by Naomi L. | December 29, 2014 | Blog, Word of the Week |
Word: iridescent
Pronunciation: i-ri-DE-sənt
Part of Speech: adjective
Definition: showing luminous colors that seem to change when seen from different angles
Source: Oxford Dictionaries
It’s no secret that I love colors. This was made especially obvious in my vocabulary post about the word “opalescent“. Colors are fun to write about, so it makes sense that I use several different color-themed adjectives in my stories and poems. And among my favorites, after its aforementioned synonym, is “iridescent”.
An “iridescent” object is one with various bright colors that appear to change depending on the angle from which they’re seen. The word was coined around the late 18th century, and comes from the Latin noun iris, which means “rainbow”.
I write about colors so often that I could probably come up with a hundred different examples of how I might use “iridescent” if I tried. A notable instance is in my story “The Silver Queen“, where I used it to describe the colorful scales of dragons. I think the reason I like this word so much is its connection to the image of rainbows, so if you like writing about anything bright and multicolored, “iridescent” is the word for you! Have fun!
What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?
by Naomi L. | December 24, 2014 | Blog, Creative Writing |
Merry Christmas Eve! It’s that time of year again, and what better way for writers to celebrate than indulging in some classic Christmas stories? Continuing from my review of Treasury of Christmas Tales, here’s a list of five Christmas-themed stories I enjoyed in my childhood. Enjoy, and have a very Merry Christmas!
1) How The Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr. Seuss
How The Grinch Stole Christmas! is by far one of my all-time favorite Christmas books, which I’ve already made clear in the review I wrote of it last year. Dr. Seuss’s classic tale of the grumpy Grinch’s quest to ruin Christmas for the happy Whos and his discovery of the true Christmas spirit never fails to warm my heart whenever I read it. We even had the TV special on VHS to watch whenever we felt like indulging in some holiday entertainment with Seuss’s beloved characters. The Grinch is a fun story for children and adults alike, and we love it to this day!
2) A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Who doesn’t think of A Christmas Carol when remembering favorite Christmas tales? Reprinted and adapted multiple times since its first publication in 1843, Charles Dickens’ tale of holiday-hating miser Ebenezer Scrooge and his change of heart after an encounter with the Ghosts of Christmas may be one of the most famous and influential Christmas books ever written. I had read and watched quite a few adaptations for children when I was a kid, so to this day I remember it as a Christmas favorite!
3) The Nutcracker by E. T. A. Hoffman
Officially titled The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, the German fairy tale of the toy prince and the little girl who loved him is one that I remember fondly from my childhood, as my mom would read it to us when we were little. Aside from an adapted children’s book, we also had a couple of Nutcracker figures that we’d put out every December with the rest of our Christmas decorations (coincidentally, one of them eventually got a broken jaw, just like the Nutcracker in the story). Though there may not be much to tie this story to the season other than the fact that it takes place around Christmas, I still like to keep The Nutcracker on my list of holiday classics!
4) Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer by Robert Lewis May
Why not add a little music to the list? Since its first publication in 1939, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer has been a common favorite Christmas story among children, and an even more popular song. I have fond memories of singing the background chant version with my sisters (“Like a lightbulb!”), sometimes for the whole family to watch during our annual Christmas presentations. Maybe this tale spoke to me for its message about being loved for what makes you special, or maybe the song was just that catchy, but either way, Rudolph has always been a holiday favorite of mine!
5) The Nativity of Jesus (a.k.a. “The Original Christmas Story”)
“Adoration of the Shepherds” (Gerard van Honthorst, 1622)
With all the consumerism and stress surrounding the holidays, it’s easy to forget why Christmas is celebrated in the first place. That’s why the birth of Jesus is always on my list of favorite Christmas stories: without it, none of the others would exist! Chronological inaccuracies aside, I’ve always considered the account of Christ’s birth to be an uplifting tale that’s worth remembering every time Christmas comes around. I love spiritual and holiday stories alike, so the nativity of Jesus may very well be my favorite Christmas story of all!
What about you? What are your favorite Christmas stories? Any classics you remember fondly from your childhood?
by Naomi L. | December 22, 2014 | Blog, Word of the Week |
Word: effervescent
Pronunciation: e-fər-VE-sənt
Part of Speech: adjective
Definition:
- giving off bubbles; fizzy
- vivacious and enthusiastic
Source: Oxford Dictionaries
I just love words with a concrete and an abstract definition. This one is a good word to describe anything bubbly, whether it’s a liquid or a person’s attitude. I’m sure we all know someone who’s as “effervescent” as a fizzy drink!
An “effervescent” liquid is one in the process of giving off bubbles. Similarly, an “effervescent” person is someone who’s enthusiastic and lively, presumably in an attractive way. The word is derived from the Latin verb effervescere “to boil up”, which in turn comes from two roots: the preposition ex “out of” and the verb fervescere “to grow hot”.
Much like another word I’ve written about before, I’ve mostly seen “effervescent” in scientific contexts, though I prefer its abstract sense for describing human nature. Note that this word also comes in the verb form “effervesce” for both definitions, which makes it easier to broaden its uses. If you like to write about characters with bubbly personalities, or you have to describe the occasional fizzy liquid, you should have no trouble working “effervescent” into your writing! Have fun!
What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?
by Naomi L. | December 17, 2014 | Blog, Creative Writing, Off The Bookshelf |
Remember when you were a kid, how you enjoyed reading or listening to holiday stories with your family at the end of the year? That was a good part of my childhood, as we had several Christmas-themed books sitting on our shelves when I was growing up. So to celebrate the season, here’s a brief review of a Christmas book we had when I was a kid: Treasury of Christmas Tales. Enjoy!
Treasury of Christmas Tales, by Carolyn Quattrocki
Summary
Treasury of Christmas Tales is a children’s book published around 1994 and consisting of a collection of classic Christmas stories. The book was put together by author Carolyn Quattrocki, and includes colorful illustrations by Susan Spellman and adaptions of works by writers such as Charles Dickens (“A Christmas Carol”), Clement C. Moore (“‘Twas The Night Before Christmas”), the Brothers Grimm (“The Elves and the Shoemaker”) and Hans Christian Andersen (“The Little Match Girl”). Written in simple text, Treasury of Christmas Tales contains 19 stories, all themed around Christmas and the winter holiday season:
- A Christmas Carol
- The Wishing Star
- The Little Match Girl
- The Christmas Mouse
- Jingle Bells
- The Magic Toy Shop
- The Littlest Angel
- The Twelve Days of Christmas
- The Christmas Bear
- ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas
- The Nutcracker
- Santa Claus is Coming to Town
- The Tiny Elf
- O Christmas Tree
- The Elves and the Shoemaker
- The Little Drummer Boy
- Christmas Carols
- The Happy Snowman
- Rudolph’s Adventure
Review
I remember I enjoyed reading this book with my mother and sisters when I was a child. Around the end of the year, my mom would read some of these tales to us while we followed along with the pictures, which really made for a fun family experience.
The 1994 edition of Treasury of Christmas Tales from my childhood
What I especially enjoyed about this book was how accessible the text was for us at our young age. Originally complex tales like “A Christmas Carol” were adapted into language that we as children could easily understand, but that didn’t lose the Christmas spirit of the story. Even sad tales like “The Little Match Girl” were told in a way that was uplifting and heartwarming. I also liked the colorful illustrations on every other page of the book, which made the stories even more comprehensible and memorable. It isn’t a broad collection for sure, but it does have good stories and illustrations that made it a joy for us to read every holiday season.
Inspiration
Though I hadn’t read this book since I was a kid, recently rediscovering it among my childhood belongings brought back pleasant memories of enjoying the holiday season with my family. It’s always fun to revisit stories from a happy time in your life, and the tales I enjoyed as a kid usually have a way of inspiring me to create stories of my own as an adult. So if you have some good holiday stories from your childhood, I encourage you to read them again this season. You may find just what you need to write your own cheerful Christmas tale!
by Naomi L. | December 15, 2014 | Blog, Word of the Week |
Word: petulant
Pronunciation: PE-chə-lənt
Part of Speech: adjective
Definition: childishly sulky or bad-tempered
Source: Oxford Dictionaries
“I’m not going anywhere,” said Ursula Monkton, and she sounded petulant, like a very small child who wanted something.
– The Ocean at the End of the Lane (Neil Gaiman, 2013)
Here’s another word I learned from a novel. I recently came across the word “petulant” while reading Neil Gaiman’s The Ocean at the End of the Lane. Though I couldn’t remember ever seeing this word before, its meaning was perfectly clear in context, as it was being used to describe an adult who was behaving like a child.
A “petulant” person or manner is bad-tempered or sulky in a childish way. The word, originally used in the late 16th century to mean “immodest”, can be traced back through the French adjective pétulant to the Latin adjective petulans, meaning “insolent” or “unruly”. This adjective is related to the verb petere, which means “to aim at” or “to seek”.
Though I’d most likely associate the word “petulant” with children, the above excerpt proves that it can work just as well (if not better) for adults who display childish behavior. If any of your characters tend to sulk when they don’t get their way, this would be a good word to remember the next time you need to describe them. As for me, I admit this word could sometimes be used to define my own attitude toward my writing: I’m such a perfectionist that sometimes I can’t help but act a little “petulant” when my work doesn’t come out with the quality I want. I hope you aren’t the same!
What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?
by Naomi L. | December 10, 2014 | Blog, Creative Writing, Motivational Music |
I know it’s been a while since I last shared a Motivational Music post, so here’s a new one for you to enjoy! After debuting this segment with a similar post, today’s topic features more music in one of my favorite genres: post-rock. This style of music, aside from being pleasant to listen to, tends to inspire quite a bit of my writing, so I hope you’ll find it motivational too! Enjoy!
Moving Mountains
Moving Mountains (2013)
Genre(s): Post-rock, Indie rock
Origin: Purchase, NY, USA
Writing Inspiration: Drama, poetry, romance
My Favorite Song(s): “Hands“, “Swing Set“, “Once Rendering“
Moving Mountains were an indie rock band from New York, active from 2005 to 2013. They’re well known for their versatile style of music, which generally combines emotional vocals with post-rock instrumentals. Because of this, I usually listen to them when I want to find inspiration for poetic and dramatic themes. Their last album, Moving Mountains, has been especially motivational for my romantic stories due to its ambient qualities, while older albums like their rock-oriented Waves provide inspiration for my darker poetry ideas. Moving Mountains have covered a relatively broad range in the indie rock spectrum, so if you enjoy this style of music, chances are they have at least a few songs that may inspire you.
Gates
Bloom & Breathe (2014)
Genre(s): Post-rock, Ambient, Indie rock
Origin: New Brunswick, NJ, USA
Writing Inspiration: Drama, tragedy, poetry
My Favorite Song(s): “Bloom“, “Not My Blood“, “Born Dead“, “They See Only Shadows“
Having emerged from New Jersey in 2011, Gates are a relatively new band on the post-rock scene. “Similar Artists” lists on popular music streaming sources tend to rank them very close to Moving Mountains, but they’re no mere copy for sure. While Moving Mountains most recently showed a softer quality to their music, Gates consistently implement more elements of rock in their songs, as is well evidenced in their newest album, Bloom & Breathe. With solid instrumentals and lyrics layered with emotional influences, Gates have been great inspiration for some of my more dramatic and tragic stories, as well as the occasional poem. Even when I’m not seeking creative inspiration, I enjoy getting lost in this music while taking a break from writing. Whether you’re trying to get inspired to create a dramatic piece of art or simply in the mood to sink back into some awesome music for a while, I highly recommend giving Gates a listen! You won’t regret it.
There Will Be Fireworks
The Dark, Dark Bright (2013)
Genre(s): Post-rock, Indie rock
Origin: Glasgow, Scotland
Writing Inspiration: Poetry, romance, drama
My Favorite Song(s): “South Street“, “River“, “Here Is Where“, “Says Aye“
There Will Be Fireworks were among the first bands I listened to after my best friend introduced me to post-rock. Much like the previous two bands, their music consists largely of emotional lyrics set to atmospheric instrumentals, which make for some hauntingly beautiful songs. Their newest album in particular, The Dark, Dark Bright, is a powerfully moving collection that has inspired me to write romantic poetry and stories. The vocals are by no means perfect, but I feel that just adds even more to the raw genuineness of the music, especially with such touching lyrics to go with it (I haven’t yet been able to listen through without at least getting choked up). TWBF are one of those bands I could listen to for hours, and if you appreciate genuine music that flows with every note and has the potential to touch your creative soul, I’m sure you’ll feel the same way!
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about these amazing post-rock bands, and that they’ll inspire your writing as much as they’ve inspired mine! Thanks for reading/listening!
Reminder: if you really enjoy the music by the bands featured in this article, be sure to support them through their official music pages (links in the above album covers)! Help keep the indie scene thriving! Thank you!
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