This day we give and take presents.

Haha!  I love it.  It's different than here, yet exactly the same!  Most of them are from a parade, correct? 

The costumes are great!  They look so much like Santa Claus, yet they don't.

Anyway some people started celebrating Papa Noel or Santa here too and you can see in every shop, a Santa in the door giving candies to children. Also some persons prefer to give some present in Christmas day, because children have more time to enjoy their toys before they are back to school.

Yeah... American culture is everywhere...   I hope Spain can hold on to this day!  You said your family still celebrates it correct?

Yes, in my family we celebrate "The Magi". And most of people too though some exchange  presents in Chritsmas Day.

Well, that's good to hear.  Keep it up!  Diversity is the spice of life, as they say. 

I think even if all Spain changes it, my family will never do it and my dad will look for 3 kings just for us, lol

Lol!  Good for him!  He's awesome.  You can tell him I said that. 

Fantastic images. It is interesting that it is 5th Jan. A number of orthodox churches believe the actual Christmas is 6th Jan.

Yes, our day is January 6th too but this celebration on streets is the previous day in the evening. :-)

Nice pics.

Yes, we celebrate it every January 5th.

Thanks, Joao :-)

 Nice pics Diana !

Thanks a lot, Joseph!

Looks like an exciting time for all.  Thanks for the pictures. 

Specially for children and youngest people :-)

Were you the one taking pictures at this celebration, Diana?  Was it in Madrid?

No, I didn't, Jack.  

I just wanted to show you how is this celebration in Spain.

Hope you enjoy your time in Europe :-)

Oh.  Too bad.  I like the pics anyway, though. 

Last few years I was not watching it in situ. So many people around you, you don't have space to walk, or move, or even to breath, makes me dizzy. It's rather for youngest people, parents with children and turists.

Gotcha.  Lol.  It's the same thing here.  And standing in a huge crowd like that ruins a lot of things. 

But if you are very interested in seeing  my pics, I could be there the next January 5.

Hahaha!  Only if you want to go, of course.

No, I don't really want to go there. :-)

Well, I don't blame you!  Other people's pictures are enough. 

Nuff even, lol

Lol.  Good one! 

                          .

Ooooh!  Lol.  You have so many gifs and flash animations!  I don't have any. 

You work with words, I don't work at all,  but I do silly things with images.

Silly and creative, you mean.  You're an artist too! 

I don't want to be a cold and prosaic lawyer.

Can you see me as a mathmatician?  I think we picked the wrong fields, corazón! 

Kinda masoquistas, no? lol

Yeah, great.  That's exactly what I wanted!  And I'm sure you did too!  More pain!!!! 

We can't blame anyone for it, lol

Except ourselves.  Lol.

But we still have the time and choice to change it.

True!  I've got my writing! 

Is there anything you love like I love writing?

The question is not if I love something, rather if I am good doing something, and I am afraid I am not that good as you writing. Pero algo surgirá...

Sure it matters if you love something!  And I'm not THAT good, am I? 

You'll find something though.  I know you will.  You're multi-talented, so you'll be good at anything you do. 

You are very good, I think it, sincerely.

Muchas gracias, corazon.  One need support and fans. 

Do you want a crazy fan like "Misery"? lol

Do you mean the Stephen King novel? 

Yes, lol. The movie was great too!

Ay carumba!  I haven't seen the movie, lol, but I can imagine!  I'm not quite that desperate for attention!  ...Yet... 

"Caramba".  Watch the movie if you have a chance.

Grr.  Typo. 

I'll look into it!  You know how I am about movies, but since you suggested it, I might be able to find the time. 

I have watched several movies based in novels by Stephen King, (I have many books from him), and I think it's the best adaptation even if there're small changes.

Excellent!  I usually stay away from movies based on books.  They always change things!

When I get my books made into movies (when, not if! ), I may not even watch them.  I'll just take the money and say thank you.  Lol.

Could I play a role in that movie?

Hahaha!  Who would you like to be? 

Fara!

Hehehe!  You'd be a very tall Fara!  And you'd have to wear cute little ferret ears and a tail. 

How about the stunning Lana?

But I prefer Fara, don't mind ferret ears and tail.

An exotic princess?  You'd be perfect!  Lol.  But you'd probably look cute in ears and a tail too.

The other person you'd like to be (I think) is the voice of Thundersnow.  But you'll have to read further before you meet her, corazón! 

Vale, I will choose my role later then.

Hey, I don't care what role you play; I'd love to have you in it!  But I doubt I'll have much say in the matter on my first book.  Lol. 

Perhaps I could make the movie, and not like an actress, but as a director.

Now you're talking!  Then I wouldn't have to worry about my story getting butchered!    I like it. 

I would be absolutely loyal and accurate to the book.

It would be a very long movie then! 

Did I ever tell you it was around 145,000 words?  Lol.  At 300 words a page or so (about average for a paperback), that's about 480 pages.

Jesus!!!   Well, never mind, I'll manage it with your help.

This is why I was worried about your translation, lol!  You should ask how long the damn book is before you undertake something like that! 

Yeah, my sis and I write a lot of stuff, and our stories are very complicated.  This is only going to be the first book in what we plan to be a trilogy, you know. 

Estas hablando de Bonded, claro.. si?

Yeah, I'm talking about Bonded.  We have other unfinished novels too, you know. 

Yes, you have to tell me about them too.

We have too many ideas to list, my dear!  Lol.  We probably have 20 or 25 ideas floating around in our crazy minds.  They aren't all fully formed, of course. 

Our other principle novel is called "Serenia".  It's totally different.  It's about a group of Americans about our age who get sucked into an magical world. 

Can't you include a spaniard in the group? lol

Ah, I love magical world!

Well, now that I have you as a reference, it's very possible that I'll include a Spaniard in one of my novels.    Then I can use a little Castellano too!

Another book is called "The Citadel".  The very short synopsis is that it's about four different creatures (all intelligent like humans) who are called to a castle none of them have been to before and they have to figure out why and what called them.  And learn to work together, of course. 

"La Ciudadela". Nice title and I love the idea you told me about the novel.

Gosh, you have an impressive imagination!

We have lots more!  Want to hear some more? 

You have to remember that we've spent five years being obsessed with this.  That's a very long time to come up with ideas!  And there are two of us; that helps a lot. 

5 años! Pero Diana sería muy joven entonces. Ella tiene 18 años ahora?

Sí!  Tenía 17 años y ella tenía 12 años cuando empezamos. 

What does Serenia mean?

It's an invented word based on the word "Serene", meaning calm, collected, and peaceful. 

In spanish sereno-a, serenidad. Bonita palabra.

Thanks!  Although... we may change it, lol.  It's identical to one of the names of one of the worlds in Myst IV. 

None of our names are set in stone yet, and to tell the truth, we pretty much just pick perfunctory names at this point.  Just so we have something to call it. 

Understand, the title is very important, so much people choose the books because the title is attractive... By the way, one question, does american people read a lot?

"DO American people read a lot?"  Depends on what you mean by a lot!  Lol.  Most of the people I know like to read, but you have to remember that I hang out with folks with higher education as a rule.  So... actually, I'm not sure.  I really don't know how we compare to other countries. 

About the title: unless we came up with something really kickass, the publisher will change it before they put it into print.  So I'm not too worried about it.  Very few first time authors don't have their titles changed. 

I see a lot of young people only worried for their physical appearance and they barely read a book...

Yeah... I knew a lot of people in high school who didn't read.  Some of them were too busy making themselves "beautiful", but a lot of them were too busy with television too.  Now THAT'S depressing.  Sure, there are plenty of bad books, but I've only seen a few tv shows that were worth anything.  I essentially never watch the damn thing.

Exactly the same here, TV bores me terribly. I love cine, as you know already, but I basically download the movies by Emule and I watch them in my DVD reproductor. Except one or 2 programs in TV, the rest is basura.

And yet everyone watches it.  I can't figure it out!  Why waste so much time?  I guess they have no imaginacion como tu y yo. 

Exactly, they don't know better way to spend their time than wasting it ahead TV. And it seems programs in television are worse every day.

Yeah.  I think it's because there are more of them, but there is still the same amount of talent.  It drags the average down! 

Sometimes it's better to be ordinary people or even mediocre.

Meh.  I disagree.

We hardly agree now.

nice my friend

Thank you.

these pictures are awesome. and i also respect the beliefs there as i have a friend here in new york that is from barcelona. god bless!

Thanks, Mark! :-)

Estan bien bonita las fotos y de donde naci se celebra el dia de los reyers, ademas mi madre, que en paz descanse nacio el seis de Enero.

Donde naciste?

Eres bonisima Diana y en la isla mia se celebra el dia de los reyers, Puerto Rico mami. You look absolutely amazing very nice facial structure, your complextion and of course your hair.

Muchas gracias :-)