Thanks to the Galaxy team for sharing this on their blog! Orbit are running a competition, and I am entering!
Task 1: I, Zja Zja, also known as Obsidiantears83, do humbly accept and so charge to undertake this quest! I go forth into conquest for glory of Orbit and to champion Speculative Fiction as Princess of Nerds and Knight of Nerdonia! I accept your maidenly token lace kerchief and know it will bring me luck on the challenges ahead!
Task 4: My favourite old word is Cwellan, used in "Rhapsody" by Elizabeth Haydon. She used it as the name of an assassin's weapon and originally I thought it was a nice name to wrap my tongue around. But when I studied Anglo Saxon at university, I looked it up in the glossary and realised it is Cwellan is Old English for "To Kill". I now know the word for killing when even my friend, who is doing her PhD and was in that class, does not. Whenever I see an author of speculative fiction using Anglo Saxon or using words with an Anglo Saxon root word I get very excited because I can read original. I love Anglo Saxon, and I love it when my favourite authors use the words or the word structure. (Please comment or fave on that comment (click through this link!) to earn me points!)
My responses to comments:
- I totally agree! I always get a great buzz when I see an author has done their research as well. It is awesome when they make up their own words and names for things, but I love it more when they are turned on by etymology like I am! :D
- Haha I am fascinated by etymology! I love how ancient and mostly forgotten languages still saturate our own language, and with speculative fiction, their reach stretches even further and takes on new meanings. I do keep coming up with these... random little facts LOL Glad you appreciate it Bonnie! And yes, authors who have done their research or used their real world professions/studies to flesh out their stories are pretty impressive.
- Yes, you pronounce the "cw" the same as you would "qu". So you would pronounce "cwellan" as quellan - the "cw" sound makes a similar shape in your mouth as if you were saying "quill" and the "a" is a short a, so the word rhymes with fellon :)
- *snickers* she [Stephanie Meyer] didn't do much research into vampires either. Or the relationship between lions and lambs! She is also the perfect example of when an author should recycle a name, not create their own! Renesmee = Renee & Esme? ORLY?
I shouldn't be a hater... - I totally agree about your gateway comment! It gets teens reading and when get into the swing of reading, they go searching for more books, and eventually they become like all other nerds and obsessed with speculative fiction LOL
I have to admit that I had a Twilight fascination for a little while *blushes*. That was when I was getting into YA Paranormal thought. I always preferred The Host, which is Meyer’s take on science fiction. I've been reading spec for years (I was a fantasy fanatic!) though and I was reading a lot of paranormal romance and urban fantasy before I read Twilight. I think I was swept up by the fervour. I did meet one of my best online friends that way though – she was on a Twilight forum I had joined and forgotten about. I had a link in my sig, and she found my forum and we became friends there. So while I blush over admitting I was part of the craze for a few months, it did gain me a close friend!
Task 11: Fan Photoof me dressed as Bellatrix Lestrange from Harry Potter. Please comment "like" so I can win. Do you like my outfit? http://goo.gl/Ouis
I will update you as I finish the tasks :) Don't forget to vote for me by commenting and liking my comment and photo on the Orbit wall here: http://tinyurl.com/3yfjhpe & http://goo.gl/Ouis because I want to win all those books! Then I can start saving for my trip to Mexico and America instead of spending all my money on books! :D
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