Happy Holidays from the world of the Ellderet!
Sending love, whiskey, and good wishes to everyone during this holiday season - and, of course, cat hair. Cat hair for everyone, lol! To everyone driving: Safe travels. I confess that I’m not a huge fan of X-mas carols . . .
Sending love, whiskey, and good wishes to everyone during this holiday season - and, of course, cat hair. Cat hair for everyone, lol! To everyone driving: Safe travels.
I confess that I’m not a huge fan of X-mas carols, but the Hub might have found a holiday tune I can finally get behind, bwahahaha 😈 I can most certainly see E’sinea and Amonos singing this tune. I have a feeling it speaks to their poetic souls.
🥀💙
Halloween in Christmas: Podcasting and Quilting Pumpkins with HorrorAddicts.net
Lo! Christmas is nigh. And thus I bring a bit of October back with a podcast glorifying all things dark, including a quilted pumpkin project. To everyone driving for the holiday season, stay safe! Back in October, I was invited by HorrorAddicts.net to be a guest on their podcast’s season finale.
Lo! Christmas is nigh. And thus I bring a bit of October back with a podcast glorifying all things dark, including a quilted pumpkin project. To everyone driving for the holiday season, stay safe!
Back in October, I was invited by HorrorAddicts.net to be a guest on their podcast’s season finale. I was super excited to be a part of the project and thankful that I could help out. This marked the fourth time I’ve appeared on a podcast or broadcast, but the first time I’ve been able to see the podcaster at work. Previously, I was a guest on Unreliable Narrators via Skype, did a live reading of “Leaving the #9” at SF in SF, appeared on FCC Free Radio (FFR) alongside Tales for the Camp Fire: A Charity Anthology editor Loren Rhoads.
But of course, anxiety decided to rear its ugly head.
Participating in the HorrorAddicts.net podcast episode as it was being recorded was a very insightful experience. I got to see the podcaster (Emerian Rich) at work directing, narrating, planning, troubleshooting, stabbing repeatedly at a craft pumpkin, sound checking, checking on her crew between takes, etc. The number of moving pieces was way more than I had ever expected, and I only saw one part of a very large beast … mind blown. Mad respect to all the podcasters out there!
The number one thing that stood out to me about podcasting is how forgiving it seemed to be. Stumble on a word? Say something you wish had not left your pie hole? No problem: re-record and edit. There had been no such accommodation on the live radio show, which was also a great experience, but different (I now have the cutest lucha libre rubber duck courtesy of FFR’s host)!
The other difference with podcasting was being able to see the questions ahead of time, although even then my mind blanked. While talking about favorite cursed places with Emerian and crew, I forgot to mention one of my favorite YouTubers who explores abandoned places: Exploring with Josh. It’s like knowing what books you want and forgetting them all the moment you step into the bookstore!
During the podcast, we talked horror movies, gothic music, and upcoming dark literature releases, and that was just in the segment I was part of! Afterward, we somehow wandered into the topic of hats, and I learned something new about my friend: she makes tea hats. The Craft(ing) is strong with Emerian. Not so much with me. Need a button or patch sown? I gotcha. Need that hemline raised? That’s what safety pins and staples are for 🙃.
To date, my quilted pumpkin remains unfinished, its iridescent green bottom naked for all to see. Mind you, it’s not for lack of supplies, as my friend was kind enough to send me away with the necessary accoutrements. One day, Little Pumpkin, I will finishing driving pins into your artificial flesh. One day.
Safe travels and best wishes to everyone, during this holiday season and always.
Until next we meet,
EMM
Check out podcast Episode 176 and how to make your own quilted pumpkin.
Sweet Corn Atole Recipe: The Mexican Beverage that Appears in ‘To Nurture & Kill’
Hello!! I hope everyone had a lovely holiday. It’s a cold and rainy day in San Francisco as I write this post. The Assistant is sitting in his chair beside me, buried under a blanket because the room that is my office doesn’t really heat up …
“Kira took a huge gulp of his own drink, which was made of finely ground corn, milk, and sugar. ‘My dwink is the best.’”
Hello!! I hope everyone had a lovely holiday. It’s a cold and rainy day in San Francisco as I write this post. The Assistant is sitting in his chair beside me, buried under a blanket because the room that is my office doesn’t really heat up. He could easily go to another, much warmer room, yet he remains here with me in solidarity.
One blanket to rule them all.
The holidays are bittersweet for me, as I’m reminded of my mom and the countless hours we would spend making food. In that tradition, the husband and I made chicken mole chatino. And yes, it’s true what they say about Mexican mole: it does tend to have a lot of ingredients and steps, but the end result is always worth it. The other recipe that I made was the sweet corn drink that little Kira enjoys during the Corn Festival in To Nurture & Kill.
When thinking of the dishes and drinks to include in To Nurture & Kill, I naturally tapped into my own culture’s cuisine. Corn, or maize, is the heart of Mexican cooking, and so in the world of the Ellderet it is the staple crop of the southern half of Moenda, especially Florinia.
“They were natural mazes, mazes forged of rows of plowed dirt and leafy walls carrying the divine kernals that would nourish the people through the winter.”
The sweet corn drink enjoyed by Kira during the Corn Festival is a Mexican drink known as atole. The foundation of most atoles is usually masa harina, milk, sugar, and spices like Mexican cinnamon and vanilla. Some variations add fruit, fresh corn, or chocolate and piloncillo (champurrado) to the atole.
My version uses masa harina and fresh corn, since the beverage enjoyed by Kira in the book takes place during the Corn Festival that is held every year in Florinia at the beginning of the harvest season. Corn aplenty, y’all. You can also expect to see atole make an appearance again in the forthcoming The Faceless God. And this time, not only will you know what the characters are drinking, but you’ll also know how this warm and luscious drink is made. Plus, for a behind-the-scenes look at how the beverage was made, check out my IG Story Highlights!
Let me know if you’ve had this drink before and if you decide to make it yourself tag me on Instagram @tomesandcoffee :) I’m a bit slow with responses, but if you have a cooking question, please feel free to ask and I will answer it asap.
Now, off with you to the corn fields, dear, and pray that you reach their end without being bitten by a tezca snake. I hear that it’s a terrible way to die.
Ingredients:
6 fresh corn ears
1 cup water
1/4 - 1/2 sugar, or to taste
4 cups milk
1-2 tablespoons of masa harina
*1 tablespoon corn scratch (if you can’t find masa harina)
To a medium pot, add the water + cinnamon sticks. On low to medium-low heat, slowly infuse the water until it’s tinted a deep red. Add sugar to taste and dissolve. Remove the pot from heat, add 2 cups of milk, and set aside. Move on to preparing the corn.
Remove the husk and silk from your 6 ears of corn. Discard those, then rinse the ears, dry them, and carefully remove the kernels without offering up a finger to the Faceless God.
Add half of the kernels + 1 cup of milk to a blender. Blend to a smooth consistency. Add the remaining kernels + 1 cup of milk and repeat.
Place a fine mesh sieve over a bowl or pot. Pour the blended corn + milk mixture into the sieve, gently helping to push the liquid through with the back of a wooden spoon. Make sure to sieve and squeeze out as much of the liquid as possible. This will take a good 10 minutes.
Over medium-low heat, cook your mixture for 30-40 mins. Do not boil. At this stage, you will have to repeatedly stir to prevent the milk from burning/sticking to the bottom of the pot. Bouts of existentialism might occur as you stir stir stir away your life. Fun times for all!!!
After 15-20 minutes of cooking, proceed to the next step while continuing to cook. Dissolve 1-2 tablespoons of masa harina in a small bowl with a bit of the corn-milk mixture from the cooking pot. It will remain kinda clumpy, but that’s okay. Now, sieve the mixture into the pot while using the back of your wooden spoon to help push the masa harina clumps through the sieve. If you still have clumps hanging around in your sieve, ladle some of the milk-corn mixture and repeat the above step until most of it is gone. Discard whatever clumps/grains remain. This step is super important! You want to make sure your atole is smooth. You don’t want to piss off the Faceless God with grainy atole. Unless, of course, you want to …
*ALTERNATIVELY: Dissolve corn starch in a bit of cold water and then slowly pour and stir the mixture into the pot. If you can’t find or don’t like the taste of the nixtamalization process (calcium hydroxide), then use corn starch. Masa harina is what was used in To Nurture & Kill, and I personally love the taste.
Continue cooking and stirring over low heat until the atole thickens to the consistency of hot chocolate. Remove from heat when done.
Serve warm in a cup, grab a book and blanket, and settle in for comforting goodness.
Note: If your atole becomes too thick for your taste, warm up some milk and slowly stir it into the pot (or cup) until it becomes the consistency you want. This will dilute the corn flavor, but I feel that enjoying the texture of your drink is important.
Cheers!
EMM
Kanoqui the Feral Prince and E'sinea Listen for the Swiftest Bird Alive
“I should like one day to catch Gossip and wring its neck.”
“I should like one day to catch Gossip and wring its neck.”
-E’sinea (The Deadbringer)
Guest Post: How Metal Changed My Life by Jonathan Fortin
My short story Requiem in Frost is not exactly autobiographical. I’m not a Norwegian girl, and I’ve never lived in a house haunted by the ghost of an extreme metal musician. But there is an important facet that is taken fairly directly from my own life …
My short story Requiem in Frost is not exactly autobiographical. I’m not a Norwegian girl, and I’ve never lived in a house haunted by the ghost of an extreme metal musician. But there is an important facet that is taken fairly directly from my own life.
Requiem is the story of Ingrid, a fourteen-year-old girl who discovers music that speaks to her after finding it abrasive throughout her childhood. This was more or less my own experience growing up as a hypersensitive autistic boy. Bright sunlight hurt my eyes; my first time showering felt like needles were puncturing my back; I was disgusted by food that everyone else loved; and music made my ears hurt. That last one made me feel especially alone in the world; who didn’t like music? It didn’t help that my dad was a jazz guitar player, and my brother a drummer, whose drum set took up a big chunk of the room we shared. At school, the other kids blared hip-hop, the bass turned up so high that I felt its vibrations in my chest and temples—an uncomfortable, violating sensation that would render me unable to think or function.
As a result of all this, I considered music to be abrasive, inescapable noise that was forced upon me. I enjoyed certain movie soundtracks and didn’t mind the angsty punk rock that my brother introduced me to, but nothing really awakened my passion until I turned seventeen, and I decided to seek out music of my own. I was obsessed with Tim Burton movies, and had got it into my head that I was a goth, even though I had yet to dress the part or listen to the music associated with the subculture. My school didn’t have too many goths, so I took to the internet, asking online acquaintances for suggestions—some of which I liked, some of which I didn’t. Slowly, I expanded my musical knowledge, and was soon hooked on goth, industrial, and of course metal.
My exposure to extreme metal began, as it did for many in my generation, with Cradle of Filth. At seventeen, I was not yet accustomed to screamed or growled vocals, finding them as abrasive as high-bass hip-hop. The beautifully gothic music video for Cradle of Filth’s “Nymphetamine” changed that. It mixed Dani Filth’s (rather silly) growls with clean, angelic vocals from Liv Kristine and a sumptuous visual style. I was so taken by the aesthetic of the clip that I watched it over and over, slowly becoming desensitized to the growled vocals. From there I moved on to Dimmu Borgir’s symphonic epic “Progenies of the Great Apocalypse,” and shortly thereafter moved onto more traditional (or “proper”) black metal acts—eventually falling in love with the likes of Emperor and Immortal. Amongst seasoned black metal fans, Cradle of Filth and Dimmu Borgir are largely a joke. Both bands are cheesy and commercialized when compared to true black metal. But I think it’s important to realize that these bands can serve as a gateway to what many of us think of as better music.
Black metal doesn’t have the best reputation. Most “normal” people find it too abrasive to listen to; its history is full of suicide, church-burning, and murder; and there’s an unfortunate Neo Nazi contingent in the fandom. But for me, the dark music became a source of comfort and catharsis, its abrasions somehow healing, its barbarism somehow peaceful. It also became a source of community, allowing me to meet other people with similar interests and beliefs. I cannot understate what a hugely significant thing this was. Growing up, I didn’t have too many friends—I was awkward, shy, and didn’t have too much in common with my peers. Discovering my music allowed me to discover my people.
In other words, this dark, satanic music was a wholeheartedly positive influence on my life, and a big reason why I managed to grow up into a well-adjusted, high-functioning adult.
You’ll have to read Requiem in Frost to find out whether the same can be said for Ingrid.
3rd Annual Tales of Horror at the San Mateo Public Library
This Wednesday, 10/2, at 7pm-8:30pm, I will be at the 3rd Annual Tales of Horror at the San Mateo Public Library. I had quite a lovely time at the 2nd Annual Tales of Horror …
This Wednesday, 10/2, at 7pm-8:30pm, I will be at the 3rd Annual Tales of Horror at the San Mateo Public Library. I had quite a lovely time at the 2nd Annual Tales of Horror and am looking forward to reading to the public once again! Last year’s event was a lot of fun with authors dressing up in costumes and reading excerpts from their books. I’m hoping to dress up again this year, but lately the Kleenex box has been my best friend. Maybe I can be a catrina with a head cold. lnstead of a crown of roses in my hair, maybe I should consider a crown of tissues, lol!
I’ll have a limited number of copies of “Leaving the #9,” The Deadbringer, and To Nurture & Kill on hand for sale. And since you’ll be buying direct from me, all purchases will include a free limited edition Ellderet bookmark (while supplies last). If you’re one of my Newsletter of the Cursed subscribers, you know all about the trials and tribulations behind these bookmarks. If you’re not subscribed, please consider becoming one of The Damned. The Faceless God will most certainly be getting its own limited edition bookmark, and I would like to ask my newsletter subscribers to help me choose the design.
The Damned strike a pose
Authors from left to right: Loren Rhoads, Mercy Hollow, EM Markoff, Emerian Rich
So yeah, if you’re looking for a night of spooky stories read by costumed authors dressed to impress, then the 3rd Annual Tales of Horror is for you! Many thanks to the San Mateo Public Library for hosting the event (#supportlocallibraries) and to HorrorAddicts.net for organizing.
The following authors will also be reading at the event: Emerian Rich, Jonathan Fortin, J. Malcolm Stewart, Trinity Adler, Loren Rhoads, Laurel Anne Hill, Ben Monroe, R.L. Merrill, Mercy Hollow, and Sumiko Saulson.
2019 Upcoming Events:
10/2/19: Tales of Horror | San Mateo Library | San Mateo, CA | Free | Reading
10/11/19: Stephen Chbosky with E.M. Markoff | Kepler’s Literary Foundation | Menlo Park, CA | 7:30pm - 9pm | Buy tickets
10/19/19: Lit Crawl | Dalva | San Francisco, CA | Free | Reading
My Experience Growing Up Bilingual and How That Informs The Pronunciation of Names in my Books
This post is spoiler free. This post is indebted to a long-time Ellderet reader who stopped by my booth at SVCC 2019 to ask how to pronounce certain names from The Deadbringer. He told me the way he pronounced them, and I told him the way I pronounced them …
Part 1:
In which statements are made, but first . . .
This post is spoiler free. Here only for the pronunciation? I gotcha. Scroll down to Part 2 and Fortune be with you. But if you want to get a clear sense where my pronunciations come from and why I have some names pronounced two different ways, then read on.
This post is indebted to a long-time Ellderet reader who stopped by my booth at SVCC 2019 to ask how to pronounce certain names from The Deadbringer. He told me the way he pronounced them, and I told him the way I pronounced them. This conversation prompted me to ask him if a glossary on pronunciation would be a welcome addition to The Faceless God. I can’t recall the exact words he used in response, but he did say that a glossary or something that explained “however you say the names, even if it’s made up” would be welcome.
This got me thinking how I—as someone who grew up speaking and consuming both English and Spanish—approached names in fantasy books. I realized that more often than not that I say the names of characters, places, cities, etc. with a Spanish pronunciation, especially if the spelling lends itself to it. This feels natural to me. Is this my subconscious way of inserting my culture into my everyday narrative so I can see myself represented? Possibly — I do want to see myself in the world around me and in the fantasy stories I read. All those fantasy names with lots of r’s? You can bet I was rolling the r’s in Perrin Aybara’s name.
As for the world of the Ellderet, the way I approach pronunciation is rooted in my experiences as a first generation bilingual Latinx. That is, I often pronounce the names in two different ways, as if reading them in both English and Spanish. Let’s use the name “Judas” as an example. In English, the word has a hard “J” sound (“joo-dus”), while in Spanish the “J” sounds more like an “H” as in “hoo-dahs.” (As you can no doubt tell, I don’t know shit about linguistics.) In my own personal experience, it wasn’t uncommon for me to hear bilingual speakers pronounce their name or a word (like “guacamole”) in both English and Spanish, and to switch back and forth between the two pronunciations in everyday conversation (Spanglish!).
Circling back to the name Judas, if it were my own name, would I prefer being addressed with one pronunciation over the other? It depends. It’s the individual who dictates how their name is pronounced, not everyone else around them. Data from Star Trek: The Next Generation most certainly had a preference, made it known, and asked others to respect his preferred pronunciation. There may be a character in the world of the Ellderet who shares Data’s views. Feel free to take a guess who it is 🙃
Commander Data explains the proper pronunciation of his name.
I most likely did a terrible job explaining myself but, as I mentioned before, I’d never given this topic much thought. For me, switching back and forth between languages, especially when I’m speaking with someone else who grew up speaking both English and Spanish, is normal. Being bilingual is a part of my everyday life and has no doubt found its way into my writing. #OwnVoices, y’all.
Part 2:
Finally, the pronunciation!
One last thing before I show off my amazing phonetic skills . . . Dear reader, say the names how they feel the most natural to you. But, if you want to know how I say them—how the characters refer to themselves in my head—then prepare to enter the madness I warned you about!
The Ellderet Cast
Kira Vidal (Kee-rah or Keer-uh Vee-dahl)
*Eutau Vidal (Oo-tow Vee-dahl)
Elia (Ee-lee-ah)
Sal Zem (Sahl Sem)
Kim Lafont (umm, Kim. Luh-fahnt)
Teemo-Na’dissima Rey de’Es (Tee-mow Nah-dee-see-mah)
J’kara (Jay-kah-ra or Jah-kah-ra)
Lyse (Leez)
Daemeon (Day-mee-on)
Natsu’es (Naht-soo-ess)
Huas-lan (Whas-lahn)
Telera (Te-le-rah)
E’sinea (Eh-see-nee-a or Ee-sin-ay-ah)
Amonos (Ah-mo-nohs)
Marya Herzmmen (Mar-yah Hers-men)
Kristoff Herzmmen (Kris-toff Hers-men)
Ga’jona (Gah-jo-nuh)
Sa (Sah)
Lauchitl (Lau-che-tle)
Adan (Ah-dahn)
*Eutau. It’s Oo-tow, but “tow” as in “ow!” not “I need to tow my car.” :)
The cities and towns of Moenda
Opulancae (Op-you-len-say)
Suelosa (Swey-low-sah or Sue-los-ah)
Rhaemond (Ray-mond)
Xulmé (Shul-meh)
Ilvra (Eel-vrah)
Kessrennt (Kess-rent)
Jané (Ha-neh or Juh-nay)
Ayotil (Ah-yo-teel)
Nhaleri (Nah-le-re)
Florinia (Flo-ree-neeh-ah or Flor-in-ee-uh)
Ulivi (Oo-le-ve)
It may seem strange that I have multiple pronunciations for the same words, but that’s what growing up bilingual is all about.
How would you pronounce these words? 🤔
Until next we meet,
EMM 🥀
2019 Upcoming Events:
10/2/19: Tales of Horror | San Mateo Library | San Mateo, CA | Free | Reading
10/11/19: Stephen Chbosky with E.M. Markoff | Kepler’s Literary Foundation | Menlo Park, CA | 7:30pm - 9pm | Buy tickets
10/19/19: Lit Crawl | Dalva | San Francisco, CA | Free | Reading
Kanoqui the Feral Prince and E.M. Markoff Get Some Rest After SVCC 2019
As always, it’s the people who make Silicon Valley Comic Con a memorable convention. 💙 To my long-time Ellderet readers: THANK YOU for continuing with me on this journey …
As always, it’s the people who make Silicon Valley Comic Con a memorable convention. 💙 To my long-time Ellderet readers: THANK YOU for continuing with me on this journey. I’m blessed and humbled that you want to read more of my work. The questions that you bring to the table about the world of the Ellderet give me strength, and from one of these questions, the first of many posts exploring the world will be born.
To everyone joining me for the first time: Hola! I and the Assistant, Kanoqui the Feral Prince, welcome you. Thank you for taking a chance on this author. I hope our paths cross once more at another convention.
If you want to know why The Assistant is so tired despite not being present at the con, it’s because upon my return, he set to work checking the inventory and greeting me. There was a backlog of petting to make up for 😻 🐾
2019 Upcoming Events:
10/11/19: Stephen Chbosky with E.M. Markoff | Kepler’s Literary Foundation | Menlo Park, CA | 7:30pm - 9pm | Buy tickets
CANCELED: 10/12-13: Sinister Creature Con | Scottish Rite Center | Sacramento, CA
10/19/19: Litquake | Dalva | San Francisco, CA
Kanoqui the Feral Prince Strides Across His Domain
The “Ass”istant gives his “ass” of approval. Hahahaha . . . no? Yeah, no.
The “Ass”istant gives his “ass” of approval. Hahahaha . . . no? Yeah, no.
And thus ended her career, on this fateful #Caturday, with an unforgivably as(s)inine pun.
R.I.P. E.M. Markoff
(I don’t think even E’sinea would go this far^^;)
Quick Reminder: I’ll be at Silicon Valley Comic Con in San Jose, California from August 16-18, 2019. For more information, please head on over to Events. Hope to see you there :)
Reader Photo Spotlight: @Sandrathebookworm
Trapped by roses, strangled by fairy lights 🔪🥀
An ode to Ellderet readers, who are some of the damned best photographers 💙⚔️
This month’s featured reader is @sandrathebookworm! Many thanks to her for the lovely photograph of To Nurture & Kill. Give her a follow at @sandrathebookworm on Instagram.
“Gossip is the swiftest bird alive.”
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