For my 2016
A to Z Challenge, I’m sharing three facts for each letter. The genres I
write and love to read are mostly science fiction and high or epic fantasy. In
fantasy, there is often magic associated with crystals or metals. They also
used herbs both for medicine and for magical spells. Each day I will post a short
description of an herb or a mineral you might find in medieval or fantasy
writings. For the record, most of the herbal remedies I’ve investigated are not
recommended by the FDA. Many are actually poisonous and dangerous. As tribute
to my second love, I will post a scientific fact that may deal with physics,
biology or health science. And because another name for a writer is wordsmith, each
day I’ll share a strange word that I would probably never use in my writing,
but that amuse me in some way. So enjoy my trio of quick facts. And don’t
forget to visit the IWSG
site where we’ll share a writer’s resource for every day of the challenge.
Enology: The science of wine or wine-making (viticulture)
Elderberry can be used as an insect repellent, hair dye, and in scented ointments. (It's bark and leaves contain cyanide)
Essential fatty acids. Humans must ingest the nutrients because we can't synthesize them from food. They include those ones we've all heard of like omega 3 and omega 6.
Did you know the green parts of elderberry were poisonous? Thinking about using that in a novel somewhere? Do you get your essential fats? Have you ever tried to make wine?
The world of publishing changes every day it seems. I've read some horrifying things about KU lately and hope for the sake of writers who have their books on there, that it isn't accurate. Even some of my friends who have been published for a while with some large publishers, are seeing a dip in their royalties. It's a tough world to make it. But it's love of writing that motivates us to try and keep on trying.
"Being defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent." Marilyn Von Savant
Enology: The science of wine or wine-making (viticulture)
Elderberry can be used as an insect repellent, hair dye, and in scented ointments. (It's bark and leaves contain cyanide)
Essential fatty acids. Humans must ingest the nutrients because we can't synthesize them from food. They include those ones we've all heard of like omega 3 and omega 6.
Did you know the green parts of elderberry were poisonous? Thinking about using that in a novel somewhere? Do you get your essential fats? Have you ever tried to make wine?
IWSG April Version
The world of publishing changes every day it seems. I've read some horrifying things about KU lately and hope for the sake of writers who have their books on there, that it isn't accurate. Even some of my friends who have been published for a while with some large publishers, are seeing a dip in their royalties. It's a tough world to make it. But it's love of writing that motivates us to try and keep on trying.
"Being defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent." Marilyn Von Savant
Wow!I knew the berries had to be cooked before eating, but I didn't know the leaves and roots had cyanide. I was thinking of growing some but I don't think I will now.
ReplyDeleteGreat post bith for the letter"E" and the ISWG. wonderful to read.
ReplyDeleteYvonne.
Kindle Unlimited really changed things and not for the best. Amazon is getting their money, so they don't care what it's done to authors and publishers.
ReplyDeleteI haven't used elderberry in any stories yet, but I may...
ReplyDeleteGreat quote!
Love that quote, Susan! It's an excellent reminder.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea about those Elderberry leaves/bark. But now I have lots of ideas—story-related ideas, just let me be clear about that.
ReplyDeleteExcellent quote!
Your mother was a hamster and your father smelled of elderberry!
ReplyDeleteSorry, Monty Python...
I think I remember eating elderberry pie one time made by a relative. It was delicious! That is sad about publishing companies and the state of writing. One hopes that reading will not become a lost art sometime down the road.
ReplyDeletebetty
Great quote! I definitely won't be using KU in the future.
ReplyDeleteAmazon is all about "me" first and foremost. But they have opened it up for many writers, so necessary evil maybe. I'll skip wine making.
ReplyDeleteAll new facts to me. No wine making experience here, and elderberry seems quite versatile in its use. I shall be sure to stay away from its leaves if I ever come across it. :-) #AtoZChallenge
ReplyDeleteI liked your trio of quick facts on the alphabet E. I was unaware oF Enology. Essential Fatty Acids and Elderberry were things I am aware of.
ReplyDeleteLove the quote, am stealing it for my twitter and FB :)
Rachna Chhabria
Co-host IWSG
Rachna's Scriptorium
I liked your trio of quick facts on the alphabet E. I was unaware oF Enology. Essential Fatty Acids and Elderberry were things I am aware of.
ReplyDeleteLove the quote, am stealing it for my twitter and FB :)
Rachna Chhabria
Co-host IWSG
Rachna's Scriptorium
I hear you about KU issues. Since they went from books sold to pages read, royalties have really dived.
ReplyDeleteSuper interesting facts.
Crystal Collier
I didn't know about elderberry bark and leaves. I'll be putting that fact away for a possible storyline. :-)
ReplyDeleteAnna from elements of emaginette
Now, Enology I knew. I love my wine and I love Enologists who put those magical grapes into a concoction with such amazing flavors.
ReplyDeleteI love a drop of elderberry liquor (don't know how to spell it) with sparkling wine. Very refreshing during the summer with a BBQ.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea about elderberry. Good to know for potential poison. Yes, my roommates and I made wine (or I should say we attempted to make wine) in boarding school. We figured that if convicts in prison could do it, so could we. Let me just say, it was the nastiest tasting liquid I've ever consumed in my life. We let the grapes and plums sit in the sun and mold for a few weeks and then we scraped the yucky mold off and waited and waited ... and waited, for it to ferment. We kept adding sugar. I think we were supposed to let it ferment and age for like many months or even a year, but we were seniors in high school, young, stupid and in a hurry to drink our wine so we rushed it and in tasted like dog crap. We drank it after a month I think, we might have waited two months. It was seriously horrible. It did have that alcohol smell and taste and we did catch a buzz. It was definitely wine, but it was really bad wine.
ReplyDeleteJust the other day someone was telling me about Elderberry. They add it to Fight the Bite body cream with coconut oil. Apparently it's better than deet.
ReplyDeleteAt least the berries themselves don't have cyanide. I wonder why the study of wine is called enology. Where does the en- come from??
ReplyDeleteWhat interesting facts. I had a homemade brew one time that contained Elderberry. I did not like it.
ReplyDeleteJuneta @ Writer's Gambit
What interesting facts. I had a homemade brew one time that contained Elderberry. I did not like it.
ReplyDeleteJuneta @ Writer's Gambit
Enology is my new word for the day, thanks. I know only to drink the products, never tried making any, leave that to the enologists I think otherwise might poison myself even without any elderberries :)
ReplyDeleteBest,
Nilanjana
Madly-in-Verse
The only things we can rely on in life are death, taxes - and constant change. Nice theme, Susan!
ReplyDeleteJemima Pett
There are some elderberry plants about a hundred yards from my house. I was not aware of the cyanide present.
ReplyDeleteMy Sweetie drinks one glass of wine every night with his dinner ever since his doctor told him to 30 years ago, but he's never thought about making it.
ReplyDeleteHi, Susan,
ReplyDeleteInteresting facts about Elderberry...
So true, the publishing industry is changing every day....
great quote, i like this word enology
ReplyDeleteGreat words and facts.
ReplyDeleteNow you're got me thinking about Elderberry wine :) I've never made wine myself, but I remember my parents trying back in the 70s or 80s - it was not good ;)
ReplyDeleteTasha
Tasha's Thinkings | Wittegen Press | FB3X (AC)
Elderberry bark and leaves contain cyanide? Mmm. I love the "poisonous" tidbits of information. They could come in handy when planning a suspense/thriller.
ReplyDeleteWriter In Transit
I love the word Enology too.
Delete