with links to interviews from the author and other such reference material I use to explore this novel.

I'm really looking forward to writing this and I'm hoping you're looking forward to reading it.

~Astrid Celestia
"Not all who wander are aimless."

Just and update, no teaser yet, sorry everyone! I'm hard at work on the new article encompassing myths and mysteries in chapter one of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, The Boy Who Lived. I can tell you this much, it's ALOT longer than the first ;).

Keep checking back. I'll keep updating until I post the article.

~Astrid Celestia
"Not all who wander are aimless."

Hey Potter Fans!
I've been hard at work on the new article which will cover chapter one (The Boy Who Lived) in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (US Paperback version). If you've never read The Boy Who Lived it would be a good idea to do so now. Also, know that there will be some spoilers to future books.
Article 2 will be alot to do with foreshadowing and signs. This chapter holds alot of them. It is turning out to be alot longer than the first and will cover more than one topic.
That's all for now, I don't want to spill ALL the beans. :)

Stay tuned, I'll be posting another little teaser soon....maybe with a title.

~Astrid Celestia
"Not all who wander are aimless."

Happy Spring eveyone! Wether you celebrate Beltane like me or Passover, Easter, Holi, or other spring holiday, I hope it's a good one.
Spring is a great celbration of life. Flowers bloom, animals come out of hibernation, the trees come alive, the grass is green again. Everything has new life in the spring. I encourage you all now to go out and celebrate life in your own way. The weather is getting warmer in most parts of the world so go outside and let yourself reawaken as nature does. Connect with this world as you never have before! Let the spring rain wash away the dormance of winter. Let the beautiful sun warm your heart. Enjoy this time, enjoy yourself.
Life is too short... You never know when this changing season will be your last so enjoy it. Don't let even one second pass you by without taking the time to appreciate it and all that is within it.
Love makes the world turn.

~Astrid Celestia~
Not all who wander are aimless...

WARNING: A FEW REFERENCES IN THIS ARTICLE MAY NOT BE APPROPRIATE FOR CHILDREN UNDER 16

Hello Potterholics!
Today I will explore the title of the first book in our favorite epic series: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. As many of my fellow Potterholics know, the original title (and still is in the UK) of this first book was Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. The title was later Americanized in order to sound more attractive or some nonsense like that.
The Philosopher's Stone is reffered to in the book as "a legendary substance with astonishing powers. The stone will transform any metal into pure gold. It also produces the Elixer of Life, which will make the drinker immortal." (chap.13, pg.220, U.S. paperback). This passage also mentions Nicolas Flamel and his wife Perenelle. There is a text by a Mr. Titus Burckhardt called "Alchemy" that was written to teach the study of this ancient science of the cosmos (I highly reccomend it although it is rather advanced). This text holds an entire chapter about the story of Nicolas Flamel and his wife. You see, Nicolas Flamel was a real alchemist from the 1300's! J.K. Rowling used this amazing piece of history in her work and it is real. It makes you think what else might be real too, eh?


The story of Nicolas Flamel in Burckhardts text includes some notes from Burckhardt himself but is mostly Flamel's own story about how he discovered a book that held instructions to make a philosopher's stone. The story is from Nicolas Flamel's own book. It's HIS own story! Now, a little history about this interesting, mysterious man:
Nicolas Flamel was a real alchemist born in France in 1330. In his writings, he tells of the beautiful book he found made from the bark of young trees. He says that the man he bought it from must have had no idea what he'd had. The book had pictures and symbols depicting various pieces to a puzzle that, together, represented the formula and instructions to create the ultimate alchemical work; a stone that can turn any metal into pure gold. Flamel lived well into his 80's and, in 1410, he designed his own tombstone carved with arcane alchemical signs and symbols. He is said to have died shortly after. There is a story, that a criminal, intent on stealing Flamel's magical stone, searched his home and then went to dig up his tomb after finding nothing. However, upon digging up the tomb, rumor has it that the criminal found no body. Legends say that Nicolas Flamel did figure out how to make the Philospher's Stone and that he and Perenelle achieved immortality and are still alive to this day. In his writings, Flamel does say that he discovered the correct formula to make a Philosopher's Stone and successfully turned quicksilver into gold, though he mentions nothing about immortality in the passage from his book in Burckhardt's text.


There are even more connections between Nicolas Flamel's own story and the references in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.
1. Flamel mentions, " the blood of sacrificial innocents signifies the mineral spirit contained in all metals," as the blood of sacrificed children being one ingredient of the formula. He also later writes, " I committed thousands of mistakes without, of course, using blood which would have been cruel and villainous. For I had discovered from my book that what philosophers called blood was none other than the mineral spirit contained in metals..." This "spirit" is considered by alchemists to be the main ingredient to achieve immortality.
In chapter fifteen of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (The Forbidden Forest), Ronan the centaur says, "'Always the innocent are the first victims...So it has been for ages past, so it is now'" He is speaking, in this case, about the unicorns that had been recently slain in the forest. One of the most powerful magical creatures, als possessing pure innocence, is slain to sustain someone who is even an inch from death. We should all thank J.K. Rowling for not using the alchemical reference that Burckhardt did but she still captures the horrendous nature of slaying something innocent just as Nicolas Flamel says that it is "cruel and villainous." Firenze says this passage to explain the monstrosity of slaying a unicorn;
"...it is a monstrous thing, to slay a unicorn,...only one who has nothing to lose, and everything to gain, would commit such a crime. The blood of a unicorn will keep you alive even if you are an inch from death, but at a terrible price. You have slain something pure and defenseless to save yourself, and you will have but a half-life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips."
(chap. 15, pg. 258, U.S. paperback)


2. "...the reflection smiled out at him. It put its hand into its pocket and pulled out a blood-red stone."
(chap. 17, pg.292. U.S. paperback)
Nicolas Flamel himself writes that he accomplished "the work" using "the red stone" and with it transmuted quicksilver into gold.
JKR used the real story of Nicolas Flamel here as well. The supposedly real Philosopher's Stone was also red.


Now I encourage all of you to go out there and discover the myth and mysteries behind the real Nicolas Flamel and his discovery of the Philosopher's Stone. Next up, The Boy Who Lived.



references:
Alchemy: Science of the Cosmos, Science of the Soul
By Titus Burckhardt


Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, U.S. paperback version
by J.K. Rowling


Astrid Celestia and Potterholics Annonymous are in no way affiliated with JK Rowling, Scholastic Inc., Warner Brothers Studios, etc., etc.



~Astrid Celestia~
Not all who wnader are aimless...

Hello to all Potterholics!
Welcome to Astrid's Journal. Here I, Astrid, am going to post my column for the Potterholics Annonymous Daily Prophet called Myth and Mystery. It is a column to explore the story behind the story. I plan to go chapter by chapter, analyzing each and uncovering myths and mysteries between the lines.


I encourage all you readers to do your own research as well. If you find things that I may have missed, please feel free to e-mail me and let me know. I will gladly feature all reader discoveries that are sited and well researched.


When Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows came out last year, I know that many of my fellow potterholics were saddened and upset that the tory had to end. There was a scramble to write fanfic, and join as many messageboards as we can. Well here's a way to keep the story going. We all hope for more and now we can have it!


WARNING: The articles go chapter by chapter. However, each one may reference points from farther in the book or even in other books. If you haven't read them all, beware of spoilers.




Potterholic and Proud!
Astrid Celestia