Hoodwinked by Dickens, Charmed by Scrooge

Charles John Huffam Dickens rise to fame came from a serial publication called The Pickwick Papers in March of 1836, skyrocketing him to international literary celeb status a few years later. Seven years after The Pickwick Papers his novella “A Christmas Carol” was born and went on to long-standing and still-standing popularity.

The energy around the holidays coupled with tidings of good cheer, a roaring fire or a lit tree, a comfy blanket on top a sofa nestled with the Christmas classic makes the season complete. But don’t forget the punch or eggnog for some.

At first glance, it appears to be a dark haunting of a bitter man (Ebeneezer Scrooge), who counters with “Bah humbug” whenever someone mentions Christmas or greets him with Merry Christmas. “Who would say such a thing about the most cheeriest holiday?” a small child says.

Upon further review, it becomes more festive with the past, present and future visits from the spirits and realizations, and then in the end–the laughter and joy of having time to change his evil ways. Oh, no! He dashes from his bed and starts the journey of charming his way back into the world where he was once happy. Charming indeed, that Ebeneezer Scrooge has charmed his way into the lives and homes of the masses. Thank you Mr. Dickens!

The first film adaptation was a short British film version in 1901, titled: Scrooge or Marley’s Ghost. And in 1938 Reginald Owen starred in the first “talkie”  silver screen production of A Christmas Carol. I favor the one w/Alastair Sim and of course the stage play production put on by The Goodman Theatre every year. This year marks the 35th Anniversary of A Christmas Carol at The Chicago Goodman Theatre.

What’s your favorite part of A Christmas Carol? Will you and your’s be watching it or going to see it this holiday season?

Character Bio’s–Meet the Characters of T.O.O.

Check out the Fantasy Realms they inhabit and the Myths they are born from on my Realm Play blog  realmplay.wordpress.com

THE DESTINY ORACLE 

Omniscient narrator.

THE HOUSE OF WILCOX

LENA WILCOX ~Twenty-two-year-old loving, single mom, protector in general to those in need or who appear to be helpless, oblivious at times to her own circumstances.

CAREER: Data Entry Analyst

LIKES: Coffee—lots of it, all the time…everyday.

DISLIKES: Bullies, abusers, people who abandon (Linx’s father), and her childhood.

LINX WILCOX ~Lena’s three-year-old loving, playful son.
LIKES: Pancakes, whipped cream, chocolate syrup and ice cream.
DISLIKES: None yet.

RICHARD WILCOX ~Lena’s adoptive father—deceased.

HANNAH WILCOX ~Lena’s adoptive mother—deceased.

THE HOUSE OF ANDROS ~Descendants of high Greek gods—Enemy of the Unworthy

GABRIEL (GABE) ARES ANDROS ~Blindingly wealthy and sexy twenty-four-year-old magnate, brooding son and heir of Greek coffee mogul Antones Andros—from old money.
CAREER: Investor/coffee empire heir and exec.
LIKES: His family, his Greek bloodline and history, fencing, being a realist, and his space.
DISLIKES: Strangers, the Unworthy, people who meddle in his affairs and emotional attachment.

GABRIE (GABY) ANDROS ~Gabriel’s twenty-four-year-old meddlesome, carefree, fun-loving, spoiled twin sister, daughter and heiress of Greek coffee mogul Antones Andros.
CAREER: Coffee heiress and personal shopper (to herself).
LIKES: Her family, her Greek heritage, shopping and buying things, flaming saganaki, the game of pool, fencing, clubs with dance floors and fun.
DISLIKES: The Unworthy

SOPHIA (SOPHIE) ANDROS ~Thirty-year-old Sophistocrat sister to Gabriel and Gabrie Andros, and eldest heiress of Greek coffee mogul Antones Andros.
CAREER: Head of Andros family and Assistant Chief Medical Examiner at prominent Chicago hospital.
LIKES: Her family, her Greek heritage, medicine and surgery.
DISLIKES: The Unworthy, being the head of the family, wrestling with keeping family secrets.

ANTONES ANDROS ~Father of Gabriel, Gabrie and Sophia—deceased.

MILA ANDROS ~Mother of Gabriel, Gabrie and Sophia—deceased.

MIKOS ANDROS ~Ageless, charming Greek coffee mogul, brother to Antones Andros and uncle to Andros siblings.
CAREER: Greek coffee mogul, family overseer.
LIKES: Family, Greek heritage formulating coffee recipes and traveling.
DISLIKES: The Unworthy.

INANNA ANDROS ~Distant cousin of Andros siblings, visiting from Greece.

ALBERT ~Hired help for the Andros family.

CYPRUS ~Gabriel’s faithful dog.

THE HOUSE OF ANASTOGUS
Descendants of the first demigod Argus
First family of the Unworthy—Enemy of the Andros family

KALEB ANASTOGUS ~Twenty-four-year-old suave millionaire, an Unworthy, and birth father of Linx Wilcox.
CAREER: Mergers and Acquisitions Financial Analyst.
LIKES: Taking what he wants, being possessive and getting his way.
DISLIKES: Zeus and the other Greek gods, the Andros family, being told no, rejection and driving in the rain.

NICOLOS ANASTOGUS ~Kaleb’s scuzzy, abusive twenty-two-year-old brother, millionaire and Unworthy.
CAREER: Mergers and Acquisitions Project Manager.
LIKES: Torturing his wife, taking what he wants, being in control and being outspoken.
DISLIKES: Zeus and the other Greek gods, the Andros family and most people.

DEMETRI ANASTOGUS ~Kaleb’s millionaire older brother, old class mixed with modern nuance, keeps to himself.
CAREER: Architect for family Mergers and Acquisitions firm.
LIKES: Designing various structures and just about everything else.
DISLIKES: Seeing the woman he loves with another man.

ALEXA ANASTOGUS ~Kaleb’s fourteen-year-old mute, OCD sister, skittish around most people.
LIKES: Not talking, staying inside her head, puzzles and spinach soup.
DISLIKES: Being sedated and the bad things her father and brothers do.

DEMETRIUS ANASTOGUS ~Distinguished, charismatic millionaire father of Anastogus family, an Unworthy and head of the Unworthy first family region.
CAREER: CEO of ANASTO-GUST Mergers and Acquisitions Inc.
LIKES: Family, money, power, royalty and plotting revenge on the Andros family.
DISLIKES: The Andros family.

KIMBERLIN ANASTOGUS ~Tortured wife of Nicolos Anastogus.
CAREER: Housewife.
LIKES: Whatever Nicolos tells her to like.
DISLIKES: Being married to Nicolos, her choices and her life.

LOMAX ~Hired Unworthy thug for the Anastogus family.

ADRIANNA ANASTOGUS ~Mother of the Anastogus children—deceased.

OTHER CHARACTERS
~LOWER EARTH~
Earth
PAT MILLER ~Lena’s birth mother.
CHLOE ~Gabriel’s girlfriend.
CALLIOPE PAPAPPOLIS ~A seamstress, an Impartial—mutual friends with the Andros family and the Anastogus family.
PETRUS PAPAPPOLIS ~A tailor, an Impartial married to Calliope.
MERV ~Pat’s boyfriend.
TOMMY ~Manager of The Coffee Bar
KATHLEEN ~The Anastoguses nurse.
MR. GRIFFIN ~Shady landlord.
AUNT DINAH ~Kaleb’s Great-Aunt.

~OLYMPUS~
High up on the mountain
LAYSIA ~Royal Noble
ILIOS ~Keeper of the Scrolls
PHOENIX ~Olympus Guide
ANEMONE ~Royal Arranger
THE GOLDEN OAK ~Tree of Knowing.

OLYMPUS DIRECTORATE ~Hand-picked ancients to the God of Gods.
Females
NEBE
THETIS
ANDRESIA

Males
DODONIS
TALLAS
MELIOS

THE GOD OF GODS ~Over the gods, including Zeus, the drive for all beings carrying them to their fate.

INNER REALM
Sphere first inhabited by Impartials
NYLA ~Trickstress—Descendant of Hermes.
SOD ~Trickster—Descendant of Hermes and Nyla’s brother.
ALLURA ~Temptress
KERREPUS (KERR) ~Leader of the Impartials.
TOLO ~Kerr’s teenage son.
KERRIMA ~Kerr’s estranged teenage daughter.
IMPERICA ~Kerr’s estranged wife.
JOPE ~Imperica’s father.
BAX ~Flower hut vendor.

UNDER EARTH
House of Hades
HADES ~Dark King, ruler of Under Earth
PERSEPHONE ~Dark Queen, Hades’ wife and co-ruler of Under Earth.
LUTARUS ~Under Earth’s Chief Tomber.
CERBERUS ~Three-headed Under Earth hound.

The Night the Lights Went Out in Fantasy

It was a cold November day. The tiny animals were scurrying in the yard and down the street to add to their stockpile of winter goodies. And the bird’s nest perched on high above our front door looked a bit fuller. I made a mad dash to my friend’s home for our early Thanksgiving, food-filled foil pans in hands. My stomach was queasy and I was a little shaky…low blood sugar, I thought, since I hadn’t had more than a few cups of coffee earlier in the day.

Within the next couple of hours, my heart was racing, vision blurred and the wrenching in my gut was relentless. The comfort of my home was not going to be enough to end the chaos swirling inside my body. And then it happened! I will spare you all the gory details. But know that I thought my chances of ever publishing my debut novel or any novel had passed right before my watery, squinting eyes.

Nooo, there’s so much left to do, I moaned as I lay on the bathroom floor. Lucidity was somewhere in sight, I just couldn’t see it. I was one more round away from another battle with Murphy (the Law, not the man). That was the night the lights went out in fantasy for me (literally), I passed out. When I woke, I really thought it was the end. There was no light in the tunnel. How on earth could I go on writing in a genre that clearly hated me? I might’ve boycotted fantasy! In fact, I might’ve given up writing fantasy all together…okay, so I’m still recovering from that bug.

Finally, on Thanksgiving Day, I worked and worked on the computer to upload my novel for Kindle e-book edition with the hopes it would be ready in time for a “Black Friday” release. Already behind by several hours to meet the 12-hour deadline from review to live, my novel was born in both paperback and the e-book. *wipes sweat from brow and passes out for a couple hours sleep*

Some of you might think I was a little batty about the whole book thing, but this would’ve been one more setback in a series within the last several months that would keep my book from living outside my flash drive. I am pleased to announce that the first in this modern-day twist/Greek myth, urban fantasy series The Throne of Olympus Book One: Blood Bond is now available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle edition. 🙂

Big Thanks to all of you who continued to support me through this trying time!