March 2012 midnightwriters.webs.com midnight.writers2013@gmail.com
Unfortunately, there will be no Ask Aphro & Dite this month. We seem to have “technical difficulties.” Aphro and Dite feel completely awful about this and will make it up with lots and lots of cookies to everyone who asks. Yum. In the meantime, please enjoy this random picture of a wombat. Courtesy of Google.
Musings of Hades
Athena’s Corner
Ah, spring. ‘Tis the season when pheromones hover in the air and everyone goes… nuts. Completely and utterly nuts. Eros says it isn’t him, but I trust him about as far as I can throw him – though since I’m a god and everything, I can actually throw him pretty far, so that’s probably not the right analogy. Whatever. It’s not like the pheromones affect me when I’m all the way down here in the Underworld. Unlike Persephone. Who’s going to be heading back up to Earth soon. Since it’s going to be spring. And it’s all part of that pomegranate agreement. And Demeter oh-so-kindly sends me postcards every other day with pictures of her and Persephone doing their annual trip around the world. Demeter’s always traveling. I swear she’s been stricken with wanderlust. Back when I first… escorted Persephone down to the Underworld, I didn’t really ask for Demeter’s permission beforehand, so she was left in the dark about where her daughter was. Demeter took an unapproved sabbatical to wander around like a hermit-tramp-person who looked like an old crone, completely forgetting the fact that mankind was, oh, I don’t know, starving? One of the places she stopped at was a city called Eleusis, and she was resting by a well when the daughters of the city’s king came to fetch water. Now, there’s this thing called Greek hospitality (xenia for you nerds out there), which is basically this: if you’re not nice to travelers, then Zeus will smite you. So the daughters asked Demeter/the old lady if she wanted to stay at their home while she was in town, and Demeter agreed. The girls’ mother – a.k.a. the queen – hired Demeter as her infant son’s nursemaid, and Demeter was so thrilled by the family’s xenia that she decided to make the kid immortal. Which would’ve been great if she’d actually asked the parents first, especially since the way Demeter went about immortalizing the baby was by sticking him in the ashes of the burning fireplace. Obviously, when the boy’s mother saw this one day, she freaked out. Nothing compared to Demeter’s usual reactions when something happens to her kid, but Demeter took this as some kind of personal insult (Hello? You stuck her child in the fireplace) and, to appease her, demanded that the town build a temple in her worship. No biggie. Anyway, Persephone’s leaving soon, so I should go help pack her bags. I think I’ll sneak in a present for her to give to Demeter. Maybe one of those “Hades + Persephone 4ever” aprons in the gift shop.
Digit: Annabelle Monaghan, June 2012 Farah Higgins lives a normal life, except for her mathematical “gift” that earned her the nickname Digit in middle school. When her mathematical skills help her uncover a terrorist group’s plans, she and a hot young FBI agent go on the run. As the stakes get higher and the romance gets hotter, will Digit be able to survive? This book is amazing, one that I actually stayed up late to finish (which I have never done before, believe it or not). I have to admit it is a bit of a beach read (simple and predictable), but only a bit – mostly it is full of action and suspense with a bit of romance thrown in. Cinder: Marissa Meyer, January 2012 Cinder is an automaton, working hard to earn money under her stepmother’s orders, when the prince shows up and turns her life completely upside down. Cinder becomes involved in a race against time to save her sick stepsister, the prince, and the whole world as the evil Lunar queen ascends to Earth. This book is a great adaption of Cinderella that will keep you turning pages until the very end – and then make you wish that the sequel were already published. This is an interesting take on Cinderella that will keep you thinking about it long after you turn the last page. Special thanks to Sra. Steele and acknowledgement to Hades, Athena, Hippolyta, and Hermes.
Nightmares and Shadows By Hades Life has just begun, The end’s already near. Darkness fills your head, Your eyes see only fire. But the moon still rises, Stars still light your way. The fight’s still alive, The storm will awake. Pray for the souls gone, Pray for the stolen dreams, Live for the lives on Earth, For the future that can be. Even when you’re gone, In some land far away, And you can’t find a way home, Take my hand and hold on. When you’re hiding in clouds, Watching spilled blood from above, Just remember when dawn comes, Someone’s waiting for you down here. No, death can’t stop, no, But you have to trust your heart. Your faith is ever blind, But love will carry you home, The stories are true, History is myth you see. The legends are here, Reality is lies you hear. The nightmares come home, Your dreams fall in shadow. You lift up your eyes, To heaven and the skies. As long as hope rains down, And if the sun only sleeps, Then the tunnel’s still light, Just waiting for you to run… Photograph—“Magic is Connected Through Life” by Saison
Illustration—“Fates” by Japanda3
His Addiction by Raindrop She is a living, breathing contradiction. Her soft, delicate features bely the fiery emotions broiling deep within. A tiny slip of a girl with delicate hands and a quiet, melodious voice, she seems defenseless and exposed. She says she loves him and cares for him and that she cannot live without him, yet with a few carefully chosen words, she stabs the vulnerable heart she holds in the palm of her hand, twisting the dagger’s blade until
the fragile organ bleeds. He needs to fight, to break away from her, but with each glimpse into her dark, tumultuous eyes—into the inferno burning furiously away at her soul—he is once again pliant in her hands. He wants to be the one to save her, though he knows she cannot be saved. She is his goddess, and he her slave. He knows all too well that she is not what she seems, but like a moth drawn to a flame, he can’t pull away. Illustration— “Bete Noire” by Artist Wannabe
Albert is a snake who has the misfortune of being distinctly pink and green striped. Banished from his native snake town, he barely makes it by in a nearby lizardpolis, where he is mistrusted by his fellow reptiles. One day, a young lizard named Walter finds Albert and insists Albert is the magical pink and green snake from his grandmother’s stories. What is the truth behind Albert’s past? Read Lizard Town by Marisa M. online! Love. Passion. Desire. Betrayal. Murder. The Phantom of the Opera is one of the most beloved stories of our age. A young and beautiful singer, Christine, must choose between two men—a handsome viscount, her childhood sweetheart, and the mysterious Phantom, her Angel of Music. In The Men of the Populaire, Izumi Fujimoto expresses her displeasure at Christine’s fickleness and her support for the Phantom. In her Response, Athena takes the side of the viscount, Raoul, and defends Christine’s reasons for rejecting the phantom. Whom would you choose? Read it online! Illustration—“The Phantom Illusionist” by Artist Wannabe
Somewhere in the mountains, there is a village. Somewhere in that village, there is a young person who possesses unique abilities and only wants to continue living a peaceful life. But that seems to be impossible now that the king’s advisor decides the village must have a representative… Read Fire Breath, Part I by Glittercheese online!
Illustration—“The Phantom Illusionist” by Artist Wannabe
The Magician’s Laboratory by Hades Long, long ago, when I was a child, I knew an old man who lived in the wild. Whenever the afternoon was bright and free, I would wander down the path in the trees. To find his hut, you must lose your way, Then rest your feet at the end of the day. Now turn your head and look to the left, And see what’s nestled in the rocky cleft. If you listen carefully, you will hear His cheerful welcome in your ear. Follow him as he hobbles through the door, Into his house as he gives you a tour. Something is bubbling on the fire, Peer in and see the bright green mire. A cobweb falls in and plop it goes, Reach in and pull out a soft pink rose. The mirror smiles as you walk by, Winks when you pause and stop to say hi. A piano in the corner plays by itself, Serenading the dolls dancing on the shelf. On its perch, a raven stares beadily at you, Opens its beak and says how-de-do. Then it recites, in a voice deep and slow, The sad, dark poems of Edgar Allen Poe.
Illustration—“Mage” by Japanda3 Paper airplanes soar through the room, Fluttering and racing against an old broom. Books and books, stacked against the walls, Hither and thither all down the hall. Words and runes and languages unknown, Etched on scrolls and tomes and tablets of stone.
Sparks go flying all across the yard, Red and blue from the golem guard. Flowers sing arias upon the windowsill, Twirling and blooming as they hum and trill. When night falls and your eyes droop shut, He gently leads you away from his hut. Then you are home, tucked warm in your bed, And wonder if it was all just in your head. But the rose still lies clutched in your hand, So you smile as you put it on your nightstand. Many years later, as I tell this story, I still remember the magician’s laboratory. If I should venture again to his lair, I wonder if it shall be waiting there. By my window, a rose stands in a vase, Lovely and pretty against the curtain lace. When I close my eyes and go to sleep, I dream of walking the forest deep. Of mirrors and pianos and dolls at play, Of solemn ravens with much to say. Of planes and brooms and books all around, Of golems and flowers and their shimmering sound. Of an old man who has journeyed a mile, Just to greet me with his familiar smile.
Illustration—“A Wizard’s Study” by Hebe
Braden has barely graduated from high school when he finds himself left in charge of his eight younger siblings after their parents disappear. With almost no possessions to their name, they hide from the social services as Braden tries to sell his paintings at the local park. Then one unordinary afternoon, a little girl makes Braden draw a fantastical chalk drawing on the sidewalk, changing his life forever. Read Chalk Dust by Hades online! Gabe Cameron is on the stand at his trial, accused of murdering four of his friends. The prosecutor is relentless. Will Gabe confess, or is there something darker at work? Read The Trial, Part II by Apollo online! Like The Gallagher Girls or Hex Hall series? Then you’ll love this. Vice President Athena has interviewed authors Ally Carter and Rachel Hawkins. Read her interview online! Illustration—“Charity” by Alexandria
Illustration—“The Hunger Games” by Nana
Illustration—“On the Stand” by Calypso
Hades’ SUPER SPECIAL AWESOME MAGIC QUIZ (It’s real, I swear*) How magical are you? 1. A. B. C. D.
You see an owl flying in daytime. You: scream, “HOGWARTS AT LAST!” wonder why the heck an owl is out during the day. imagine how it’d look stuffed on your wall. think, “Mm… tacos.”
2. Your brother has a cold. You: A. try to make a healing potion per online Wiccan instructions. B. get him Nyquil. C. laugh in his face and keep the tissues out of reach. D. think, “Mm… tacos.” 3. You find an old broom in the corner. You: A. attempt to fly. B. use it to bat cobwebs away. C. threaten your brother with it. D. think, “Mm… tacos.” 4. You hear splashing in a lake and see large fins disappearing into the water. You: A. wait for the mermaid to resurface. B. stare at where the giant fish submerged before moving on. C. hurl pebbles in the water. D. think, “Mm… tacos.” 5. You go to the pet store. You: A. get a snowy white owl to train as your loyal messenger. B. buy a goldfish. (It’ll be dead in a week.) C. purchase a giant guard dog to freak your brother out. D. think, “Mm… tacos.” 6. It’s Halloween! You: A. dress up as Enda, High Warlock-Elf of the Council of Merlin. B. pop in some vampire fangs and go mooch candy. C. pick the largest accessory weapon that is legal in your state. D. think, “Mm… tacos.” 7. For Chriskwanzaakah, you: A. beg for the totally legit ancient Celtic spell book on eBay. B. ask for a new laptop. C. want the booby trap kit from Home Alone. To use on your brother, obviously. D. think, “Mm… tacos.”
8. You can vacation anywhere in the world. You: A. trek the Scottish Highlands in search of magical castles. B. fly to Hawaii. C. take off without your family and send them postcards with you lounging on beaches. D. think, “Mm… tacos.” 9. When you grow up, you: A. will prove magic exists. B. want to be financially secure. C. will do whatever it takes to get what you want. Especially if it involves your brother. D. think, “Mm… tacos.” 10. Lunchtime. You: A. brew some butterbeer. B. make a sandwich. C. order pizza and don’t tip the delivery guy. Then blame your brother. D. are fine with whatever.
RESULTS: Mostly A’s: You wannabe. Mostly B’s: Eek! Muggle! Obliviate! Mostly C’s: You’re a sadist. Especially toward your poor brother. Please tie yourself in a straitjacket and force yourself to watch a Barney the Purple Dinosaur marathon until you feel like a part of the “happy family.” Mostly D’s: 100% magic. Hail Circe. *No, not really. Illustration—“Magus” by Chronos