Crossbones and Tiaera



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I'm looking forward to the next episode of "Crossbones." I'm eager to enjoy and learn what I can about the pirates as they brawl, pillage and cavort, and to relish the way they speak in this weekly series. The writers have won my heart for their colorful terminology as a means to depict a bygone era where words such as succeedingly generous, bastard thwarting, supplicate, recount, transpires and my favorite so far: discommoding are used. As a writer, I am impressed with the way they did not do as "Black Sails" did on Starz, mixing old English with vulgar profanity by both men and women. I suppose that pirates curse and use such words and so the actors use them, but for viewers like me, I find it very offensive and distracting. Yes, of course, I don't have to listen to them as they portray uneducated criminals who can only express themselves with four letter words and the like. Yes, many a pirate may not have been fortunate to learn how to read and write, but "Crossbones" doesn't feature only pirate characters. Some of the characters are well-educated and high ranking. And John Malkovich? Well, I better check my history book about how educated and eloquent the real Blackbeard was. John does a wonderful job so far. I was so impressed and eager to learn some of these words I sought and found a place online with scripts for TV shows. Here is the link should you wish to study the scripts for your own studies.

Crossbones - Episode Scripts

What does this pirate series have to do with Tiaera? Simple. Anyone who has read my stories here, as well as Realmwalkers and The Priestess and the Ravenknight, will know I have an affinity for using archaic words. They will also know I have pirates in my medieval fantasy world. Thus I am inspired by the dialogs in "Crossbones" as I am in many historical dramas on BBC America and PBS.  I've sat with pen and notebook while watching "Mutiny on the Bounty" and "Sense and Sensibility," jotting down phrases and words that are clearly archaic or seldom used these days. I still take the trouble to look up words I'm not familiar with and check when they were first used so that I may incorporate them in my future stories about Tiaera. My aim is to make the language used in Tiaera somewhere between the 15th - 17th centuries and still try to make the stories understandable by modern readers whenever possible.

"The Musketeers" have just premiered on BBC America and I didn't get the chance to see the pilot yet, but I did record it so I can see it later today. I hope the script there is also entertaining and enlightening for this medieval fantasy writer.  No, I don't have musketeers on Tiaera, but pirates are often known as swashbucklers as are the knights, rogues, guards, etc... Tiaera has them all. If they carry a sword, let it be so. Better get my pen and notebook ready!


Puppy Imposed Hiatus

Yes, I got one on April 2nd and my life has changed so much. The impact has been so great that my writing has all but totally stopped. Today is the first day I've had a chance to write a post. And it's gonna have to be a short one because I need to tend to the little creature that has wormed her way into our hearts and home, Lobita. She's a breed-mix of Chihuahua/Pug aka Chug. She looks like a tiny rottweiler but she is tiny and is an XS size in pup clothes. We doubt she will be getting much bigger than this.



I was totally ignorant about how much time puppies require.  Since bringing her home from the Animal Shelter in Parker, she needs CONSTANT.... repeat CONSTANT supervision. I have had a few "meltdowns" too, but she is still here and is three months old now.  As a writer, I have had to put aside my book and all marketing and blogging. I can't even do my gaming like I used to. My gaming partners have to tolerate me suddenly going AFK at any moment because Lobita needs to go outside to relieve herself - and that's if I catch her on time.

As a writer, she hasn't been all bad news. Yes, I have to stop working on my third book for now, but she is learning and growing and in just a matter of a few months, she will be allowed more freedom around the house.  The book can wait till then. And I have lost almost 5 pounds walking her twice a day.  My doctor is very happy and thinks she is more of an asset to this writer. I think she is right. I am not chained to my computers all day long now. I feel healthier and stronger. I enjoy the walks and I hope to continue them even when I get back to working on my book.  So I guess, I'll keep her and try to resume my writing once she is better trained and housebroken.

For now, it's a life of constant supervision, potty pads, near-misses, pet shopping, training, walkies, blessed naps, and bonding with our little pup, Lobita.





Here is my album I am making about Lobita on Flickr if you want to see more of her.
 Lobita's Flickr Album