Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Lanterns

Announcement: I have crossed a new threshold. I'm guest blogging today for Tracy Marchini. (Formerly of Curtis Brown and Taconic Press - Check out her writing prompts on Mondays - sometimes with crit prizes!) So I say away with all those Dunning-Kruger moments dragging me down....Today I am a torchbearer for aspiring fantasy writers and my beloved Turkiye!

Speaking of torches, today is Tuesday and I have to write something about Turkish style.  I thought I'd go with lanterns. You know, those pretty ones you can't find a place for in your house (I've tried) and which don't actually hang in most Turkish homes either.  They're usually made of colorful glass or pierced metal. The best place to find one is at the Grand Bazaar (see pic). Somehow they seem to be a decor prerequisite for Middle Eastern ecclectic. 

Djinn tie-in *Ahem* Aladdin's genie may come out of a lamp. However, my djinn prefer lanterns. They don't live in them, but they can control the light within (think "the clapper" ). Fire and energy respond to their whim. As I work on my revision and start to collect my thoughts for the second installment (my NaNoWriMo project), I'm finding there really are no limits to what I can do with that power.

Suggestions, anyone?

I try keeping to things like cultural anomalies, especially ones which can be explained away scientifically, but sometimes I get the best ideas from off the wall things. For example, tomorrow I stare at goats... Psychokinesis, you know :)

13 comments:

Jules said...

Suggestion, both of those powers can lead to new powers. Fire can snuff out air because it requires to live...

I love those lanterns, too :)
Jules @ Trying To Get Over The Rainbow

Carolyn V. said...

Congrats on the guest blog! That is so exciting. =)

Creepy Query Girl said...

awesome guest post!- Thanks for the shout out! You couldn't know this but- I actually spent a month in Turkey the summer after my sophemore year- visted ankara, istanbul and Bodrum (sp?) beautiful country!

LTM said...

I'm running over to check out your guest post, but what gorgeous lanterns! I wouldn't mind hanging out in one of them... but just for a little while. :D Good luck w/inspiration. I try to just relax and let it flow...

but keep your eye on those goats. ;p

Matthew MacNish said...

Loved the guest post. Those hand blown glass lanterns look amazing.

Anonymous said...

I friend of mine brought these paper lanterns back from Vietnam. They are as big as a small trash can. You light a fuel soaked wick, it fills the paper with hot air and it launches into the sky. One of them went about 500 feet high and was up for twenty minutes. It was very cool!

Mara Nash said...

Great blog and I love the pic of the lanterns! They're beautiful!

btw...I've got an award for you at my blog!

Sharon K. Mayhew said...

Congratulations on the guest blog...I'll hop over and check it out. :) The photo of the lanterns is awesome! Thanks for sharing. :)

Carolyn Abiad said...

Thanks to all of you!

@Jules - The air idea is interesting. I'll add it to my list of potential powers:)

Ella said...

Love the lanterns, so beautiful; Thanks for sharing! I'm off to check out your guest blogging post! How fun~

Natasha said...

The lanterns are gorgeous. For some strange reason, seeing the photograph made me smell rose attar! Is that how Turkish markets smell, and I visited in a different life?

Carolyn Abiad said...

Rose attar is one of those smells you can find at the Grand Bazaar - along with sandalwood and other types of incense. :D

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

I think your possibilities are limitless.
And that's a really cool picture!

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