Since I haven't had a music post in a while

[jana_denardo]

Here's one now. I'm working on a story I would like to send to the Not Shakespeare anthology and it's giving me something of a fit. In an attempt to not have it be ridiculously long or make it feel like it's part of something larger as SO many of my fantasy/SF short stories are accused of being, this attempt is as close to contemporary fiction as I can make it. This is new and uncertain ground for me. I've never believed in 'write what you know' (research will fix that) but rather 'write what you love.'

I love fantasy, SF, mystery and urban fantasy. I do not love contemporary. My usual readers do not love contemporary. I know it's one of the better sellers or so they say. I've never bought one, so what do I know? I have nothing against it or those who read/write it. It's just not for me. Mystery is as close to contemporary as I get.

As my horrified first reader pointed out, this story is fluffy contemporary romance. Okay it has Druids in it, but real Druids based as best I can off the Angelesey Druid Order as I can make it. Maybe it'll have a whiff of the otherworldly but that's all. I'm not sure I can pull this off but I'm almost to the first kiss so that's something.

Gwion (the Druid naturally) has an idol that he'd like to be like, Damh the Bard and the man's music is definitely mentioned in the story. As I'm writing this, trying to capture the awen of my chosen backdrop, I've been listening to a lot of Damh's work so here are a few that will be or have been mentioned in the story so far. I hope you enjoy. I find it very inspirational (and more than a little in line with some of my own beliefs)

The first song Gwion will share

And this one which illustrates the myth Gwion's name comes from

And this one which might be the first. debating