Ask the Author: Patricia Burroughs
Answered Questions (14)
Patricia Burroughs
Untune the Sky, Volume Three of The Fury Triad.
I don't want to spoil anything for those who haven't read both the previous books, since these are not stand-alone novels but beginning-middle-end of a single tale. So please, leave comments, but show the same care!
Here is a snippet, unedited and rough, but I hope it gives you a taste to hold you over....
~o~o~o~
She shoved away, swallowed the stone in her throat, choking on tears she refused to shed.
He touched her chin with his fingertip and a shiver shimmered over her skin. “Spill them,” he said. “Let them out.”
“No.”
“Then protect yourself,” he snapped. He leapt to his feet and yanked her after him. “Block me.”
And he assaulted her.
Not with mind magic. Not with Dark. But with the one weapon she never thought to defend herself from, not from him.
He raised her throbbing right hand high and the elevation lessened its throb.
He put his other arm around her, his hand on her back, and she froze in disbelief.
He began the studied [box step] she had guided them through at Myrtle Grove.
And then as straight from his cruel arsenal as any assault he’d used against her as an enemy—
Music...
He took his sinister silken voice that could so easily have cut her to the quick and turned it to even more pain. It was a soft, rumble of a baritone, velvety and warm.
And she had no defences—none—against this unexpected assault.
Ym mhalas Llwyn Onn gynt, fe drigai pendefig,
Efe oedd ysgweiar ac arglwydd y wlad;
Of music.
Ac iddo un eneth a anwyd yn unig,
A hi nôl yr hanes oedd aeres ei thad.
His voice.
Aeth cariad i'w gweled yn lân a phur lencyn,
Ond codai'r ysgweiar yn araf ac erch,
I aethu'r bachgennyn, ond gwyrodd ei linyn,
A'i ergyd yn wyrgam i fynwes ei ferch.
Persephone had thought the tinkling harpsichord would drive her to madness but this—this—
Oh goddess save her, this—
This left her as hollow as if he’d carved out her heart and her soul and sent the melody echoing through her, and left her unable to move except for the one, two, three stumbling of her feet in the sand, unable to buck his will as he sang—sang.
He sang with deceptive gentleness, sang that Welsh tune she’d first played in London to thwart him. The tune she’d played so achingly that it brought people to weeping.
He sang “Lwyn Onn”, the Welsh words so musical when spoken taking on new power, new pain, as song, his song, of a palace made of ash trees, of a powerful chieftain...
Stepping one, two, three. One, two, three.
Of a beautiful daughter who refused the offers of marriage from many wealthy suitors.
She only had eyes for a pure-hearted peasant,
Which kindled a rage in her proud father's chest.
Surely he didn't consider himself the pure-hearted!
He shot at her sweetheart, but misfired the arrow,
Which sunk itself deep in his dear daughter's breast.
She stumbled.
That arrow that struck her just as surely as it had the princess in the song, and why did he sing this of all songs, of a father's betrayal of his daughter?
But she knew.
Block me, he had demanded. Block me.
Even as the unceasing nightmare harpsichord in her head struck discord with his insufferably seductive voice. Because of course he who turned his wicked voice to silken seduction at will could turn it to music as well, a deep voice like sizzling honey tinged with delicate poison? Low and delicate, barely a whisper stirring tickling against her ear with Darkness, lacing even the sweetest honey with its poison.
And just as he surely had anticipated, her anguish was consumed by rage.
She blocked him, oh yes, and in a quick, fluid movement, she slipped her wand from her sleeve and jabbed it at his jugular, freezing him mid-word, mid-step.
Until he looked down that long nose at her and smirked.
Dhe sliced a hot blister down his neck.
She spun away from him but paused to glance over her shoulder at his scowl. "My beloved," she said with her own sweet poison. "I know I am nectar to your lips and heaven in your arms but surely you can restrain your urges whilst we have a guest?"
She sauntered away showing no rush, no indication of the blood curling in her veins in response to his, but savouring his frustration she felt with the hairs on the back of her neck.
After all, if he chose to manipulate her tears away and replace them with anger, how could she resist using it to retaliate?
He could heal a blister well enough.
And she kept her countenance sweetly bland, revealing nothing of the secretive smirk teasing the corners of her lips, that would reveal how fervently she anticipated his retaliation.
I don't want to spoil anything for those who haven't read both the previous books, since these are not stand-alone novels but beginning-middle-end of a single tale. So please, leave comments, but show the same care!
Here is a snippet, unedited and rough, but I hope it gives you a taste to hold you over....
~o~o~o~
She shoved away, swallowed the stone in her throat, choking on tears she refused to shed.
He touched her chin with his fingertip and a shiver shimmered over her skin. “Spill them,” he said. “Let them out.”
“No.”
“Then protect yourself,” he snapped. He leapt to his feet and yanked her after him. “Block me.”
And he assaulted her.
Not with mind magic. Not with Dark. But with the one weapon she never thought to defend herself from, not from him.
He raised her throbbing right hand high and the elevation lessened its throb.
He put his other arm around her, his hand on her back, and she froze in disbelief.
He began the studied [box step] she had guided them through at Myrtle Grove.
And then as straight from his cruel arsenal as any assault he’d used against her as an enemy—
Music...
He took his sinister silken voice that could so easily have cut her to the quick and turned it to even more pain. It was a soft, rumble of a baritone, velvety and warm.
And she had no defences—none—against this unexpected assault.
Ym mhalas Llwyn Onn gynt, fe drigai pendefig,
Efe oedd ysgweiar ac arglwydd y wlad;
Of music.
Ac iddo un eneth a anwyd yn unig,
A hi nôl yr hanes oedd aeres ei thad.
His voice.
Aeth cariad i'w gweled yn lân a phur lencyn,
Ond codai'r ysgweiar yn araf ac erch,
I aethu'r bachgennyn, ond gwyrodd ei linyn,
A'i ergyd yn wyrgam i fynwes ei ferch.
Persephone had thought the tinkling harpsichord would drive her to madness but this—this—
Oh goddess save her, this—
This left her as hollow as if he’d carved out her heart and her soul and sent the melody echoing through her, and left her unable to move except for the one, two, three stumbling of her feet in the sand, unable to buck his will as he sang—sang.
He sang with deceptive gentleness, sang that Welsh tune she’d first played in London to thwart him. The tune she’d played so achingly that it brought people to weeping.
He sang “Lwyn Onn”, the Welsh words so musical when spoken taking on new power, new pain, as song, his song, of a palace made of ash trees, of a powerful chieftain...
Stepping one, two, three. One, two, three.
Of a beautiful daughter who refused the offers of marriage from many wealthy suitors.
She only had eyes for a pure-hearted peasant,
Which kindled a rage in her proud father's chest.
Surely he didn't consider himself the pure-hearted!
He shot at her sweetheart, but misfired the arrow,
Which sunk itself deep in his dear daughter's breast.
She stumbled.
That arrow that struck her just as surely as it had the princess in the song, and why did he sing this of all songs, of a father's betrayal of his daughter?
But she knew.
Block me, he had demanded. Block me.
Even as the unceasing nightmare harpsichord in her head struck discord with his insufferably seductive voice. Because of course he who turned his wicked voice to silken seduction at will could turn it to music as well, a deep voice like sizzling honey tinged with delicate poison? Low and delicate, barely a whisper stirring tickling against her ear with Darkness, lacing even the sweetest honey with its poison.
And just as he surely had anticipated, her anguish was consumed by rage.
She blocked him, oh yes, and in a quick, fluid movement, she slipped her wand from her sleeve and jabbed it at his jugular, freezing him mid-word, mid-step.
Until he looked down that long nose at her and smirked.
Dhe sliced a hot blister down his neck.
She spun away from him but paused to glance over her shoulder at his scowl. "My beloved," she said with her own sweet poison. "I know I am nectar to your lips and heaven in your arms but surely you can restrain your urges whilst we have a guest?"
She sauntered away showing no rush, no indication of the blood curling in her veins in response to his, but savouring his frustration she felt with the hairs on the back of her neck.
After all, if he chose to manipulate her tears away and replace them with anger, how could she resist using it to retaliate?
He could heal a blister well enough.
And she kept her countenance sweetly bland, revealing nothing of the secretive smirk teasing the corners of her lips, that would reveal how fervently she anticipated his retaliation.
Patricia Burroughs
Thank you so much for asking!
And yes, there will be. There are a few other priorities pushing it to the back burner right now, but there will an audiobook and I can't wait. You mention the UK release dates. Are you talking about for the audiobook? Because the ebook is already available in the UK. Let me know!
And yes, there will be. There are a few other priorities pushing it to the back burner right now, but there will an audiobook and I can't wait. You mention the UK release dates. Are you talking about for the audiobook? Because the ebook is already available in the UK. Let me know!
Patricia Burroughs
Thank you! Yes, The Fury Triad is still breathing and being written! Untune the Sky is taking my breath away right now. I'd love it to be published about a year from now, late 2019. I can't make any promises because sometimes the story just isn't 'right' and I have to sulk and seethe and pull my hair out, wasting precious time I'd rather be writing. But then, by the time I get to the end, I realize that I couldn't have gotten to 'that' ending if I'd just pushed through and ended the book to make a deadline. And as for Book Two, omg, it gutted me and also made me grin diabolically at the computer screen as Persephone took over and reminded me that she is the Dark daughter, and that means Dark. LOL! Again, thanks so much! If you're not already, please consider signing up for my newsletter and/or following my blog to get all of the between-times info. For example, on my website right now [furytriad.com] there are a few little tidbits from Untune the Sky on its book page: https://www.furytriad.com/the-books/u...
And now that I see that was posted a year ago, I need to dribble a few more goodies out!
And now that I see that was posted a year ago, I need to dribble a few more goodies out!
Patricia Burroughs
Wow. What an amazing compliment and question. [And it's great to meet another ConDFW fan. Hi!]
I have so many thoughts about this, I don't know how to answer it all in one go, so your question seems to have launched a series of posts on my blog! How did you do that? LOL!
Let me begin with this excerpt from the first of at least four posts! Here is where I directly begin to address your specific question about Hermione. Begin, because not only is this just an excerpt, but because I soon realized that deserved its own separate post, which will be posted soon.
So you can click now and just read all of it right now, or read this and decide if you want more. And thank you for asking such a fabulous question. Really.
The World of The Fury Triad – Harry Potter Fanfiction and Fandom As Early Influences: http://bit.ly/2Mmj9ZF
EXCERPT:
And yes, it all began because of Harry Potter fandom and fanfiction. I had always turned my nose up at fanfiction, and when students mentioned that they wrote it I tried to be polite and encouraging but also tried to nudge them toward ‘real’ writing.
This is not the place where I want to spend words explaining how wrong I was and why.
Let’s let it rest here: When I succumbed to the lure of fanfiction because there were no more Potter books coming, and professional writer friends of mine–yes, professional writers–were not only still fanfiction writers, but one had mentioned Potter in particular.
I asked if there were really things worth reading.
I received links.
I fell into the hidden tunnel beneath the Whomping Willow and am forever grateful.
It was in fandom [which is mostly female readers] that it began to be noted and yes, grumbled about, that Hermione and in particular her importance in Harry’s quest [aka saving his ass with her intellect and magic one time after another] was largely ignored. Fandom was probably the source of the many memes and videos that reimagined the books with stories from Hermione’s point of view. Some were stories from canon. Some went places Rowling never anticipated, one presumes. [Snerk.]
I include this link for two reasons. One, it’s just a single expression of the Cult of Hermione. Two, it says something specific about Hermione that I wanted to point out.
Cautions:
If you follow this link you will find major spoilers for every single book!
And if you have read the books and follow that link do not have anything spillable within reach.
You will either spew with giggles or knock over with fist pumps.
You were warned!
Do I seem deviously Slytherin to make you jump to my blog at this particular point? Me? A Gryffindor to the teeth? It's just that the way I have it linked and excerpted on my blog is beyond my skill set here on Goodreads.
Again, the link for more: http://bit.ly/2Mmj9ZF
And please, let me know what you think about Hermione, about the things I linked to, about fanfiction--oh, or of course, The fury Triad! Here or there is great. [Or you know, don't. But thanks again!]
I have so many thoughts about this, I don't know how to answer it all in one go, so your question seems to have launched a series of posts on my blog! How did you do that? LOL!
Let me begin with this excerpt from the first of at least four posts! Here is where I directly begin to address your specific question about Hermione. Begin, because not only is this just an excerpt, but because I soon realized that deserved its own separate post, which will be posted soon.
So you can click now and just read all of it right now, or read this and decide if you want more. And thank you for asking such a fabulous question. Really.
The World of The Fury Triad – Harry Potter Fanfiction and Fandom As Early Influences: http://bit.ly/2Mmj9ZF
EXCERPT:
And yes, it all began because of Harry Potter fandom and fanfiction. I had always turned my nose up at fanfiction, and when students mentioned that they wrote it I tried to be polite and encouraging but also tried to nudge them toward ‘real’ writing.
This is not the place where I want to spend words explaining how wrong I was and why.
Let’s let it rest here: When I succumbed to the lure of fanfiction because there were no more Potter books coming, and professional writer friends of mine–yes, professional writers–were not only still fanfiction writers, but one had mentioned Potter in particular.
I asked if there were really things worth reading.
I received links.
I fell into the hidden tunnel beneath the Whomping Willow and am forever grateful.
It was in fandom [which is mostly female readers] that it began to be noted and yes, grumbled about, that Hermione and in particular her importance in Harry’s quest [aka saving his ass with her intellect and magic one time after another] was largely ignored. Fandom was probably the source of the many memes and videos that reimagined the books with stories from Hermione’s point of view. Some were stories from canon. Some went places Rowling never anticipated, one presumes. [Snerk.]
I include this link for two reasons. One, it’s just a single expression of the Cult of Hermione. Two, it says something specific about Hermione that I wanted to point out.
Cautions:
If you follow this link you will find major spoilers for every single book!
And if you have read the books and follow that link do not have anything spillable within reach.
You will either spew with giggles or knock over with fist pumps.
You were warned!
Do I seem deviously Slytherin to make you jump to my blog at this particular point? Me? A Gryffindor to the teeth? It's just that the way I have it linked and excerpted on my blog is beyond my skill set here on Goodreads.
Again, the link for more: http://bit.ly/2Mmj9ZF
And please, let me know what you think about Hermione, about the things I linked to, about fanfiction--oh, or of course, The fury Triad! Here or there is great. [Or you know, don't. But thanks again!]
Patricia Burroughs
Oh, dear! Sit here beside me, Maryanne, and let me give you a cup of tea!
I just checked to see if you've read The Dead Shall Live yet, and maybe not? It's not on your list. But if you have, I can assure you that there is more coming, and it will have more twists, turns, and passion.
I hope that helps!
I just checked to see if you've read The Dead Shall Live yet, and maybe not? It's not on your list. But if you have, I can assure you that there is more coming, and it will have more twists, turns, and passion.
I hope that helps!
Patricia Burroughs
First of all, many years ago I met a numerologist who attended a book signing. She did the numbers on my name. She frowned. Then she asked if that was my 'real' name. And I said it was, but I also went by another name. She did the numbers on that as well. Then she stared at me and finally said, "Darlin', no matter how I figure it, you are the most disorganized person ever put on this earth."
Yes. That's me. I can't deny it.
So when my muse told me I was going to write a huge, three-book trilogy that was based on subjects I knew nothing about, in a time I knew nothing about, with religions, mythologies, and histories I knew nothing about, I was a bit daunted.
But Scrivener to the rescue! [By the way, I love the way it's creator Keith pronounces it, the English way, with three syllables instead of two. Just saying.]
Scrivener is a very complex, powerful, and reasonably priced bit of writing software that will help you organize your projects whether they are blog entries, a dissertation, or a short story anthology. Or, in my case, the Fury Triad.
And because I also do not have a technical or logical mind, I am not one who simply reads the manual and then begins. I begin where I need it.
I needed Scrivener to help me collect the material that would ultimately become the universe I was writing about. Scrivener is writing software that does a gazillion things, but I initially need it for one single thing, and that is this very thing--organizing a sh*t-load of information and research material.
I have posted more details on my blog, with illustrations. Anybody who is interested can see them here: http://furytriad.com/organizing-a-hug...
Scrivener allows you to import just about anything you need into the project file. You can import anything from music, to art, to websites, to books, to newspaper articles... if it's online you can have it organized at your fingertips in the project's "binder."
The Fury Triad is unlike any other project I've ever written. I didn't start writing the first scene in the first chapter. I had some vague ideas, and because I was under contract for another project and couldn't start writing, I simply began being a little Pooks-magpie, gathering anything bright and shiny that caught my attention, whether it made sense or not. Whether I really believed it might be useful or not. I simply gathered in Scrivener's research binder.
I had stumbled across images that 'spoke' to me without knowing why, and I started collecting them without caring why. It was enough just to have them. They were my muse talking to me. Mind you, my muse had never spoken to me in such a way before. I have never had to have visual images of characters before, or do any special work to develop characters. They usually spring from my fingertips without thought, and I am as surprised by them as my readers are. But this time? Was different.
And I collected images of the world, which was largely Regency England. And locations. And maps. Maps of London during that time. I found them all over the internets and imported them for later, not certain which ones I might actually need and use.
And books. Entire books. I found The Magus online several places, but downloaded it from the Sacred Texts site, and imported it into the binder for 'later' when I needed it. I found many old, esoteric texts there, and herbals, and such. And sucked them right into my binder.
And to my absolute astonishment I discovered that it was all searchable. When I was searching for a scene I'd written with adders, I also pulled up the old folk remedies for adder bite that were tucked away in forgotten books I'd imported a year earlier!
So that, my friends and readers, is how my love affair with Scrivener began. It simply collected everything I might even consider needing later, and held it for me. Many wonderful tidbits and ideas died there, because as I wrote, a need for them never evolved. But oh, how important all those notes at my fingertips proved to be, whether maps, paintings, books, or info from websites. And oh, how I multi-tasked, working on the project with a deadline attached, and in the background, allowing my muse to go crazy window-shopping for the next idea simmering on the back burner.
So that, dear Wendy, is how I kept my research somewhat straight.
In all honesty I discovered that the books I really needed to use, I ended up buying. I needed to highlight, bookmark, post-it note, etc. That is how I do my best research. But having it all searchable at my fingertips while I was [finally!] writing?
Was magic.
Scrivener. Forget that it does a hundred things fabulously. Just remember that if you only use it for one single thing, you will sing its praises.
And of course, I ended up using it for many things.
Thank you for asking!
Yes. That's me. I can't deny it.
So when my muse told me I was going to write a huge, three-book trilogy that was based on subjects I knew nothing about, in a time I knew nothing about, with religions, mythologies, and histories I knew nothing about, I was a bit daunted.
But Scrivener to the rescue! [By the way, I love the way it's creator Keith pronounces it, the English way, with three syllables instead of two. Just saying.]
Scrivener is a very complex, powerful, and reasonably priced bit of writing software that will help you organize your projects whether they are blog entries, a dissertation, or a short story anthology. Or, in my case, the Fury Triad.
And because I also do not have a technical or logical mind, I am not one who simply reads the manual and then begins. I begin where I need it.
I needed Scrivener to help me collect the material that would ultimately become the universe I was writing about. Scrivener is writing software that does a gazillion things, but I initially need it for one single thing, and that is this very thing--organizing a sh*t-load of information and research material.
I have posted more details on my blog, with illustrations. Anybody who is interested can see them here: http://furytriad.com/organizing-a-hug...
Scrivener allows you to import just about anything you need into the project file. You can import anything from music, to art, to websites, to books, to newspaper articles... if it's online you can have it organized at your fingertips in the project's "binder."
The Fury Triad is unlike any other project I've ever written. I didn't start writing the first scene in the first chapter. I had some vague ideas, and because I was under contract for another project and couldn't start writing, I simply began being a little Pooks-magpie, gathering anything bright and shiny that caught my attention, whether it made sense or not. Whether I really believed it might be useful or not. I simply gathered in Scrivener's research binder.
I had stumbled across images that 'spoke' to me without knowing why, and I started collecting them without caring why. It was enough just to have them. They were my muse talking to me. Mind you, my muse had never spoken to me in such a way before. I have never had to have visual images of characters before, or do any special work to develop characters. They usually spring from my fingertips without thought, and I am as surprised by them as my readers are. But this time? Was different.
And I collected images of the world, which was largely Regency England. And locations. And maps. Maps of London during that time. I found them all over the internets and imported them for later, not certain which ones I might actually need and use.
And books. Entire books. I found The Magus online several places, but downloaded it from the Sacred Texts site, and imported it into the binder for 'later' when I needed it. I found many old, esoteric texts there, and herbals, and such. And sucked them right into my binder.
And to my absolute astonishment I discovered that it was all searchable. When I was searching for a scene I'd written with adders, I also pulled up the old folk remedies for adder bite that were tucked away in forgotten books I'd imported a year earlier!
So that, my friends and readers, is how my love affair with Scrivener began. It simply collected everything I might even consider needing later, and held it for me. Many wonderful tidbits and ideas died there, because as I wrote, a need for them never evolved. But oh, how important all those notes at my fingertips proved to be, whether maps, paintings, books, or info from websites. And oh, how I multi-tasked, working on the project with a deadline attached, and in the background, allowing my muse to go crazy window-shopping for the next idea simmering on the back burner.
So that, dear Wendy, is how I kept my research somewhat straight.
In all honesty I discovered that the books I really needed to use, I ended up buying. I needed to highlight, bookmark, post-it note, etc. That is how I do my best research. But having it all searchable at my fingertips while I was [finally!] writing?
Was magic.
Scrivener. Forget that it does a hundred things fabulously. Just remember that if you only use it for one single thing, you will sing its praises.
And of course, I ended up using it for many things.
Thank you for asking!
Patricia Burroughs
Holy cow, Allen! I just found this question/comment, and you're absolutely right. I'm so happy and excited about your publications. I see a mix of your Civil War interests and some contemporary political thriller action? I hope you're working on something now, too!
Patricia Burroughs
I wanted someone to anoint me and tell me, "You could do this. You have it in you to do this thing."
Three times during my school years I wrote something that had the potential to do that, and each time, it fell flat. So 'being an author' was so far beyond what I saw as possible, I couldn't even imagine it, much less form a thought so specific as, "I want to be an author."
I thought authors lived in ivory castles, had multiple degrees in English and creative writing, and were simply 'above' anything I could possibly be.
Or that authors had lived amazing and exciting lives, and had amazing and exciting things to write about.
Or that authors had survived something horrible--a disease, an attack, a war--and thus had a story worth telling.
I was a mom with three small kids. I was none of those things.
The turning point? When I needed information about something school-related and called a woman a few blocks away from me. All I knew about her was that while I had three kids, she had four. We lived in the same suburb and our kids knew each other, but weren't particular friends.
And when she answered the phone and I asked her for information, she told me that she had nothing to do with that, that she didn't have time to get involved in that... that she was a writer.
I almost fell off the kitchen bar stool. A mom with four kids in my working class suburb couldn't be a writer. That just couldn't be true. But it was true. And she took me under her wing, and encouraged me, and ... well, you know the rest of the story.
I had to find somebody who was like me who was writing books before I could imagine myself in that world. And by the time I finished the first draft of my first book, I knew this was truly who I was. Not who I wanted to be. Who I was.
A writer.
Thank you for asking.
Three times during my school years I wrote something that had the potential to do that, and each time, it fell flat. So 'being an author' was so far beyond what I saw as possible, I couldn't even imagine it, much less form a thought so specific as, "I want to be an author."
I thought authors lived in ivory castles, had multiple degrees in English and creative writing, and were simply 'above' anything I could possibly be.
Or that authors had lived amazing and exciting lives, and had amazing and exciting things to write about.
Or that authors had survived something horrible--a disease, an attack, a war--and thus had a story worth telling.
I was a mom with three small kids. I was none of those things.
The turning point? When I needed information about something school-related and called a woman a few blocks away from me. All I knew about her was that while I had three kids, she had four. We lived in the same suburb and our kids knew each other, but weren't particular friends.
And when she answered the phone and I asked her for information, she told me that she had nothing to do with that, that she didn't have time to get involved in that... that she was a writer.
I almost fell off the kitchen bar stool. A mom with four kids in my working class suburb couldn't be a writer. That just couldn't be true. But it was true. And she took me under her wing, and encouraged me, and ... well, you know the rest of the story.
I had to find somebody who was like me who was writing books before I could imagine myself in that world. And by the time I finished the first draft of my first book, I knew this was truly who I was. Not who I wanted to be. Who I was.
A writer.
Thank you for asking.
Patricia Burroughs
I have to admit, I took lessons from JK Rowling.
Well, maybe I took lessons in how she named the Blacks and Weasleys, anyway. If you remember, all of the Black family (except Narcissa) had astronomical names: Andromeda, Sirius, and Regulus had roles in the series, but certainly Bellatrix trumped them all! Other Black family members mentioned also followed this naming scheme.
Then we look at the Weasleys. Unlike the pompous purebloods, their names are down-to-earth. Even though their real names are often just as pretentious sounding to us Muggles, they go by Arthur, Molly, Bill, Charlie, Fred & George, Ron, and Ginny. Salt of the earth, and their names support that.
With a cast of characters that from the beginning was expansive, I decided to go in a similar direction. The Furys, so proud of their heritage, always use names from mythology. I am not sure if Mrs Fury's given name has been used, yet, but she is the only one who doesn't have a myth-based name, and that's because, of course, she wasn't born a Fury.
The Royal family took on the Arthurian names and called themselves the House of Pendragon at the time Bardán Fury set up the first magical dynasty in Tudor times. While typically only those born into the Royal family are given those names at birth, a woman marrying into the Royal line takes an Arthurian name, and sometimes they are 'gifted' on infants who are born into the extended family but not in the hereditary line for the throne. Thus, because Queen Ygraine loved her niece, she requested that her grand-nephew be named Gawain, a great honour, indeed!
Finally, the Earthborn tend to take names from nature, some sound normal to us, and some that don't. Also, some of the names are in the languages of their native land, or part of the country. English names like Coal, Lily and Phlox are joined by names like Golvan, which is Cornish for sparrow, or Mellyon, Cornish for clover. Clary in the story is short for Clary Sage, and other names may have come from the botanical designation if the family is likely to know of it.
Few names were chosen without a lot more thought than they probably merited, but it's so much fun finding them. Thanks for asking such a great question!
ETA: And now, here is a teaser for The Dead Shall Live. My favorite new character is Akachi Redshanks. And yes, that name has meaning, too. But I'll wait and let Akachi tell you herself when the book rolls out!
Well, maybe I took lessons in how she named the Blacks and Weasleys, anyway. If you remember, all of the Black family (except Narcissa) had astronomical names: Andromeda, Sirius, and Regulus had roles in the series, but certainly Bellatrix trumped them all! Other Black family members mentioned also followed this naming scheme.
Then we look at the Weasleys. Unlike the pompous purebloods, their names are down-to-earth. Even though their real names are often just as pretentious sounding to us Muggles, they go by Arthur, Molly, Bill, Charlie, Fred & George, Ron, and Ginny. Salt of the earth, and their names support that.
With a cast of characters that from the beginning was expansive, I decided to go in a similar direction. The Furys, so proud of their heritage, always use names from mythology. I am not sure if Mrs Fury's given name has been used, yet, but she is the only one who doesn't have a myth-based name, and that's because, of course, she wasn't born a Fury.
The Royal family took on the Arthurian names and called themselves the House of Pendragon at the time Bardán Fury set up the first magical dynasty in Tudor times. While typically only those born into the Royal family are given those names at birth, a woman marrying into the Royal line takes an Arthurian name, and sometimes they are 'gifted' on infants who are born into the extended family but not in the hereditary line for the throne. Thus, because Queen Ygraine loved her niece, she requested that her grand-nephew be named Gawain, a great honour, indeed!
Finally, the Earthborn tend to take names from nature, some sound normal to us, and some that don't. Also, some of the names are in the languages of their native land, or part of the country. English names like Coal, Lily and Phlox are joined by names like Golvan, which is Cornish for sparrow, or Mellyon, Cornish for clover. Clary in the story is short for Clary Sage, and other names may have come from the botanical designation if the family is likely to know of it.
Few names were chosen without a lot more thought than they probably merited, but it's so much fun finding them. Thanks for asking such a great question!
ETA: And now, here is a teaser for The Dead Shall Live. My favorite new character is Akachi Redshanks. And yes, that name has meaning, too. But I'll wait and let Akachi tell you herself when the book rolls out!
Patricia Burroughs
Ah, you've been reading my blog or following me on Pinterest! Cornwall will definitely play a big part in the trilogy.
My husband and I have made several research trips to England, Wales, Ireland, and Scotland. Not everywhere we've visited will make it into this series, however. And one of the most significant locations was discovered through long distance research. I looked for Tudor manors online and after I found some that were part of the National Trust, I sent off for their guidebooks. Once I realized that a form of Baddesley Clinton would be amazing for my purposes, I nabbed it and started writing. It was only after This Crumbling Pageant was complete that I got to actually visit that wonderful manor house. I could have moved right in. I wanted to live there. I want to go back!
You can read more about my experiences choosing it here: http://wordwenches.typepad.com/word_w...
My husband and I have made several research trips to England, Wales, Ireland, and Scotland. Not everywhere we've visited will make it into this series, however. And one of the most significant locations was discovered through long distance research. I looked for Tudor manors online and after I found some that were part of the National Trust, I sent off for their guidebooks. Once I realized that a form of Baddesley Clinton would be amazing for my purposes, I nabbed it and started writing. It was only after This Crumbling Pageant was complete that I got to actually visit that wonderful manor house. I could have moved right in. I wanted to live there. I want to go back!
You can read more about my experiences choosing it here: http://wordwenches.typepad.com/word_w...
Patricia Burroughs
It gives me an excuse to do so many devious and delicious things and call them research!
Patricia Burroughs
It all started when I wrote a piece of fanfiction that, to date, has had over 3 million hits and so many reviews I stopped trying to keep count at over 15,000. I loved writing it so much, and got so caught up in the writing and the world, I wanted to do my best to duplicate it but this time in my own world, with my own characters.
I looked at that story and asked myself, what is it that made the writing such an act of passion and joy? And then I took those three elements and began creating my own world. One was a certain kind of romantic relationship that intrigued me, but only because it is part of a bigger relationship that goes beyond a love story.
One was certain kinds of characters--but to say what it is about these characters that inspired me is something of a spoiler.
And one was setting--England. I'd already been to England four times, and once I knew I was going to write this story, I planned more targeted research trips to the British Isles.
Finally, I knew I wanted to write this fantasy in a historical period, even though the fanfic I wrote was contemporary. This was my story and I love history.
I couldn't decide between Tudor England and Regency, and ended up doing both, if you consider that the roots of the Fury Triad are tangled in the reigns of Henry VIII and his children, though Persephone Fury lives in the time of the Regency.
Thanks for asking!
I looked at that story and asked myself, what is it that made the writing such an act of passion and joy? And then I took those three elements and began creating my own world. One was a certain kind of romantic relationship that intrigued me, but only because it is part of a bigger relationship that goes beyond a love story.
One was certain kinds of characters--but to say what it is about these characters that inspired me is something of a spoiler.
And one was setting--England. I'd already been to England four times, and once I knew I was going to write this story, I planned more targeted research trips to the British Isles.
Finally, I knew I wanted to write this fantasy in a historical period, even though the fanfic I wrote was contemporary. This was my story and I love history.
I couldn't decide between Tudor England and Regency, and ended up doing both, if you consider that the roots of the Fury Triad are tangled in the reigns of Henry VIII and his children, though Persephone Fury lives in the time of the Regency.
Thanks for asking!
Patricia Burroughs
Reading wonderful books inspires me and makes me want to write my own. Some writers get inspired by bad books. Many a writer has said that he or she read bad books and thought, if this awful thing can get published, I can get published!
It never worked that way for me. Reading bad books just distressed me. Instead, I'd think, if even this awful thing can get published, why can't I?
But reading wonderful, wonderful books makes me overflow with the joy of it all, and next thing I know I'm diving back into my own worlds and my own ideas with renewed verve.
It never worked that way for me. Reading bad books just distressed me. Instead, I'd think, if even this awful thing can get published, why can't I?
But reading wonderful, wonderful books makes me overflow with the joy of it all, and next thing I know I'm diving back into my own worlds and my own ideas with renewed verve.
Patricia Burroughs
I kind of hate the term 'aspiring writer,' unless it refers to someone who wants to write someday, but hasn't started doing it yet.
If you are writing--short stories, novels, articles, anything! If you are writing, you are a writer. My advice to you is to write more, keep writing better. But be a writer. Claim it. Say it. "I am a writer." Forget 'aspiring.' What an insipid word. If you are a writer, write. Dreamers aspire. Writers write.
If you are writing--short stories, novels, articles, anything! If you are writing, you are a writer. My advice to you is to write more, keep writing better. But be a writer. Claim it. Say it. "I am a writer." Forget 'aspiring.' What an insipid word. If you are a writer, write. Dreamers aspire. Writers write.
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