Author Archives: Barbara Lazar

BENZAITEN-Japanese Gods and Goddesses

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Benzaiten 
(an Edo painting)

I’m delving into the paranormal life and times of Japanese Gods and Goddesses. Not delving, let’s just say putting my toes into the ocean. So the first one of these series of blogs, one of the main ones  for my sequel to Pillow Book of the Flower Samurai, is Benzaiten, or Benten. She is amazing. As  you can see, women tattoo their bodies with her image. Why is she so popular? As a Goddesses, they don’t get much better. Even her name:      … Continue reading →

(ALMOST) ANONYMOUS SAMURAI WARRIOR QUEENS

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Watching the Smithsonian program, “Samurai Warrior Queens,” I found myself, again, marveling at how anonymous the historians (?mostly male) kept women’s contributions — anonymous. I am reading the kokinshū for the sequel to Pillow Book of the Flower Samurai, which I am currently calling The Samurai’s Daughter. The kokinshū is a massive Imperial collection of poetry from  the early 10th century. And the translators/authors of this fabulous book speak of this very thing. The anonymity of women and their contributions.     In the kokinshū many of the poems’… Continue reading →

ROMANCE FINANCE PISSANTS

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  Just to set the record straight—most of you probably know what romance is,  and if you don’t know anything about finance, you’re in trouble— but pissants sounds so terrible, that even my voice recognition software wants to call it, “puissance.” But it has nothing to do with ants, usually, unless you are at a picnic where they are attending. The word,  “pissants” is actually considered vulgar (but when did that ever stop anyone?). Pissants means a person place or thing that is insignificant or of no consequence or… Continue reading →

FALLING IN LOVE AGAIN IS… SO GOOD

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I’ve decided to fall in love with love. I’ve also decided to go back and revisit. . . THE ROMANCE  as a genre.. Fortunately I discovered a terrific series of romances that are keeping my nose glued to my Nook. (Literally falling asleep reading with my nose on you know what and I love it!) So what is this fabulous series? Noelle August’s Boomerang, Rebound, and Bounce. Sorry everyone, I received an advance copy, so you’ll have to wait until August 25 to get Bounce.… Continue reading →

The Muppet Movie & Me

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Panorama of Paris

The Muppet Movie & Me “Peoples is Peoples and Potatoes is Potatoes” What does this famous saying have to do with me? I am in France, traveled from the United States. I have heard — from assorted people over the years — that the French are rude. I have spent a week in Paris. J’aime à parle français.  [I love to speak French] As soon as I said I’m learning French [in French, naturally]  I am assisted; so although my French isn’t that good, it is… Continue reading →

THE PERSONALITY OF THE VILLAIN

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Gordian Knot

No matter what kind of fiction or nonfiction that we write or read, there must be CONFLICT. Without conflict there is little interest. So what creates that conflict? The villain, antagonist, shadow, giant/monster/ogre or whatever kind of “evil” figure can exist, needs to exist, for a STORY to exist. There can even be many different antagonists within a single story. Cinderella and her evil stepmother and stepsisters Yet there must be something that blocks the hero in some way. As a reader, you may not… Continue reading →

THE FEMALE HERO—ARCHETYPES and STEREOTYPES

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Departure of the Amazons by Deruet,  1620

I was going to continue this sequence of blogs with villains, but came across an article in the April Smithsonian called, “The First Wonder Women.” Amanda Foreman’s article discusses the more modern “Wonder Woman” comics persona and her upcoming presence or lack thereof in the upcoming movie, “Batman vs. Superman.” Not that favorably, either.                                     Foreman continues backwards in time until she arrives at one of my favorites:… Continue reading →

ARCHETYPES-THE HERO/HEROINE

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 WHY ARCHETYPES? WHY HEROES/HEROINES? Archetypes are important because they bring into our, well, psyches. Robert Jones and a guest post on Larry Brooks’ Storyfix.com says, “all fiction is an archetype that displays life on a symbolic level.” Archetypes are universally recognized essentials to literature. Chris Vogler in The Writers’ Journey agrees. He says, “All stories consist of a few common structural elements found universally in this, fairy tales, dreams, and movies.” Heroes can make or break.  When I read the Tarzan series, I realized how impossible and unrealistic the… Continue reading →

LIVING ON THE EDGE…

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  LIVING ON THE EDGE…   For the past several weeks I lived on the edge… The edge of the United States i.e. the California coast—from Los Angeles to beautiful downtown Placerville, California         I stayed with friends and relatives along the way. All of whom demonstrated superb hospitality to me and my husband.  At one point, Slinky, the cat above, visited and fell asleep on my computer  –to help me.   I was fortunate to do a reading at the Avid Reader… Continue reading →

HISTORICAL FICTION READING & WRITING: PART DEUX

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Miyagawa_Isshô-Spring_Pastimes-H

 Why Historical Fiction?  How to Write Historical Fiction? Why?  BECAUSE:   1. Love   2. Learn   3. Lore   4. Leap   5. Live 1.  Love For me, I came to love historical fiction when I was about 12. I introduced myself, I think by accident, to Mary Renault — The Bull the Sea — and their other classics. I fell in love with mythology, historical fiction and probably her and her writing.                     2.… Continue reading →

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