MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 1113

Topics covered in this issue include:

  1) Re: Clone Sheep/Government/Languages & Beliefs/Writer's Thoughts/Firebird
	by Minterra-+AT+-aol.com
  2) Delurk/lifebonding/favorite sutff/casting
	by Bethany Weber <bethany-+AT+-owlnet.rice.edu>
  3) What do I read?/Married Women
	by AERDEN-+AT+-delphi.com
  4) lifebonds
	by "Hth." <R618-+AT+-ACADEMIC.TRUMAN.EDU>
  5) Re: What do I read?/Married Women
	by "Brian Sizemore" <paradox-+AT+-ais-gwd.com>
  6) Re: Who ya like!!
	by Alanna P Hwang <aph200-+AT+-is5.nyu.edu>
  7) Fluffy Braid, entirely of casting with an ObMisty at the end
	by myktshr-+AT+-ldd.net (miyako hirao)
  8) Re: Fluffy Braid, entirely of casting with an ObMisty at the
	by Chris Wiegand <cwiegand-+AT+-urgentmail.com>
  9) delurking/lifebonds/cast
	by Jan <janprins-+AT+-mindspring.com>
 10) Re: Lifebonds/Fluffy Braid, entirely of casting with an ObMisty at the end
	by Sorsha <wayaadis-+AT+-inreach.com>
 11) casting
	by "Hth." <R618-+AT+-ACADEMIC.TRUMAN.EDU>
 12) This is me
	by kelara-+AT+-juno.com (Laura M Quimby)
 13) Braid: Huff books/welcome/Chris-names/Lifebonds/married women/ObMisty
	by MorningStar <dawnrain-+AT+-geocities.com>

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

Date: Mon, 24 Feb 1997 22:02:21 -0500 (EST)
From: Minterra-+AT+-aol.com
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: Clone Sheep/Government/Languages & Beliefs/Writer's Thoughts/Firebird
Message-ID: <970224220220_177934888-+AT+-emout03.mail.aol.com>

   Okay, as always, some of this is a tad old, and this time I don't have
any quotes (just names), so here goes.
 
   First off, thanks to modern science, I may present each of you
with a clone of your favorite sheep. The cloning part is true, I didn't
make it up. Scientists in Sweden (I think) have successfully cloned
sheep, the first mammal to be done so. They've been reading Misty a lot
(sheeps to list, uh sorry ;)). So, now you can have twice, thrice or more
the (insert personal thingy) that you now have with that fav cuddly of
yours. Isn't technology great? <g>
 
------------------------
   Glithoniel mentioned how Tayledras government was akin to ancient
Athens and Sparta. Now, I don't know that much about Sparta, but Athens
was a total democracy (with voting done by male landowners). ~Any~
decision brought to the city was held by that rule. This is not the case
in the Vales. Yes, every person (male and female, and creature) could and
usually tried to have their opinions put in, but it was the Council's
final say in the matter (except in MWinds). Also, the Council was a
chosen 'elite,' to say of the Clan. The voting committee of Athens
allowed any male who owned land. You didn't have a 'mayor' or special
'council.' Disclaimer: I can't quite remember what the qualifications for
men were to vote, but I think this was it.

-------------------------
   There was a little comparing about Karse and Shin'a'in languages and
beliefs. Here's some of my thoughts. Now, we all know that Valdemar came
from the Empire. It would stand to reason that Karse did as well. Now,
since the Empire is (at least AFAIK) male oriented, then that would have
been brought to Karse when the founders fled from it. With a bitterness
towards the Empire, they wanted to change from the 'hundred little gods'
to something else, but still had the male superiority. Now they have
Vkandis.
   Where did the Shin'a'in come from? The opposite side of the continent,
so they didn't even know (at their founding) that the Empire existed.
And, as we all know, their Goddess appears quite frequently to them, so
why think much about the male aspect? So as someone else quoted Tarma as
saying, (forgive me, I paraphrase) 'We have a male God, but we don't do
much with him.' So they stick with the Star-eyed.
   Now, as Valdemar has a pretty long and good relationship with the
Tayledras - who are related to the Shin'a'in - and other friends of them,
we see the Tayledran language start to come into Valdemaran. Long feud
and avoidance of Karsien people would thus not allow the same to happen.
This would explain why Valdemaran is different than Karse. How'm I doing
so far, Cen?
   And, since the Empire and the Shin'a'in were already split before the
Mage War into the east and west (AFAIK), when the Big Boom happened and
they were split farther, contact was completely lost. With millennia of
no contact, any similarities would have been pretty much lost. So Karse,
having a base of the Empire, and Shin'a'in, having a base of Taylsedrin
(can't remember what they were called back then), are at present
different.
 
----------------
   Okay, this is the analytical writer in me, but how many of you think that
Moondance and Starwind are, if combined, the same character as Van?
Someone said that Moondance was pompous, we see Van do that if he could
(especially early in MPawn). And Starwind is pretty responsible and
matter-of-fact, as Van is in the other two books. Thoughts anyone?

   Also, Jacquelle, I figure the reason why Misty stopped writing about Talia
after she got the kids was because (except for become a priestess) her life
became pretty ordinary (the dreaded 'O' word). Yes, something else could've
been done with her, like having her roam the country fighting evil (tm), but
that's not what the MO does. She acts as an ambassador in special events
only. The rest of the time she's with Selenay at the capital. Not much story
to work out there, IMO.

----------------
   Summersong, yes, Firebird is good. The problem with Misty's stand-alone
books is just that - we have nothing prior to compare it to. It's a
totally new world, even if it's supposed to be set in ours, so we don't
know what to do with it. Think of how much talk Sacred Ground got, and
you've an idea. Besides (sideways glance at Mat), I did a rather lengthy
sell on it a little while ago, so you could say I liked it. ;)
 
 
Bright be thy day,
Rhodri 


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

Date: Mon, 24 Feb 1997 21:14:42 -0600 (CST)
From: Bethany Weber <bethany-+AT+-owlnet.rice.edu>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Delurk/lifebonding/favorite sutff/casting
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.91.970224204132.21610C-100000-+AT+-barn.owlnet.rice.edu>


First off, this is a delurk post, so I sincerely hope I haven't screwed 
anything up.  These digest thingies are GREAT for keeping Pine from 
getting mad at me but make the process of replying highly unintuitive...
Pretty white weresheeps to everyone if I screwed up.  (That is the 
correct usage of "sheeps," yes?)

I'm Bethany Weber, the Official Weredragon of Rice University, a handle I 
aquired on alt.books.m-lackey and frequently misspell.  I'm a junior at 
Rice University (hmmm, betcha couldn't have guessed that!) in Houston, 
TX, and I'm from Denver Colorado.  I like dragons (another big surprise,) 
fantasy in general (of course) and Star Trek.

I'm sorry to delurk in such a fluffy manner, and I have no idea how to 
braid or if it can be done with digests, but oh, well:

Lifebonds:  God, I HOPE they don't exist!  Ok, maybe that sounds odd, but
to paraphrase another fantasy author completely (Anne McCaffery,
_Nerilka's Story_) that kind of bond would be too consuming for someone
like me.  It was hard enough getting used to a roommate, I think I would
jump off a cliff if I had to share my *mind* with someone. :) True, there
are all these stories about wierd paranormal things happening to people,
one feels the other's pain while they're miles away, etc... No offense to
the people here who have been telling them, but I tend to credit them to
people's tendancy to remember only the few incident that lends credance to
the theory and ignore all the ones that don't, if that makes sense -- just
like I notice the 8 Tarot cards that make no sense in context and home in
on the two that seem eeriely accurate. :)

Favorite Stuff:  My least favorite pure Misty book, of the ones I've read, 
has to be _Scared Ground_.  All the SERRAted Edge stuff was pretty bad, 
too, IMHO.  I loved _Black Gryphon_, but _White_ and _Silver_... um, two 
talons down.  My least favorite character... the heroine in _Sacred Ground_ 
was pretty forgetable, so it would be Diana Tregarde, no contest.  I didn't 
mind her in _Children of the Night_, but the other two?  Grrrr.

My favorite Misty books:  TLHM books (of course!) and _The Black Gryphon_.
Favorite Characters:  Amberdrake, Karal, Tremane, Vanyel, on no 
particualr order.

Casting:  Just a little note (and what inspired my to post):  After the 
whole Star Trek list, I wonder if I'm the only one who thinks Alexander 
Siddig would be great as Vanyel (when he's older, he's too old to look 
16... but anyone who's old enough to look 30 is too old to look 
16, IMHO.)  He's gorgeous, has a great accent, and most importantly, he can 
ACT... maybe I only think of him because, on refection, Dr. Bashir 
actually reminds me a lot of Vanyel:  courageous, compassionate, 
arrogant, irritating.  Except he's not a mage, and probably not intested 
in men.  And, while we're on the subject of Garak, Andrew Robinson needs 
a part, too. :)  Maybe as Falconsbane?

Well, my deep apologies for a long fluffy post.  Is any of this close 
enough to being on topic to count as an OBMisty?  Maybe not.  Hmmm.

Why aren't there any dragons in Valdemar?  Is that close enough?
(There are no dragons in Valdemar, Tarma says so in one of the S&S 
stories, from vol 12, I think.)

OK, here's one that's probably been done to death, but I haven't been 
lurking long enough to see it:  What are the things that look like 
gryphons by lake Evendim, anyway?  They're mentioned in the _Arrows_ books, 
and Tryvvan (sp??) wants to check them out in the _Winds of Fury_, but then 
the subject was dropped.


Oh, and (Storm Breaking Spoilers Follow:)



S

P

O

I

L

E

R

S


A

H

E

A

D

IIRC, Iftel is to the north EAST of Valdemar, Evendim to the north WEST.  
(Sorry, some people on the newsgroup tried to make a connection.)

D

I

G

E

S

T


S

P

A

C

E

?


Bethany Weber

------------------Official Weredragon of Rice University-------------------

        "The truth is usually just an excuse for lack of imagination."
				-Garak, DS9, "Improbable Cause."

         But reality is *always* an excuse for lack of imagination.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Dragon etiquette is incredibly complicated, and if you make a mistake, 
the dragon eats you."	-- Patricia C. Wrede, _Talking to Dragons_
------------------http://www.owlnet.rice.edu:80/~bethany/------------------





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

Date: Mon, 24 Feb 1997 22:36:03 -0500 (EST)
From: AERDEN-+AT+-delphi.com
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: What do I read?/Married Women
Message-ID: <01IFT6VMOW2M9DBS0D-+AT+-delphi.com>

On 24-FEB-1997 17:47:31.0 mercedes-lackey said to AERDEN
 me>OK.  I'm hopelessly hooked on the Valdemar series.  Unfortunately I
 me>read faster than Misty writes. So now what should I read?  Any
 me>suggestions?

Laura--You want a reading list?  (g)  Let's see...Anything by Oliver Sacks,
Lois McMaster Bujold, or Richard M. Restak.  Those authors have <never>
disappointed me.   :)
     Whaddaya mean, you meant other Misty books?  (g)  I liked <Knight of
Ghosts and Shadows> and <Summoned to Tourney>  They're urban elf
books--pretty interesting.  Because of them I now call a certain beverage
Elf Poison.  I also really like Misty's Diana Tregarde books and <Sacred
Ground>, which is about a private investigator who is an American Indian.
<The Lark and the Wren> is a good book, too, but its sequels in the Bardic
Voices series repeat the same theme, INO, so I don't recommend them as
highly.  Misty also co-wrote the Darkover novel <Re-Discovery>.  If you're
familiar with Darkover and read this book, the ending will make you cry or
send chills up your spine.  Or maybe both.

Jacquell--What you said about Talia not being mentioned much after her
marriage.  I agree with you.

Vrondi--Lucy Lawless as Tarma...That's not a bad idea...They'd have to put
Coppertone on her skin, but it could work.  She has that dire, 'dangerous to
know' quality at times when playing Xena, similar to the quality that Tarma
has--that she has made difficult choices and has lived with them.

     Chantal


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

Date:        Mon, 24 Feb 1997 21:52:58 CST
From: "Hth." <R618-+AT+-ACADEMIC.TRUMAN.EDU>
To: <mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk>
Subject: lifebonds
Message-ID:  <24FEB97.23633551.0171.MUSIC-+AT+-ACADEMIC.TRUMAN.EDU>

First of all, a lifebond is NOT NOT NOT like Elfquest recognition -- not
remotely.  They're nearly opposite beasts.  Recognition is neither an
emotional nor spiritual nor mystical bond, and it is not permanent.  The
"demands of Recognition" are that the couple (note, not three as in
Sherri and Keren and Ylsa's case) have *procreative sex.* You don't have
to like the person and you don't have to stay with them; you certainly
don't have to worry overmuch about their happiness if you don't want to.
Remember Tyldak and Dewshine?  They grew to sort of guardedly respect
one another, but that's as far as you could push it.  Recognition is a
way of "choosing" sexual partners to produce the strongest and most
viable offspring, and once the child is conceived, the couple can go
their separate ways, unless they also happen to fall in love, like
Leetah and Cutter did.  Many characters, even Timmorn himself, were said
to have had many children "both inside and outside of Recogniton," and
people recognize different people at different times in their lives.
Obviously a same-sex couple could never recognize, because they can't
produce children.  This comes not only from textual evidence in the
series, but also from a nice essay by Richard Pini in the *Elfquest
Gatherum* called "How Loud Is Your Reptile?"

By contrast, a lifebond a la Mercedes Lackey is sheerly emotional,
bonding two souls in affection and mutual attraction.  It lasts for life
and beyond, and has nothing whatsoever to do with procreation.

This is why I don't quite understand what the concern is that when you
lifebond you'd end up "stuck" with someone awful.  As far as I
understand the situation, you wouldn't lifebond with someone who wasn't
fundamentally compatible.  Sure, you might be initially put off by, I
dunno, a difference in age or his taste in music or whatever, but if
he's your lifebonded, he is your lifebonded for a reason, and that
reason is that you are good for each other deep down.  Do we know or
hear of anyone who lifebonds and finds the relationship unworkable and a
trap?  That's not my understanding of the nature of a lifebond.

As for the idea that a lifebond is too involving, too obsessive...I see
the thinking there.  However, remember that being lifebonded doesn't
control your actions.  Stef says in the Winds trilogy that you *have* to
do what's best for your lifebonded, but don't take him too literally.
Obviously you don't have to, because Tylendel didn't, Vanyel tried to
get out of it (Stef usually didn't let him <g>), and Talia and Dirk were
always messing each other up.  You're still free to make mistakes, even
mistakes that hurt, and people do, 'cause they're only mortal.  I don't
see how it makes you that much more dependant than other intimate
relationships.  I'm not lifebonded to my parents or my she'enedra or my
SO, but I do from time to time tailor my actions so as to make them
happy, because I'm not happy when the things I do are hurting them.
That's the nature of all love.

I only see one real difference between a deep love and a lifebond, and
that is that a lifebond is a tangible thing, an actual metaphysical and
magical connection, just like a Companion-bond or a Sword-Sworn's bond
with her goddess.  All these bonds throughout the series come under
assault, and are forcibly broken, leading to not just our metaphorical
concept of a "broken heart," but a mental, physcial, and psychic wound.
It's more like having a broken spine than a broken heart.  Hence, you
can measure or quantify a lifebond: it's either there or it's not, while
love can move around on a spectrum, change forms, grow or drift away,
whatever.  A lifebond either is or it isn't, because it's a material
thing (made of energy if not of elements).

I think what Stef was trying to say was that even if you have that
lifebond, it doesn't mean your relationship is engraved in marble, just
like you might have the mage gift, but it doesn't mean you're x type and
level of mage into eternity.  With that psychic resonance as a kind of
baseline, you still put all the required work into learning to
communicate and compromise and trust each other and all that.  He's
saying that being lifebonded doesn't automatically make everything
blissful, because you don't get to skip making the choices that everyone
else has to make.  The only choice you get to bypass is choosing which
person you're going to work it out with.  Everything else is still up to
you two.

And don't swallow this idea of "lifebonded mates just know what the
other thinks and feels." I don't care where Misty says that, it's not
what she's showing us.  If Talia and Dirk had any kind of pipeline to
each other's minds, it wouldn't have taken them so many years to pick up
that the other was madly in love with them.  Isn't that a pretty big and
noticeable emotion?  And yet it was not immediately obvious to either of
them.  Just like Vanyel spent a year convinced that Stefan wasn't
*really* in love with him -- it was just hero-worship, he didn't know
what he wanted, yadda yadda.  If he'd had a clue how Stef was feeling,
it would have played out rather differently.  Lifebonded couples seem to
have the same communication issues that everyone else has -- especially
when they make up their minds and refuse to listen to each other.

I don't see the lifebond as requiring anyone to be any more co-dependant
than the next person.  Were Tarma and Kethry co-dependant because they
depended on each other and dedicated their energies to advancing each
other's dreams as well as their own?  Did the bond between them (which
isn't any different from a lifebond, so far as I can tell) make them
needy or compulsively eager to please?  All it seems to me to take away
is the ability to decide that the relationship should be over, and while
I do appreciate that some people (me included, to a certain degree)
could be uncomfortable with that limitation, by virtue of the fact that
this person has been chosen for you by the gods or your own souls or
whomever, it seems that you wouldn't want to end it anyway.  Or if you
did, it would probably be a passing phase or just running away from your
problems, which you'd end up regretting anyway.

Just my thoughts on lifebonding, of course.  No one's required to think
it's a blissful idea.  Nothing is to everyone's tastes.  Heck, there are
some people who don't want to have a lifelong exclusive relationship
with one person at all, life- or lovebond, and that's great when people
find their own niche.  There's no One True Way to have a relationship,
any more than there is in other contexts.


HTH
r618-+AT+-academic.truman.edu
"Mark what a beautiful order has sprung from the dust and blood of this
fierce chaos!" --Percy Bysshe Shelley

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

Date: Mon, 24 Feb 1997 23:40:57 -0500
From: "Brian Sizemore" <paradox-+AT+-ais-gwd.com>
To: <mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk>
Subject: Re: What do I read?/Married Women
Message-ID: <199702250445.XAA15316-+AT+-ais.ais-gwd.com>

How about David Eddings and Weis & Hickman for Laura?  

----------
| From: AERDEN-+AT+-delphi.com
| To: paradox-+AT+-ais-gwd.com
| Subject: What do I read?/Married Women
| Date: Monday, February 24, 1997 11:17 PM
| 
| On 24-FEB-1997 17:47:31.0 mercedes-lackey said to AERDEN
|  me>OK.  I'm hopelessly hooked on the Valdemar series.  Unfortunately I
|  me>read faster than Misty writes. So now what should I read?  Any
|  me>suggestions?
| 
| Laura--You want a reading list?  (g)  Let's see...Anything by Oliver
Sacks,
| Lois McMaster Bujold, or Richard M. Restak.  Those authors have <never>
| disappointed me.   :)
|      Whaddaya mean, you meant other Misty books?  (g)  I liked <Knight of
| Ghosts and Shadows> and <Summoned to Tourney>  They're urban elf
| books--pretty interesting.  Because of them I now call a certain beverage
| Elf Poison.  I also really like Misty's Diana Tregarde books and <Sacred
| Ground>, which is about a private investigator who is an American Indian.
| <The Lark and the Wren> is a good book, too, but its sequels in the
Bardic
| Voices series repeat the same theme, INO, so I don't recommend them as
| highly.  Misty also co-wrote the Darkover novel <Re-Discovery>.  If
you're
| familiar with Darkover and read this book, the ending will make you cry
or
| send chills up your spine.  Or maybe both.
| 
| Jacquell--What you said about Talia not being mentioned much after her
| marriage.  I agree with you.
| 
| Vrondi--Lucy Lawless as Tarma...That's not a bad idea...They'd have to
put
| Coppertone on her skin, but it could work.  She has that dire, 'dangerous
to
| know' quality at times when playing Xena, similar to the quality that
Tarma
| has--that she has made difficult choices and has lived with them.
| 
|      Chantal
| 

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

Date: Mon, 24 Feb 1997 23:51:28 -0500 (EST)
From: Alanna P Hwang <aph200-+AT+-is5.nyu.edu>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: Who ya like!!
Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.3.95.970224234808.24804J-100000-+AT+-is5.NYU.EDU>

On Sun, 23 Feb 1997, CHRISTY GOLDBACH wrote:

> What alanna books are you talking about?? Are you by any chance 
> talking about the Alanna books about a girl and her twin brother? her 
> brother wants to be a scorcerer and she wants to be a knight but they 
> can't so they trade places?? She disguses herself to look like a 
> boy?? If I am right I just want to say that though it has been a  
> couple of years since I read them... I LOVED THEM!! Next to Misty 
> books they are my favorite!! 
> Just my opinion.
> Christy
> 
----------------------------------------------
If you liked that series, have you tried her new one.  All the old
characters are featured plus some very interestin new ones.    There's
Wild Magic, Wolf-Speaker, Emperor Mage, and Realm of the Gods.  They're
funny and better written than the first series, not that I found any
problem with the first.  The dialogue is better and you get to re-meet, is
that a word?, your old favorites.  

Another pretty good series is by Tanya Huff.  Anyone read her Series:
Sing the Four Quarters, The Fifth Quarter, No Quarter, Anyone.  Well, just
a thought.


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

Date: Mon, 24 Feb 1997 23:06:13 -0600 (CST)
From: myktshr-+AT+-ldd.net (miyako hirao)
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Fluffy Braid, entirely of casting with an ObMisty at the end
Message-ID: <199702250506.XAA05663-+AT+-cdale3.midwest.net>

Since I consider this fluffy fun for newbies, I'll give this time to settle
down. But meanwhile, I've had some *new* ideas...
Corin wrote:
>>>nononononoonnnnonnnnnooo!!  There is only one with the um...sex 
appeal??...to be Vanyel-  David Duchovney!!  Hey BABY!! pant pant.<<<

<smacks her head in disbelief> DUH! Now, why in hell did I never think of
that??? His most famous character (other than Denise, of course <g>) is
dark and moody, he's just good-looking enough, and he's got a face that
broke hearts. He might be a little too studly, though -- Vanyel's supposed
to be delicate! Wil Wheaton isn't good-looking enough (he's cute, but a
little wimpy looking -- big diff from delicate). My mother's convinced that
he's gay, but I don't think so -- least I hope not. I don't *need* several
cases of CotPW running through my head. 

GB wrote:
>>>Mnn, for Vanyel we need someone extremely sexy...how about that gorgeous
model(I can't remeber his name) he's in that new comercial with miss
Piggi...the Lays commercial in the restaurant....<<<

Antonio Sabato, Jr.? He's too macho looking, IMHO. Too "greasy", as I term it. 

>>>And Jonathan Frakes would make a great Ancar...Picyure it, he matches th
restricton perfectly...<<<

Gosh! He can play a lot of things! I think he could play Ma'ar, too. And
Patrick Stewart for ...? something or other. There has to be room for him
*somewhere*. Maybe Leonard Nimoy would be good for Withen. Frakes also
could be Randale... But he needs to be slightly bratty to be Ancar. Someone
slightly bratty -- Alexander Siddig? He can do snooty, arrogant little
sh*t! He can also do the king...

Then, Crys wrote:
>>>Forgive me if I sound truly witchy, but whoever said looks are all that 
counted??? IMHO, should the Valdemar series be made into a movie, I 
would much prefer someone who can truly act and bring to life the 
characters as opposed to someone who just has a nice...set of elbows. 
<g> From the models-turned-actors I've seen on-screen or stage... well, 
they really shouldn't quit their dayjob. <<<

YAAY!!!! Thank you, CRYS!!!!! I don't like Antonio Sabato, Jr. I think I
saw him in *something* and I thought he was absolutely horrible (it was
along the lines of spies-blow-up-stuff) Some actors, like Tom Cruise, are
*sort of* good actors. I think that Trek, X-Files, B5 actors are truly
magnificent.

Fast Fashion wrote:
>>>Am I the only gay man who finds Nana Visitor extremely, EXTREMELY? whoo<<<

Dunno. Am I the only bi chick who finds Nana Visitor fabu-ishly whoo?

Jayson wrote:
>>>Nah...  Ahhh damm. I can't think of her name. The lead Actress From 
Mad about You and the movie Twister. Know who I'm talkin about? I 
think she would make a great Kero.<<<

HELEN HUNT! HELEN HUNT! HELEN HUNT!!!!! The chick is so absolutely
awesome!!!!! She'd be perfect! Duh -- why didn't I think of that? (I've
been saying that a lot these days -- must be getting old <g>)

Then, Jayson wrote:
>>>As for the king. hmmmm. Again I can't think of names... The guy off 
of Jurasic park, independence day, He was the Guy who planted the 
viris in Independence day. Sorry , I'll be damned to hell for that.<<<

Jeff Goldblum? I don't know -- seems to be a little too nerdy for that. I
was thinking of Bruce Boxleitner, Capt. Sheridan from Babylon 5? Did I
assign him a role already?

Chantal wrote:
>>>You know, I could see Gillian Anderson playing Natoli.  And I know this
sounds odd, but I think Marina Sirtis could play Hulda.  Remember the time
she had to interrogate the Romulan?  (shiver)<snip>

Gillian Anderson? She's a little old -- I'm all for her playing the older
Talia. I know Tal's hair is supposed to be darker, but I think she'd be
good. For a younger Talia, (for acting in character) the chick who plays
Ziyal on DS9 would be great -- dunno what she looks like in RL though. As
for Marina Sirtis, I think if she did her voice the way she did Demona
(Gargoyles), she'd be good. Hulda's supposed to be bitchy/sexy/overripe,
even. Marina Sirtis would be great! And that one ep where she's being used
as a trash can for negative emotions (Man of the People, I think) -- whoa!
Is she intense or *what*? 

Then Corin came up with this:
>>>But since everyone is so terrible with 
wanting attractive men on screen- I pose another Question......who should 
have the Role as Dirk????? <<<

Dustin Hoffman (def. too old), Nicolas Cage (too tough looking?), Lyle
Lovett (too old?), Wil Wheaton (too good-looking?), Jeff Goldblum (not
blond), Brent Spiner (last resort... <g>; but he's not a funny face!).

>>>For Dirk..mnn some one who is not handsome yet lovable...How about the guy
that Plays Ned, on Ned and Stacey....He's already tall and funny....<<<

I GOT IT!!!! MARK HAMILL!!!!! Y'know, Luke Skywalker? He'd be perfect --
he's lovable, not quite handsome, but completely lovable! 

Jennifer Dorn wrote:
>>>BTW, on the subject of who should play Dirk... How about David Duchovney? To
me he strikes me as the Dirk type.<<<

*gasp* <screams in joy> YAYAYAYAAAAY!!!! David Duchovny's perfect! He's not
handsome in the conventional sense, but to convey that feeling that Talia
has, he needs to be perfectly good-looking! And he's totally lovable, too.
But I still want Mark Hamill to be Dirk, too... (maybe we could pull a
Saavik on them...)

GB wrote:
>>>How about the Lady who played Tasha in Star Trek TNG, she would make a great
Kero.....<snip>

Denise Crosby? She's a little short, but then again, so is Helen Hunt. And
if I had a choice, it would be Denise. (BTW, I'm still pissed at Tasha
Yar...)

>>>That young man(whats his name from Party of five, the younger brother) he
could be Kris....<<<

Scott Wolf? or the other guy? I only know Scott Wolf, and that's because my
best bud's crazy about him.

>>>For Solaris...Ho about( oh, jeez I am really bad with names) the lady who
plays Janeway in Voyager...<<<

OH YESSSS!!!!!!! Kate Mulgrew rocks! She was my new choice for Solaris as
well -- she started out sharing with Gates McFadden the role of Selenay,
but I realized that she would be great a being Solaris... esp that scene in
SWarning (? either that or SRising) where she basically puts a permanent
Truth Spell on Tremane. That imposing presence of Capt. Janeway would work
so well with the character of Solaris. 

OBMISTY: Do people actually write poetry in Velgarth? I mean, they write
songs, I know that much, but have we seen an evidence of there being
poetry, something like Tennyson? Oh, and my answer to that Tennyson quote
is: It was from Star Trek: Voyager -- dedication plaque. 

That's it -- sorry for this fluff; there wasn't much seriuos discussion to
respond to <hint, nudge, hint>. And folks, I know y'all are new to the
list, but the sagely ancients of the list (like Kory and Heather, and
Sillermoon, of course<G>) have spoken: please cut down on one-liners. Since
I get it in digest, it's not that bad for me, but for people who get them
one-by-one, it's really annoying. 

Love & Logic,

Summersong & Spiffy the Cat,
Goddess of Country Twang&Cowgirl Boots, Sorta-lady of the Pink Wand,
Knightress of the OAM 
"Cowboys and angels, leather and lace; salt of the earth meets heavenly
grace" -- "Cowboys and Angels" by Garth Brooks
Akiko Hirao <myktshr-+AT+-ldd.net>


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

Date: Mon, 24 Feb 1997 22:56:27 -0700
From: Chris Wiegand <cwiegand-+AT+-urgentmail.com>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: Fluffy Braid, entirely of casting with an ObMisty at the
Message-ID: <3.0.1.32.19970224225627.006a9838-+AT+-popd.ix.netcom.com >

>And Jonathan Frakes would make a great Ancar...Picyure it, he matches th
>restricton perfectly...

>Gosh! He can play a lot of things! I think he could play Ma'ar, too. And
>Patrick Stewart for ...? something or other. There has to be room for him
>*somewhere*. Maybe Leonard Nimoy would be good for Withen. Frakes also
>could be Randale... But he needs to be slightly bratty to be Ancar. Someone
>slightly bratty -- Alexander Siddig? He can do snooty, arrogant little
>sh*t! He can also do the king...

Johnathan Frakes would be perfect! Imposing, demanding, although maybe not
crazy enough. (IMHO)

Jennifer Dorn wrote:
>BTW, on the subject of who should play Dirk... How about David Duchovney? To
>me he strikes me as the Dirk type.<<<

>*gasp* <screams in joy> YAYAYAYAAAAY!!!! David Duchovny's perfect! He's not
>handsome in the conventional sense, but to convey that feeling that Talia
>has, he needs to be perfectly good-looking! And he's totally lovable, too.
>But I still want Mark Hamill to be Dirk, too... (maybe we could pull a
>Saavik on them...)

Again, good choice!


>For Solaris...Ho about( oh, jeez I am really bad with names) the lady who
>plays Janeway in Voyager...

>OH YESSSS!!!!!!! Kate Mulgrew rocks! She was my new choice for Solaris as
>well -- she started out sharing with Gates McFadden the role of Selenay,
>but I realized that she would be great a being Solaris... esp that scene in
>SWarning (? either that or SRising) where she basically puts a permanent
>Truth Spell on Tremane. That imposing presence of Capt. Janeway would work
>so well with the character of Solaris. 

On this point I actually laughed so loud the rest of the family looked at
me weird like I had grown horns. She's perfect. I can just imagine her
standing there with a big cat (BTW, where's the big, nice cat going to come
from?!) giving him the patented "Janeway Look". :) IMO.

(Note: Many people posted in this message, I decided to take out all the
other stuff so that this wouldn't be QUITE to big.)


Chris Wiegand
Email: < mailto:cwiegand-+AT+-urgentmail.com >
WWW: < http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Heights/7734/ >
Mail checked 6am and 6pm. Insert Return Receipt Requested for one.

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

Date: Tue, 25 Feb 1997 01:04:46 -0500
From: Jan <janprins-+AT+-mindspring.com>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: delurking/lifebonds/cast
Message-ID: <1.5.4.32.19970225060446.007057a4-+AT+-pop.mindspring.com>

***a diminuitive figure slowly claws her way upward through mountains of
laundry, stacks of dishes , and reams of lesson plans to momentarily delurk
and say***

Hey, y'all, and Ye gods, look at what happens when I don't check my mail for
a week---I get called "A Responsible Adult---Yuck", I get tons of itty-bitty
messages----Aack!, and newbies coming out of the woodwork.  So, Hey! to all
the newbies, welcome and well come,  I gift each of you with a sheep of the
mint- chocolate kind----My favorite---Yummm :).

My 2c to the lifebond thread
I believe that life bonds do exist IRL, but not the same type as are in
Velgarth.  In Velgarth, Lifebonds seem to be part and parcel of magic and
mind magic. They are a real thread, visible to mage-sight(Iwould think
Tylendel would have to be able to see the link to force it open, anyway),
and carries not only emotions but energy as well.  Other bonds of this sort
are, of course, Companion-Herald, and also twin bonds.  And remember the
"mothering channel" mentioned briefly in MPromise in regards to treesa and
Yfandes?  It was similar to foresight but warned only of danger to a mothers
child.
IRL, lifebonds are more on a spiritual level. They are two people who are
not complete without the other, wwho complement each other, whose whole is
more than the some of its parts. THey are linked, but it is a spiritul tie.
I have two good friends who have this kind of relationship, and they swear
they can read each other's minds. 

Jacquelle wrote
>It bothers me that Misty seems to have (well, for all intents and 
>purposes HAS) abandoned Talia since she married, as though her story 
>was over, and there was nothing more to tell about her

Now that you mention it bothers me too.  As a matter of fact, all Misty's
characters seem to disappear after they settle in with their love interest.
Talia, Elspeth, Kerowyn-----.  aNow that you mentionit have I ever read an
adventure, fantasy or no, about a married woman with children?  I'm wracking
my brain-----nope____I can't think of any____.  Do I sense the seeds of
discontent sprouting here?

Kristin wrote
>I concur...Remember, J Davidson was in The Crying Game

Oh, yeah, that I think is one of the best movies I have ever seen, Very
deep.  I couldn't find anyone to go with, I waited and rented it on video,
watched it , rewound it and watched it straight through again.  Indeed, put
JD down for Leareth.

Summerstar


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

Date: Mon, 24 Feb 1997 22:29:01 -0800
From: Sorsha <wayaadis-+AT+-inreach.com>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: Lifebonds/Fluffy Braid, entirely of casting with an ObMisty at the end
Message-ID: <331286AD.7CC8-+AT+-inreach.com>

Personally, a lifebond to me is a exactly like a soulmate. Read a book
about it in the New Age section of a bookstore. For those of you that
don't believe in soulmates/lifebonds, to each your own and as wise woman
once said <g> "May you live in interesting times" 
 
I just HAD to come out of lurking for this! Even though this topic has
run through here a few times *gryn* it's one of my favorite subjects!
If anyone would care to continue this debate offlist, just write me :)

Whoever brought up JD as Leareth, good call!

miyako hirao wrote:
>>>nononononoonnnnonnnnnooo!!  There is only one with the um...sex 
appeal??...to be Vanyel-  David Duchovney!!  Hey BABY!! pant pant.<<<

"<smacks her head in disbelief> DUH! Now, why in hell did I never think
of
that??? His most famous character (other than Denise, of course <g>) is
dark and moody, he's just good-looking enough, and he's got a face that
broke hearts. He might be a little too studly, though -- Vanyel's
supposed
to be delicate!"

I have to agrre with this, Duchovney would definately not make a good
Vanyel, hmm maybe we could have Mulder and Scully work as Mardic and
Donni *gryn*

>>>Nah...  Ahhh damm. I can't think of her name. The lead Actress From 
Mad about You and the movie Twister. Know who I'm talkin about? I 
think she would make a great Kero.<<<

"HELEN HUNT! HELEN HUNT! HELEN HUNT!!!!! The chick is so absolutely
awesome!!!!! She'd be perfect! Duh -- why didn't I think of that? (I've
been saying that a lot these days -- must be getting old <g>)"

Nah, not Helen Hunt!! She's a good actress and all but...well...I think
she's a little too short to play Kerowynn. Seems to me that Kerowyn
would be about model height but not quite "basketball" height. Maybe
Michelle Pfieffer would be good, she's got the talent and she can be as
imposing as she wants to be, I have to agree on the "Dangerous Minds"
bit brought up earlier.

>>>You know, I could see Gillian Anderson playing Natoli.  And I know this sounds odd, but I think Marina Sirtis could play Hulda.  Remember the time she had to interrogate the Romulan?  (shiver)<snip>

I can't see Gillian Anderson playing Natoli but I can DEFINATELY see
Marina Sirtis as Hulda or even Nyara. Yikes!

>>>For Dirk..mnn some one who is not handsome yet lovable...How about the guy
that Plays Ned, on Ned and Stacey....He's already tall and funny....<<<

"I GOT IT!!!! MARK HAMILL!!!!! Y'know, Luke Skywalker? He'd be perfect
-he's lovable, not quite handsome, but completely lovable!"

YAY!! I agree with Mark Hamill playing Dirk!!
I also stand by my opinion as having Winona Ryder play Elspeth, she's
can be pretty plain looking (with the help of make up) and she also has
that "young" look about her. She's a great actress and VERY flexible.
Compare her in "Mermaids", "Dracula" and then "How to make an american
Quilt". I saw someone mention Christopher Lambert as a Tayledras, hmm
Iceshadow perhaps?? I think Sean Connery (if he grows his hair long
again like in Highlander) would make a great Starblade, David Bowie
would be cool as Firesong(he's already got the white hair and
arrogance), maybe Billy Idol as Mornelithe Falconsbane (he has that
snarl), Michael Ironside as Alberich(very imposing), Val Kilmer (judging
from his performance in Willow) as Wintermoon and Nicole Kidman I would
grant the role of Dawnfire or Nyara. Glenn Close could play a good
Selenay and the Companions could be played by the Lippizanner Stallions!
Just gotta figure out voices there. 

Okay that's all for now! I know the older list members must be going
nuts seeing all this stuff again (sheeps to those who are suffering).

ObMisty: Were there ever any seances held in Velgarth?? Or if the mages
were able to raise the dead?

Zhai'helleva listsibs,
Winterrobin k'Sheyna

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

Date:        Tue, 25 Feb 1997 00:58:56 CST
From: "Hth." <R618-+AT+-ACADEMIC.TRUMAN.EDU>
To: <mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk>
Subject: casting
Message-ID:  <25FEB97.01060987.0061.MUSIC-+AT+-ACADEMIC.TRUMAN.EDU>

Yeah, Kory, you think you know me so well.  Actually, if it were up to
me, I'd never cast Lucy Lawless as Tarma.  First of all, she's not at
all the right body type; Tarma was bone-thin, and though not the
slightest bit of disrespect is intended to Lucy's body (quite the
opposite), she isn't.

Second, Xena and Tarma are such fundamentally different characters, for
all that they are both chicks in chainmail (okay, they wear leather.
Don't be so literal).  What makes Xena a neat character (as opposed to
just a blue-eyed badass who slays thugs) is all the simmering emotion,
the undercurrents of anger and pain and regret and longing that she
tries so hard to hide but never quite can.  I always saw Tarma as a very
balanced, zen kind of personality (after the first few chapters of
OBound, of course, when her clan has been avenged), the kind of person
who has simple tastes and down-to-earth goals, who can feel totally at
peace building snow forts or chatting up a priest about obscure books in
front of the fire.  Xena has an endearing sort of awkwardness around
people she doesn't know well.

Not to say that Lucy Lawless isn't a good enough actress to play a
completely different kind of character; she probably is.  Not having
seen her in anything but that one role, it's hard to tell (though she
played three totally different characters in
"Warrior...Princess...Tramp" very well, I thought).  I wouldn't cast her
as Tarma based on her work in Xena, though, no matter how much I like
that show.

I always thought Angelica Huston for Tarma and Pfeiffer for Kethry.
Hmm, let's see who else I can remember from my cast list.  Sharon Stone
as Kerowyn, Harrison Ford as Eldan.  Clare Danes as Talia, David
Schwimmer as Dirk, Tom Cruise as Kris.  Samantha Mathis as Elspeth.
Chris O'Donnell as Tylendel and Ethan Hawke as Stef, Patrick Stewart as
Withen, and the guy whose name I can't remember from the cancelled Robin
Hood tv show as Vanyel (very specific, I know.  Sorry.) I had everyone
else cast, too, but that's all I seem to be able to pull out of the
memory banks just now.

Did someone say that David Duchovny wasn't feminine-looking enough to
play Vanyel?  *giggle* You obviously never saw him play the very pretty
transvestite DEA agent on Twin Peaks....


HTH
r618-+AT+-academic.truman.edu
"Mark what a beautiful order has sprung from the dust and blood of this
fierce chaos!" --Percy Bysshe Shelley

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

Date: Tue, 25 Feb 1997 01:57:13 EST
From: kelara-+AT+-juno.com (Laura M Quimby)
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: This is me
Message-ID: <19970225.015452.7687.1.Kelara-+AT+-juno.com>


On Thu, 20 Feb 1997 21:03:09 GMT "Hth." <R618-+AT+-ACADEMIC.TRUMAN.EDU>
writes:


>Mandy Patinkin played Inigo Montoya, and he was on Chicago Hope, 
>though
>no longer (I think he does the occasional guest appearance).  He is 
>also
>one of the Big Names in musical theater: check him out with Patti 
>LuPone
>in *Evita* or as Archibald Craven in the musical version of *The 
>Secret
>Garden.* Most good record stores (are you still allowed to call them
>that, now that they only sell tapes and CDs?  CD store doesn't sound
>right) have a cache of his music hidden under Adult or Popular or
>whatever they call that section where you get your Barry Manilow and
>Barbra Streisand.  (What do you mean, you don't?  Hmph.) He's a major
>Stephen Sondheim fan and has probably recorded everything Sondheim 
>ever
>wrote for the male voice (including a spiffy trio from *Pacific
>Overtures* that he sings all by himself).  Anyway, he's pretty cool.
>
AAAAAAAUUUUUUGGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!  A music-type person!!!  Gid, this
backwards town has drained every bit of drama out of my poor withered
soul....Well....umm...maybe not quite *ALL* drama.

Everyone else seems into these formal introduction things. Ok. I'm game.

Humans call me Laura.  You may call me Godiva or Lady G. <It's not a hype
thang, it's actually a term of endearment>.  I'm a college grad, major in
Theatre and English, <No I am not a moron>, soon to be divorced with a
one year old son.  (I'm divorcing the husband, not the son)
I have a nasty tendency for the over dramatic which would be annoying
except that I'm aware of it.  I ENJOY being out of step most of the time.

My first Misty's were The Oath Series, and I fell in love with the
imagery and the style.  Misty is one of my 12 fav authors, but at least
she's still on the list!  

Ummmmm....there's lots more interesting stuff about me, but 2 am is not
the time.  More later......OH!!  My fav character???   Warrl.....(sp?)

~The Lady Godiva~
kelara-+AT+-juno.com

What is a friend? A single soul dwelling in two bodies. - Aristotle

 What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to
 what lies within us. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

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

Date: Tue, 25 Feb 1997 00:17:54 -0800
From: MorningStar <dawnrain-+AT+-geocities.com>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Braid: Huff books/welcome/Chris-names/Lifebonds/married women/ObMisty
Message-ID: <3312A032.5FAE-+AT+-geocities.com>

Alanna P Hwang wrote:
> Another pretty good series is by Tanya Huff.  Anyone read her Series:
> Sing the Four Quarters, The Fifth Quarter, No Quarter, Anyone.  Well, just
> a thought.

Been there, read that, introduced them to Chris, and wrote a brief
ObMisty comparing the Kigh to the elementals in Fire Rose.<grin>  What
do you think? Do they compare?

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-

Chris Wiegand wrote:
STUFF!  Mostly on casting...  but well, happy unlurking and welcome to
the list-at-large, Ashke.

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-

Do you all realize how many names are related to Chris on this list?  As
well as in real life?  My own is Kris...  which makes two double-Chris
couples that I know of on the list(ChrisW and me, Crys and Chris) and
then there's Chrys.  Any others?

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-

Ok, what can I say?  I feel vocal tonight...<gryn>  As I said, I do
believe in lifebonds and other types of soulbonds.  Perhaps not in the
depth that Lackey presents them, but there.  We don't have the level of
telepathy, empathy, other assorted Gifts that folk in Lackey's worlds
have.  And while I believe in telepathy-related Gifts in our world, they
are hard to find and not as strong when seen.  I've seen too many
examples not to believe.  I also wish that I was telepathic...<sigh> 
Anys, there's my opinion on the topic.
(And then Jan goes and says much the same on lifebonds...)

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-

As far as adventures with married women w/kids, Jan, Yes, I have seen
one that I can think of off the top of my head.  Minerva Wakes by Holly
Lisle.  Minerva is married to Darryl and has three kids, two boys and
one girl.  Great book!  All of them have adventures.<grin>  I'm sure
there's a few others out there...  They're not very common, though, I
agree.

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-

ObMisty:  Aww...do I gotta?<grin>  My ObMisty for the day is...<drumroll
please>  What part do you think reincarnation really plays in Misty's
books? Is it just a plot twist to get our attention and tease us?  Did
she decide to use it just for an origin for the majority of Companions? 
Or for Vanyel to have his lifebonded?  Or

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

End of MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 1113
**********************************