Netahs are animal/human shifters. I invented them. They are fictional. Which means I can also invent how they relate to clothes. After browsing the photos of fashion weeks in Milan and New York as well as the gowns and other choices worn to the Oscars and Academy Award shows, I started thinking about what Netahs think might about all that. As noted above, wild animals are already dressed! This author, on the other hand, needs clothes!
My conclusion is that since Netahs are also part human, some will want their clothing to say something, while others will treat them as strictly functiona and possibly even as optional. For instance, my protagonist, Josh, has figured out that whatever he wears when he shifts is what he's wearing when he returns to human, because he observes his friend Crawley fly to a mountain top, shift from raven to human, and she's wearing a full ski-wear onesie, boots and all. It becomes a major inconvenience when he cannot shift into an elk for an outdoor errand, but rather has to don coat, boots, hat, mittens, and snowshoes, and he's still cold! As summer approaches in book 3, Josh will have more opportunities to meet the females in his community. He must learn what is acceptable and expected of him. Luckily Netah females are not shy, at least not all of them, so he has some help. As I work through ideas like a solstice parade and dance, I'm also toying with the idea that they will have to create their "gowns" and costumes from what they find in their forest. There are no fabric stores! Oh, the possibilities! As a former costumer in small local theaters, this is a fun challenge. Stay tuned for more ruminations on Netah social traditions, follow me on Facebook at lisakaniutcobb, or register below for my Virtual Launch Party on April 28, 4 pm mountain time! Bring questions and win prizes all from the comfort of your own home!
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All over the world, people have different ideas about animals. For some, animals are food - cows, pigs, chickens, fish. Others say they are the reincarnations of relatives, making cows sacred in India. Some consider reincarnation as an animal as either good or bad karma for behavior in a previous life. Others want to cuddle, nurture, and protect them. I see them in the wild and experience a thrill, impressed that they survive on their own terms.
What if animals are also thinking, feeling beings, but we don't know their language? They have different abilities, like heightened sense of smell, sight, hearing, the ability to sense magnetic fields, sleep while flying and swimming. They have a different perspective whether they live in wild or domestic spaces. Does this give them advantages? I assume so. In my books, my teenaged protagonist not only has to figure out who he is, but how and where he fits into a secret society of people who shift into animals, just like all humans have to figure out how to fit into their own cultures. So far, Josh has discovered that as an elk he can walk through deep snow and find food without the need for any camping or hiking equipment or artic clothing. Book 3 will explore dating and courting traditions within Josh's Netah elk community. I'm playing with ideas for Olympic style contests, races, a parade, and dances. I also imagine there will be a full rainbow of relationships and roles within the community. Unlike George Orwell's Animal Farm, my animals will not adopt the ways of humans, but will be more tolerant and accepting, as they not only learn from their animal sides, but their other animal Netah friends. As a fantasy writer, I could write about witches, vampires, or magic, but I think there's so much to explore within this concept of human/animal shifters, that I have ideas for several more volumes. Volume 2, The Netahs, Down in the Valley is freshly minted and available in stores and online. I am planning a virtual launch party on April 28. Register to attend at the link below. Don't miss your chance for prizes and all the inside scoop about the Netahs. The party will also include a reading, and a chance for us to meet. Can't wait to see you there! The Big IdeaJust as gnomes wear tall, pointy red hats, and cowboys, truckers, pilots, and generals have their hats, why can't Netahs? Or, what if Netahs wear a certain thing to secretly reveal themselves to other Netahs in their human forms? Should I even consider revealing what it is? Jessica Speer, author of The Phone Book, and one of my reviewers, says she now wonders if Netahs are hiding among the wild animals she sees on her hikes. What if we would now wonder if Netahs are among us as humans? What's the secret thing? Drumroll please. The big reveal: Netahs wear something green as humans. It is not the Kelly green of leprechauns, or olive drab of army camouflage. It is forest or grass green in the form of a beanie, a canvas sun hat, or a pair of gloves, a backpack, a pair of socks, a button or a scarf, or a statement head-to-toe green outfit. If you are a Netah, or if you love Netahs and want to show your support, wear something green in your human form! We'll be promoting green lifestyles and the love of nature with our color choice. Let's start a trend! Or we could be supporting leprechauns, the Irish, and beer with our color choice, especially today. You decide. Happy St. Patrick's Day and National Netah Day! Don't miss a thing, follow, or friend or link in to lisakaniutcobb on whatever socials you use. #environmental, #fantasy, #author, #Netahs She's so glad you asked.
Lisa is a woman who has worn many hats, from daughter to mother, executive assistant to copy editor, volunteer to board member, student to author. Along the way she adopted green ways like recycling paper and food scraps, repurposing clothing, and planting organic and xeric gardens. Being out in nature inspires and soothes her. Like a lot of people, she loves to see animals in nature. It is a thrill to have a moose or fox wander through her yard or to watch hummingbirds feed on her flowers. All of this might explain why such a person wonders: if people could live as wild animals, would it change their behavior? She answers: Yes, hopefully. To explore this idea, she wrote 2 books, so far, about a society of people who can transform into animals. It all started with a teenager who suddenly realized he was sprouting antlers, who went on to discover he was a Netah halfling, and that he could transform into an elk. Um, hello, it's me, Lisa. Yes, you guessed it. Fantasy can model better human behavior. Why? Well, who wants to read about just humans? We need something new and different, like people who are also animals. Then there's the environmentally friendly attitudes of my constructs, the Netahs, who live green lifestyles and love nature, because they live there. As humans they can construct green homes, use renewable energy, and other high tech stuff. Second there's the social issues. In book 3 I will tackle more aspects of Netah society. They have made it through a cold winter and prepare for summer games, which are part of their courting traditions. In Netah society athletics and the arts play a part in helping Netahs choose mates. I wanted to avoid the elk habit of brute-force head butting contests that lead to male dominated harems! No, I do not endorse patriarchies or matriarchies, but rather an equality among the sexes, and no head-butting. I think that in 2024, our society is grappling with how to create equality among the sexes, by removing barriers and working towards inclusion as it's never been done before. Language is changing, laws are being rewritten, and many people object while others fight for improvements. I suppose that means I am wearing yet another new hat these days. This appeals to me as a former theater costume maker. I wonder what shape the hat would take. Is it cloud-like as I dream on? Is it a beret - Vive la Revolucion! Or maybe it's a beanie, because I live in Colorado and we wear those when it's cold. However, in the summer we switch to wide-brimmed hats to protect us from the sun. Hmmm. Tune in Sunday for the big idea. Don't miss a thing, follow or friend or link in to lisakaniutcobb on whatever socials you use. #greentech, #fantasy, #author, #Netahs |