| The inaugural issue of The Scribe's Gazette,
the newsletter of Scribal Tales is officially published, January
2004.
What will greet you when you view this writing site Scribal
Tales?
There are four writing sections, Fantasy, Horror, Science
Fiction and Hybrid Tales.
I have not determined who is the featured writer this
month, but will consider the suggestions sent to me from the
readers of this site either through e-mail, the forum, The
Feathered Quill (please sign up), or the comment area.
Of course, I have not disqualified myself from winning
this feature no matter what Terry-Ann says.
There are four offerings: Divine Hangover by Rebecca
Kemp is a wonderful story completed by her outstanding illustration
of The Second Coming, located in the Hybrid section.
Divine Hangover, in addition to entertaining us, has
a wonderful glossary at the end of the tale, explaining the
various Egyptian gods, their position in the heavens and the
reason that cats hold so high a place in our society - the
goddess, Sekhmet was and is responsible for it all.
Our Horror Tale: A Hunting We Will Go by Janice
Jackson. One of our favorite fantasy writers leaves her genre
to produce a tale that will bring shivers to your spine. Janice
will be rewriting the tale in the future. Before you go camping,
do not - I repeat - do not to read this tale because you will
not want to go camping overnight ever again!
Science Fiction: Tristian by Michael Battaglia.
Michael has a rather unique style of writing. He is Scribal
Tales' in-resident critic (Michael loves to take pot-shots
at Odan the Scribe - but that is to be discussed later).
Tristian is Michael's anti-hero (at least that's
my opinion). I'm quite sure that the Matrix was styled after
Michael's writing. But it is the style, the flourish, and
the length of his stories that is astonishing.
Michael is, in the opinion of this editor, the most prolific
writer to be found on the Internet. Once you finish reading
his story, you'll have to re-read it because of the various
nuances that Michael alludes to.
Fantasy: You'll find Daniel Olarnick's Odan and the
Pool of Life throughout this site. It is one of the perks
of owning the damn thing that gives me this privilege. So,
you will also find this tale posted as the leadoff tale in
the Shared World and in Odan's World. It gives the reader
some idea of how far I have to go to become a polished writer,
but, personally, I'm very pleased with the groundwork that
it gives to the site, and the basis for my novel about the
erstwhile scribe, his adventures, Odessa, Talos Valley and
the people and creatures that inhabit this world.
The Shared World: Odessa. Check it out. Create
a character and you will find a world here that that character
can live and grow in.
Working on a fantasy story, and don't know how it will
look in a fantasy world, then try it out here. Just click
and write.
The Pretentious Twit by Michael Battaglia (again).
This is where Michael shines. He's a sharp-tongued devil who
spares no one - not even the wonderful one, Odan. Michael
is the critic who critiques with a scimitar. No, it is not
painless but it will heighten your writing sense and make
you laugh. What more can you ask for?
The Contest: This will be a three-month writing contest.
But what shall the topic be? Well, I'll wait until I get a
readership and then let everyone know. My inclination is Fidelity
and Fealty, but there is going to be a switch or a "swerve"
on this subject. More to come!
The Forum: The Feathered Quill. Our Web Goddess has created
a wonderful place to comment upon anything that has been written
in Scribal Tales. Sign up. You'll enjoy speaking out freely
on any subject that comes to mind.
Illustrator: Dan Mills will help bring your character
to life. Drop him a line and let him know you saw his work
on Scribal Tales.
Rebecca Kemp will thrill you with her imaginative paintings
and illustrations.
Resources: A link to some very useful writers' reference
sites. Visiting Search Master will open up new vistas for
your writing and hopefully your submissions to Scribal Tales.
So, there you have it, dear readers and writers. I have
given you a place to publish your writing, perhaps earn a
few dollars that will enable you to call yourself a "published
author," a shared-world that will continue to grow, a
critic whose barbed tongue will improve your writing, an illustrator,
a Web Goddess and, of course, the continuing adventures of
Odan the Scribe.
Thank you for dropping in. Now you have been formally
invited to stay a while and enjoy the writings featured in
Scribal Tales.
Read
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