Thursday, July 27, 2017

Summer 2017 update!


Summertime, and the living is easy?! Yeah, no. We are busy!
It's that time of year where the Daemons are usually in "auto-pilot" mode. We don't do much as far as substantive posts. We release the giveaways we've planned months in advance. We record our podcast episodes only once a month (double sessions), and the rest of the time we like to find spots of time to relax and be happy while the weather allows it! It tends to also be the season where our general attitude is "meh, it's Summer." What lazy Daemons! Not this year, though. Behind the scenes, these still waters are running deep!

We are preparing for All Souls Con! We are getting stuff printed (check out our bookmarks!), thinking about our panel presentation, planning on what to pack, and arranging for merchandise to sell. You read that right! We are donating some items (<--sneak peek at a few) to sell at All Souls Con (proceeds go to Bodley's American Friends), and if they do well there, we will sell them to the general public; all profits will go back into our operation. Friends, it comes down to this: media & web hosting, postage for giveaways, software, and equipment aren't free. As we are are currently self-funded, we are looking to bring our costs down a bit, so here's hoping for a successful run at All Souls Con!

We also have plans a, b and c in place in case a bombshell happens in the form of Discovery of Witches TV news! It involves us having our laptops on the ready, and being prepared for all scenarios. That's what's going on behind the scenes at Daemons Domain. Here are some of the other things...
The message left on Deb's Facebook page.
  • Deb made a post yesterday essentially telegraphing the same thing! Here was her FB post entry: The All Souls Team is taking a break this month from our regular updates and newsletters. I'm writing, Jill is on vacation, and we are taking the time we need to ready ourselves for all the excitement to come.

    Have a good rest of the summer, and if big news breaks we will bring it to you. If not, see you at the end of August.

    --Deb
     
  • Giveaways, giveaways, giveaways! It's been a crazy giveaway season between us, All Souls Con and The Tenth Knot! Well, guess what? There will be a joint giveaway coming very soon between all of our sites/operations! Keep an eye out. Today is the last day of our July 2017 Giveaway. It goes until midnight (eastern) tonight! You can see our past giveaways here.
  • All Souls Con! It's less than two months away! If you can't go in person, you can stream online courtesy of Penguin Books! Go to AllSoulsCon.org/tickets to register to attend or stream today!
  • Cool things coming up on the podcast: In our next episode we will profile Philippe de Clermont! That will publish on the 3rd of August. Our next chapter episode is scheduled for August 17th! By the way, readers/listeners, if you subscribe to our podcast you will have the episodes on your devices early. We advertise a day after we upload to make sure that the new episode will show up on the syndicate sites for the general public. Anyway, after that, it's one more episode, then we are off to All Souls Con (eek!) Another thing you may have noticed is that the players on the website for the podcast have changed -- that's because we have a new media host. On the off chance you find yourself thinking about starting a podcast, we cannot recommend Pippa enough (they are NOT paying us to say that, nor are we affiliated). The customer service has been superb, and everything you could want from a media host is there along with competitive packages. This makes these Daemons very happy! You can check out the latest episode here: Take 19, The One With the Visions, the Vow, and the Venetian. Visit our podcast home page for all episodes, contact links and subscription information.
  • * Update, 10 August 2017 - over in the sleepier corner (😴) of our Daemon house lives Armitage4Clairmont. We are hedging our bets as we anticipate the end of this 5 year campaign (come Hell or high water); we knocked the dust off of the site with the newest post reflecting on the latest news from Deborah Harkness (#ADOWTv): This is happening! Well, something is ...
  • While this site may seem on vacation during these times, we are still really active on social media. Find Daemons Domain here: Instagram, Twitter & Facebook. Find Daemons Discuss! here: Instagram, Twitter & Facebook. Also, if you are interested in our Armitage4Clairmont campaign, visit the website and all social media can be found there!


Until next time, friends!


xo, ~The Daemons

Post by V. Grendell
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Thursday, July 20, 2017

Daemons Discuss - Podcast: Take 19! | Chapter Discussion about the All Souls Trilogy; Ch 21 - 25 of A Discovery of Witches

These chapters take place at Sept-Tours (pictured: Château-Dauphin - the inspiration for the de Clermont fortress)

Take 19 - The One with the Visions, the Vow and the Venetian

Description: Matthew Clairmont and Diana Bishop have reached a new height in their relationship! Great, right? Well ... Ysabeau is skeptical, Matthew is tentative, and Domenico really has something to say about it, or more correctly, the CONGREGATION does!
✮  What is the Congregation? We learn about the mysterious panel of nine in these chapters, and it appears it was a secret only to Diana! There so are many more secrets for Diana (and the reader) to uncover. It seems we all have a lot to learn about vampires -- names, hunting rituals, pack rules, family origins, and secret vampire organizations, to list a few!
✮  From the vampire greeting her with a morning breakfast tray one day, to a late night declaration of love on another, we travel a bit further on the bumpy road to Bishop-Clairmont.

SPOILER ALERT! We (The Daemons) approach this podcast with an assumption that the listener has read The All Souls Trilogy, including A Discovery of Witches, Shadow of Night, and The Book of Life.  If you haven't, and you don't mind, we certainly don't mind!  😊  Let's do this.

Listen:

Download the Mp3 of this episode

1. Show notes:

For newcomers to the series:
- We'll start with the basics: The books in discussion are A Discovery of Witches, Shadow of Night and The Book of Life.  Together they make The All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness. 
- Our Daemon Guides to the All Souls Trilogy are available for download: ADOW, SON, TBOL

Deb's newsletter - The Blast; subscribe on her website
- If you'd like a ready-reference from the author herself, be sure to download the All Souls Real-Time Reading companion (free e-book at online booksellers via Penguin and Headline books).
- Deborah Harkness usually conducts a real-time reading on her Facebook Page (starting in September), and shares her posts across social media. Check out her website for all of her social media links, and of course all that she has to offer her readers! Be sure to sign up for her newsletter while you are there!
- To see what's available on the web as far as the All Souls universe fandom, check our links page.

In this episode:
* (00:50) – Thank you Discussers, Stephen & Wendy!

a. Chapter 21
* (03:37) – The Aurora Consurgens; we loved the passages, and we’ve often talked about these passages; see this episode & this blog post. We felt the Bible passages tended to throw the reader off. Angela sees the Bible passages as a way to demonstrate Matthew’s devotion to his religious faith. Jean also says Aurora Consurgens, with the Bible passages, would probably convince the pope that the manuscript wasn’t heresy. We discuss who is actually “dark and shadowed” in the pair, and why.

* (03:52) – Jean mentioned making a video featuring the Aurora Consurgens during our early days of Armitage4Clairmont: Forever is our Today.

Andrea del Sarto’s Portrait of a Young Man (Deborah Harkness’s inspiration for Domenico); on the left is a detailed look of the painting, on the right is the picture our very own Angela took while visiting the Frick Collection. See that post: The Maven Daemon Takes Manhattan - Part 2
* (08:57) – Cue dramatic music: BAM! Domenico. We appreciate Domenico’s entrance into the series, and we discuss Deb’s inspiration for him (the del Sarto painting; see above). We also wonder about Ysabeau's, Louisa's and Matthew’s relationship with him. Deb has said in the past that Domenico was a head of a vampire family.

* (11:54) – Domenico Michele: A horror to the Greeks - Domenico Michele was the 35th Doge of Venice. He reigned from 1117 to 1130. In August 1122 Domenico Michele led a Venetian fleet of 100 vessels and around 15,000 men for the defense of the Holy Lands. The fleet sailed under the flag of St. Peter, which the Pope had sent to Michele. Over the winter the fleet set siege to Corfu. The siege was cancelled in the spring when news arrived that King Baldwin II of Jerusalem had been captured by the Artuqids, and that the Kingdom of Jerusalem had subsequently been invaded by the Fatimids of Egypt. The Venetian fleet went to the defense of Jerusalem and defeated the Egyptian fleet off of the Syrian coast. The Venetians then landed at Acre; from there Michele went to Jerusalem, where the Pactum Warmundi was signed granting Venice privileged trade concessions, tax freedoms, and even partial ownership of some cities within the Kingdom of Jerusalem. See entire profile: Domenico Michele (Wikipedia)

* (12:13) – Domenico is the first one to bring up the covenant to Diana:
“Not before the witch hears what I have to say. I have come to serve you with a warning, Diana Bishop. Relationships between witches and vampires are forbidden. You must leave this house and no longer associate with Matthew de Clermont or any of his family. If you don’t, the Congregation will take whatever steps are necessary to preserve the covenant.”
* (12:47) – He knows Stephen! How much does he know?
The Venetian looked at me with interest before his head fell back and he howled with laughter. “They said you were argumentative like your father, but I didn’t believe them.”
* (13:52) – George Costanza! We compare Diana to him right here:

➡ First Diana:
“I don’t know your Congregation, and I agreed to no such covenant,” I said, still furious. “Besides, covenants aren’t enforceable. They’re voluntary.”
➡ Now, George Constanza:

See the video of the scene here
* (15:15) – The standard gets put up:
 Ysabeau moved swiftly to a pole that extended another dozen feet into the sky. She raised a forked black banner adorned with a silver ouroboros. It unfurled in the gloomy light, the snake holding its shimmering tail in its mouth. I ran to the far side of the crenellated walls, and Domenico looked up.
* (15:17) – That conversation between Matthew and Domenico. It does exist - Deb has said she's written that scene . . .
My attention turned to Matthew, who continued to exchange words with Domenico across a precisely drawn zone of engagement. There was a blur of black and gray movement, and the Venetian hurtled backward toward the chestnut tree he’d been leaning against when we first spotted him. A loud crack carried across the grounds.
* (15:51) – Domenico being an old friend = danger:
“Our family’s emblem, and a warning to the village to be on their guard,” she explained. “We fly the banner only when others are with us. The villagers have grown too accustomed to living among vampires, and though they have nothing to fear from us, we have kept it for times such as this. The world is full of vampires who cannot be trusted, Diana. Domenico Michele is one of them.”
“You didn’t need to tell me that. Who the hell is he?”
“One of Matthew’s oldest friends,” Ysabeau murmured, eyes on her son, “which makes him a very dangerous enemy.”
* (16:23) – Ysabeau warns Diana about usurping Matthew’s authority:
She snorted. “You won’t get the chance to do much before he takes you to task for questioning his authority in front of Domenico.”
“I’m not under Matthew’s authority.”
“You, my dear, have a great deal to learn about vampires,” she said with a note of satisfaction.
* (16:45) – If you love him . . .
“No, but you have the power to send him away. Tell him you refuse to break the covenant for him, for his sake—or that you feel nothing more for him than curiosity—witches are famous for it.” She flung me away. “If you love him, you’ll know what to say.”
Black Percheron Stallion (like Matthew's Balthasar) - see our Pinterest post
* (17:24) – Matthew takes off on Balthasar:
We both rushed to the edge of the tower. A black horse and rider streaked out of the stables and cleared the paddock fence before thundering into the forest.
b. Chapter 22
* (17:35) – Ysabeau, Marthe and Diana await Matthew’s return to the parlor:
We’d been waiting in the salon, the three of us, since he’d ridden off on Balthasar in the late morning. Now the shadows were lengthening toward twilight. A human would be half dead from the prolonged effort needed to control that enormous horse in the open countryside. However, the events of the morning had reminded me that Matthew wasn’t human, but a vampire—with many secrets, a complicated past, and frightening enemies.
* (18:30) – Sarah’s call – Diana takes Sarah to task about the covenant:
“Really?” I asked, my temper flaring. “Do you think now is the time to tell me about the covenant? You don’t by any chance know the witches who are among the current members of the Congregation, do you? I have a few things I’d like to say to them.” My fingers were burning, and the skin under my nails was becoming a vivid sky blue.
“You turned your back on your power, Diana, and refused to talk about magic. The covenant wasn’t relevant to your life, nor was the Congregation.” Sarah sounded defensive.
* (19:11) – Matthew turns cold. Angela didn’t question his feelings and thought practically, Valerie reacted emotionally!
“So,” I said into the silence, “are we to expect more visitors from this Congregation?”
Matthew’s mouth tightened. “No.”
It was a one-word answer, but at least it was the word I wanted to hear. Over the past few days, I’d had a respite from Matthew’s mood changes and had almost forgotten how alarming they could be. His next words wiped away my hope that this latest outburst would soon pass.
* (20:33) – The visions begin …
“Or what?” I was deliberately provoking him, but his aloofness frightened me.
He put down his wine, and the crystal captured the light from the candles.
I felt myself falling, this time into a pool of water.
The pool became a drop, the drop a tear glistening on a white cheek.
Sarah’s cheeks were covered in tears, her eyes red and swollen. Em was in  the kitchen. When she joined us, it was evident that she’ d been crying, too. She looked devastated.
“What?” I said, fear gripping my stomach. “What’s happened?”

Sarah wiped at her eyes, her fingers stained with the herbs and spices she used in her spell casting.
Her fingers grew longer, the stains dissolving.
“What?” Matthew said, his eyes wild, white fingers brushing a tiny, bloodstained tear from an equally white cheek. “What’s happened?”
“Witches. They have your father,” Ysabeau said, her voice breaking.
* (21:00) – The voice prompts Diana to hold on:
He’s yours, a strange voice whispered. You mustn’t let him go.
* (21:17) – One of Jean’s favorite quotes from Matthew:
“You persist in this romantic vision of what it is to be a vampire, but despite my best efforts to curb it I have a taste for blood.”
* (21:47) – Marcus’ call …
 “What is it?” he said, his eyes fixed on me.
There were faint murmurs on the other end of the line. Marthe and Ysabeau exchanged worried glances.
“When?” Matthew’s voice sounded like a gunshot. “Did they take anything?” My forehead creased at the anger in his voice. “Thank God. Was there damage?”
Something had happened in Oxford while we were gone, and it sounded like a robbery. I hoped it wasn’t the Old Lodge.
The voice on the other end of the phone continued. Matthew passed a hand over his eyes.
“What else?” he asked, his voice rising.
There was another long silence. He turned away and walked to the fireplace, his right hand splayed flat against the mantel.
“So much for diplomacy.” Matthew swore under his breath. “I’ll be there in a few hours. Can you pick me up?
* (22:27) – Matthew’s erratic u-turns:
“I’ll get my things.” I turned toward the stairs.
“You aren’t coming. You’re staying here.” Matthew’s words brought me to a standstill.
“I’d rather be in Oxford,” I protested, “with you.”
“Oxford’s not safe at the moment. I’ll be back when it is.”
“You just told me we should return there! Make up your mind, Matthew. Where is the danger? The manuscript and the witches? Peter Knox and the Congregation? Or Domenico Michele and the vampires?”
* (22:50) – Visions about Matthew (while Diana was upstairs getting Matthew’s passport):
The armor’s silvery surfaces winked in the firelight, holding my attention while a jumble of faces flashed through my mind, the visions as swift as comets through the sky. There was a pale woman with enormous blue eyes and a sweet smile, another woman whose firm chin and square shoulders exuded determination, a man with a hawkish nose in terrible pain. There were other faces, too, but the only one I recognized was Louisa de Clermont, holding dripping, bloody fingers in front of her face.
Resisting the vision’s pull helped the faces fade, but it left my body shaking and my mind bewildered. The DNA report had indicated that visions were likely to come. But there’d been no more warning of their arrival than there had been last night when I floated in Matthew’s arms. It was as if someone had pulled the stopper on a bottle and my magic—released at last—was rushing to get out.
* (23:54) – When did Matthew issue all of his instructions?! The two spots that we can think of is when Diana runs up to get Matthew's passport, and later when Ysabeau was talking to (arguing with) Matthew in the courtyard just prior to his departure.

* (24:48) – We talk about how Ysabeau went a bit rogue with Matthew’s instructions! 😂

* (25:25) – Ysabeau would make a spectacular lawyer (Queen of the loopholes!)
“Did you also promise not to tell me what really happened in Oxford?”
Matthew’s mother scrutinized me closely. “You must ask Matthew when he returns. It is not my tale to tell.”
I had other questions as well—questions that Matthew might have been too distracted to mark as off-limits.
“Can you tell me why it matters that it was a creature who tried to break in to the lab, rather than a human?”
There was silence while Ysabeau considered my words. Finally, she replied.
“Clever girl. I did not promise Matthew to remain silent about appropriate rules of conduct, after all.”

* (26:01) – We veer a little bit here talking about Baldwin’s and Ysabeau’s relationship. We determined they are more similar than different. Our episode The One With Personality outlined that perfectly!

 * (26:56) – We exit this chapter and get enveloped in the witchwater scene … we questioned if she was summonsing a storm or something else. 
The Range Rover’s lights disappeared below the hill. With Matthew gone, I slid down the stone wall of the keep and gave in to the tears.
It was then that I discovered what witchwater was all about.
c. Chapter 23
* (27:52) – The description of the witchwater scene sucked you in; Ysabeau sings Diana out of the torrent.
Exhaustion overtook me, and the water pulled me under. A strange sense of exhilaration accompanied the fatigue. I was poised between mortality  and something elemental that held within it the promise of a vast, incomprehensible power. If I surrendered to the undertow, there would be no more Diana Bishop. Instead I would become water—nowhere, everywhere, free of my body and the pain.
Marthe grabbed Ysabeau’s arm, her mouth moving rapidly. Matthew’s mother tried to pull away, her own mouth shaping the word “no,” but Marthe held on, staring at her fixedly. After a few moments, Ysabeau’s shoulders slumped. She turned toward me and started to sing. Haunting and yearning, her voice penetrated the water and called me back to the world.
The Sirens and Ulysses
* (28:52) - Jean thinks of siren myths with Ysabeau. We theorize that maybe Ysabeau was an origin for the legends of the Siren, or to the Odyssey or even the Iliad.

* (30:08) - Marthe and Ysabeau’s care for Diana – we feel Ysabeau after this episode realizes how much Matthew cares for Diana and vice/versa.

* (31:20) – Ysabeau’s story time!  A portion:
Ysabeau continued to spin her tale, seeming only partially in the twenty-first century.
“Matthew was born in the village. He was always such a bright child, so curious. He drove his father mad, following him to the château and picking up tools and sticks and stones. Children learned their trades early then, but Matthew was precocious. By the time he could hold a hatchet without injuring himself, he was put to work.”
An eight-year-old Matthew with gangly legs and gray-green eyes ran around the hills in my imagination.
“Yes.” She smiled, agreeing with my unspoken thoughts. “He was indeed a beautiful child. A beautiful young man as well. Matthew was unusually tall for the time, though not as tall as he became once he was a vampire.
* (33:04) – We get to see the full picture of how Matthew was made:
“Did Matthew resist you?” I asked, unable to stop myself.
“No,” she replied. “He was out of his mind with pain. We told everyone to leave, saying we would fetch a priest. We didn’t, of course. Philippe and I went to Matthew and explained we could make him live forever, without pain, without suffering. Much later Matthew told us that he thought we were John the Baptist and the Blessed Mother come to take him to heaven to be with his wife and child. When I offered him my blood, he thought I was the priest offering him last rites.”
* (33:34) – Matthew’s call:
“Diana?” Matthew was barely audible.
“Yes?” I didn’t trust myself to say much for fear that more than words would tumble out.
He made a soft sound of relief. “I just wanted to make sure you were all right.”
“Your mother and Marthe are taking good care of me.” And I didn’t flood the castle, I thought.
“You’re tired.” The distance between us was making him anxious, and he was tuned into every nuance of our exchange.
“I am. It’s been a long day.”
“Sleep, then,” he said, his tone unexpectedly gentle. My eyes closed against the sudden sting of tears. There would be little sleep for me tonight. I was too worried about what he might do in some half-baked, heroic attempt to protect me.
“Have you been to the lab?”
“I’m headed there now. Marcus wants me to go over everything carefully and make sure we’ve taken all the necessary precautions. Miriam’s checked the security at the house as well.” He told the half-truth with smooth conviction, but I knew it for what it was. The silence stretched out until it became uncomfortable.
“Don’t do it, Matthew. Please don’t try to negotiate with Knox.”
“I’ll make sure you’re safe before you return to Oxford.”
d. Chapter 24
* (34:00) – Let’s go hunting!
 “Matthew made me promise to take you outdoors. He said it would keep you from getting sick,” Ysabeau explained.
* (34:17) – Catherine de Medici; we've written about her before, and Ysabeau talks about her here:
“It is better now that the saddles have two pommels,” Ysabeau said. “Before, all sidesaddles were good for was being led around by a man.” Her disgust was audible. “It was not until the Italian queen put a pommel and stirrup on her saddle that we could control our own horses. Her husband’s mistress rode astride so she could go with him when he exercised. Catherine was always being left at home, which is most unpleasant for a wife.” She shot  me a withering glance. “Henry’s whore was named after the goddess of the hunt, like you.”
* (34:57) – The “triangle” Jean refers to is the one between Henry II, Catherine de Medici, and Diane de Poitiers. Read the Weekly Geek on it here: Weekly Geek! Which One is the Witch?

A marmot - one of the courses of Ysabeau's meal!
* (35:04) – Ysabeau snacks? Nope! She went for a 5 course meal!
I was numb to the sight of blood after the rabbit, the enormous squirrel-like creature that Ysabeau told me was a marmot, the fox, and the wild goat—or so I thought. When Ysabeau gave chase to a young doe, however, something prickled inside me.
* (36:05) – The end of Ysabeau’s test:
Ysabeau grabbed my horse’s reins. There were tiny drops of blood on her cream shirt. “Do you think vampires are beautiful now? Do you still think it would be easy to live with my son, knowing that he must kill to survive?”
It was difficult for me to put “Matthew” and “killing” in the same sentence. Were I to kiss him one day, when he was just returned from hunting,  there might still be the taste of blood on his lips. And days like the one I was now spending with Ysabeau would be regular occurrences.
“If you’re trying to frighten me away from your son, Ysabeau, you failed,” I said resolutely. “You’re going to have to do better than this.”
“Marthe said this would not be enough to make you reconsider,” she confessed.
* (37:07) – Marthe’s tea…
Marthe kept me busy for hours, sorting dried herbs and spices into tiny piles and teaching me their names. By midafternoon I could identify them by smell with my eyes closed as well as by appearance.
“Parsley. Ginger. Feverfew. Rosemary. Sage. Queen Anne’s lace seeds. Mugwort. Pennyroyal. Angelica. Rue. Tansy. Juniper root.” I pointed to each in turn.
“Again,” Marthe said serenely, handing me a bunch of muslin bags.
* (40:13) – The child's toy:
But this little wooden tower, made with love an unimaginably long time ago, brought my illusions to an end. There were children to consider, both living and dead. There were families involved, including my own, with long and complicated genealogies and deeply ingrained prejudices, including my own. And Sarah and Em still didn’t know that I was in love with a vampire. It was time to share that news.
* (40:30) – Names are important; Ysabeau reveals her's and Matthews names to Diana. Ysabeau: Geneviève Mélisande Hélène Ysabeau Aude de Clermont. Matthew: Matthew Gabriel Philippe Bertrand Sébastien de Clermont

* (41:00) – “Canon” literary definition - In fiction, canon is the material accepted as officially part of the story in an individual universe of that story. It is often contrasted with, or used as the basis for, works of fan fiction. We say the rule "names are important" is now canon in the All Souls universe.

* (41:40) – Diana’s call to Sarah to break the news that she was in love with a vampire.
“You’ll be worrying for a good long time, then,” I said stubbornly. “I love Matthew, Sarah.”
“That’s impossible, Diana. Vampires and witches—” Sarah began.
“Domenico told me about the covenant,” I interjected. “I’m not asking anyone else to break it, and I understand that this might mean you can’t or won’t have anything to do with me. For me there’s no choice.”
* (43:03) – We talk about how Diana’s literal rise in power was the figurative fall for Emily – we'll talk more about it when we get to The Book of Life chapters . . .

1964 Vega Sicilia - the wine that Matthew was drinking when Diana called ...
* (44:21) – Diana’s call to Matthew:
“What are you drinking?” It was the only detail my imagination couldn’t supply.
“Since when have you cared about wine?” He sounded genuinely surprised.
“Since I found out how much there was to know.” Since I found out that you cared about wine, you idiot.
“Something Spanish tonight—Vega Sicilia.”
e. Chapter 25
* (46:48) – The snooping chapter! One of Angela’s faves – this is what she pictured Diana’s jaunt through Matthew’s library was like:

From Disney on GIPHY
* (47:24) – Matthew’s Desk:
Matthew’s massive mahogany desk was as dark and solid as its owner, and it exuded the same gravitas. It had drawers extending down both sides of the space left for his knees, the drawers resting on round, bun-shaped feet. Just below the writing surface, running all around the perimeter, was a thick band of carving. Acanthus leaves, tulips, scrolls, and geometrical shapes invited you to trace their outlines. Unlike the surface of my desk—which was always piled so high with papers, books, and half-drunk cups of tea that you risked disaster whenever you tried to work on it—this desk held only an Edwardian desk pad, a sword-shaped letter opener, and the lamp. Like Matthew, it was a bizarrely harmonious blend of ancient and modern.
* (48:20) – Matthew’s seal:
 Inscribed around the edge of the seal was the date MDCI—1601 in  Roman numerals—along with the words “secretum Lazari”— “the secret of Lazarus.”
It couldn’t be a coincidence that Lazarus, like a vampire, had made the journey from life to death and back again. Moreover, the cross, combined with a legendary figure from the Holy Land and the mention of knights, strongly suggested that the seals in Matthew’s desk drawer belonged to one of the orders of Crusader knights established in the Middle Ages. The best known were the Templars, who had mysteriously disappeared in the early fourteenth century after being accused of heresy and worse. But I’d never heard of the Knights of Lazarus.
* (48:33) – Philippe's seal … some speculation here: Valerie theorizes (based on his names), why Matthew had it. Jean brings up our theory about the name Bertrand. Angela brings up that Matthew was Philippe’s seneschal and may have used it in that capacity. We also speculate that Matthew is holding on to the seal because he doesn't have the heart to destroy it.
Moving as quickly and quietly as possible, I flipped the other seal over in its velvet-lined niche. It was nearly identical to Matthew’s, except that the upper right quadrant held only the crescent moon and “Philippus” was inscribed around the border.
This seal had belonged to Matthew’s father, which mean that the Knights of Lazarus were a de Clermont family affair.
* (50:25) – Follow the money…
The money. It was one of the first lessons historians learned: follow the money. I refocused my search.
* (52:28) – The ledgers …
The sturdy outlines of the first ledger were visible on the third shelf, tucked between Al-Hazen’s Optics and a romantic French chanson de geste. A small Greek letter was inked on the manuscript’s fore edge: α. Figuring it must be an indexing mark of some sort, I scanned the shelves and located the second account book. It, too, had a small Greek letter, β. My eyes lit on  γ, δ, and ε, scattered among the shelves, too. A more careful search would locate the rest, I was sure.
* (51:47) – The Templars were a “buy out,” a “merger,” or a “takeover” by the Knights of Lazarus:
There were hundreds of names marked with red crosses. Were they all Templars? If so, then the mystery of the Templars was solved. The knights and their money hadn’t disappeared. Both had simply been absorbed into the order of Lazarus.
It couldn’t be true. Such a thing would have taken too much planning and coordination. And no one could have kept such a grand scheme secret. The idea was as implausible as stories about—
Witches and vampires.
* (52:20) – Matthew’s call…we won’t end these chapters mad!
“You’re not dreaming,” Matthew said. “And, Diana?” He hesitated. “I love you.”
* (52:48) Housekeeping! Thank you Kate! We will probably make an entire episode based on your insightful email.

* (56:42) Promo breakscroll down, or click here to get a hold of us and/or become a Discusser.

* (58:12) – Our collective last thought is about All Souls Con. Angela can’t wait to eat, drink, be merry and to do our fan-panel.  Valerie has booked her ticket – one thing has changed since we’ve recorded, her ticket was changed to an earlier arrival, no more night arrival.  We talk about tipping the Uber driver to make up for all the noise for the “squees”.  Our Daemon Hour event will be updated as we get closer. Info on All Souls Con:

* (1:01:08) – Record Scratch! Valerie just couldn’t get that right. We are happy to report that the third time was the charm!

Previous Episode
Take 18, The One Without Modern Sensibilities
-----

2.  Help us out!

If you enjoyed this episode, and would like to give us some support, here's what you can do:
    a. Tweet about it!  Click here to tweet about this episode!
    b. Subscribe to us: Apple Podcasts, Google Play and/or Stitcher & many more places!
    c. Rate & leave us a review in Apple Podcasts! Do it on your phone, or do it on your computer

3. Your Feedback:

There are many ways to contact us with feedback:

Social Media: Comment on our Facebook page or you can touch base with us on Twitter & Instagram -- we are @DaemonsDomain or @DaemonsDiscuss (same Daemons!) with your comments. Oh, and if you like what you hear, follow us too!

Leave us a voicemail: There are two ways:
A. Call us at 1 (360) 519-7836 - Tell us your first name, and your message. Recording will shut off after 3 minutes. * Note - This is a U.S. number.  International rates may apply when dialing out of country. Your message may be used in an episode; messages are subject to editing for clarity and brevity.

B. Use the SpeakPipe widget below ⬇️ *Note - you'll have 90 seconds before the recording ends. Your message may be used in an episode; messages are subject to editing for clarity and brevity.



Email us directly:  DaemonsDiscuss (one word) at gmail (dot) com.

Contact us using this form below: Please make sure to let us know if it's OK to read your email (or a portion of it) on future podcasts.  If not, that's perfectly fine, too. Just let us know! Also, if you sign up for our "Discuss" email list we may send you the subject matter of a future podcast ahead of time - this way your inputs may even get included while we record!

Feedback for Daemons Discuss Episode
Questions marked by * are required.
1. Name: *

2. Email: *

3. Add you to our "Discuss" email list? You'll be the first to know about upcoming episodes - we'll have your input before we record!
  • Yes
  • No
4. Can we read your name on a future podcast?
  • Yes
  • No
  • First name only
5. Input, questions or comments about *this* episode?

 

Thanks for listening!
Until next time...



Credits/Copyright Information 
* Intro music: "Ghost Dance" (edited down to second chorus) by Kevin Macleod, licensed for use by Creative Commons.
* News intro: by AwesomeMusicVideos21; provided for fair-use/royalty-free.
*  Outro music: Rimsky-Korsakov - "Scheherazade Symphonic Suite for Orchestra Op.35 - IV. Allegro molto," Public       

domain/copyright-free.
* Cover art (+ all variations associated w/ it): © Daemons Domain 

* The term "unofficial" is explained in our disclaimer located in Terms of Use - item 14.
* The Daemons Discuss podcast is hosted and produced by the owners (Angela, Jean and Valerie) of Daemons Domain and can also be found by entering the url http://www.DaemonsDiscuss.com in your browser, (listed on the various podcast syndicates like iTunes, Stitcher, etc.) which will redirect you back to the parent site, Daemons Domain.
* This podcast is intended for personal download/consumption.  Please see our Terms of Use; item 3.

* Our episode titles are a loving tribute to the show "Friends" just 'cause we love Friends and - let's face it - it's easier! Here's how one of the show creators explains their reasoning:
Jeff Greenstein: "When Marta & David & Jeff & I did 'Dream On', we used to spend a lot of time thinking about titles, because they were on-screen at the top of each episode. On "Friends", we decided that was a waste of time. We figured, why not name each episode after the thing that people will ostensibly be talking about around the water-cooler the next day?"
This was a Daemon Production

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Thursday, July 13, 2017

We Continue the Summer Giveaway Series . . . Because We Can!

What you see is what you get (except the letter-board. We keep that!)
Happy July?! Ok, we really don't have a significant date to celebrate, but it's still summer and we are going to hold a giveaway -- BECAUSE WE CAN! This giveaway is just like the last one, but we'll switch it up a bit. Instead of Shadow of Night, this time we'll give out a copy of A Discovery of Witches, and then add a t-shirt, and a corresponding bauble. As always, we've provided multiple ways to enter (do one, some, or all)! Twitter users can enter daily by tweeting about it! All Souls Con options are there, so those of you registered to attend All Souls Con (virtually or physically)  already have 5 entries to enter with! If not, go ahead and register to attend! To max out your entry possibilities, listen to our DaemonsDiscuss! episode -- take 18, answer the trivia question -- oh yes, and maybe follow us on social media!

Up for grabs: 
A Discovery of Witches (US paperback), signed by Deborah Harkness.
A glass cabochon necklace featuring the alchemical image, cvm. patientia, or "with patience" (the image is featured in ADOW) - see it --> here
Our 2015 Daemon T-shirt -"Mad, Bad & Dangerous to Know" in the front, and "Feed Your Daemons" in the back.  :)  *click for photo*

* Update, August 9th 2017! Congratulations, Jessika!



xo, ~The Daemons

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Wednesday, July 5, 2017

Daemons Discuss - Podcast: Take 18! | A Primer for the Upcoming Discussions on the Second Book of The All Souls Trilogy, Shadow of Night

16th Century London

Take 18 - The One Without Modern Sensibilities

Description: Since we are more than halfway through the chapters of A Discovery of Witches, it's time to start priming ourselves for the next volume in the trilogy, Shadow of Night. We explore the attitudes of our main characters after our collective time-walk, and discuss their actions (both good and bad). We examine Matthew Clairmont's secrets, habits, his friends back then, and his family. We look at Diana Bishop's methods of assimilation, her insecurities, and her eventual triumph. Join us as we peek at their futures, planted squarely in the past! As of late, a relatively short episode, clocking in at just over 48 minutes. 😝

SPOILER ALERT! We (The Daemons) approach this podcast with an assumption that the listener has read The All Souls Trilogy, including A Discovery of Witches, Shadow of Night, and The Book of Life.  If you haven't, and you don't mind, we certainly don't mind!  😊  Let's do this.

Listen:


.Mp3 File

1. Show notes:

For newcomers to the series:
- We'll start with the basics: The books in discussion are A Discovery of Witches, Shadow of Night and The Book of Life.  Together they make The All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness. 
- Our Daemon Guides to the All Souls Trilogy are available for download: ADOW, SON, TBOL

Deb's newsletter - The Blast; subscribe on her website
- If you'd like a ready-reference from the author herself, be sure to download the All Souls Real-Time Reading companion (free e-book at online booksellers via Penguin and Headline books).
- Deborah Harkness usually conducts a real-time reading on her Facebook Page (starting in September), and shares her posts across social media. Check out her website for all of her social media links, and of course all that she has to offer her readers! Be sure to sign up for her newsletter while you are there!
- To see what's available on the web as far as the All Souls universe fandom, check our links page.

In this episode:
* (01:07) – Thank you to our Discusser, Wendy!

* (02:07) – Tyger, Tyger burning bright (Hamish on Matthew in A Discovery of Witches)

The Tyger by William Blake
* (02:48) – Were we trepidatious about the past? We weren’t. Valerie’s point was that she thought Diana took Hamish’s warning as Matthew being physically the same, Jean and Angela talk about how Matthew headed back and assimilated back into his old habits with his old pals. From A Discovery of Witches:
 “‘Tiger, tiger, burning bright / In the forests of the night,’” Hamish said, quoting William Blake. “That poem has always reminded me of him.”
I rested my knife on the cutting board and faced him. “What’s on your mind, Hamish?”
“Are you certain of him, Diana?” he asked. Em wiped her hands on her apron and left the room, giving me a sad look.
“Yes.” I met his eyes, trying to make my confidence in Matthew clear.
Hamish nodded, unsurprised. “I did wonder if you would take him on, once you knew who he was—who he still is. It would seem you’re not afraid to have a tiger by the tail.”
Wordlessly I turned back to the counter and resumed my chopping.
“Be careful.” Hamish rested his hand on my forearm, forcing me to look at him. “Matthew won’t be the same man where you’re going.”
Here's where we think Diana may have been confused (also from A Discovery of Witches):
“If this house gets any more crowded, it’s going to burst.” Matthew buried his face in my neck, then drew back. “You still have your bandage. It means that when we go back in time, we don’t stop being who we are in the present or forget what happened to us here.” His cold hands crept under the hem of my turtleneck. “Given your rediscovered talents as a timewalker, how accurate are you at gauging the passing of time?”
* (05:05) – Court life is ruthless, as Angela said. We go on to compare court life to modern day counterparts. High School is a great example! Angela highlights the movie The Breakfast Club as a microcosm of court life.

A painting of John Dee performing an experiment for Queen Elizabeth I and her court.

* (06:50) – We question Diana’s experience with friend groups.

* (07:35) – Matthew’s preparedness…he felt that he had it all figured out, but so many wrenches in his plans (mainly Philippe) showed him he wasn’t in charge of his destiny.

* (08:30) – The times we were really pissed with Matthew when we went back in time:
  • Matthew carousing with Kit after Diana's miscarriage
  • The secrets – he’s a spy, and a member of the congregation, and Diana was blindsided by the revelations.
  • Self-pity – we theorize that he has never had the tools to negate it because of his bloodrage (he’d go away for a long time, without dealing with the issue that caused the self-pity)
  • Jean didn’t like how Matthew lashed out at Philippe. Angela pictures Matthew as a moody teen getting harassed to stay in touch with his family so they don't worry.
  • We note that none of the “sexist” stuff really riled us up. We saw Matthew acting this way as him unconsciously assimilating, and consciously relying on his survival instincts.
  • Angela said she imagined Diana picking up and leaving Matthew there!

* (18:20) – Diana did call Matthew out in private, we feel it’s because doing so in public would draw unnecessary attention to her and Matthew in the 16th Century.

* (19:31) – Diana in the 16th Century
  • She navigates it the best she knows. She observes, she studies.
  • She holds her own with prominent members of society.
  • We identify the elements that she needed in order to make this a successful time walk: The coven, learning about herself, her time with Philippe.
  • The quote from Philippe that Angela spoke of (in The Book of Life): From the first moment we met, I knew you were the one, Philippe said. His words were a strange echo of what Timothy Weston had told me at the Bodleian last year, and again at his house.
                With a final grin, his ghost began to dissipate.
                “Wait!” I cried. “The one what?”
                The one who could bear my burdens and not break, Philippe’s voice whispered in my ear. I felt a subtle press of lips on my cheek. You will not carry them alone. Remember that, daughter.
  • Stephen was pivotal in her transformation.

* (24:17) – “In it to win it” from American Idol – Randy used to famously say it all of the time!

* (24:31) – A Discovery of Witches is about the mothers, Shadow of Night is about the fathers, and The Book of Life is about the family.

Mary Sidney Herbert
* (24:51) – It was great to see Diana in an actual friendship (with Mary Sidney). We didn’t get to observe that before in the previous book.

* (25:12) – Overall impressions
  • Shadow of Night is our collective favorite book in this series
  • It’s a great example of the quote “those who don’t learn from the past are doomed to repeat it."
  • We saw the evolution of people in the present time through the flash forwards in the books.
  • The time walking, Elizabethan life, and Philippe were the elements that fascinated us the most in this book
  • It’s nice to see Matthew with a true equal (Walter Raleigh) as a friend.

Walter Raleigh

* (28:31) NewsWe talk about some confusion about information Amazon and Goodreads. Originally, The Serpent’s Mirror was due to come out in 2017, however that is not happening. The companion book to the trilogy is coming out in 2018. A book about Marcus will tentatively come out in 2018 as well. Plans to be further revealed at All Souls Con. Val goes on a technical soap-box rant saying that the person that puts the information out originally is responsible for removing the information through statements and corrections, and eventually it will right itself (somewhat). It's hard to get rid of information on the internet, but it's doable. On that note, see DeborahHarkness.com for all of the latest CORRECT news about what’s going on with the All Souls universe.

* (33:11) Housekeeping! – Awesome iTunes review, and a voice mail from Linda. Linda is a pioneer because she was the first one ever to send us a voice mail. She’s correcting us on wrong information we put out there, so as an example of the blurb above, we corrected it promptly!

* (34:59) – We are willing to bribe! The next person to send us a voicemail will receive something from us (Linda will too, because she DID call first!) 1 (360) 519-7836 or reach us on Speakpipe (go to the site, or use the widget embedded down below in these show notes)

* (35:47) Promo breakscroll down, or click here to get a hold of us and/or become a Discusser.

* (37:17) – Jean’s last thought was from Take 17, she wonders what Marthe and Ysabeau's original connection was. Valerie adds to the thought by bringing up the servant class in vampire life. Maybe it’s a family business (think Hubbard’s taxi company - Jean pictures Hubbard steeped in the London underworld like in Peeky Blinders or The Krays)? Angela wonders “who wants to be a servant for the rest of their lives, especially if it’s 2000 yrs long!”

* (41:11) – Angela's last thought: she cannot wait to discuss Shadow of Night chapters – listener alert! The episodes may wind up regularly over an hour long.

* (42:11) – Valerie's last thought: she mentions that we have a coupon code for All Souls Con.  Coupon code is DISCUSSER.  All Souls Con info:
  • Visit AllSoulsCon.org  — You can also see 2015 All Souls Con video there.
  • Register for passes (virtual passes included - you must register to stream): AllSoulsCon.org/tickets
  • Don’t forget to join the All Souls Con Attendees Facebook group!
  • Use our coupon code: DISCUSSER for a 20% discount on passes until the 15th of July, 2017

* (43:06) – Valerie has something she cannot let go of. Regarding our giveaways, we had someone complaining that our method of holding giveaways was not optimal for them (that’s us putting it nicely). Valerie goes on to say, this is a book (plus other items) that we are giving away for free. Sarcastic version: “is it not free enough for you?!” Rafflecoptor by far is the fairest, the safest (they don't share the information collected with anyone but the person holding the giveaway), and the the most flexible method of aggregating entries (which for us, range from 200 + to 2000 +).  It makes giving away items to our audience much simpler (there are only 3 of us! We have lives! Families! Occupations!) 

* (47:18) Thank you Wendy, our reviewer, and Linda!

Previous Episode
Take 17, The One With the Fortress
-----

2.  Help us out!

If you enjoyed this episode, and would like to give us some support, here's what you can do:
    a. Tweet about it!  Click here to tweet about this episode!
    b. Subscribe to us: Apple Podcasts, Google Play and/or Stitcher & many more places!
    c. Rate & leave us a review in Apple Podcasts! Do it on your phone, or do it on your computer

3. Your Feedback:

There are many ways to contact us with feedback:

Social Media: Comment on our Facebook page or you can touch base with us on Twitter & Instagram -- we are @DaemonsDomain or @DaemonsDiscuss (same Daemons!) with your comments. Oh, and if you like what you hear, follow us too!

Leave us a voicemail: There are two ways:
A. Call us at 1 (360) 519-7836 - Tell us your first name, and your message. Recording will shut off after 3 minutes. * Note - This is a U.S. number.  International rates may apply when dialing out of country. Your message may be used in an episode; messages are subject to editing for clarity and brevity.

B. Use the SpeakPipe widget below ⬇️ *Note - you'll have 90 seconds before the recording ends. Your message may be used in an episode; messages are subject to editing for clarity and brevity.



Email us directly:  DaemonsDiscuss (one word) at gmail (dot) com.

Contact us using this form below: Please make sure to let us know if it's OK to read your email (or a portion of it) on future podcasts.  If not, that's perfectly fine, too. Just let us know! Also, if you sign up for our "Discuss" email list we may send you the subject matter of a future podcast ahead of time - this way your inputs may even get included while we record!

Feedback for Daemons Discuss Episode
Questions marked by * are required.
1. Name: *

2. Email: *

3. Add you to our "Discuss" email list? You'll be the first to know about upcoming episodes - we'll have your input before we record!
  • Yes
  • No
4. Can we read your name on a future podcast?
  • Yes
  • No
  • First name only
5. Input, questions or comments about *this* episode?

 

Thanks for listening!
Until next time...



Credits/Copyright Information 
* Intro music: "Ghost Dance" (edited down to second chorus) by Kevin Macleod, licensed for use by Creative Commons.
* News intro: by AwesomeMusicVideos21; provided for fair-use/royalty-free.
* Promotional music by Boxcat Games, "Epic", licensed for use by Creative Commons.
*  Outro music: Rimsky-Korsakov - "Scheherazade Symphonic Suite for Orchestra Op.35 - IV. Allegro molto," Public       

domain/copyright-free.
* Cover art (+ all variations associated w/ it): © Daemons Domain 

* The term "unofficial" is explained in our disclaimer located in Terms of Use - item 14.
* The Daemons Discuss! podcast is hosted and produced by the owners (Angela, Jean and Valerie) of Daemons Domain and can also be found by entering the url http://www.DaemonsDiscuss.com in your browser, (listed on the various podcast syndicates like iTunes, Stitcher, etc.) which will redirect you back to the parent site, Daemons Domain.
* This podcast is intended for personal download/consumption.  Please see our Terms of Use; item 3.

* Our episode titles are a loving tribute to the show "Friends" just 'cause we love Friends and - let's face it - it's easier! Here's how one of the show creators explains their reasoning:
Jeff Greenstein: "When Marta & David & Jeff & I did 'Dream On', we used to spend a lot of time thinking about titles, because they were on-screen at the top of each episode. On "Friends", we decided that was a waste of time. We figured, why not name each episode after the thing that people will ostensibly be talking about around the water-cooler the next day?"
This was a Daemon Production

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