Cels Says

The image that pops into your head when you first think of Demons will most likely be of denizens of Hell, led by fallen angel, Satan. Creatures of nightmarish proportions and the most evil of all creation. The concept of Demons actually pre-dates Christianity and, like most to do with the Supernatural, each religion and part of the world has its own spin on this intriguing force of great power.

The word  “demon”, or “daemon”, comes from the Greek word Daimo`n and its meaning was a being believed, in ordinary circumstances, to be malevolent. The school of thought for the ancient Jews was that demons were the unclean spirits of the dead who roamed the earth looking for absolution–perhaps the equivalent to a modern day “Ghost” (considered to be mostly harmless if left alone). It seems that the idea of Demons that follows us today began in Medieval times, and evolved with the change from the old Pagan religion to Roman-Christianity. A popular belief is that Demons do not exist as separate entities but that they are, in fact, members of the league of fallen Angles who, for one reason or another, left Heaven to try life down here on Earth and are not necessarily out to cause harm.

Whatever you choose to believe, one recurring theme I found in the research I’ve done is that Demons are better off left alone; if you do come across one, and are not blessed with the powers to defeat them it, you’d better keep clear, and hope like Hell you’re not in their sights.

Some Demon/Fallen Angel tales to add some fright to your world:

Embrace-Jessica Shirvington Enticed- Jessica Shirvington (March 29, 2011)

Dark Touch Series(Shadows, The Hunt, Fever) Amy Meredith

Halo– Alexandra Adornetto

MUSIC: Supersuckers – Born With a Tail

Devildriver – Clouds Over California

Cels Says:

You have to feel a little sorry for Witches. After all, who  wants to be instantly thought of as an ugly, cackling, evil old hag or have ugly caricatures of themself strewn everywhere on Halloween? Thankfully, modern media has lessened some of the sting with portrayals of Witches like Sam on Bewitched, Sabrina the Teenage Witch and, of course, the fabulous Charmed girls, all of whom have made magic a housewife’s best friend and have a broom and vacuum cleaner riding hight on their wish list. But just where do Witches come from and do they deserve the bad/evil rap?

Unfortunately, there is no concrete answer to the origin of the modern day Witch. Some are adamant that Witches aren’t Human—that, in fact, they came across to the Earthly Realm with creatures like the Fae and first Weres, bringing their blend of magic and healing abilities, which they readily shared with the Humans amongst them. Believed to have been beautiful and ethereal, kind and caring (unless threatened) modern day Witches are said to have descended from the “mingling” with the humans and the resulting offspring. Although not immortal, they are meant to have been very long lived.

Then we have the other camp, firmly believing that all Witches are human, but not necessarily evil. From the Stone Age to Modern times, often women who threatened conventional stereotypes were labeled witches, from the village midwife/healer to the unwanted wife. The Church leaders at the time also twisted and used Christianity to provide justification for many paranoid fantasies when it came to Witchcraft (the Salem Witch Trials being the example that has struck a cord with all through the ages).

As for the white verses black Witch conundrum, how can we say for sure if Witches are just plain evil or mostly misunderstood? Whichever school of thought you subscribe to about their origin, both seem to mostly agree that, just like in our human nature, there is the possibility for evil or wrongdoing but that, on the whole, most were harmless “white” magic casters. The Celtics, in particular, held the belief that the power came from nature and those that harnessed the energy for malice would face dire consequences. Modern day Wiccans follow the same principles as the Three-Fold Law. (Just doesn’t seem worth the risk to if you ask me!)

It wasn’t until the rise of the Church and the ancient Pagan rituals and beliefs being classed as evil that Witches were suddenly shifted to “Satan’s Brides” and lumped in with many who deserved the title “evil”. A case of “we don’t understand it, so let’s disband it”.

One of the best examples of misconception of  motives in modern fiction and theater is “Wicked”. “Wicked” brings us the story of  Elphaba, who ends up the Wicked Witch of the West after a journey of suffering and heartbreak, and who essentially at heart is still good-her choices are just bad. How human is that?

So when it comes to Witches, making your own informed decision may be best, and, as rough as the bad rap they cop is, what would a Fairy Tale be without the wicked Witch? Just don’t instantly write all Witches off as evil-— but if the Wicked Witch does exist, you certainly don’t want her flinging her curses at you.

Some YA Witchy reads:

Hex Hall series by Rachel Hawkins           Witch Child By Celia Rees

A Discovery of  Witches By Deborah Harkness   Nightshade By Andrea Cremer

MUSIC: Pendulum — Witchcraft

Cels Says:

What is it you imagine when you think Fae? Little Sprite-like creatures with gossamer wings, flitting through the flowerbeds all but invisible to the naked Human eye?  Or perhaps your imagination leads you to thoughts of the Tooth Fairy, Hobgoblins or the regal Sidhe. So what exactly are the Fae, and where do the Fairy Tale end and the legend begin?

A common misconception that floats around is that Fae equals the Sidhe, also known as the Unseelie and Seelie Courts. Just like Humanity is composed of differing Nationalities and Religions, The Fae are made up of a diverse range of races, each with their own special magic and myth.  So just who are some of the extraordinary beings that have added a wealth of adventure and imagination since stories were first told?

The Brownies are said to roam mainly in the Scottish Highlands, and, if you are lucky enough to have one become attached to your household, you may find chores done by seemingly none and any animals around you will thrive on the added nurturing and attention.

Goblins could be considered the Fae equivalent to the Mob. Thieves, sometimes murderers, always tricksters and often companions of the dead (especially on All Hallows Eve) they’re just downright nasty pieces of work– you definitely don’t want to tangle with them, even if they make you an offer you can’t refuse.

Hags seem to get the short end of the stick, thanks no doubt in part to Hag Black Annis’s cannibalistic nature. Native to the British Isle, they are the keepers of winter; they appear as wizened, ugly old women til spring, when they emerge young and revitalised.

The Sluagh are the most frightening of the Highland Sidhe, composed of Unforgiven dead that can be called by Necromancers. Trolls hide from the sun in the caves of Scandinavia and, although ugly, they are mainly harmless if left alone

Will-o-Wisps are still a mystery to most researchers. Floating balls of light known to lead unsuspecting Humans into mischief and danger, the most well known of which are the Sidhe. They hailing mostly from Ireland and are  the only Fae race to truly fit into Human Society unnoticed. Their societal structure is believed to be similar to ours, divided mostly into the Seelie and UnSeelie Courts, who enjoy a conflict amongst themselves every so often. The Trooping Faeries are also believed to be Sidhe, but these are wanderers and not members of either court. It is believed the Sidhe once lived alongside Humans in Ireland during the Dark Ages and shared many of their gifts, before leaving for their own dimension. Places in Ireland are still deemed sacred Faery mounds and paths.

So next time you see the glint of sunlight off wings, or sneeze thanks to faery dust, remember: not all Fae are nice, even if they are pretty.

*~YA “Faery  Tales”- To get you started~*

Tempestuous – Lesley Livingston        The Iron Fae Series – Julie Kagawa Tithe – Holly Black

Wings – Aprilynne Pike         Glimmerglass – Jenna Black         Wicked Lovely Series – Melissa Marr         Need – Carrie Jones

Cels Says:

I’ve spent the last few days of my post-Christmas break drooling over— I mean enjoying the eye candy of season 2 of True Blood. Now, those who know me well have heard my rant on how disappointed I was with season 1, the differences between the books, and what I felt the TV adaptation had lost (mainly the light-hearted humour). With season 2, I have found myself having to eat a hefty serving of humble pie. It did get me thinking, though, about whether we should risk our favourite books being mangled beyond recognition, or losing the basics that made us fall in love with them in the first place; or, should we just bite the bullet and enjoy them for the separate media they are?

Now don’t get me wrong—in some cases, the TV adaptation has brought the author a whole new audience of readers, and the way the basis of the storyline has been changed has, at times, breathed new life into the idea. Bones is an excellent example of this.

In the books, Kathy Reichs presents us with an older Tempe, who comes across as a little more “normal,” or “ordinary”, than her TV counterpart. The development of brand new characters and locations in the TV version also makes it feel as though the books have been left unharmed—each perfect in its own setting.

The Vampire Diaries have given those of us who read the series back in the 90s the chance to see the characters come to life; and, in my opinion, they are better developed than those in the books. The show’s popularity has also helped to bring a new generation of readers to L.J. Smith’s work, and, as a flow on, other authors as well. Some non-readers have also started picking up the books to continue Elana’s journey faster and have had a whole new world of pages opened up to them.

Books being adapted into movies can enjoy similar results. Harry Potter lost so much of its magic and delight in the movie adaptation that I felt a little ripped off; but, by the same token, the allure of seeing Hogwarts brought to life kept me watching. Seeing Edward sparkle in Twilight was something else, but I would pick the book over the movie any day.

So the verdict for me? Bring on the TV and Movie adaptations, but please, please read the original works as well. Anything that brings further recognition to authors has got to be worth the risk, right? Now, who knows a TV exec to bring Nylon Angel to life?

Cels Says:

The time of the rise of urban fantasy/paranormal YA fiction (1970s to mid-80s) has been described as the “Golden Age” of YA fiction; and, those of us old enough to have been around when Dolly fiction seemed to dominate every school library shelf can hardly disagree.

For me, the “Golden Age” of fantasy and paranormal YA kicked off fully in the mid-90s, and I would like to think it’s still only getting started. It officially began for me in 1996, when my local library put in a YA section and I discovered the delights of Garth Nix’s Sabriel.

Finally, my thirst for fantasy could be quenched without sneaking into the children’s section and hoping no one saw me with my guilty treasures… Or sneaking home the Stephen King and Anne Rice novels, hoping the Parental Units wouldn’t pitch a fit. In my part of the world, unless you were recommended an author (since they were all bunched in with the children’s section), finding YA in the genre was like mining for gold.

Early 2000 saw Harry Potter fever grip adults, teens and children alike, and, love them or hate them, they really thrust the whole genre into the mainstream. I grew up in a town with only one bookstore, and our store’s range was limited to what was hot at the time. It was a welcome relief when a world of fabulous new authorswas  finally opened up to me. The recent trend of turning paranormal book series, such as L.J. Smith’s The Vampire Diaries (which I first read way back in the mid-90s… yep–I’m old), into TV shows has also introduced a whole new audience of readers to the genre.

Over the last few years, just about every major bookstore (as well as the department chains) has started stocking an increasingly diverse selection of YA. This is a good sign for books in such a computer game-dominated world. The fact that the Internet plays such a large part in our everyday lives has certainly aided in spreading the word about the wonderful range of writing talent out there.

Now, we have the added bonus of well-read adult authors, such as Kathy Reichs (creator of Bones,) Tara Moss and our very own Marianne de Pierres bringing their magic and creativity into the YA field, as well as a talented group of debut authors to delight (hopefully) at least another generation. Let the “Golden Age” truly begin.