MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 2321

Topics covered in this issue include:

  1) Re: life bonding
	by Jodie8581-+AT+-aol.com
  2) Re: Leaving
	by "David H. Tiffany" <davidt-+AT+-cet.com>
  3) Re: Leaving
	by "David H. Tiffany" <davidt-+AT+-cet.com>
  4) braiding, braiding, braiding :)
	by T Stafford <ki_moira-+AT+-yahoo.com>
  5) trauma
	by Laura Jean Rossier <lrossier-+AT+-ic.sunysb.edu>
  6) Re: trauma
	by Kenneth Allen Hyde <kenny-+AT+-UDel.Edu>
  7) RE: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 2320
	by "Hill, Susan" <susan.hill-+AT+-weyerhaeuser.com>
  8) Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 2317
	by "Barbara Martin" <Barbara-+AT+-joymartin.freeserve.co.uk>
  9) A Where, A Thank You and A GoodBye
	by "Sky Tigress" <skytigress-+AT+-hotmail.com>
 10) Re: trauma
	by "David H. Tiffany" <davidt-+AT+-cet.com>
 11) Sheeps and Crazyness
	by Sara Peek <saddlefan-+AT+-yahoo.com>
 12) Sheeps and Crazyness
	by Sara Peek <saddlefan-+AT+-yahoo.com>
 13) Re: Sheeps and Crazyness
	by Kerowyn73-+AT+-aol.com
 14) Re: genes and we're all related, mages
	by Songjewel <songjewel-+AT+-yahoo.com>
 15) an assortment
	by Abby Normal <ambermoon_00-+AT+-yahoo.com>
 16) Sorry /Leaving
	by "Jay Lee" <jay-+AT+-natureavenue.com>

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Thu, 8 Jun 2000 09:51:05 EDT
From: Jodie8581-+AT+-aol.com
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: life bonding
Message-ID: <a0.5818255.2670fec9-+AT+-aol.com>

Aura wrote <<Are there any examples of life-bonds lacking a
depressed partner?  I can't think of any at the moment.  =(  >>

I also thought about talia and dirk (i believe was his name), they were life 
bonded and neither of them had any serious issues, talia delt with hers 
before the two were life bonded, she used kris as her support at the time.  

Also kerowyn and Elden also had somewhat of a different lifebond.  He was 
there to help her in her dreams, but she didn't really have too many 
problems.  She also didn't understand any of that was real at the time either.

just a different thought on the lifebonds

In response to the age thing   i am 18

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 8 Jun 2000 07:32:43 -0700 (PDT)
From: "David H. Tiffany" <davidt-+AT+-cet.com>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: Leaving
Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.3.96.1000608073234.221E-100000-+AT+-davidt>



On Thu, 8 Jun 2000 XShadowXBladeIX-+AT+-aol.com wrote:

> Sorry to say this but ill make it sweet and short. Iam leaving the mailing 
> list and every sorry to do so. But I did not come here to have people 
> "Beside" things about me.  I come to this list just because I love Mercedes' 
> lackeys books and wished to talk about them to people that loved them as much 
> as I do. But I have find it every hard to keep myself going, when I dont come 
> online because I know something is waiting for me in my email know its time 
> for me to leave. with the emails about my "lack" Of spelling and grammar 
> skills.  I had come here in hopes to talk about afew things I did not 
> understand, and things that I find every intriguing to me. 
> 
> I do take everything everyone say's on this mailing list to heart for the 
> faced that all my life people have been doing this to me. Putting me doing 
> and telling me how to "make" all my spelling and grammar "problems" go away. 
> And my sorry to say this people but teacher for 18years have not  helped me 
> with my "Problems". All the things you have sugged I do have already been 
> tryed in school for 18 years and out of school for 4 years.  You have no idea 
> what it is like for me, and everything on this mailing list has hurt me 
> deeply for the simple thing I though people had changed. But I still see that 
> some and Iam not saying all off you still have every closed minded ideas 
> about what everyone thinks is a "wrong".
> 
> Would you ask one of the heralds or hawkbothers to change a gift slimpe 
> because you did not understand it, or just because it was different then 
> yours? Is it so hard to try and understand what Iam trying to say in an 
> email? I dont think it is, and would never ask you to change something that 
> was part of you. As your hair color and eyes color is aport of you so is my 
> spelling and grammer. That will allways be a gift the gods have given me and 
> I do see it as a gift.
> 
> 
> 
> Smiples Shadow.
> 


------------------------------

Date: Thu, 8 Jun 2000 07:40:44 -0700 (PDT)
From: "David H. Tiffany" <davidt-+AT+-cet.com>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: Leaving
Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.3.96.1000608073617.221G-100000-+AT+-davidt>

Sorry about repeating the previous post, I meant to append an 
apology to it, as I had not been aware that, as several have
now informed me, the person in question does indeed have
a disability. I had taken him for one of the lazy horde who
seem to infest the net these days who just can't be bothered.

btw, maybe someday I'll post the god-awful mess I turn out before 
I edit my posts. I didn't choose my area of divinity by accident.
8-{)#

David H Tiffany, God over potties


------------------------------

Date: Thu, 8 Jun 2000 08:33:43 -0700 (PDT)
From: T Stafford <ki_moira-+AT+-yahoo.com>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: braiding, braiding, braiding :)
Message-ID: <20000608153343.9630.qmail-+AT+-web122.yahoomail.com>



> <<I thought the idea of steeds being able to change
> into cars in the Elven 
> books was pretty neat, but I wonder what happens
> when the steed has an 
> illness . . . engine problem?>>
> 
I always thought that the elvensteeds were creatures
of magic and wouldn't get ill. It does spark the
imagination, though - would a leg injury be revealed
as a flat tire, perhaps? LOL :)


Someone else mentioned the Chosen refusing the
Companion. In WofFate I believe Elspeth makes a
comment about how she wished that Heralds could
repuidiate (I don't have the book with me at work so
that may be a little off)

As for age and location: I am 29 and live in northwest
Alabama and travel the interstate to northeast
Mississippi to work every day!

The Black Swan: Just finished it myself and agree with
whoever said it would be a good read-aloud story. I
would suggest it for an older audience, though (I'm
reading all of Misty's books aloud to my partner as we
travel the roads with our jewelry)

Blessings to all!
Windborn

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Photos -- now, 100 FREE prints!
http://photos.yahoo.com

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 8 Jun 2000 11:46:06 -0400 (EDT)
From: Laura Jean Rossier <lrossier-+AT+-ic.sunysb.edu>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: trauma
Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.4.21.0006081132590.1308-100000-+AT+-sparky.ic.sunysb.edu>


> 
> Date: Wed, 07 Jun 2000 18:03:20 -0700
> From: Cat Ray <sgray1-+AT+-uswest.net>
> 
> As to the general "family dysfunction" plot device--it's an old standby of 


I agree that personal trauma can lead to dynamic characters, and that
developement and catharsis are good page turners.  But is that required
for a "good" story?  I do know that LHM is my favorite saga and it was
cerrtainly rife with personal trauma.
 
 However Elspeth came from a relatively stable background.  (although this
lack of trauma may be why so many list-sibs vehemantly dislike her
stories) 

 Another plot device is the relatively innocent character who has a duty
or a quest and grows through the trauma and pain of the world around them
as they're exposed to it.  Apparently the literature we read today
reflects the mottos "no pain, no gain" and that for every joyful
achievement there is an underlieing sadness of loss.  


Laura


------------------------------

Date: Thu, 8 Jun 2000 12:38:31 -0400 (EDT)
From: Kenneth Allen Hyde <kenny-+AT+-UDel.Edu>
To: Misty Lackey List <mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk>
Subject: Re: trauma
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.4.05.10006081228470.3048-100000-+AT+-copland.udel.edu>

On Thu, 8 Jun 2000, Laura Jean Rossier wrote:

> I agree that personal trauma can lead to dynamic characters, and that
> developement and catharsis are good page turners.  But is that
> required for a "good" story?

Well, when you think about it, some of the classic works of fantasy
fiction are about people who did not have bad childhoods and who are not
from dysfunctional families.  For example, two classics that spring to
mind are "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings," both of which focus on
characters who are from very stable, ordinary backgrounds.  What makes the
stories wonderful is that the ordinary, homely people find themselves
doing extraordinary and magical things.  I personally like these stories
better than the other kind.  I'd hate to think that having a terrible
family background is a necessary price that you have to pay if you want to
have some really cool adventures (or just save the world).

> Apparently the literature we read today reflects the mottos "no pain,
> no gain" and that for every joyful achievement there is an underlieing
> sadness of loss.

Well, then there's Don Callander's books, which are wonderful, IMNSHO.  In
his books (particularly the Pyromancer series), even when the characters
have bad things happening to them, they don't get all angsty and whiny.
They just get on with life and have their adventures and make friends.
Still, I think that all authors accept the basic premise that nothing of
great good comes for free.  There is always a price to be paid or an
effort to be made.  Mostly I think this is because while the readers of a
book might willing suspend their disbelief enough to accept wizards and
dragons and singing swords, they would not suspend it enough to accept
someone saving the world without any effort. =)

May the seas be your solace and the forests a refuge for your spirit,

Cennydd
Councilor of Mist

Kenneth Allen Hyde     |  No matter how subtle the wizard, a knife
Univ. of Delaware      |  between the shoulder blades will seriously
Dept. of Linguistics   |  cramp his style  -- Old Jhereg proverb
kenny-+AT+-Udel.Edu         |  A mind is a terrible toy to waste! -- Me

//www.ling.udel.edu/hyde/prof/ken.html



------------------------------

Date: Thu, 8 Jun 2000 10:24:27 -0700 
From: "Hill, Susan" <susan.hill-+AT+-weyerhaeuser.com>
To: "'mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk'" <mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk>
Subject: RE: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 2320
Message-ID: <872A9D7CC09CD11188CE00805FBB042E05BFFCD0-+AT+-emswwc7.weyer.com>

Okay first off:
Every one take a deep breath and have a chilled sheep pill.

How about we all just LET IT GO. Yes, the spellings are bad, 
(I have my own opinion about that, but look - I'm not sharing
 it!) You can't read it, then skip it. its simple.

TRIM YOUR QUOTES, PEOPLE. Braid or no braid, I can't 
stand going through a digest and seeing the same email 
5! times in its entirity because someone didn't trim it 
when they replied, and then someone replied to the 
relpy and STILL didn't trim it, and so on and so on. I'm no
 councilor but if this continues I'm going to send some 
*mafia sheep* to beat up on you people. <grin> 

The main reasons to do this are as follows:
#1. The more fluffy crap you send means more work for
the listserv, and thats baaaaad. 
#2. People PAY for emails, literally BY THE NUMBER OF 
LINES IN THE EMAIL, so less is more money in their 
pockets. And more money = can buy more Misty books,
and more purchases of Misty books means more Misty
books written. So we all win!

So trim 'em up, folks. 

Okay, since we're taking a census:
I'm also in Seattle, and I'm 25. I am a transplanted southerner from Alabama
though.

RE:Lifebonds and companion gifts...
Companions seem to fit the needs of their choosen - remember 
Tashir? Ghost (the companion) was a *mind healer*. So its not
unheard of that you get specialized companion if you need it. 
And lets face it, Lan needed it.

RE:Unwilling Chosen
Seems to me, Companions would assess a potential Herald
before creating the bond - and assess if the person was willing
to give up their previous life. Remember, there's got to be
a "devotion to duty" (AotQ) quality there. And most people
who understand duties probably would understand you can
do more for more people as a Herald. (Exception might be a 
Healer, as in the owl books).  And keep in mind that the 
Crown does compensate families and towns for the loss of
the person who becomes a Herald. (Talia and the issue with
Skif and the Book - something about taxes?)

Now the interesting caveat to this would be a hotly contested 
manor/landholding that only had one heir - said heir is Gifted
and needs training - say with Mage Gift, heir is happy and 
well adjusted (as mentioned earlier, unlike many of the Misty
heros!) and gets choosen. Land/District goes into borderline
"civil war" because there's no clear person left to inherit. So
now what? How does the political structure handle this? Tashir
is the closest case, and his land ended up as part of Valdemar.

Okay, enough OB misty from me. 

Remember, keep taking those valium sheep, gang. Some of the 
"comments" are getting pretty personal. If you want to do so, 
fine, but take it off list. 

-Suzi, hater of un-trimed replies. <Grin>


------------------------------

Date: Thu, 8 Jun 2000 18:59:15 +0100
From: "Barbara Martin" <Barbara-+AT+-joymartin.freeserve.co.uk>
To: <mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk>
Subject: Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 2317
Message-ID: <005901bfd173$6c7c6880$da54883e-+AT+-master>

Hey all!
Returned from London, degree finished, joining the unemployed...
>From: Paige <ppwalker-+AT+-sympatico.ca>
>Subject: Re: Recycled Names
> there's a servant (I think) named Medren, same as Vans
nephew.
Indeed there is, I believe he is Jadus servant's in Arrows of the Queen. Do
I have his name right? I think so. The lovely chap who taught Talia the harp
(lucky girl).
Paige, congratulations on Amanda. Tristaan - three cheers for your daughter
with the lovely name - Charis Ileana. I like it!
And Kat, I'm 21, female and resident in Norwich, England. Haven't got the
hang of chat rooms or Instant Messaging yet though  -  if anyone has advice
please email me off list.
>From: "Sky Tigress"
>Subject: Re: Darkwind and Companions
>one of Misty's
>books of complied shortstories gave a good explaination.
>People are Choosen because they have to gift/want/ability to help their
>country, but can't for one reason or another (shyness, social status, self
>hate, ect.)  And personally I think DW is doing a pretty good job helping
>everybody out w/o a Companion, don't you?
That's the best explanation I heard yet! Thanks, that really does make
sense. I must re-read the short stories. I have time now - no more medieval
French music for a while, or at least till I get my new website up and
running.
Have fun, all,
~Babs


------------------------------

Date: Thu, 08 Jun 2000 12:25:02 PDT
From: "Sky Tigress" <skytigress-+AT+-hotmail.com>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: A Where, A Thank You and A GoodBye
Message-ID: <20000608192502.73260.qmail-+AT+-hotmail.com>

>>Something else I would like to know:  Where does everyone live?<<

I live near the top of the state of Kentucky (The second bump
down, actually ~grins~)


>Subject: Re: Darkwind and Companions
>>That's the best explanation I heard yet! Thanks, that really does make 
>>sense. ~Babs<<

Thank YOU for the compliment!

Hmmm... well, sorry there isn't much more... I can't think of any OBMisty's. 
  Oh yes, goodbye to XShadowXBladelX, sorry we aren't the realization of 
your dream.

-SkyTigress
On the Internet, nobody knows you're a cat.
Email: SkyTigress-+AT+-hotmail.com
URL:  http://www.crosswinds.net/~skytigress/
             ___                      _
         _.-|   |                    ( (
        {   |   |       /\___/\      | |
         "-.|___|       \ o o / ___ _) )
          .__|_|_.     _(  Y  )  \. `O /
          |      |   _((_ `^-' _ /__<  \
        .+|______|_.-|__)`-' (((/   ((_d

________________________________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com


------------------------------

Date: Thu, 8 Jun 2000 14:23:18 -0700 (PDT)
From: "David H. Tiffany" <davidt-+AT+-cet.com>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: trauma
Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.3.96.1000608141604.201B-100000-+AT+-davidt>



On Thu, 8 Jun 2000, Laura Jean Rossier wrote:

>  However Elspeth came from a relatively stable background.  (although this
> lack of trauma may be why so many list-sibs vehemantly dislike her
> stories) 

I'm afraid I'd not call Elspeth's background stable. Neglected by her
Mother, her only friend banished and then shown up as having been 
just using her, suspected by most people of being a threat to usurp
the throne because her father had tried to do so. This is not a 
normal childhood. Not as awful, perhaps, as Vanyel's, although at least
some of Vanyel's problems had to do with being a teenager and not 
realizing that he could, in time, escape his family, but still, not the
life I'd want *my* daughter to have. 

David H Tiffany, god Im tipsy 


------------------------------

Date: Thu, 8 Jun 2000 14:33:19 -0700 (PDT)
From: Sara Peek <saddlefan-+AT+-yahoo.com>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Sheeps and Crazyness
Message-ID: <20000608213319.4772.qmail-+AT+-web4602.mail.yahoo.com>


Heyla, listsibs!  What happened to the persona group?
I just got the $#! E-groups to sign me up and now they
say that the group doesn't exist.  (Sorry about the
symbols, I couldn't un-think them).  As     d by the
computer as I am, I'm even thinking about restarting
it myself. Please tell me that someone else is going
to do it, or I'll probably bring the net down.
LOL! And as much as I hope      doesn't win, that
would be bad.

Also, what does OBMisty stand for?  I know what it
*MEANS*, but I entertained myself for 10 minutes
figuring out, and I came up with some that it couldn't
possibly stand for, like
Ocelot Bellies, Misty,
and the like.

Also, if you aren't gone yet, the sheep joke refers to
a passage in MPromise, where Van tells Jervis, "It's
been so long that both you and the sheep are starting
to look good."  hehe

Wind to thy Wings, and 
Psychodelic sheep to all,
Sara,
Herald-Mage Rini,
Princess of Crazyness and Too Much Chocolate,
Chosen by Cinna 

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Photos -- now, 100 FREE prints!
http://photos.yahoo.com

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 8 Jun 2000 14:34:17 -0700 (PDT)
From: Sara Peek <saddlefan-+AT+-yahoo.com>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Sheeps and Crazyness
Message-ID: <20000608213417.8284.qmail-+AT+-web4604.mail.yahoo.com>


Heyla, listsibs!  What happened to the persona group?
I just got the $#! E-groups to sign me up and now they
say that the group doesn't exist.  (Sorry about the
symbols, I couldn't un-think them).  As     d by the
computer as I am, I'm even thinking about restarting
it myself. Please tell me that someone else is going
to do it, or I'll probably bring the net down.
LOL! And as much as I hope      doesn't win, that
would be bad.

Also, what does OBMisty stand for?  I know what it
*MEANS*, but I entertained myself for 10 minutes
trying to figure out, and I came up with some that it
couldn't possibly stand for, like
Ocelot Bellies, Misty,
and the like.

Also, if you aren't gone yet, the sheep joke refers to
a passage in MPromise, where Van tells Jervis, "It's
been so long that both you and the sheep are starting
to look good."  hehe

Wind to thy Wings, and 
Psychodelic sheep to all,
Sara,
Herald-Mage Rini,
Princess of Crazyness and Too Much Chocolate,
Chosen by Cinna 

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Photos -- now, 100 FREE prints!
http://photos.yahoo.com

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 8 Jun 2000 21:08:01 EDT
From: Kerowyn73-+AT+-aol.com
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: Sheeps and Crazyness
Message-ID: <57.6c4e80b.26719d71-+AT+-aol.com>

In a message dated 06/08/2000 5:27:37 PM US Eastern Standard Time, 
saddlefan-+AT+-yahoo.com writes:

<< Heyla, listsibs!  What happened to the persona group? I just got the $#! 
E-groups to sign me up and now they say that the group doesn't exist.  (Sorry 
about the symbols, I couldn't un-think them).  As     d by the computer as I 
am, I'm even thinking about restarting it myself. Please tell me that someone 
else is going to do it, or I'll probably bring the net down. >>

Heyla, listsib (and any others who might want to know...)

the list is still up and running. I sent a test email and it went thru fine. 
Then i had a friend sign up as a guinne pig and she sent a black email to 
Queens_Circle-subscribe-+AT+-egroups.com 
with Subscribe in the subj line and it went through fine! If it doesn't work 
for you still, give me a yell *g*

*coke bearing sheep to all!*
Sionen
Queens_Circle egroups member!


------------------------------

Date: Thu, 8 Jun 2000 20:51:02 -0700 (PDT)
From: Songjewel <songjewel-+AT+-yahoo.com>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: genes and we're all related, mages
Message-ID: <20000609035102.11960.qmail-+AT+-web1001.mail.yahoo.com>

*snip*
>so does this mean that different types of mages eg
>healing 
>mages vs normal mages have different mutations?

I'd say that's as fair a speculation as any. It makes
sense, anyway. The mutation could have happened
multiple times, yes...depending on how complicated it
had to be. If it was just one gene, then it would be
fine. Also, the fact that some mages turn up out of
families with no history of mage-craft (I don't know
if there's text evd, but I seem to remember something
about this. Plus, there's the Shin'a'in...I know they
have an ANCIENT history, but not recently; most of
their magic blood goes to the Tayledras, or Shamanism.
Are the shamans celibate?) whatsoever. So the mutation
can't be that hard to come by. Also, wouldn't that
mean that ALL gifts started that way? I mean, if it
holds true for mage-gift, why not fetching or
mindspeech? Although some gifts, such as midspeech,
tend to be more common, so they're probably mutations
that are more common.

>Trust me we're all related if you go back far enough,

>think about the ancestral Adam and Eve thing and come
>to 
>think of it theres more variation with in a community

>population than there is between them.  Its only the
>very 
>little things that distinguish a Ma'ar from an Urtho.

Yeah, when you consider the differences between two
good and evil humans and the differences between a
human and a rat, who's most closely related? Seems to
me Ma'ar and Urtho had a pretty common ancestor,
evolution-wise, anyway.

>Mages, can anyone remeber how many different mage
>schools 
>there are?
>Blue Mountain, White winds, Blood Mountain and or
have >I 
>rem. the names wrong?

The schools are:

White Winds 

Blue Mountains 

Twin Suns 

Leverand School 

Blood Mountain (blood-path) 

At least, those are the ones on Songrunner's Valdemar
page, which I have found to be quite comprehensive!

School's Out!
YES!! No more World History! *SNIFF* No more
Biology...
...heh...

~Song

=====
(a.k.a. Nuri-chan, Nuriko's Miko, like I have time to be anything else???)

~Fuu, Nuriko, Mercury, Aya

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Photos -- now, 100 FREE prints!
http://photos.yahoo.com

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 8 Jun 2000 23:01:03 -0700 (PDT)
From: Abby Normal <ambermoon_00-+AT+-yahoo.com>
To: MLML <mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk>
Subject: an assortment
Message-ID: <20000609060103.26709.qmail-+AT+-web4705.mail.yahoo.com>

Bright the day,

     <Cheerfully doffs hat to those with clearer
thinking> Everyone who responded to my post about
Ma'ar and Vanyel is quite right. Thank you for
correcting me. I still don't think they were related,
because after a few hundred years it is no longer
thematically relevant nor interesting, IMHO.
     On that thread, upon reading the genetics debate,
I was once again regretting not taking AP Bio until it
was pointed out that as magic is involved, the normal
rules are suspended. Which, however, leads one to an
interesting question: Magic can be defined as
phenomena and forces we do not understand, and science
as those that we do. Every fantasy author is therefore
free to invent 'magic' as they choose, but they must
then follow their own rules for what they have defined
that force to be. What are Misty's rules about magic?
>From what we know of them, are there any more answers
in the genetics debate? (As an example, there's a
rather nice genetics chart included in the back of one
of Melanie Rawn's Dragon Prince books explaining a
magic genetic trait.)

     On Black_Swan: I love Mercedes Lackey's books for
their emotional power, humour, and for being good
adventure stories. I generally feel that this makes up
for the fact that stylistically they are generally
heavy-handed and simplistic. (I feel LHM rises above
this the most, one of the reasons I prize it as her
best work.) However, IMHO, Black_Swan did not have
enough good qualities to make up for the
spell-everything-out and
hit-us-over-the-head-with-a-sledgehammer style. I love
"Swan Lake", and was disapointed in this adaptation.
     I also disliked Fire_Rose, for much the same
reasons. I also was able to predict the entire book
from somewhere around the first quarter, as well as
finding some of the themes/messages disconcerting
("Beauty and the Beast" is in many ways a metaphor,
and therefore saying that it's a good thing for a man
to remain a beast did not sit well with me.) However,
I enjoyed Firebird. <shrug>

     On braiding and the like: I have my mail set to
digest, which I find easier. I have never found
copying and pasting to be a hardship. For whatever
typos in terms of spelling and grammar that I have
made or may make, I apologise.

     On ages, ect: I am 17, to be 18 in three months,
and today I graduated from high school. I live in New
England, in Massachusetts to be precise, and when I
leave for college this September that will not have
changed (MA is still large enough that I will be two
hours from home, though).
     Happy Birthday, Raven!

lemon meringue sheep to all,
Ambermoon
Singer of Fire
Royal Defender of the Brat

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Date: Fri, 9 Jun 2000 04:56:51 -0700
From: "Jay Lee" <jay-+AT+-natureavenue.com>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Sorry /Leaving
Message-ID: <3940db83.171.0-+AT+-lookscool.com>

>Cennydd said

<That means that you should not swear at someone (and yes, "Hades" does count
as swearing, when it's obviously being used as a version of "hell")>

Sorry for that folks, I sit abashed. but the mail I was responding to really
wound me up. I have a number of friends with Learning difficulties and have
worked at summercamps with kids with all sorts of difficulties. It really annoys
me that people can not take time to at least try to understand the problems
that face these individuals.  I do not take back anything I said but I am sorry
if my use of Hades offended anyone.


Following on from the above, I think it is a shame that
XShadowXBlade has felt that he has to leave the list b/c he did not pass the
high standards set by some members of this list.

David H Tiffany, I do hope that this passes your stringent tests. I for one
am also feeling like leaving the list b/c I can not be doing with all the hassel
that has been on it of late. Yes I know I have contributed to it, but I do not
have the time, energy or inclination to deal with it all.

ObMisty.

Can someone post a list of the short story books that Misty has published? 


Thanx

Jay 
OIB
Champion of the Ladies in Green
http://www.geocities.com/savagedsoul/
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End of MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 2321
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