Blue Moose Diversions

Editorial

by Catherine Weisheit (continued from the newsletter)

Adding medieval, world, and classical music to the ritual, I created an ethereal environment in which to immerse myself in the tales told by a number of randomly chosen authors. Sometimes I think I picked them right out of the wind, brought to my attention in magical moments by beings from the Otherworld. There were books by David Eddings, Katie Elliott, and Mercedes Lackey. Isaac Asimov was my only true experience with pure sci-fi, something I had shied away from which turned out to be a captivating read. Marion Zimmer Bradley brought me deeper into the land of medieval England, a huge interest of mine that was illustrated more keenly in her novels. Authors such as Jennifer Roberson, Patricia McKillip, Stephen Lawhead, an array of authors who wrote stand-alone novels, all sparked something in me that I find rarely in other aspects of life. It was Robert Jordan’s world in “The Wheel of Time” series that has most recently brought magic into my life.

I never usually read the work of more "mainstream" authors, but Robert Jordan managed to draw me deep into his highly detailed and magical world. A few years ago I was shopping in Target with a gift card I received for Christmas, wondering what to buy. Instead of using the gift card to purchase things I actually need, which is usually the case, I wanted to get something that had the merit of a gift. I had just finished reading the last book in a then unfinished series by Kate Elliott, and was feeling remorse over not being able to find out what happened to the characters I had fallen in love with over the past two years, until she has finished writing the last book (which ended up being two books!). So I was searching. I needed a new world to sink myself into during lunch breaks and before drifting off to sleep at night.

So, back in Target, I just happened to be walking down their normally unfulfilling books & magazines isle, meaning to take a shortcut to another area of the store. My eye was suddenly drawn to a paperback with some fantasy-looking artwork, as it is often wont to do, of a woman/priestess on a white horse with a very large man/warrior on a very large horse riding next to her. Her wizened look intrigued me. I picked up the book to examine it more closely. "The Eye of the World", read the title, book one in the Award-winning "Wheel of Time" series by Robert Jordan. After reading the plot summary, I decided that this is what I had to use the gift card for. I then glanced up to see book number two glaring at me. Well, okay, I'll splurge a bit. And what if I didn't like book #1? Was I ready to commit to a new epic story, in a new and unfamiliar world from the one I just so recently left? Why not? Most of my reading choices have proved fruitful, and it is often when choosing something on a whim that brings the most wonder into my life. So I took a chance that once again was very rewarding, because by early 2006 I had finished 11 fantastic novels and was completely blown away by them. At that time, Jordan was working on the final book in his series. I wasn’t sure what I would do to pass the time until I could finally find out what happened with yet another vivid epic!

I ended up occupying myself with some actual historic Celtic myth and legend reading, which kept the flame burning brightly. By the time 2007 rolled around, it was time to go back to the other finale I was waiting for, so I began re-reading Katie Elliott’s “Crown of Stars” series to prepare for the final two books which would finish it off. Traveling back to that world has been quite a treat, and I now spend every night reading a few chapters. But with news of Robert Jordan’s death, leaving this world at the young age of 58, I feel a sort of grief that he will never be able to see his amazing story finished. Not knowing the man personally, this is somewhat silly…but as an artist, I can relate to the immense effort that goes into the creation of a work of art. To be so close to the end and not quite making it is upsetting. But, at least the story was in his own imagination…he already knew how the book would end even if he couldn’t quite get it all written down. At least there’s that, even if he couldn’t live to see the final product introduced to his dedicated fans. I once read that he would not stop writing until they nailed the last nail into his coffin. It sounds like that certainly was the truth! It would be wonderful to see his last book published, to have the story come full circle. “The Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills”, cryptic words uttered by one of the enigmatic characters in the novels, seems to have more meaning now.

pen. produce. publish.

for your entertainment

Editorial