tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66705708529917276542024-02-07T20:25:54.433-08:00Drina SteinbergAuthor of Arkona Purpure trilogyDrina Steinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726318717386736006noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6670570852991727654.post-7900125552106112792017-01-23T08:46:00.000-08:002017-01-23T08:57:55.601-08:00The Light of the Abyss ( Prologue )<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDqDLwfwzEHB1hWwtpHQIFCmubzS47o2TE4e9yhDTx5xbO6NWno3hcMTk1xVWzaTQ-LCzErAPqv2NRef3SYV2ptu9PEtvzh7LUomYmSxPhzbBbFkLjjT8QdzpsB5MOuySwV3Cjz7QiiCms/s1600/15267652_10154712213384043_2275564612461794982_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDqDLwfwzEHB1hWwtpHQIFCmubzS47o2TE4e9yhDTx5xbO6NWno3hcMTk1xVWzaTQ-LCzErAPqv2NRef3SYV2ptu9PEtvzh7LUomYmSxPhzbBbFkLjjT8QdzpsB5MOuySwV3Cjz7QiiCms/s1600/15267652_10154712213384043_2275564612461794982_n.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"> <b> I was born a warrior. A
leader. A protector. I know no fear nor have I ever felt it. I never do. My
wounds bleed, but my skin bears no scars. I know what pain is. I have
experienced it in all of its forms. I am a creator and a destructor. I take
what I want and I give as much as I please. While everyone may whisper of my
stubbornness, they shout in praise of my righteousness . There is an avalanche
of rage running through my veins. Because I am rage. I am war. I know death
well; it is the shadow of my sword. It follows me every step of my way, waiting
for me to once finally kneel before her. I laugh in its face. To me, death is
nothing but a rotting carcass. Because I am the one who holds the power in his
hands. I am the first, the immortal one… I am God. </b></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b> </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: HR;"><b> I am ageless. As old as
the world itself. I am the son of Perun and Zhiva, the god of war and
spring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once, I asked my father why
Svarog chose to endow me with both the fierceness of a warrior and the fucking tenderness
of spring. He replied that it was the only way to rein in my thirst for blood.
It was the only way to keep me in Yav and bring me to my senses. Bring me back
home. <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: HR;"><b>I spent my childhood and
youth in the fiery depths of Nav. Surrounded by freaks and rotting stench, I
took in the smell of fresh souls as Morana arched her back impaled upon my
cock. She meant everything to me. She was everything I ever wanted, everything
I needed. She brought out the worst in me and I worshiped her for it. With her,
I was free. We didn’t put up with rules and Svarog’s laws. Veles observed our conquests
with fatherly affection. </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: HR;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: HR;"> <b> I used to hate springs,
back when I was living in Nav. They made me feel less like myself, feel like I
wasn’t strong enough. During the last hours of winter, my body would become
overwhelmed by a strange emotion. But Morana knew me inside and out. She knew
very well that the first spring morning would make my heart wonder whether what
I was doing was right. That is why she teased me like the whore she was, used
her gorgeous body and lustful holes, asking for me to prove that I was worthy
of her. She asked for blood and I would give it to her. I would return from my
hunt with butchered bodies of mortals and demigods. She enjoyed watching the disfigured
bodies of virgins. </b></span></div>
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<b style="font-size: 11pt;">Morana didn’t let winter
end; she did not allow for the spring inside me to wake up. During the first
part of my life, I was void of any tenderness or conscience. I was a beast. Her
personal beast.</b></div>
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<b style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: HR;"><b> When they imprisoned me in
Yav, the only thing that kept me from giving in was my desire for her. I went
through hell, but I didn’t crack. In my mind, I conjured the images of the soft
creases of her skin and the delicious taste of her pussy. They made blood run
into my dick. I was a crucified fool with a rock-hard erection. The absence of
her lips that could suck away the pain hurt me more than anything Perun’s
minions employed in order to make me come to my senses. Now I know that my
father didn’t use everything he could and that this torture was merely a way to
restrain me and keep me there for as long as possible. They knew that I would
come to my senses as soon as I felt the magic of spring for the first time and
they knew that the realization of truth would hurt me more than a millennium of
ruthless whipping. <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: HR;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: HR;"><b> Even today, my conscience
is not immune to the occasional painful recollections of all the evil things I
had done in the past. The truth about myself, Veles and Morana was too much for
me to handle. In my eyes and deep inside me, there was a burning flame of hate.
All I wanted was to kill them. Because all I had ever known was how to kill. I
needed their blood. I needed revenge. That is why everyone in Yav kept a close
eye on me, day and night. First, I had to learn about Svarog’s laws and then I
needed to learn how to deal with the conflict of the insane feelings inside me
and figure out how to maintain a balance between them. <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: HR;"><b>Soon, everyone realized
that my emotions were permanently damaged. I satisfied my desire to kill in the
fierce battles with the Navi and I quenched my thirst for the female body through
encounters with wild ruslankas, fairies and eventually, mortals. Still, I
remained void. I am the god of the fucking spring. There is a part of me that
craves something more than mere physical pleasure or love for those who are
closest to me. For centuries, I had tried in vain to shut down that part of
myself, kill it if necessary. It was the one thing preventing me from feeling
whole. <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: HR;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: HR;"><b> After the fall of Arkona
and Perun’s transition to Prav, I became the ruler of Yav. Suddenly, the weight
of the world landed on my back. I had no more time to think about myself, my
past, the rage, the hate and the void inside of me. Over time, I slowly began
to control my anger. I did everything I could in order to make sure I was a
level-headed ruler. I was getting better at it, but from time to time, I would
crack and let rage the take over. There were days when I would helplessly watch
the Slavic people suffer and perish, unable to act due to Svarog’s laws; that
is when the old beast inside me would come back. My wild side would suppress
everything that was reasonable in me. I would storm into a battle without an
army, without thinking. I didn’t mind the consequences, the warnings of Svanevit,
Dazhbog and Zhiva; I would let the eruption of desire to kill guide me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because I am rage. I am the warrior of rage. <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: HR;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: HR;"><b> And then, one winter, some
forty years ago, I remained without a single artifact. The best solution was to
impress my legacy into a direct descendant of a Slavic tribe. <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: HR;"><b>On the island of Rugen, March
20, 1973, the Devan baby was born. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
remember seeing her for the first time. She was crying hysterically. I looked
at her, frowning, before performing the act of impression. Her screaming made
me nervous and I knew it was a mistake to leave my legacy in a human being. I
started thinking that perhaps an animal would have been a better choice, but I
was running out of time and I had to do it. I was shocked when, just before I
would impress my legacy into her, she stopped screaming and looked into my
eyes. Although I knew it was impossible, I had the feeling that she could see
me. Then she lifted her arms towards me and fell asleep. I took a step back and
then leaned over the cradle once again. Although everything around her was
still in the state of complete chaos, the little girl was sleeping like a lamb.
<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: HR;">This one is going to be a
major pain in the ass, </span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-language: HR;">I mumbled to myself and
stormed out, leaving the coast of Rugen covered in my color. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-language: HR;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<a class="a-link-normal s-access-detail-page a-text-normal" href="https://www.amazon.com/Scent-Legacy-Arkona-Purpure-trilogy/dp/1512090972/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1485189656&sr=1-2" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0066c0; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline-offset: -2px; outline: -webkit-focus-ring-color auto 5px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;" title="The Scent of Legacy: The Scent of Legacy (The Arkona Purpure trilogy) (Volume 1)"></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>The Light of the Abyss (The Arkona Purpure trilogy) (Volume 3) </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>Image: Aleksandar Đelošević</b></span><br />
<br /></div>
Drina Steinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726318717386736006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6670570852991727654.post-88187824705098483382016-06-02T10:25:00.000-07:002016-06-02T13:58:11.454-07:00But there’s sex in there, right?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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A friend from college asked me to send her my books and said her
cousin, Goran, would pick them up, since he was passing through Loznica. We
arranged to meet for a coffee. It was easy to spot him: mid-thirties, prison
haircut, a T-shirt with huge print, flashy sneakers. I struggled to understand
why anyone who’s no longer in his teens would wear flashy sneakers anywhere
outside the gym. We ordered coffee and I put the books on the table. He looked
at them with a fair amount of skepticism...</div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -9pt;">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -9pt;">Sooo, you write?</span></div>
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<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Yeah… <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">What about? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">The Slavs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Oh, so you write about the
Serbs? That’s a good topic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Not the Serbs, the Slavs. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">I get it, I get it, you write
about us. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Yes, all of us. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">So, the Yugoslavs. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Not just the Yugoslavs, the Slavs in general… actually, I write
about Slavic gods and Slavic mythology. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US"> (he laughs and takes the books, looks at
them and frowns at the stylized kolovrat)
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US">- Isn’t this that symbol of Hitler’s?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">No.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">What do you mean “no”? This
looks awfully like a swastika to me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">That’s a kolovrat. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Kolo-what?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Kolovrat, the symbol of Svarog.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Who’s that?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">The supreme god of the Old
Slavs. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Are you trying to say that the
Slavs are fascists?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US">- (fascists???) Of course not.
The Nazis just borrowed the swastika symbol. It is a really powerful symbol. It
represents… (he opens <i>The Scent of Legacy
</i>and takes a look at the prologue) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">What’s this, Rügen, the Federal
Republic of Germany? Is that where the plot takes place? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Most of the time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">So you’re writing about us
being supporters of Hitler? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Excuse me? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Well, first there was that
fascist symbol (fascist??), and now there’s Germany. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Actually, the plot takes place
on the Cape Arkona. And that’s not a Nazi symbol, kolovrat is a major symbol in
many ancient religions. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">So that’s why you named your
trilogy <i>Arkona? </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Well, yeah…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Why Arkona? Why didn’t you come
up with a nicer name? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Well, that’s what the cape is
called. It was the last stronghold of the Old Slavs… The fortress, the temples…
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Well, I’ve never heard of that,
and I go to Munich all the time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Not many people have heard of
it. I didn’t know the whole story about the Ruyans and the Cape Arkona myself.
I discovered it a couple of years ago. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Who the hell are the Ruyans? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">That’s what they called the
Slavs who lived on the Cape Arkona.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">In Germany? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Yes, in Germany. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Hahaha, that’s right, I
remember reading somewhere that the Germans are actually of Serbian origin. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">That’s simply not true.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">If it’s not true, why do you
say that the Serbs and those Slavs of yours lived in Germany? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">That’s because the Slavs really
lived there. The Baltic Slavs. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Never heard of that. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">That’s what they called the
ones living on the coast of the Baltic Sea. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Who cares about them? You
should write about us only. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Well, I care, because I’m a
Slav, I love my origin and I respect all Slavic peoples. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Yeah, you know what they say,
combined with the Russians, there are 300 million of us. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Haha, there’s a lot more, the
Russians are not the only Slavs out there. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Right, right, the former
Yugoslavia, apart from the Croats, and then there’s Belarus, and Russia…
there’s quite a lot of us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">And Ukraine, Bulgaria, Croatia,
Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and the Ruthenes and the Lusatian Serbs… <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Hahahaha, what do the Czech and
the Polish have to do with us? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Are you kidding me? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Nope, why? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">How could you ask something
like that? What do you think they are? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Well, it’s far more likely that
they’re Germans. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Germans? Like Germanic people? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Oh, you stubborn woman, I don’t
know if they are Germanic or not, but they’re catholic, so they can’t be Slavs!
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Religion has nothing to do with
someone’s origin. The Slavs can be orthodox, catholic, protestant or Muslim
when it comes to religion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Muslims? Are you trying to say
that someone who performs Salah instead of praying to Jesus has the same origin
as you and I? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Exactly, the new religions came
much later. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">What kind of Slavs would
convert to Islam and Catholicism? I’ve been to Prague and Poland several times,
and I’m telling you, they have nothing to do with us, it’s more likely they’re
Germans. The Latin alphabet, hello! They’re not like our orthodox brothers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Have you ever spent a holiday
in Greece? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">I spend all my summers in
Greece. I feel right at home there. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">And you understand their
language? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">No way, I only learned <i>ela</i> and <i>elo</i>, but everyone speaks Serbian there… <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">And when you were in Prague or
Warsaw, could you understand a word or two? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Well, yeah, it’s like some
weird kind of Serbian, like Slovak. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">And you understand Russian most
of the time? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Well, yes, they use the
Cyrillic alphabet like we do. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">And the Croats, they don’t use
the Cyrillic alphabet, but you understand everything, right? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Of course I do, apart from
those new words they keep making up. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">So, when you go to Greece,
which is an orthodox country, you can’t understand a word they’re saying? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US">(he squints, processing the information)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">And when you go to Poland,
which is a catholic country, you understand some words?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">So, what you’re trying to tell
me is that I should be fonder of the Czechs than of my orthodox Greek
brothers? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">No, what I’m trying to tell you
is that you have the same origin as the Western Slavs, since we all originate
from the Proto-Slavs. That’s why you should respect all Slavs, regardless of
their religion. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Let me tell you something,
sister, I’d quit writing if I were you. Who cares about those Proto-Slavs and
the origin… <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Isn’t it nice to understand the
origin of your blood? To know that you belong to one of the oldest peoples in
the world? How do you expect others to respect you when you yourself don’t care
about your roots and tradition? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US">(he sits in silence and starts flipping through the books again)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US">- So, practically, what you’re
telling us in your books is that we are all one. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Well, yes, indirectly. Purpure,
the main character, she’s a descendant of all Slavic peoples. However, what I
write about is Slavic mythology, our ancient gods, myths, customs… I just
employ a somewhat different approach. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">You are writing about us being
pagans. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Well, that’s what we were once.
Although I’m not that fond of that term. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Savages, then. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">We weren’t savages, we were
simply polytheists. You see, in my books, the Slavic gods are present in
today’s world… <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Are you in a sect?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Of course not. Why would you
think that? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Well, you’re writing about some
ancient gods being real. You’re writing against the church.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Dude, I write fiction. I’m not
writing against the church, I’m just trying to find a more simple way to
introduce people to our original faith. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Original faith? Paganism, you
mean. Why in the world would we need that?
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">So we could know who we were
2000 years ago. So we could realize how interesting our own mythology is… Let
me ask you, do you know who Zeus is? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Of course. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">And Perun?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">A pagan god.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">What about Aphrodite, Apollo? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Sure I do, they’re Greek
deities. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">And Thor, Loki? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Hahaha, I’m a fan of <i>The</i> <i>Avengers,
</i>of course I know who Thor is. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">So, do you believe that <i>The Avengers </i>are speaking against the
church, since they place Thor in today’s world? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Well, no…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">And do you know who Lada,
Svantovit and Dazhbog are? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">No, but I’m sure they’re some
gods of yours. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">So you are familiar with Greek
and Nordic mythology, but not your own? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">‘Cause there are no movies
about it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">That’s what I’m trying to tell
you, my book is not a movie, but it is still a modern story. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US">(he shakes his head) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: .25in; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US">- And
what do these gods do in your books? Do they fight? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Among other things…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">And the fights are between…? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">The gods of Yav fight against
the gods of Nav. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">What are those?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Yav is where the good guys come
from, and Nav is the home of the bad guys. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">And they all have supernatural,
magical powers, spears and stuff? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Well, yeah…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US">(he laughs out loud) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: .25in; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US">- So,
that’s kinda like <i>Lord of the Rings? </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">No, epic fantasy is not my
genre. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Well, it sounds a lot like WoW…
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Not everything is epic fantasy.
There are a lot of different subgenres. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">It’s good that it’s not like
LotR, I hate that movie, boring as hell. Anyway, I’m glad I’ve met you, I
haven’t laughed this much in a while. I can’t believe my cousin paid for this.
You’re really lucky, having all that spare time to write about things no one
cares about. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">You know what, actually, I
write about sex. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US">(suddenly, he looks at me with admiration and excitement and starts
flipping through books with much more enthusiasm) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US">- You’ve got sex in here? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">That’s right.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US">(he’s carefully turning the pages)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">The real kind?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">The real kind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><i><span lang="EN-US">Fifty Shades of Gray </span></i><span lang="EN-US">real? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Not really, but there’s sex
alright. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Where? (he grins)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Somewhere in there, Purpure and
Lirai are screwing their brains out. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Who’s Lirai?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Actually, he’s the Slavic god
of war and spring. Yarilo. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Yarilo?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Yup.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">You couldn’t come up with a
better name? It sounds ridiculous.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">I didn’t make it up, that’s
what the Slavs called him. <i>Yar</i> means
rage, fury, and he’s the god of war…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Either way, it’s stupid, it should’ve been something awesome, like
Thor (still carefully flipping through the books). I’m not surprised that
people don’t care about Slavic mythology. All the gods have such stupid names. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US">- You know what, I was wrong… <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US">- About what? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">You’re not a Slav at all (I get up and I’m ready to leave). I’ve got
to go. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Wait a second, what do you mean
by that? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Well, the Slavs normally don’t
have such a small… (I was going to say <i>brain</i>,
but by the look of his face, I am pretty certain he’s expecting something else)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Small… what?! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Thumbs!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US">He looks at his hands, utterly perplexed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US">- You’re serious? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">As a heart attack. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">So what does that make me? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US"> (a fool!!!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">How should I know, I haven’t got a PhD in genetics, I’m just a silly
writer. Try googling “small thumbs”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US"> I walk away as he stares at the Google
search results. I smile naughtily, knowing what Google will tell him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US"><b> Note to self:</b> Stop trying
to explain to people what your books are about. Life’s too short. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 9.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -9.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/-hwiCkU73NA/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-hwiCkU73NA?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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*</div>
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Drina Steinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726318717386736006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6670570852991727654.post-25790825190501668372016-05-05T10:02:00.000-07:002016-05-05T10:02:52.446-07:00Mr Cellophane <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://cdn.meme.am/instances/60127303.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://cdn.meme.am/instances/60127303.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US">When it comes to the Old Slavs, the gods are divided into two teams:
team Jav – the good guys, and team Nav – the bad guys. The teams host a wide
variety of demons – typical scoundrels, and demigods – mostly some nice
creatures who are fond of the gods more than they are of mortals, but do right
by the people anyway. They are used to sucking it up – as long as the gods give
them a job, a paycheck or an occasional pat on the back, they don’t complain.
At least not publicly – fake Twitter account activity doesn’t count. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US">And yes… there is also Talason. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US">Talason is a domestic demon originating from the Balkans, who
suffers from a bad kind of narcissistic personality disorder. Although he has
his own team, or kind, he belongs to, the little mister domestic demon is not
satisfied with who he is. He’d like to be something much, much greater than
that, greater than Caliph instead of the Caliph, greater than Kanye West, this
evil little guy would like to be a god. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US">He doesn’t favor any particular team, nor gender (if you catch my
drift), all he covets is a divine membership card in the top pocket of his coat,
or at least a business card with the following inscription in calligraphic gold
font: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #ffe900; font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">Talason, PhD, MD, LAPD<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #ffe900; font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">Occupation: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">GOD!</b></span></i><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US">Ok, I know, everyone dreams of being something greater, and that’s
fine, at least according to life coaches, and if a bad actor from Western
movies can become the president of the USA, then Talason can surely become a
big shot in Jav/Nav. Especially since he hasn’t become what he is overnight –
he’d earned his degree fair and square. And his resume seems rather cool:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US">Talason, licensed spirit in charge of protecting public buildings. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US">Job description: protecting edifices and supervising the
construction. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US">One would say: such a nice job, well-paid, especially in the West –
so what seems to be the problem? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US">The problem is that he considers himself to be more important than
the architect, the contractor, the masons, even the clients. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US">In his mind, he is the Alpha and the Omega of the project, so it
really pisses him off that no human can see him, apart from the ones born on
Tuesday, and even they see him as nothing but a dark shadow (the legend says
that only dogs can see him in his true form). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US">Yet, in spite of his invisibility, everyone knows that, whenever a
construction site pops up, Talason will be right there, meddling and whispering
all kinds of crazy ideas to the masons. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">“During the construction
phase, masons would measure the shadow of a passerby and build it into the
edifice. On these occasions, the masons would use silk thread and the person
whose shadow was built into the edifice would die in 40 days.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US">Really, who could like such a guy, when you never know whose life could
come to an end thanks to his meddling ways? That’s why people avoided walking
past construction sites, mothers didn’t let their children play near them,
hotties wore turtlenecks, the rich kids of Instagram went back to their parents
in the suburbs or demanded to be sent to prison. Life in prison was better than
ending up as Talason’s victim. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US">And Talason… well, he simply doesn’t see it that way. He believes
that a tiny human sacrifice for the sake of the building is nothing to fuss
about. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US">Still, I have to admit, while I was reading about Talason, I
couldn’t help but feel sorry for the guy. All that studying, all that hard work
in the gym, so many skipped dinners and expensive suits, and still no one sees
him, apart for the ones born on Tuesday, who see him as a shadow, and dogs, and
he’s a cat person…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US">In the end, his huge desire to be seen and worshiped has driven him
insane, and now, instead of a domestic demon dealing death around constructions
sites, we are dealing with a domestic demon who does not only kill random
strangers, but also thinks that he’s a god. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US">And the craziest part is that this guy is the Slavic Littlefinger
when it comes to plots, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he really ended up being
a god one day. Especially now, when he got lucky, and a certain Mercybearer
born on Tuesday sees him as a stud, not just a faceless shadow… <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US">To be continued…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
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Drina Steinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726318717386736006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6670570852991727654.post-70522026908751535942016-01-28T15:10:00.000-08:002016-01-28T15:45:55.963-08:00A roller-coaster of a novel - love, magic, ancient gods, and a whole lot more!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><i> </i> A Review of The Land of Frost</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb23z0Y9kF9eI8DAMNfIr8HDJ9ySQ2WdC8GtrhwUFNCxfOQpO8vTB-hdrqdJTcJ8RGTg4R3crIaBcagQJzU3mamjiRUmpA21GOvYQZd6U-Km8ePUHH7NHjFYaGfrQWfxfsVNAL6dKsoaww/s1600/the+land+of+frost+cover+copy.tif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb23z0Y9kF9eI8DAMNfIr8HDJ9ySQ2WdC8GtrhwUFNCxfOQpO8vTB-hdrqdJTcJ8RGTg4R3crIaBcagQJzU3mamjiRUmpA21GOvYQZd6U-Km8ePUHH7NHjFYaGfrQWfxfsVNAL6dKsoaww/s320/the+land+of+frost+cover+copy.tif" width="221" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">By Milica Kostić</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I believe
that most readers will agree with me when I say that the first impression upon
reading The Scent of Legacy, the first part of the <i>Arkona Purpure</i> trilogy, is best described as absolute surprise. At
first, the novel seems like a love story, but somewhere in the middle it
changes its course and takes a completely different direction, taking the
readers on an amazing journey into the heart of Slavic mythology, in an utterly
natural and vivid manner. I consider this approach to be a unique phenomenon in
contemporary literature. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Drina
Steinberg’s novels can most certainly be classified as epic fantasy. However,
the author has managed to put a playful twist on the original genre and give a
special appeal to an exciting, yet little-known topic. Ever so subtly, by
letting the readers in on the secrets of Slavic mythology,she brings its magic
into their lives, making it a cherished and well-loved element of their
reality.Within this mythological framework, Drina Steinberg deals with the
destinies of her characters, their emotional relationships, carefully
illustrating what it is like to be a woman in the contemporary society. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Another
important feature of this trilogy is its attention-grabbing quality. Simply
put, both novels keep the readers on their toes the whole time. You will surely
read them in one sitting. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After the
first part of the trilogy, <i>The Land of
Frost</i> had big shoes to fill. However, not only has itlived up to the <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a>expectations,it has surpassed them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">With the
foundations set in The Scent of Legacy, the second part of the trilogy, <i>The Land of Frost</i>, opens with scenes set
in the mythological realm.Moving further away from the traditional “women’s
voice” in literature, the author writes about battle, blood, and murder in an
extraordinarily vivid manner, while remaining true to herself and the main
character’s feminine perspective. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Another
interesting motif is that of parenthood, most readily observable in the
relationship between Purpure and her daughter. Despite being aware of her great
task and the fact that her daughter is of divine origin, Purpure is, above all,
a woman whose main role is that of a mother and her child’s protector.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Less
prominent, but still immensely powerful and deeply emotional is the
parent-child relationship between gods. The humanness of this relationship, the
pain, the regret, the sacrifice, and, finally, love, speak of the universality
and supreme quality of emotions, making gods appear mortal and familiar in the
readers’ eyes. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Land of Frost</span></span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> is a novel
characterized by strong emotions, building up and leading to a truly intense
and emotional ending. Apart from leaving a strong impression on the readers,
the ending leaves plenty of room for a great sequel and leaves the readers
craving for more.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>
Drina Steinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726318717386736006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6670570852991727654.post-51430479931674100032016-01-22T13:48:00.001-08:002016-01-22T13:52:47.978-08:00ZEMLjA MRAZA - Drina Steinberg [UNOFFICIAL BOOK TRAILER]<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7ea0NK8FCew" width="480"></iframe><br />
<br /></div>
Drina Steinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726318717386736006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6670570852991727654.post-10081650092662433502015-11-20T08:38:00.002-08:002015-11-20T08:50:10.975-08:00To Mother Nature<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.shiftfrequency.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/WomanEarthTearTree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.shiftfrequency.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/WomanEarthTearTree.jpg" height="200" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Dear
Mother Nature, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It is
both sad and horrifying to know that your children are united only in their
meaningless fight against you. So, dear Mother, I've been thinking – maybe,
instead of giving us those unbelievable sunsets, breathtaking landscapes, the
air we breathe and the life itself, you could just slap us all. Unexpectedly
and right in the face. Just to remind us how small and insignificant we are
compared to you. Both the rich and the poor, Christians and Muslims, healthy
and sick, beautiful and ugly, smokers and non-smokers, Facebook users and
Twitter users, literate and illiterate, black and white, hipsters and the
normal folks. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Now,
if that doesn't help us realize what we're doing both to ourselves and you,
maybe then you could give us a tug on the ear, short and painful, just like my
Russian teacher used to do when someone forgot to do his homework. Because our
homework is way overdue. We failed to learn that no guns, oil, biological
weapons, software, money, Facebook likes, or Bruce Willis can stop you. There
is no bunker, fallout shelter, giant yacht, Mars, or Swiss bank account that
can protect us from the impending doom we deserve. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">If
the slap and the tug don't make us realize how insignificant we are compared to
you, Mother, then make us kneel on corn in front of you. The way teachers used
to punish bad students. Because we lack education. We lack culture. We lack
manners. And we're so, so filled with hate. Selfish, we live our lives thinking
only about how to satisfy and save our own asses. We live for the moment, for
the now, where everything revolves around us, and we never stop and think about
what kind of future we are leaving for our children and their children. What we
should cherish and save, if there's anything left to save at all and if there
is any future we can hope for. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">If
after all those punishments we don't learn how to love one another and how to
love you, if we don't realize how lucky we are to have you, then just slap us
silly. Slap us until we are all red and sad and sorry. Give us the beating of
our lives, and not the s&m Christian Gray kind, but the real, Bruce
Lee-style ass-kicking. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Love,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="text-align: justify;">Drina</span><br />
<span style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span>
<span style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span>
<span style="text-align: justify;"> <i><span style="font-size: x-small;"> ( picture : </span></i></span><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://www.shiftfrequency.com/ )</span></i></div>
Drina Steinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726318717386736006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6670570852991727654.post-29564762232966794432015-03-25T06:30:00.003-07:002015-03-25T06:30:53.694-07:00Once upon a tribe<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/4b/52/f4/4b52f43ac36773289864929e514c9fe7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/4b/52/f4/4b52f43ac36773289864929e514c9fe7.jpg" width="237" /></a></div>
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Once upon a time, far, far, seven
seas and seven hills away, somewhere at the end of the world, a gaze away from
the sky and a step away from the mother earth, there was a people. <o:p></o:p></div>
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They were special. They lived in
peace and harmony. They lived in harmony with nature, their gods, and their
beliefs. They defended themselves from others, with a wise head and a brave
heart. They were simple, their soul was unsullied, their desires were clear,
they cared for their families and their roots. Finally, they were a magical
people, with strong faith they derived from the energy of nature. That’s why
everyone saw them as different and unbeatable.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Unfortunately, life likes to
remind us that no one is unbeatable. And so this people dispersed, fell apart,
got estranged. From its origins, its beliefs, its gods. It has let time lay the
dust of oblivion on everything that tied it to the place of its origin, making it
drift away from its true blood, and by accepting a new religion, new alphabet,
new history, this people got embedded into some new structures. Its people have
turned their back on their primeval origins, and have been building walls to
separate them from their fellow countrymen, walls that grow higher and higher
every year.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This people still exists. The Slavic
people, as it is called. Divided into four sides of the world, four religions.
It lives embedded into some new countries, some new stories in textbooks.
Rarely reminiscing its origins, most often in disputes, where each side uses
its own scraps of past to prove they are the true ones, the greater ones, the
original ones. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Once upon a time there was a
people, the Slavic people, living in harmony, almost unbeatable. And this people
still exists today, dispersed and estranged. The people who don’t recognize
their fellow countrymen when they meet them, because they have different gods,
different borders, different currency. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Sometimes, the four groups of
Slavs resemble four beautiful girls who used to be friends when they were
little, and have met again after many years. They will smile at one another,
because that’s polite; after all, they used to be close. They’ll say hello,
perhaps nod at one another, but still, they will check one another out, from
head to toe, looking for flaws, telling themselves they are nothing alike, that
they are better, more successful, more beautiful than the others. And yet, it
takes so little for them to see themselves in others. They just need to look
past the differences. They need to look past their clothes, that is, their
economic status and politics, then makeup, that is, the faith that beautifies
them. In the end, they should cast it all away and bare themselves in front of
one another, showing their scars, creases, and imperfections, everything that
represents their life, what they’ve gone through, hard and wonderful times,
their history. <o:p></o:p></div>
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And if not even then, after they
have casted away all the superficial differences and have bared themselves to
the core, if they still don’t realize they are the same, they need to do only
one more thing – they need to speak. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Only one word is enough for them to
instantly realize everything, to recognize themselves in others. Maybe they
live in opposite sides of the world, maybe they belong to different religions,
have different social status, politics, alphabet, but when they talk, combine
phonemes into syllables, syllables into words, they understand. Maybe there are
no Old Slavic scripts, not enough temples, idols, preserved tradition, maybe
there will soon be no Slavs in history textbooks, but the Slavic language is still
there. Alive and beautiful. A bit altered, but clear. Because, if you listen
for just a while, you will understand a Slav, it will not matter if he’s from
the south or the Baltic, a Protestant or an orthodox Christian. The language
will tell you that this person, whether you like them or not, belongs to that
special people who once lived united, far, seven seas and seven hills away, a
gaze away from the sky, a step away from the mother earth, from the homeland,
the one and only Slavic homeland. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">images retrieved from </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">www.voenpro.ru</span></span></span></div>
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Drina Steinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726318717386736006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6670570852991727654.post-87971776914916045982015-01-25T16:28:00.000-08:002015-01-26T00:23:58.081-08:00 He’s big and he’s bad<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhao4XbVZ1hdH8a_MM98ILlqPEpyQGwD0RXKY8KmH-SSdcKGrP46Wp__EguwEW8zTAErszG_W1foDUA5jBzTBGBCVmq_oOFFJenSoE7dP9jNTJu7ew2ln0x97tV-utGlPEPG-byQnz8xEp-/s1600/bog+i+batina.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhao4XbVZ1hdH8a_MM98ILlqPEpyQGwD0RXKY8KmH-SSdcKGrP46Wp__EguwEW8zTAErszG_W1foDUA5jBzTBGBCVmq_oOFFJenSoE7dP9jNTJu7ew2ln0x97tV-utGlPEPG-byQnz8xEp-/s1600/bog+i+batina.jpg" height="226" width="320" /></a></div>
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Old Slavic gods were usually in
charge of two or three things. Ok, sometimes four. However, there was one
Slavic god who had so many skills he was what you would call a Jack of all
trades. He was so deeply involved in all aspects of everyday life, he was like
a sort of ancient Google. His name was Veles, and since his name starts with a
V, it makes sense that he is one of those guys whose name you shouldn’t say out
loud (Voldemort, (Darth) Vader…).<o:p></o:p></div>
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If one had to describe Veles (or
Volos) in only two words, they would probably say: he’s big and he’s bad. That
is because some people saw him as the greatest among the greats, strong and
dashing fellow (the son of a cow and the Slavic god Rod), determined and
righteous protector, what you would call a saint; and some saw him as an old
man with gray hair and long beard, with an old shepherd’s crook in his hand,
the dark ruler, the tyrant, the ultimate bad guy, what you would call a
devil. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Although he had an army of
followers who worshiped him and only him, there were still more people who
thought of him only as Mr. Hyde, never Dr Jekyll. BUT, love him or hate him,
one thing is for sure: everyone feared him. Like I said – he’s big and he’s bad.<o:p></o:p></div>
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If he was to apply for a job in
the contemporary world, his CV would be longer than the list of Henry VIII’s
wives and mistresses. Veles was in charge of the crops, wealth, property,
trade, cattle, art, shepherds, tricks and cons, and wizards. He was all a god
could be. He handled all the buying and the selling, contracts, media, music,
and models. It is fun to note that his significance in making contracts of all
kinds was so great, it was enough just to swear by him, and the contract was
automatically valid. That’s it. No kind of ID necessary. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Since he was the god of cattle
and crops, he was extremely important when it came to survival. People
worshiped and venerated him, because they believed that his mood will decide if
the harvest would be rich and if there would be enough cattle. That is why
everyone did their best not to offend him, or, God forbid, make him mad in any
way. He was also, when needed, in charge of the forests, wildlife, shepherds,
and fertility.<o:p></o:p></div>
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It is interesting to note that
Veles was creative, too. Apart from inspiring numerous musicians and writers,
helping countless druids and wizards, he himself was a kind of a poet, a
philosopher, a writer… He loved taking notes; it was almost as if he was
keeping a journal. It is assumed that that is how the Book of Veles came into
being. Still, so far, no one was able to prove that the book discovered in 1919
in Russia was actually written by the mighty god himself.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Now, if you take a closer look at
the Slavic pantheon, Veles and Perun are the only two gods who appear in all
Slavic mythologies, and it doesn’t matter if you’re Team V or Team P: the story
about the two of them is more or less the same. They are in constant conflict.
On one hand, Veles is always trying to defeat Perun, by kidnapping his wife,
children, cattle, followers, basically everything and everyone he can get his
paws on, while on the other, sooner or later, Perun always wins.<o:p></o:p></div>
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According to the most common
version of the story, Veles, disguised as a snake, crawls up the World Tree,
trying to reach its top. Namely, Slavs believed that the world is in fact a
giant tree, with its roots representing Nav – the underworld – and its treetop
representing the sky – that is, Jav. As
soon as Perun sees Veles the Snake crawling, he throws lightning bolts at him.
According to the legend, once he beats Veles, Perun lets rain descend on the
Earth, as a sign of victory. However, Veles always returns, so their antagonism
basically represents the eternal struggle of good and evil and the universal
goal of the bad guys everywhere: to become Caliph instead of the Caliph.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And finally, whether you’re one
of those who see Veles, the god of beasts, as the mighty bear, the Slavic ruler
of forests and nature, or you see him as the dark ruler of the underworld and
the master of the dead, keep in mind: he’s big and he’s bad!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2013/222/4/b/perun_vs_veles_by_kriegerman-d6hi5uk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2013/222/4/b/perun_vs_veles_by_kriegerman-d6hi5uk.jpg" height="320" width="264" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Perun vs Veles<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-small; text-align: justify;">(images retrieved from </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">www.comicvine.com i www.kriegerman.deviantart.com)</span></div>
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Drina Steinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726318717386736006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6670570852991727654.post-6542584170413485262014-12-15T06:55:00.000-08:002014-12-15T06:56:25.250-08:00Nothing compares to her<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/e2/86/ed/e286edc128494adf8798b861e58d3650.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/e2/86/ed/e286edc128494adf8798b861e58d3650.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Once upon a time, before silicone
and Botox, before <i>Sex and the City</i>,
artificial tan, and duckface, there were women with natural looks, and more
importantly, <i>natural</i> minds. They were
beautiful, each in her own special way, with unique features that made them so
different from one another. And yet, the climate of their homeland gave them
certain quality they shared, which made their origin obvious at the very first
sight. While a woman from Latin America, for example, would easily be recognized
by her voluptuous curves, Slavic women had always been known for their uniquely
simple and pure beauty. One of those beautiful, sensual women was most
certainly Lada, Slavic goddess of summer, love, and beauty.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Lada, or Lado, was a gentle flower,
with long golden hair, perfect, light complexion, purple eyes, and raspberry
lips. With a wreath made of fresh wildflowers and birch leaves in her hair,
wearing a simple, white, softly transparent dress, she brought happiness and joy
to people. Her symbols were ears of wheat and the Sun, and according to
astrology, her planet was Venus. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Although her life revolved around
love, feeding the hungry, and achieving world peace, she was more than just a Miss
World contestant coming from Jav. Apart from being more beautiful than all
Victoria’s angels put together, she was also a woman of sharp mind, righteous,
patient, and dignified. Although she was aware of her qualities, she was never
vain or conceited. She didn’t need an elevator in her home to help her with the
troubles of high heels, because she always walked barefoot. She didn’t need a
home video of the most intimate kind, because the very way she moved was more
erotic than any of those. She didn’t need to put make up on her face as soon as
she woke up, because she had healthy rosy cheeks. She didn’t have to frown in
order to make people notice her, her lovely, sincere smile was enough. She
wasn’t arrogant, although she was proud. When she loved, she loved all the way,
and she wasn’t afraid of showing it. No wonder she was the one to capture the
heart of the god of war, Jarilo. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Side by side, they ruled the
world seven months a year. While her man strived to obey Svarog’s laws and
protect the Slavs, Lada awakened the nature and preserved its fertility by
giving it enough sunlight, summer rain, and warm nights. Since she was the
protector of young people, love, and relationships, people often prayed to her
during various rituals, asking her to protect their future marriages or mend
broken hearts. Her animals were deer, rooster, and ant, and her plants were
cherry, dandelion, peony, and birch. Her songs are known as Ladaricas, and one
of the Christian holidays related to Lada is the Day of the Holy Trinity. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Towards the end of fall, when
cold and winter begin their reign, Jarilo and Lada used to retreat to their
chambers and enjoy each other’s presence. We can only guess what happened
behind those doors and what pleasures were enjoyed within those walls. After
all, Lada was a lady, and she never talked about intimate matters in public,
not even with her best friends, over a cup of hot coffee. <o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="text-align: justify;">Anyway, on several occasions, at
the beginning of spring, Jarilo did appear with a few extra pounds. I’m not
sure what that tells us about him, but it definitely shows that, apart from other
skills, Lada possessed the one that men value most – the one of cooking.</span><br />
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<a href="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/51/ff/42/51ff42a0688fb3e795a2474dc42825e1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/51/ff/42/51ff42a0688fb3e795a2474dc42825e1.jpg" width="237" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">( images retrieved from www.pinterest.com)</span></div>
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Drina Steinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726318717386736006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6670570852991727654.post-15609941902156225322014-12-08T04:05:00.000-08:002014-12-08T04:05:09.200-08:00You know you’re a Slav if:<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<li>You use both Latin and Cyrillic
alphabet effortlessly. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZWQxs05aNh17XlYAFrbBKE278g0KWuGchZEyT7l_37_tAi2hyphenhyphenQDvpfTJpc0ZxumiqFkLX_Zy4lEe3D8SBfanT_CS-ttKoQR1n_4BMGFYZPEZOLOInYIxrfScpic29-pNwv-D6SprgDKhp/s1600/i-can-t-keep-calm-i-m-slavic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZWQxs05aNh17XlYAFrbBKE278g0KWuGchZEyT7l_37_tAi2hyphenhyphenQDvpfTJpc0ZxumiqFkLX_Zy4lEe3D8SBfanT_CS-ttKoQR1n_4BMGFYZPEZOLOInYIxrfScpic29-pNwv-D6SprgDKhp/s1600/i-can-t-keep-calm-i-m-slavic.jpg" height="320" width="274" /></a></div>
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<li>If you’re a he, you’re the most
handsome of all men.</li>
<li>If you’re a she, you are the
fairest of all the ladies.</li>
<li>Bravery level: you enter a bear
cave barehanded in order to save “the damsel in distress.”</li>
<li>Insanity level: you enter a bear
cave barehanded just to prove how brave you are.</li>
<li>You don’t want to shake off that hangover,
you want to maintain it.</li>
<li>You can be both a good guy and a
bad guy in a Hollywood movie, except if you’re Russian. Then you’re definitely
the bad guy.</li>
<li>When you swear, everybody in the
world understands you.</li>
<li>When you protest against
something, no one in the world understands you.</li>
<li>You’re not afraid of getting ill,
because things like that don’t happen to you.</li>
<li>You’re the best at every single
sport.</li>
<li>You can split your country in
two, and then those two new countries into four, and so on, ad infinitum et
ultra.</li>
<li>You love music more than you love
bread, and you eat bread with pizza.</li>
<li>You always fall for the Three-card
Monte trick.</li>
<li>You know many words from 13
different languages, although you’ve studied only one.</li>
<li>Although you’re glad your
neighbor is doing worse than you are, you’ll always be there for him.</li>
<li>Every conspiracy theory involves
your country.</li>
<li>Brandy/vodka is the universal
cure for all illnesses and life’s problems.</li>
<li>You don’t agree with statement
No. 12.</li>
<li>You’re proud of your Slavic
origin, although you know other people’s history better than your own. </li>
</ol>
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Drina Steinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726318717386736006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6670570852991727654.post-61399019381451399382014-11-24T03:53:00.000-08:002014-11-24T03:53:37.493-08:00Jarilo is Slavic word for THE man<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI2I3KEvORRa2oJ5TDFVY_ocpHEScX7Gv5L2Ql-1uJiu_PxG8T1gNUqEAOIfSJJwTK4x9yccu8SkYk-ClWnbCWA-PIkeNgwKy2k6B32Ex5TD84D5JAO5UjS3RpXfr74o1avtqJRhAp5Uon/s1600/photodune-6807864-protection-wild-warrior-with-huge-metal-sword-m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI2I3KEvORRa2oJ5TDFVY_ocpHEScX7Gv5L2Ql-1uJiu_PxG8T1gNUqEAOIfSJJwTK4x9yccu8SkYk-ClWnbCWA-PIkeNgwKy2k6B32Ex5TD84D5JAO5UjS3RpXfr74o1avtqJRhAp5Uon/s1600/photodune-6807864-protection-wild-warrior-with-huge-metal-sword-m.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
A couple of days ago, we
celebrated the International Men’s Day, so I’ve decided to dedicate my today’s
post to my favorite Slavic god: Jarilo. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Jarilo, Jerovit, or Gerovit, or
even Rudyevit, is Slavic god of war and spring. Among Christians, he is better
known as Saint George (that’s right, the one that had slain the dragon, and the
saint in whose honor, on the 6<sup>th</sup> of May, Christians enjoy in at
least one of the remaining pagan customs, such as making fresh flower wreaths).<o:p></o:p></div>
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Jarilo is a son of the celestial
couple, Perun and Ziva. When he was still a baby, Veles, god of the underworld,
stole him from his parents and took him to his kingdom of Nav. Jarilo grew up
believing in two utterly painful lies. The first one was that his father was
Veles, who was actually his uncle who kidnapped him out of pure jealousy and
spite. The other lie brought him even more pain. Everyone kept from him that
his one and only love, Morana, was in fact his sister. The only difference was
that he was stolen, and Morana, goddess of winter, went to Veles on her own.
When he abandoned Nav and joined his real parents in Jav, Morana became his
eternal enemy, since she never forgave him for leaving. Honestly, I can’t think
of a woman who could forgive him that. And here’s why. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Besides being the Slavic god of
war: brave, determined, skillful knight in shiny armor, on a white horse (and
he literally rides a white horse), Jarilo is also the god of spring, which is
the reason why he looks so good he makes Apollo look like Nicki Minaj compared
to him. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Jarilo carries eight swords and a
big shield covered in gold. Seven swords represent the seven months of the year
governed by Jarilo, and the eighth sword is his personal weapon. His greatest
temple could once be seen on the island of Rügen and its roofs were covered in
purple. The root of his name, “jar” stands for fire, vehemence, rage, and
symbolizes his fiery temperament. However, he’s not some bloodthirsty god of
war, like Mars. Oh, far from it, he’s extremely honorable and righteous. Obeying
Svarog’s laws, he is, above all, the guardian of all Slavs, but also the
guardian of all the weak and helpless. Of course, if someone got on his bad
side, they would have a really good reason to be very afraid. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Jarilo is mighty fire and
celestial bliss in one. Perfect balance between two completely opposite worlds.
On one hand, there is vehemence, strength, bravery, and skill of war, and on
the other, there is warmth, beauty, fertility, and gentleness of spring.
Combined with a certain dose of humanness typical of all Slavic gods, it all
makes up a man that would make Angelina leave Brad. Unfortunately for her, he
is taken, and when he’s taken, he’s faithful. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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Step aside, Thor, we’ve got our
new favorite god!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<h2 class="title-h2" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; height: 26px; line-height: 1.3em; margin: 8px 0px 15px; padding: 0px;">
Yarilo</h2>
<div style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
In holy time, in Lelya's week<br />
Girls go mad with a dance of spirits.<br />
In Rusalkas' days, in forests<br />
We glorify young Yarilo<br />
Oh, yeah, Yarilo! Yarilo, Yarilo!<br />
Cloudy heaven shows you to us again<br />
Hoy, you, young god!<br />
Hoy, we call you!<br />
We sing the song<br />
With our April hearts</div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
It will roll, it will roll<br />
in the sky, in the bright sky<br />
Turn gloomy clouds out<br />
Hey, to Seven Hills!<br />
To Mighty Seven Hills<br />
That have stood in the darkness for centuries<br />
Kolovrat, turn time back<br />
Make people go on your road*</div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
Oh, yeah, Yarilo! Yarilo, Yarilo!<br />
Cloudy heaven shows you to us again<br />
Hoy, you, young god!<br />
Hoy, we call you!<br />
We sing the song<br />
With our April hearts</div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
Hoy, you, hoy esi! Hoy esi, Yarilo!<br />
Kolovrat turned time back<br />
We wish you roll, roll till dawn<br />
But do not forget to came back in the morning</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Taken from <a href="http://lyricstranslate.com/en/yarilo-yarilo-yarilo.html#ixzz3JvU8oiE2" style="color: #003399; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">http://lyricstranslate.com/en/yarilo-yarilo-yarilo.html#ixzz3JvU8oiE2</a></span><br />
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Drina Steinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726318717386736006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6670570852991727654.post-23522788001172406212014-11-17T14:16:00.000-08:002014-11-17T14:16:44.585-08:00Fun Fact Monday - Slavs and Nature<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://journeyingtothegoddess.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/mother-earth-by-paul-morley.jpg?w=640" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://journeyingtothegoddess.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/mother-earth-by-paul-morley.jpg?w=640" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">It is a well-known fact that
the early Slavs worshiped nature above all else. They respected it, loved it,
and worked hard to preserve it. It filled them with awe. Not only were their
divinities and mythological creatures inextricably related to nature, but Slavs
also strived to live their lives in perfect harmony with nature and its laws.
This made their lives so wonderfully simple. They believed that everything happened
simply because it had to happen, because it was natural. A man is no different
than an oak, a donkey, or a frail dandelion. A man is a living being who comes
to this world, grows old, and eventually dies. Unless they suffer from a fatal
illness, they die simply because it’s time to move on, because they grew old
and embraced old age with everything it might or might not bring.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">Everything natural was seen
as beautiful. A little lamb and an old sheep alike. Figuratively: because a
lamb symbolizes a new morning, fresh rush of strength and will, and a goat
represents wisdom at the end of the day, the night that brings us dreams,
whatever they may be. Literally: because mutton is delicious, and sheep that
give birth to lambs are to be carefully looked after. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">Although this may be
difficult to comprehend nowadays, the early Slavs loved people, too. Regardless
of different personality traits and tempers, they loved and cherished human
life, since life is the most valuable human possession. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">Human body was considered
sacred, especially because they believed they were descendants of gods. They
literally worshiped their bodies. They loved the light skin hidden underneath
layers of clothes, perfect abs that were the result of hard work, and deep
lines on the forehead, caused by frowning whilst aiming at prey.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">They didn’t need to come up
with No-Shave November in order to have a reason for growing a beard. No 7-day
detox was necessary to keep their metabolisms running. Large female behind may
have been used as a replacement for the timpani, but certainly not as a
leitmotif in songs. After all, it serves the exact same purpose as a little
one, if you know what I mean. An attractive naked girl in a field would perhaps
grab the attention of an entire village, but only if she possessed something
completely different in comparison to others; otherwise, a greater scandal
would be the lack of honey brandy at one of their festivals where they
celebrated life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">To be honest, if one of
today’s promiscuous celebrities happened to wander into the world of the early
Slavs, she would end up burning in a bonfire during the festival of Kupala. On
that holiday, they used to burn a woman-shaped doll that represented Morana.
I’m just not sure if they could deal with the smell of burning plastics, though,
since they used to make their scary dolls out of hay. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">During their numerous
festivals, they wore wreaths made of vine and wild flowers and enjoyed the
magic of love, music, and dancing. Happy and free, in accordance with the
greatest law, the law of nature, they were, in a way, the original hippies,
who, unfortunately, had to realize that they would have to learn how to fight
in order to defend themselves, and replace their Woodstock with
battlefields. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="FR" style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: FR;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">Time went by and they became known as brave and
fearless warriors. However, they never gave up on their love for nature. For
the life it gives and takes. They taught their children how to survive and
carry a sword, but there was no need for them to teach their offspring that
they shouldn’t harm nature - they already knew that on their own. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">Today I saw two adorable
little girls, singing a pop song and rollerblading past a dumpster. One of them
decided to throw some trash into the dumpster, even though she was obviously
too far from it. After failing to do so, she just went away with her friend,
both of them giggling as if they’d just met Justin Bieber, leaving the entire
content of the bag she threw lying on the sidewalk. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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Of course we can’t live our lives the way the early Slavs
lived theirs. However, until scientists find a way to artificially create all
living beings, of until we move to Mars, we should at least try to be like them
in this one respect. In their love and respect for the nature. Our one and only
home. The Earth. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 14px; text-indent: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-align: left;">image retrieved from</span></i><span style="line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>http://enlightenyourday.com/</i></span></span></span></div>
</div>
Drina Steinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726318717386736006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6670570852991727654.post-3133548491025419932014-11-10T01:35:00.001-08:002014-11-10T02:36:18.263-08:00Fun Fact Monday - The Cult of the Wolf<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/68/a1/ee/68a1ee74ac12169ef756d36e5987bb00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/68/a1/ee/68a1ee74ac12169ef756d36e5987bb00.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
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The cult of the wolf has long
been an important part of Slavic history and mythology. It is strongly related
to two major divinities: Dazhbog and Hors. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Dazhbog is one of the mightiest
Slavic gods. He is the god of the Sun, rain, and the underworld, as well as the
patron of miners, and the ancestor of all Slavs. He appears both in human and
animal form, either as limping old man who often comes down to Earth to help
and protect the humans, or a limping white wolf. The given features of the wolf
are in no way random; in fact, they carry strong symbolism.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The fact that the wolf is limping
does not imply its frailty; it indicates the strong connection between the wolf
and the Moon. With the exception of the full moon phase, the Moon is always
seen as incomplete, and this incompleteness is reflected in the wolf’s limping.
As the phases change, so does the strength of the wolf. The wolf’s power is at
its peak when the Moon begins to decline. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The color white symbolizes the
fact that Dazhbog belongs to the underworld. In European folklore, the
creatures and divinities residing in the underworld are almost always
represented as wearing white clothes. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The myth of Dazhbog also includes
the story of the son of Morana and Dazhbog, Van. It is believed that he is the
original ancestor of Serbs. According to this myth, Morana wanted to take
revenge against Dazhbog, so she blinded their son, and was severely punished in
return. Boiling with rage, she cursed Van and made him transform into a wolf.
Seven years later, his sister managed to lift the curse and help him regain his
human form. This is one of the main reasons why Serbs used to believe they were
descendants of the wolf.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
As far as Hors is concerned, he
is the god of the Moon and the morning sun, and is thus closely related to
wolves. Being the god of the Moon, he is also the god of the night, which is
the time of the day when wolves’ activity and strength are at their peak. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Belief in werewolves, inspired by
this relationship between the Moon and wolves, was common among the Slavs long
before Hollywood turned it into entertainment.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
After the conversion of Slavs to
Christianity, the cult of the wolves survived, as wolves found their patron in
Saint Sava, one of the greatest Serbian saints. Today, the significance of
wolves is reflected in the common Slavic name Vuk (wolf) and numerous last
names derived from this word. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-align: left;">(images retrieved from </span><a href="http://www.pinters.com/" rel="nofollow" style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">www.pinters.com</span></a><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-align: left;"> , video retrived from </span><span style="color: orange; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-align: left;">www.youtube.com</span><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-align: left;"> Van-Vuk</span><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-align: left;">)</span></i></span></div>
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Drina Steinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726318717386736006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6670570852991727654.post-14622300232181950622014-11-03T02:17:00.000-08:002014-11-03T02:17:10.412-08:00Fun Fact Monday - The Mischievous Womanizer<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://p.gr-assets.com/540x540/fit/hostedimages/1415008015/11716464.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://p.gr-assets.com/540x540/fit/hostedimages/1415008015/11716464.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">In Slavic mythology, Leshnik (or Lesnik, Lesovik, Leshy…) is a forest spirit, protector of wild animals and guardian of the entire forest in which he resides. His name in English would be Hazel, and he is one of the oldest fairy creatures. </span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Capable of changing his appearance whenever and however he wishes, he can take various shapes and sizes. One moment, he can be as small as a blade of grass, and the very next second he can be a giant the size of a sequoia. He most often takes the form of a tall man, with long hair and beard made of grass and vines. His eyes are green and glistening, his blood is blue, and it is believed that he has no shadow and wears his shoes on opposite feet. </span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">This infamous womanizer is known to kidnap beautiful women and do God knows what kind of naughty things with them behind the closed doors of his fur-covered cabin. He often makes young girls dance kolo in front of him, so he could enjoy their beauty and their graceful movement. </span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Although he is the protector of wild animals, he takes care of the domestic animals as well, preventing and solving the problems that arise from the antagonism between them. He has a pet bear that follows him around wherever he goes. </span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Leshnik is in no way evil, though he is a rather mischievous spirit. He enjoys leading people down the wrong forest paths, making them desperately lost. He hides lumberjacks’ axes in order to prevent them from hurting the trees. He is extremely noisy and is a truly talented piper. This, coupled with his great sexual desire and potency, makes him rather similar to Pan. </span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">It can’t go unsaid that the myth of Leshnik sounds like it was created by women at a time when Jane Austen novels and rom-coms were nothing but a distant future.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">(images retrieved from </span><a href="http://www.pinters.com/" rel="nofollow" style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;" target="_blank">www.pinters.com</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"> and </span><a href="http://www.epica.org/" rel="nofollow" style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;" target="_blank">www.epica.org</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"> respectively)</span></span></div>
Drina Steinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726318717386736006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6670570852991727654.post-73414142596326847642014-11-02T13:19:00.001-08:002014-11-02T13:19:53.752-08:00Belgrade Book Fair Photo Book<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://www.eventseye.com/s/international-belgrade-book-fair-6768-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.eventseye.com/s/international-belgrade-book-fair-6768-1.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">I've always enjoyed going to the Book Fair. Being surrounded by books, book lovers, great authors, it is truly a sort of a holiday for everyone who enjoys reading. Every year, I make lists of books I want to buy, book stands I’d like to check out, and authors I hope to meet. This year, it was the first time I visited the Book Fair as an author, and it was absolutely amazing. I had so much fun, meeting so many people who've read my novel, signing their copies, and chatting with everyone. Such a fulfilling experience.</span><br />
<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">For all of you who couldn’t come to the fair, here is a little photo book. I hope that we’ve managed to capture bits of that magical atmosphere and save them for you.</span><br />
<span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Preparations - Arkona Purpure bookmarks: Cvecara Bloom and Senka Simić, thank you so much for these, they're gorgeous! </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"><br /></span>
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<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">My team - from left to right: my editor, my publisher, and my publisher's husband, the best and also the kindest bookseller in the whole wide world.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-align: left;">The Scent of Legacy</span></div>
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<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-align: left;">Geronimo Stilton :)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-align: left;">Blowing off steam</span></div>
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<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-align: left;">By the way, I was happy to hear that the wonderful Tony Parsons had a great time at Belgrade Book Fair as well. He says that he loves how it’s bustling with life and great energy, and how it’s focused on the people and the books, not the business. Couldn’t agree more.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-align: left;">Hope to see you next year!</span><br />
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Drina Steinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726318717386736006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6670570852991727654.post-61818986148529911902014-10-31T17:33:00.000-07:002014-10-31T17:33:31.508-07:00Fun lovers around the world, unite!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Today is a joyful day for all the children and those young at heart. </span><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">The costumes, the trick-or-treating, the Jack-o’-lanterns, and gorgeous Halloween cookies; even the darkest and the bluest of the hearts can’t help but have fun today.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">This year, Halloween coincides with an important Slavic holiday, the holiday of Mokosh, perhaps the most important and the most powerful of all Slavic goddesses. Mokosh is the protector of women and her holiday is celebrated on the Friday between October 25 and November 1. On this day, no work should be done (hmmm, doesn’t that rhyme with fun?). In ancient times, Slavs would celebrate this holiday by visiting a lime tree and making offerings consisting of herbs and vegetables. It wasn’t, and still isn’t unusual for the Slavs to break into song and dance, especially on holidays, as it often happened on the day of Mokosh.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Nowadays, Halloween has become a sort of a global holiday, and is celebrated by the Slavs as well. So, whatever your reason for celebrating today might be, let the fun begin! </span><br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-align: left;">images retrieved from anakarniolska.deviantart.com and </span><a href="http://www.wallpapersandimages.com/" rel="nofollow" style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-align: left;" target="_blank">www.wallpapersandimages.com</a></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">re</span><span style="color: #eeeeee;">spectively)</span></span></div>
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Drina Steinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726318717386736006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6670570852991727654.post-48481164802663719172014-10-27T02:22:00.000-07:002014-10-27T02:56:08.751-07:00A Brief Overview of the Holy History of Beer - Slavic Edition<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Beer is one of the world’s favorite beverages, and it has been for quite some time. It had even made its way into a vast number of religions. Here is a list of Slavic deities that were in one way or another associated with either brewing or consuming this popular drink.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">* </span><strong style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Mati Syra Zemlya: Slavic Goddess of the Earth</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">In English, her name would be Moist Mother Earth and she is considered to be the oldest known Slavic deity.Due to her immense power and control over the Earth, the Slavs prayed that she would bring peace in the nature and save them from harm. They believed they could propitiate her by burying bread and pouring beer into the ground. If one was to stumble upon a hole in the ground, they believed it was Mati Syra Zemlya’s sign they should offer beer in order to appease her. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"> </span><strong style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Pereplut: Slavic Goddess of Drinking and Changing Fortune</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Some sacrifices are really not hard to make. If you’re a Slav and your luck has recently changed for worse, you know what to do. To get on this goddess’s good side, you should drink from a ram’s horn. No wonder so many sports fans drink beer during a match. Keep this in mind in case your favorite team is on a losing streak. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">* </span><strong style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Perun: Slavic God of Thunder</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Appeasing this mighty god was believed to require animal sacrifice. The Slavs used to kill animals in his honor, in hopes of good weather in the future and the end of a drought season. Afterwards, they would gather around the fire and eat and drink together, venerating Perun by pouring him beer and spilling it in the fire, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">praying that he would give them rain in return.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">In case you had the need to thank someone for the invention of beer, you could thank Radegast, since the Slavs believed he was the one to create this beverage.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">* </span><strong style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Ragutiene: Slavic/Baltic Goddess of Beer</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">This goddess is a part of the holy trinity of beer making. She is the partner of the god of fermentation, Raugupatis and the spouse of Ragutis, the god of beer. She is said to be a goddess with a truly intoxicating personality.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">* </span><strong style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Ragutis: Slavic/Baltic God of Beer</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Also a part of the trinity and the god of beer, Ragutis was celebrated together with his wife and Raugupatis for letting humans in on the secrets of food preservation and inebriation. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">* </span><strong style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Raugupatis: Slavic/Baltic God of Fermentation</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Raugupatis or Raugo-Zemepatis was thought to be the spirit responsible for making dough rise and turning grain into beer. Today, with magic long gone from our everyday lives, we believe it’s just yeast. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"> </span><strong style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Semargl: Slavic God of Barley</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">There are many different beliefs about this god. Some thought him to be a griffin with dog’s body, some believed he had seven heads, and there is also a story of two gods of barley, Sem a</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">nd Argl, who eventually grew to become one god.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"><i><span style="color: #cccccc;">(Images retrieved from journeyingtothegoddess.wordpress.com, goddesses-and-gods.blogspot.com, meettheslavs.com, holistix.org, livingthepath.blogspot.com, rugutis.wordpress.com, pinterest.com, and artnow.ru respectively. For more beer gods and goddesses, visit</span><span style="color: #eeeeee;"> brookstonbeerbulletin.com)</span></i></span></div>
Drina Steinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726318717386736006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6670570852991727654.post-37416412032511293302014-10-26T04:40:00.000-07:002014-10-26T04:40:10.305-07:00Day of the Ancients<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.3;">October 26 is an important date in Slavic tradition. On this day, the Slavic tribes celebrated the Day of the Ancients, the fourth such day in a year. It was the time when the living ones remembered their deceased relatives and went to the graveyards in order to take care of the graves and bring ritual food prepared for the occasion. A plate of food and a glass of beverage were left on every grave for the deceased, and the rest of the food and drink was consumed by the living in honor of the dead. It was a day for people to remember those who were no longer with them, not only with sadness, but also with smiles on their faces, sharing the memories of their loved ones, grateful for the light they used to bring into their lives. This kind of celebration survived even after the Christianization of the Slavs, with the dates and customs varying across nations.</span><br />
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Drina Steinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726318717386736006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6670570852991727654.post-11659512209684389362014-10-20T06:23:00.003-07:002014-10-21T04:45:23.120-07:00Cold, cold heart<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="background-color: ; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Every Ice Queen was once a woman who </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">loved and had her heart broken. Such is the story of Morana, Slavic goddess of winter and death.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Once upon a time, Morana was born as a daughter of the Sun, child of the supreme god Perun. She grew up to become a lovely maiden of glorious beauty. And as it usually happens, she fell in love with a strapping young man, son of the Moon, Jarilo, god of spring and war. Their love was great and at the beginning of summer, on the festival of Ivan Kupala, they joined their holy hands in marriage. Thus began a time of happiness and joy, and both the gods and the humans rejoiced, enjoying the glorious effect this union had on both the Earth and the Sky. With Jarilo being the son of Veles, god of the underworld, and Morana the daughter of Perun, the supreme god, their marriage brought peace between the two great deities and harmony between the two worlds. The nature on Earth flourished and soon the people celebrated their gods, grateful for the rich harvest that ensued.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">But this golden age did not last for long. Shortly after the harvest, Jarilo found out that Morana was keeping a secret from him. Terrified that he would leave her had he known the truth, she did all she could to prevent him from finding out that they were siblings, and that he was, in fact, a son of Perun, stolen by Veles when he was still an infant. Overcome with pain, disgust, and a whirlwind of dark thoughts, he decided to leave her, never to return again. Morana was crushed. Her immortal, yet fragile heart could not stand the pain, and it grew dark and cold. She wanted revenge. She wanted him to pay for abandoning her. And so she killed him, in the cruelest way imaginable, and became the goddess of winter and death, feared by all the Slavs for bringing cold, disease, and famine among them throughout the freezing months of winter. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Humans began to see her as a hideous hag, with her dark soul reflecting on the outside. But human eye is imperfect and subjective. In the eyes of those who could see beyond the mortal bounds, Morana was still beautiful, but forever changed. Her fair dark hair, pale skin, and slender figure, although appealing to the eye, made her a personification of what she represented: death. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">For the attentive readers of this tale, it is probably clear that the events described match the yearly cycle on Earth. This means that the story told here takes place every year, from the beginning to the end, with Morana’s heart being broken again and again, forever and beyond.</span></div>
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Drina Steinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726318717386736006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6670570852991727654.post-22019834522520084782014-10-20T01:13:00.006-07:002014-10-21T04:42:11.388-07:00Fun Fact Monday<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;"><span style="background-color:; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-align: left;">(image retrieved from </span><a href="http://www.littlemakeupface.com/" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: ; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-align: left;" target="_blank">www.littlemakeupface.com</a><span style="background-color: ; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-align: left;">)</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #999999; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-align: left;">Monday is commonly considered to be the most depressing day of the week. Although watching funny cat videos is a perfectly acceptable way of fighting off the Monday blues, I have decided to make my modest contribution to the cause and introduce: Fun Fact Monday!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-align: left;">In the spirit of my desire to bring Slavic mythology closer to the public, in my own particular way, at the beginning of each week, I will post exciting facts about Slavic gods, creatures, and more, in hope that their magic will make everybody's Mondays more bearable. Stay tuned!</span></div>
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Drina Steinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726318717386736006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6670570852991727654.post-16905798065684088082014-10-18T01:42:00.000-07:002014-10-21T04:38:24.493-07:00WOO HOO!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #545454; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">Here is a fresh trailer for my book! Hope you like it! </span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/S2IZdy41byc?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Drina Steinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726318717386736006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6670570852991727654.post-107858922739397582014-10-18T01:20:00.003-07:002014-10-21T04:33:53.427-07:00Great Book Event in Sun-kissed Belgrade<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.3;">As belated summer with its glorious sunny days awakens the Nature all across the Balkans, I feel invigorated and enjoy following my characters on their journey from the cliffhanger (in both literary and literal sense of the word) of the first part of the trilogy, through the plots and twists of the sequel.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">However, with the second part coming out no sooner than next spring, and many events in store until then, I’d like to invite all book lovers to the 59th International Belgrade Book Fair (October 26 - November 2). It should be a wonderful event, many great authors will be there, and I will be joining them, available to sign your copies of The Scent of Legacy, answer any questions you may have about the book, and more. Hope to see you there!</span></div>
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Drina Steinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726318717386736006noreply@blogger.com0