Notes - in the humor / Mr. Nimoy / Mars

         You were up early for the service tech from Air Authority. He couldn’t find any problems but made a couple of small changes on water flow and put in a new humidifier pad; no charge as everything is under a full three-year warranty. It is a sunny Friday morning. Both of you are in the bedroom. Carol is on the bed reading the paper and you in your favorite bedroom chair. Jadah is still under bed because a stranger was in the house. Spooky is nowhere to be seen. Tough house guard cats they are. – Amorella

         0841 hours. If Jadah is afraid of something you can be sure that Spooky will also be afraid whether the fear is warranted or not. Kim and the boys are coming tomorrow for an overnight. It ought to be fun.

         Late morning. You had a nap and then did your forty minutes of exercises. And, you were thinking about the December 2014 BBC article on the universe coming from nothing, that nothing is by definition (according to some in physics) unstable; and the universe is flat and has cosmic inflation or so goes the theory. – Amorella

         1112 hours. The article is on BBC at: I already have it in a December blog posting. I glanced at it again earlier today. It says that gravity and mass equal out on energy. I don’t pretend to understand the physics of the theory but I have no trouble accepting it as a plausibility. The Dead in the story are composed of spiritual energy but they have no gravity other than each other’s souls and no mass whatsoever.

         How about a spiritual gravity within heartansoulanmind and a spiritual gravity within another’s heartansoulanmind? – Amorella

         1122 hours. This would be the souls holding hands with other souls.

         So to speak. Hearts and minds and souls can hold hands within physical bodies but without the physical bodies the soul must hold the gravity, as it were, to draw together with other souls of a similar nature within the individual’s heartanmind. – Amorella

         1126 hours. What happens then when Elderfelder’s heartansoulanmind has not shown up among the marsupial humanoid Dead?

         That is your assumption. – Amorella

         1129 hours. It was a flash thought before sleep last night. This is something Merlyn and PouchMaster were talking about.

         You overheard the conversation in your head? – Amorella

         1130 hours. You tell me. However it came into consciousness (bubbling up from the depths of the unconscious); it did. I have overheard conversations before – the funeral near Mars from Pouch Text in the Merlyn’s Mind series for instance. This is like a film is going on in my unconsciousness and I pick up from it once in a while. This is very odd as I think about it. I am sure it is in my notes somewhere. That was years ago. Very weird. – It reminds me of Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead only the players [Merlyn and PouchMaster] are doing the play of the novel selection before I am writing it down in Great Merlyn’s Ghost.

** **

Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead is a 1990 comedy-drama film written and directed by Tom Stoppard based on his play of the same name. Like the play, the film depicts two minor characters from William Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, who find themselves on the road to Elsinore Castle at the behest of the King of Denmark. They encounter a band of players before arriving to find that they are needed to try to discern what troubles the prince Hamlet. Meanwhile, they ponder the meaning of their existence. The movie won the Golden Lion at the 47^th Venice International Film Festival.

Selected and edited from Wikipedia

** **

         To have such thoughts, boy from only what dreams are made of. – Amorella

         1151 hours. I see the humor in your comment but deny knowing where the original words come to play from.

         Post in the humor of it. - Amorella

         Evening. You drove to supper at Potbelly’s on Mason-Montgomery Road and while there mentioned the store’s supervisor who also has other Potbelly stores in southwest Ohio, who used to run the store in Kenwood and before that worked at the store at Polaris. Once home and doing some basic housecleaning on the first floor you both watched “Mysteries of Laura”, “Blacklist” and NBC News. Earlier today while Carol was having her hair done you ate Bush Baked Beans with a piece of cheese and some deli ham mixed in and watched two episodes of Fawlty Towers – “The Psychiatrist” and “The Germans”. - Amorella

         2155 hours. I laughed out loud at both Fawlty Towers episodes.

         You just added a memo to your Facebook page:

“My favorite actor in one of my favorite TV shows and in a wonderful series of films. He lived long and prospered. May Leonard Nimoy now rest in peace.”

         2208 hours. I placed the BBC obituary on my page earlier but took it off because the photograph was quite unpleasant to view.

         Post. - Amorella

         2231 hours. I was looking through my notes and I found this in my journal on 18 September 2006:

** **

            You found a science article on BBC about people hearing voices and how it is much more common than people think. You don’t hear voices often but when you do they tend to be overhearing a ‘conversation between two people’. You think it is funny because you have used it in your story. The funeral on Mars of a marsupial character you did not know existed. [- Amorella]

From - 00Notes.13.jan-20.oct.2006

** **

         2254 hours. I have been looking through my notes back into 2003 - I thought I had them in computer form until 2004, so I discovered another year. I cannot find any other reference to the funeral on Mars here but before this my notes are in the twenty to thirty spiral notebooks in a cardboard file storage box or two in the basement as far as I can remember. I don’t know where my notes are for my first published book, Stuck, by O. Richards, that was published by iUniverse back in 2001. I’m sure the notes are around. That book was the beginning of the later Pouch Text segments in the Merlyn’s Mind series, which becomes the Diplomatic Pouch segments in GMG.

         You don’t throw your notes out, boy. If you wrote it in the last forty years it’s probably around somewhere. Relax. Enough for tonight. Kim is supposed to arrive in the afternoon tomorrow unless she changes her mind because of the possible weather problems on Sunday. Post. - Amorella

         2320 hours. I found one more reference:

** **

I am presently reminded of the incident in the first book I think where I awoke listening to marsupials talking on Mars. And while they were waiting to come to Earth they had been playing a form of foot ball and one of the characters died and they were discussing his death and the upcoming funeral. I didn’t even know the character. I think I put it in the book, but it was a very strange circumstance.

Notes – 1 April 2010 blog post

** **

         Go to bed, orndorff. – Post. - Amorella

Notes - setting of Dead 8 /

         Mid-morning. You and Carol have had breakfast and read the paper. You are ready to meet the dentist; Carol is readying this mid cloudy Thursday.

         0901 hours. Now that I am indeed ready I would just as soon have the cleaning complete. Every six months Carol has us in for a cleaning. I think once a year would be fine, but Carol has her comfort level on some matters and tooth cleaning is one of several. Dr. E is a very good dentist; we had his father before him and even stopped in once to see his grandfather’s practice. We have always been fortunate with dentists.

         You had an excellent lunch at Longhorn’s. Carol had her generous sized chicken salad and you had a six-ounce sirloin with onion, mushrooms and a baked potato. Carol is using the treadmill and you skipped exercise for the day. - Amorella

         1521 hours. I may take a short nap, although I had a short nap before lunch.

         You slept awhile.

         1635 hours. About an hour I imagine. I feel better.

         Another snack supper and “Person of Interest”, “Suits” and NBC News with fast forward commercials of course. Carol is defrosting a frozen Jennifer cookie from On the Rise in Cleveland Heights, a real treat in your house. Tomorrow morning someone is coming to check your home humidifier; seems it is using too much water. – Amorella

         1940 hours. The water bill, which came today, is up eighteen dollars from last year. Carol checked and water was puddled on the floor under the humidifier, not a good sign. It was checked out in November when the furnace was inspected. So, we’ll see tomorrow. I am going to narrow down the Elderfelder story for PouchMaster’s telling.

         Carol is sitting in the living room with you reading a magazine – you both finished your cookies. – Amorella

         2012 hours. I have been attempting to shorten the Elderfelder story but find myself researching the entrance of Glevema’s House instead, like I need to begin the story first.

         Orndorff, you have the entrance pictured right in front of you on your desktop. Use it. – Amorella

Desktop Photo of House in Pompeii

        

        

         Let’s give it a start. – Amorella

** **

Book Two, Pouch Eight – draft one

         Merlyn glances at the classically formed twin columns on each side of the wide closed roof of the atrium; the open roof and garden visibly lies beyond. The beautifully constructed painted art on the left walls and the open rooms one after the other are on the right. Where we will be directed to go, thinks Merlyn. No one is about. I was told to wait on the porch. I expect to be greeted. He turns to face the cobbled street and sees Mother Glevema walking towards him with the spirit of the woman titled PouchMaster by her species. Each is dressed in a classical Greek pant and shirt of thin linen – Glevema’s a light green and PouchMaster’s, a light blue. Upon a closer view Merlyn could easily discern the fully feminine spirit body each choose of the occasion.

         Late thirties or early forties, considers Merlyn with a slight smile, and I am appearing a shaggy white haired and fully bearded wild man of the forest dressed in long flowing white wool tunic; a druid through and through. I am as I was the year before I died – dressed for the expectation of others in those times. It is too late to change. – 200 plus words

** **

         2104 hours. This is not so bad for beginning with nothing in my head.

         You needed something real to visualize from boy. Post. – Amorella

         2106 hours. I will not forget standing on the spot and taking this photograph at Pompeii. I felt right at home walking up to the entrance and placing my hands and camera between the gate bars, as this house was not open to the public. I would not have wanted it open to the public either. It is so fully a Greek house in my imaginary mind – a storybook perfect place for Glevema, PouchMaster and Merlyn to meet.

         As it is, you were the haunter, boy, since it was you frequenting the place at the time. - Amorella

Notes - prophet / myth of Elderfelder the Dancer / Cern Muddenbeudol / hope

         Late morning and you just completed your forty minutes of exercises on this partially sunny Wednesday, or Woden’s day as you like to remember it. – Amorella

         1122 hours. You make me out to be a pagan, Amorella.

         And your thought turns to Moby Dick and Queequeg as well as Ishmael and Captain Ahab. – Amorella

         1125 hours. Elijah too. I don’t remember Elijah so much – in the book yes, but in the Bible no. I remember taking a course in The Major and Minor Prophets at Otterbein. I think I was the only non-Methodist minister-to-be in the class. It was interesting though, and I thought of the prophets as historical figures, one time real individuals. Here is what Wikipedia says.

** **

Elijah was a prophet and wonder-worker in the northern kingdom of Israel during the reign of Ahab (9th century BC), according to the biblical Books of Kings. According to the Books of Kings, Elijah defended the worship of Yahweh over that of the Canaanite god Baal (which he considered as idol worship); he raised the dead, brought fire down from the sky, and was taken up "by a whirlwind." In the Book of Malachi, Elijah's return is prophesied "before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord," making him a harbinger of the Messiah and the eschaton in various faiths that revere the Hebrew Bible. References to Elijah appear in the Talmud, Mishnah, the New Testament and the Qur’an.

In Judaism Elijah's name is invoked at the weekly Havdalah ritual that marks the end of Shabbat, and Elijah is invoked in other Jewish customs, among them the Passover seder and the Brit malah (ritual circumcision). He appears in numerous stories and references in the Haggadah and rabbinic literature, including the Babylonian Talmud.

In Christianity the New Testament describes how both Jesus and John the Baptist are compared with Elijah and on some occasions thought by some to be manifestations of Elijah, and Elijah appears with Moses during the Transfiguration of Jesus. Elijah is also a figure in various Christian folk traditions, often identified with earlier pagan thunder or sky gods.

In the Qur’an and certain Islamic traditions, Elijah is described as a great and righteous man of God and one who powerfully preached against the worship of Ba’al.

Selected and edited from Wikipedia

** **

         1150 hours. I like the coincidence that Elijah was identified in various Christian folk traditions with pagan thunder or sky gods – which bring up, ‘Woden’s day’. . . .

** **

THE GOD ODIN, WODEN, OR WOTAN. IN the Scandinavian mythology the chief god was Odin, the Woden, Wotan, or Wuotan of the Germans. He is represented with many of the attributes of the Greek god Zeus, and is supposed by some to be identical with him.


From - Internet Sacred Text Archive

** **

I think it is funny. Thor’s day is another; Moon’s day; Tiw’s day; Frigga’s day and Saturn’s day. Sun’s day has a Christian twist of course. We have these days named and few pay any attention.  People don’t pay as much attention to words as they should – history and culture are built into all of them. We are an interesting species to think and say such words.

        You’re starting to lecture here boy. Let’s put a stop to it. Post. - Amorella.

        1205 hours. Rightly so, Amorella.

         1227 hours. With the above on today’s table I am wondering if the two shamans are going to talk about their prophets?

         You had little to no mail today and you were hoping, at the last minute that the Consumer’s Report would be in the letterbox. – Amorella

         1228 hours. I was because on one of my daily car sources it is mentioned that Tesla again comes in as the best car in the April issue; so I was hoping. Letterbox sounds so much more pleasant than mailbox, though, alas, it is mostly mail and is nearly ever letters. Aunt Patsy is the only one who writes letters anymore. She is a treasure for that. We need to stop and see her.  

         You were just reading over your notes on Stonehouse and had forgot the important news ThreePlanets is about to make – a crawlbabe-to-the-pouch has no brain as such. It is a nodule about the size of a pupil of the eye attached to the top of the spinal cord. It crawled to the pouch and is still alive. No one knows what to make of it other than it is the end of days. No one ever survived long enough but Elderfelder. She may be our next prophet – all this at the time StoneHouse has been re-discovered after some thirty thousand years buried. What else could happen think the people even though they do not believe in omens and such. PouchMaster has word of this from the Supervisor. The Dead will be stirred by this before the Living; and, at such an un-opportune time when the unknown Earthlings have arrived via Ship. - Amorella

         1256 hours. I cannot believe I did not remember this. Whoa. Wow. Of course there was more but the crawlbabe’s parents are (I can’t remember so I look it up) – Sloenshine the Reasonable and Milantrex the Miser. My notes or from an excerpt from my Merlyn’s Mind trilogy.

** **

Excerpt from earlier Merlyn’s Mind trilogy on the Marsupial Humanoid Myth of Elderfelder the Dancer

One more event happened some days later, but few know about it. The event is a new birth. A little girl was born to Sloenshine the Reasonable and Milantrex the Miser. Sloenshine gave birth to a crawlbabe who has no brain as such. A clump of matter on top and to the right side of her spinal column is of little use but it seems to be enough to keep her body functioning. The medical technicians have no idea what to do with the babe but to keep her alive because both Philosophy and Science demand it.

Beyond this near brainless baby, of course, are the wishes of the birth mother. She realizes what the baby may symbolize the reincarnation of an ancient legend and she wants to be in charge, behind the scenes, of the return mission to earth command post on Satellite University being set up by Director Kembel.

The crawlbabe has yet to be named, but her predecessor is found in a story around since the beginning of recorded time. The crawlbabe’s predecessor, Elderfelder, was the marsupials first Prophet, their Buddha or Abraham as it were.

         The ancient story speaks of Elderfelder, the dancing messiah of the marsupials. The marsupials chose to capitalize her name but not her occupation. She became the symbol of the first living witness to Godofamily. In those days no alphabet existed as such, but sounds were distinct and carried meaning, especially when sung. In case of fact, the sounds are (as marsupials who understand English believe) very similar to the sounds of Beowulf chanted in the Old English vernacular.

This was another one of those strange coincidences between higher conscious life on Earth and HomePlanets. Another was a modern Celtic-like lilt of their primitive accents. Tradition says Elderfelder was born without any of the ordinary five senses. She was eventually abandoned by her frantic mother who could not care for her alone.

Elderfelder survived with the help of the small, kind squirrel-like rodents who would bring her berries and nuts. A series of other animals also helped Elderfelder gained enough strength to eventually raise herself up and stand tall. She learned to dance all by herself. Some say the animals taught her by a secret language only known to them. Then one of the elderly, a wise old woman who discovered the naked babe running in the woods, said, ‘No, it was not the animals. She was taught to dance by the SingleParent, the Invisible One who raised her and helped her to survive because she was on her own without any parents or helpers whatsoever.’

People liked that story better because they were already in touch with the animals themselves, but no one, as far as anyone knew, had thought of a way to bring SingleParent to a level they could all understand. Some didn’t like the idea that a marsupial man thought up this idea because, well, women were first, everyone knew that, including the men. Later, this had a ripple effect and eventually this unknown woman was given credit for the beginning of equal rights for both women and men, but it took thousands of years for this to take place.

Elderfelder was found in the river forest by some villagers who thanked the animals by leaving them food in a particular spot. This was where Elderfelder directed the StoneHouse to be built. No one had built a house of stone before as far as anyone knew. Later StoneHouse also took on the name SpiritHouse because Elderfelder had directed its building. In a vision once, she claimed that this was the very spot the last Angel left their world after it was built by the Creator of All Things and Beyond. An Angel was a Workwoman first, said Elderfelder, because a woman has to come before a man. That was the beginning. That was ancient history.

         Now you need to know here. History to the marsupials meant early stories. Some were based on truths; some were made up to tell truths that could not be told any other way at the time. So, you didn’t have to believe history, you just had to listen to it. Again, this was before the written word had been invented.  Elderfelder was the first miracle. She was the First with a capital letter beginning her name. She was the First in a lot of ways. In fact even today the letter, similar to the letter E, begins the alphabet used by the marsupials. She was one dancing lady, and she didn’t have a brain in her head to work with. No one ever forgot the story of Elderfelder.

Civilization was built around her and the building of StoneHouse. When it was complete, it was the last place she danced. She died dancing. The marsupials were overwhelmed. She was buried under the floor; that is according to the oral tradition that was later scribed.

           No one has check because StoneHouse was lost long ago. So long ago, that most people who really did love the story, did not really believe it was true. Maybe she had half a brain they said, but no one has ever been born without a brain who lived. ‘No one until now of all times,’ whispered the few who knew. ‘And born to two of the most unlikely and inconsiderate people that most of the Thirty-Six knew first hand.’ Why? The father, known mostly behind his back as ‘the Miser’ was the first son of the previous Director, and Sloenshine was the first daughter of the Director before that. The ‘Reasonable’ attachment was pure sarcastic wit. To this day she has never understood its meaning.

From rho’s Merlyn’s Mind Trilogy and/or notes

** **

           Late afternoon. You are wondering if you should include this. You should. This is the general concept you already have before you whittle it down for Pouch Eight. You had lunch at Penn Station then took a scenic drive down along the Little Miami River (a scenic bit of rural West Virginia less than five miles away). Post. - Amorella 

          1648 hours. Amazing. How could I forget this was coming up?

   

          1715 hours. I am wondering on the setting of Dead 8. It would appear natural for the two shamans to meet along a Bank of the Styx. But then what if the river is vertical, a vertical ribbon with the marsupial humanoid Dead on one side and the human Dead on the other side of this high wall of dark flowing water.

         The Place of the Dead is what it is now. No boundaries separate the human spirits from the marsupial humanoid spirits. – Amorella

         1794 hours. I would appear more dramatic if there were a fork in the road or the river; something to make the meeting place unique.

         Why not meet at the entrance of the Mother Glevema House? – Amorella

         1731 hours. Okay, I guess. It is not neutral territory though.

         It is a place without territory, boy. Glevema was the first human spirit to meet the marsupial humanoid spirits, she entered their territory and was accepted in a neighborly way. Now it is her turn to reciprocate with Merlyn and PouchMaster as her guest. – Amorella

         1740 hours. Does this mean Glevema ‘knows’ what is happening on ThreePlanets, i.e. new brainless crawl babe?

         She has been told by ThreePlanet’s original genetic  Mother-with-the-Pouch or MotherPouch. Let’s use sloppy German happenstance here: [Cern Muddenbeudol] Our MotherPouch. What do you think? – Amorella

         1756 hours. People won’t understand this Amorella.

         For later when Earthlings hear the word for the first time. Pyl will pick up the sounds immediately as sloppy German. – Amorella

         1758 hours. If you say so. If you remember, use it later. We can always take it out.

         Post. - Amorella

         You had a snack supper and watched NBC News, “NCIS” and “Rizzoli and Iles”. You also narrowed the excerpt above to four hundred and sixty-six words with further deleting and rewriting tomorrow. PouchMaster will tell the story to Merlyn and Merlyn will ask what the new information brings to the table of both species of the Dead because their intent and focus is helping the Living of both species where they can. The point is that the Dead firmly believe it is possible to help bring about a better life for the Living because they won the Second Rebellion. “With Life there is different kind of Hope”. – Amorella

         2211 hours. I feel I am mistranslating, feeding in my own thoughts over Amorella’s.

        You are because you are pumped for positive thinking. Do not discard though. Time will have its place in these updated books. Tomorrow, you both have dental appointments in the morning. All for tonight. Post. - Amorella

Notes - GMG: artistic license and genre / starting point / justice

         Mid-morning. Breakfast and the morning paper; with the outside temperature at eight below zero Fahrenheit. – Amorella

         0857 hours. Word didn’t mark your last ‘sentence’ when clearly it doesn’t have a verb, Amorella. The semi-colon sets the continuity. Interesting. I would not have thought this would work, tricking Word like this.

         Poetic license, boy. – Amorella

         0903 hours. Word clearly marked the above a ‘fragment’. I am curious about the definition ‘poetic license’. I know what it means to me, but what does it mean when used properly?

** **

poetic licence -  noun UK ( US poetic license)   US  

           

the act by a writer or poet of changing facts or rules to make a story or poem more interesting or effective:

She used a fair amount of poetic licence when describing her life in rural France.

From - http://dictionary.cambridgeDOTorg

** **

         0911 hours. This is a more general than I expected.

** **

POETIC LICENSE: The freedom of a poet or other literary writer to depart from the norms of common discourse, literal reality, or historical truth in order to create a special effect in or for the reader. When applied to prose writers, the term is often called "artistic license."

From - https://web.cnDOTedu/kwheeler/lit_terms_P.html

** **

Artistic license (also known as dramatic license, historical license, poetic license, narrative license, licentia poetica, or simply license) is a colloquial term, sometimes euphemism, used to denote the distortion of fact, alteration of the conventions of grammar or language, or rewording of pre-existing text made by an artist in the name of art.

History

The artistic license may also refer to the ability of an artist to apply smaller distortions, such as a poet ignoring some of the minor requirements of grammar for poetic effect. For example, Mark Antony’s "Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ears" from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar would technically require the word "and" before "countrymen", but the conjunction "and" is omitted to preserve the rhythm of iambic pentameter (the resulting conjunction is called an asyndetic tricolon). Conversely, on the next line, the end of "I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him" has an extra syllable because omitting the word "him" would make the sentence unclear, but adding a syllable at the end would not disrupt the meter. Both of these are examples of artistic license.

Another example of artistic license is the way in which stylized images of an object (for instance in a painting or an animated movie) are different from their real life counterparts, but [these] are still intended to be interpreted by the viewer as representing the same thing. This can mean the omission of details, or the simplification of shapes and colour shades, even to the point that the image is nothing more than a pictogram. It can also mean the addition of non-existing details, or exaggeration of shapes and colours, as in fantasy art or a caricature.

Certain stylizations have become fixed conventions in art; an agreement between artist and viewer that is understood and undebated. A striking example is how in simple cartoon drawings monochromatic white parts on a dark coloured surface are immediately recognized by most viewers to represent the reflection of light on a smooth or wet surface.

In summary, artistic license is:

Entirely at the artist's discretion

Intended to be tolerated by the viewer (cf. "willing suspension of disbelief")

Useful for filling in gaps, whether they be factual, compositional, historical or other gaps

Used consciously or unconsciously, intentionally or unintentionally or in tandem

Dramatic license           

Artistic license is often referred to as dramatic license when it involves the glamorization of real-world occupations for the sake of exciting television or cinematic experience. For example, CSI” Crime Scene Investigation and other police procedural police procedural programs typically omit completely the more mundane aspects of the occupation such as paperwork, reports, administrative duties and other daily "business-oriented" aspects which in reality often constitute the majority of police work. They will also present other duties with much more action, suspense or drama than would be experienced in reality. The same is also true for many military-oriented adventure stories which often show high-ranking characters being allowed to continuously enter dangerous situations when in reality, they would usually be restricted to command-oriented or administrative duties.

Controversy and criticism

Artistic license often provokes controversy by offending those who resent the reinterpretation of cherished beliefs or previous works. Artists often respond to these criticisms by pointing out that their work was not intended to be a verbatim portrayal of something previous and should be judged only on artistic merit. Artistic license is a generally accepted practice, particularly when the result is widely acclaimed. William Shakespeare’s historical plays, for example, are gross distortions of historical fact but are nevertheless lauded as outstanding literary works.

Critical voices are sometimes raised when artistic license is applied to cinematic and other depictions of real historical events. While slight manipulation for dramatic effect of chronology and character traits are generally accepted, some critics feel that depictions that present a significantly altered reality are irresponsible, particularly because many viewers and readers do not know the actual events and may thus take the dramatized depiction to be true to reality. Examples of films and television series criticized for excessive use of dramatic license include Disney's Pocahontas, Oliver Stone's Alexander, the HBO series Rome and Showtime's The Tudors.

Writers adapting a work for another medium (e.g., a film screenplay from a book) often make significant changes, additions to, or omissions from the original plot in the book, on the grounds that these changes were necessary to make a good film. These changes are sometimes to the dismay of fans of the original work.

Selected and edited from – Wikipedia – Artistic License.

** **

         1146 hours. This is what I was looking for, more detail. Wikipedia comes through again. Obviously my books use a lot of artistic license, much more than I thought, and I can feel okay about it. I like the work to be somewhat accurate where it can be but it is not historical fiction. I just don’t want these works to be thought of as literary fantasy. The best definition of sorts I could find on short notice is from the PFS Publishing Book Club.

** **

Literary Definitions: The Fantasy Genre

The fantasy genre is described as being primarily focused on magic, the supernatural, and the occult. It has its roots in fairy tales, myths, and legends of the world's ancient cultures, absorbing everything from Chinese dragons to the Greek hero quest. What happens in the fantasy genre simply cannot take place in the real world - which is the main aspect of its allure.

The fantasy genre is generally grouped together with its sister genre, science fiction. The difference between the two is that while fantasy relies on magic to explain the moments of unreality, science fiction relies on pseudoscience. Fantasy is generally considered to be worshipping the past, the pre-Christian world of pagan rites and gods, while science fiction is about the future: traveling through space and battling aliens.

Fantasy is also related to the horror genre. The horror genre's main task is to scare the reader. In many of these stories, the writer does this through supernatural means. When that happens, the book is considered both fantasy and horror.

Fantasy also appears in numerous high literary stories as magical realism. Magical realism is described as being light touches of fantasy in an otherwise real world story. Magical realism is quite popular in today's publishing world.

The fantasy genre came into vogue in the 20th century thanks to a pair of friends: CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien. Lewis wrote the Christian allegory children's tale The Chronicles of Narnia, while Tolkien wrote about Middle-Earth, including his masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Between them, these two series set up most of the fantasy genre's tropes and helped to make fantasy a profitable market for publishers. Before then, fantasy was mostly limited to more literary work. Lewis and Tolkien defined the fantasy genre as we know it today.

Most genres can be divided into sub-groupings, called sub-genres. These are the popular sub-genres of fantasy:

High Fantasy: These works take place on a non-Earth world, where sorcery is part of the everyday life of the characters. While magic can still be rare or special, magic and magical creatures are simply part of that world's existence. Examples include Lord of the Rings, Symphony of Ages, and The Belgariad (Polgara the Sorceress is the final book of that series, pictured).

Fairy Tales and Myths: While fairy tales and myths - in their centuries old form - get their own separate genre, retellings of fairy tales and myths into the modern day or stories that take elements from them are part of the fantasy genre. Examples include the comic book series Fables and Neil Gaiman's American Gods.

Paranormal Romance: This is the sub-genre caused by the merger of fantasy elements and romance novels. Romance publisher Harlequin has several imprints dedicated to this sub-genre, and many Young Adult novels have followed this sub-genre, including Twilight.

Sword & Sorcery: An even further division of high fantasy, the sword & sorcery sub-genre comes from the ancient and medieval epics, where heroes would battle for love and home and against the power of the gods. These works are characterized by their reliance on violence through swordplay and powerful magic. Hero quest stories tend to be of this type. The stories of King Arthur and his knights are the most famous example.

Urban Fantasy: Usually set in contemporary Earth, urban fantasy takes fantasy elements and places them in the real world.  These stories are commonly crossed with paranormal romance and/or detective stories. While the sub-genre is called "urban" fantasy, the stories do not always take place in cities. Examples include the Anita Blake novels, The Dresden Files, and the Sookie Stackhouse stories.

So that's the basics of fantasy. Magic = fantasy. Not too hard, right?

Selected from http://www.pfspublishingDOTcom/bookclub/2011/03/literary-definitions-the-fantasy-genre.html

Literature: The Literature genre is both a catch-all genre for books that don't fit in the other categories and a genre term that describes books written before the contemporary period, from Post-Modern on back. Literature, for contemporary books, describes books that generally reflect the real world and with a focus on human interactions and emotions. The term literature also reflects a higher reading skill level and ambitious writing than the other genres.

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         1208 hours. I also included a short definition of literature according the their book club. I feel Great Merlyn’s Ghost is a literary attempt first and foremost, not a general fiction or fantasy. This is my opinion probably because of the amount of time and work I have focused on this and the Merlyn’s Mind trilogy.

         You have a right to your opinion, boy. Post. - Amorella

         You had a late lunch at Chipotle/Panera and Carol wanted to shop at Macy’s so you are at the south lot of the Kenwood Centre waiting with an objective to stop at Graeter’s on the way home.

         1508 hours. The sun has come out today. It is not so bad waiting in the car with the front window facing south taking in the solar radiation. I’m going to have to read over Dead 7, I cannot remember a thing – it has been months.

         The focus is on souls. – Amorella

         1512 hours. I will have to go over lots of notes; I forget what was said. Perhaps it is not a good time to work on this.

         Merlyn is in his sanctuary. – Amorella

         There will be fewer characters to deal with anyway.

         1524 hours. Wow. Dead 7 focuses on the twelve shamans witnessing above the River Styx; the PouchMaster, a marsupial-humanoid shaman, and his story of Elderfelder; and Merlyn and others shamans witnessing Ezekiel witnessing the big wheel (faith) and the little wheel (Grace). I had forgot all this. – So, what can the plot be. It looks like Dead 7 would fit in where Dead 8 would be as it ties in with Pouch 8. I didn’t remember Elderfelder even being mentioned earlier than chapter eight.

         This is where the ‘magic’ is, young man, not in the book but in the making of the book. – Amorella

         1538 hours. “This will never sell [the book], Amorella,” just flew out dark humored and sarcastic toned. I don’t believe I even thought it let alone see it in print.

         You noted it unconsciously. – Amorella

         You are home. Carol is working in the basement. You are thinking about a nap. Later. – Amorella

         Light snack for supper. You watched NBC News, “Castle” and “NCIS.LA” from last night. – Amorella

         2108 hours. I found myself growing bored with both shows. Maybe I’m watching to many of them. The plots have been used over and over. Who am I to be critical? Both are popular television. Maybe I was just bored tonight. I did not have a nap, which might be the problem. Does Merlyn talk with anyone in Dead 8?

         Merlyn and PouchMaster have their first discussion. – Amorella

         2125 hours. What will they talk about? The second rebellion is over and done with. The Dead of both species can greet and meet, so to speak, though I cannot understand why they would other than for curiosity’s sake. I would see myself as curious but personally I’d rather meet other human Dead first.

         The marsupial-humanoid are human Dead also. – Amorella

         2129 hours. In the story true, but I like to project the concept as if it were real so I can get a better handle on it. In some ways I think I would just as soon stay clear of the Dead. I have nothing to add to what people already talk about other than an opinion just like everyone else. Shyness and having little to contribute are basic building blocks of mine; reasons for observing from a distance and listening to the discussions and chatter allow me more of a comfort zone. I learn something by listening to others. Listening is more my speed. This is one of the joys of writing my thoughts. No one has to listen or to read; people are free to do what they want as far as I am concerned. People already have lots of interferences in their lives. I am having trouble thinking about two dead people from different species. The only thing they have in common is their humanity and vocation as shamans among their respective species. What would be the purpose of the conversation, what would be the necessity? I mean this is Merlyn’s dream world, what would be troubling him to conjure up such a conversation in his mind? (2144)

         A good place to stop, orndorff. Post. – Amorella

         2146 hours. Going over this post to drop it into the blog you said earlier that the focus is on souls. Souls are souls and are the same, aren’t they?

         The discussion is on which of the three parts is more equal, heart, soul or mind in both species. – Amorella

         2149 hours. That doesn’t make sense. No part of the human spirit is equal. You cannot compare unlike things. They are of the same worth.

         How is that, boy? – Amorella

         2151 hours. There is supposed to be a balance among all three. Say, for instance, that there is a discussion about justice. Justice has to be treated the same from each standpoint.

         Why is that? – Amorella

         You have to start from somewhere. Each, the heart, the soul and the mind would have to discussion justice from a like definition.

         What does the soul know of justice? – Amorella

         2155 hours. I do not know what the soul knows.

         Perhaps that would be the topic: What does the soul know? – Amorella

         I have no idea.

         There is the starting point. Post. - Amorella

         2217 hours. I need a common definition of the soul existing before, as it were, the children of Angels or something akin to this as far as the story is concerned.

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Pre-existence

Pre-existence, preexistence, before life, or pre-mortal existence refers to the belief that each individual human soul existed before mortal conception, and at some point before birth enters or is placed by God into the body. Concepts of pre-existence can encompass either the belief that the soul came into existence at some time prior to conception or the belief that the soul is eternal. Alternative positions are traducianism and creationism, which both hold that the individual human soul does not come into existence until conception.

Ancient Greek thought and Islam affirm pre-existence, but it is generally denied in Christianity.

Greek thought

Plato believed in the pre-existence of the soul, which tied in with his innatism. He thought that we are born with knowledge from a previous life that is subdued at birth and must be relearned. He saw all attainment of knowledge not as acquiring new information, but as remembering previously known information. Before we were born, we existed in a perfect world where we knew everything.

Selected and edited from Wikipedia – Pre-existence

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         From the point of the view of the Dead of both species in the story accept that the soul exists before the human spirit. This is an assumption on their part. The Dead do not know which is one of the reasons for the discussion. The Dead do not know Angels as such exist either because they cannot come upon a common definition. Messenger is more acceptable than Angel although an Angel – higher than a messenger, may give birth, so to speak, of the soul because it is immortal though not necessarily everlasting. Artistic license. One of the points of discussion is that if the soul is the child of the Angel then what knowledge is inherited and how does this effect the heartanmind that come to dwell within? If the knowledge inherited is equal, then are all souls equal? What is justice from the point of the view of the soul? – Amorella

         2252 hours. This narrows the focus and becomes easier to absorb.

         Post. - Amorella