Writer's Challenge: Magic In America

[cloudy]

The definitive books on a native American magical system have to be Carlos Castenada’s Don Juan books. They are frightening, funny, enlightening, and supposedly true, and present a view of the world that is uniquely native American and unlike any other mystical system in the world. Truly amazing.

There’s been a lot of argument over whether the stories are true or just Castenada’s invention. Personally, I think they’re true, but if not, they’re a work of just staggering imagination and consistency. Don Juan’s world of magic is real and right here, and I just don’t understand how anyone could make that stuff up.

You won’t find any magic wands or gnomes or any of that European stuff, but what you will find just makes all that seem like children’s fairy tales.

I don’t know if that’s what you guys are looking for. Maybe you just want to import European traditions to an American setting. But if you want a glimpse of how real native American magic works, look no further.

---Zoot

Yes, yes, yes! Someone else gets it!

Thanks, Dr. M, for saying the thing about fairy tales.....very true.

 

[dr_mabeuse]

Yes, yes, yes! Someone else gets it!

Thanks, Dr. M, for saying the thing about fairy tales.....very true.

(Uh-oh. Don’t encourage me, Cloudy. I’ll only start spouting off…)

I was thinking: if you really want to do something on American magic, why not do what the Native Americans did and tap in to the spirit of the place you live? I don’t think you can live most places in the USA without being aware of the spirit of the land, and I dare anyone to go out to the Great Plains and stand there in the wind and not feel the Great Spirit, or prowl through the Pacific Northwest and not feel the presence of the shadowy Men of the Forest that the Kwakiutl used to appease, all wet and dripping with moss. The southwest always makes me think of Kachina dolls and the Thunderbird, the gods of maize and whispering messages to snakes to be taken to the underworld, and up in the woods around the Great Lakes you have the Windigo, the spirit with the body of a man and the horns and feet of a moose, who can never stop running and who leaves flaming footprints in the snow. Anyone he touches is forced to run forever.

Even where I live, in Chicago, I walk down by the lake or out in the woods and I feel spirits. There are spirits in the cities too, like the spooky homeless people who seem to appear and disappear like magic or the soulless zombies you see riding the El. What about a demon in a ragged coat pushing a shopping cart? What kind of magic does he possess?

You could set up a series of stories where everyone taps into the native spirits he or she feels around the place where they live. What's the magical character of your part of the country?

America is a haunted place. I don’t think you have to look to the Old World for your magic.

--Zoot

 

[cloudy]

Spout off at will, I don't mind a bit.

I don't think that most people realize how real and how frightening the spiritual here can actually be. I've seen things that have scared me so badly that it's been hard to do what I've had to do (I can't go into a lot of detail here, sorry.....I just can't). There's nothing fairy-tale-ish about it at all. The spirits here are almost raw and elemental in their existence. It's hard to explain, but I think you understand what I mean, Dr. M.

 

[sweetnpetite]

we definatly do not want to just import European stuff- that would defeat the whole purpose!

Thanks doc for the info.

 

[sweetnpetite]

(Uh-oh. Don’t encourage me, Cloudy. I’ll only start spouting off…)

I was thinking: if you really want to do something on American magic, why not do what the Native Americans did and tap in to the spirit of the place you live? I don’t think you can live most places in the USA without being aware of the spirit of the land, and I dare anyone to go out to the Great Plains and stand there in the wind and not feel the Great Spirit, or prowl through the Pacific Northwest and not feel the presence of the shadowy Men of the Forest that the Kwakiutl used to appease, all wet and dripping with moss. The southwest always makes me think of Kachina dolls and the Thunderbird, the gods of maize and whispering messages to snakes to be taken to the underworld, and up in the woods around the Great Lakes you have the Windigo, the spirit with the body of a man and the horns and feet of a moose, who can never stop running and who leaves flaming footprints in the snow. Anyone he touches is forced to run forever.

Even where I live, in Chicago, I walk down by the lake or out in the woods and I feel spirits. There are spirits in the cities too, like the spooky homeless people who seem to appear and disappear like magic or the soulless zombies you see riding the El. What about a demon in a ragged coat pushing a shopping cart? What kind of magic does he possess?

You could set up a series of stories where everyone taps into the native spirits he or she feels around the place where they live. What's the magical character of your part of the country?

America is a haunted place. I don’t think you have to look to the Old World for your magic.

--Zoot

You better contribute doc!!

I can't wait to read what you write.

 

[Liar]

we definatly do not want to just import European stuff- that would defeat the whole purpose!

Thanks doc for the info.

It would defeat the purpose to just import European stuff.

I was thinking along the lines of incorporating African myths and magic into a story myself. Something that came over the sea with the slave trade.

I like the sound of your idea Zoot, but it seems to me that you're homing in on native american mythology only. If that's where this thing is heading, I'll eagerly read the outcome, but I'm afraid I'll have nothing to contribute with.

 

[Black Tulip]

It would defeat the purpose to just import European stuff.

I was thinking along the lines of incorporating African myths and magic into a story myself. Something that came over the sea with the slave trade.

I like the sound of your idea Zoot, but it seems to me that you're homing in on native american mythology only. If that's where this thing is heading, I'll eagerly read the outcome, but I'm afraid I'll have nothing to contribute with.

Likewise.

Only, I thought to make up something mythical about the red wood trees. No fairy tale but more along the lines of how come they are so big?

http://www.addis-welt.de/smilie/smilie/snowman/smile.gif

 

[tolyk]

I got a question.. How about Canada, Mexico or South America? Its all still part of the Americas..

 

[cantdog]

So cool, let's turn each other loose on this!

I understand there are some formalities with Challenges. A canned prologue in italics atop each, say: This story is a part of the Magic in America story challenge, with perhaps a link to the thread it started on. A deadline.

I'm afraid that sort of arrangement would fall to the thread starter.

How soon do we get started? Need we set any further limits?

 

[cloudy]

So cool, let's turn each other loose on this!

I understand there are some formalities with Challenges. A canned prologue in italics atop each, say: This story is a part of the Magic in America story challenge, with perhaps a link to the thread it started on. A deadline.

I'm afraid that sort of arrangement would fall to the thread starter.

How soon do we get started? Need we set any further limits?

I think that'd probably be best, Sweet.....just set a deadline, and turn us loose - oh, and contact Laurel with a posting date, sort of like Mat did with the Rainy Day Challenge. What do you think?

 

[dr_mabeuse]

I like the sound of your idea Zoot, but it seems to me that you're homing in on native american mythology only. If that's where this thing is heading, I'll eagerly read the outcome, but I'm afraid I'll have nothing to contribute with.

No, I wouldn't think it has to be native American mythology at all. I just used the Indians to show how the spirit of a place influences the magical feel, and how different places invoke different kinds of spirits and influences.

H.P. Lovecraft did the same with his tales of Arkham and the woods of New England. I think every area of the country and every town and city probably has its own unique kind of spookiness.

And like Tolyk says, there's nothing that says we have to confine it to the USA by any means. In fact, I can already hear Perdita bitching if we ignored Mexico. (Come to think of it, I read some pretty scary story a long time ago about Mexican mummies.)

But are these stories going to be erotic as well as magical? That might be tough, but I guess it could be done. We'd have to watch out that they don't all become erotic horror stories though. There's nothing wrong with erotic horro, but I don't think that's what SnP had in mind.


--Zoot

 

[Black Tulip]

I could just as easily see it going the way of protective spirits all over the place. LOL Very loving and romantic.

http://www.addis-welt.de/smilie/smilie/snowman/laugh.gif

 

[Couture]

Where's the pussy come in?

 

[sweetnpetite]

No, I wouldn't think it has to be native American mythology at all. I just used the Indians to show how the spirit of a place influences the magical feel, and how different places invoke different kinds of spirits and influences.

H.P. Lovecraft did the same with his tales of Arkham and the woods of New England. I think every area of the country and every town and city probably has its own unique kind of spookiness.

And like Tolyk says, there's nothing that says we have to confine it to the USA by any means. In fact, I can already hear Perdita bitching if we ignored Mexico. (Come to think of it, I read some pretty scary story a long time ago about Mexican mummies.)

But are these stories going to be erotic as well as magical? That might be tough, but I guess it could be done. We'd have to watch out that they don't all become erotic horror stories though. There's nothing wrong with erotic horro, but I don't think that's what SnP had in mind.


--Zoot

I agree with everything you've said here.

And no- I don't think erotic is the focus at all, let alone erotic horror. Stories can *be* erotic or nonerotic, but that's pretty much beside the point. (oddly enough)

ps- couture, did I hear you say you wanted to write an americanized version of 'pussy in boots'?

 

[sweetnpetite]

I think that'd probably be best, Sweet.....just set a deadline, and turn us loose - oh, and contact Laurel with a posting date, sort of like Mat did with the Rainy Day Challenge. What do you think?

I'll try to have the rules deadline ect. posted by the end of the week- rest assured all that they will be vague enough that if you've already got an idea running through your head, (after looking at this thread) it will *probably* be usable or adaptable.

Any idea how long or short a deadline we should have? (two month? three?)

And of course- America includes all of America- not just the USA- don't forget the islands either

Magic of the Americas

 

[cantdog]

Very cool; thanks, Sweet!

 

[Quiet_Cool]

A lot of discussion while I was gone, and a good bit of interest. Sorry for taking yesterday off.

When I said that we should set confines, I was mostly thinking that we should say things like: "No Vampires or Werewolves," and whatnot. Not that they're American, but you get my point. Avoid using the same ideas tha have already been overdone to the point no one ever wants to read it.

I like the things discussed here. I think the idea that blending the old with the new, old versus new, etc. are all good ones. Coyoe and Raven definitely seem interesting, and what Mab was saying about the spirits around us... Nicely put, and very true. It'll all work, I would think.

So long as sweetnpetite approves, it sounds like we have a good following here.

I might need to start researching soon...

Q_C

 

[sweetnpetite]

I might need to start researching soon...

Q_C

I was thinking that too.

Now a few qustions. Should I start a new thread for the rules and FAQ's (trust me the rules aren't restrictive and they are just guidelines anyway)? Can/should we get it made a sticky? Do we need to have people regester? Do we really need a deadline? (I suppose so...) and how much time do you think we should have for it?

someone help me- I'm new to this fancy challenge thing.

 

[Elsie Grey]

I don't know if this will help any but I found out about a couple of Native American faeries/spirits.

One of them is the Deer Maiden of Lakota, she lures men into woods to their doom but is also supposed to inspire artists (and sometimes drive them mad). She slightly better known as Leanan Sidhe the Irish faery muse who inspires artists, musicians and poets - artists said to be touched by her often die young!

And the other one I found is the legend of the Elk men of Dakota - more commonly known as the Glancomer. He's a male faery seducer who lurks in the woods at dusk looking for women to charm - the downside is any woman kissed by him could spend the rest of her life pining for him as no mortal man can compare!

I apologise if this doesn't make any sense, but I'm not feeling too hot this morning so I thinkng my typing is a little muddled!

 

[cloudy]

I was thinking that too.

Now a few qustions. Should I start a new thread for the rules and FAQ's (trust me the rules aren't restrictive and they are just guidelines anyway)? Can/should we get it made a sticky? Do we need to have people regester? Do we really need a deadline? (I suppose so...) and how much time do you think we should have for it?

someone help me- I'm new to this fancy challenge thing.

Sweet, maybe you could PM Matriarch for help on all the technical stuff - she organized the Rainy Day Challenge.

She set it up with a deadline for submission to Lit, and coordinated it with Laurel so that all the stories posted on the same day. I think we had to put a note in the "notes" section of the submissions that it was part of that challenge. We also had a small author's note at the beginning of every story that it was part of the challenge, and it had a link to the thread that started it.

Anyway, if you'll ask her how everything was handled, I'm sure she'll be glad to help. Or, for that matter, I will if you need me to. I don't work right now, so have plenty of time.

 

[sweetnpetite]

Sweet, maybe you could PM Matriarch for help on all the technical stuff - she organized the Rainy Day Challenge.

She set it up with a deadline for submission to Lit, and coordinated it with Laurel so that all the stories posted on the same day. I think we had to put a note in the "notes" section of the submissions that it was part of that challenge. We also had a small author's note at the beginning of every story that it was part of the challenge, and it had a link to the thread that started it.

Anyway, if you'll ask her how everything was handled, I'm sure she'll be glad to help. Or, for that matter, I will if you need me to. I don't work right now, so have plenty of time.

Thank you cloudy. (ooh, and dble thnxx for the smootch)

Now for an important question- those who are interested in accetping the challegne, would you prefer to have the stories grouped together under one profile (like the snippetsvile group) or under your own name?

I like the idea of it being under a group- but it apparently disqualifies the story from Survior. So what do you all think?

 

[sweetnpetite]

I like the idea of it being under a group- but it apparently disqualifies the story from Survior. So what do you all think?

Oh yeah, and does a decision either way afect your interst or willingness to participate?

 

[cloudy]

Thank you cloudy. (ooh, and dble thnxx for the smootch)

Now for an important question- those who are interested in accetping the challegne, would you prefer to have the stories grouped together under one profile (like the snippetsvile group) or under your own name?

I like the idea of it being under a group- but it apparently disqualifies the story from Survior. So what do you all think?

I would think it would be better for us to post them individually....that way, they qualify for survivor, as well as for the monthly contests. Plus, it won't limit the category, etc..

What we did for Rainy Day was all submit our stories by October 1, I think, and then they all posted on the same day with this at the beginning of each story as an author's note: This story has been submitted as part of the set on the Author Hangout Discussion Forum. All criteria and build up can be viewed through this link:RAINY DAY STORY CHALLENGE THREAD .

That way, everyone still has individual credit for their stories, but they're still identified as part of a group.

Up to you, though.

 

[Alex De Kok]

The snag with the Snippettsville approach is that one person needs to assemble the stories. That was fine when we had the ongoing Snippettsville Group but is - in my opinion - more effort than is warranted for a one-off challenge. The way it worked for Mat's 'Rainy Day' challenge is fine, I think. Bring Laurel in on it, have everyone indicate that their story is intended for the challenge and it's otherwise submission as normal.

Alex

PS: The final decision won't affect whether or not I submit a story, as long as it's not me who does the organising - I had a (fun) year of Snippettsville!

 

[Quiet_Cool]

I think we've gotten to the point where either me, sweet, or both os us will be doing that, though I haven't done anything like this before (even a chain story) and I don't think sweet has either. Should be interesting, lol.

Other than to say that, I'm jsut checking in...

Q_C