Brackets, Spaces, Question Marks, and Other Punctuation (in bullet points)

I'm in the midst of a very busy season so have not written as much as I would have liked.  That said, a few things have been percolating.  So, here are my thoughts in bullet points:

• March Madness has begun.  I am not a big college basketball fan, but my wife and I usually try to put together brackets and compete against one another.  It is usually just for bragging rights, though on occasion we have placed small bets with one another (usually a Mt. Dew for me and something of similar value for my wife).  So, I have North Carolina winning it all, which is actually who I pick almost every year...primarily because they have a foot as their symbol on some of their parephernalia.  I will probably lose (as I do most years), but it is still fun.  Who do you have winning in your bracket?
• The sport that I most love is baseball...particularly Chicago Cubs baseball.  We are currently in the space between the end of last season and the beginning of a new season, but that space is coming quickly to an end.  Spring Training has begun and hope springs eternal!  The Cubbies go into the season with some new faces and some young up-and-comers.  Most are counting them out in 2012 because they see them in "rebuilding" mode.  But there is nothing I love more than an underdog story...and if it came in the form of my beloved Cubs making a run at the World Series, it would be even that much more amazing.  So...GO CUBS GO!!!!
• On a very different note, it was recommended this week that my wife have surgery to remove a couple of masses that have grown on her thyroid.  We were told all the statistics regarding the likelihood of the masses being cancerous and the stats regarding all the possible dangers of the surgery, and in the end we chose for her to have the surgery.  But we still have many question marks.  Are the masses cancerous or benign?  We won't know for sure until she is under the knife.  How will she come through the surgery?  Will there be any lasting consequences?  We obviously won't know that for a while.  Who will watch our kids so I can be with her before and after the procedure?  The answer to that is beginning to become clearer, but has not been fully answered yet.  I have a deeper appreciation for the many people who have gone through these situations with a loved one or for themselves.  My thoughts and prayers are with all those who are in a similar situation as us with many unknowns, those who are facing the "knowns" of cancer or other illnesses, those undergoing treatment, those whose loved ones are gone, those whose loved ones are still fighting, those whose loved ones are in remission, and those who live in fear of disease wreaking havoc on their own body or that of a loved one.  May you all experience healing, peace, and wholeness!
• As a tool for relaxation, and because I simply enjoy it, I have been doing a lot of reading lately.  My current selection is Book 2 of the Fablehaven series by Brandon Mull.  It is a wonderful fantasy series about a magical preserve that is home to all sorts of wonderful, mystical creatures.  If you like fantasy (or even if you don't), I recommend this series.
• As far as my own writing goes, I am blessed to have had one of my readers finish reading The Lantern of Rahela and provide me with some wonderful feedback.  I now have two other readers in process and a few who have received the manuscript but have not told me they are reading it to this point.  I hope to have had three readers finish the manuscript by the summer so that I can make some edits, have another round of readers, and then begin preparing a query letter to send to literary agents with the hopes of getting my novel published.  In the meantime, I have been working on the beginnings of two new novels: the sequel to my first, which is tentatively titled The Mountain of Me'arah, and a YA sci-fi novel that is presently untitled.  I'm hoping to do Camp NaNoWriMo (www.campnanowrimo.org) in June to complete a draft of one of them.
• Finally, I am LOVING the almost summer-like weather in mid-March.  What an amazing blessing!  I hope you are all having a wonderful year so far...full of exclamation marks!

Genre

Every book or story or musical composition or piece of art falls into some sort of genre.  A genre is simply a way for us to categorize creative works.  In music, for example, a song may fall into the category of folk, rock, folk rock, blues, R&B, classical, etc.  In art, you find paintings grouped in genres like impressionism, pointillism, realism, etc.  And with fiction novels, you find genres such as science fiction, fantasy, romance, mystery, crime, etc.  As readers, we often have one genre that we enjoy above and beyond all others.  This may not be true for everyone, but I think it is perhaps more often the case than not.  So, this morning I decided to talk a little about my favorite genre of novel and the one that I chose to write in....FANTASY!  And I've decided to write in a mock interview style.

Q: What do you enjoy most about the fantasy genre?
A: I love to be taken to another world or to have the world as I know it transformed before my eyes.  I love to be swept away with a character into uncharted territory where I am given the opportunity to explore the landscape right along with the character.  It is fun to discover new creatures and new lands, experience magic and mystery, and feel the ups-and-downs that the characters experience as they navigate this strange reality.

Q: What are some of your favorite fantasy novels?
A: For some reason, my fantasy reading has tended toward series.  My favorites (in no particular order) are: the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkein, the Inheritence series by Christopher Paolini, the Inkheart trilogy by Cornelia Funke, and the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series by Rick Riordan.  I don't know if this would fall under the fantasy genre for sure or not, but I also love Bridge to Terebithia by Katherine Paterson.

Q: In The Lantern of Rahela, what are some of the pieces of fantasy that you most enjoyed writing?
A: I am very excited about many things in The Lantern of Rahela, but three moments jump out at me.  First is the moment when Madelina makes the transition from her own world to the land of Wymzi.  I love how she finds the lantern and feels a compulsion to light it.  And I enjoyed experiencing her emotions as she found herself in a new land and with new abilities.  Second, I love the Kashif people.  They are servants of the Queen who plot an escape.  The Kashif people are slow and strong, but when the need arises they are able to move very swiftly.  They have a certain consistency and stubborness to them that I just love.  Finally, I love Belle Mudcastle.  Belle is a river nymph whose people have been forced into living on the river bank instead of in the water.  Over time they have adapted to the terrain and look like mud people now.  Belle is special though.  She is witty, funny, and full of mystery and intrigue.  I can't wait to see how she evolves thoughout the series.

Q: What authors do you try to emulate in your writing?
A: I try to first and foremost discover and utilize my own voice, but I am deeply inspired by some of the authors I've read over time.  I love the subtle mystery that J.K. Rowling wrote into the Harry Potter books.  As I read, I never felt like I fully understood what was going on, but I always understood just enough that I need to keep reading.  Rick Riordan does a wonderful job with that too (though I had not read any of his books prior to writing my own novel).  Christopher Paolini does a marvelous job of creating a new world that has its own languages, creatures, customs, and geography.  I have tried to do something similar with my novel and hope to have it turn out as interesting and creative as his.  Tolkein does an amazing job with that as well and really sets the bar in that realm.  These and many more have greatly influenced my writing and will continue to do so.

Q: What plans do you have for future fantasy novels?
A: I am currently working on the sequel to The Lantern of Rahela and expect at least one more novel in that series before it is complete.  After that, I may take a small break from fantasy novels and work on some children's book ideas that I have bouncing around in the back of my mind.  But I will most certainly delve back into the fantasy realm again and have a couple of ideas I am mulling over.

Those are just some of my thoughts regarding the fantasy genre and my passion for both reading and writing in that genre.  What genre of novel is your favorite?  Why?  Though I deeply love the fantasy genre and plan to continue reading and writing within that genre, I would welcome suggestions of good books outside the fantasy genre that you think I might enjoy.  Keep reading and writing!

And may the story rise up to meet you!