The bewitching music of Nox Arcana

For today’s Magical Monday, I’d like to share some wonderfully eerie and magical music. The group is Nox Arcana. They create haunting, atmospheric soundscapes with gothic themes which often follow references to classic horror literature. I find their recordings make excellent inspirational music for writing anything bewitching, dark, or fantastical. Pursuing deeper, their albums contain captivating storylines, with hidden riddles and puzzles.

 The group is a duet of Joseph Vargo and William Piotrowski, formed in 2003. The group’s name, Nox Arcana, is from Latin, meaning “mysteries of the night.”

Their credits include several film scores. Their debut, "Darklore Manor," was part of a televised special of the 1922 silent film classic Nosferatu. Their gothic tracks have also been used in theatrical productions of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, and Lewis Carrol’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. During Halloween season their recordings provide the eerie backdrops for many haunted theme parks: Universal Studios; Busch Gardens; Six Flags; Knott’s Berry Farm.

I truly enjoy the group’s literary tributes. Their album "Transylvania" is based upon Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Their sinister "Necronomicon" recording pays homage to H.P. Lovecraft, while their unsettling Blackthorn Asylum takes a chilling look into a 19th century sanitarium, a storyline from Lovecraft’s “From Beyond.” The melancholy themes of their work "Shadow of the Raven," calls upon influences of Edgar Allan Poe. One of my favorite recordings, "Grimm Tales," enlivens the nightmares of the Brothers Grimm’s fairy tale world. Inspired by classic fiction, these in turn, inspire my own writing.

This Friday, October 1st, marks the date for a new Nox Arcana release, "Welcome to the House of Nightmares," a horror soundscape just in time for the Halloween season. This promotion of this recording promises:

“Dark things dwell in the old house by the cemetery, lying in wait for anyone who dares to enter. Unearthly sounds echo from the shadows of the abandoned mansion as sinister incantations unleash ancient horrors to haunt the realm of the living. The CD delivers 19 tracks of spine-tingling sound effects and dark cinematic music to create an eerie atmosphere of lurking terror.”

To give a taste of their music, I’m sharing two videos. The first is from their most recent CD, entitled “Theater of Illusion.” In a dreamlike state, strange and mystifying acts can be heard, as they are performed by phantom magicians. Their melodies are rich with orchestrations, piano, harpsichord, pipe organ, and gothic choirs. Additional songs of Theater of Illusion may be sampled and/or you may purchase their CD at this site. http://noxarcana.com/illusion.html 

The second video is the song "Night of the Wolf" from their CD "Transylvania" and the video is from the Russian movie, Evil, directed by Oleg Fesenko.

Visiting exotic Persia with my work in progress, Illusions of Intimacy

My work in progress, Illusions of Intimacy, is a time travel erotic fantasy involving eight exotic settings. This is a true delight for me because I love creating magical worlds.

The hero and heroine are lovers joined by a bond of their souls. When the pair come together, their combined magic is so intense it commands notice from all, both good and evil. Dark powers seek to possess their unique bond and cast the couple asunder through tragic injury or death. Break their love and the magic is for the taking. Yet, their souls hold fast across many reincarnations into new mortal bodies. Foiling the forces of darkness, so they may remain beside each other, becomes their quest.

In my writing progress, their present generation lives in ancient Arabia, traditionally called Persia. The inherent mystery of the sea of sand provides the perfect backdrop for entrance of the first villain.

As I create an atmosphere I enjoy researching culture – architecture, clothing, art, folklore, music, dance. I take those components and flavor a unique fantasy setting.

I’d like to share some entertaining finds I made while conducting that research. Here are two videos of Arabian music, both enticing and alluring as they illustrate romanticism of that culture. The first is entitled Arabian Waltz, by The Silk Road Ensemble with Yo-Yo Ma as their guest. The second, filled with lovely landscape images, is Sufi music performed by Omar Faruk Tekbilek.

Why Paranormal?

I'm pleased to present my friend Raven Corinn Carluk as a guest on my blog. Enjoy!

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Why paranormal?  Normal relationships are hard enough to deal with; stolen covers, toilet seats left up, mother-in-laws, divorce, jealousy, and every other stumbling block.  So why add to that mix?  Isn't it enough without wanting to eat your partner?


For paranormal readers, definitely not.  We want out stories big, our characters engrossing, our tricks difficult, and our rewards enormous.  We want passion through the ages, and inner struggles with humanity, and to know that love never dies.  Struggling to make a relationship work around opposing work schedules is nothing compared to making it work when one of you changes once a month.


It's certainly not for everyone.  It's a big, magical, scary world out there.  But some people seek the things that go bump in the night.  Those are the people who need to know the struggles of our paranormal characters.


Even adding the barest hint of the exotic takes us beyond the mundane.  A witch working in a call center.  A spiritual medium on the city bus.  A werewolf shopping for groceries.  Each are just familiar enough that we feel welcome following them, that we can root for them as they struggle, and we can share their elations and sorrows.


But they're not normal, and they take us out of our every day worlds.  We can dabble with the darkness without taking it home.  We can be part of that world for as little or as much as we want.  We can even bring back what we want, and keep it with us.


So, why paranormal?  Why not paranormal?


Raven Corinn Carluk
http://raven.youareannoying.us/

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Raven Corinn Carluk is just starting out on her journey as an author.  She's proud to have All Hallows Blood to offer to you.  You can read more about Raven on her site, or follow her blog.  Her novel, All Hallows Blood, is available on Kindle, and in print on Barnes & Noble.  (ISBN: 978-0984180554) She's always available, and would love to hear from you.

A bit about her book All Hallows Blood:

Mourning her mother on Halloween, Keila O'Broin, psychic warrior and last of her line,isn't prepared for dead teenagers to ask her to avenge them.  Compelled by her family creed, Keila combats the vampiric serial killer, despite her atrophied powers.

But defeating one killer is only the start of her adventure. Into her life walks Varick Eitenhauer, centuries old undead master of Portland.The vampire tells her she will now help him defeat his rivals in a battle to control the city, and he will accept no refusals.

Surrounded by her desire and danger, the only way to succeed is to rise from her past like a phoenix from its ashes.

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It's been great having Raven as my guest and I encourage you to enjoy more of her writing in her book All Hallows Blood.