Wednesday, November 29, 2017

2017 Holiday Giveaway!

Glitz and glam for the holidays? Yes, but this year there is a twist! We are going to gift like Phoebe!
This year has gone fast! As we find ourselves firmly in the holiday season, it's time for our annual holiday giveaway! We are taking a page out of Phoebe's book; we are going to give something considered a hand-me-down and something hand-made.

As usual, we've provided several ways to enter, including podcast trivia, social media follows, and of course you can tweet about this daily (do one, some, or all)! Have a copy already? What a perfect gift for the like-minded reader that you hold dear.

Here are the goods:

A Discovery of Witches (US paperback), signed by Deborah Harkness. We are offering a hand-me-down ... or better, a well-loved copy of A Discovery of Witches to a lucky recipient! And yes, it’s signed! Great gift for first time readers of the story, people who have the ebook and would appreciate a signed physical copy, or people who have not had an opportunity to get a signed copy at all.

This one is special because it was loved before! It also has something rather different about it . . . it is stamped "FREE BOOKS" --- we cracked up, not only because we didn't notice it when we had Deb sign it, but because this copy is now priceless. Hopefully, we will find it a home where someone will appreciate the irony as much as we do! You can see the stamp --> here

On one side is our version of Jack's design with the Bishop/Clairmont scion name, the other side shows The Tree of Life.
A glass cabochon necklace featuring the snake/firedrake ouroboros design. Jack gifted his drawing of the Bishop Clairmont scion design to Diana and Matthew, so we found this rather fitting.

This is our hand-made offering. It sold out at All Souls Con 2017 (all proceeds -- including the cost of production -- went to the Bodleian), and we probably won't be able to sell them again as shown (we are not trying to step on legal landmines! However, we can give it away with a clear conscience). Most likely the style version that will come out for sale next year will not have "Bishop - Clairmont" on it!

Update 19 Dec 2017: Congratulations, Catrina!



xo, ~The Daemons

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Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Daemons Discuss - Podcast: Take 26! | Chapter Discussion about the All Souls Trilogy; Chapters 1 & 2 of Shadow of Night

The "Old Lodge" or Speke Hall back in the days of yore ...
Take 26 - The One With the Boys

Description: The reader, like the collective heap of vampire and witch, is splashed into 1590, and it seems the temperature not as quite as comfortable as we had hoped! In this episode, we explore the first two chapters of our favorite book in this series, Shadow of Night. We find that Matthew Clairmont's past is not quite a tidy hole that Diana Bishop's future could easily squeeze into! Join us as we meet Kit, George, Thomas, Henry and Walter (aka, The School of Night).

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.
*Note - this podcast is labeled 'explicit'

Listen:

Download .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:
* (01:00) – Angela did her re-read reading and listening to the audio at 1.5x speed! She was able to pick up things she never heard before.

* (01:55) – Thank you Discussers, NE Angela, Stephen, Ed and Lauren! See full emails here

* (08:08) – The dedication – dedicated to Lacey Baldwin Smith – Jean mentions the book Elizabethan Age -- she misspoke; the actual title is The Elizabethan World
To Lacey Baldwin Smith, master storyteller and historian, who suggested some time ago that I should think about writing a novel.
a. Chapter 1

Tudor roses on a ceiling
* (09:40) – An undignified heap of witch of vampire… we talk about the tudor roses on the ceiling. Jean & Angela explain the deeper meaning of the “obligatory” part of their presence.

* (11:43) – Matthew is appearing to want to settle in (when this was supposed to be an in/out trip).
“The roses were obligatory when the house was built,” Matthew commented drily. “I can’t stand them. We’ll paint them all white at the first opportunity.”
* (12:20) – Diana, for the first time, is happy to be a witch.
For the first time in my life, I was absolutely delighted to be a witch. As a historian I studied the past. Because I was a witch, I could actually visit it. We had come to 1590 to school me in the lost arts of magic, yet there was so much more that I could learn here.
* (13:23) – Angela liked that Diana was naiive about this trip. Her bubble was continually popped. Beginning with Kit.
“Wherever did you find that?” Marlowe pointed, his voice dripping with contempt. I looked over my shoulder, expecting to see some hideous work of art. There was nothing but empty space.He meant me. My smile faltered.
* (14:29) – Blackfriers Bess . . .
“Is Diana her real name, or was it adopted to enhance her allure among customers? Perhaps a baring of her right breast, or a bow and arrow, is in order,” Marlowe suggested, picking up a sheet of paper. “Remember when Blackfriars Bess demanded we call her Aphrodite before she would let us—”
* (14:58) – Valerie realized (this read) that Kit turned her immediately off by rifling through Matthew’s things.
Shock passed over Matthew’s face before his lips curved into an affectionate smile. “Where are you in truth, my own sweet Matt?” The man held a page up to the light. In a flash, Matthew’s eyes narrowed, indulgence replaced by displeasure.“Looking for something, Kit?”
* (16:30) – Angela mentions that Kit was doing what Jean mentioned in the panel of ASC; Kit was being a love-sick stalker.

* (16:44) – Diana wants to fan-girl Kit, because she recognized his face from an image on the back of her copy of The Jew of Malta (an aside ☞ The Jew of Malta is said to be an inspirational piece for Shakespeare’s ‘The Merchant of Venice.’ William is a magpie! Also, according to Kit, “a thief and a hack”). We also note that Diana is trying to understand Elizabethan English.

* (17:27) – What's an 'ague'? Definition of ague:
1 :a fever (such as malaria) marked by paroxysms of chills, fever, and sweating that recur at regular intervals
2 :a fit of shivering

* (17:57) – Here goes Kit with his foul-snark! Angela states she has no basis for liking Kit …she just did. Jean just saw it as Kit being love-sick.

* (19:13) – Kit reports on George (who we have yet to meet).
" [...] George has been here for some time, of course, eating your food and reading your books. He is still without a patron and hasn’t a farthing to his name.”
* (20:30) – The brothel remark! Damn! Angela suggests that Kit was extra anxious to reveal juicy tidbits like that.
“I had no idea there was a brothel in Woodstock that specialized in overtall women. Most of your whores are more delicate and appealing, Matthew. This one is a positive Amazon,” Kit sniffed
* (21:20) – Matthew finally shuts Kit down.
“Diana is my wife.” Matthew was gone from my side, his hand no longer wrapped around mine but twisted in Marlowe’s collar.“No.” Kit’s face registered his shock.
* (21:48) – Jean notes that Chester is approx. 120 miles away from the Old Lodge. That commute via horseback would be a bit hard . . .
“Matt! Pierre said you were in Chester and might not make it home. But I knew you would not miss our annual gathering.”
* (22:2) – Enter Pierre and Françoise
With a clatter of dishes, two vampires appeared in the room. One was a slender man with an expressive face, weather-beaten skin the color of a hazelnut, and black hair and eyes. He was holding a flagon of wine and a goblet whose stem was shaped into a dolphin, the bowl balanced on its tail. The other was a rawboned woman bearing a platter of bread and cheese.
* (23:00) – The term 'milord' enters our lexicon in this story. We discuss servant treatment, and being dressed and washed. Lol! We go over “the whore’s bath” … thanks, Jean!
“You are home, milord,” the man said, obviously confused. Oddly enough, his French accent made him easier to understand. “The messenger on Thursday said—”
* (24:36) – Diana’s hair has changed.
“What’s happened to your hair?” Matthew held up a strawberry blond curl.
* (25:20) – The mated earring! Where did this come from? We discuss the accumulation of things from Matthew’s family. Valerie brings up the fact that Ysabeau and Louisa were big packers, and probably littered Matthew's various homes with their things over time.
Like Matthew’s copy of Doctor Faustus and the small silver figure of Diana, the earring was one of the items that had helped us return to this particular past. Françoise rummaged in a nearby chest and found its match easily. My jewelry sorted out, she snaked thick stockings over my knees and secured them with scarlet ribbons.
* (27:56) – Diana realized this George is George Chapman – read this Weekly Geek on George.
“I am George Chapman, Mistress Roydon.”His name was familiar. I picked through the disorganized knowledge stored in my historian’s brain. Chapman was not an alchemist—that was my research specialty, and I did not find his name in the spaces devoted to that arcane subject. He was another writer, like Marlowe, but I couldn’t recall any of the titles.
* (28:58) – George: Matthew, what’s up? You don’t like witches! Matthew: This one is cool, though. Relax, man. I married her.
“But you do not like witches any more than Kit does, Matthew. You have always discouraged me from attending to the subject. When I set out to write a poem about Hecate, you told me to—”“I like this one. So much so, I married her,”
* (29:10) – Hecate (Hekete)

* (29:22) – George included Diana in conversation. He went out of his way to be polite. Kit interrupted with an offer to read from Faustus. We also conclude that if Diana wasn’t there, Matthew would’ve listened to Faustus. This version probably had a wayward witch in it.

* (30:50) – The next morning – a private person’s personal nightmare!
He untied its ruffled neckline and was about to plant a kiss underneath my ear to persuade me to his point of view when someone ripped open the bed’s curtains. I squinted against the bright sunlight.“Well?” Marlowe demanded.
Roanoke Coloney
31:37 – The Roanoke history . . . introduced: Roanoke Coloney

32:00 – Françoise kicks them out.
“Out! Madame must wash before she greets his lordship.” Françoise entered the room with a steaming basin of water in her hands. Pierre, as usual, trailed behind.
* (32:12) – Pierre throws Matthew his britches
Pierre, familiar with the signs of a woman on the edge, hastily thrust a set of black britches at my husband so he wouldn’t be bare-legged when my anger erupted.
* (32:56) – George brings the news that Lord Northumberland is right downstairs.
George inquired from beyond the curtains. He’d entered the room unannounced, neatly foiling Françoise’s efforts to herd the other men out. “Lord Northumberland has been left alone in the great hall. If he were my patron, I would not treat him thus!”
* (33:31) – Of course Shakespeare’s not downstairs!
“Of course Will’s not down there.” Matthew waved his hand dismissively. “Walter doesn’t approve of his command of meter, and Kit thinks he’s a hack and a thief.”
* (34:40) – Matthew is actually Matthew Roydon

* (35:26) – Mad, bad and dangerous to know!

* (36:26) – Françoise finds the scar. We talk about family loyalty.
I was still wrestling my head out of the fabric when there was a gasp of horror, a muffled “Mon Dieu.”I froze. Françoise had seen my back and the crescent-shaped scar that stretched from one side of my lower rib cage to the other, along with the star that rested between my shoulder blades.
b. Chapter 2

Henry Percy (aka 'Hal' in this story) was the 9th Earl of Northumberland
* (39:19) – They greet the Earl of Northumberland. Enter Henry Percy. He’s sweet to Diana and we agree he was a welcome change for Diana.

* (40:34) – The preparation to meet the Earl:
I asked Françoise a number of questions during the complicated process. Portraits of the period had led me to expect an unwieldy birdcage called a farthingale that would hold my skirts out at the hips, but Françoise explained that these were for more formal occasions. Instead she tied a stuffed cloth form shaped like a doughnut around my waist beneath my skirts. The only positive thing to say about it was that it held the layers of fabric away from my legs, enabling me to walk without too much difficulty—provided there was no furniture in the way and my destination could be reached if I moved in a straight line. But I would be expected to curtsy, too. Françoise quickly taught me how to do so while explaining how Henry Percy’s various titles worked—he was “Lord Northumberland” even though his last name was Percy and he was an earl
* (41:00) – Shaving beards to combat ague … looking into this, we couldn't find exact documentation, but it is our assumption that this was an actual way to combat fever (maybe also germs). So instead, we offer you the following: The History of Shaving and Beards

* (42:39) – Diana studies Hal’s habits and observes the old lodge. Jean brings up the historical value of the things she observes; Angela brings up how Catholicism in Matthew’s world remains prominent even amongst Protestant England (and religious tug-of-wars at the time).

* (43:45) – Enter Walter. We talk about what a heartbreaker he was for the time. Angela compares his portrait to Tom Mison, the actor.
A Hilliard of Walter Raleigh on the left, and Tom Mison on the right. What do you think?
 * (44:31) – Whoa, what? Diana is only 33! “Mature?” The hits keep on coming!
“Henry Percy, you sly imp. Kit told me you were intent on bedding the fair Arabella. If I’d known your tastes ran to something more mature than a girl of fifteen, I would have yoked you to a lusty widow long ago.”Mature? Widow? I had just turned thirty-three.
* (45:11) – Hal sets Walter straight.
“Go out, come in again, and ask Matt for his news. And look contrite when you do it.”
Arabella Stuart as painted by Nicholas Hilliard
* (46:14) – Hal and the fair Arabella: [...]Northumberland's name was entitled to stand eighth on the list of presumptive heirs to the crown, and the Roman catholics, who had hopes that he would yet declare for the faith of his fathers, suggested about 1590 that he should strengthen his claim by marrying another heiress, Lady Arabella Stuart. [... read more]

* (46:28) – Court life/intrigue.
Henry turned with surprise. “Good day, Walter. Why aren’t you at court?”I tried to swallow a morsel of toast. Our new arrival was almost certainly the missing member of Matthew’s School of Night, Sir Walter Raleigh.“Cast out of paradise for want of a position, Hal. And who is this?” Piercing blue eyes settled on me, and teeth gleamed from his dark beard.
* (47:02) – Diana was from Cambridge; she neglects to mention the Massachusetts part.
“I pray you are right, Hal. But enough of my troubles. What part of the country are your people from, Mistress Roydon?”“Cambridge,” I said softly, keeping my response brief and as truthful as possible. The town was in Massachusetts, not England, but if I started making things up now, I’d never keep my stories straight
* (47:46) – The assumption that Diana has a dead husband, and a few kids at her age. Walter mentions the waste of a fine specimen on a cold-blooded creature. Jean suggests that this is Tudor version of “I’d hit that…”

* (49:00) – Walter gets the news that Diana is a witch from – KIT.
“At last. Talk sense into him, Walter. Matthew cannot keep playing Odysseus to her Circe.” Kit grabbed the goblet sitting in front of Henry. “Good day, Hal.”“Talk sense into whom?” Walter asked testily.“Matt, of course. That woman is a witch. And there’s something not quite right about her.” Kit’s eyes narrowed. “She’s hiding something.”
* (50:30) – They move to the parlor. Valerie notes the art. Jean mentions leaders being displayed on the walls of a private residence.

* (51:55) – The truth.
“Are you still going to tell them the truth?” I whispered to him.“It is generally easier that way, mistress,” Raleigh said sharply, “not to mention more fitting among friends.”
* (52:35) – But to marry a witch . . .
“But to wed her—whatever were you thinking?” Walter asked numbly.“That I loved her,” Matthew said.
* (53:10) – Kit’s eyes at Matthew’s declaration of love for Diana (we’ll use the Mark Cuban .gif that Angela mentioned).

This is often Angela's reaction to various daily absurdities 😂
* (53:30) – The back stories and Kit’s protests.
“We will need to devise a story to explain how your wife came to be here,” Walter said thoughtfully, “something to divert attention from her strangeness.”“Diana needs a teacher, too,” added Matthew.“She must be taught some manners, certainly,” Kit grumbled. “No, her teacher must be another witch,” Matthew corrected him.
* (54:30) – How Matthew interacts with his counterparts in the School of Night. Jean compares them to his actual family. We discuss family of choice vs. family of blood.
At Matthew’s response the room fell silent while he and Walter studied each other. With Kit, Matthew was indulgent and a bit exasperated. George and Tom brought out his patience and Henry his brotherly affection. But Raleigh was Matthew’s equal—in intelligence, power, perhaps even in ruthlessness—which meant that Walter’s was the only opinion that mattered. They had a wary respect for each other, like two wolves determining who had the strength to lead their pack.
* (55:57) – They talk about why they are there, and Diana’s lack of magical education
“Diana’s father was a scholar,” Matthew replied for me. There were murmurs of interest, quelled by Walter’s upraised hand. “Her mother, too. Both were witches and died under mysterious circumstances.” “That is something we share, then, D-D-Diana,” Henry said with a shudder. Before I could ask the earl what he meant, Walter waved Matthew on.“As a result her education as a witch was . . . overlooked,” Matthew continued.
* (56:26) – Wearh - although, the term “wearh” cannot be directly translated into “vampire,” it is an Old English term that has been used to describe vampires. A wearh is a monster or evil spirit. Many authors still use the term when writing about vampires and Anglo-Saxons between England and Scotland between the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century. *Source - Vampire Underworld

* (56:42) – Witches and wearhs cannot marry.
“Because witches and wearhs are forbidden to marry,” Kit said promptly. I’d never heard the word wearh before, with its whistling w at the beginning and guttural sound at the end.“So are daemons and wearhs.” Walter clamped a warning hand on Kit’s shoulder.“Really?” George blinked at Matthew, then at me. “Does the queen forbid such a match?”“It is an ancient covenant between creatures that none dares to disobey.” Tom sounded frightened. “Those who do so are called to account by the Congregation and punished.”
Janus Image
Janus
* (57:47) – Janus:
In ancient Roman religion and myth, Janus (/ˈnəs/; Latin: Iānus, pronounced [ˈjaː.nus]) is the god of beginnings, gates, transitions, time, duality, doorways,[1] passages, and endings. See more . . .

* (58:40) – Matthew’s ideas through other people. Matthew as a vampire cannot claim his thoughts in history.
Walter surveyed Marlowe from head to toe—“everything in you and on you—from your ideas to your last cup of wine to the hat on your head—is thanks to Matthew Roydon’s good graces. Providing a safe port for his wife during this present tempest is a trifle in comparison.”
* (59:50) – Kit doesn’t think she shouldn’t leave the house due to her odd speech. George offers to provide elocution lessons.
“Go out of the house?” Kit scoffed. “Utter lunacy.”“Kit is right,” George said apologetically. He made a notation in his book. “Your speech makes it apparent you are a stranger to England. I would be happy to give you elocution lessons, Mistress Roydon.” The idea of George Chapman playing Henry Higgins to my Eliza Doolittle was enough to make me look longingly at the exit.
* (1:00:50) – Is there anything they wouldn’t do for you, Matthew?
I’d seen Matthew manage the readers at the Bodleian, but his influence over the likes of Walter Raleigh and Kit Marlowe was still unexpected. “Is there anything they wouldn’t do for you, Matthew?“Pray God we never find out,” he said somberly.
* (1:01:15) – Chapter discussion ends with this version of the verse:
“‘Black is the badge of hell / The hue of dungeons, and the school of night.’”
* (1:01:37) Housekeeping: Thanks Lauren & Shelli (we clarify the term DILF, and revist the term schmexy). Thanks SunshineVince for your awesome 5-star review!

* (1:05:25) Save It For the Show … Topic: Our thoughts on the TV images from A Discovery of Witches TV so far. We are of a wait and see mindset. The TV show is different from the books. We are getting different points of views from all of the characters!

Teresa Palmer wrapped up in spider webs (shared by Teresa Palmer on Instagram)
* (1:10:17) Promo break – scroll down, or click here to get a hold of us and/or become a Discusser -- information on joining our Facebook group also located on that page.

* (1:11:57) – Last thoughts/things we can't let go of: Jean is tired of the never-dying question “why can’t Diana live forever?”.  Valerie alerts listeners: Deb has an imposter on the internet. Proceed with caution. Here are Deb’s actual links:
Val loves our Facebook group. You can join (if you are an organic listener; the group was made for you)! Here is the link: Daemonic Discussers, and the ‘word’ is what we mentioned on this episode. Be sure to fill out the second question to enter.  

*NOTE: Please keep in mind that this group is just a supplement to our podcast. If you aren't listening to us merely because you enjoy the podcast, but have decided to listen just to get in, you will not be granted entry. The screening process has been intensified to keep membership intimate, and to try to keep out folks who don’t have the best intentions for the group and its dynamic. It's an imperfect process, but we are determined to keep it a healthy place for speculation and more detailed discussion for all members, including us. When we opened the group, we decided to require listener-only membership because podcasting is a very personal medium. People who listen tend to know how we are and think. Those who like what we have to say (and don't find us too abrasive/foul-mouthed/opinionated 😈), will most likely enjoy the group to its fullest, and utilize it as a sounding board with other like-minded members who have the ability to peacefully discuss divergent or opposing ideas. We don't have time to worry about mal-intent, because it breeds drama and discourse. If we're not comfortable, then the rest of the members won't be comfortable. None of this is negotiable. It's simply how it is. This is why the Facebook group is not public and we don't advertise it on Deb's website, social media, or other venues.

Note the picture on the left of this collage; it's fan-art from 2013.
And  – WHAT? The picture in the Italian article above: on the left is fan-art (featuring Richard Armitage and Ana Torv). The writer/editor of this article should have done more extensive research -- 'cause let's face it -- how embarrassing! The link (as of the time of episode publication) to this article in the Venetian newspaper still exists as shown above. We recognized the image because it is a variation of a graphic poster submitted by Vanessa for a fan-art contest we held in 2013 (at our old fan-site, Armitage4Clairmont). It really tells you about the level of quality art that can be produced by fans! Angela declares "NONE OF THESE ACTORS DESERVED THIS!", referring to the lackadaisical publication of this piece. There are four different actors pictured in this article -- c'mon, writers/editors of online publications! Do better. 😒

Here are more of the original artist's fan-art from back then. Visit Vanessa's DeviantArt gallery or her Pinterest Board
Angela mentions that we occasionally be doing “off” giveaways with other books like this one, to break the monotony. When you see them, don't knock it, just enter! We love all sorts of books, and we love opportunities to share them with our friends/followers.

Previous Episode
Take 25 - The One With Dosage Compensation
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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.
* Pendulum Waltz by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Artist: http://audionautix.com/ 
*  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 Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, etc.) which will redirect you back to the parent site, Daemons Domain.
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* 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, November 9, 2017

Daemons Discuss - Podcast: Take 25! | The Return of the Vampire Scientist & Last Thoughts on A Discovery of Witches

 

Take 25 - The One With Dosage Compensation (feat. Dr. Shelli Carter)

Description: We welcome back our favorite vampire scientist, Shelli! We ply her with more questions, and then drift into our reflections of our latest re-read of A Discovery of Witches. Beware! We subject-hop like crazy in this one. Even maybe do a bit of time-walking with 80's heartthrobs. The episode begins with an attempt to balance some daemons with a vampire, and ends with declarations of love for heretical opinions. Make sure your restraints are fastened. Enjoy the ride!

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.
*Note - this podcast is labeled 'explicit'

Listen:

Download .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:
* (01:15) - Shelli explains "dosage compensation"

* (02:18) - Thank you Discussers! Thanks to Karina for your voice mail & to Patricia for your email; Patricia asked Shelli about DNA testing in the group! Last but not least, thank you Wendy for your email outlining your ADOW journey, and your question to Dr. Shelli (answered in this segment as well). Read full emails here.

More:
* (14:22) - Shelli brought the science with her (re: our last episode). She explains how it is that Sophie can have a witch child with another daemon, and how she wound up the anomaly in her family's line of witches. She's brought us pictures:

Figure 1 (Shelli tells us the spot is water from her tea!)
Figure 2
Figure 3
More in this section:
* (20:10) - Origins in Africa, re-explained; links that Shelli sent for further reading:
* (21:50) - Does science explain magic or vice/versa?

* (22:33) - There are more neuron connections in your brain than there are stars in the universe. Think about that! Dr. Shelli's suggested reading for this is here--> The Nervous System, from 128 MPH Signals to Trillions of Synapses

The lighter version of the peppered moth
* (24:24) - The peppered moth links that Shelli sent:

The Star Bellied Sneetches by Dr. Seuss; watch ---> here
* (28:30) - Punctuated Equalibrium vs. Phyletic Gradualism

* (30:12) - Epistasis

* (30:29) - Marfan Syndrome

* (32:14) - Where did the first vampire come from? Too much! We're going to let Shelli think about this. We'll tackle this another time -- well, SHE'LL tackle it, and we'll be here when she's ready to give her thoughtful analysis, as is custom for her.

* (35:55) - AB positive! We'll post this here again: AB-POSITIVE is the correct answer per Deb (see here, and here), but contrary to what we told you, "AB-negative" does appear in some of the newer prints of A Discovery of Witches. In some copies, chapter 13 would show "AB-negative," then the same book would display "AB-positive" in chapter 36! We wouldn't have known had we not checked our prize closets, and peeked in some of the newest books in our stacks. Don't bother writing the publishers, Deb, or her people . . . they all are aware of the misprint!

* (37:40) - Our thoughts on this re-read of A Discovery of Witches
  • Those wayward books that Ysabeau sent: George Chapman, Kit Marlowe - their admiration of Diana and Matthew.
  • The time-loop! Val jumps ahead to The Book of Life and talks about the bedroom Matthew made, waiting for Diana. We stopped discussing the time loop and just attributed it to magic.
  • Diana and Matthew have been shelved together since the 16th Century. Now it is Shelli's turn to have her head hurt! Turnabout is fair play, Shelli. 😈
  • We decide Diana was a muse for George.
  • Angela says this time she was able to get her brain wrapped around the science for this re-read, thanks to Shelli and All Souls Con!
  • Shelli appreciated the eggs and foreshadowing that Deb planted in ADOW for the rest of the books, this re-read.
  • Valerie walked away with much more empathy for Diana this time.
  • For Jean, it was Marcus this time. This sparks a conversation of how parents always see their kids as kids. Shelli brings up guilt that Matthew had about not telling Marcus about blood rage.
  • We talk about how Emily is easily over-looked. A 'noodle'!
* (52:10) - We veered off of the road and crashed into a ditch. We then swam around in it for a bit! Here are our 80's heartthrobs:

(left to right) James Spader, Nick Cage, Christian Slater, Val Kilmer
* (54:19) - Thanks to Jean, we were able to climb out of the ditch! She owes a dollar in the swear jar.

* (55:05) - Events that were catalysts in A Discovery of Witches;
  • Jean - Ysabeau as a master chess player and captain of the ship.
  • Valerie - Diana using her her magic in the Bodleian - and Matthew spotting her as a result.
  • Shelli - Diana's physical reaction to touching the manuscript (since the book was made of creatures); the creatures communicating with her
* (1:00:35) News - Casting (in no particular order)!
Daniel Ezra
Lindsay Duncan
Alex Kingston
Tanya Moodie
Valarie Pettiford
* (1:03:35) Housekeeping: Thank you for the email, Linda! Thank you laureni526, for your wonderful review!

* (1:05:44) Save It For the Show … Topic: But Ysabeau, though? Lindsay Duncan is a fine actor. We have less of a problem with the actor's age than the opinion that TV audiences aren't sophisticated enough to embrace the concept of vampire parents appearing younger than their children, or the more troubling alternative being the canon-altering vampire-aging explanation. Both attempts ring a bit hollow.
  1. The first explanation: TV audiences will have an easier time accepting an older Ysabeau as Matthew's mother. We contend that ALL recent modern shows/movies depicting vampires prove that the maker/child age (parent being same age/younger than child) is not controversial with fans. Do better, TV producer people. 😒 It's insulting. In the future, tell it like it is: 'We wanted this actress/she was available/she was great in this/this is the direction we are going/we saw her in the audition and there was no one better' <-- all acceptable. Offer more credit to your potential viewers, please.
  2. Ysabeau's trauma; on Twitter, Deb indicated that Philippe's death triggered Ysabeau's aging. What about Miriam? Or Matthew? Or Fernando?! What sort of trauma induces this sudden drastic aging? How deep does it need to be? How is one vampire's trauma more dramatic than another? So vampires (in this show), now age under certain conditions? Valerie felt this may have been a knee-jerk reaction to help to gently explain away the choice (she admits she doesn't know, and may be wrong). Angela said they would've been just better off telling the general public that this was the direction they decided to go, and that's it. Of course, these are our opinions (Angela, Jean and Valerie's -- we're leaving Shelli out of it, she's innocent!)
  3. We go a bit further and discuss Agatha, Nathaniel and Emily's casting + the surprise around the fandom. Listen for more of our chatter. We are pretty content with these choices!
  4. Oh, don't worry, we aren't out with torches and pitchforks (and people out there who are getting heated with us, put yours away. None of this is that serious). In a year, we'll probably forget we said any of it. Even if confronted with this very public recording, we'll deny everything! 😜 Just kidding. Or ARE we? Seriously though, we are adults, shit happens, and sometimes it happens with outstanding results. Let's see how this all plays out, shall we?
* (1:18:00) Promo break – scroll down, or click here to get a hold of us and/or become a Discusser -- information on joining our Facebook group also located on that page.

* (1:19:37) - Last thoughts! Shelli is looking forward to future episodes of the podcast covering Shadow of Night. Jean is looking forward to championing Kit in future episodes. Angela has some future blog posts under wraps, coming soon -- Jean too! Valerie mentions that our jewelry sales are on hold until we get guidance from Deb's legal team. Sorry that they won't be available for Christmas! Also, join our Facebook group:

Here is the link: Daemonic Discussers, and the ‘word’ is 'Fucking firedrake' (or some less offensive variation). Be sure to fill out the second question to enter! Heretical opinions welcomed, and encouraged! 😎

*NOTE: Please keep in mind that this group is just a supplement to our podcast. If you aren't listening to us because you enjoy the podcast, but have decided to listen just to get in, you will not be granted entry. The screening process has been intensified to keep membership intimate, and to try to keep out folks who don’t have the best intentions for the group and its dynamic. It's an imperfect process, but we are determined to keep it a healthy place for speculation and more detailed discussion for all members, including us. When we opened the group, we decided to require listener-only membership because podcasting is a very personal medium. People who listen know how we are and think. Those who like what we have to say (and don't find us too abrasive/foul mouthed/opinionated), will most likely enjoy the group to its fullest, and utilize it as a sounding board with other like-minded members who can peacefully discuss divergent or opposing ideas. We don't have time to worry about mal-intent, because it breeds drama and discourse. If we're not comfortable, then the rest of the members won't be comfortable. This is not negotiable. It's simply how it is. This is why the Facebook group is not public and we don't advertise it on Deb's website, social media, or other venues.

Previous Episode
Take 24 - The One With the Unexpected Visitors
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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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Wednesday, November 1, 2017

Shadow of Night Giveaway!

Cue announcer voice: "... and this could all be yours!"
Today is the day in real-time that we begin Shadow of Night! What better way to celebrate than to give away the book itself! Along with that, we are throwing in Diana's commonplace book! We kicked in some things that look ahead, and look behind! Looking behind us, we have a couple of alchemical buttons that Penguin gave away for the release of A Discovery of Witches. Looking ahead, we have our very own rendition of Sarah's witch ball (featured in The Book of Life) in sticker form!

As usual, we've provided several ways to enter, including podcast trivia, social media follows, and of course you can tweet about this daily (do one, some, or all)! Have a copy already? Holidays are coming -- FAST! What a perfect gift for the like-minded reader that you hold dear.

Here are the goods:

Shadow of Night (US paperback), signed by Deborah Harkness.
Diana's Commonplace book (issued originally by Penguin USA), signed by Deborah Harkness.
A couple of alchemical buttons (issued originally by Penguin USA) - and a witch ball sticker! One of the Daemons proudly displays the sticker on her laptop! (photo


UPDATE - 25 November 2017! Prize received! Congratulations Jill, and thanks for the photos!



xo, ~The Daemons

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