MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 1373 Topics covered in this issue include: 1) RE: If Wishes were Books... by Beth Allan 2) RE: Who is Misty writing for by "Roesle, Kathy" 3) Re: Who is Misty writing for by prince_ravnos-+AT+-juno.com (James B Collar) 4) I have a problem with... by "K.S." 5) Re: Fluff Stuff ('scuse me! I'll be quick!) by "MEGAN DIMOND" 6) Re: RE: Hello every1. by Heather Shannon 7) Von Katrin Re (Jodie the Fosterling) by Heather Shannon 8) RE: Who is Misty writing for by "MEGAN DIMOND" 9) who ML writes to by Heather Shannon 10) I just figured I'd introduce myself by "Gwyn'he'far shena Tale'sedrin" 11) Re: who ML writes to by "Gwyn'he'far shena Tale'sedrin" 12) Re: Who is Misty writing for by "Mark Severson" 13) Re: If Wishes were Books... by J Hulley-Miller 14) various topics by seltan-+AT+-qinet.net 15) Re: various topics by prince_ravnos-+AT+-juno.com (James B Collar) 16) Re: If Wishes were Books... by "shannon hillinger" 17) Re: various topics by "Gwyn'he'far shena Tale'sedrin" 18) Who Misty Writes for by "ANDREA HUNTER" 19) Heroes and Gods by "Tim & Tiffanie Gray" ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 17:29:05 -0400 From: Beth Allan To: "'mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk'" Subject: RE: If Wishes were Books... Message-ID: <01BCDF16.78947100-+AT+-mail1.voicetel.ca> ------ =_NextPart_000_01BCDF16.789C1220 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I agree, it would be amazing if Misty would write the history, from any = stand point! I think it would answer a TON of questions I have, but = think of the different plots she could run off of it! It makes me want = to write to her (even though I don't have her addy) and ask her to do = it! ! Well, bye! Taurus -----Original Message----- From: Tracy L Danberry [SMTP:Tracy_L_Danberry-+AT+-rohmhaas.com] Sent: Wednesday, October 22, 1997 8:40 AM To: bethallan-+AT+-voicetel.ca Subject: If Wishes were Books... Bright the day, listsibs. I was just reading Eddings' Polgara the = Sorceress=20 (basically a 4000+ history of Eddings' world). Wouldn't it be great if = Misty=20 would pen the Velgarth history from the perspective of either Van (as a = ghost=20 keeping track of world events, focusing on Valdemar), or from King/Baron = Valdemar himself (just think, the forging and founding of current = beliefs,=20 society, culture; not to mention brief mentions of the Empire, the = Hileagh {I=20 always spell that wrong}, Iftel, etc...). She could also do one from = Urtho=20 and/or Skan's perspective, as spirits, up until Valdemar's founding. It = would tie up sooooo many loose ends, yet still leave plenty of new story = plots. Anyone agree??? Trae, mindmate to fabulous Sax (peregrine falcon) & Jaxom = (firebird) Anyone hear any Princess Di jokes? See below. I've left a "Potentially = Offensive Joke" barrier, for those who don't want to read them. Yes, = they're=20 in horrible taste, but kind of funny... J O K E=20 B A R R I E R What does Princess Di turn in to at the stroke of 12? The wall What's the difference between a Porsche and a Mercedes? Diana wouldn't be caught dead in a Porsche What's the difference between Diana and Tiger Woods? Tiger Woods has a better driver! There's a longer, more sacrilegious one of Diana and Mother Teresa, but=20 you've gotta E:mail me personally if you're interested... 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"'mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk'" Subject: RE: Who is Misty writing for Message-ID: Tracy wrote: Here's a question: How many people who are bi or 100% homosexual like Misty's work and buy it way more than any other author (who is equally talented) BECAUSE of how she features her heroes/heroines? Time to "delurk"... I had been pondering over a response to Tracy's question when I read the response from JBGNY. To JBGNY: Lovely photo of you and your son! Now to respond... I am an utterly boring, straight, happily-married woman. When I first started reading the Valdemar books, the first series I picked up was the LHM trilogy. To be honest, I was surprised to learn the main character was gay, but I most certainly wasn't horrified or disgusted! On the contrary -- I cried buckets over those books! They also brought back memories of suffering through my teenage/high school years (which were tough for me!) I also remember the struggles some friends experienced as they came to recognize that their yearnings/desires were not those generally accepted by the rest of the high school crowd (small town!). Then there were the other friends who ignored their own feelings in order to fit in... the books captured those times and feelings so very well! Reading the LHM trilogy was wonderful yet heart wrenching ...to read about a character that was so real to me... Vanyel seemed like any one of a number of friends. And that was the book that hooked me on Misty's writing. Personally, I purchase and read Misty's books just because! I like the fact that women play such a major part in her books -- especially nice since the female characters are not there specifically as romantic "interludes." On the other hand, I read fantasy to escape from the real world, so when I read I try to NOT compare the world of the book to the world presently lived in! It could get way too depressing to realize that the more ideal world doesn't exist! Well, back to lurkdom! Kathleen ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 18:25:15 -0500 From: prince_ravnos-+AT+-juno.com (James B Collar) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Who is Misty writing for Message-ID: <19971022.182516.14022.4.Prince_Ravnos-+AT+-juno.com> Ok, with all this "Misty writes for gays stuff" i had to give my opinion. I think she writes books. I play role-playing games, and although I am a totally heterosexual male, I like to play female characters or even lesbian characters. If I write a story of one of my characters, I am not catering to women, or even lesbians. I am catering to WHOEVER WANTS TO READ THE STORY. Why does Misty's books have to be for gays, why can't they be for everybody? BTW, as an afterthough, I am not homophobic, it seemed to me this letter might make it seem I am, so I am not. (At Job Corps, everybody thought I was gay just cause I hung out with a guy who was...) Prince Ravnos hetersexual male and lover of Misty's books no matter who they are meant for. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 16:49:25 -0700 (PDT) From: "K.S." To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: I have a problem with... Message-ID: Ok, this has bothered me since I first read the book. In one of the WO books, the one where Elspeth and the gang get kidnapped and sent to Van's domain in Sorrows, there is mention to a nice little pool of water, just the size for two. And i believe Stef mentioned that it was his idea, or something. Anyhow, my problem is this: if Stef and Van are little inconsequental wisps of mist, why would they want a spot like that? I mean, it's not like they can sit in the water (or can they?) Another thing, _where_ exactly does Van go when he is not being an inconsequental wisp of mist? That whole passage kind of bothered me. On to more ramblings...I was thinking about why I like LHM and the Arrows books so much better than the Winds books. And I think that the reason is because, at the end of each individual book from LHM and Arrows, the conflict was resolved, on with their life, etc. Then the next book picked up X amount of years down the road and whatnot. Although it would be nice to know what happens in between... Anywho, with Winds I felt like I was reading the same thing over again, only different. K.S. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 21:50:42 EDT From: "MEGAN DIMOND" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Fluff Stuff ('scuse me! I'll be quick!) Message-ID: <19971023015043.29827.qmail-+AT+-hotmail.com> I would love to! Please, Can I?.(although i'm not sure if I'd be any good at it). Thank you . >Meghan, if you would like to enter this oh-so-serious Order and become a >Knight? I am MORE than willing to sponser you. If so, you must abide by >this strict code: ;) > I hope you take me up on my offer. (this is also open to any who >have a sense of humor-I'll initiate you too!) > Megan,soon to be Kinght of fluff(I Hope) "When the last individual of a race of living beings breathes no more, another hevean and another earth must pass before such a one can be again" W.Beebe ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 22:02:51 -0400 (Eastern Daylight Time) From: Heather Shannon To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: RE: Hello every1. Message-ID: > eJ8+IicVAQaQCAAEAAAAAAABAAEAAQeQBgAIAAAA5AQAAAAAAADoAAEIgAcAGAAAAElQTS5NaWNy > b3NvZnQgTWFpbC5Ob3RlADEIAQ2ABAACAAAAAgACAAEEkAYA6AEAAAEAAAAQAAAAAwAAMAIAAAAL > AA8OAAAAAAIB/w8BAAAAVwAAAAAAAACBKx+kvqMQGZ1uAN0BD1QCAAAAAG1lcmNlZGVzLWxhY2tl > eUBoZXJhbGQuY28udWsAU01UUABtZXJjZWRlcy1sYWNrZXlAaGVyYWxkLmNvLnVrAAAeAAIwAQAA Snip about 30 lines!!!! What is this crap, much sorry if can't say that. I've gotten a couple of these now, like with the =20 at the end of the lines. Anyone know?!?!?! Thanx much. Lots of Luck, Rehtaeh ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 22:12:02 -0400 (Eastern Daylight Time) From: Heather Shannon To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Von Katrin Re (Jodie the Fosterling) Message-ID: On Tue, 21 Oct 1997 11:43:29 +0100 (BST) AERDEN-+AT+-delphi.com wrote: > OBMISTY--Say, do you all think JF could do justice to Kero? > Chantal Hey, IMHO, I have to say no. I just got finished reading the book and I just can's see Foster playing her. For one she's too wimpy looking. Kero is supposed to be a fighter and have very sharp features, somewhere in there it said hawklike. Sorry just my opinion. Lots of Luck, Rehtaeh ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 22:58:08 EDT From: "MEGAN DIMOND" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: RE: Who is Misty writing for Message-ID: <19971023025809.20939.qmail-+AT+-hotmail.com> I agree completely. It reminded me of when I was alot younger and was just figuring out what gay, and queer and all that stufff. At the time I wass still working out how any one could want to Do THAT with a A BOY (Btw I'm female, and "straight"(i do not like that word , it sort of implies that anyone who isn't is crooked))I was probaly around 8or possibly9 . I am happy to say I'm passed that stage.Long-past it in fact any ay. I was also catching onto the fact that it wasn't very sociably acceptable. I remember when I found out one of my favorite cousins was gay. She is about 15 years older then me. it was kind of confusing. She is one of the reasons that I do not think theres any thing wrong with being gay, or for that matter being different any way. however that isn't THE reason why I read her books. I like her plot lines , her character development, written style, in fact I just enjoy reading her books. I don't read them for messages contained (although I'm not adverse to picking one up along the way , it most certainly enriches the plot line) I read because there fun to read! >Now to respond... I am an utterly boring, straight, happily-married >woman. When I first started reading the Valdemar books, the first >series I picked up was the LHM trilogy. To be honest, I was surprised >to learn the main character was gay, but I most certainly wasn't >horrified or disgusted! On the contrary -- I cried buckets over those >books! They also brought back memories of suffering through my >teenage/high school years (which were tough for me!) I also remember >the struggles some friends experienced as they came to recognize that >their yearnings/desires were not those generally accepted by the rest >of the high school crowd (small town!). >Personally, I purchase and read Misty's books just because! I like the fact that women play such a major part in her books -- especially nice >since the female characters are not there specifically as romantic >"interludes." On the other hand, I read fantasy to escape from the real world, so when I read I try to NOT compare the world of the book to the world presently lived in! It could get way too depressing to realize >that the more ideal world doesn't exist! >Kathleen Megan, soon to be Knight of Fluff( I hope) "When the last individual of a race of living beings breathes no more, another hevean and another earth must pass before such a one can be again" W.Beebe ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 23:01:41 -0400 (Eastern Daylight Time) From: Heather Shannon To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: who ML writes to Message-ID: I guess I had to add my $.02 worth. I agree with everyone, if that's possible. My first book was Children of the Night adn I didn't even tie it to the LHM series when I started it probably 5 years later. I was bored and going on vacation and wanted something to read. I picked it up cause I loved the artwork adn the story sounded cool. But I did love the way Misty portrayed Vanyel adn everyone. I've known one gay man, and met his partner, adn he was always very nice to me. It always bothered me in school when everyone was so homophobic. Replying to whoever said about small towns, I went to a small private school (i.e. 28 counting me in graduating class...I know gasp!!!). And I have to say, adn I'm sorry, I've never totally noticed about her heroines, but then the only ones I've read have been Tarma adn Kethry and Kero. Oh, don't get me wrong they're great, but I guess I'm used to them. I grew up on McCaffery, adn her Dragonsinger trilogy and Rowan books, and a couple others all featured good heroines, so I don't notice it. I do know that both authoreses (is that a word?) are great. And I have to say that I am most definitely straight, in fact my Room Advisor in my dorm hall called me a guy freak (i.e. posters all over my room). And before any of you guys say anything, think back to your rooms during highschool and your college dorm. Also I must apologize for three postings in one night, but I had around 90 (!!!!) to go through and I wasn't sure if I was going to get them all tonight. Also sorry for spelling. I've been sitting in a computer room since 9:30 adn it's now after 11 and I swear they've got the airconditioner on 50 and it's probably that outside, adn my fingers and nose have turned into little icecicles (I _really_ don't think that one's right). So anyway I will take that hot chocolate and tea, I don't do coffee. Thanx for listening. Lots of Luck, Rehteah ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 20:13:17 PDT From: "Gwyn'he'far shena Tale'sedrin" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: I just figured I'd introduce myself Message-ID: <19971023031317.726.qmail-+AT+-hotmail.com> Heyla, all. My name is Gwyn Raven, aka Gwyn'he'far shena Tale'sedrin, aka Ravenwind. Just plain Gwyn will do. I'm relatively new to Mercedes Lackey, but I have been devouring her books for the past three months. I'd have to say my favorite have been the Vanyel books, but I am also rather partial to the Tayledras and the Shin'a'in, which appeal to my Native American background. I guess that's about it for right now, but I'm looking forward to being able to discuss this wonderful writer's books with all of you, there are far too few fantasy lovers where I am, it makes for very boring conversation %^) Zhai'helleva, Gwyn ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 21:52:54 PDT From: "Gwyn'he'far shena Tale'sedrin" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: who ML writes to Message-ID: <19971023045255.29330.qmail-+AT+-hotmail.com> I guess I just have to add my $.02 here as well. After reading the Vanyel books and Ellen Kushner's Swordspoint, any prejudices I might have been entertaining were completely wiped away. I went to a small private school, too, and there was only one openly gay student the entire time I was there. I remember reading Swordspoint just about the time that I was beginning to question society's (not to mention my parents') opinion that homosexuality was somehow wrong. By the time I realized the characters were gay, I was already deep enough in the book that it didn't matter and from that point on I never paid any credence to claims that homosexuality was unnatural, a sin, wrong, demented, or other similar adjectives. Reading the Vanyel books, as well as a few other books and stories that featured gay characters, only served to reinforce that opinion. Still I never found the books to be preachy in any way, nor do I think that the story was in any way sacrificed for the "message". Well I guess that was a pretty long $.02, but you get my drift. Gwyn'he'far ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 10:46:08 -0500 From: "Mark Severson" To: Subject: Re: Who is Misty writing for Message-ID: <01bcdfca$c77d5980$235181ce-+AT+-markttz.eonet.com> Greetings all, Time to step out of the dusty deeps of my den. Concerning who Misty is writing for. I think it really boils down to one thing - she is writing for herself, or at least she was back in LHM. Let me explain that statement. LHM which were the first Misty book(s) I picked up are extremly well written. They - at least IMHO have a soul. I frankly don't give a hoot that the main character is gay. I'm a 42 year old hetro batchlelor working on my curmudgeonhood and being a bookworm I've read a "few" books. As I have stated before yes I was surprised by the characters leanings but Van is a fasinating character and one who I would be honored to call friend. I do not beleive that someone can sit down and bang out a good book if they do not like what they are doing, and/or are not involved in what they are doing. LHM to me is THE best she has done. As far as the Storm books go - I was extremly disappointed. They lacked soul - I cannot believe that Misty really enjoyed writing them. Someday I hope she revisits them when she feels up to it and rewrites them - this time with soul. For those of you who wish to cast stones or what not - feel free, but remember - we zombies feel no pain. Mark the tax zombie ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 01:27:56 -0400 From: J Hulley-Miller To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: If Wishes were Books... Message-ID: <19971023012756.18888-+AT+-pobox.com> On Wed, Oct 22, 1997 at 11:20:32PM +0100, Dawn Patrick wrote: > Personally I thought better than Belgarath but in general I felt the whole > series has gone downhill. Sigh. Nothing is as good as it used to be. > young folks today grumble grumble etc. While I agree the series has declined dramatically since the Belgariad, I disagree with Polgara being better then Belgarath. The writing in Belgarath was much more fluid, in Polgara you can TELL where they switched writers... Not to mention the contradictions *within* Polgara, Belgarath had a few but in Polgara they are rampant :( I don't think Polgara was proofed by anyone competent. -- __ J Hulley-Miller \/__ \/ "Human nature is never so weak as in a bookstore" - Henry Ward Beecher ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 22:48:32 +0800 From: seltan-+AT+-qinet.net To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: various topics Message-ID: <2.2.32.19971023144832.006afa8c-+AT+-qinet.net> >From: Deniz Sarikaya >And I'm not saying the >winners are neccessarily changing the sex of the losers, but rather >*overlooking* the heros of the wrong group, or diminishing their >importance. Prob'ly. Excerpt from article on fairy tales (you can e-mail me for the rest) >Fairy tales have little to do with fairies and a lot to do with horror. >After all, they were not originally intended for children. Go back to the >earliest versions of the stories and you will discover they were often "women's >stories"; tales older women told to pass experience and wisdom on to >younger women. They often illustrated one's place in the social order, rewarded >virtue and overcame adversity. They also reflected the horror of real >life. > >Other fairy tales were created by women rebelling against societal >constraint and offering opinion in a climate that had little use for female >opinion. Aristocratic women of the late 17th century brought the literary fairy >tale to popularity offering clever heroines who commented on arranged >marriages, injustice and often saved themselves. Uneducated in the traditional >literary style of the time (women weren't worth teaching Latin and Greek to) the >tales were also something of a literary rebellion. > >What happened to these imaginative, often very nasty, woman-authored >stories? The best-known tales today were collected by the Grimms or (re)written >by Charles Perrault. Perrault sided with the literary rebellion, but when >he rewrote folk tales to amuse the court of Versailles, his versions >reversed this female "liberation." The Grimm Brothers, like all good editors, >tailored the stories they collected their public. Products of their own society, >bourgeois values and Protestant ethic, the Grimms purged erotic elements, >introduced Christianity, and a patriarchal viewpoint. (Their sources, >were not peasants, as popularly believed, but mostly female members of the >educated middle and upper classes, and most were women. Nor were they >particularly German in origin. The tales go back, shaped by generations >of storytellers possibly into pre-history many coming to Germany via trade >routes to India and the East.) Once the stories were "Grimmized", heroic >princes replaced plucky, clever heroines; the sex was deleted, but the >violence remained. *** Halloween was also a memorian for the dead. I think the costumes were to scare away spirits, or confuse the dead to keep them from coming and hauling their loved ones after them. How the "trick-or-treat" came I have no idea, but Sovven might start in on the costumes if people start to believe in spirits coming back to take the living. *** The Last Straw was an essay by Misty on the reason she will no longer write about Diana Tregarde. She sounded spitting mad, but the events didn't 'zactly sound like calm waters. I think the website is http://www.usa.net/firebird/ml-straw.html, but I'm not sure -- I saved the whole thing as a text file. *** The thing about Misty's writing is that it would probably appeal to nearly anyone with a sense of decency and fairness. (Sorry if I lecture -- book studies in English) Especially the Heralds would, and most (if not all) the Tayledras, both groups having pretty strict morals and ethics. In fact, most of the characters whose views we get do. I think Mornelithe, Charliss and that duke whats-his-name M--- were the main exceptions. Actually, I personally felt a little dirty after reading the bit from Mornelithe in Winds of ... (First book) == Whoops! This post is rather longer than I intended... Well, I don't post much anyway. Bye. =&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&==&=&=&=&=&= Selene T. selly-+AT+-geocities.com|seltan-+AT+-qinet.net http://www.geocities.com/Area51/8121/ =&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&==&=&=&=&=&= ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 11:55:06 -0500 From: prince_ravnos-+AT+-juno.com (James B Collar) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: various topics Message-ID: <19971023.115506.16022.1.Prince_Ravnos-+AT+-juno.com> Just want to comment on this fairy tale thing. I have read a book called "White Rose, Black Thorn" by various athours. It is the fairy tales we know as a kid, with an adult twist (Cinderella is a fat old teacher who is crazy and casts evil magic on her kids in her class, her name is "Ashputtle") Some of them are funny, but ALL are good. Especially the one by the late Roger Zelazny (he is so cool) about Death's goddson (i forget the name of the story) who is very rebellious (he does not do as his godfather asks, and boy, does he get in trouble!) And as for the Last Straw, it also talks about crazy people trying to kill Misty, and even says one guy said he'd kill her at a fan convention. Her concern is not just her death or her husband's, but the possibility of him killing her fans (gosh! she is concerned about us! My mom would say "Of course, then she'd get less money" but my thinks all anybody cares about is money, which is true some what, but I think Misty has a heart) and that is why she is so mad. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 10:36:15 -0700 From: "shannon hillinger" To: Subject: Re: If Wishes were Books... Message-ID: <199710231735.KAA15660-+AT+-bp10.u.washington.edu> > > On Wed, 22 Oct 1997 13:39:42 +0100 (BST), Tracy_L_Danberry-+AT+-rohmhaas.com > > writes: > > >Bright the day, listsibs. I was just reading Eddings' Polgara the > > Sorceress > > > > any good? > > > Personally I thought better than Belgarath but in general I felt the whole > series has gone downhill. Sigh. Nothing is as good as it used to be. > young folks today grumble grumble etc. Personally I thought that Belgarath was better than the whole Mallorean. He has a tendancy to write formulaic books like Piers Anthony does, and I was glad he finally escaped the pattern a little. Not that I have anything against Piers Anthony or David Eddings, they both have immense amounts of appeal to me. > > Trae wrote : > > Here's a question: How many people who are bi or 100% homosexual like > Misty's > work and buy it way more than any other author (who is equally > talented) > > BECAUSE of how she features her heroes/heroines? I don't think that it is because she features bi and homosexual characters that I like her so much, but it certainly helps. Life in all it's infinite variations and all that stuff. It's nice to be able to read about people who aren't usually portrayed as such normal healthy human beings. Especially bi people. Maydela -:) Forget the sheep, gimme a Unicorn! ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 10:49:10 PDT From: "Gwyn'he'far shena Tale'sedrin" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: various topics Message-ID: <19971023174918.8361.qmail-+AT+-hotmail.com> >Halloween was also a memorian for the dead. I think the costumes were >to scare away spirits, or confuse the dead to keep them from coming >and hauling their loved ones after them. How the "trick-or-treat" >came I have no idea, but Sovven might start in on the costumes if >people start to believe in spirits coming back to take the living. I believe the "trick-or-treat" part came from the tradition of leaving gifts (usually food, with Jack-o-lanterns as a welcoming beacon) for the spirits, so that they would look favorably on the giver, and not do any of the unpleasant "tricks" the spirit were known to play upon the less generous. Gwyn ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 13:02:36 +0000 From: "ANDREA HUNTER" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Who Misty Writes for Message-ID: <1DD2D982919-+AT+-cottey.edu> OK I decided to delurk All of this about who Misty writes for is an interesting thesis. So I just thought I would add my two cents in. Listen if you are writing you have to at least like writing otherwise you would not be into the whole starve for a career thing. So I hold that Misty started writing for herself and then as she was able to make it as a writer she is still writing for herself BUT this is the big But here guys. She herself said it in the Di series. She is selling a product. She has a contract with her publishers to write what they feel will sell. So she is bound to write not only because she loves writing but because she is now selling a product which we happily buy. So whether she herself is actively for gay rights, doesn't matter. What matters is that we buy her product which she is writing. And in all honesty I truly think her books are for everyone. EVERYONE. NOT JUST A GROUP OF THIS OR THAT. The fact remains that Everyone can get something out of Misty's books. NOt just Gay or black or women or white or any one group. We all read Misty because we like her work so we pay her more money. Which she will happily recieve from us. Again remember that it is a product it is not some idealized moral story. Sure she puts part of herself into every story but every author does. She is still in a contract with her publishers to get things done. I shall now go back to lurking Thank you for your time Wind to thy Wings Storm ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 21:03:54 -0000 From: "Tim & Tiffanie Gray" To: Subject: Heroes and Gods Message-ID: <199710231954.UAA23635-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_01BCDF2E.0161AF40 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hello, Hello! Welcome to all the Newbies! I loved the lightbulb joke and TMCJ (both the real answer and the made up one) Kudos to all writers. >Kaeldra ended: >PS >uh-oh! Misty Misty Misty blah blah Vanyel blah blah blah mage >winds/storms/wars blah blah blah blah LOL, there are so many days when I feel like that is the only thing going on on the list!. So why do I keep reading? For the FLUFF, of course!!!! <--count 'em!!!!! <-- and again! Remmington Crothian reminded us: > Just becouse Eddings lets you doesn't mean Misty will. Author vary >hugely on what can and can't be done in their books based off of what >they want to happen. That's really true, there are lots of interpretations on what can and cannot be done to and by gods in fictional works. "The Garret Files" (Red Iron Nights, Cold Copper Tears, etc..) follow someone's (I deleted who) idea that if they lose all their followers that they will fade away. In our RPG's we've played the gammut from Omnicient and all powerful, to someone who's just two steps above hero. Really tends to take some of the mystery out a game if you're not careful. >And IMSVHO, authors who let their heros slay gods >are getting to munchkin. Hero's of that power are to much. It becomes a >power struggle. Author creates new more powerful bad thing. Hero kills >it. Author creates a still more powerful bad thing. Hero kills it, >ect..... Agreed, then what is left to do except turn the Hero into a demi-god themselves? Or as often hapens in RPG's retire them. In Misty's case (ah ha! Misty content) she chose both options for Vanyel. He was permanently "retired" and then took up residence in the Forest as the local demi-god. Until he had earned enough points to go on to the Havens and enjoy his just rewards. Not to mention, its really hard to come up with anything that is a serious challenge, I mean both a true challenge to the intrepid hero, and a challenge that the reader will consider serious enough to get emotionally involved with. You start getting the "Ho hum, Vanyel's about to destroy the entire Empirial army with one hand while fighting 15 cold drakes with his mind and fencing the 42nd reincarnation of Ma'ar and composing a new song for Stephan to try out." syndrome....how can you relate to someone that is so utterly above you in power? You worship them or you just ignore them and hope they don't look your way; as a reader, you laugh and think, "how campy!" Too, much power is the death of a character, and going out with a bang was really the best way for Misty to handle "the man who has everything". ************************** Well, RL intrudes, so.... Zephyr breezes to thy primary pinions, Dax the Eternal, Goddess of Unicorns and Elves (Hi, Kory!) Evangelist of Low Humor ------=_NextPart_000_01BCDF2E.0161AF40 Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Hello, Hello!

= Welcome to all the Newbies!

I loved the = lightbulb joke and TMCJ (both the real answer and the made up
= one) Kudos to all writers.

>Kaeldra = ended:
>PS
>uh-oh! Misty Misty Misty = blah blah Vanyel blah blah blah mage
>winds/storms/wars = blah blah blah blah

LOL, there are so many days = when I feel like that is the only thing going
on on the list!. = So why do I keep reading?
For the FLUFF, of = course!!!! <--count 'em!!!!! <-- and again!

= Remmington Crothian reminded us:
> Just becouse = Eddings lets you doesn't mean Misty will. Author vary
= >hugely on what can and can't be done in their books based off = of what
>they want to happen.

= That's really true, there are lots of interpretations on what can = and
cannot be done to and by gods in fictional works. = "The Garret Files" (Red Iron =     Nights, Cold Copper Tears, etc..) follow = someone's (I deleted who) idea that if
they lose all their = followers that they will fade away.

In our RPG's = we've played the gammut from Omnicient and all powerful, to
= someone who's just two steps above hero. Really tends to = take some of the   mystery out a game if you're not = careful.

>And IMSVHO, authors who let their = heros slay gods
>are getting to munchkin. Hero's of = that power are to much. It becomes a
>power = struggle. Author creates new more powerful bad thing. Hero = kills
>it. Author creates a still more powerful bad = thing. Hero kills it,
>ect.....

= Agreed, then what is left to do except turn the Hero into a = demi-god
themselves? Or as often hapens in RPG's =   retire them. In Misty's case (ah ha! =     Misty content) she chose both options for = Vanyel. He was permanently
"retired" and then = took up residence in the Forest as the local demi-god.
Until = he had earned enough points to go on to the Havens and enjoy his just =   rewards.

Not to mention, its really = hard to come up with anything that is a serious
challenge, I = mean both a true challenge to the intrepid hero, and a challenge that =       the reader will consider serious = enough to get emotionally involved with. You start =     getting the "Ho hum, Vanyel's about = to destroy the
entire Empirial army with one hand while = fighting 15 cold drakes with his
mind and fencing the 42nd = reincarnation of Ma'ar and composing a new song for =       Stephan to try out." = syndrome....how can you relate to someone that is so utterly =     above you in power? You worship them or = you just ignore them
and hope they don't look your way; as a = reader, you laugh and think, "how
campy!"
=
Too, much power is the death of a character, and going = out with a bang was
really the best way for Misty to handle = "the man who has everything".

= **************************
Well, RL intrudes, so....
=
Zephyr breezes to thy primary pinions,

= Dax the Eternal, Goddess of Unicorns and Elves (Hi, Kory!)
= Evangelist of Low Humor

------=_NextPart_000_01BCDF2E.0161AF40-- ------------------------------ End of MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 1373 **********************************