Summary: It tells the story of a discriminated-against teenage witch who must find his father or suffer a terrible death. The themes include the nuances of “good”; social alienation and discrimination; betrayal and personal integrity.
I was recommended this Netflix series and became quickly immersed in the plight of the main character and his new found friends. Unaware of the YA trilogy, I watched with bated breath as the challenges and dangers increased. Although, I subsequently found out the story in the books is different, the skillful script writing cannot be doubted. The normal good against evil is slightly skewed as both sides have reason to hate the other for savage attacks.
In a world of Fain’s (non-witches), Blood Witches and Fairborn Witches we find Nathan, a half fain-half blood witch, who is monitored by the Fairborn Council almost from birth. He is spared death due to a prophecy, which both sides are anxiously awaiting. He is forced into harsh training by the Fairborn Council, in the hope he will conquer their most elusive and feared enemy.
I enjoyed the world building, the differences perceived by each side as the excuse for their actions, (neither side is all good, or all bad) and the ceremonies a young witch goes through on their seventeenth birthday when their power is engaged.
It is not often a ‘new’ story comes to the screen and this one is fascinating and immersing.
As I begin 2017 my first week includes my writers group meeting on 3rd January. The Writers Foundation of Strathcona County meets every first Tuesday of each month year round. We share our writing for constructive critique, exercise our writing muscles with prompts and on occasion enjoy a talk on a particular writing related subject.
I find these meetings to be a wealth of inspiration, a great place to network and allow me to receive feedback on writing projects.
This week also sees our new Writers in Residence for Edmonton and area. This scheme allows writers/authors to receive excellent feedback on sections of their manuscripts. https://www.epl.ca/news/libraries-name-2017-writers-in-residence/
Our ‘local’ author will be: http://www.albertanativenews.com/edmonton-metro-libraries-welcome-2017-writer-in-residence-richard-van-camp/
I welcome you to share your first week’s events, projects, meetings here as well.
Immerse yourself in medieval England and follow the tale of Guillem Ruet, the renown troubadour, as he relays a magical story for the King’s court unaware of its true power.
A four star review to wet your appetite – https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/958630299
So summer is dawning and our thoughts turn to relaxation with a great book, or if you are like me books! I thought this special offer would appeal to many of you. You will find a wide range of books in various genres available at http://www.dreamwritepublishing.ca/catalog/books
Buy a book (any book, any order) on line in June and July from the Dream Write Publishing catalog >> Read them. Enjoy them at home, at the beach, at the cabin, on the bus… or wherever you might be this summer. >> Review them. Write up a short “how you feel” about the book and send it back via the contact us form on the web site. We will post them on the book’s page so others can read your review (we will only put your first name). Buy 2 books – one in June and one in July – and get the August book 50% off >> Request your 3rd book from Dream Write Publishing via email and we will send it out to you at a discount! To be fair to the third author, please, send us a review for that book, too.
Why not join in the fun?
Quotes:
A good, sympathetic review is always a wonderful surprise. Joyce Carol Oates
As writers go, I have a skin of average thickness. I am pleased by a good review, disappointed by a bad. None of it penetrates far enough to influence the thing I write next. Rachel Cusk
Rumble will be accompanying me – he just loves lots of cuddles!
Now let’s think of a prompt for today. How about a short review of your favorite book? It will give you some practice before your first book order arrives from Dream Write Publishing!
My community announced the new Writers in Residence for 2014 recently – the details are below.
I would like to say if you have the opportunity to meet and gain wisdom and help from a Writer in Residence, then do so. Having an expert review your work and give you authoritative assistance, all for free, is worth its weight in gold. If you are unsure contact your local library for their residency details.
Margaret Macpherson
Margaret Macpherson has worked as a full-time professional writer, teacher and editorial/educational mentor for the last decade. With a Masters of Fine Arts (Creative Writing) from UBC and she was widely published in newspapers and magazines both nationally and internationally before moving to Alberta in 1994.
After a career in journalism and teaching, which took her to the East Coast and Bermuda, Margaret began playing in long narrative prose. She has subsequently published seven books, both fiction and non fiction, including a biography entitled Nellie McClung: Voice for the Voiceless which won the Canadian Authors Association (CAA) Exporting Alberta Award in 2004.
Her collection of short stories Perilous Departures (2004), and her first novel, Released (2007) were both nominated for Manitoba Book Awards and her last novel Body Trade won the DeBeers Northwords Prize in 2012.
An essayist, poet and storyteller, Margaret has worked as a fiction editor for three different literary magazines and regularly performs poetry and aural story telling.
She represented Alberta in the National CBC Poetry Face-Off (2006) and has won (and lost) the coveted Story Slam championship.
An expressive arts practitioner, Margaret mucks about with oils and pastels and has sold the odd watercolour. She has written and co-produced a CD of original music and has had one of her plays produced in Vancouver’s NewWorks festival.
Although Edmonton has been home for the last 18 years, Margaret grew up in the Northwest Territories, and has lived extensively in Halifax, Bermuda, Vancouver and Nelson, BC. She lives with her husband, three kids and a very black cat.
Jason Lee Norman
Jason Lee Norman was born and raised in the Edmonton area. With a degree in English from the University of Alberta and a Masters in Creative Writing from the University of Manchester he returned to Edmonton in 2009 to make his fortune. He is the author of two short story collections: ‘Americas’ and ‘Beautiful Girls & Famous Men’ and is the co-founder of the #yegwords (Words with Friends) creative writing collective which holds regular events in Edmonton throughout the year, including the very popular Word Crawl.
In 2013 he introduced Edmonton to 40 Below: Edmonton’s Winter Anthology. 70 pieces of poetry, fiction, and non-fiction all about or inspired by winter in Edmonton. 40 Below was published by Jason’s small publishing concern Wufniks Press.
In the past few years Jason has nominated himself for dozens of awards but has won very few. He hopes to one day finish his novel so that it may receive a scathing review in the National Post. Thus completing the circle of life
And for the fun part of today : Invent your own country! It can be on earth or another planet. Inhabited by humans or aliens. Hostile or idyllic. Let your imagination go wild.
Mandy Eve-Barnett's Blog for Readers & Writers 