This site is kid friendly, parents please cruise the pages! Follow the menu above for where stuff is.
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On these pages you'll find:
Earth: art, crafts, photography and stories rooted in the natural world... plus some real life adventures with scuba diving, pirate ships, sled dogs, kayaking, horses and wild places in the Chesapeake Bay area that you can visit, mostly FREE!
Life: how to watercolor and sketch and take your toys, eh, collectibles on a photographic adventure in the wild, and writing and weird crafty stuff and coloring pages and kayaking and mushing and stuff about horses and pirate ships and mosquito infested salt marshes and birds and...
Fandom: mostly science fiction and fantasy; things like Star Wars, Star Trek, Harry Potter, Avengers, Narnia, Middle Earth, Sherlock, Doctor Who etc. with random appearances by vintage oddities like the Lone Ranger... fan art and fanfic and essays and other brainfarts...
and yeah, it spells ELF.
Because there's a whole story cycle about the E.L.F. some of which is on Inkitt right now for free.
https://www.inkitt.com/teanna
The stories are mostly aimed at middle readers and up, and are about the adventures of various young people who become part of the Earth Life Foundation's efforts to save the world. The tales may contain a grumpy Shetland pony who is more than he appears, Possum Woman, kayaks, pirate ships, Bran-Ravenkin-Sailor of Wind and Sea, sled dogs, a swordbroad, a 167 year old teenager with a short attention span, wild mustangs, pookas, Dragonkin, Elves, Dwarves, really cool technology that will save the world, mosquito infested salt marshes, mermaids and merrows, travel between worlds, magic swords, and a swordwhale. Stupid Gravity (a mermaid's blog) is picture book format and may be suitable for younger kids too. A few are Middle Earth based fanfics of the PG or PG-13 variety. One original short story is suitable for older teens and adults (Following Raven). Nothing is over what we'd call PG-13. Click on the blue type to go to the stories.
Black Horses: Valerie Swartz (rhymes with warts) is a huge dork. Until she comes to the aid of a strange horseman one winter night, beginning a journey to save a world. But is she the Hero?
A stand alone tale that takes place in the same ELF world after the events of the Barrier Island Trilogy, it gallops over much of the same Chesapeake Bay and DelMarVa land and seascape, but with new surprises. As the title suggests, it's full of the sound of hoofbeats on sand.
Barrier Island Trilogy part 1: The Merrow's Cap: Stranded on a touristy island in Virginia, Sharkman is going to have a summer that really bites...
"Sharkman" isn't the only one stranded on Chincoteague VA; Jason wants to be a comic book artist and NOT a cowboy, Cait wants to be taken seriously as a cowgirl, Zan wishes people would stop treating him like the fourteen year old he appears to be, and Morgan the Merrow just wants to go home... to the bottom of the sea. But there are mysteries and pirates afoot... pirates, isn't this the 21st century? Yep, pirates and wild horses and weird lighthouses that do more than glow in the dark.
Barrier Island Trilogy part 2: Manannan's Horses: The Roane is gone, and with it Bran, Ravenkin's last feather, grounding him for eternity. Can Jason, Cait, Zan and Morgan solve the mystery around the Roane, and regain the Ravenkin's powers?
The adventure expands beyond Chincoteague's shores, and, wait, what century is this again?
Barrier Island Trilogy part 3: Mak-eh-nuk's Fin: coming soon: The third part of the Barrier Island Trilogy. Cait, Jason, Morgan and Zan continue to unravel the mystery behind pirate ship Roane, (named after a seal shapeshifter), Margo (who is apparently stuck in the wrong century), and the End of the World. For this journey they're gonna need a good boat... or dogsled... or two... can the fin of their orca shapeshifter friend carry them on the biggest journey yet?
Fins: Landlubber Nai'a must make a dangerous voyage to save a life. Harder still is finding her place in the world her mom loves.
Following Raven: When evil befalls a family pet, the mundane world holds no justice. But Raven and Wolf are far from mundane... This one was inspired by an actual newspaper headline, and the desperate need for justice for animals... suitable for older teens and adults.
If Wishes Were Elves, Even Fangirls Would Dance: We've done it now! Our favorite Elves are blundering around 21st century Pennsylvania. Sweet! But we have to put them back; we've horribly changed the tales they came from. Only we don't know how... A LOTR/Marvel Comics fanfic... or at least I've borrowed a couple of their characters and dropped them kicking and screaming into the world of the ELF...
Leave a review on Inkitt, or email me here!
More will appear on Amazon as ebooks and real books you can hold and smell and wrinkle later.
More about the characters, and comics, here: http://www.swordwhale.com/tales-of-the-elf.html
BLOG: You can follow my blog on Wordpress. The same posts also appear on my facebook, tumblr and twitter accounts. Links to those farther down this page. https://swordwhale.wordpress.com/
FACEBOOK: You can follow my random blogs, brainburps, art, stories, adventures (be inspired to go on your own) here: https://www.facebook.com/swordwhale
or the "art page" here: https://www.facebook.com/swordwhalewalking/
Both Wordpress blog and facebook contain lots of photos and art, expeditions into the local natural world (southcentral PA, DelMarVa Penninsula, Chesapeake and Delaware Bays), random horses, sled dogs, stuff that didn't die in my garden and other wonders. Earth... life...fandom.
BUY: You can buy my art and photography on zazzle and deviantart. Links below. Or commission original illustrations, portraits, business cards and more:
EMAIL: me at swordwhale@yahoo.com.
If you didn't get the "APP" joke... apps aren't just for phones and stuff. App is short for Appaloosa, a "leopard complex" (various spotted patterns) breed that originated in the American west. Other breeds like Knabstruppers and Noriker, Pony of the Americas, Colorado Rangers, Tiger Horse and British Spotted Pony and Tannu Tuva have the leopard complex genes as well. The pattern also appears on ancient cave art.
Black Horses: Valerie Swartz (rhymes with warts) is a huge dork. Until she comes to the aid of a strange horseman one winter night, beginning a journey to save a world. But is she the Hero?
A stand alone tale that takes place in the same ELF world after the events of the Barrier Island Trilogy, it gallops over much of the same Chesapeake Bay and DelMarVa land and seascape, but with new surprises. As the title suggests, it's full of the sound of hoofbeats on sand.
Barrier Island Trilogy part 1: The Merrow's Cap: Stranded on a touristy island in Virginia, Sharkman is going to have a summer that really bites...
"Sharkman" isn't the only one stranded on Chincoteague VA; Jason wants to be a comic book artist and NOT a cowboy, Cait wants to be taken seriously as a cowgirl, Zan wishes people would stop treating him like the fourteen year old he appears to be, and Morgan the Merrow just wants to go home... to the bottom of the sea. But there are mysteries and pirates afoot... pirates, isn't this the 21st century? Yep, pirates and wild horses and weird lighthouses that do more than glow in the dark.
Barrier Island Trilogy part 2: Manannan's Horses: The Roane is gone, and with it Bran, Ravenkin's last feather, grounding him for eternity. Can Jason, Cait, Zan and Morgan solve the mystery around the Roane, and regain the Ravenkin's powers?
The adventure expands beyond Chincoteague's shores, and, wait, what century is this again?
Barrier Island Trilogy part 3: Mak-eh-nuk's Fin: coming soon: The third part of the Barrier Island Trilogy. Cait, Jason, Morgan and Zan continue to unravel the mystery behind pirate ship Roane, (named after a seal shapeshifter), Margo (who is apparently stuck in the wrong century), and the End of the World. For this journey they're gonna need a good boat... or dogsled... or two... can the fin of their orca shapeshifter friend carry them on the biggest journey yet?
Fins: Landlubber Nai'a must make a dangerous voyage to save a life. Harder still is finding her place in the world her mom loves.
Following Raven: When evil befalls a family pet, the mundane world holds no justice. But Raven and Wolf are far from mundane... This one was inspired by an actual newspaper headline, and the desperate need for justice for animals... suitable for older teens and adults.
If Wishes Were Elves, Even Fangirls Would Dance: We've done it now! Our favorite Elves are blundering around 21st century Pennsylvania. Sweet! But we have to put them back; we've horribly changed the tales they came from. Only we don't know how... A LOTR/Marvel Comics fanfic... or at least I've borrowed a couple of their characters and dropped them kicking and screaming into the world of the ELF...
Leave a review on Inkitt, or email me here!
More will appear on Amazon as ebooks and real books you can hold and smell and wrinkle later.
More about the characters, and comics, here: http://www.swordwhale.com/tales-of-the-elf.html
BLOG: You can follow my blog on Wordpress. The same posts also appear on my facebook, tumblr and twitter accounts. Links to those farther down this page. https://swordwhale.wordpress.com/
FACEBOOK: You can follow my random blogs, brainburps, art, stories, adventures (be inspired to go on your own) here: https://www.facebook.com/swordwhale
or the "art page" here: https://www.facebook.com/swordwhalewalking/
Both Wordpress blog and facebook contain lots of photos and art, expeditions into the local natural world (southcentral PA, DelMarVa Penninsula, Chesapeake and Delaware Bays), random horses, sled dogs, stuff that didn't die in my garden and other wonders. Earth... life...fandom.
BUY: You can buy my art and photography on zazzle and deviantart. Links below. Or commission original illustrations, portraits, business cards and more:
EMAIL: me at swordwhale@yahoo.com.
If you didn't get the "APP" joke... apps aren't just for phones and stuff. App is short for Appaloosa, a "leopard complex" (various spotted patterns) breed that originated in the American west. Other breeds like Knabstruppers and Noriker, Pony of the Americas, Colorado Rangers, Tiger Horse and British Spotted Pony and Tannu Tuva have the leopard complex genes as well. The pattern also appears on ancient cave art.
swordwhale's youtube: here's one now...
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Swordwhale's Stuff on Deviantart
click here to go to the store swordwhale's very short films
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Swordwhale's Stuff on Zazzle
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email me at: swordwhale@yahoo.com
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read my stuff:
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Every effort has been made to proofread these pages, but, as a friend pointyed out when I made a rather horrendous typo... I cannot typw.
for high quality jpgs of images on these pages or to commission original images email me at swordwhale@yahoo.com
a portfolio of artworks
(more: look under "Illustration" in the menu)
 below: created for Winterdance Dogsled Team
 In any place where there are seals, there are legends of the Seal Folk who take off their skins to walk on land in human form...
Storyteller/psychologist Clarissa Pinkola Estes PhD, in "Women Who Run With The Wolves" talks about the problem of losing your "sealskin/soulskin" and how faerie and folk tales teach us the answers...
  Orca: also known as: mak-eh-nuk, keet, skana, swordwhale (zvaardwalvis), agliuk, niss'onkhgessyak, pictwhale, epaulard, kosatka drava, vaghund (hunting together like dogs), akan, grampus, svinka, innuatu, sadshi, repun kamui (master of the open sea)...and in Australia & New Zealand, just orcs.
  
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 above: "medicine wheel" portrait
   Orca looms large in the myths of the Northwest Coast, and there are stories of the whale folk who take off their fins to walk on land in human form. The fin becomes a boat...
 In the tales of J.R.R. Tolkien, the Elves, in the end, sail west to the Blessed Realm, leaving humans to their world of Middle Earth. In my tales, and illustrations, they are still here, disguised perhaps, but very much involved in teaching, making connections between humans and the rest of the Natural World. Bringing us back our sealskins, soulskins, our lost fins.
 
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business cards and more
my business card
I designed the iguana logo for DT based on the family's pet iguana
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card for cable TV show in York PA dealing with social issues
left: JPG I'd send customer, right: trimmed to printed size
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For these cards I used a combination of original art, original photography, Photoshop, and Photoshop type as well as a business card template for correct size. I can use your photo, art, or create something original.
The Journey is the Destination...
"Do we walk in legends or on the green earth in the daylight? "
"A man may do both. For not we but those who come after will make the legends of our time. The green earth, say you? That is a mighty matter of legend, though you tread it under the light of day! " (from J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings)
"A man may do both. For not we but those who come after will make the legends of our time. The green earth, say you? That is a mighty matter of legend, though you tread it under the light of day! " (from J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings)
click this...
wordpress
my main blog: Earth, Life, Fandom 
set phasers to LOL |
e-mail me at:
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youtube:
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look, laugh, buy
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Buy stuff! Buy stuff! Then I can get the good bikkies!!!!
cards, art prints, and other goodies on my zazzle store
(click on Denali to go there)
I am also on tumblr as "swordwhale". That site is more suitable to older teens and adults.Other people's posts may contain language not suitable for kids. I often reblog various fandoms as well as automatically reblogging my own wordpress posts.
Who Perpetrated All This: the Movie Trailer...
From a young age, other people's stories; in books, on film, in pictures, inspired me to imagine worlds beyond the one limited by the tidy farms and wooded hills of southcentral Pennsylvania. They also inspired me to go out and have a few real, grungy, sweaty, mosquito-bit, saddle-sored, paddle-blistered, tiger-noshed, owl-taloned, my-air-tank-is-redlining-at-ninety-feet adventures of my own. Flipper, Sea Hunt and Jaques Cousteau led me learn to dive. Fury of Broken Wheel Ranch, The Black Stallion, and Tornado (Zorro's trusty steed) led me to train my own wild black mustang. The tee-vee cowboys of the 50s and 60s (Roy Rogers, the Lone Ranger, others) inspired my own horsemanship. J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings inspired me to learn swordfighting, archery, camp rolled up in a wool cloak, and teach my patient half-Arabian gelding to work without saddle or bridle. Wrestling a (very small) tiger and extracting a recalcitrant barn owl named Barney from under a wildlife rehabber's fridge happened to me because Mowgli and Tarzan made living in the jungle look like so much fun. Star Trek (TOS) opened up the universe (and a world of diversity beyond my small town) to me in 6th grade. Star Wars opened a universe of wonder and like-minded fandom as a young adult. Even as an adult, Pirates of the Caribbean led me to spending Halloween on a pirate ship (technically, a privateer: the Pride of Baltimore II), and taking the helm (and painting the gun doors, and checking the bilges), watched over by a young sailor woman who had walked the same planks as Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom (when she sailed on the Lady Washington, the ship Bloom and Depp, stea...er, commandeer in the first film). There are others that inspire me: Disney at its best, Pixar, Aardman, Dreamworks, Dr. Who, various incarnations of Sherlock Holmes, comic book superheroes like Spiderman, the Avengers or X-Men, Harry Potter and Percy Jackson.
I hope my own stories, fiction or fact, illustrated or written, might inspire someone to have their own adventure, their own learning experience, and to reconnect with the world of wind, water, earth, and fire and other living things. That's why we're here.
Go have an adventure of your own!
My backyard is: southcentral PA, USA, near the mighty Susquehanna River that leads down to the Chesapeake Bay, and to the barrier islands, like my favorites, Chincoteague and Assateague, of the Mid-Atlantic Coast. We are in a farming valley, rapidly being overtaken by development. We have a great park system though, gamelands and wild places not far from home, lakes and rivers to paddle, trails to hike, bike, ride and sleddog on (though we mostly use wheeled rigs, it doesn't snow much). My cats edit my stuff, my dogs drag me kicking and screaming into the winter wilds, my horse keeps me grounded in the realities of being a sooperdooperpooperscooper, and my kayak, Mak-eh-nuk's Fin, carries me on the Journey.
Header photo: by WhovianAvengerJediTrekkerDwarf, professional filmaker, Gimli clone, and Longship Captain Dave Tristan.
I hope my own stories, fiction or fact, illustrated or written, might inspire someone to have their own adventure, their own learning experience, and to reconnect with the world of wind, water, earth, and fire and other living things. That's why we're here.
Go have an adventure of your own!
My backyard is: southcentral PA, USA, near the mighty Susquehanna River that leads down to the Chesapeake Bay, and to the barrier islands, like my favorites, Chincoteague and Assateague, of the Mid-Atlantic Coast. We are in a farming valley, rapidly being overtaken by development. We have a great park system though, gamelands and wild places not far from home, lakes and rivers to paddle, trails to hike, bike, ride and sleddog on (though we mostly use wheeled rigs, it doesn't snow much). My cats edit my stuff, my dogs drag me kicking and screaming into the winter wilds, my horse keeps me grounded in the realities of being a sooperdooperpooperscooper, and my kayak, Mak-eh-nuk's Fin, carries me on the Journey.
Header photo: by WhovianAvengerJediTrekkerDwarf, professional filmaker, Gimli clone, and Longship Captain Dave Tristan.
follow us to cool adventures
(click on Nikki and B'loo)
stuff I care about
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the Chesapeake Bay
follow that canoe!You saw the boats and the navigation techniques in Disney's Moana! You can follow a real wa'a with The Polynesian Voyaging Society of Hawaii. They launched their traditional wa'a in 1975, and she has voyaged worldwide since, navigating and sailing in the traditional ways that enabled Polynesian explorers to find tiny islands in the vast Pacific. In the summer of 2016 she visited the Chesapeake Bay (though my friends and I didn't catch her). You can follow her on her website and facebook: read crew blogs, learn about the star compass, and see great pics of life at sea on an ancient boat bringing all of us a message of Malama honua (caring for Island Earth). (and yes, that's a mini Moana boat floating off Rock Hall MD).
Follow here here: https://www.hokulea.com/ |
Schooner Sultana
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