I Step into Battle

The sky is black with swirling clouds when I enter Ooladada.

I don't come here often, on my own. I don't often see the point when I can never fully withdraw my spirit from this place. But I come here now, for my mind is not at ease. My sister speaks with words that taste wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong. 

"Giver!" I cry out. "Savior! LORD!"

"Anka Kendra, do you really doubt the words that I have given her? Your sister's the dreamer. The one to whom I speak."

I spin around, around, and around, but I see no one. My heart thuds within me. "I have no peace!"

"Would you take this from her? This opportunity for which she has thirsted for so long? The poor, poor child. Every thing given unto her is taken. How much have you robbed from her?"

"My sister and I struggled through our childhood, each with our own vices," I answered. "I know the wrongs that I have done to her. Who are you? Why do you hide from me?"

"I am terrible to look upon. Has your sister not told you this? Anka Kendra, your sister has been given many blessings. Will you steal them from her in your envy?"

"In my envy, I left her to them." I lift my left hand, white light spilling from the diamond of my ring, my Ankulen refashioned after it was broken. A feeble light in the blackness "Who are you, and what mean you with my sister?"

"I mean her for great things. Let her go that she might accomplish them."

I take a step back. "No. I was ordered to never abandon her for any cause. I slipped from my duty, a second time, but it is my duty just the same. I know my God. An unchanging, unfailing God. He would not call me to abandon her. Who are you?"

"Blasphemous child!" the voice rebukes me. "Did you not hear? Do you not know me. I am Abbah, I..."

"I know you." My voice drops, and my eyes narrow at the nothingness. "I know you, for I have fought you many times on my sister's behalf. I name you Lies, for you offer her comfort, security, and love, but give only prison and pain. Be gone from her!"

I receive no more answer, just a cackling laughter that fades away. The clouds do not fade.

You've done it. You've fought it and won. Remember the power that you wield here? Oh, why do you stay away, Anka Kendra?

Why do I stay away? I look around myself at the darkness. Why is it so dark. If that tempter is gone, then it should have cleared?

It should have...

"You!" I cry out, remembering why I stay away. "Vanity, you cannot tempt me! I am not your weapon!"

But I just hear an echoing laughter that wraps around my heart, pulling down.

I'm powerless. Who am I to think that I grasp this power. It's not real. Who am I to deny the blessings given to my sister? Who am I to think I can claim the blessings of...

Oh, you worthless, worthless child ... you don't even belong here. You should still be running. Running. Running...

"GIVER!" I cry out. "SAVIOUR! LORD!" 

And, suddenly, there is a break in the clouds. One, shining, beam of light. It's been there the whole time, I realize now. I just couldn't see it. He's been here the whole time, but I had to wrestle first.

"Giver," I say, as the One of light steps towards me. "Help me my unbelief."

"My strength is made perfect in weakness," he answers.

"And I am so weak."

His arms wrap around me. Holding me. Raising my heart again in my chest.

"What is to be done with V?" I asked, my head hanging. "We have all failed her. After hedging her for so many years against the Lies that plague her, we let her walk straight into his jaws. Was it always him? Have you ever spoken to her?"

He gave a sad smile that I can see even without looking at Him. "I still speak to her. She's listening to both our voices. The battle isn't over."

"Giver of Peace and Wisdom, let me fight!"

"Of course." He draws back, and I see the Sword in His hands, the shining Sword of Light that is the Word of God.

I shrink back. "I - I can't. I'm unworthy!"

"You must. This is the only weapon that can drive back the enemy and bind him. And you are Worthy, for I have made you so."

"But I..."

"Your strength and goodness are as putrid rags before me, but I have given mine," He answers, before I can speak. "This shall be my victory, and you shall praise me. Remember what I have given you, the words that are yours. You are not to let the evil one drive you from your task, even in this."

"I am broken and spilled out before you."

"Gird yourself, Anka. Keep the helmet of salvation tight upon your head, for I have sanctified you unto myself and you shall not listen to the lies otherwise. Fasten the breastplate of righteousness about you that your heart will not be pierced by the barbs of evil flung at you. Strap the belt of truth about you that you be not exposed in the heat of battle. Hold up the shield of Faith, that you do not doubt my promises. Stand firm in the shoes of the Gospel of Peace - know what you believe, that you do not waver!"

I feel it wrap around me, and I cry as I realize how exposed I am without it.

"And take these."

He holds out a box. I know the box from my mother's realm, and I open it to reveal nine cut gems - the visage that we gave the fruit of the spirit.

Love, a ruby, cut of the flowing blood of the Lamb.

Joy, an opal, cut from the light and filled with colors of promise.

Peace, a sapphire, cut from the never-ending ocean of God's love.

Patience, a pearl, formed after many years by an oyster as it endured of grit of sand.

Kindness, a tourmaline, cut from the generosity of One who gives everything of himself to help another, asking nothing in return.

Goodness, an emerald, cut from the growing things of earth, the blessings God has given us upon this land.

Faithfulness, a diamond, cut from the vows of promise. 

Gentleness, a moonstone, cut from the soft light of the moon as it comforts those in the grip of night.

Self-control, an amethyst, cut from the wine of truth, that we hold back from the things that would rob us of our lives.

I take these gems and fasten them about my neck. 

"What is your name?" 

I lift my chin. "I am the Knowledgeable Oath of God, the covenant that my mother made with you," I answer. 

"A covenant that I WILL fulfill. What are the names that you have taken, Anka?"

"Arista, the one who transcribes your word. Petra, the one who fights to hold her sister and offers her forgiveness instead of death. Tiger Lilly, the one who rejects lies for promise. Ulrica, the queen who fights for freedom from deception. Robin, that I know my place, even when I do not fit in. And Laura - Laura, the promised victory of tomorrow."

My eyes flash. 

"Giver, she has tried to steal my name!"

"She tries to claim the promises that I have given you, but they are your promises, not hers. What is her name?"

"She is the Hope of Purity," I answer. "And I have named her Ashley, that she may rise from the ashes and return to us after many days." 

"Her time of fleeing is over, it is time for her to return."

And then He orders:

"Open your eyes, Anka."

My eyes aren't closed, but I obey anyway. Suddenly, the sky is clear and I see that I am surrounded. Surrounded by friends and family - Ank' and Warriors, each knelt in prayer. My brother's arms around me, with his prayers that move mountains and shake the heaven. Our mother is before us, lifting up my sister's soul, even as blood flows down her arms from its jagged edges. It is no longer the golden purity that was once my sister, but dark and fading. My father hangs on the edge uncertain, for he knows how much of this is his doing. I cry out to him, tell him to kneel and pray. 

He does. 

"Look again, Anka."

I do, and I see my sister, and finally the one I name Lies. They walk, hand-in-hand, and he is wrapped in a robe of light. It shines so brightly, it's hard to see that within is a darkness so black that it can never be redeemed. She looks fully to him, with a smile so great, and not to the path before her.

Not to the cliff that is just a few feet away.

If she takes just a few more steps, we might never see her again.

"One last thing, Anka Kendra."

I turn again to the Giver, and see what He holds in His outstretched hands. A crown, set with shining stars. My sister's Ankulen. I frown as I look at the chains that drip from it, chains that have always been there and that I have never liked. There used to be only a few, but now ... now ...

I look into the Giver's eyes, and I understand. Taking the crown from him, I break these chains. Each one. Pulling them away and throwing them to the ground. Breaking them just as I broke my Ankulen when my vanity led me into folly. 

When it is done, I look back up at the Giver, and He is smiling. 

"Just like this, I shall break the chains that bind your sister."

And I am filled with peace.

Into Ooladada - Chapter 1

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Since you can already read the first chapter of The Ankulen, and I don't have a first chapter of Mermaid Footprints ready for reading, I'm going to share the first chapter of the original version of Behind the Rainbow. It's changed a LOT since then, but that's another issue. (I.E., this was written back when the story belonged in the Mikada universe).


Chapter 1
The Quest is Given
   Our dear Reader, we would like to thank you for picking up this book. We will promise you that it will be different from most other stories you have read. While it is true that Kendra is the one typing and wording things, the story belongs to both of us.
    This happened some years ago, while the two of us were ten and twelve. Whether it is true or not, we will leave for you to decide.

    We were at our Grandparents house, playing in their woods. Kendra was showing off next to the gully that pretty much divided the woods from the rest of the property.
    “I bet I can walk across the board backwards,” she declared.
    “You better not,” said Kathie, “You’ll fall in,” but Kendra had already taken a step backwards and was falling in. Kathie gave a cry and grabbed for her, and—fell as well.
    Neither of us has any idea how long we were falling, for the descent seemed to take forever. All we know was that it was scary. Finally we landed on a very soft surface. Kendra was the first one up.
    She looked up and exclaimed “Look, V!” that’s one of her nicknames for Kathie, “The sky is green!” Well, actually it was more of a teal, but that was the first thing that popped into her head. The sun had a greenish tinge to it, too, but the clouds were a dull red color, the color of the red clay that had been in our backyard.
    “And look at this, this hill we’re on!” said Kathie, “It’s like a giant pillow.”
    “That must be why it didn’t hurt when we fell,” said Kendra, “I wonder how we are going to get down.”
    “Kendra, where are we!” Kathie exclaimed, suddenly panicking, “How are we going to get home! What will mom say!”
    “Oh, relax V.” said Kendra, rolling her eyes and shaking her head, “Look at it this way, it’s an adventure. Who knows, we might meet a princess!”
   “You and your princesses,” said Kathie, rolling her eyes in turn, but Kendra had calmed her down sufficiently.
   “Now, how are we going to get down from this hill?” Kendra asked.
   Kathie peered over the edge. “Maybe we can climb down,” she suggested, “And look, there’s a town that way, maybe they can help us.”
   “That’s an idea,” said Kendra, “I’ll go first, since you’re scared of heights.” She grabbed the sides of the huge pillow and began descending. Kathie followed cautiously.
    After a scary (as Kathie puts it at least) descent, we finally reached the bottom.
   “Kendra,” Kathie said as feet touched solid earth, “Where do you think we are?”
   “I have no idea,” Kendra answered, “But I suppose the only direction we can go is forward.”
   “Then let’s go,” said Kathie decisively. We started walking along, with no real direction as there was no real path. We became aware of a rainbow ahead of us, and decided that was as good as any destination, for we had mostly forgotten about the town. As we neared the rainbow, we discovered that we were, indeed, nearing the rainbow. Instead of staying all the time just tantalizingly out of reach, it stayed put, and soon we were right at the foot of one of the legs.
    Now, we must describe this rainbow to you, for it wasn’t like any other rainbow we had managed to reach the foot of before. Okay, you got us, this was our first rainbow to reach the foot of, but personally, neither of us thinks you have seen the foot of a rainbow either. It was solid looking, and we couldn’t see anything through it. There were seven stripes, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet, each blending ever so slightly into the next. The really strange part of the rainbow was that it had books sticking out of it.
    Kathie reached out and touched one of these books, out of curiosity. Now we aren’t quite sure how to explain what happened next, but you know how in movies and cartoons, some one may be next to a wall, and suddenly (planned or otherwise) the wall turns and they find themselves in another room? Well it was sort of like that, only we felt no motion, it was if we were standing still, and the world was what was turning.
    When the world had rotated a good 180 degrees, we found ourselves in a room absolutely filled with shelves. These shelves were absolutely filled with books of all shapes, sizes and colors. Kendra, being an avid reader, immediately started to peruse the titles.
   “Don’t touch them!” Kathie warned, “they could take us somewhere even weirder. I want to go home!”
   “I could live here,” Kendra muttered, then said, “Look V. here’s the horse series you’ve been working on reading. They’ve got the one the library at home doesn’t have.”
   “I don’t care,” said Kathie, “Don’t touch it!”
   “Oh, all right,” answered Kendra, “Be a worrywart”
   “I’m being cautious,” said Kathie matter-of-factly, “You’re being silly.”
    We were both to busy talking like this to notice that a door (that happened to be in the only small portion of the wall that wasn’t covered with books) had opened and a small man had entered. Perhaps we should describe him to you. He was shorter than both of us. His bald head seemed large in proportion to the rest of him, and he had a long, wispy, white beard. His skin was brown, and very wrinkled. He wore a short green tunic, a pair of brown trousers, and a pair of spectacles that seemed almost to big for his small face. He struck Kendra, who was the better read in fairy tales and the like, as a perfect little gnome. That is, he did when we noticed him.
     “How may I help you?” He asked in a rough and almost squeaky voice, startling us out of our conversation. We spun around to face the man already described.
    “How do we get home?” Kathie asked before Kendra could ask anything about the books.
    “You get back to Ooladada through the door,” the gnome-man said.
    “I don’t want to go to Ooladada,” said Kathie, “I want to go home.”
    “You don’t live in Ooladada?” the gnome asked, “I thought I hadn’t seen the two of you before. This is the Library, and I’m its keeper, Otis.”
    “Can we read the books?” Kendra asked eagerly.
    “Of course,” said Otis, “That’s why they’re here.”
    “Cool!” said Kendra, “They won’t change our location?”
    “Oh no,” said Otis, “Only the ones that are touching the rainbow do that. They’re how you get in here.”
    “How do you get out?” Kathie asked, frantically.
   “Through the door,” said Otis, “haven’t I already tell you that?”
    “I don’t see any door,” Kathie challenged.
    “Hmmm…” said Otis, “I guess the two of you don’t know what to look for. Anyways, while you’re here, do you want to read anything?”
    “V. wants to read this,” said Kendra, pulling the horse book off the shelf, “Our library at home doesn’t have it.”
    “There isn’t a book in your world that isn’t in this library,” said Otis, “We have every book that ever was written, and ever will be written. Even the books that should not have been written, although no one ever reads those here. In your world, however, it’s another story.”
    “That’s a lot of books,” said Kendra with a whistle, “Which are your favorites?”
    “I’ll show you,” said Otis, “Follow me.”
    Now, before you jump on our case for following a stranger, you have to remember that we weren’t on earth, we were in Ooladada, and more specifically, in the Library behind the Rainbow. You’re able to trust people better there. Besides, he was a librarian. Librarians tend to be trustworthy.
      After we introduced ourselves, he took Kathie to a room filled with chairs just perfect for reading in, with lighting that was just perfect for reading in, and a nice, warm, roaring fire, which was a contrast to the chill of the other rooms. Otis told us that the chill was for the preservation of the many, many books. He then showed Kendra to another room of books. More specifically, to three shelves, and we don’t mean tiny shelves.
    “This is my favorite author,” he said, “well, actually authors, for she co-wrote with her sister for many of her books.” He pulled one of the first books off the shelf. “This is one of the first books she’ll write, for you have the rare privilege of seeing the will be written books. Would you like to read it?”
    “Sure,” said Kendra, taking it. The title was “Sew, It’s a quest.” The Author’s name was Kendra E. Ardnek. In fact, you might have read it, for it has now moved to the has been written section.
    “Why’s it your favorite?” Kendra asked.
   “Because of another series she wrote,” said Otis, “The only books in this entire library that speaks of the Land of the Ooladada and of this library in particular.”
     “Why’s that?” Kendra asked. Our dear readers even though Kendra didn’t yet, we are sure you know which books that Otis was talking about, for you hold in your hands (unless, of course you are listening to this) a book about Ooladada.
    “You will understand that eventually,” said Otis. He then showed her to the room where Kathie was, and she settled down into a chair and began to read.
    Within a few paragraphs, Kendra was rolling with laughter. She got all the punch lines and there wasn’t anything in it really that she didn’t like. She wondered when it would be written so she could read it in our world. Of course you, our dear readers, know the answer that puzzle.
    “Hush,” said Kathie, at one point when Kendra’s laughter was particularly boisterous, “I’m trying to read.”
    After that, Kendra tried to keep quieter.
    Once we were done with our books, Otis took them so he could reshelf them. “Now,” he said, “You know that series, Kendra, that I told you about, the one that is the only series in this library that speaks of this library.”
    “Yes,” said Kendra.
    “There is a chance that they will never be written,” Otis said.
    “How’s that?” Kathie asked.
    “I can’t tell you that,” said Otis, “but the two of you can help them be written, and in reward I will tell you the way back into your own world.”
    “Really!” Kathie exclaimed, “What do we have to do?”
    “I have lost one of the books in this library,” Otis explained, “I can’t tell how, or which one, but I need you to find it.”
    “How would we know we have found it?” Kendra asked, “And how will it help that series be written.”
    “You’ll know it,” answered Otis, “And you’ll know the answer when you find the book.”
    “Oh,” said Kendra, “Okay, let’s go!”
    Otis laughed. “You don’t think I would send you out unprepared, now do you?” he said, “I am going to give each of you a copy of one book—although it can only be a book that has been written. None that haven’t been written, we can’t copy them.”
    “Which books should we take?” Kathie asked, always the practical one.
    “Whichever you choose,” said Otis.
    “Well, you said that that one series composes the only books in this library that are about Ooladada, and they’re future,” said Kendra thoughtfully, “So I don’t suppose you would have any books that would serve as travel guides, do you?”
     “No,” said Otis with a laugh, “You’re correct there.”
    “How about the Bible?” Kathie asked, “Do you have that book?”
    “I do,” said Otis, “Although you will find it slightly different from the King James Version you’re used to. This is the Hebrew/Greek version that is translated as it would have been written had the authors written it originally in English.”
    “Cool!” exclaimed Kendra, “But what should the other book we take be?”
    After some more discussion, Kendra asked Otis what he thought she should take, and he gave her a book entitled “Infiltration.”
    “This book was given to this library personally by its author,” he said. “It’s a good story, and true, too – if only it could be better known in other lands than just this one, and the land from which it came.”
    “It looks interesting,” said Kendra, peeking into the pages at the handwritten words.
    “One more thing,” he said, just before we left. He handed Kendra another small book. It was a soft purple, and had no title.
    “What is this?” Kendra asked.
    “When you have found the book you seek,” said Otis, “Open this one, and you will find yourself back here.”
    We then went through the door and again found ourselves at the foot of the rainbow.

Welcome to Ooladada

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My sister is a Dreamer. Years ago, she dreamed of this world that she and I now call Ooladada. It's plot followed a similar arch to Baum's Sky-Island (A book that neither of us had read at the time) involved a library that was hiding behind a rainbow where every book that had ever been written and ever would be written. According to V, I spent a good long while devouring my shelf (though she isn't quite certain that I knew it was my shelf.)

Hang on! you say I thought THE ANKULEN was scheduled for today. Yes, it is, but all of you know how that book came to be (and if not, just skim though my backposts, it shouldn't be too hard to find the info.) Most of you have read and know the feel and pull of the world. So, I'm going to talk about an element that I haven't before. About Ooladada. Yes, I've talked about this world before, but not in relation to The Ankulen. Why? Because until very recently, I thought it existed within the Rizkaland/Mikada universe.

V actually dreams about Ooladada frequently, especially in the last few years, and a few weeks ago, after she was reeling from her read of The Ankulen she reported back with a new plot twist. According to her, Otis, one of the Librarians at the Library, informed her this was the Dreamworld that Jen visited thrice over the course of her book. (He also chided her for not realizing this on her own.)

After receiving this news, I just kinda leaned back against my pillows (I was working in my bed at the time) as my world pulsed in and out for a moment. Yes, it was perfect.

While writing The Ankulen, I didn't know much about the dreamworld, only that it's where the great battles take place, and where they go to talk to The Giver (who is, I've finally decided, a personification of the Holy Spirit). In actually, it's something of a storage place where all the characters and lands created by every Anka and Anku that ever was and ever will be are kept and can be experienced. Every book is kept in the Library behind the Rainbow. Every painting or drawing is kept in the Gallery Behind the Waterfall. Every script, movie, or play can be viewed in the Theater behind the Curtain. So on, so forth.

But Ooladada is being poisoned. My sister says she visited last night, and she found a darkening, poisoned region. Many Ankulens are being eaten by the Polystoikhedra. Imaginations are abandoned due to the lies and deceit of the Levarnia. False Anka and Anku are writing books that look like the real deal, but have subtle lies in them that entice us away.

It's time to fight.

Anyways, swing by Miss Melody's Blog for an interview with Mynna, a character belonging to Jen's Imagination. She'll be getting her own book, Mermaid Footprints, as soon as I *cough* Jen can get it written.

CE Living Room - Laura the Doorkeeper

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I sit on the couch with a punch embroidery project in my lap as I watch one of my nutcracker videos. This may or may not be the last time I watch nutcracker this holiday season, so I'm determined to make the most of it.

As I am relaxing into the music and the repetition of the stitches, I hear a strange sound to my left. A metallic groan, almost.

My head snaps around to stare at what is that direction. Our front door. Which we never use for three reasons: It's broken and doesn't open and close properly, the couch is right in front of it and it opens inward, and it leads to a bank of dirt that's covered in weeds that are often as tall as I am. Use of this door is clearly out of the question.

So imagine my surprise when the blanket we hang over that door for insulation purposes lifts and is behind it where the door is supposed to be ...

"Laura," I guess immediately, no one else is capable of such an entrance.

"Hello Kendra," she whispers, as she climbs over the arm of the couch and sits down on it. "I'm glad to find you. I was ... uh ... lost."

My eyebrow arches and I try not to smile. "I thought you looked a bit young compared to the last time I saw you." I meet her blue-gray eyes, the eyes of a small, scared child.

"I am young," she whispered. "Though I'm probably older than you are by this point ... I'm going to live so long ... It's scary."

"Ours is a long, lonely road, isn't?"

My head jerks towards the door that leads to my parents' bedroom ... though that isn't the scene that is currently behind it. Currently, the door leads to a dark, dingy cave. Seated on the ground in front of the cave is a woman who looks like an older version of Laura ... probably because that's who it is.

"Oh!" the younger Laura exclaims, as she leaps from the couch arm and runs over and throws her arms around her older self. "I was hoping I'd find you. I'm ... I'm trying to get home again. I know that ... but Lucy's still there."

"Well, I happen to know that it'll be a few more doors before I found my way back to Lucy," says the older Laura, returning the hug. "However, I will take you to see Silver." She thrust a thumb over her shoulder. "It leads to Lintoalintae

The younger Laura frowns. "Is this before she ..."

"Yes, it's before she became the Dragon," says the elder. "Though she has only a few years left, but I think it's best that you meet her for the first time now. While you've met her before, you've never met her as the Doorkeeper."

I stand up and walk over. "If my name meant anything to her at the moment, I'd tell you to take a message to Amber. But since I don't start messing with her until she's in Rizkaland, she probably wouldn't know my name yet."

"No she doesn't yet ..." said the elder. She stands up, bringing her younger version with her, and holds out a hand to me. "But she's about to meet you."

My eyes widen as I stare at the cave behind her, and then I grin. "You mean, you're actually going to take me out of this world?"

Older Laura laughs. "It's not the first time. Not even for you." Then she nods towards her younger self. "Though for her it is. I thought you might want to meet her before she went all psychotic, and while I don't like calling her that, it is the truth. My poor, poor Silver."

I nod thinking of Ooladada. "Well, lets go."

With that, the three (or two, depending on how you think about it) of us enter Lintooalintae. I won't be there long, but I'm glad for the chance.

Memorable Worlds: Oz

Oz

My Experience with this World: 

I watched the movie like all good children when I was younger, but I didn't really care for it. Yeah, sure it was a wonderful magical land and all that, and some of the songs were fun ... but I didn't really connect. Maybe if Shirley Temple had been cast as Dorothy, it would have been different but ... eh. (Random fact about Kendra: I was a HUGE fan of Shirley Temple as a kid. I had many of her songs memorized.)

Later my mom checked the book on tape out of the library and had me listen to it, and my opinion improved but, still ... eh.

It wasn't until I was twelve or so and I discovered the other books in the series that I fell in love. I didn't read them in order, and I definitely haven't read all of them. (We didn't own Patchwork Girl, Tin Woodman, Glinda, Magic, Scarecrow, or any of the other minor works, though I have chased a few of those down on Librivox, namely Scarecrow {Which is my favorite oz book} and Magic {which is another favorite}). I have not read any of the books by other authors (though I have had the opportunity to read a few of them)

Most of Baum's works were interconnected, so I do suggest that people read the lesser known ones if they want to fully understand the characters, especially The Sea Fairies, and Sky Island, which were about Trot and Captain Bill.

Origin: 

The origin of Oz and its surrounding countries (which are, as a whole, called Nonsensica I just discovered whilst searching for maps) is unknown. However, the name came from Baum's file cabinets.

Geography:

These maps came from here, since my own copies of the series are cheep 2 for 1 copies that my mom picked up at wall mart once upon a time and have no lovely pictures.

Oz has every sort of landmark you could ask for (and many you wouldn't ask for). There are thick forests, some with minds of their own, and mountains and hills and bottomless chasms. Some parts (such as the area surrounded by the roly poly mountains) are cut off from the rest of the country, and the country itself is cut off from the rest of the world by a impassable dessert. (though the definition of impassible changes from book to book) After Emerald City this cutoff is furthered by a spell of invisibility.

Oz is divided into five sections, the red Quadling country to the south, the blue Munchkin country to the east, the purple Gillikin country to the north (my favorite country, personally, though it is the country least ventured into if I remember right), the yellow Winkie country to the west, and the Emerald City in the middle which is, of course, green. The extremity of color varies from book to book.

The most important country that is outside of the dessert was the Gnome King's country. This country is underground.

Peoples and Culture:

The peoples of oz are as varied and unique as the land they live in. There are the humans who have come from the real world, the munchkins, winkies, gillikins, and quadlings, talking animals (some of which are oversized), and various animated creatures such as the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, Sawhorse and Jack Pumpkinhead. No native of Oz is capable of dying, though it unclear whether the same is true of the humans and animals which come from other lands, so they take good care of their foreigners.

The northern and southern countries are ruled by Glinda and the Good Witch of the North. The west is ruled by the Tin Woodman (who lives in lovely tin palace) and the east by the munchkin king. All four countries give their allegiance to Ozma, their lovely fairy princess.

The Gnome country is ruled by the Gnome Kings, whose name starts with an "r" but I've forgotten what comes after "r." There are two versions, due to the fact that he lost his memories in Emerald City. He is succeeded by Kaliko. The gnomes are nasty folk who don't like Oz and are constantly causing trouble.

What I like about this world:

I love the variety of oz best. Every book goes somewhere new (and often it ventures into one or ten of the surrounding countries), sees something different, and introduces a delightful new character. 

What I don't like:

Unfortunately, Baum was not a very careful world builder. Something that is true in one book is completely false in another. Also, oz is a bit communistic, and while this works in magical, fictional countries, it does not in the real world. Young, impressional readers do not often know this however. Same goes for the good witches. I would have much preferred it if Baum had found a different title for them.

What I learned from this world: 

That children are rather forgiving when it comes to inconstancy. I'm not sure that I have any country that is influenced directly by these, but Klarand, my favorite island in the world of Rizkaland, is divided into sections much like oz. I have never written any Oz fan-fiction, though I have considered letting a character of mine go there. Also my sister's initial idea for Ooladada was very similar to Sky Island. (She says she dreamed it before she read the book, though ...)

Wait, no ... I forgot about the Land of Numbers! That one is very influenced by Oz ... but I really haven't worked much on it, so I can't say much. (Though if you email me, I'd be happy to send you the bit of story that inspired it. It was a story game on facebook between my mom, me, and a friend at church.)

These world-building posts are for the promotion of the upcoming release of my book The Ankulen. Feel free to do one yourself, just make sure you refer back to my blog and let your readers know about my upcoming book. If you do write a post, post a link in a comment somewhere on my blog and I'll add you to a giveaway for a copy of my book.

Taking Over the Keyboard.

Snippets time!!!! Again. Let's see what my brain managed to fling onto the computer in February. Don't forget that, if you want to participate, all you have to do is head over to Katie's Blog.

Via Pinterest

  “Yes, their ears – they’re pointed, as if they’re fairies or elves or something.”

  “Elves and fairies don’t exist,” said Mrs. Arden, firmly.

  “Maybe they do, maybe they don’t,” commented Miss Pearstean. “All I know is what I see." 

- The New Division

“Do you think it’s safe?” questioned Melisza.

“Is anywhere safe?” returned Tabetha.

- The New Division

  I hear that my sister is being all dramatic and all that up there, with the present tense and stuff like that. I’d like to have you know that I jumped off the board on purpose. V gets freaked out over the simplest things. And I’m still not sure how V thought she was going to rescue me from falling with a stick.

  Oh, well. Anyways, this is Kendra, and I’m taking over the keyboard.

  Where were we?

  Oh yes, jumping into the gully.

- Behind the Rainbow

  “No, I cannot say that I do,” she admitted. “But perhaps your Ankulen can answer that question.”

  I lifted my arm to look at the Ankulen. “How?” I asked, skeptical. Did the Ankulen talk? Just what I always wanted – a golden bracelet that flashes and talks.

- The Ankulen

“But, V! I’m having fun! Hey – I can see houses from here!”

“Houses?”

“Yup! Do you know what that means, dear sister?” I gave my sister a questioning look since I was, for that moment, on her eye level.

“That someone might see you acting crazy?”

“No! That people live here! Oh! I see mountains, too – far, far away – and a rainbow!”

- Behind the Rainbow

“How do you know he’s a Harsha?” questioned Alistaar.

The man seemed taken aback. “His dark hair and skin are proof enough of his curse!” he spat.

“Curse!” exclaimed Jaqob, “what do you mean, curse?”

“All of the Harshia are cursed,” the man replied. “They love not Elonodi, and He loves not them." 

- The New Division

  “Huh.” I placed the spoon tentatively in my mouth. The flavor of the “mashed greenroot” was just on the sweet side of bland.  It wasn’t nasty … but it wasn’t amazingly good either. After a few more spoonfuls, I decided to examine my spoon instead. Eating something that I didn’t care for when I wasn’t hungry was a silly thing to do.

  The spoon was rather pretty.

- The Ankulen

Melisza’s pale blue eyes met those of her brother. “All right,” she said. “If you think we should.” Hand in hand, the Lilna twins stepped over the threshold into to the red world.

Tabetha and Jaqob gasped.

“What is it?” asked Melisza, a wave of panic washing over her.

“It’s … nothing …” said Tabetha. “Only … the orphanage just disappeared.”

- The New Division

Me? I was enjoying myself – hey, it isn’t every day you get to jump on a pillow the size of a house.

- Behind the Rainbow

“We can’t be the only people like us in the world,” argued Jaqob. “Even I can figure that one out. We had parents once, didn’t we?”

“Once,” agreed Melisza. “But they abandoned us. They obviously didn’t want us, since they haven’t come back to get us either.”

“Maybe we were too strange for them,” said Tabetha. “Maybe they got rid of us because we were deformed …”

“Four of us on the same night?” Alistaar pointed out. “If it were only one of us – or perhaps one set of twins, it would have been plausible … but we Lilnas are obviously not related to you Harshas.”

“Two sets of twins cannot be coincidence,” said Melisza.

- The New Division

Oh, and today I'm being interviewed over at the Homeschooled Authors blog.

Popcorn Trees

Some of you may be wondering why Kendra has dropped off the face of the earth this week. I mean, there hasn't been a post here on Knitted By God's Plan in a whole week!

Tsk, Tsk, Tsk, tsk, turkey pot pie.

Oh, by the way, I am not Kendra. I'm one of her dearly beloved characters! My name's Lillillil, and I'm a princess. Kendra's still not back. I think she's cleaning her room and writing The Ankulen and editing Do You Take This Quest? They're both delightful books, and I'm sure all of you are going to be quite pleased with them when she finally gets them published.

I'm an inventor, too. I'm working on inventing the computer right now. Kendra finds it staggering that the Silions are such an advanced people, I mean, we have electricity, but we still haven't invented the computer.

So I've decided that I will change that. Between Rikkard and me, I'm sure we can come up with something.

Oh, and these movies that Kendra's world has. They're amazing. I wish that I lived a thousand years later, when Silivock has access to Ooladada so that I could spend time in the Theater behind the Curtain, but, oh well. Kendra says that my descendants will have access to the Theater.

Kendra says she's going to the library today, but not the one behind the Rainbow. I don't know why she would. She has access to every book ever written in the Library, but still she insists on going to the one in her world and making what she calls ILL's.

Anyways, she just told me that I have to get off the computer.