Please help me welcome Nancy J. Cohen to my blog today. Commenters on this blog will be entered into a drawing for an ebook copy of Silver Serenade, winner of the Best Book in Romantic SciFi/Fantasy at The Romance Reviews.
Storytelling throughout history has included items imbued with magic. Whether biblical based, heralding from mythology, or created from the writer’s imagination, these elements are standard fare for fantasy and paranormal fiction.
Many quest stories find the hero chasing after a holy chalice, a divine orb, a special elixir or a sacred book. These items often give the possessor magical powers. Just look at the Harry Potter universe, and you’ll find reams of magical objects. Or consider Lord of the Rings and the One Ring itself. Who wouldn’t like to put on a ring and become invisible? Or a cloak as Harry does?
When creating these objects for your stories, consistency is the key.
My Drift Lords series is based on Norse mythology. Each of the six heroes in an ancient prophecy receives a golden talisman that will protect him from the demon’s power in the final battle. But what are some of the other elements that pop up during the stories?
In Warrior Prince, #1 in the series, heroine Nira Larsen receives a pair of shoes, black pumps with gold buckles, that acts as a transport platform. So, too, her wristwatch acts as a spatial shift device. Similar ones are worn by all six of the Earth women in the prophecy. While Nira loses the shoes during her journey, she is unable to remove the watch from her wrist. On its face is a runic symbol that identifies her as one of the Chosen.
Gold items forged by the dwarfs are especially infused with magic. There’s the golden ribbon that restrains the ferocious wolf, Fenrir, shapeshifter son of Loki. Nira accidentally unties this ribbon and frees the monster. She uses the ribbon later to obtain a golden hairpin for Mimir, the god who guards the Fountain of Wisdom. His head having been separated from his body, Mimir needs the magical hairpin to restore his form. As a reward, he grants Nira a drink from the sacred pool. Thus she gains the ability to read runes.
Gold items aren’t the only desirable objects. In Warrior Rogue, fashion designer Jennifer Dyhr receives a ship that folds into her pocket. It sails to any port she desires. She and her Drift Lord warrior, Paz Hadar, use it to escape from the enemy and return home. How she receives this reward is an adventure in itself. That quest involves a dragon and a magical ring.
Theme parks, magical places themselves, center in these stories as well. All isn’t as it seems at these happy tourist attractions. Some people go through the gates and don’t return. When Paz is mortally wounded in Warrior Rogue, he passes through the gate of life. An elixir is needed to restore his vitality. To obtain this solution, Jen has to go on a quest of her own.
You get the idea? Characters can covet, steal, or trade these magical objects or win them after satisfying a quest. They’re standard fare for these types of stories. What are some favorites that your recall from literature or films?
<><><>
**Commenters on this blog will be entered into a drawing for an ebook copy of Silver Serenade, winner of the Best Book in Romantic SciFi/Fantasy at The Romance Reviews.
WARRIOR ROGUE (#2 in the Drift Lords Series)
When fashion designer Jennifer Dyhr loses her lead actor for a video-game commercial, a replacement literally drops from the sky. Reluctant to let him leave, she hires him as a model for her studio. But when terrorists attack their flight home, Jen must awaken powers she didn’t know she had to protect them both.
Space ops warrior Paz Hadar soon realizes Jen is essential to his mission. Not only must he protect her, but his success depends upon her special powers. As they struggle to stay one step ahead of the enemy, he discovers that fighting his attraction to the lovely Jen is as much a challenge as keeping them both alive.
“Cohen’s futuristic, paranormal romance series blends aspects of science fiction with magic and mythology then tops it off with steamy sexy scenes that are so hot you will need a fan and a mint julep drink to cool off.”—Manic Readers
The Wild Rose Press: http://bit.ly/ZnvtKJ
Amazon Kindle: http://amzn.to/UdjlKp
Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/123tZeq
<><><>
Nancy J. Cohen is an award-winning author who writers romance and mysteries. Her humorous Bad Hair Day mystery series features hairdresser Marla Shore, who solves crimes with wit and style under the sultry Florida sun. Several of these titles have made the IMBA bestseller list. Nancy’s imaginative romances have also proven popular with fans. Her titles in this genre have won the HOLT Medallion and Best Book in Romantic SciFi/Fantasy at The Romance Reviews. Active in the writing community and a featured speaker at libraries and conferences, Nancy is listed in Contemporary Authors, Poets & Writers, and Who’s Who in U.S. Writers, Editors, & Poets.
Website: http://nancyjcohen.com
Blog: http://nancyjcohen.wordpress.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nancy-J-Cohen/112101588804907
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/nancyjcohen
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/91508.Nancy_J_Cohen
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/njcohen/
Great topic! I especially enjoyed the discussion of Norse mythology. 🙂
Thanks, Melissa. I try to stay true to Norse myths for the series. It gives me a wealth of material to draw from in my research.
Sound like a fun story Nancy. Best luck.
Thank you, Rose. It was fun to write.
Nancy, welcome to my blog. I’m thrilled to have you today. I hope you have a great time.
Thanks for having me, Cindy. I’m spreading the word.
Thanks and I appreciated the ideas expressed here! I’m a writer wannabe and so busy I wonder if I will ever write! I just keep looking for little tips like this, so thanks, again and good luck.
I will try to find time to read your books. I’m starting to read more and more since my children are raised.
(this name is my AKA, by the way)
Good luck with your own writing, Jaden.
The compass in the story The Golden Compass. or the staff in the Forbidden Kingdom. I love how a magical item can be a character in a book. I look forward to reading your series. Drift Lords , starting with Warrior Rogue.
You’ve presented an interesting concept, Mary, about a magical object becoming a character in a book. Certainly it is such in those stories you mention, like the One Ring in Lord of the Rings. All the Indiana Jones movies usually have some supernatural relic, too. It’s fun including these items in a story.
Very timely for me as I am in need of something for my manuscript that is evil and will bind souls to a house.Thanks Nancy.
Binding evil, eh? That could be almost anything, depending on how you want it to work. Have fun crafting your magic.
sounds like an interesting series
bn100candg at hotmail dot com
I hope you’ll check it out, bn100!
Hi Nancy,
Great blog! Using magical objects in stories always makes it so much more exciting to read….too bad we can’t find them in real life 😉
That’s for sure, Deb. But who’s to say they don’t exist and we just don’t recognize them?
Deb Stewart is the winner of the drawing for a copy of Silver Serenade.