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by ethics officer

Are the rumors true—or is it just science fiction and fantasy?

March 2, 2012 in Urban Fantasy

We all know it’s the year 2012 and if you’re a science fiction and fantasy aficionado, you’ve heard all the theories about the end of the world. Predictions of swine flu and H1N1 outbreaks, terrorist attacks, wars in the Middle East, global warming and The Great Meltdown are rampant. Yet are they backed by any bit of truth whatsoever or are they simply fodder for the next best urban fantasy novels?

December 21, 2012 is the actual end of the 5,126-year Mayan calendar, aka a sign of the apocalypse. If I were a science fiction and fantasy writer, I’d be basing my next novel around that. I can see the marketing campaign now 12/21/12—the end of a beautiful mess. The numbers are perfect and the possibilities endless.

Hundreds of thousands of young adults (and some not-so-young) are lining up to see the latest dark urban fantasy and dystopian novels turned into films. There seems to be a fascination, albeit a little sick, with watching the future-as-a-nightmare come to fruition. Young adult books with dystopian titles are being released by the masses, with fans letting their imaginations run amok with scenarios of everything from viruses and flesh eating zombies to totalitarian leaders and an absolute scarcity of food and other resources.

As we wonder what the future holds, could we actually be manifesting these pipe dreams into reality? If books like The Secret and other pop culture phenomena touting the power of our thought and the Law of Attraction are accurate, and readers continue flocking to read and set their attention on the latest young adult books with post apocalyptic scenarios, we could theoretically set these disastrous circumstances into motion, couldn’t we? As people everywhere, Pearls and Coals alike, stockpile food and weaponry, prepare for zombie altercations and obtain vaccinations for the most obscure diseases, aren’t they actually setting their intention on creating these exact circumstances?

Regardless of what 2012 brings us, the obsession seems to have only begun. As we continue to work to save the Pearls, the rest of our population seems focused on all these imaginary, mythical threats. Perhaps focusing on a world of fantasy is the only way some can deal with impending doom. Either way, we’ll keep trying to help as many Pearls as possible survive their real life threats and face their ultimate destiny.

Source: Open.Salon.com

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by eden

How Valentine’s Day killed the fantasy romance

February 14, 2012 in Fantasy romance, Romance fantasy novels

I’m kind of hating Valentine’s Day right now. Here I am, forced to find a mate, and there’s this holiday that’s looming over my head, reminding me that my fantasy romance is basically non-existent. It’s impossible to be reminded of it on just the day of either—it’s a full-fledged marketing and advertising attack that goes on for weeks and weeks. The stores stock up on Valentine’s candy, cards and gifts like the minute Christmas is over. Just think, in less than a year we could be immersed in a post apocalypse world where people won’t even remember what this silly holiday was about.

For some people, Valentine’s day is synonymous with fantasy and adventure. For others, it’s a source of anxiety—filled with reminders of being dumped on it, memories of being single on this “day of love,” and a whole set of expectations for those who have found a mate. While it seems that for those who are engaged in a fantasy romance this should be an amazing day, it actually can really cause problems and issues that are not always easy to overcome.

If you avoided a romantic apocalypse and are in a new relationship, you’re probably expecting big things on this day—and chances are, if you’re female, you’re going to get let down. Males just don’t understand the impact their gifts or attention can or cannot have. If you’ve been together for awhile and it’s not your first Valentine’s Day together, you’re expecting the fantasy and adventure that your “better half” brings to surpass the year before by leaps and bounds. Worse yet, what if your mate completely forgets or has to work?

If you are still single and haven’t experienced success with relationships or a fantasy romance despite searching high and low on the Save the Pearls site, then you have an entirely different set of issues on your Valentine’s plate. It’s that reminder that tick, tick tock, if you don’t have a mate, you’ve sealed your fate. You may act out by going out for a night on the town, drinking Jack Daniels and waking up somewhere you really shouldn’t be. Or you may be tempted to stay in with a bottle of wine and a quart of ice cream, determined to finish them both before the night is over. Worst of all, you may be tempted to drunk dial an ex. Talk about a romantic apocalypse in the making.

Whether or not I get some huge display of affection from Jamal, I’m going to take it with a grain of salt. No one should tell us when we should show our love, or if we should feel good or bad about our status; we already have enough pressure to deal with in life. I’m going to look at this so-called holiday as just another checkmark on the checklist of life.

Source: tamyrouxx.tumblr.com/

 

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by eden

Fantasy romance + voodoo

January 27, 2012 in Fantasy romance

One of my favorite Pearls recently found her fantasy romance and mated! I am so happy for her, especially because stories like these are getting less and less common. I hit her up for some advice to share in my blog, and was shocked to find out how she found the one. She went as old school as you could ever imagine—she cast a Voodoo love spell to attract her mate!

This was so not what I was expecting, but I figure I should share it with everyone and let them make their own decision. My only exposure to magic has been through reading young adult books and fantasy romance novels. What she explained is that magic can be “black” or dark, used for the intent of evil, or “white” and good, intended for positive things. This special Pearl created her own young adult fantasy by using a Voodoo spell to attract love and to remove all the obstacles that stood in her way.

Apparently, Voodoo offers a great way to learn about the sacredness of love’s energy. If you’re trying to star in your own young adult fantasy novel that ends with you finding the one, then you need to start with clear intent about what you want. The more specific you are, the better. Ask yourself all sorts of questions, like how do you want to feel, what sort of mate do you want and what is your long term plan? If you already know what obstacles stand in your way (like the color of your skin maybe?) then you can focus on removing them during the spell. Knowing what they are is half the battle.

In all the young adult books and romance fantasy novels that I’ve read, a few contained elements of magic. Until now, I always thought you just said a few words and then your desire came true almost immediately. Apparently in Voodoo, you need to direct your energy to your desire over a period of a few days in an almost prayer-like setting. My friend said it helps to create an altar where you can leave offerings to the “loa,” or Voodoo gods, and any other items that symbolize love to you. These Voodoo entities appreciate things like a little piece of candy or cake, flowers and incense. You will also have candles that you burn during the time you cast your spell.

You then proceed to spend a certain amount of time at the altar every day for nine days, praying or “casting” your spell to attract love to your life. When you’re done, you  bury everything from the altar, including what’s left of the candles.

The whole thing is very interesting. But the bottom line is, it did help her to find her fantasy romance. Maybe it can for all of us. Let me know if anyone else tries this avenue!

Source: Realafricanvoodoo.com

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by ethics officer

Apocalypse world rumors—don’t believe the hype

January 26, 2012 in Apocalypse World, Urban Fantasy

As everyone from NASA to George Lucas have issued statements striving to debunk the rumors of an impending apocalypse world, people are still flocking to buy “apocalypse kits,” setting up old school bomb shelters in their basements and stockpiling enough groceries to last six months. It’s an urban fantasy gone awry—and there are a slew of con artists who are exploiting the hype to the fullest.

As sales of young adult books with post apocalyptic themes top the best seller lists, the people reading them must be letting their imaginations get carried away. There’s a flurry of females signing up for combat classes, buying guns and learning extreme survival skills that will probably never be put to use. The only good thing coming out of this is that more and more people are singing up on the Save the Pearls website and joining the campaign.

The 2012 apocalypse rumor is not the first of its kind—not by a long shot. Predictions of an apocalypse world have been rampant since the beginning of time. Everyone from the Greeks and Romans to Native Americans and Nostradamus has created their own brand of mythical rapture. Whether it’s prompted by a full moon eclipse or an earthquake followed by a Tsunami, some religious sect or post modern cultural group has a theory about the destruction of our world as we know it. Yet if you look back through history, it seems that cultures around the world have already experienced some form of their own apocalypse—whether through a holocaust, war or natural disaster—and these same cultures still exist.

Two of the most referenced documents that instill hysteria among the masses are the Mayan Calendar and the Book of Revelations. It seems just as realistic to believe the stories in dystopian novels and other young adult books! While the Mayans never actually predicted that 2012 meant the onset of an apocalypse world (it merely marked the end of the Mayan calendar), the Book of Revelations offers a pretty harrowing account of our future. Only a religion based on fear would offer such fodder for creating hysteria. Switch it out with an urban fantasy novel with dystopian themes and you’d have the same effect.

If only these same believers would put that energy towards helping to save the pearls!

Source: appadvice.com

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by eden

What is a romantic apocalypse?

January 14, 2012 in Eden's Posts

Everyone keeps asking what exactly a romantic apocalypse is, so I figured I should try to explain it for the sSave the Pearls community. I receive messages from so many people trying to guess what it is—some of the funniest include “The world ends because all of the fantasy and adventure is wiped from the face of the planet,” or “When civilization ends abruptly due to the lack of romance throughout,” and my absolutely favorite, “When a jilted lover uses his suffering to fuel a Columbine-style attack on all the major hot spots of the world.” I think these people are reading too many young adult books, because those theories couldn’t be any less realistic.

A romantic apocalypse actually defines the movement that the Coals have secretly launched against us. It’s their quest to eradicate all that is left of the Pearls, extinguishing any chance of our survival or return to happier socioeconomic times. It’s their pledge that if all Pearls don’t find a mate, they will be eliminated from society. It’s obviously an underground movement, just like the Save the Pearls campaign is a stealth community.

In most young adult books, there are the villains who threaten the main characters. In some stories, they are obviously evil and often decked with supernatural powers, while in others they are simply the bane of the protagonist’s existence—whether they stand in the way of a fantasy romance or provide some other obstacle to achieving their dreams. In our world, they are the Coals and the FFP, both trying to use their power in ways that defy humanity and decency.

While that may not be an answer that will satisfy fans of fantasy and adventure, it’s the one that counts. We have to be realistic and fully comprehend what we’re dealing with here. Pearls continue to disappear every day, never to be found—all in that same age range: 18 for females and 24 for males. Some are reported, while others are not. Each being that goes missing either refused to find a mate or just had zero luck in the fantasy romance department. Once they reach their “deadline,” it’s only a matter of time before they come. No one has ever escaped to tell the story of exactly who “they” are and what actually happens, but we know it’s no bueno.

Whether a romantic apocalypse is a bloody massacre or a stealth attack that the victim doesn’t see coming, it’s not good and definitely not fun. I wish all other Pearls good luck in mating so they can avoid this dark cloud that infinitely hangs over our heads. In the meantime, I’ll continue to try my hardest to make our cause the thing that stops this horrible movement.

Source: layoutsparks.com

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by eden

Fantasy romance—is honesty key?

December 29, 2011 in Eden's Posts

Is honesty crucial for having a successful fantasy romance? People have told me that without it, a relationship is destined to fail. In young adult books, there’s always some sort of repercussion or punishment for not telling the truth. Yet aren’t there some things that can be excluded to save another’s feelings? Aren’t there some small details that you can hide from your partner if they don’t ask? Does your perfect mate really need to know everything—I mean, does Jamal really need to see me apply my Midnight Luster or know that I have to wear three coats of it?

Isn’t keeping the fantasy romance alive more important than your mate knowing every single detail about you? There’s something about mystery that makes someone hotter. I’m beginning to think that while it’s important to be honest about some things, being too open can massacre love. While honesty is literally about telling the truth when asked a question, openness falls under the TMI category (too much information!). Constantly spitting out the truth when no one’s asking can ruin some of the relationship’s fantasy and adventure.

The protagonists in young adult books often end up in successful relationships, though in the beginning they may be hiding a secret. While lying about something can possibly ruin even the strongest fantasy romance, so can offering TMI. It may be good to share all your feelings with your perfect mate, yet will intimacy really be lost if you tell them about all of your exes? There may be some truth to that the old adage, “What you don’t know doesn’t hurt you.” Is it worth it more to keep the fantasy and adventure alive in your relationship or should you tell all? Clearly, one choice sounds more fun than the other. Let me know what you guys think!

Source: cmichellestyles.com

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by eden

Fantasy romance… should this be my solstice goal?

December 24, 2011 in Apocalypse World

I’m blown away by all the responses to my last post about the solstice. I had so many emails asking whether my goal is to find a new fantasy romance or work out the one I have with Jamal. Lol, what about the more important things, like my campaign to save the pearls?

Clearly, this campaign and helping my father succeed with his experiment are my ultimate goals.  Yet I’m also focused on saving myself from a romantic apocalypse. Who wouldn’t be? And it looks like the only way to do so is to keep things going with Jamal and hope that he finally commits or once again get back in the game, trying to find a mate—which sounds so gross!

I’ve been trying to maintain our fantasy romance, but honestly, it’s getting tougher by the day. He’s got the upper hand, since he’s a coal and all. I feel like the whole honeymoon period must be wearing off—before, all I could think about was him and I had no issues with him whatsoever. I was blind to his flaws and just wanted to make him happy. Now I’m starting to feel uncomfortable with some of the things I see him doing and my trust is fading.

At first, every time we saw each other, there was an overwhelming feeling of fantasy romance—it was almost tangible. The spark and chemistry that made me feel so alive—the kind of thing you read about in young adult books. Yet I’m starting to realize that you can’t force those feelings. If they fade, you’ve got to accept it—or maybe they were never really there in the first place. After all, I’m a pearl and he’s a coal. Could we really ever have a future?

So in answer to everyone’s question—my priority is still the save the pearls campaign.  If, at the same time, I can save myself from a romantic apocalypse, then that’s pure awesomeness.

The only other goal I set this solstice is to continue to get my story out there—I’ve got to get the rest out there before it’s too late. Whether it’s disguised as fodder for young adult books or accepted as a memoir doesn’t matter to me. The pearls know the truth, and the more people who get exposed to it, the greater our chance of survival.

 

Source: StJohnweddings.com

 

 

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by ethics officer

The benefits of young adult books

December 14, 2011 in Apocalypse World

As a society on the brink of becoming an apocalypse world, you’re probably wondering who has time for young adult books? Or why would we bother when there are life and death circumstances looming over our heads?

In actuality, young adult books aka YA fiction, offer more than just a respite from reality. For example, young adult fantasy is one of the most evolving genres in existence. While the demographic is ages 12-18, the readership is actually much wider, including middle aged men and women. The themes that young adult books revolve around are relatable to readers of all ages—relationships, sexuality, drug abuse, change, and transition.  The content tends to be edgier than other genres—at times, even controversial due to mature content.

While young adult books are often criticized for a lack of structure and moral content, there are myriad benefits to this type of fiction. The stories and characters can teach readers important life lessons and positively influence them during difficult times of transition. When you feel that an author or their characters have shared similar challenges and emotions, it helps you to understand that you’re not alone and that others empathize with your situation.

While the young adult fantasy novels that we’ve seen catapult to success over the last few years have paranormal and supernatural elements that make them unrealistic, they are still relatable and can help readers evolve. While there aren’t really wizards, vampires and werewolves among us, we can still understand the need to fit in, recover from a lost love or find a mate. Readers of all ages, but especially teenagers, face difficulties with self discovery and social issues—when they follow young adult fantasy characters through similar circumstances, they experience a sense of comfort.

As we all try to navigate the issues of an imminent apocalypse world and fulfill our need to find a mate, we can gain important insight from the protagonists in young adult books. Whether they’re also trying to save the pearls or are simply escaping issues in their own minds, readers everywhere can stand to benefit from books from this time-tested genre.

Source: Vladstudio.com

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by eden

Beauty tips for an Apocalypse World Part 1—Hair and Nails

December 9, 2011 in Eden's Posts

So many people wrote me about my wardrobe tips for an apocalypse world that I felt compelled to create a guide filled with beauty tips. I mean, we can’t just let ourselves go in the midst of dystopia—if we do, we’re sure to lose any chance of a fantasy romance. I mean, dudes out there are searching for the perfect girl, not the perfect Chewbacca! Speaking of hairy creatures, I know a lot of you are wondering, whatever will we do with our crowning glory?

We all know that when our hair looks good, we feel good. Our mane has the power to inspire fantasy and adventure and unlock our self-confidence from the depths of wherever. The products and styling time that go into it our locks are greater than any other part of getting ready, even for those with short hair. In the apocalypse world, we’ll have little time and not be able to waste any power on luxuries like a blow dryer or flatiron—a complete travesty for those who are still trying to find a mate. If you’re not down to chop it all off, I suggest getting a stockpile of baby powder to double as dry shampoo and as deodorizer for your body.

I understand that even though we’ll be in the midst of catastrophe, you still may be trying to cultivate a fantasy romance and find a mate. Even so, you may really want to consider cutting longer locks into a bob. The tangles will be narly, bugs may take up residence and it will just be a lot cleaner. If that’s not an option (I get it, no romantic apocalypse will make me cut mine!) then you’ll want lots of ponytail holders so that you can braid it and get it out of your face.

Nails… I hate to break it to you, but you’ll have to cut those babies all the way down. You’ll need a pair of clipper and a nail file and that’s it. It’s not even remotely realistic to think that we’ll be able to have pretty nails. Well-kempt is the best we can hope for. Think about all the fantasy and adventure books you’ve read so far—do you remember any of the protagonists talk about being able to shower and wash their hair? Right, I didn’t think so.

Source: Blog.urbanoutfitters.com

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by eden

Wardrobe for a post apocalypse world

November 24, 2011 in Apocalypse World, Eden's Posts

While the rest of the world packs to go away for Thanksgiving, I’m packing for the post apocalypse world. Right now, I’m getting girly-girl for a minute to think about what clothes we would need. I wonder if I’d still have to find a mate, worry about some fantasy romance or still try to save the Pearls. I got ideas for some of the items from science fiction and fantasy books, and others from Uni-Gov propaganda.

Obviously, I think you need a lot of the same stuff you’d need for Burning Man. A large, sturdy hat like a Russian Bomber Hat is a no-brainer in the apocalypse world—and it looks cute. Wool socks, goggles, dust mask, rain coat, long underwear, gloves, and gas mask are other must-haves. These outfits sound just perfect for attracting some fantasy romance—ha!

Source: CaliforniaCloset.com

 

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