Read. Write. Collaborate.
Evolution - Time for a Change
Brillig began as a collaborative story with older tweens and young teens. It was a glorious adventure, but it served its purpose many moons ago. Since then, it has morphed (on the Food for Thought page) into musings on life - for adults.*** To avoid any inappropriate crossover, we have shut down the Chapters and About pages.
*** Don’t worry, there’s no “adult content” here! But the musings are sometimes raw, occasionally with mild profanity, if the topic warrants. I want to continue to be a good role model to the wonderful young people with whom I have worked, and thus made the decision referenced above.
The Story
Memsy longs to meet a dragon.
Her friends think she’s crazy.
What if they’re wrong? What if magic - Dragons and Dwarves and Trolls and Gremlins - what if it all exists, in another world?
The Dragon Kopano longs to meet Memsy.
His friend thinks he’s crazy.
When a deadly Dragon Pox sweeps through Sihra, and crosses the Great Divide into the human world, Kopano decides it’s time to stop wishing and take action. Ignoring the laws against interacting with humans, he summons Memsy from her world. Together, they race to find a cure.
statement of inclusivity
At Brillig, we want to hear from everyone. We do not discriminate against anyone on the basis of gender, race, ability, gender identity, housed/houseless status, sexual orientation, nation of origin or citizenship status, religion, or age. And we do not allow discrimination, or hate speech, by any Reader or Collaborator.
Just as importantly, Brillig is at least partly about fighting against bias and for equality. Readers and Collaborators are encouraged to weigh in. What do you think of the experiences of Caleb and Xavier, as young Black men? What about Xavier’s experience having two moms? Do you have thoughts about Marta’s experiences as a Latina? For the magical creatures, do you think Gremlins should stand up to the Trolls? And what should others do, those who aren’t being bullied and abused by the Trolls?
Our real world is imperfect. Writing (and collaborating on) stories allows you to create your own “Happily ever after” – to fix the problems on the page. And maybe, just maybe, that will give us the courage, and the inspiration, to tackle those problems in the real world.
what’s in a name?
In many cultures, names are important. Think about the Disney movie The Lion King - Simba’s name means “Lion,” and suggests power and strength.
Names may describe the circumstances into which someone is born, parents’ hopes for their child, social status, or family history.
Many of the names in Brillig were chosen for their meaning.
“Kopano” means “united universe” in Setswana
"Memsy" is a [deliberate] misspelling of a word from the Lewis Carroll poem Jabberwocky
"Ngaka" means "doctor" in Setswana
"Ushum" means "dragon" in Sumerian, which is believed to be the oldest human language.
“Sihiri” means “magic” in Swahili
(The dog’s name is one of many exceptions – a pug named Gus just appeared in my head and sweetly requested to be included in the story.)
These definitions are the result of internet research. While I made every effort to corroborate the information, I am no scholar in Setswana, Swahili, or ancient Sumerian. If there are errors, I welcome correction.
Photo by Sneha Cecil
dedication
This story is dedicated to Sidney, who really, really likes dragons . . .
. . . and Sophia, who is as brave as a dragon,
and who reminded me how much I love writing about dragons . . .
. . . and my children (pictured below, all grown up, with their S.O.s),
living proof that you are never too old to enjoy a story about dragons.
Dragon image by Katrin Hauf
PRIVACY POLICY: Brillig does not collect personal information, or share information about Readers and Collaborators. Any information voluntarily provided will not be shared with any third parties, or posted on the website or blog, with one (and only one) exception: if you contribute an idea, drawing, etc., and you give authorization, we will share your name along with the contribution, to make sure you get credit.