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Stories From Marco!

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A few weeks ago, Marco Dijkstra of Barely A Blogger hosted me talking about (what else?) Scylla and Charybdis.  Today, I have two stories of his to share.  He’s experimenting with writing styles and would love feedback …For those who enjoy …

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Wednesday Wanderings: The Tale (Tail) of the Kearl

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There’s one prominent character in Scylla and Charybdis who never utters a word … of dialogue, that is.  She has a full range of sounds and expression at her disposal.

I’m speaking of Penelope, who is a kearl:  a genetically engineered monkey-cat hybrid, designed to be a comfort and companion animal.  I came up with kearls in a backwards fashion.  I had recently reread the Evil Overlord list:  one hundred strategies (and then some) for surviving as a fictional villain.  They range from “if I have a fatal weakness, I will fake another one,” to, “If the princess refuses to marry me, I will say ‘oh, well,’ and kill her.”

As mentioned elsewhere, I participated in an online writers’ conference / workshop during the building phases of Scylla and Charybdis.  Influenced by an item on the Evil Overlord list, I said that I wanted to have some kind of monkey-like companion animal, but it was *not* going to help the main character out of prison by stealing the keys from a guard.  Beyond the joke of it, I liked the idea of my narrator being accompanied by a clever pet.

And so … the kearl was invented.  I wanted the creatures to be quick and agile, empathic and loyal to their people, but also quite independent.  Penelope in particular is the companion of Anaea’s dear friend Orithia; how she ends up with Anaea is matter for the books.  (Or rather, the book.)  Penelope turned out to be a welcome addition to the story and a strategic source of comic relief.  It’s good to have an ally, even a furry one.

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New Evidence for Dragon Flight

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Since the first dragon skeleton was discovered in 1908 by Ernest Hathelwhite, in the Khumara Basin in what is now northern Sudan, experts have been split over the flight capabilities of such beasts. When the skeleton (Dragonus Primus) was shipped back to England, experts at London’s Natural History Museum rebuilt it, discovering many predicted traits …

Continue reading “New Evidence for Dragon Flight”

The post New Evidence for Dragon Flight appeared first on S P Stevens – Fantasy Author.

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Song Styles

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As I’ve mentioned before, my Scylla and Charybdis soundtrack is largely composed of songs that are older to me – ones I’ve been familiar with for a while.  One of these was massively popular when it was released … and it was the song I lear…

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