Legends, Myths & Lies ~ March 2024 ~ What secrets do maps tell ….

Hey, hey, My Fantastical Readers—

Are you curious about my latest world-building project? Recently, I created a story map and hired an artist to complete the final touches to make it ‘look’ like it was on the hide of an animal’s skin.

Maps in a storyline improve the book’s mystery, depth, and authenticity, drawing readers into an entirely fantastical universe. The imagination and work it took to create an unknown world and draw up a land mass is unbelievable. World-building is very involved, from crafting complicated and immersive settings within a story to historical, cultural, and even political aspects. In making a world map, various factors are taken into consideration.

My map is relatively simple in design. However, other authors/creators might have to consider the civilization’s population, food supply, temperature, and traditions, and it will take varying drafts to make the project perfect. Also, the written narrative descriptions must align with the map’s physical environment.

Why does an author create a map? Or even need a map?

Ultimately, the most essential part of crafting a story world is making it come alive for the reader. I love opening a fantasy or science fiction book and finding a map—it’s impressive!

Here’s a sneak peek map section for one of my books. I’ll share more with you in the future.

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FACTUAL TALES: Unraveling the mystery behind St. Patrick’s Day isn’t easy. I’ve read many articles, skimmed many paragraphs … (Lol), and learned it is Ireland’s most significant national holiday. The Irish have celebrated the religious holiday for over a thousand years. However, it’s not legally considered a holiday in America, although the thirteen colonies celebrated it in 1737.

Who is St. Patrick? What are the facts, mysteries, and stories behind St. Patrick’s Day?

From my legend sleuthing expertise, Patrick’s real name was Maewyn Succat. However, after being ordained, he took on the name Patrick. There are many Legends, Myths & maybe even some lies in the articles I have read. A popular folklore often shared with St. Patrick is that he banished snakes from Ireland, forcing them to slither into the sea—but the fact is Ireland’s fossil archives reveal zero traces of snakes. Legend, Myth, or Lie, we will never actually know. Truth be told, Irish historians can’t even point to the truth of his burial site.

Stay tuned for more blarney … Lol

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Author extraordinaire of the Month: Sofia Simpson

Sofia’s book will be released on February 6th.

Blurb: Torch

Running away from the deadly Extremists seemed like the right thing to do. But in Vela’s escape with Linc to a hidden, remote place in Northern Canada, she soon finds being on the run is just as dangerous. Crossing Elemental territory lines where boundaries are the most volatile and prejudices run hot, Vela and Linc struggle to stay alive.

Limping into the uppermost reaches of Canada to their off-the-grid sanctuary, they discover a utopia. Families of intermarriages, couples with differing elements, have produced children with multiple gifts and Vela and Linc see what their world could be if their clans stopped fighting.

The answer is to unite the clans, which a long-awaited prophecy promises if the Chosen Child comes. Vela is forced to accept she might be the mother of this Child, but is she willing to be a part of the prophecy? To complicate her life further, Rayne, a resident of the community, is determined to win Vela’s attentions. Her Intended bond with Linc doesn’t stop him from trying everything he can to entice her.

Can Linc win the fight for her heart? Will this prophecy be her undoing or the Elementals’ salvation?

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Sofia’s Bio:

Sofia grew up moving constantly. Never in one place more than three years, there was plenty of time to daydream during long car rides. College finally gave her a chance to study what she had always dreamed of doing, writing her stories. She obtained a B.A. in Journalism, married her handsome husband and had two amazing sons.

A big believer in dreaming big, Sofia loves speaking to youth, encouraging them to find hope no matter what their life looks like. Sofia is a daughter of the Lord first and foremost and finds inspiration with the stories like King David and Esther.

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CHECK OUT …. Cyndi’s Bookshelf Reviews at Tanstaafl Press: http://www.tanstaaflpress.com, where I reviewed Sofia Simpson’s first book, Terra.

Tanstaafl Press is also a GREAT spot to check out new books TBR, especially if you are a science fiction and fantasy reader.

Welcome a new Contributor: Tom Gondolfi, owner of Tanstaafl Press and a fellow author.

Tom and I will share articles/reviews in one another’s newsletters. It is our hope you will find our approach educational and engaging. You can join his mailing list at www.tanstaaflpress.com

Review: DUNE 2 Don’t Bother

Reviewer: Tom Gondolfi

Score: D or 1 star

Overall:

Folks, I’m probably going to take a good deal of heat about this one, but as a huge fan of Frank Herbert’s Dune* I can’t give this movie a pass. There were too many key changes to the story that made it a poor film adaptation. I went into this with such high hopes (even after the marginal Dune 1), only to be dashed on the rocks and my liver eaten out by a giant bird.

NOTE: Spoilers to follow

The Good –There are only a few:

Gurney Halleck knowing where the family atomics were fills in a gap that was in the books.
Once again, seeing a true thopter that I see when I read the books was exhilarating.
I also enjoyed the darkness/stark black and white of planet Harko and thought it was good filmmaking.
I also enjoyed the special effect that gave the oily fireworks on Harko (that shows how far I have to reach to find something good).

The Bad – There are so many it’s hard to choose:

This movie didn’t even really have the majesty that made Dune 1 almost tolerable.
Once again (like Dune 1), the interpersonal relationships are almost totally lacking
Feyd Rautha is a psychopath with no real intelligence in the movie where as in the book he was cruel and cunning.
Chani leaves Paul when he demands the Princess’s hand to be Emperor.
The use of nuclear weapons to destroy the spice instead of the water of life.
Effectively zero talk about the ecology of Dune.
Chani isn’t recognized the daughter of Liet.
The family atomics are missiles… Never talked about in the book.
Alia is never born in this book but rather speaks through Jessica.
The Bene Gesserit basically made the Emperor move again House Atreides rather than because the Atreides had trained a few warriors better than the Sardukar
The “superiority” of the Sardukar were almost never mentioned.
The Emperor had used the Harkonnens in the past to do his dirty work.
How Paul really became one of the fremen… by being successful in battle.
How Stilgar really started as “a creature” of Maudib rather than transitioned there.
No mention of Count Fenring at all (his wife, yes, but not him).
Spice being like some mineral in the sand rather than the biproduct of the ecology of Dune, the little maker, etcetera.

… and the list goes on and on.

Summation:

I stayed to the end to see if they could pull something out at the twelfth hour, but I checked out of the story they presented long before and probably should have left early.

If you never read the books, you will probably enjoy the movie (if you can follow it). If you loved the book, I would avoid this like the plague.

While a fan of the original book, I didn’t like the remainder of the series.

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