Gillian Bronte Adams

Brothers, Side by Side

April 16, 2014 by Gillian Bronte Adams 22 Comments

Born on the plains, a farmer’s sons
and brothers the same, raised on promises…
we’d stay that way.
As boys we believed, summers at the sea
we were free to become men of good will…
side by side. “By Your Side” House of Heroes Sunset falls over the battlefield, blood red streaking the sky in mimicry of the bloodstained, flame-ridden plain below. And as the shades of night descend, two armored figures meet amidst the dead and the dying, cast battered swords from weary hands, and grip one another’s shoulders. It is done. The battle is won. And they are both still alive. The halls of unforgettable story telling are filled with epic battles, hard won fights, and brother tales. Whether the main players are actually brothers, or simply brothers-at-heart, there’s just something about a good brother story that grips us by the heart and won’t let us go. Just off the top of my head, I can list a good half dozen tremendous brother pairs from novels, films, history:

Merlin and Arthur, BBC’s Merlin TV series
David and Jonathan, the Bible
Dean and Sam Winchester, Supernatural TV series
Sherlock and Watson, many awesome interpretations over the years
Thor and Loki, Marvel-verse
Legolas and Gimli, The Lord of the Rings
Steve Rogers and Bucky, Captain America
Fred and George Weasley, the Harry Potter series

I could keep going for at least another ten minutes. Daresay I could pull another half dozen out of The Lord of the Rings alone. One of my favorite books, Enemy Brothers, is a tremendous brother tale set in Great Britain during WWII. (Actually, what makes it even more spectacular is the author penned the novel before the end of WWII was anywhere in sight! Knowing that just makes every awesome heart-wrenching scene in the book that much more incredible. If you haven’t read it … you should.) I rediscovered my love for brother tales recently while writing a short story, Shattered Ice. Despite its shortness—clocks in right around 1,000 words (an earth-shattering feat for me)—I fell in love with Ren and Tal and would be thrilled to explore their story more at some point in the future. I suppose I just love sibling tales in general. The bond between siblings, the complexities of their relationships, and the protectiveness they feel for one another are near and dear to my heart. So I find brother tales, brother-sister tales, and even sister tales especially enjoyable. Somehow though, sister tales rarely possess the same power that brother tales do. I won’t say a sister tale can’t be done well—I’ll admit to enjoying Disney’s Frozen as much as the next person—but somehow there never seems to be the same raw depth, heart, and strength to the story. So what is it about a good brother story that strikes so deep? I pondered this question over the past few days, racking my brain for the answer. To be honest, I don’t know. But I can speculate. I wonder if it in part has to do with the fact that if there’s one person you know—or think you know—better than yourself growing up, it’s your sibling. The little quirks and idiosyncrasies you’d let slide in others, somehow seem so much bigger in the person you’ve known since you—or they—were born. You know their faults … and they know yours too. And sometimes, they tell you the painful truth. You can pretend to all the world … but a sibling? Well, they’ll see right through your thickest mask. But despite the conflict that occasionally sparks when y’all rub crossways, you still manage to love one another. Even if you show it in strange ways at times. Somehow, I think good brother tales seem to capture this bond in a deep, heartfelt, “I’d die for you” kind of way, without coming across as cheesy or contrived. Even when the brothers are not brothers by blood. Sure, it’s a bit of a tall order. But I can think of dozens of tales and brother pairs that fit the bill. And I can’t wait to discover some more. What do you think? What are your favorite brother tales and sibling pairs? Do you have a favorite brothers’ moment?

Fantasy Reflections: Step Aside Samwise

April 11, 2014 by Gillian Bronte Adams 26 Comments

Welcome, ladies and gents! Step right this way for another mind-boggling fantasy reflection guaranteed to get the old brain cells moving … and stop hair loss. Disclaimer: this post was penned in a spurt of mad creativity fueled by an overabundance of coffee and Dr. Pepper. Consider yourself warned. No, I’m afraid I can’t tell what the quest is beforehand. Top secret and all that. Must take precautions. Obviously how you decide to go about said death-defying quest will influence your decision on which fantasy creature to choose as a companion. If you prefer stealth mode, I can almost guarantee Smaug is not the best choice. Good try though. A- for effort. I plan to start my quest in stealth mode and see how far I get before my cover is blow—because, let’s face it, covers are almost always blown. One that happens, I’ll race in with guns blazing—swords flashing—to finish the quest and save the day … Mounted on Shadowfax. Yes, I would choose him for my companion. Who wouldn’t want to ride one of the Mearas? A horse swift as the wind, capable of covering vast distances with a speed that would kill a lesser beast. The lone steed to stand undaunted before the arrival of the Witchking. Aye, Shadowfax is the companion for me. Wind in my hair, face to the sky, faithful steed beneath, I’d gladly face any perils the road has to offer. How about you? Who or what would you choose as your fantasy creature companion?

I am an artist

April 8, 2014 by Gillian Bronte Adams 12 Comments

Wordcrafting has always been my chosen course of study. From a young age, I would stay up late into the night carving fantasy worlds from the bedrock of imagination and transforming them with each stroke of the keypad into words on a computer screen. There are few things more satisfying that untangling the knotted mass of plot threads in your head and slowly unraveling them on the page in just the right order . . . so when you look back, you can see the many colored strands drawing you to the glorious resolution on the final page. I love the written word. And yet, although nothing could ever make me wish myself free of the call of the pen, there are times when I’m heartily—woefully—jealous of a completely different talent. I wish I was an artist. There are so many incredibly talented people out there who can take the images in their heads and faithfully reproduce them in magnificent explosions of color and ink. Beautiful. Orderly. Breathtaking. My own attempts frequently resemble explosions of a far less pleasing sort.
I am in awe of the artist’s ability. It’s a talent all its own. Oh I can get by with a sketch pad and pencil … and a horde of erasers at my beck and call. Whenever the mood takes me, I’ll pluck out my old sketchpad and work to keep my hand and eye in “practice.” Mainly characters or scenes that I’m working on. This past week, in a fit of mad courage, I started experimenting with watercolors. And amidst the wild mass of colors and scattered brushes and splattered paint, I realized at last … That I am an artist. Oh I may not possess the skill with a paint and brush that some do … nor the ability to capture life on a pad with a few strokes of a pen. Nor can I compose melodies or lyrics that will set your heart on fire and your soul yearning for what is to come. I am an artist of a different sort. Words are my paint and my song. As a writer, I etch a little piece of my heart into every page. I strive to capture both beauty and truth, reality and hope in print. Books are so much more than rigid lines of black and white ink marching endlessly across the pages. They are things of wondrous color and beauty. The wildest dreams of a wild imagination … grounded in reality.
Whenever I think of the writing process, I cannot help recalling this scene from William Goldman’s The Princess Bride about artistry at work:

Domingo slept only when he dropped from exhaustion. He ate only when Inigo forced him to. He studied, fretted, complained. He never should have taken the job; it was impossible.
The next day he would be flying; he never should have taken the job; it was to simple to be worth his labors.
Joy to despair, joy to despair, day to day, hour to hour …
One night Inigo woke to find his father seated. Staring. Calm. Inigo followed the stare. The six fingered sword was done. Even in the hut’s darkness, it glistened.
“At last,” Domingo whispered. He could not take his eyes from the glory of the sword. “After a liftetime. Inigo. Inigo. I am an artist.”

I may not have reached the level of artistry Domingo reached when he created the six fingered sword. But if nothing else, I am an artist in the making, and I can be content with that. How about you? Do consider yourself an artist, whether you paint with words or a brush, or create music with lyrics or instrument?

Fantasy Reflections: Gimmie the Grub

April 4, 2014 by Gillian Bronte Adams 25 Comments

I was supposed to have written this last night, only I was distracted by the incredible awesomeness of Captain America: Winter Soldier. sigh Such a good movie!

Anyway, our next fantasy reflection has to do with … you guessed it … food!

I know, I know. Not as earth-shatteringly difficult as some of the others we’ve answered. But it’s not a bad idea to give our brains a break every now and then and just have fun!

And this isn’t actually quite as easy as it looks. I mean, anyone who’s ever read the Redwall books with all of their mouthwatering feasts–the critters of Redwall are the only questers who ever feast like kings while journeying in the wild–knows how difficult this could be.

I will have to go with lembas. Ever since the first time I read Lord of the Rings, I’ve been dying to try just a mouthful. That or the fruit from “inside” the stable in The Last Battle. Can you imagine?

How about you? What food would you want to try?

As always, answer in the comments! Feel free to copy the picture and paste it into your blog to continue the discussion elsewhere. I ask only that you link back to this original post!

Questology 101: Occupational Hazards and First Aid Kits

April 3, 2014 by Gillian Bronte Adams 6 Comments

I thought for sure we’d heard the last from Sir Galgadin, Headmaster of the Warrior-in-Hero-Training School of the Round Table, after he rushed off last time to slay a dragon. But lo and behold, what did I find on my doorstep yesterday evening, but a missive written on ancient parchment, sealed with the WIHT crest, and apparently delivered by carrier pigeon …

It’s been a lamentably long time since my last post here on this good blog, but I do have the best of excuses. Or perhaps the worst, depending on your point of view.

I was forced to rush off last time to deal with a livestock stealing dragon that has been terrorizing the countryside with his terrible breath and BBQ sauce. Apparently he likes the taste of toasted knight almost as much as he likes roast mutton or seared villager.

Needless to say, the villagers of Hardale need fear said dragon no longer.

And I’m pleased to announce my release—at last!—from the Extreme Burns section of the Hospital. Note to self: plate mail is a marvelous conductor of heat.

This serves as a remarkable introduction for my next topic in our Questology 101 series: First Aid Kits.

I know it sounds a rather mundane topic, when we could be talking about three ways to dismantle a troll bridge, or Odysseus’ fool proof method for escaping a cyclops’ cooking pot, but having a good first aid kit just might save your life.

Knight errantry is not the safest vocation in the world. There are certain unavoidable occupational hazards: sword wounds, arrow wounds, dragon fire, dragon claws, and saddle sores to name a few.

A good quester never travels without a well-stocked first aid kit, including the following items:

Clean bandages

Please! It’s not like we’re living in the Dark Ages here. A few rolls of clean bandages should more than cover the usual quest. There is absolutely no need for a hero to tear a strip off his filthy, blood stained shirt to bandage a wound. Can you imagine a more perfect breeding ground for infection?

Such things belong only to the movies … and perhaps the most epic of battles where you scarce have time between one fight-for-your-life and the next. Otherwise, pack clean bandages and always restock whenever you are in a (more) civilized part of the world.

Antiseptic/Clean Water

Gangrene is a more terrible killer than most monsters I’ve battled. Infection should be avoided at all costs. (Hence the emphasis on clean bandages!) Unfortunately, a good antiseptic is often worth its price in gold, so many healers resort to using wine. When in doubt, at least rinse the wound with good clean water to remove any foreign agents before bandaging … with clean bandages.

Herbs

There are many herbs considered of medicinal value, however, I am a knight and therefore neither an herbalist nor an apothecary. I insist you visit your local physician for suggestions before heading out into the field with an incomplete or inadequate first aid kid. Some herbs commonly used for the treatment of questing injuries are yarrow (excellent for staunching wounds or stopping a nosebleed) and comfrey (also called knitbone, used as a compress on fractures, bruises, and other injuries). Again, I advise you to consult your local physician.

Sutures kit

A curved needle, silk thread (if you’re rich) and sinew (if you’re not), and you’ve got yourself an excellent sutures kit. I know, I know, it’s all about the scars! They make a quester look so terribly heroic and ruggedly, dashingly handsome … but not at the risk of infection. A good first aid kid should include the supplies necessary to perform a simple suturing.

Burn Cream

Remember the dragon I was just telling you about? They’re more plentiful than most people care to admit. And dragon burns aren’t the only burns you’re liable to deal with on your quest, rope burns, sun burns, hot soup burns … you name it. A good burn cream is always quite handy to have around. Aloe vera in its raw, natural form can be purchased from most apothecaries, or plucked straight from the wild in more arid locales.

Tourniquet

This is another highly useful tool. All it requires is a few strips of cloth—you did pack all those clean bandages, right?—and a stick. You simply tie the strips of cloth above the wound, place the stick inside the knot and turn the stick to tighten the cloth, cutting off the flow of blood.

Warning: this is highly dangerous in that it can cause permanent damage and loss of life in the limb. Heroes should only use a tourniquet to stop bleeding as a last resort.

Tinderbox

Of course you should pack a tinderbox anyway whenever you’re heading out on a quest, but the ability to start a fire does round off your first aid kit nicely. Sometimes, cauterization is the only way to handle a wound out in the wild. And without a tinderbox, you’re plain out of luck.

Various magical objects with mysterious healing powers

There are many known (and unknown) objects in the fantasy realms with magical healing powers. Lucy’s cordial. Ambrosia. Rapunzel’s hair. Etc. If you can get your hands on one of these, I highly recommend you keep it on your person at all times. Never let it out of your sight. And use it with care. For with great power comes … oh, never mind. Just don’t waste it.

Disclaimer: This is by no means a complete list. I intend only to set you thinking about what you … or your heroic characters … should pack in the form of medicinal supplies for a quest. I am a knight, not a physician. Do not try any of these so called “remedies” at home. If I hear of any such funny business, there are one or two errant giants I know who might just happen to wander your way to knock some sense into you.

Consider yourself warned.

~ Sir Galgadin
Headmaster WIHT School of the Round Table

Well, that certainly was informative! I’m pleased Sir Galgadin was able to join us again … I think. What are some things you (or your heroes) might consider packing in your ultimate quester’s first aid kit?

Fantasy Reflections: Sage Advice

March 28, 2014 by Gillian Bronte Adams 23 Comments

Righto, me lads and lassies, pull out your thinking caps for another fantasy reflection. It’s the best way to start your day and end your week with a mind-boggled headache … and still have a fantastic time!

Our question for the day is …

Wise old sages. Gotta love ’em. They serve such a necessary yet so often under-appreciated role in a hero’s journey. And quite often die tragically before the end.

They don’t have to be particularly old – contrary to common perception, a long gray beard is not a requirement – and may not even be considered especially wise by their peers, but I think it’s safe to say that most heroes wouldn’t get far on their epic journeys without the help of a wise old sage of some shape or form.

I have to say … I would choose Gandalf. In a heart beat. He can be a bit tough and crotchety. Fool of a Took! But as long as I refrain from touching things that shouldn’t be touched, or throwing things that shouldn’t be thrown, or staring into things that shouldn’t be stared into, or putting on things that shouldn’t be put on … I think we’d get along just grand.

How about you? Which wise old (or not so old) sage would you choose for your mentor?

As always, answer in the comments! If you’d like, feel free to copy the image to your blog and continue the discussion there. Please just link back to my original post. Thanks!