Calling all Pagan brains...where are ya?

Great question, Carole. Lately, I've been sticking to Pagan themed books. But in general, I read anything... ANYTHING. Mostly classics with a few contemporary bits thrown into the mix.

Maybe this helps keep us more well-rounded?

I usually write what my characters tell me too, and stick with Pagan stuff for the most part. I read anything though and the story changes. As far as the story never being finished, that's good, make it a series but it will take over your life. Ask my husband!
Sheryl

I try to write stuff that strikes me as fun, and because I view my own sprituality as fun most of the time, I incorporate that in there on occasion. I toss random pagan elements into my fiction, even if it's just something as mundane as the kooky best friend who plays with herbs. My YA fiction book, which hopefully will be out next year, is about witches but more on a practical level than a spiritual one. On the other hand, I'm playing around with a specifically pagan-themed non fiction book, which I hope to finish sometime in the next few months.

Now, when it comes to READING, I'll read darn near anything, and I do try to read three books at one time: one lightweight fiction (Nora Roberts, Katie MacAlister), one more complex fiction (Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell right now, which I'm havign a hell of a time with), and one non fiction book. The nonfiction books I read generally have to do with mythology, paganism, world history, or seafaring, oddly enough.

Oooo, Strange and Norrell... I loved that one! I was a little dissapointed at the ending, but don't worry, I won't say why....

Saritams8 said:

Oooo, Strange and Norrell... I loved that one! I was a little dissapointed at the ending, but don't worry, I won't say why....

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I'm really having trouble getting through it. I like her style of writing, because it's very Jane Austen-y, and the idea of these two magicians working together is intriguing.

However, I can only read a few pages at a time before I just have to set it down. I've had it nearly a month and I'm only to the halfway point. I think that if she had cut out all of the stuff about Lady Pole and Stephen Black being under this enchantment, it would probably move things along a bit more smoothly. I'm trying to decide if I'll finish it or not. I suspect the library wants it back.

Carole said:

*Looks at the red book sitting on her printer*

Ruh Roh...I think the library probably wants "the Mayor of Casterbridge" back as well. My son sure didn't want it!

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Oooh! I *loved* the Mayor of Casterbridge! A&E did a movie version of it about three years ago and it was so well done.

But I can see how my kid would probably hate it

PattiTheWicked said:

I'm really having trouble getting through it. I like her style of writing, because it's very Jane Austen-y, and the idea of these two magicians working together is intriguing.

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Agreed. She seemed very much like Jane Austen, working with a different subject matter. I like the premise, but there were things I would have changed or cut.

PattiTheWicked said:

However, I can only read a few pages at a time before I just have to set it down. I've had it nearly a month and I'm only to the halfway point. I think that if she had cut out all of the stuff about Lady Pole and Stephen Black being under this enchantment, it would probably move things along a bit more smoothly. I'm trying to decide if I'll finish it or not. I suspect the library wants it back.

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It was a slow read for myself as well. It took a month for me to read it, and I'm normally reading something new every week. The whole Lady Pole thing didn't do it for me. You were supposed to have these sympathetic feelings toward her, but I didn't care enough about her to get into her story line. Stephen Black intrigued me and I loved the way his story played out through the end. The way the man with the thistle down hair treated him really got me thinking. Thistledown was upset that Black was a servant, but he seemed to treat him like more of a servant than the Pole's did. I would have liked more of his story and less of Lady Pole.

You should finish it. Check it out again or I'll send you mine

As far as the original question goes, I don't write anything even remotely related to Pagan literature. That being said i recently had a great idea for a new short story that was fantasy/magic related, but not really pagan. More of a fairy tale.

I **FINALLY** finished Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. I did enjoy the Stephen Black story line, once it progressed a bit, but I was disappointed with the ending too.
Honestly, it's a great idea and well written, but I think she could have cut about 250 pages out of the book and not damaged it a bit.

Now I'm trying to figure out who I'd like to see as Strange and Norrell in a movie.