Book Blitz! WONDERFULLY WICKED, by C.J. Burright

Wonderfully Wicked

by CJ Burright

Release Date: 05/13/14

Summary from Goodreads:

A dreamcaster with the ability to channel creatures from her nightmares, headstrong and cynical Kalila Montgomery longs for a peaceful, picket-fence life…until the man literally of her dreams kidnaps her. Survival quickly becomes her number one goal, yet a growing attraction to the man in her nightmares is impossible to ignore. While she fears he will kill her, other, more terrifying enemies surround her, and Kalila succumbs to his scheme to escape. She may be his one hope for freedom…A deadly combination of power, cunning, and cold-hearted charm, Lydon v'al Endrian fears nothing. Feels nothing.

Chained to a brotherhood of men with the supernatural ability to invade dreams, he hunts dreamcasters to be harvested for their dreams and killed. His target: Kalila Montgomery. But Kalila awakens an undeniable dark desire and a longing for a freedom long-lost. To gain everything he craves, Lydon must seduce Kalila before his plot is discovered…a hopeless challenge which, if failed, will earn him a death-sentence. Caught up in a dangerous world of secrets and obsession, doubt and betrayal, Kalila and Lydon face the nightmare of their lives, where love will either deliver them—or destroy them both.

Available from:

Amazon * Kobo

Excerpt:

“I took great effort to see you.” His tone hinted the act made him deserving. “You sleep; I’ll keep watch. And my vow of yesterday stands. I won’t molest you.”

To her annoyance, her pulse danced a country jig. Whatever efforts he took on her behalf were of questionable nature, not romantic. She made a rude noise in case he held any such illusions.

“Keep watch for what? No one besides you could reach my window and my door’s bolted.”

Lydon laced his hands behind his head, his lips twitching as though fighting a smile. “Then I’ll watch you. Like before.”

Horror prickled over her in a rushing tide. She leapt up. “You watched me sleep? Not skulked around in my bedroom to attack me?” She groaned, imagining him watching her drool, snore, or grind her teeth.

He laughed, low and warm. “You’re so lovely when you dream, Lils. An angel.” He patted the empty spot beside him.

Her traitorous body, defenseless against him, obeyed. The red, silken comforter hissed beneath her knees while she climbed onto the opposite side of the giant bed. The lone lamp by the bed cast a mystical glow over Lydon, catching golden highlights in his light hair, the silver shards in his eyes. “Watching people sleep is creepy.”

He shrugged. “Not people, just you. Besides, I am creepy.”

Definitely not creepy. Kalila settled into a cross-legged position and fixed him with a no-nonsense look. “Since it seems you have nothing better to do than lie there like a sloth, be useful and fess up. Why am I being treated as some freaking porcelain doll in a glass case? How can my nightmares benefit the V’alkara? Can the V’alkara really take my dreams away? None of you seem sick—and no, mental doesn’t count—so what’s wrong? And when will you take us home?”

Lydon jiggled one black boot. What she thought might be disapproval flickered in his eyes. “I won’t waste our alone time answering inquiries. I have other plans.”

She swallowed hard. Maybe she’d misjudged him. Maybe he was so confident in his assassin abilities—and her helplessness—he felt sneakiness was unnecessary.

He sat up in a blink of an eye, moving with inhuman speed. One large hand was planted next to her knee. His breath fanned her chin. The scent of the outdoors and a tinge of smoke drifted from his clothes. His voice whispered spider-soft.

“Do you care to know what other less attractive names some call me?” The world seemed to shrink to Lydon and the force of his gaze. “Angel of Ruin. Living Nightmare. Scourge.” His eyes gleamed, darkened. “As you might guess from such monikers, peace in my life is rare. I’ll relish any fragments of it I happen to stumble across for as long as possible.”

His fingers trailed her cheek to cup her chin. In the span of a heartbeat, his face changed. From beautiful man to skeletal beast then back to beautiful man. A chill coiled around her soul, deep and cold as a winter storm. Who—what—was this guy?

“Do you feel it too?”

Kalila’s heartbeat rumbled in her ears, kicked at her throat. Her fingers jerked with a fierce need to touch him. Instead, she fisted the blanket. Admit nothing to the enemy. Yet the urge to nestle her cheek into his palm and purr grappled with reason. She had to take control before she did something stupid.

About the Author

CJ blames her love for reading and all things Medieval on her father, who plied her often with fantasy novels ranging from Sir Lloyd Alexander to Piers Anthony.  Her love for romance, however, lies completely at the feet of her best friend Michelle, who dared to give her a romance novel for her birthday.  She smiled, politely said thank you, and tossed it in the corner, where it gathered dust.  In a moment of desperation, when only the revolting romance remained in her almost-always toppling stack of awaiting books, she sucked it up and read the romance.  Doomed. 

She started writing fantasy and paranormal romance for the cathartic experience, decided she liked it, and after two overlong, horribly written novels joined RWA and the Fantasy, Futuristic & Paranormal special interest chapter.  Best classes and critique groups ever.  Double doomed.  Now, writing is a necessity, not just a hobby.

In her spare time, when she’s not writing or reading or actually working, CJ might be found in the dojang (4th Dan Black Belt, baby), rooting on the Mariners (who will some day win the World Series), working out (P90X, anyone?), gardening (a little dirt never hurt anyone), or playing Music of the Night on the piano (without mask or cape). She lives in Oregon with her fabulous husband and daughter. Not to mention her minions, a herd of cats.

WONDERFULLY WICKED is CJ's Burright's first novel.

Author Links:

   

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How to Seduce a Band Geek (How To #2)

by Cassie Mae

Release Date: 05/06/14

Swoon Romance

Summary from Goodreads:

Sierra Livingston’s got it bad for her sister’s best friend, Levi Mason—the boy who carries his drumsticks in his pocket, marches with the school’s band, and taps his feet to whatever beat runs through his head. Sierra racks her brain for ways to impress the sexy drummer, but the short skirts and bursting cleavage don’t seem to cut it.

When Sierra gets paired with Levi’s sister, Brea, for a mentorship program, they strike a deal. In exchange for Sierra keeping her mouth shut about Brea ditching the program, Brea lets Sierra dig for more info on Levi to help get the guy of her dreams.

But when Sierra discovers Levi no longer plays the drums, his family has moved into a trailer, and he’s traded in his Range Rover for a baby blue moped, Sierra’s not sure if she can go through with violating his privacy. She’ll have to find the courage to ask him straight out—if he’s willing to let her in—and explore other ways to seduce the school’s band geek.

And here's an excerpt:

“Will you come here?” he asks, taking my wrist and guiding me—omigosh—on his lap. He slides back to make room for me, but now I’m like, straddling him. Legs over legs, one of his arms holding me steady, the other coming up and cupping my neck. I rest my hands on his waist, not sure where to put them because, holy crap, what is going on? I like it, whatever it is, but he still looks like someone’s twisting a knife in his gut.

“Levi, you’re kind of scaring me.”

He gives me this weird smile thingy, only half his mouth twitching up at the corner. “I’m sorry. I’m not trying to scare you.”

“Then what’s wrong? Is everything okay?”

He shakes his head, keeping his eyes locked on mine. My lips part slightly as I wait for him to spill. But he doesn’t. He drops his gaze to my mouth, and my breathing picks up.

“I need to kiss you.”

Available from:
Amazon * Kobo

Link to book one:
(cover linked to Goodreads)

Available from:

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo

About the Author

Amazon multi-category and international bestselling author of HOW TO DATE A NERD, HOW TO SEDUCE A BAND GEEK and HOW TO HOOK A BOOKWORM

Cassie Mae is a nerd to the core from Utah, who likes to write about other nerds who find love. Her angel children and perfect husband fan her and feed her grapes while she clacks away on the keyboard. Then she wakes up from that dream world and manages to get a few words on the computer while the house explodes around her. When she’s not writing, she’s spending time with the youth in her community as a volleyball and basketball coach, or searching the house desperately for chocolate.

Cassie Mae is an Amazon.com bestselling author of the teen contemporary romance novel REASONS I FELL FOR THE FUNNY FAT FRIEND, which she self-published. In addition to publishing with Swoon Romance, she is published by Random House Flirt.

Author Links:

    

*GIVEAWAY*

1 ebook of How to Seduce a Band Geek & $10 Amazon gift card (INT)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blitz Organized by:

Cover Reveal - THE REAL THING, by Cassie Mae!

Hooray!  We have another cover reveal on the blog today!  If you haven't read anything by Cassie Mae yet, you're missing out :)  She's awesome.

The Real Thing 

By Cassie Mae

Publication: August 19, 2014 by Random House Flirt

What it's all about: 

Eric Matua has one friend—his best friend and childhood sweetheart, who needs a place to stay for the summer. Mia Johnson has thousands of friends—who live in her computer. Along with her email chats and Facebook notifications, Mia also devours romance novels, spending countless hours with fictional characters, dreaming of her own Romeo to sweep her off her feet. When she starts receiving supersweet messages from a stranger who thinks she’s someone else, Mia begins to believe that real love is possible outside her virtual world. 

 When the two friends become roommates, Mia finds herself falling harder than she ever thought she could. But Eric keeps his desires locked away, unsure of himself and his ability to give his best friend what she deserves in a boyfriend. As her advances are continually spurned, Mia splits her time between Eric and her computer. But she soon realizes she’s about to lose the only real thing she’s ever had.

About the Author (who is gorgeous)

Cassie Mae is a nerd to the core from Utah, who likes to write about other nerds who find love. She’s the author of the Amazon Bestsellers REASONS I FELL FOR THE FUNNY FAT FRIEND and HOW TO DATE A NERD, and is the debut author for the Random House FLIRT line with her New Adult novels FRIDAY NIGHT ALIBI and SWITCHED. She spends time with her angel children and perfect husband who fan her and feed her grapes while she clacks away on the keyboard. Then she wakes up from that dream world and manages to get a few words on the computer while the house explodes around her. When she’s not writing, she’s spending time with the youth in her community as a volleyball and basketball coach, or searching the house desperately for chocolate.

Add it to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20805873-the-real-thing

Pre-order it now: http://www.amazon.com/Real-Thing-Flirt-Adult-Romance-ebook/dp/B00ILWZAV8/

"Writers betray people."

Last week, I had the honor of meeting Justin Torres, the bestselling author of WE THE ANIMALS.  If you haven't read it, you're missing out.  In short, it's a haunting coming-of-age story about family, betrayal, and sexuality that packs one hell of a punch in a whopping 125 pages.

The book.

The signed book.  It's OK to be jealous.

Though WE THE ANIMALS is fiction, Torres admits that it's thematically autobiographical.  Hence, one of the most interesting conversations we had involved his family's reaction to the book.  He said it was tough.  When the book was first coming out, he spent a lot of time worried about what they'd think when they recognized themselves in the characters.

"Writers betray people," he said.

As someone who frequently writes from personal experience, that comment really stuck with me.  He went on to say that he doesn't know if it's right.  If it's worth it.

At any rate, it got me thinking.

P.S.  Justin Torres disapproves of the blogosphere.  Oh well :)

(left to right) Me with phenomenal writers Tom Chester, Noa Nir, Meagan Smith, and Justin Torres

October Book Recommendation

Personally, October is my favorite month.  We've finally hit Fall, which means bonfires, hayrides, s'mores, and all the wonderful spooks that come out of hiding.  It's also great time to brew a mug of hot cocoa and sit outside with a good book!

For a good October/Halloween read, I recommend THIS DARK ENDEAVOR, by Kenneth Oppel.

The purest intentions can stir up the darkest obsessions. 

In this prequel to Mary Shelley's gothic classic, Frankenstein, 16-year-old Victor Frankenstein begins a dark journey that will change his life forever. Victor's twin, Konrad, has fallen ill, and no doctor is able to cure him. Unwilling to give up on his brother, Victor enlists his beautiful cousin Elizabeth and best friend Henry on a treacherous search for the ingredients to create the forbidden Elixir of Life. Impossible odds, dangerous alchemy and a bitter love triangle threaten their quest at every turn. 

Victor knows he must not fail. But his success depends on how far he is willing to push the boundaries of nature, science, and love - and how much he is willing to sacrifice.

Ever since reading the Matt Cruse series, Kenneth Oppel has been one of my favorite authors.  THIS DARK ENDEAVOR doesn't disappoint.  It's a page-turner that makes the Frankenstein story a lot of fun, yet doesn't lose any of its signature darkness.  Even if you're not a Frankenstein fan, I highly recommend it!

Find it here on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Goodreads.

#3 Stop on the London Book Lover's Tour: The Globe

"Ay, thou poor ghost, whiles memory holds a seat

In this distracted globe.  Remember thee!"

If you guessed Hamlet, you guessed correctly.  In these lines, while "globe" means "head," it's a play on words:  it also refers to Shakespeare's famous theater, the Globe, constructed in 1599.

Though the one you'll find in Bankside was constructed in 1997.

Unfortunately, the original burnt down in 1613, due to a cannon that set fire to the thatched roof during a performance of Henry VIII.  It was rebuilt, but again, it didn't last long:  it was torn down in 1644, during the English Civil War, by the Puritans who believed theater was the art of the devil.

The outside of Shakespeare's Globe.  The roof is open, but it doesn't matter:  rain or shine, the show must go on!

But the fact that this is the third Globe doesn't make it any less awesome.  It's constructed to look identical to the original (admittedly, much of it is guesswork), so the overall effect is a gorgeous outdoor Elizabethan theater that continues to put on spectacular--and I mean spectacular--shows for a very affordable price.

The stage!  This is the set for A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Before you jump into a show, however, I recommend taking the tour.  The guides are all actors at the Globe, so you know you're in for a show.  They're entertaining, of course, but they're also extremely knowledgeable about Shakespeare and the history of the Globe.

For fifteen pounds, you can sit.  For five, you can stand in the yard.

I was lucky enough to see The Tempest, starring Colin Morgan (Merlin) and Roger Allam (V for Vendetta, Les Miserables 25th Anniversary Concert).  For five pounds, I got to stand in the yard as a "penny groundling."  Sure, I had to stand the whole time, and occasionally I got rained on, but that didn't matter.  The view was great.  I was right up against the stage, and since it is Elizabethan theater, there was no shortage of actor-audience interaction.  As in, the person next to me got water dumped on his head.

(Note:  The following photos are not my own, since we were forbidden from taking photos during the performance.)

The opening scene of The Tempest.   That boat came through the audience.  Check out their costumes!

And did I mention that the show was phenomenal?  As I said, the Globe puts on spectacular plays, and it always has several to choose from.  This season, I picked from The Tempest, A Midsummer Night's Dream, MacBeth, and so many others, not all of them Shakespeare and not all of them performed in English.

Prospero (Roger Allam) and Ariel (Colin Morgan) in The Tempest.

Even if you aren't Shakespeare's biggest fan, seeing a show here is all kinds of worth it.  To go to a true Elizabethan theater is a unique experience.  Highly recommend!

Miranda (Jessie Buckley), Prospero (Roger Allam) and Ferdinand (Joshua James) in The Tempest.

#2 Stop on the London Book Lover's Tour: King's Cross and WB Studios

"It's the same every year, packed with muggles of course."

Mrs. Weasley doesn't exaggerate when she makes that comment about King's Cross Station in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (or Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, as they call it here in the UK) by J.K. Rowling.  It's packed, especially around the entrance to Platform 9 3/4, where muggles wait in a long line for a chance at running through the barrier.  (Not really, as they have people working there, probably to prevent just that).  If you're a Harry Potter fan, it's definitely worth a visit.  You'll be given a Hogwarts scarf of your choice, then you're able to pose for a photo with your cart, owl cage included!

But if you want even more Harry Potter fun, definitely check out the WB Harry Potter Studio Tour.  It is all sorts of magical.

You begin by watching a short film about how the books came to be movies.  Afterwards, the screen rises, revealing the door to the Great Hall.  You enter…

And yes, you're standing on the gigantic set of the Great Hall.

Set of the Great Hall.

Me, on the set of the Great Hall.

Afterwards, you move into a large studio, where you'll find the smaller sets:  the Gryffindor Boys' Dormitory, Dumbledore's Office, the Potions Classroom, the Burrow's Kitchen, and the Ministry of Magic, among others.

After the Great Hall, the Potions Classroom was probably my favorite set.  It's much larger than this one photo shows.

They had wigs for everyone, but
I liked this Malfoy display the
best :)

I could't resist taking
a "selfie" in the Mirror
of Erised.

You'll also get to see some really cool props:  the Malfoys' wigs, the door to the Chamber of Secrets, the Triwizard Cup, some broomsticks, and my personal favorite, the Mirror of Erised.  There's so much that it takes a good two hours just to get through this part.

Then it's off to a large courtyard, where you can take a break with a glass of butterbeer.  This was my favorite part, not because of the butterbeer (though that is delicious), but because here is where you get to see (and even climb on, in a few cases) some of the best set pieces:  the Weasley's flying Ford Anglia, the Knight Bus, 4 Privet Drive, Hagrid's motorbike, the Hogwarts bridge, the Potters' cottage, Tom Riddle's gravestone, and the giant chess pieces.

Josh and I ride Hagrid's motorbike, with the Knight Bus (and the Hogwarts bridge) behind us.

4 Privet Drive!

After that, you move into the creature room, where you'll encounter a wall of goblin masks, Fawkes the phoenix, Dobby, Buckbeak, and Aragog, among others.  Afterwards, you'll get to take a stroll along the set of Diagon Alley.  Finally, you end with the huge Hogwarts model, which they used for aerial shots of the castle.

The set of Diagon Alley, complete with Ollivander's, Flourish & Blotts, and Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, among many others.

This Hogwarts model is HUGE.

If you're a big Harry Potter fan like me, you'll probably get teary-eyed.

We did a pretty thorough exploration of London, seeing all the major tourist sites and more, but the WB Harry Potter Studio Tour was by far my favorite!  If you're in the area, definitely check it out!

London: A Book Lover's Paradise

That's me in front of Parliament!

Well, Study Abroad 2013 is officially over.  The semester has finished and I've fled Sevilla's sunshine to the clouds of London, where I'm staying with family for two weeks.

Honestly, I didn't expect a lot from London.  I anticipated it would be just like New York, or Madrid, or Barcelona, or any other big city I've visited:  dirty, crowded, generic.

I was wrong.

My first glance at Big Ben!

Apart from the weather, London is gorgeous.  The old-fashioned houses, the palaces and fortresses, the shops, the parks, everything.  But what makes it especially fun is that no matter where you turn, you recognize something iconic:  Big Ben, the Tower Bridge, Westminster Abbey, etcetera.

But what I love most about London is it's literary history.  Whether the home of a renowned writer or the setting of a classic, London has featured prominently in the book world.

Yes, that would be Buckingham Palace.

Over the next few days, I'm going to give a little virtual tour of London for Book Lovers.  So stop by!  If you know of anything interesting, tell me in the comments:  I have until Sunday to thoroughly explore :)

What is Magical Realism?

When I tell people I came to Spain to study literature (among other reasons, but that's the academic reason), they look at me funny, as though my freckles have turned purple.  Not many English majors venture to Spain; most American students go to the U.K. to study literature, which makes a lot of sense.  But the U.K. is a little chilly for my tastes, so here I am.  Plus, I really like Spanish and Latin American literature, probably even more than I like Brit Lit.

Márquez, considered the master of
magical realism.

For decades, Latin American literature has been linked with magical realism, though technically, the genre hails from France.  But as my professor told us, "Americans do it better."

Gabriel García Márquez.  'Nuff said.

But what is magical realism?  For some reason, it's a genre that we have a lot of trouble defining.  Often I'll look at a book that's described as magical realism, but really it's urban fantasy (or even just fantasy). Recently my professor gave us a good definition, which I figured I'd share:

Magical realism is exactly what the name suggests:  magical events happen in the normal world, but what separates it from genres like urban fantasy is that the events are told as though they're completely ordinary.  There is no sense of awe.  No wonder.  The characters show little to no reaction, and if they do, it's something like, "Hmm, that's interesting," and then they continue on with their lives.  They don't dwell on it, and neither does the narrator.  Magic is almost an aside:  "By the way, he was levitating.  No biggie."

In One Hundred Years of Solitude, for example, a character starts to levitate.  Why?  Because he drank hot chocolate.  It's passed off as totally normal.  Nothing special.  Happens all the time.

So say a character discovers that her next door neighbor is a witch.  If she freaks out (because who ever heard of witches actually existing?) then most likely that's urban fantasy.  If it's mentioned in passing, such as, "As Natasha walked to school, she waved to her next door neighbor, Mrs. Andrews, who happened to be a witch," then most likely it's magical realism.

A - Z Challenge: WORDS FROM WRITERS

Today we're just going to appreciate some beautiful words, written in Spanish.  I'm going to cheat a little bit, though:  the author of these words is Pablo Neruda, who is from Chile.  So he's not Spanish.  But I wanted to share these verses because they're some of my favorite ever written, in any language.  Really this poem doesn't have anything to do with Spain, except that I read it for the first time here.  Anyway, I think it's important, too, to learn to appreciate works in other languages :)  (I'll also be practicing my translation skills!)

Excerpt from Poema 20 by Pablo Neruda (Spanish)

Como para acercarla mi mirada la busca.

Mi corazón la busca, y ella no está conmigo.

La misma noche que hace blanquear los mismos árboles.

Nosotros, los de entonces, ya no somos los mismos.

Ya no la quiero, es cierto, pero cuánto la quise.

Mi voz buscaba el viento para tocar su oído.

De otro.  Será de otro.  Como antes de mis besos.

Su voz, su cuerpo claro.  Sus ojos infinitos.

Ya no la quiero, es cierto, pero tal vez la quiero.

Es tan corto el amor, y es tan largo el olvido.

Porque en noches como ésta la tuve entre mis brazos,

Mi alma no se contenta con haberla perdido.

Aunque éste sea el último dolor que ella me causa,

y éstos sean los últimos versos que yo le escribo.

Excerpt from Poema 20 by Pablo Neruda (English)

The same night whitening the same trees.

We, the ones of then, are not the same.

I no longer love her, it's true, but how much I loved her.

My voice searched for the wind to touch her hearing.

Another's.  She will be another's.  Like before my kisses.

Her voice, her bright body.  Her infinite eyes.

I no longer love her, it's true, but maybe I love her.

Love is so short, and forgetting is so long.

Because on nights like this I held her in my arms.

My soul is not content having lost her.

Even though this is the last pain she'll cause me,

And these are the last verses I'll write her.

Unfortunately, English doesn't do the poem justice.  It's gorgeous in Spanish :)

A - Z Challenge: JUAN TENORIO (DON JUAN)

SPAIN

Most likely you've heard of the infamous Don Juan, but have you ever paused to ask yourself, "What, exactly, is his deal?"

I know I didn't.  Not until I came to Spain, anyway.  I knew that Don Juan was a notorious lover, but that's it.

There are various versions of the tale.  In general, however, it goes something like this:

Don Juan supposedly lived in Sevilla, specifically in Barrio Santa Cruz, where today there are plaques denoting his house and the house of one of his lovers, Doña Inés.  He was wealthy, handsome, prone to gambling and violence, and extremely proud of his prowess.

The plaque in Barrio Santa Cruz.  It reads something like:  "Popular rumor says that in this part of the old neighorhood, on Chorro Street, there was born a gentleman whom nobody could surpass in games, in fighting, or in love.  He died and was redeemed in Seville by Doña Inés, and the pen of Don José Zorrilla, in his retelling of the legend, gave him life in the universal work of DON JUAN TENORIO."

After seducing Don Inés, her father Don Gonzalo challenged him to a duel.  Don Juan, always the better fighter, won, but had to flee the city.  Shortly thereafter, Doña Inés died of sorrow.

Then Don Juan sees a vision of his own death.  His own burial.  Plot twist!  Don Juan was actually killed in the duel with Don Gonzalo, and here is where versions split:  sometimes, Doña Inés redeems him and together they go to Heaven.  In others, he is swept into Hell as punishment for his philandering, violence, and vanity.

WRITING

The Don Juan legend is one that gets a lot of retelling, at least in Spanish literature.  What with shows like Once Upon a Time, books like Cinder, and movies like Jack the Giant Slayer, retellings are big these days.  I really like retellings, especially when they involve more obscure legends, though my all-time favorite is Ever After.  Not exactly obscure, but how can you go wrong when the fairy godmother figure is Leonardo da Vinci?  Right now, I'm reading This Dark Endeavor and Such Wicked Intent, both retellings/prequels of/to Frankenstein, written by one of my favorite authors, Kenneth Oppel.  If you like retellings, I definitely recommend them.

What's your opinion on the retelling trend?  What are you favorites?  What would you like to see?

A - Z Challenge: BULLFIGHTING

SPAIN

When you think Spain, chances are you think bullfighting, though it's also practiced in other parts of Europe and Latin America.  At its most basic, the "art" consists of baiting a bull, then killing it in the arena, known as a bullring.

Bull statue in Ronda.

Believe it or not, bullfighting is considered an art, not a sport.  The matadors, locally referred to as toreros, train from an early age, developing their own rhythm and style, for which they're known around the country, and sometimes the world.  As Hemingway wrote, "Bullfighting is the only art in which the artist is in danger of death and in which the degree of brilliance in the performance is left to the fighter's honour."

Bullring in Ronda.

It's a practice that dates back thousands of years (pre-Rome), but it's often compared to the more well-known gladiatorial competitions.  However, modern bullfighting, which involves fighting on foot (rather than mounted on a horse), staying within inches of the bull, and using the red cape, came about in the 18th century.

Nowadays there's a lot of controversy about bullfighting.  My host mother, Isabel, is very against it, for example.  When I asked her about it, she threw up her hands and said, "¡Qué barbaridad!"  The autonomous community of Catalonia (where Barcelona is located) actually banned bullfighting, and animal rights activists are trying to get the rest of Spain to follow suit.

Honestly, it seems that nowadays bullfighting is more for tourists than for Spaniards.  People come from all over the world and pay darn good dinero to see it.  Don't get me wrong:  there are indeed Spaniards who are bullfighting fanatics (the kind who get season tickets), but not nearly as many as there used to be.  But Spain is all about cultural tradition, so I highly doubt it's going to get the boot.

WRITING

Confession:  Hemingway is a historical crush
of mine.  For his writing, for his adventurous
spirit, for his love of Spain.  (All right, his looks,
too).

You know who liked bullfights?  Ernest Hemingway, whose novel The Sun Also Rises is all about bullfights in Pamplona, complete with a twisted love triangle (rectangle?  pentagon?) involving a matador.  He goes into great detail describing the bulls, the bullfights, and the style of Pedro Romero, the matador remembered for his ridiculously tight pants.  (Though really all matadors have tight pants, but his are notable since they help to contrast him with protagonist Jake Barnes.  If you have no idea what I'm talking about, you can read all about it here--or better yet, read the book because it's great).

In both Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises and Esteban Echeverrías The Slaughterhouse (El Matadero, in Spanish), bulls are stand-ins for the human characters.  Symbols, if you will, usually of immense honor and courage.

Symbols are always fun to write.  They're like secret codes:  you know them, and your readers have to figure them out.  Though since I don't generally write literary fiction, most of the time I don't realize I included a symbol until I go back and revise.  Then I'm like, "Hey.  That works.  Good job, subconscious."

What's your opinion on bullfighting?  Approve or disapprove? Have you seen a bullfight?  Read The Sun Also Rises?  Thoughts on symbols?

And because I can, how about a Spanish song?  B is for "Bulería," by David Bisbal, who happens to have very bouncy hair :)  There may or may not be a bullring in this video.