Mahabharata: Into the Woods

As in many cultures, India views going into the woods as a transformative experience for the heroic. The Pandavas, instead of having to serve as slaves, are given an alternative loss by the Kauravas, because of the intervention of Krsna. The Padavas go into the woods for twelve years, and then spend a thirteenth year in disguise. We'll deal with that 13th year in the next entry.

In this section of the saga, the Pandavas experience individual stories of revelation and daring do. Arjuna meets his father and is blessed by him. Yudhisthira learns how to never lose at dice. Bhima has a son with a rakshasa. There is much philosophizing about revenge, with Yudhisthira always taking a more balanced view of karma and how the world works.

At the end of the 12 years, the 5 Pandavas and Draupadi are leaner and meaner, and ready to go off to work in the kingdom of Virata. In disguise.

Mirrored from Writer Tamago.

Electronic Publicity and Writers

This topic comes about because of something I did as a professor today. I teach Elements of Writing students (students who need a little warm up before their first composition course) from a book called America Now, a textbook which visits periodicals every two years and plans units around contemporary issues vis a vis campus newspapers, editorial pages, websites and so on.

Since the book is revised every two years, the book remains happily current. We just finished a unit on the obesity epidemic and now we're starting on one about social networking.

All my students were aware of, and the majority were on Facebook. I had one of the students demo their Facebook page to a couple of students not in the know, and then I proceeded to talk to them about other networking outlets.

Maybe it's because we're in Iowa (you know, one of the backwards states that legalized gay marriage), but my students for the most part are not on Twitter, are not bloggers, and don't use message boards. In my class, Facebook is king.

Of course, that makes me once again consider what I'm doing to publicize myself as an author.

Read the rest of this entry »

Mirrored from Writer Tamago.

And a Quick Update on Craig

Just call me McSpamerston...

CAT scan reveals...nothing. Everything looks great. The going theory now is that when Craig had chest pain (left over from CPR and the Frankenstein treatment) he took a nitroglycerine pill (a wise precaution).

Since nothing was wrong, it caused him to pass out. They kept him overnight for observation and are supposed to turn him loose sometime today.

Thank you for all your well wishes. We're all okay with it being minor. I think Craig's just about had enough of all this.

Catherine

Mirrored from Writer Tamago.

On the Edge

The buzz is loud. Giant killer bee from the 50s loud.

So, here's the thing. I've heard On the Edge might be better than the Kate Daniels series. I remain skeptical, and would like to say different, not better, but you know, the only way you're going to find out is to go out there and buy this book.

Or you could visit Bitten by Books, have a chance to win a Sony eReader, and have a blast.

They'll let you choose the color of your Sony eReader. If you win. How groovy is that?

Be there, or as Pratchett would say, be a rectangular thing.

Catherine

Mirrored from Writer Tamago.