#atozchallenge: [O]bvious

As a writer, I like to complain. Artfully, if possible, with plenty of tribulation thrown in for good measure, of course, but, usually, any old grouse will do. 

It's the burden of being an artist, right? We suffer and bleed our insightful impulses onto paper for the enlightenment of others. We have the right to complain about the agony of it all.

I recently wondered what the point of all these wretched woes are when I last had the opportunity to begin my usual writerly griping. I was talking to another writer, who stated that she just didn't have the time to write. I agreed. It was on the tip of my tongue to detail all the things that daily harassed my writing routine. But she spoke first – almost the exact words I would have used – and I knew why I wanted to complain.

The fact is, I was feeling guilty. I knew I hadn't been trying, that there were plenty of opportunities that I had been too tired or too lazy or too bored of which to take advantage. Isn't it obvious? I wanted to complain to hide my shortcomings. I think that attitude is one most of us writers can relate to.

It's so much safer to detail the troubles keeping us from writing than it is to actually do the thing we need to do. Everybody these days has a busy life – they can understand the inability to accomplish a long and difficult goal. It's safer and more comfortable to gain a sympathetic ear rather than to do the work itself.

Sadly, the more we complain, the less we write. It becomes a habit to not write then to complain about all the work we can't do. All the while, we pay for books and courses, visit blogs and websites, and go to meetings that tell us the 101 Ways to Become a Better Writer when we could simply do the deed itself and become better through practice.

I think it's time we all took an honest look at the obvious: we'd be better writers (we'd feel like writers) if we actually wrote.

I'm sure I'll still need to complain from time to time about the lack of hours in a day. But, from now on, I'll make sure it's after I've actually attempted to write.

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#atozchallenge: [N]ightfall

Hey, everyone! I apologize for the lack of A to Z posts. I knew in advance that this past week would be very busy for me, so I scheduled all my posts to arrive on schedule...which, as you can see, didn't happen. The posts aren't even in my blog drafts folder anymore.

So.

I will be back-posting last week's posts over the next few days, along with the current letters. Feel free to read and comment if you have time - if you don't, no hard feelings. Also, thank you all for your lovely comments during my absence. I will be visiting each and every one of you forthwith.

And, now, for today's letter: 

Nightfall

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#atozchallenge: [G]hosts, Ghouls, & Goblins

Horror is often full of the frightening and mysterious. For me, the best (or worst, depending on your point of view) part of horror stories and movies is the unknown. Not knowing exactly what that dark shape is or where the disembodied voice came from is sure to send goosebumps down my spine.

While more recent films have made horror into a bit of a slasher genre, I prefer the ones with odd creatures or humans doing things that aren't quite natural to creepify me.

Some of the most popular creatures are also the most misunderstood. The following three creepy critters should be in every horror fan's vocabulary:

Ghosts

Traditionally, ghosts are the souls or spirits of dead people. Descriptions in stories (and real life) have varied from wisps of light to fully formed, transparent bodies.  The belief in such apparitions appears to have existed since ancient times when ancestral worship was still widespread, primarily in ancient Mesopotamia. Ghosts were thought to come into being at the time of death with all the deceased's memory and personality. They would then dwell in the netherworld where they led a life similar to the one they'd left. Because of this, the dead person's relatives were expected to make regular food and drink offerings to sustain the spirit in their afterlife journey. If they did not, that spirit was believed to come back and cause them trouble.

The word "ghost" comes from an Old English word that means "anger," "fury," or "to rage." It wasn't until the 14th century that "ghost" became synonymous with the deceased. Spectre, wraith, spook, and apparition are also modern equivalents.

Ghosts in literature can be found in Hamlet, A Christmas Carol, Stephen King's The Shining, and F. Marion Crawford's The Upper Berth.

Ghouls

Ghouls are the folkloric term for our notion of zombies. They are undead creatures who consume living human flesh and are often associated with graveyards. The word "ghoul" comes from an Arabic term that means "to sieze." In ancient Arabic folk tales, ghouls were a type of evil jinn that lived in burial grounds and preyed upon unwary travelers passing through the desert. They were notorious for kidnapping children, drinking blood, and taking the form of the last person they devoured.

In literature, ghouls can be found in One Thousand and One Nights, William Beckford's Vathek, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, and H.P. Lovecraft's The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath.

Goblins

In legends and myths, a goblin is known for being, at best, a mischievous creature and, at worst, an evil phantom. Different stories give them conflicting abilities but their top attributions make them greedy, temperamental, and easily perturbed. Various myths have them attacking hapless travelers and dining on them in the most grotesque ways. While usually a core of fantasy fiction, their evil nature has nevertheless been used in more horror-based stories, as well. They can be found in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, George MacDonald's The Princess and the Goblin, A Book of Ghosts and Goblins by Ruth Manning-Sanders, and It's Halloween by Jack Prelutsky, as well as in many video and roleplaying games.

"Goblin" comes from the Old French "gobelin" which is thought to be related to a word that means "knave" or "rogue."


So there you have it. What are your favorite spooks?


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#atozchallenge: [F]irefly

"...we get a mechanic, get her up and runnin' again, hire a good pilot, maybe a cook. Live like real people. Small crew, them as feel the need to be free, take jobs as they come. Ain't never have to be under the heel of nobody ever again. No matter how long the arm of the Alliance might get, we'll just get ourselves a little further." - Malcolm Reynolds, Serenity (pilot)

For those not aware of this spectacular show, Firefly is a space western that takes place in the year 2517 and follows the adventures of the nine members of the crew of the Serenity, a Firefly-class spaceship. Malcolm Reynolds, a veteran on the losing side of a galactic civil war, makes a living for himself and his crew on the outskirts of society as he attempts to continue to stay free of the heavy-handed Alliance control.

The reason you might not have heard of it is that only a couple of episodes aired completely out of order....10 years ago. It's hard to believe it's been that long already. Basically, the network that produced the show tried to kill it as soon as it started. It would have succeeded, too, if Firefly hadn't gained such a cult following among its intensely loyal supporters after the fact.

I'm not a big TV show viewer. I hate most of what's out there and lose interest very quickly in those shows I do take a liking to. Firefly is one of my top favorite shows and has been from the start of the first episode. There is a realness to the characters, along with fantastic plots and a hugely interesting universe to back them up. Everything about each episode is rich and full and well thought-out. It's the genius of Whedon's work (and I'm not exactly a Joss Whedon fan). In a word, Firefly is appealing.

After all, how can you resist a show that inspires this:

The entire first season can be watched on DVD as can its follow-up sequel movie, Serenity, but it's such a shame that there is only one season to be had. I've watched it several times over and, every time I get to the end of the last episode, I heave a disappointed sigh, wish that the network had also been aware of the show's genius, and put in the first episode again. It's that good.

If you haven't seen it, try it. If you have, sound off in the comments - I want some Firefly love in here tonight!


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