the-common-shaman - Tumblr blog

[the-common-shaman]

This is long overdue! Enjoy! :) 

[the-common-shaman]

Elemental Dragons is a series of necklaces I created that combines the mysticism and power of dragons with the strength of the elements.

Cosmos invokes the astral power of the moon and stars, combining it with the balancing energy of magnetic hematite, the calming of blue tiger eye, the strength of black onyx, and the insight of dumortierite.

Earth invokes the nurturing (mountain) stability of moss agate and the joyful (flower) energy of aventurine, connecting and grounding us to the Earth.

Air invokes the ethereal aspect that allows us to reach higher levels of spirituality utilizing the energies of amethyst and quartz crystal.

Fire invokes our inner strength through fiery carnelian and helps us build a sturdy foundation from which we can go forth with courage and confidence.

Water invokes our inherent insight through sodalite and our inner divinity though lapis lazuli. Like the ocean, our intuition runs deeper than we know and we must learn to trust it in order to grow.

To connect with the healing power of gemstones visit The Common Shaman.

[the-common-shaman]

10 Things You Should Know About Cancer Season | Brittany Josephina

[the-common-shaman]

[the-common-shaman]

As for “Write what you know,” I was regularly told this as a beginner. I think it’s a very good rule and have always obeyed it. I write about imaginary countries, alien societies on other planets, dragons, wizards, the Napa Valley in 22002. I know these things. I know them better than anybody else possibly could, so it’s my duty to testify about them.

Ursula Le Guin

(via

kazechama

)

[the-common-shaman]

Supremely helpful and informative.

Writing with Color: Description Guide - Words for Skin Tone

We discussed the issue of describing People of Color by means of food in Part I of this guide, which brought rise to even more questions, mostly along the lines of “So, if food’s not an option, what can I use?” Well, I was just getting to that!

This final portion focuses on describing skin tone, with photo and passage examples provided throughout. I hope to cover everything from the use of straight-forward description to the more creatively-inclined, keeping in mind the questions we’ve received on this topic.

So let’s get to it.

S T A N D A R D  D E S C R I P T I O N

B a s i c  C o l o r s

Pictured above: Black, Brown, Beige, White, Pink.

“She had brown skin.”

This is a perfectly fine description that, while not providing the most detail, works well and will never become cliché.

Describing characters’ skin as simply brown or beige works on its own, though it’s not particularly telling just from the range in brown alone.

C o m p l e x  C o l o r s

These are more rarely used words that actually “mean” their color. Some of these have multiple meanings, so you’ll want to look into those to determine what other associations a word might have.

Keep reading

[the-common-shaman]

Skin.

Writing with Color has received several asks on this topic.

Everything from “how do I describe my character’s skin tone without being offensive?” and “what’s the problem with comparing my character to chocolate and coffee?”

I’m hoping to address all these and likewise questions in this guide on describing POC skin color, from light, dark and all that’s in between.

The Food Thing: So what’s the big deal?

So exactly what is the problem with comparing POC skin tone to cocoa, coffee, caramel, brown sugar and other sweets and goods? Well, there’s several potential problems you come across when you pull out the old Hershey’s bar comparison for your dark-skinned character, even if offense is not your intention.

Keep reading

[the-common-shaman]

Rainbow Rumpus magazine Needs Kids’ LGBT-Themed Stories - Pays $300/story

Rainbow Rumpus, an online literary magazine for children and youth with LGBT parents, is reviewing children’s and young adult fiction stories for forthcoming issues. The magazine imparts a wholesome, enjoyable, and inspiring resource for young people to create and appreciate art, overcome solitude, and become more active to build a better community.

Editor-in-Chief Liane Bonin Starr, the person in charge of submissions, welcomes stories from the viewpoint of kids or teenagers with LGBT parents or other family members

Keep reading

[the-common-shaman]

In going where you have to go, and doing what you have to do, and seeing what you have to see, you dull and blunt the instrument you write with. But I would rather have it bent and dull and know I had to put it on the grindstone again and hammer it into shape and put a whetstone to it, and know I had something to write about, than to have it bright and shining and nothing to say, or smooth and well-oiled in the closet, but unused.

Ernest Hemingway (via writingquotes)

[the-common-shaman]

A writer is a world trapped in a person.

Victor Hugo  (via wordsnquotes)

[the-common-shaman]

I’ve always wanted to try out this Green Arrow Chili Recipe, and I finally did so last Sunday.

For any of the ingredients I didn’t have, I mostly bought them at Stater Bros., including all of the chili powders. Cooked in a crock pot on Low for almost 8 hours, dropped the beans and brown sugar in the pot about 6 hours in… and I don’t have Tabasco nor did I want to buy any; but I do have Tapatio (and also Sriracha) on hand along with chips (instead of Saltines). Added onion on top in the end.

… And it’s not as hot as this picture would like me to believe. Actually, it was pretty mild without the hot sauce. I mean unless the “Tabasco to taste” was Ollie dropping the whole bottle in, I can’t imagine this kind of reaction lol. Still, p good.

[the-common-shaman]

Clockwork Phoenix 5 Anthology Needs Speculative Fiction Stories - Pays 6 cents/word

Mythic Delirium Books is seeking submissions for the fifth volume of Clockwork Phoenix, an anthology of speculative fiction stories. Novelist, anthologist and poet Mike Allen is serving as Editor. Stories must incorporate elements of the fantastic: science fiction, fantasy, horror or some sort of blend.

Like its forerunners, the anthology will feature stories that amaze with their settings, astonish with how they traverse genre boundaries, and dare to explore storytelling techniques. The stories must be more than devices–they must attract real emotions, tension, terror, distress, pleasure, and curiosity.

Keep reading

[the-common-shaman]

Handcrafted Fairytale Book Covers by Mandarin Duck

Jewelry designer Aniko Kolesnikova, best known as Mandarin Duck is recognized for her whimsical, sophisticated, ornate work featuring mystical and exotic creatures, such as owls and dragons, as well as other natural elements like floral aesthetics. An expert at working with polymer clay, Kolesnikova’s YouTube channel, Mandarin Duck was created for the purpose to teach people how to make beautiful handmade things. 

Now, also a book sculptor, Kolesnikova wishes to teach people how to construct their own handmade journals, which resemble imaginative covers and creatures from a fairytale. 

via

[the-common-shaman]

Kal by Marcus To (II)

Adventures of Superman #16, #17 & #18 (2013)

[the-common-shaman]

Clarkesworld Magazine Now Paying for Longer Sci-Fi/F Stories - Pays 10 cents/word

Award-winning sci-fi/f magazine Clarkesworld Magazine is now paying for longer fiction stories. The new word length is 1000-16000 words per story. Previous length was 1000-8000 words per story. The pay rate is now 10 cents per 5000 words, and 8 cents per word over 5000 words.

Led by Editor-in-Chief Neil Clarke, the magazine publishes fiction stories, nonfiction articles about the genre, and artwork. The editorial staff invites freelance writers to submit hard or soft sci-fi or folkloric, medieval, or modern fantasy.

Keep reading

[the-common-shaman]

~50 Simple Charms~

Basil at the door, windows, or scattered in the home will increase money. 

Lay thorny branches on your doorstep to keep evil from your dwelling. 

Eat a pinch of Thyme before bed, and you will have sweet dreams. 

Place chips of Cedar wood in a box with some coins to draw money to you. 

Carry an Anemone Flower with you to ward against illness. 

Hang a bit of Seaweed in the kitchen to ward evil spirits. 

Keep a jar of Alfalfa in your cupboards to ensure the prosperity of your house. 

Burn Allspice as an incense to draw money or luck to you, as well as speed healing. 

Cut an Apple in half, and give one half to your love to ensure a prosperous relationship. 

Carry an Avocado pit with you to let your inner beauty shine outwardly. Avocado is also an aphrodisiac. 

Strawberries are an aphrodisiac. 

Place a piece of cotton in your sugar bowl to draw good luck to your house. 

Celery is an aphrodisiac. 

Place Almonds in your pocket when you need to find something. 

Scatter Chili Peppers around your house to break a curse. 

Carrying a packet of strawberry leaves will help ease the pains of pregnancy. 

Scatter some sugar to purify a room. 

Throw rice into the air to make rain. 

Carry a potato in your pocket or purse all winter to ward against colds. 

Eat five almonds before consuming alcohol, to lighten the effects of intoxication. 

Place a pine branch above your bed to keep illness away. 

Chew celery seeds to help you concentrate. 

Carry of chunk of dry pineapple in a bag to draw luck to you. 

Ask an orange a yes or no question before you eat it, then count the seeds: if the seeds are an even number, the answer is no. If an odd number, yes. 

Eat olives to ensure fertility. 

Toss Oats out your back door to ensure that your garden or crop will be bountiful. 

Eat mustard seed to ensure fertility. 

Place Lilacs around your house to rid yourself of unwanted spirits. 

Eat Lettuce to drive lustful thoughts from your mind. 

Rub a Lettuce leaf over your forehead to help you sleep. 

Add Lemon juice to your bathwater for purification. 

Eat grapes to increase psychic powers. 

Carry a blade of grass to increase your psychic powers. 

Smell Dill to get rid of hiccups. 

If you place a Dill sachet over your door, those who wish you ill can not enter your home. 

Place cotton on an aching tooth, and the pain will ease. 

Burn cotton to cause rain. 

Place pepper inside a piece of cotton and sew it shut to make a charm to bring back a lost love. 

Carry a small onion to protect against venomous animals. 

Eat grapes to increase fertility. 

Place a sliced onion in the room of an ill person do draw out the sickness. 

Place an onion underneath your pillow to have prophetic dreams. 

Place morning glory seeds under your bed to cure nightmares. 

Walk through the branches of a maple tree to ensure that you will have a long life. 

Mix salt and pepper together and scatter it around your house to dispel evil. 

Smell peppermint to help you sleep. (-B.D: I’ve heard Peppermint keeps you awake. At least it does for me. Try it and see what happens. If it keeps you awake, then use Lavender for sleep instead).

Hang a pea pod containing nine peas above the door to draw your future mate to you. 

Eat a peach to assist in making a tough decision. 

Carry peach wood to lengthen your lifespan. 

Carry a walnut to strengthen your heart muscle.

*Gramma K’s Wonderful World of Wicca.

[the-common-shaman]

Cover to Tragg and the Sky-Gods #1