Strong Independent Woman | National Novel Writing Month

About the author

Strong Independent Woman

Novel: Capruiata (Hazel-Eyed)
Genre: Historical Fiction

51,924 words so far

About Strong Independent Woman

Location: Timisoara

Home Region:
Europe :: Elsewhere in Europe

Age:24

Website: http://strongindependentwoman.wordpress.com

Favorite novels: A Clockwork Orange, 1984 (I don't really read novels, I like better myths and legends :D )

Favorite writers: Wittgenstein, Freud, H.G., C.S.Lewis

Favorite music: Diana Damrau, Jars of Clay, ex-Nightwish, Blue October, Farfarello, Taxi, Emeric Imre

Non-noveling interests: architecture, my Suzuki Bandrit Motorcycle, my electric guitar and band, song-writing and singing, drawing, being on the other side

Joined: September 14, 2009

This Year: Official Participant

NaNoWriMo History:

NaNoWriMo posts: 18

NaNoWriMo buddies: 13

Brief Author Bio:

1. Name:
Ligia Covaşă Stafie

2. Contact:
strongindependentwoman@yahoo.com

3. Date and Place of Birth:
9th November, 1984, Timisoara, Romania

4. Citizenship:
romanian

5. Professional Experience:
- Violinist and guitarist at Philadelphia Church’s Orchestra (1992-2002)
- Cartoonist at the “Ikon” Foundation, Timisoara (1999-2000)
- Chief – Editor of Highschool Magasine, “Unsuspected Step” 1999-2002
- August / September 2005 – draftsman at Individual Architectural Office of Architect Mirela Szitar
- January 24, 2006 to May 25, 2006 – employed at SC “CONICFORM» Ltd.
(position: Graphic designer; profile: Architecture)
- August 2006 – December 2006 – employed at SC “modulus” SRL
(function: architect conductor; profile: Architecture)
- April 2007 – present – employed SC “ANDREESCU & GAIVORONSKI» Ltd.
(function: architect conductor profile: Architecture – www.andreescu-gaivoronski.com)

6. Studies :
- 2006 – present – student, Faculty of Architecture, Timisoara,
Architecture Department – Diplomat Architect Section
- 2003 – 2006 – student, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Timisoara, Architecture Department – Conductor Architect Section
- 2004 – 2005 – student, Theological College “Christ for Romania”, Timisoara
- 2001 – 2002 – student, Bible College “Veritas”, Philadelphia, Timisoara
- 1999 – 2003 – student, Technical College Ion Mincu, Timisoara
- 1995 – 1999 – student, Pedagogical High-School “Eftimie Murgu”, Timisoara
- 1991 – 1995 – student, School of Arts and Music “Ion Vidu”, Timisoara

7. Awards and Honors received:
- 2nd Mention – Architecture Olympics, County Level, 2003
- First Prize – Architecture Olympics, County Level, 2002
- Graduation Diploma for The “Alfa” Theological Classes, held at Bethel Baptist Church, April to June 2002
- P.C. Operator Degree (08.05.-29.06.2000)
- Degree of Participation at the “Health – an outdated concept? ” Educational Contest (31.05.2000)
- First Prize at the Educational Contest: Aggression and Gentleness (14.12.2000)
- First Mention at the “Educazione Alla Pace, Gemmelagio: Un Gesto di Pace” Educational Contest (16.05.1998)
- Degree of Participation at the Artistic Design Contest: Eastern Feast (30.05.1997)
- “The Best Collaborator Philadelphia Orchestra” Diploma, conducted by Daniela Faur
- Participation Degree at the “What do you mean by freedom?” drawing educational contest, organized by the Liberal Party, 09.V.2003
- Participation at the “Still Life” drawing contest, Slovenia, 15. XI. 2002
- First Prize, National Stage, at the National School Magazine Competition, with the publication “Unsuspected Step” (editions published between 2002-2003)

8. Personal Exhibitions:
1. – at the Festive Hall of “Ion Mincu” Highschool, graphics exhibition entitled “Exhibition” 17-24 may 2000
2. – at the Revolution Memorial, graphics exhibition: “Earth and Autumn”, 2-16 March 2001, presenter Adriana Lucaciu, courtesy to “CIVIS” Foundation
3. – at the Christian Democrate National Peasant Party Headquarters, Timisoara, 2002 exhibition entitled “Prayer For My City”, presenter Mr. Ion Caramitru (actor and drama writer, ex- Romanian Minister of Culture)
4. – at the Christian Democrate National Peasant Party Headquarters, Timisoara, 2002 exhibition entitled “Prayer For My City – In Memoriam 1989”, presenter, artist Mr. F. Avram (painter and painting teacher)
5. – at the “Youth House”, Deva City, pastel exhibition entitled “Hall of Fake Mirrors”, presenter Miss Lavinia Sarbu, a founding member of the “Focal Point” Foundation, 16.10.2004
6. – at the “Faclia” Christian Center, Cluj City, pastel exhibition entitled “Hall of Fake Mirrors” presented by Mr. Marinel Blaj, Studio Media Art Director, Arad City, 30.10.2004
7. – at the Christian Baptist Church “Bethel”, Timisoara, pastel exhibition entitled “Hall of Fake Mirrors” presented Mr. Ionut Olariu, Baptist Minister, 09/11/2004
8. – at the “Agape” Christian Center, Timisoara, pastel exhibition entitled “Hall of Fake Mirrors ” presented by Mr. Caunii Marius, leader of the Christian Center, 13/09/2004
9. – at the “Art Opera” Gallery, Timisoara, graphics exhibition entitled “Sequence”, December 24. 2005 – February 2006

9. Group Exhibitions:
1. – at the “Ion Mincu” Highschool, “A Moment For Eminescu” Exhibitons, the 2001 and 2002 Editions
2. – at the “Vox Domini” Interdenominational Christian Center, at the “Fortissima Verba” Literary Cenacle, April 2001
3. – at the “Museum of Banat”, “Tribute To Timisoara” Graphics Exhibition, December 15, 2001
4. – at the Youth House, Timisoara, exhibition organized by the “Laurentiu Ciucur” Foundation, 2001
5. – at the “Museum of Villages”, Timisoara, 2000

10. Cultural Activities:
1. – College “Ion Vidu” – participating at the “Nichita Stanescu Moment ” -2003
2. – Participant with the Philadelphia Church Choir at the “Sacred Music Days”, the School of Arts and Music “I. Vidu, Timisoara”, 1998
3. – Songwriter and soloist, contemporary Christian music album “Hall of Fake Mirrors “, produced under the license of Sudio Media Art, Arad, under the “Young Wings” Program, 2004
4. – Organizer of the “Politehnica Cross”, Timisoara, editions in 2003 – autumn, 2004 – spring, 2004 – autumn
5. – Organizer of Christian Contemporary Music Festival “Against the Stopwatch”, Roses Central Park, Timisoara, May 26, 2005
6. – Attended as a songwriter and solo performer the National Festival of Contemporary Christian Music “Qvo-Vadis”, Arad, edition IV – 27 -28 – 29 May 2005
7. – Starting September 2008, present in the blogosphere with the cultural and literary weblog, Http://strongindependentwoman.wordpress.com
8. – Participating at the “For You” Foundation essays contest on “A young autistic, a colleague of mine” theme, March 2009
9. – Awarded at the National Literary Debut Contest, Lumen Publishing House, Iasi
10. – Participant at the “Wings of Longing” Literary Contest organized by Metamorphosis Literary Review, 4th Edition, May 2009
11. – Participant at the “Eusebiu Camilar” Literary Contest, May 2009
12. – Participant at the Unicredit Tiriac Literary Debut Contest, 2nd Edition, May 2009

11. Membership in professional organizations:
1. S.M.A.R.T.C.O.R.R. (Studio Media Art, Arad)
2. O.A.R. (The Romanian Commandment Of Architects)

Synopsis: Capruiata (Hazel-Eyed)

(for english translation, see below)

Marinarii galezi din Lutetia îi înmânează lui Dinu blocul celor 4 zeităţi din „Coloana Breslei Navigatorilor” (Pilier des nautes), având chipul lui Cernunnos (Zeul Cerb) încrustat pe el. Ca preot al Cultului Cerbului în Insula Şerpilor, Dinu descoperă puterea pe care această coloană o are. În aceeaşi perioadă se reformează Insula Săcălin – care reapare ciclic la un interval de 1000 de ani, pentru a fi trei zile loc uscat, insulă a ielelor. Dinu trebuie să ascundă coloana pe Insula Săcălin, pentru a o lăsa în grija ielelor, dar odată ajuns acolo este vrăjit de Doina, drăgaica. Cei doi fug departe de mare, în Pădurea de Liliac de la Ponoare, lângă Baia de Aramă, folosindu-se de cele 20 de hectare de pădure de liliac pentru a se ascunde. Dărâmă podul natural şi locuiesc între Câmpul Afroditei şi Lacul Zaton, deasupra peşterii care ascunde fostul acces spre Pod.Ca răzbunare, ielele tocmesc ursitoarele; acestea o fură pe Miruna, fiica Doinei şi a lui Dinu la naştere şi îi ursesc să rămână în Timişoara toată viaţa ei. Nefiind conştientă de urările ursitoarelor, Miruna îşi trăieşte viaţa în mod detaşat. Ajunsă studentă, este provocată de un profesor să îşi cunoască părinţii reali şi mediul din care provine.
Confruntarea finală şi lupta decisivă este a Mirunei, care oscilează între viaţa ei comfortabilă şi banală până în acel moment şi chemarea puternică a sângelui de drăgaică căreia, dacă îi răspunde îşi trădează părinţii. Dacă nu acceptă provocarea unei vieţi diferite, indiferent cât de improbabilă pare ea, nu îşi va cunoaşte niciodată identitatea adevărată.
(„Cum te pot iubi, dacă nu ştiu cine sunt?”)
Coloana Breslei ajunge în Musée du Cluny, unde se găseşte ea acum. Doina şi Dinu mor şi sunt îngropaţi de marinari pe Insula Şarpelui. Romanul se termină cu scufundarea Insulei Săcălin pentru următoarea mie de ani, fără a menţiona alegerea finală a Mirunei – de a însoţi sau nu ielele.

Romanul se vrea un studiu-poveste a tradiţiilor româneşti, a superstiţiilor, a freneziei supranaturalului care încă se dezlănţuie în satele româneşti; noi asta suntem, şi încet, uităm ce suntem. Pentru mine, romanul este o încercare de a-mi înţelege originea culturală ca parte a identităţii mele ca individ. Peste toate astea, se suprapune o jertfă care îmi schimbă sensul, din ceva în altceva: încerc să descopăr acel ceva şi acel altceva.

****************

Welsh sailors of Lutetia handed Dinu the block the 4 gods of ”Column of The Seafarers Guild” (Pilier des nautes) with the image of Cernunnos (Deer God) carved on it. As priest of the Deer Cult in the Snake Island, Dinu discoveres the power that this column has. In the same period the Sacalin Island – which recurs cyclically at an interval of 1000 years – is recast, turning for three days to dry land, as the „iele” island. Dinu must hide the column in Sacalin Island, to leave it in the care of the iele, but once got there is bewitched by iela Doina’s love. The two run away from the sea, in the Lilac Forest in Ponoare, near the Cooper Bay, using the 20 hectares of forest of lilac to hide. They tear down the natural bridge and live between the Field of Aphrodite and Zaton Lake, above the cave that hides access to the broken bridge. In revenge, the iele ask the Fate Wihs Woman to steal Miruna, daughter of Doina and Dinu at birth, and predict her to remain in Timisoara all her life. Not being aware of the prophecy and spell cast on her, Miruna lives her life in a detached way. As a student, she attends a class where the teacher, an old antropologyst, urges young people to fiind theyrown genealogy and backgrounds.
The final confrontation and decisive battle of Miruna, lays in deciding between her comfortable and common life by that time, and the strong calling of her supernatural iele blood – but accepting her inner voice means to betray her parents. If you do not accept the challenge of a different life, no matter how unlikely it seems, you will never know your true identity.
(”How could I possibly love you, if I do not know who I am?”)
The Column of The Sailors Guild reach the Musée du Cluny, where it is to be found nowadays. Doina and Dinu die, and the sailors decide that they should be buried on the Island of Snakes. The novel ends with the immersion of Sacalin Island for the next thousand years, not mentioning the final choice of Miruna – to accompany or ward off the call of the spirits.

The novel is a study-story of Romanian traditions, superstitions, and supernatural frenzy that still rages in the Romanian villages; this is what we are, and we slowly forget who we are. For me, the novel is an attempt to understand my cultural origin as part of my identity as an individual. Over all this, it overlaps a sacrifice that changes the meaning of something in something else: this is me trying to find that something and that something else.

All places are real, all mythical characters are well known in romanian culture. It’s about digging back to the celtic roots and discovering what give birth to these characters . The characters have romanian traditional names.

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