4.11.2014

A - Z Blogging Challenge: J is for Jinn

The A to Z Blogging Challenge is underway!
If you haven't heard of it, check out the A to Z blog and join in the fun.
Here at Untethered Realms, we're taking on the Challenge as a group. Each day, one of us will be sharing with you a fantastical creature that may be from one of our books, a favorite movie, or something we just came up with as entertainment.

 
 
J is for Jinn.
  
I came across the idea of Jinn while writing the first book in my Afterlife novella series called Second Death. While the word Jinn is related to the better known Genie, they're actually miles apart in meaning. We all know if you find and rub the magic lamp, a genie will emerge and grant you three wishes. But Jinn are at once more complicated and more sinister than that. While made of smokeless fire, they can take different forms (dogs, cats, snakes, birds, dragons), including human and can also inhabit an existing human, much like a demon. They can be good, bad or indifferent.

But here's what I find even more interesting than the Jinn themselves; the atmosphere in which they live.  According to Wikipedia, they "inhabit an unseen world in dimensions beyond the visible universe of humans." A world just like the human world, with a hierarchical lineage, communities, schools, etc. This information set the synapses in my imagination every which way...

What was the result?

The cemetery in Second Death, or more specifically the abandoned old dilapidated building on the cemetery property. What's different about it? It transforms into Gertrude's Garden, a gathering place for paranormals, including ghosts, jinn, kitsoon and shadow people. A place where all dimensions can gather in a neutral atmosphere, with a nightclub-like setting. Time doesn't exist there, as my characters found out when they emerged several hours later to discover only fifteen minutes had passed.

And fair warning: never, ever, drink the punch!

37 comments:

  1. Oh drat you Gwen. You have filled me with lust to read Second Death (despite the size of my unread tower). And double drat you, after my exposure to Jezebel's brew I am completely unable to resist punch.

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  2. That's really fascinating. Jinn being extra-dimensional creatures opens up whole other worlds.

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  3. Jinn and punch...what could be better? Jinn are fascinating creatures!

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  4. EC, I'm glad it tempted you. I've never actually sat down with Jezebel myself. But I've seen others do it *shivers*. I'm kinda scared, LOL.

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  5. Anupama, it does sound scary, but there are so many directions to go with it.

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  6. Christine, it's the world and what you can make of it that's so much fun to create.

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  7. River, I've heard about Jezebel's punch and it sounds so much worse that what they serve at Gertrude's. I'm pretty sure you never know what you're going to get!

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  8. There's a movie about Jinn out right now though it's hardly made any money and I have no idea if it's playing in any local theaters.

    Thanks for visiting Indie Writers Monthly!

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  9. That sounds like quite the party.

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  10. Pat, I haven't heard of it, but it could be interesting given the subject.

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  11. Mary, I think I'd go to that party :)

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  12. very interesting that they have a whole other dimension and time is irrelevant in many ways. I guess I Dream of genie isn't so sweet after all

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  13. I've always found it interesting that Jinn have such a "nice guy" image when they didn't originate that way - thanks for the informative post!

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  14. The sinister aspect is good, as is the alternate shadow universe. I can see why it fires up your imagination!

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  15. Wow, and I used to think that Jinn is just the Hindi translation of the word English word Genie !!Quite an eye opener :D

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  16. Also known as djinn. Heh heh. Beings somewhere between angels and men. So a lot of power and free will. Yikes! But some are benevolent and some are evil. Some are on the fence.

    Take jonathon stroud's bartimaeus books. Djinn chained to a kid wizard. Talk about anger much. An excellent read.

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  17. Birgit, Jeannie on I Dream of Jeannie was pretty mischievous--always up to something, LOL.

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  18. Tyrean, I agree. How did the Aladdin's Lamp author come up with that 3 wish thing? I like it, though :)

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  19. Catherine, I am so intrigued by this other dimension. I think I might like to hang out there for a while :)

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  20. Djinnia, HaHa, another jinn. Thanks for the recommendation, I'll check it out.

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  21. Oooh, jinn sound fascinating. Thanks for sharing!

    Yvonne

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  22. I did Jinn for J one year! An excellent choice. One of the most interesting things about them is their connection to various religious texts.

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  23. Surely this is a site well worth seeing.

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  24. Hi Gwen .. I've survived Jezebel's punch .. but I'd rather like to try Gertrude's too .. to experience Jinn life, which sounds an interesting opportunity ..

    Cheers Hilary

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  25. I find Jinn fascinating, too. They crop up a lot in the Turkish fairy tales I read when I was a kid.
    Great theme you guys have for the A to Z!

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  26. Quite interesting. Thanks for stopping by my site.

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  27. Thanks Yvonne, I hope to develop them a bit more.

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  28. Taryn, there is tons of information on them, all varied, and very interesting!

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  29. Thanks Jerry, we appreciate it. And I agree, lots of talented writers here.

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  30. Hilary, I love to serve you Gertrude's version of punch :)

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  31. Thanks Deniz. Yeah, jinn show up in a lot of Asian and middle eastern folklore. Thanks for coming by!

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  32. Thanks for stopping by here, as well, Silver Fox!

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  33. I have read about Jinn in a couple of books - I loved them all!

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What's happening in your dimension?