March 27, 2013
I’ve been playing with some of the old mythology of Raya that informs The Redemption Saga, revising and reworking some of the short tales that comprise it. I’ve been conceiving of them now as “Short Fiction” that perhaps I may send off to some journals or magazines and see if anything sticks. Even though there is absolutely no chance of its being accepted there, I submitted “The Quest of the Fire Heart” to the New Yorker Fiction. That is the tale of Adhenil Eniwi’s quest to reclaim the Nerrimadhe from Gollithis. See all those weird words that no one who has not yet read the story could ever understand? That’s one reason the New Yorker will never even consider it. Savages.
But in the meantime, I rewrote “the Despair of the Inaya”, the first part of the Anyaria (Creation of Raya). I finally (finally!!) worked out a metaphor for creation that I really like (its presentation still needs work). Ever after reading the Ainulindalë by Tolkien, with its description of the creation of the world being presupposed by music, I’ve wanted to discover something equally cool. I don’t think it’s equal, but what I’ve come up with at least satisfies me on the metaphor-of-creation level. Rewriting the Anyaria also caused me to rename Gollithis to Gollíkur, who is “wreaker of corruption,” rather than “worker of corruption.” This is important. No really.
I’ve long wanted to mimic Tolkien in creating a mythology that is the background for a language or languages. Hence, I spend equal time on the linguistics of the Shayatsi as I do their mythology.
Anyway, the writing of these myths and legends now serves two purposes: first, it allows me to think about the themes of the Redemption Saga which will help inform its new shape; and second, I am writing “short fiction” that maybe, someday, perhaps, who knows, I might be able to sell.
Filed under The Redemption Saga, Writing.
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