MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 862 Topics covered in this issue include: 1) YES!!!! *LOUD cheer* by aw2-+AT+-mail.idt.net (Kimberly) 2) Reality/Unreality/*Believability* by "Heather D. Wegemer" 3) Re: yikes! by "Arysta" 4) Re:Elves by Carolyn Taylor 5) Re: Welcome/Personas/Serrated Edge by jmacjm19-+AT+-vcomm.net (gar&julie mclaughlin) 6) GG Kay/My Blessing/Swordspoint by Mat the Cat in Green 7) Re: Welcome/Personas/Serrated Edge by tparavic-+AT+-ozemail.com.au 8) Varayan Memoirs by Rozanna McNeer 9) Braid: Dragon*con/Going to Valdemar/Role-playing/Tayledras shama by "Jenna Wilson ~Stormcloud~" 10) fantasy by Lisa Prior 11) Iftel and SB SPOILERS!!!!!! by haineca-+AT+-earlham.edu 12) Re: Greetings by "E. Angell" 13) re clairvoyance by Rozanna McNeer 14) PK-M and RPG by Rozanna McNeer 15) Re: re clairvoyance by ShadowJaz-+AT+-aol.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 4 Oct 1996 22:34:19 -0500 From: aw2-+AT+-mail.idt.net (Kimberly) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: YES!!!! *LOUD cheer* Message-ID: Barb wrote: >Another good book (IMHO, of course) on wiccan paganism is 'The Spiral Dance' by >Starhawk. It's the first one I ever found - in a B. Dalton's in Toledo, >OH of all places! *gryn* Well, before I start, I'm going to run around and hug everyone who doesn't have a nonplussed expression on their face by this time *giggle* *hughughughuguhughughug!!!!!* *calms down a little* Sorry. Personal thing. Auntie Undine... *gentle hug* I promise I'll get to your letter soon; you deserve all the support you can get. Meanwhile, I guess you can drink soda... ::teasing smile:: it's bubbly as I can be, though it can't give out my hugs ::laugh:: Love you. I think _Spial Dance_ is a great book; but I'd tend to agree with Cenny in that Starhawk gives the Goddess the kind of emphasis that tends a little toward expecting a Reliving Of The Great Female Rule Like It Was Back In The Day. Just a feeling, guys ::smile:: I can't offer the specific proof that would satisfy the interrogative probing I dish out sometimes *weg* ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To Julie's question, which I keep on forgetting to reply to *wry gryn* I wouldn't move to Valdemar, Velgarth, or any fantasy world. There's enough magic in this world for me, and how could I ever let go of my beautiful prince (Jesse), my bard (Jake), and my mother-figure-frog (Undine)? And think of all the byplay I'd have to miss from people like Cenny and Heather and Kerry and Lady Sophia ::smile:: ::sudden blush:: I've never said this before, but if you weren't there, the world would probably be a lot more boring. You've all my respect... ah, well, since I'm 'fessing up, you guys have a sizable hunk of my trust and care, too. *sudden gryn* So much for "internet security" Most people just fall into what they do. The humble opinion of a loudmouth observer (me *gryn*) halfway ripped off from Misty theology: if you end up doing what you like, and you're getting paid for it, then what else can you ask? The only problem is how you want to balance the two. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ And for you newbies, I'd like to welcome you all, except for the fact I lost the orginal digests in a fit of frustrated deleting ::blush:: You can e-mail me for anything, though, and I'll answer it as soon as my Taskmaster, known as the School Schedule, allows. *gryn* aw2-+AT+-mail.idt.net ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The wet-willow-tree-coloured grace, my froggie aunt , wrote: >Dear Exquisite Lilac Fairy Congratulations!!!! I think a party of the >LotPW is in order. Champagne and nibbly bits!! Maybe one of our OoUL will >ah...perform. *weg* Ah, Cennydd, cherie, would you mind doing the honors? *snicker* >Or at least be doing something naughty when we use the >scrying pool ;) Allow me to perform a Wild Water sprite Wriggle on your >behalf! Have you gotten to read SB yet? *completely wicked gryn* Now, now, mind those marital vows. *chortle* What would Craig say if he saw you wriggling with Lilac Fairy/ Cenny? *snickers and casts everyone an innocent look* >****************************** > >Has anyone heard from Michele, the Goddess of Botanical Blight? My >messages to her keep getting returned as undeliverable. :( Hmmm. Might be a server problem. Your e-mail seems to work just fine here, personal to me and to the list, and Craig's problems are probably just a result of the Computer Gremlin That Doesn't Like Too Many Users. ;D *giggle* >*************************** >Undine disappearing back into her bookstore pool > >"Gadzooks! What a big chunk of God is to be found by looking into the >face of someone you love." _Patty Jane's House of Curl_ by Lorna Landvik *Kimi-chan ;) oohs* Oh YEAH? *wink* "The lover can See, and the knowledgable" (I was going to grumble about this when my teacher mentioned this as such a once-in a lifetime thing with the argument that religion like Wicca, Native American tradition, Zen, and many, many others contradict that, but I decided to pretend that we're all more "knowledgable" *snort* [personally, I think the simplest creatures see the universe the clearest, ~also~ like Annie Dillard says] and wiser than we are ::laugh::) _Pilgrim at Tinker Creek_ by Dillard ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Em wrote: > A bit of semantics here- why do you call yourselves The Ladies of >the Pink Wand? Am I missing some obscure Misty reference in the name, or >is it something else entirely? I would like to join you, being an ardent >admirer of Vanyels charms. Could I perhaps get some more information? >Thank you ever so much. *chuckle* Well, by this time, you will probably have recieved info from the Fay (so sue me if I spell in French phonetically *weg*) Day Leelaks, but for the benefit of a few people who joined and must have wondered, it was off a joke by Poison Ivy, IIRC. All sorts of odd situations, with blue cauldrons and pink whatevers smushed with ah, different sexual situations ::innocent gaze:: And we called the situation that involved ladies falling in lust with gay men the Curse Of The Pink Wand. We are thus, the Ladies of The Pink Wand. *giggles madly* ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Our amusing striptease (on list. By night, he become boring old Ken Hyde rather than the Destiny of Faires ) stuffy-uncle-with-the-dragon-breath-flames wrote: >As God of Karma and the Punisher of Excessive Quoting, I have no >objections if you want to handle mediation and arbitration, as long as it >is understood that after you are done, I get to decide what becomes of >them in their next life, using my own judgement. *grumble* Is my sentence as a squirrel up by ~now~ yet? *giggle* "Are we there yet" "No, not yet" Are we there yet?" "No. A few minutes" "It's ~already been~ a few minutes! Are we there yet?" "NO! Now SIT DOWN and SHUT UP!" "Are you sure we aren't there yet?" *ROFL* >BTW, I am pleased to >report that the "Ashes" have not gotten any new members recently, despite >the inundation of new blood. *gryn* Hey, it made us stronger people! (NOT *snicker*) >(For those not in the know, the "Ashes" is a >club, founded by Kimi-chan (IIRC), consisting of the remnants of those I >have "flamed" for excessive quoting--it isn't a mean flame, so don't >worry). ::laugh-groan:: Not me. Only us birds here. *gryn* And that's the "Drifting Ashes" *giggle* I never quoted excessively. That was Angela, I think, or Sal. I did keep the club up, but that wasn't for excesive quoting, it was for Those Who Have Been Burnt To A Crisp By Cennydd on any count *weg* ~I~ was flattened for something about Vanyel, IIRC. *hug* ::smile:: Don't worry, that wasn't a criticism. I can recount the incident almost word for word, (OTOH I also remember just about every time someone's yelled at me in my life, but that's another can of worms *gryn* I was an oversensitive child. ::sigh:: Too bad I still am) but now that I think of it, from your position ~I~ would have flattened me. >BTW, this is also an ObMisty, but is totally off of the other topics. I >have been reading Tiger Burning Bright, and I have to say that I think it >is hilarious how identifiable Misty's writing is. Shelyra *is* Elspeth. Really? I thought Shelyra was a combo of Elspeth and Talia. Elspeth doesn't have the sense of responsibility Shelyra has, in some ways. And she's less reckless. >I haven't gotten too far into the book, and I am surprised that no-one >around Shelyra has looked "like someone had hit them in the back of the >head with a board." No, but it comes awfully close. ::laugh:: >Oh, well, I am sure that it will happen soon. BTW, >for others who are reading this book, I am pretty sure that Andre is >writing Lydana, and MZB is writing Adele. *gryn* That's what I said when I read it. I even posted it to the list, but I never had truly clear evidence. So I shrugged and said it was my imagination, and stuck it in the category of "Misty is stealing the names of dieties for some of her characters" Then there was an influx of newbies who said that they ~loved~ Tiger Burning Bright and I didn't want a fight over it, so I stopped. >Are there enough people >interested in this to start a discussion about it. I can give my >rationale for the various choices. (also BTW, I have just finished the >first intro of Leopold, and I am still trying to decide who is writing >him--any ideas?) Must re-read. Sigh. Must also do psychology paper, English paper, study for Math test, get rid of e-mail, do Philosophy homework and reading, Chemistry lab report, homework for the SAT, and Chinese and TOK homework. *bangs head slowly* Mat, can I hide with your godhead a while? ::plaintive look:: Chocolate covered cookies and love light you into sleep; breaths of wind shine in the tree with lights in it, Kimberly :) Blessed Be. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 4 Oct 1996 22:38:33 +0000 From: "Heather D. Wegemer" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Reality/Unreality/*Believability* Message-ID: <199610050239.WAA03585-+AT+-cwconnect.ca> There has been some discussion of reality in fantasy literature. I believe the use of this term is sadly misguided because, as the fine print at the front of each volume reminds us, "This is a work of fiction. . . ." Fiction is, by definition, NOT REAL. The key that makes a piece ring true or not is not adherence to what has happened / is happening / will happen in the "real" world, but whether or not the events could happen in the created world. A reader of any literature is required to suspend disbelief -- to ignore the fact that the events related are literally untrue. Many times, the reader is also expected to ignore the fact that the events are unlikely . . . readers willingly suspend disbelief. They are willing to do this in the expectation that they will be entertained, and with the understanding that the world will remain internally consistent. When a book directly contradicts itself (like _If_I_Pay_Thee_Not_ _in_Gold_ does several times), the reader feels betrayed, and cannot accept that the author is playing fair. Suspension of disbelief is shattered. Likewise, if the world does not clearly have limits on its magic (guess what book comes to mind again? :-), the reader does not feel as if there is a complete world in which such reader can believe. This is unbelievability, which has (I feel) been mis-called unreality in other posts. Now (to prove that undergraduates can quote supports as well as doctoral candidates), I must point out that this is not a notion of my own creation. Orson Scott Card, for example, advises, The truth is that good fantasies carefully limit the magic that's possible. In fact, the magic has to be defined, at least in the author's mind, as a whole new set of natural laws that cannot be violated during the course of the story. . . . [Doing otherwise is] cheating, and your reader will be quite correct to throw your book across the room and carefully avoid anything you ever write in the future. (23) Lackey appears to concur, having the character of Master Levy explain the law-following nature of magic well enough to convince even Firesong. (330-2) Other authors express similar sentiments. For more examples, please move to private e-mail. The true problem of "unreality" in fantasy, then, arises when the reader is not informed of the rules of magic and is not given enough information to intuit them. The other obvious problem is when the author breaks the rules, eliciting the response described by Mr. Card. Comments are quite welcome; if this has nothing to do with what others meant by reality and unreality, please pardon my obtuseness. WORKS CITED Card, Orson Scott. _How_to_Write_Science_Fiction_and_Fantasy_. Cincinnati: Writer's Digest Books, 1990. Lackey, Mercedes R. _Storm_Warning_. New York: DAW Books, 1994. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 4 Oct 1996 23:18:40 -0400 From: "Arysta" To: Subject: Re: yikes! Message-ID: <199610050320.XAA27214-+AT+-mail3.voicenet.com> ---------- GRAYMT-+AT+-centum.utulsa.edu wrote: > Obmisty: What makes you think that the elves in the Edge are fantasy? Like > was mentioned a couple of days ago about vampires, what better place to hide than in plain sight? After all, most folklore (and fantasy) has its bases > oops, basis in truth! hehehehe.. *I* didn`t say that I was sure it was fantasy. Didn`t mean for it to sound like it if I did!!! Sorry!! Actually -- I`m more a proscriber to that oft-quoted phrase from Hamlet "There are more things in heaven or earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of by mere man" or Whatever the correct quoting was. IE, I certainly think there is a definite possibility that there ARE elves out there! Anyway... The definition of fantasy/unreality/reality was what I was rather poorly attempting to hash out -- at least, MY definition of it. And you have to go by the Industry`s or Society`s standards for that -- not personal standards. If my personal thoughts had the definition, it would probably be something more along the lines of: Fantasy (in an urban fantasy case like SERRAted Edge or Bedlam Bards) would be anything that, if the truth were to be revealed, would Really Jar some people out of their boring day to day lives. Something that has, as you said, folklore roots or a clearly imaginitive sight. However-- can`t do it that way. At least, I assumed that the argument was about the teensy little technicalities of a definition of Fantasy/Unreality/Reality. Therefore, my defiinition exalted the "fact" that the world is a dull, dry, gray, magic-less place where elves, unicorns, vampries, and other beasties (as well as true Witches who use Magick) cannot roam, unless its actually some insane person thinking it all up -- and most have to admit that yes, this is how the publishing industry and those who Make the definitions see the world. And for them, fantasy is anything that they`re blind to, or is "impossible" (see the above list) of course, I guess the definition is part of delusion or insanity in their minds, then... Hmm.. Getting REALLY off-track, aren`t I? Too Late for me, all!!! G`night! Laters!! Arysta ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 4 Oct 96 20:58 PDT From: Carolyn Taylor To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re:Elves Message-ID: >> Obmisty: What makes you think that the elves in the Edge are fantasy? > Well, I don't know whether elves are "just" fantasy, but the basic landscape planning for my yard is to make it a place they would enjoy. I must say that the gophers don't make it easy though. Carolyn ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 5 Oct 1996 01:28:10 -0400 From: jmacjm19-+AT+-vcomm.net (gar&julie mclaughlin) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Welcome/Personas/Serrated Edge Message-ID: Welcome to Richard, Lori and Brad (and everyone else I missed!) We're a bit crazy from time to time, but you'll like us! To everyone who requested the persona qualifications: you should have them by now. If you didnt get them, email me. If anyone else is intrested, email me. If you know what persona you want (Bard, Healer, Herald, Merc, Taylendras) tell me and I'll just email you that one. If your not sure, I'll mail you all 5, but it comes in two parts because they are so long! Unfortunately, because these are official copies, I cant edit them! So be warned! -------------------------- Tim (I think) said: >Here here, HTH! I agree totally! And I don't care if it gets me kicked >off the list, I LOVE the SERRAted Edge and Bedlam Bard stuff. Vanyel's >bod is nice, but give me Kory any day! Maybe the problem with Misty's >current loose streak is too many pots in the fire. Although, I'd hat >to give up any of the series. I really liked Sacred Ground and If I pay >Thee not In Gold, too. Yes, I am a heretic. (See tongue stick out). Just for the record, I loved Serrated Edge, Bedlam Bards and Di Tregarde. I thought Sacred Ground was good too. Looks like I join the heretic crowd! (Not that thats anything new!) And the comment about "sounds like some of it was writen for teenagers", well, I'm not longer a teenager, maybe thats why I enjoyed them. I'd love to be a teenager again! Maybe its just my way of being the teenager I left behind so many years ago! Ok, thats it for me tonight! Wind to thy wings Listsibs! Julie, Goddess of Fields and Fens ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 5 Oct 1996 01:46:23 -0400 (EDT) From: Mat the Cat in Green To: Mercedes Lackey mailing list Subject: GG Kay/My Blessing/Swordspoint Message-ID: > From: Arysta > Rozanna McNeer > > IMHO I wouldn't say that all of Misty's books are unrealistic (when the > > bough breaks, born to run, LHM) Unrealistic are those stupid Varayan > > memoirs where the hero swallows these gems and winds up with 2 sets of > > testicles. Unrealistic (imho) was Dianora still loving thingummy > > after she killed the assassin and he doesn't comfort her, but seeks > > comfort elsewhere (sorry, the vindicative bitch in me escapes whenever > > I read that) > > Hmm... Just a question: where are those two unrealistic things from? Very > curious.... > Well, I don't know about the first, but the Dianora thing is from quite late in Guy Gavriel Kay's _Tigana_. An excellent, excellent book. Funny, we were just discussing this book on the rawn list. ============================================================================ > From: Kimberly > Must re-read. Sigh. Must also do psychology paper, English paper, study for > Math test, get rid of e-mail, do Philosophy homework and reading, Chemistry > lab report, homework for the SAT, and Chinese and TOK homework. *bangs head > slowly* Mat, can I hide with your godhead a while? ::plaintive look:: Ah, but Kimeroonie, my power is as a double edged blade. Sure, it's great to put it off, but then you've got to do all of it at once. But, oh-well, I grant you the Cur^H^H^HGift of Procrastination. [ta-da] ====================================================================== Oh Heather, I'm not quite done with it yet, but I must add myself to the ranks of those who say "Swordspoint is Cool." Now I just need to see what happens with Richard in prison, and WHO THE HECK ALEC IS!!!!!! Well, I do have an idea, but I'm not sure. Oh, for the time to just sit down and read. Sigh. Mat Cat Person, Champion in Green, |"I looked across the battlefield, blood Adept, and God of Procrastination| seeping from my wounds. My comrades, mtimme47-+AT+-magic.hofstra.edu | they did never yield. For courage http://ada.hofstra.edu/~mtimme47/| knows no bounds." - Heather Alexander ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 5 Oct 1996 17:16:36 +1000 (EST) From: tparavic-+AT+-ozemail.com.au To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Welcome/Personas/Serrated Edge Message-ID: <199610050716.RAA25356-+AT+-oznet02.ozemail.com.au> At 06:45 AM 05/10/96 +0100, you wrote: >To everyone who requested the persona qualifications: you should have them >by now. If you didnt get them, email me. If anyone else is intrested, email >me. If you know what persona you want (Bard, Healer, Herald, Merc, >Taylendras) tell me and I'll just email you that one. If your not sure, >I'll mail you all 5, but it comes in two parts because they are so long! >Unfortunately, because these are official copies, I cant edit them! So be >warned! I didn't mail you before, but I'd love to get copies of all 5, if it isn't too much trouble. Thanks heaps! Tamara "Sweetie, the last mosquito that bit me had to check into the Betty Ford Clinic." - Patsy, 'Absolutely Fabulous' ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 5 Oct 1996 10:39:05 -0400 From: Rozanna McNeer To: "mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk" Subject: Varayan Memoirs Message-ID: <199610051039_MC1-A20-C4D0-+AT+-compuserve.com> It was by some person named Rick Shelley and a bunch of more worthless books I never read (IMO) but when you are trapped at you inlaws with nothing in english to read but this - you'll do anything! (my inlaws are dutch) obmisty: when is tor going to let us have Arcanium 101?!?!?!? howl yes, I too am a card-carrying member of the 'I like Di, Serrated edge, Bedlam Bards, The fire rose and Sacred Ground' club. firemist ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 5 Oct 1996 11:31:34 EST From: "Jenna Wilson ~Stormcloud~" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Braid: Dragon*con/Going to Valdemar/Role-playing/Tayledras shama Message-ID: Mat said: > Well, she'll be at Dragon*con in Atlanta in June. Along with a bunch of > listmembers. Aye, it looks like maybe, just maybe, we might be getting our old Misty-who's-involved-in-fandom back! She's going to a con, I read in QO that she's working on music for her new books Firebird.... dare we hope?! ********************************************************* Jake wrote: > All right, that aside, if I could go to Valdemar... I wouldn't. My > life is wonderful here in grounded reality, Bardic aside (which, and > I'm going to be egotistical, I would have). If I went to Valdemar, > I'd have to leave all I loved behind. My books, my friends (well, > all the ones that weren't coming WITH me, it seems several of you > onlist would be going (which may be an excuse to stay home anyway > :P)), my music... aiee. I couldn't give that all up, even to simply > live in a completely fantastic fictional world. Agreed! Especially since most of who and what I love probably wouldn't want to go with me. But if for some reason I _had_ to go to Velgarth, I think I would want to either be Tayledras, or a White Winds Mage (I don't know why, I just would). Or a teacher at the Collegium. Warp the minds of the young Herald-trainees! *giggle* ********************************************************* Don't mind me, I'm a little giddy... one of my role-playing characters just got married yesterday. Which brings me to my next topic: role-playing. In my opinion, it opens your mind to new experiences, and enhances your critical thinking abilities and your imagination. When I write stories, a lot of the time it is me directing everything. But what I like about role-playing is playing off of other people, collaborating and building on it. It shows me different ways that characters can react to things, and how to treat certain topics with certain types of people. Overall, I think it enhances my writing in the long run, interacting with and learning about different types of people. ((On a side note, I'm involved in an e-mail D&Dish type game, if anyone's interested, I can get you in touch with the DM. I'm a very naive half-elven forest child/druid named Lashen. :)) ********************************************************* Mat wrote: > I still want to know what happened to the Tayledras shamans. The > Shin'a'in and Kaled'a'in have them. Why not the Tayledras? Among the Shin'a'in, the shamans are only ones allowed to use magic, and it is implied to be a different kind of magic from what mages use. I would think the reason the Tayledras don't have shamans is that is a culture formed around magic. Maybe they are _all_ shamans in a way. Or perhaps it is a very private religion, like some Wiccans I have known who worship alone. Or perhaps it is because when the Kaled'a'in split into the Shin'a'in and the Tayledras, the Shin'a'in got all the shamans and the Tayledras all the pure mages. :) ********************************************************* Heathen # 81 got her heathen stuff and her Life's Flame CD and is a very happy camper! I _love_ Creature of the Wood.... for some strange reason that song strikes a chord someplace in me. *happy sigh* And her intro to Black Jack's Lady is hysterical. I told that to one of his friends and now among his list of "commandments" is don't piss off Jenna the redhead! *grin* ********************************************************* Mickey Zucker Reichart, who I believe is female, wrote the wonderful Legend of Nightfall and the Renshai trilogy. All of which I took out from the library, devoured, and then ran out to a bookstore to get my own copies of! :) Actually, you gotta love library booksales: I got the whole Renshai trilogy for less than a dollar! IIRC, there is a fourth book out now, Beyond Ragnarok. ********************************************************* Mat wrote: > Oh Heather, I'm not quite done with it yet, but I must add myself to > the ranks of those who say "Swordspoint is Cool." Now I just > need to see what happens with Richard in prison, and WHO THE HECK > ALEC IS!!!!!! Well, I do have an idea, but I'm not sure. Oh, for > the time to just sit down and read. Sigh. Heh heh heh... looks like we hooked another one on this book! Heather, I must say I have enjoyed reading the books you have recommended! Swordspoint and Ecstacia have become treasured residents upon my overflowing bookshelves! :) Hey, Mat, keep reading, MAKE TIME to read it, I can guarentee you will _love_ the way things fall out! *grin* ********************************************************* A belated welcome to all the newbies that have joined us. I've been totally out of it lately. Must learn C++ by Tuesday, have a speech due on Wednesday and a test on complex variables on Thursday, no biggie, right?! *screams as a big old pile of Large and Dusty Tomes (tm) fall on her head* Lilac, congratulations on the new position! Okay, Ladies, *hugs* for our proud leader and founder! :) On a more serious note, we have been discussing religion lately. Yesterday evening, a very close friend of mine told me that his friend's 12 year old sister was in the hospital and might not survive the night. He asked me to pray for her, and I have been asked any gods or goddesses out there to help her. It might be a little late, because I don't know yet what has happened with her, but I'd like to ask you all to pray for her as well, to whatever deities you happen to worship. Thank you. -+AT+->--- Jenna, Lady of the Mists, Heathen #081 :) Mistress of Hot Caffeinated Beverages, Goddess of Chat Rooms and Obsession, High Priestess of the Onmiscient Undine :), LotPW ~ Stormcloud, Temporary Leader of OiB ~ ** Jenna-+AT+-simcl.stjohns.edu ** ** http://members.tripod.com/~Stormcloud/ (personal page) ** "If anything on this ship is more important than my ego, I want it hunted down and shot!" -Zaphod Beeblebrox ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 04 Oct 96 17:10:21 PDT From: Lisa Prior To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: fantasy Message-ID: Just my two cents. As an owner of over 1800 fantasy & SF books, I find that Misty's work is some the best out there. She may be slipping but not as much as say Piers Anthony did. He wrote Incarnations and Tyrant and continued to put out Xanth. I know with the number of books I have I can be concidered an easy reader but I really do look for the best of the market. I have gotten rid of things like my husband's Gore books (now there's junivele thinking books). Remember that a few weeks ago I posted that Misty's book deal more with situations than characters. I still think that. I agree with many of the things each of you has written but now can we get back to talking about something else? Maybe about why we haven't seen any clairvoyants or psycomatris(?) in the heralds. Each of talents have been seen even on TV. A person who could tell you what happened at a murder site when there were no witnesses would be "real" useful. I've gone on long enough. Don't flame me too hard. I try to keep my posting to one message a week or so. BTW: Can I be the Goddess of Klutzes. I have once again sprained my ankle and am typing at a wierd angle. Bye Lisa P ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 05 Oct 1996 18:39:54 EST From: haineca-+AT+-earlham.edu To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Iftel and SB SPOILERS!!!!!! Message-ID: <009A9675.10365ED2.138-+AT+-earlham.edu> Heyla, one and all! S T O R M B R E A K I N G S P O I L E R I was reading _Storm Rising_ the other night and I came across a passage about setting up the breakwater. It stated that a Sun Priest had to go through the Iftel border because the Sun Priests were recognized by the border. My thought is that Misty had been planning (for a while) to have Vkandis be god for both countries. I kind of wish that she had not revealed that because Iftel was more interesting in my mind. *sigh* Anyway, that's my .02 cents for a while (and it's even somewhat original and intelligent *lightbulb turns on*). I wish that I had a page number but I don't have the book with me. Purrs, Lady Wildcat, Goddess of most things kittenish, blue roses, and dumb luck ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 5 Oct 1996 16:54:09 -0700 (PDT) From: "E. Angell" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Greetings Message-ID: On Fri, 4 Oct 1996, Lori and Brad Jansen wrote: > hello, I am new to the Mercedes Lackey mailing list. I have been a fan > for years. I have enjoyed reading your picks for what would appears to > be a movie. However I cannot see Zena as a good choice for Talia. SHe is > to strong of a women. Talia needs to be a mouse of a woman even through > she is tall. > Welcome! have fun, be careful ;-) BTW, Isn't Talia short? I *know* there's a scene in AoTQ, right after it's skipped a year or two, where it describes the changes in her and says she is "would never be tall.." I do remember this, I'm sure, 'cause I *really* liked seeing a fantasy heroine (besides Lessa) who isn't completely tall & beautiful... it makes them more real and makes me feel better when one of my fave characters is small too ;-) Raindancer (who is 5-4...in thick-soled shoes. ) ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 5 Oct 1996 21:01:05 -0400 From: Rozanna McNeer To: "mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk" Subject: re clairvoyance Message-ID: <199610052101_MC1-A13-3BBC-+AT+-compuserve.com> Lisa P wanted to know why we don't see any Heralds with clairvoyance Lisa, we do. it's called ForeSight and Alberich has it, and so does Selenay - both references are in the Arrows series; the one for Alberich is when Alberich and a bunch of his best trainees going riding with Seleney and her consort tries to kill her (btw, this is before Daren). instead he winds up dead something about 'he was killed in ahunting accident' and talia saying that was true since he was 'hunting Seleney' oh dear, i just realized I may have flubbed. i've always seen precognition and clairvoyance used interchangably - but clairvoyance is also used in the sense seeing things that are going on at present but at a different locale. that would be FarSight - which Kris had, and some others (Elspeth was trained in it, although Darkwind speculates that her mage gift was trained as farsight which seems to imply she doens't actually have FarSight) either way - we have clairvoyance - just no clairaudience (that would be *weird*) I never heard of the other one, pyschomatris was it? Firemist ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 5 Oct 1996 21:06:02 -0400 From: Rozanna McNeer To: "mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk" Subject: PK-M and RPG Message-ID: <199610052106_MC1-A20-6BAB-+AT+-compuserve.com> PK-M syas at her homepage 'Fantasy is essential for our overall good health, and we all need at least the minimum daily requirement.' Too bad we can't convince those that are convinced RPGing is Satan worshiping of that! obmisty - did she ever do RPG? (srednop) Firemist ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 5 Oct 1996 21:32:50 -0400 From: ShadowJaz-+AT+-aol.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: re clairvoyance Message-ID: <961005213249_119477328-+AT+-emout04.mail.aol.com> Firemist, I think Lisa was talking about psychometry, that's the ability to pick up an object, and I think maybe anything else the person touches, and See it's past. Blessed Be, NightShade ------------------------------ End of MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 862 *********************************