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by eden

How Valentine’s Day killed the fantasy romance

February 14, 2012 in Fantasy romance, Romance fantasy novels

I’m kind of hating Valentine’s Day right now. Here I am, forced to find a mate, and there’s this holiday that’s looming over my head, reminding me that my fantasy romance is basically non-existent. It’s impossible to be reminded of it on just the day of either—it’s a full-fledged marketing and advertising attack that goes on for weeks and weeks. The stores stock up on Valentine’s candy, cards and gifts like the minute Christmas is over. Just think, in less than a year we could be immersed in a post apocalypse world where people won’t even remember what this silly holiday was about.

For some people, Valentine’s day is synonymous with fantasy and adventure. For others, it’s a source of anxiety—filled with reminders of being dumped on it, memories of being single on this “day of love,” and a whole set of expectations for those who have found a mate. While it seems that for those who are engaged in a fantasy romance this should be an amazing day, it actually can really cause problems and issues that are not always easy to overcome.

If you avoided a romantic apocalypse and are in a new relationship, you’re probably expecting big things on this day—and chances are, if you’re female, you’re going to get let down. Males just don’t understand the impact their gifts or attention can or cannot have. If you’ve been together for awhile and it’s not your first Valentine’s Day together, you’re expecting the fantasy and adventure that your “better half” brings to surpass the year before by leaps and bounds. Worse yet, what if your mate completely forgets or has to work?

If you are still single and haven’t experienced success with relationships or a fantasy romance despite searching high and low on the Save the Pearls site, then you have an entirely different set of issues on your Valentine’s plate. It’s that reminder that tick, tick tock, if you don’t have a mate, you’ve sealed your fate. You may act out by going out for a night on the town, drinking Jack Daniels and waking up somewhere you really shouldn’t be. Or you may be tempted to stay in with a bottle of wine and a quart of ice cream, determined to finish them both before the night is over. Worst of all, you may be tempted to drunk dial an ex. Talk about a romantic apocalypse in the making.

Whether or not I get some huge display of affection from Jamal, I’m going to take it with a grain of salt. No one should tell us when we should show our love, or if we should feel good or bad about our status; we already have enough pressure to deal with in life. I’m going to look at this so-called holiday as just another checkmark on the checklist of life.

Source: tamyrouxx.tumblr.com/

 

Valentine’s Day Gifts for an Apocalypse World

February 10, 2012 in Apocalypse World

With widespread rumors that we may find ourselves living in an apocalypse world any day now, it seems that Valentine’s Day gifts would not be a huge priority for people. Yet here at Save the Pearls, we disagree—what better way to show your love than to hook your mate up with some goods that will help them survive in an apocalypse world? Plus the fact that your mate will probably freak out and end your adventure romance if you don’t remember them on Valentine’s Day should be enough motivation to get shopping.

Since the apocalypse world will be completely different than anything we know, most people are going to have to change up the tools that get them through everyday life and that includes clothing. Forget about buying your love boxers, briefs or lingerie—from now on, it’s all about protective gear. Think about getting your mate a super protective SWAT vest or Kevlar neck protection to protect your jugular from zombies, rabid dogs and the like. Another sweet apparel-type gift that is sure to keep that adventure romance alive is a gas mask. This is the perfect gift for anyone expecting a terrorist attack or perhaps a birthday visit from the Uni-Gov. Plus, who doesn’t look hot rocking a gas mask?

More great gifts for your sweetheart can be found in the weapon category. We’re not talking about the type that can be found in the imaginary worlds of young adult fantasy books—we’re talking hardcore weaponry that will take out your enemy. Some great choices are crossbows and arrows, shotguns,l and for the gun shy, machetes. By getting your sweetie some weaponry now, before the apocalypse world is upon us, they’ll have the chance to master their technique.

Last but not least, a great gift for Valentine’s Day is a case of water purifying tablets. Remember, this isn’t going to be the world of young adult fantasy books and dystopian novels, where some force from above will bestow you with the gift of purified water. This is going to be a hard core world of dog eat dog, zombie eat zombie, coal eat pearl. Get ready!

Source: Blog.drawn.ca

by eden

Valentine’s Day— fantasy and adventure or a romantic apocalypse?

February 9, 2012 in Eden's Posts, Fantasy romance

Valentine’s Day is less than a week away and Jamal still hasn’t made plans with me. I know it’s a little early to be worried about a romantic apocalypse, but I think it’s shady. When you’re in a relationship, whether it’s complicated or not, you would think your boyfriend would be plotting out a night of fantasy romance. I haven’t heard a peep from him about it—for all I know he could be out of town next week.

Either way, it’s got me thinking. When I signed up for this relationship, I thought I’d done more than just find a mate—I truly believed my future would be filled with the kind of love you read about in fantasy and adventure novels. Jamal pledged his undying love and swore that he didn’t care in the least that I’m a Pearl and he’s a Coal. He promised all sorts of things: that my life would no longer be in jeopardy because of my race, that he only wanted to be with me and that our destiny would be filled with nothing but amazing days and nights. Instead, I find myself reading young adult books and wondering why I can’t have the same happy ending as their protagonists.

I feel like I’m in a difficult spot because if I bring it up to him, then I might just be pushing us both into that romantic apocalypse all of us Pearls dread. I don’t want to seem like some gross needy girl, clinging to a fantasy romance like I have nothing else in my life. On the other hand, I also feel like I shouldn’t look at him through rose colored glasses—that my feelings could be masking the truth about his intentions. I have to remember that he’s not a character from one of my favorite fantasy and adventure novels, he’s a real person and has flaws, some that I may not be aware of or that he’s in fact hiding. Now here I am, working day and night to save the Pearls, and I’m worried about speaking my mind to some dude. Yet, he’s not just any dude, he’s a Coal—and that puts us in different leagues, where I’m supposed to be the luckiest girl in the world to have even caught his attention.

If only I lived in the old world, or the ones I read about in young adult books, where people are considered equal and your survival isn’t dependant on if and when you find a mate. A world filled with real love, the kind that feels like pure fantasy and adventure, and sustains itself despite one’s class or race. I wonder if anything like that really ever existed?

Source: Missy Gainer

Adventure romance on a new level—how to date a zombie

February 8, 2012 in Adventure romance tips, Apocalypse World

If you believe that life is one big series of science fiction and fantasy novels, you’re probably very busy preparing for that zombie onslaught we’ve been promised. The thing is, many of us may survive this apocalypse world scenario, so we need to figure out how to cohabitate with the undead and otherworldly. In fact, we may even have to find ways to date zombies—doesn’t that sound like the adventure romance of a lifetime?

Let’s say we’re absolutely immersed in an apocalypse world. Your chance of finding a mate has now dwindled to slimness of anorexic proportions. The odds of becoming the prince or princess of Siberia are probably better than finding a mate, especially if you’re a Pearl. Plus, with dwindling to limited resources, it will be more difficult to look your best and attract anyone at all. If you weren’t forced to find a mate, it probably wouldn’t even register in your thought process. Yet things are different for us—even in the most dire circumstances, the Pearls will still be required to mate, and if we don’t, our population will cease to exist.

While it may sound a bit like settling, you’re going to have to open your mind to the few options you have left. Forget about that list or dream board you created after watching The Secret, because the days of finding a “soul mate” or long gone. It’s time to get real and think about how to attract and have a successful adventure romance with that sexy clump of flesh that has only one thing on its mind—eating brains.

The first step is to wrap your mind around the idea and start thinking positive. You’ve got to make the most of what you have, so what better time than now? Forget about how unattractive all science fiction and fantasy novels and films make zombies appear—you never know what great attributes your dream zombie may have. If he or she died an easy death, then the exterior damage may be rather minimal and their pale bloodless skin may be easy to get used to.

Zombies actually may be perfect candidates for an adventure romance. They have some attributes that are actually quite… attractive. They’re steady, reliable, and always present in the moment. Plus, you’ll always know what’s on their mind—eating other’s brains!

Source: Gallerynucleus.com

by eden

Fantasy romance + voodoo

January 27, 2012 in Fantasy romance

One of my favorite Pearls recently found her fantasy romance and mated! I am so happy for her, especially because stories like these are getting less and less common. I hit her up for some advice to share in my blog, and was shocked to find out how she found the one. She went as old school as you could ever imagine—she cast a Voodoo love spell to attract her mate!

This was so not what I was expecting, but I figure I should share it with everyone and let them make their own decision. My only exposure to magic has been through reading young adult books and fantasy romance novels. What she explained is that magic can be “black” or dark, used for the intent of evil, or “white” and good, intended for positive things. This special Pearl created her own young adult fantasy by using a Voodoo spell to attract love and to remove all the obstacles that stood in her way.

Apparently, Voodoo offers a great way to learn about the sacredness of love’s energy. If you’re trying to star in your own young adult fantasy novel that ends with you finding the one, then you need to start with clear intent about what you want. The more specific you are, the better. Ask yourself all sorts of questions, like how do you want to feel, what sort of mate do you want and what is your long term plan? If you already know what obstacles stand in your way (like the color of your skin maybe?) then you can focus on removing them during the spell. Knowing what they are is half the battle.

In all the young adult books and romance fantasy novels that I’ve read, a few contained elements of magic. Until now, I always thought you just said a few words and then your desire came true almost immediately. Apparently in Voodoo, you need to direct your energy to your desire over a period of a few days in an almost prayer-like setting. My friend said it helps to create an altar where you can leave offerings to the “loa,” or Voodoo gods, and any other items that symbolize love to you. These Voodoo entities appreciate things like a little piece of candy or cake, flowers and incense. You will also have candles that you burn during the time you cast your spell.

You then proceed to spend a certain amount of time at the altar every day for nine days, praying or “casting” your spell to attract love to your life. When you’re done, you  bury everything from the altar, including what’s left of the candles.

The whole thing is very interesting. But the bottom line is, it did help her to find her fantasy romance. Maybe it can for all of us. Let me know if anyone else tries this avenue!

Source: Realafricanvoodoo.com

Apocalypse world strategies—A history of zombies

January 27, 2012 in Apocalypse World

No matter how many documents the Uni-Gov issues or which experts proclaim that no, the world is not going to end in 2012, there are still hordes of hysterical people setting themselves up for the worst. Apocalypse kits are flying off the shelves, people are stockpiling months worth of canned goods, and thousands of underground shelters are under construction. As if the Pearls have nothing else to worry about! Yet here we are, forced to answer the thousands of emails we receive asking—no, begging—for advice for surviving the apocalypse world.

The most prevalent state of emergency we’re hearing about is right out of a fantasy and adventure novel or script—the ever dreaded zombie apocalypse. Perhaps it’s the popularity of The Walking Dead and zombie movies that has incited this ridiculous trend. Those of us who spend our days and nights working to save the pearls are a lot more worried about the prospect of another Meltdown or getting a visit from the Uni-Gov—that’s when you know it’s really over. Regardless, after surviving the Great Meltdown, we’ve learned a thing or two about the undead.

A good way to learn about zombies is to watch a few of the hundreds of zombie films that exist and read some young adult fantasy novels from the genre, as the writers and filmmakers most likely did some research to set their stories up right. A few suggestions would be to watch classics like The Evil Dead, Evil Dead II and Night of the Living Dead, as well as some more recent movies like 28 Days Later, The Convent, The Crazies and Zombieland. These flicks will give you myriad ideas for how to outsmart the undead in case of an attack.

Where do zombies come from? The word zombie comes from ancient voodoo and folklore origins, in reference to a human corpse that reanimates to achieve certain purposes. While the ancient meaning most likely was meant in the same respect as the loa, or voodoo spirits, the modern day meaning hints to undead creatures of the night who roam an apocalypse world with the sole purpose of torturing humans in an attempt to satiate an undying appetite.

The myths behind how zombies came to exist are diverse—and frankly, they’re pretty good fodder for young adult fantasy novels. Yet many people still believe that the undead are the result of an infectious virus that is contracted either by getting bitten by a zombie, exchanging bodily fluids or simply by making contact. There’s even a school of thought that implies that an airborne disease could cause zombification, as well as another that suggests that people can be cursed into zombiedom.

Fantasy and adventure books and films have elevated zombies to iconic status in pop culture. This popularity gives credence to the concept that an apocalypse world actually could be on the horizon—zombies would take over the world, eating every living human and creature that crosses their path, learn to drive cars and fly airplane, and possibly even reproduce.

As a country that thrives on pop culture, we’ve embraced these dark fears with unbridled enthusiasm. Instead of working to save the pearls and themselves from a romantic apocalypse, the unmated attend zombie walks and prepare for National Zombie Day. One can only hope that these same people will put down the young adult books, turn off the fantasy and adventure movies, and get real. In the meantime, it may be time to start selling apocalypse kits.

Source: Lageeks.com

 

Apocalypse world rumors—don’t believe the hype

January 26, 2012 in Apocalypse World, Urban Fantasy

As everyone from NASA to George Lucas have issued statements striving to debunk the rumors of an impending apocalypse world, people are still flocking to buy “apocalypse kits,” setting up old school bomb shelters in their basements and stockpiling enough groceries to last six months. It’s an urban fantasy gone awry—and there are a slew of con artists who are exploiting the hype to the fullest.

As sales of young adult books with post apocalyptic themes top the best seller lists, the people reading them must be letting their imaginations get carried away. There’s a flurry of females signing up for combat classes, buying guns and learning extreme survival skills that will probably never be put to use. The only good thing coming out of this is that more and more people are singing up on the Save the Pearls website and joining the campaign.

The 2012 apocalypse rumor is not the first of its kind—not by a long shot. Predictions of an apocalypse world have been rampant since the beginning of time. Everyone from the Greeks and Romans to Native Americans and Nostradamus has created their own brand of mythical rapture. Whether it’s prompted by a full moon eclipse or an earthquake followed by a Tsunami, some religious sect or post modern cultural group has a theory about the destruction of our world as we know it. Yet if you look back through history, it seems that cultures around the world have already experienced some form of their own apocalypse—whether through a holocaust, war or natural disaster—and these same cultures still exist.

Two of the most referenced documents that instill hysteria among the masses are the Mayan Calendar and the Book of Revelations. It seems just as realistic to believe the stories in dystopian novels and other young adult books! While the Mayans never actually predicted that 2012 meant the onset of an apocalypse world (it merely marked the end of the Mayan calendar), the Book of Revelations offers a pretty harrowing account of our future. Only a religion based on fear would offer such fodder for creating hysteria. Switch it out with an urban fantasy novel with dystopian themes and you’d have the same effect.

If only these same believers would put that energy towards helping to save the pearls!

Source: appadvice.com

by eden

Romantic apocalypse… a beautiful mess

January 25, 2012 in Eden's Posts

There’s a bit of ecstasy in a romantic apocalypse —I really believe this. It’s so easy to get addicted to the tug of war and the push and pull of the love that cannot be or the one you can’t find. No matter what the reason behind it, there’s something about it that you just can’t let go of. I guess it must be like heroin to a junky—you know that hit may possibly kill you, but you can’t do without it. You don’t want to do without it.

Weren’t some of the most famous fantasy romance novels Romeo and Juliet and Gone With the Wind? Wasn’t Casablanca one of the most popular movies of all time? Everyone loves to watch the despair between two people whose love is out of their hands, yet so consuming and gut wrenching that they will endure anything to be with that other person. Even death. Yes, it’s very much an addiction, possibly worse than any drug—because you can feel everything no matter how addicted you are to this kind of tumultuous love. You feel the pain and the uncertainty with every waking breath—sometimes even in your sleep. It sneaks into your dreams like an evil demon that chases you and no matter how hard you try, you can’t get away.

There’s a reason why some call it an adventure romance. It’s not about two people going on some fun adventure together, hiking through some new mountain or sailing off on a booze cruise. It’s the twists and turns they have to endure to be together, the uncertainty and permanent state of limbo. The adrenaline rush of knowing you’re about to see the love of your life—and the not knowing if it will be the last time you ever see them.

When I originally started my campaign to save the pearls, I was dead set against finding a mate. I didn’t want an adventure romance, didn’t believe it really existed. I thought it was like an iconic screen star of the past—the epitome of glamour and perfection, bringing each scene to life effortlessly and without doubt. Something to think about when you look at how much the world has changed.

Now here I am, possibly on the brink of my own romantic apocalypse. Jamal says we’re going to mate, but he’s yet to set a date. He keeps pushing it off, but my time is running out. I should be working on finding another mate with my limited free time. Instead, I’m trying to save the pearls and reading fantasy romance novels, searching for some key to unlocking the success of my own. In the meantime, I’m getting more and more attached to the painfully delicious ups and downs of this feeling. It’s like a rollercoaster I never want to get off of.

Will I or won’t I survive my own romantic apocalypse? I suspect that I may need to get off the rollercoaster if I want to live past my 18th birthday. Yet if I somehow do, whether Jamal finally lives up to his word, I find another or my father’s experiment works, will I be destined to a life filled with the horrific ecstasy that is connected to this kind of relationship? It’s hard to figure out which is better.

Source: Blogs.discovery.com

by eden

Fantasy romance in an apocalypse world

January 20, 2012 in Apocalypse World

We’ve all heard the saying “Love conquers all,” but will that old adage stand true in a post apocalypse world? Will the strength of love really withstand all the obstacles and life-threatening situations you’ll find in your path? In reality, thought loves does exist, it certainly will not overcome obstacles or trump another’s natural tendency towards survival. For a fantasy romance to work in an apocalypse world will require much more than just love.

The love in fantasy romance novels is wild, passionate and dramatic—able to withstand the most dystopian setting imaginable. If you’ve ever experienced a relationship, you know that kind of feeling rarely lasts and can end up being destructive and codependent. We’re not living in a world of fantasy and adventure—ours is a dark one, where reality is dull and sometimes brutal, especially for the Pearls. If we find ourselves immersed in a post apocalypse world as predicted, then things are going to be very dog eat dog. Even if it doesn’t, the people who mate by their 18th birthday may find themselves in their own trap—for Pearls, mating is out of survival, so they’re looking for pretty much anyone to pick up their mate-option, meaning all compatibility issues fly out the window.

Imagine that you and your love are hunting for dinner. You’re both tired, hot and thirsty, and arguing about which direction to go. You’re sweaty and looking terrible and next thing you know, you’re arguing. Not the fantasy and adventure you’ve read about in young adult books. The argument overrides your environment and you stop being present—you get so caught up and distracted that you don’t hear the group of looters, zombies or worse that sneak up behind you. You’re both caught so off-guard that you find yourself smack in the middle of a romantic apocalypse style battle. It’s an utter travesty!

If everyone didn’t have to mate, then it would probably be best to avoid a fantasy romance altogether and instead form alliances with others whose skills and talents complement your own. In a climate of post apocalyptic survival, you will already be extremely emotionally charged—it can make it worse when you’re emotionally charged not only in regards to your survival, but to how your mate is acting or treating you. It’s a huge catch-22 in so many ways. For example, if you’re a female and you know how to hunt better than your mate, are you going to act like you don’t so you can assume the more feminine role rather than start an argument or perhaps emasculate your man? These kinds of scenarios will be rampant, keeping you on the edge of a romantic apocalypse at all times.

Source: apocalypsetips.tumblr.com

by eden

What is a romantic apocalypse?

January 14, 2012 in Eden's Posts

Everyone keeps asking what exactly a romantic apocalypse is, so I figured I should try to explain it for the sSave the Pearls community. I receive messages from so many people trying to guess what it is—some of the funniest include “The world ends because all of the fantasy and adventure is wiped from the face of the planet,” or “When civilization ends abruptly due to the lack of romance throughout,” and my absolutely favorite, “When a jilted lover uses his suffering to fuel a Columbine-style attack on all the major hot spots of the world.” I think these people are reading too many young adult books, because those theories couldn’t be any less realistic.

A romantic apocalypse actually defines the movement that the Coals have secretly launched against us. It’s their quest to eradicate all that is left of the Pearls, extinguishing any chance of our survival or return to happier socioeconomic times. It’s their pledge that if all Pearls don’t find a mate, they will be eliminated from society. It’s obviously an underground movement, just like the Save the Pearls campaign is a stealth community.

In most young adult books, there are the villains who threaten the main characters. In some stories, they are obviously evil and often decked with supernatural powers, while in others they are simply the bane of the protagonist’s existence—whether they stand in the way of a fantasy romance or provide some other obstacle to achieving their dreams. In our world, they are the Coals and the FFP, both trying to use their power in ways that defy humanity and decency.

While that may not be an answer that will satisfy fans of fantasy and adventure, it’s the one that counts. We have to be realistic and fully comprehend what we’re dealing with here. Pearls continue to disappear every day, never to be found—all in that same age range: 18 for females and 24 for males. Some are reported, while others are not. Each being that goes missing either refused to find a mate or just had zero luck in the fantasy romance department. Once they reach their “deadline,” it’s only a matter of time before they come. No one has ever escaped to tell the story of exactly who “they” are and what actually happens, but we know it’s no bueno.

Whether a romantic apocalypse is a bloody massacre or a stealth attack that the victim doesn’t see coming, it’s not good and definitely not fun. I wish all other Pearls good luck in mating so they can avoid this dark cloud that infinitely hangs over our heads. In the meantime, I’ll continue to try my hardest to make our cause the thing that stops this horrible movement.

Source: layoutsparks.com

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