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Fantasy: December 16, 2009 Issue [#3445]

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Fantasy


 This week:
  Edited by: auric
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Table of Contents

1. About this Newsletter
2. A Word from our Sponsor
3. Letter from the Editor
4. Editor's Picks
5. A Word from Writing.Com
6. Ask & Answer
7. Removal instructions

About This Newsletter

Hi! I'm auric and I'm your guest editor this week!! It's been a while since I've written a Fantasy Newsletter, but it's been great, and I look forward to sharing with you the worlds of fantasy and magic, sword and sorcery, adventure and wonder!


Word from our sponsor

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Letter from the editor

Here There Be Dragons...


Okay, so maybe the title is a little misleading, because I'm not going to talk about dragons in this article. As much as I do love dragons, and as popular they are in fantasy, I am going to shift my focus to monsters that aren't so prevalent. They are the unique monsters that can populate your own fantasy world.

All the famous fantasy writers have done it before: J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, even J.K. Rowling (no, I'm not just picking writers with initials) have picked creatures and monsters influenced from mythology, folklore and other fantasy works.

Take, for example, the elves in Tolkien's Middle Earth. They are tall, slender and graceful beings that have a sort of immortality compared to humans. However, sometimes when we hear the word "elves," we think of the tiny beings that work with Santa Claus making toys. Two completely different images for the same word. The roots of both all stem from the same origin. Other names include fey, fairies, fair folk, depending on the story or legend. Even more modern fantasy has adapted the elven race for varying worlds, like the drow in the Forgotten Realms novels, which have dark slate-colored skin and white hair and live underground, with a ruthless culture totally opposite other elves.

Rowling put many monsters from legends into the Harry Potter books, from the basilisk to hippogriffs to multiple-headed dog (hello, Cerebrus). But on the other hand, she created her own, possibly adapted from other sources to make a whole new unique creature. Readers are amazed by the winged lizard-like thestrals or the shadowy dementors.

Maybe in your fantasy world, there are creatures that have the legs of deer and the body of a small human, but they are called something else besides fauns or satyrs. Perhaps they look a little different or have some different characteristic about them that sets them apart from the original. Blue hair, a dragon-like tail, cat's eyes, or even all of the above. This new creation will live on in your reader's mind.


Editor's Picks

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#1624979 by Not Available.

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#1612928 by Not Available.

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#1619600 by Not Available.

 The Misadventure of Trull Open in new Window. (E)
Trull is a gnome and he is grumpy, and extortive goblins should stop harassing him.
#1623061 by Skot Author IconMail Icon

 A Night with John Lennon's Ghost Open in new Window. (18+)
A self-proclaimed rock-god has a gutcheck moment and is visited by John Lennon's ghost.
#1625549 by Captain Ricky Author IconMail Icon

 
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Ask & Answer

What is your favorite author-created race or creature that you've read in fantasy literature? Have you created one of your own already and want to share it? Write to us and share your opinions and ideas.

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