[CLOSED] Nominations are Open for the Most Epic Heroine Award!
6:30 AM
"Are you sure we're not lost?" A blond-haired rider pulled on the reins of his horse.
"Lord Eomer did say that this cave was hard to find...", a second rider retrieved a map from his saddlebag. "It should be off to the right."
"You mean, where that dust cloud is coming from?" The rider's chain mail rattled as he pointed his finger.
"Could be. Let's go look."
Both riders spurred their horses forward and found the source of the dust cloud - an opening in the rock, choked with vines and other debris.
The riders dismounted and cautiously walked up to the opening. They could hear sounds of hustle and bustle from within, but no distinct words.
"Hello?" They called out.
"Who goes there? If you're here on church business, take it up with my assistants. And if you're here about that blasted conference in October, know that I am going to hang..."
A short woman with a filthy skirt emerged from the dark, shaking out an equally filthy rag. Blinking, she looked between the two riders. "Who are you?"
"We're riders of Rohan, madam. We've been sent by the Lady of the Shield-Arm to deliver a message to Miss Catherine Hawthorn. Do you know her?"
****
I hurriedly tossed aside my rag and attempted to brush myself off. "You've found her. My deepest apologies, Riders of the Mark. This dear old blog has not been touched for months and I have been attempting to give it an old-fashioned fall cleaning for the Tolkien celebrations. In the midst of....other things." I could not help but sigh as I straightened myself up.
The riders smiled. "Well, we shall not keep you long." One handed off a thick envelope to me and they remounted.
"Gōdne ǣfen, shieldmaiden", they said in their native Rohirric tongue and nodded towards the shield emblem near the door frame.
(For those who are wondering, Rohirric is Old English in origin, so I simply used the evening greeting from this webpage.)
After waving the riders off, I sat down on a stone bench and tore open the thick packet. On top was a letter, which I read first.
My dear Catherine,
Greetings from the land of Rohan! As you may have heard, the 8th Annual Silmaril Awards are upon us. It is my great pleasure to announce that I will be hosting the Most Epic Heroine Award at your blog, The Rebelling Muse, on September 21, 2023.
I will be accompanied by Queen Lucy Pevensie and the lady Aravis from the land of Narnia. As you may know, Lord Aragon has declared that all of our dear Narnian companions are forever exempted from the Silmaril Awards and have been elevated to being co-hosts of the Silmarils as of this year.
Be sure to gather all of the Epic Heroines from all the fantastical lands so that they may be recognized by our fellows. They should be the highest ideal of femininity. They are not to be recognized only for deeds of valor or conquests, but for their stalwart hearts and soothing hands. Maidens, wives, mothers, and crones are welcome.
I have included a copy of the Rules, a list of the past winners, and the addresses of the other Silmaril presenters for your convenience. I look forward to seeing you on the 21st!
~ Eowyn, Lady of the Shield-Arm
******
Smiling at ending this letter, I picked the officious looking Rules Sheet.
~ Rules of the Silmaril Awards ~
- You may nominate as many characters as you wish, as long as there is no nepotism involved (i.e. author's nominating their own characters).
- You may also second as many characters nominated by others as you choose. The more “seconds” (and thirds, fourths, etc) a character receives, the more likely that character will move on to the Top 5 Candidate List from which the viewers will vote from. Should there be any dead heats, the host reserves the right to cast the tiebreaker vote.
- Nominations are allowed for fantasy book characters only! Movie characters don't count unless they have a book twin. Any disputes will be forwarded to the Council of Elrond.
- The Silmaril Awards are “lifetime” awards. To paraphrase Aslan, "once an Epic Heroine, always an Epic Heroine". Characters who have already won a Silmaril in previous years are not eligible to win the same award again (though they may win other categories.)
*****
Those sounded simple enough. But what was not so simple was finding out what kind of heroines to look for. Then I remembered Eowyn included a list of the past winners!
~ Past Year’s Winners ~
These characters have already won this particular Silmaril, so they’re ineligible to receive it again. They can still be nominated for other categories, however!
- 2022 Sophie from Howl’s Moving Castle
- 2021 Pet from The City Between Series
- 2020 Hermione from The Harry Potter Series
- 2019 Cinder from The Lunar Chronicles
- 2018 Aravis from The Chronicles of Narnia
- 2017 Lucy Pevensie from The Chronicles of Narnia
*****
And now I am off to the town to square to announce. . .the the nominations have begun! Leave a note in the comment box to tell me: who’s your pick for the Most Epic Heroine?
And....what's this?
I reached down to pick up another sheet of paper.
Oh dear, I almost forgot! Be sure to visit my fellow presenters and nominate your favorite characters for the following categories!
~ Other Silmaril Blogs ~
Most Magnificent Dragon - Jenelle @ Jenelle Schmidt
Most Nefarious Villain - C. O. Bonham @ C. O. Bonham
Most Devoted Couple - Samanthawise @ Bookshire
Most Wayward Soul - E.E Rawls @ Author E.E. Rawls
Most Silver Tongue - The Grim Writer @ The Grim Writer
Most Epic Heroine - Catherine Hawthorn @ The Rebelling Muse (you are here!)
Most Majestic Ruler - DJ Edwardson @ DJ Edwardson
Most Faithful Friend - Jeanette @ J. L. Mbewe
Most Mischievous Imp - Grace T @ Bard on Pilgrimage
Most Epic Hero - Merie Shen @ Imperial Scribis
Wisest Counselor - Sarah Taleweaver @ Lights and Shadows
******
Nominations will close on September 8th, so don't delay! We shall gather again on the 11th to begin the voting!
God bless,
Catherine
91 comments
I nominate:
ReplyDeleteEgwene (Wheel of Time)
Vin (Mistborn)
Tiria (High Rhulain [Redwall])
Echo (Echo North)
Tress (Tress of the Emerald Sea)
Liz Sharp (Miss Sharp's Monsters)
Kate Sutton (The Perilous Gard)
Victoriana Greenmantle (Of Deeds Most Valiant)
Rae (Theft of Sunlight/A Darkness at the Door)
I nominate:
ReplyDeleteCamicazi from the How to Train Your Dragon series
Ella from Ella Enchanted
Luna from the Harry Potter series.
Thanks Catherine! Tallyho!
oh and I forgot. I also nominate Ani from the Goose Girl.
DeleteI second Ella and Luna!
DeleteI second Ella
DeleteI second Ella
DeleteI nominate Starflower from Goldstone Wood
ReplyDeleteSecond Starflower! (She also goes by Imraldera, in case she accidentally gets nominated twice)
DeleteI love this post!
ReplyDeleteI nominate Cordelia Beaumont from the Beaumont and Beasley series by Kyle Robert Shultz.
And I second Echo from Echo North!
(Aahh, forgot to put my name in! That was me. XD)
DeleteI ABSOLUTELY second Cordelia!
DeleteHere comes the dump of nominations:
ReplyDeleteGryfelle from Weavers Trilogy
Menolly from Dragonsong
Miri from the Princess Academy
Kamarie and Dylanna from Minstrel's Song
Resa from Inkheart
Bonnie, Acacia, Saphira, Shiloh, Listener, Thigocia, and Karen from Dragons in our Midst
Imogen from the Ascendance Series
Tellie from Moonscript
Andaryn from the Flight of Swans
Perry from the Lost Kingdom of Bamare
Scarlet from Lunar Chronicles
Rose Red from Tales of Goldstone Wood
Kyrin from the Ilyon Chronicles
And I second Starflower, Ani, Luna, and Ella.
Seconding Scarlet!
Deletesecond Miri!
DeleteI second Miri!
DeleteI second Rose Red, Scarlet, Imogen, Kyrin, and Tellie!
DeleteSecond Rose Red, Bonnie, Acacia, Sapphira, and Listener
DeleteAlso seconding Miri!
DeleteI second Kamarie and Dylanna from Minstrel's Song, by Jenelle Leanne Schmidt
DeleteI second Rose Red from Tales of Goldstone Wood
DeleteEpic intro, Catherine! Here are my nominations:
ReplyDelete- Kit from The Second Age of Retha
- YeoWoo from The Worlds Behind
- Britt Arthurs from King Arthur and Her Knights
- Shiori from Six Crimson Cranes
- Sable from The Keeper Origins
Seconding Tellie, Miri, Scarlet, Rose Red, Cordelia, and Liz Sharp!
YeoWoo! Seconded!
DeleteI nominate Amy Crockett from Crockett and Crane!
ReplyDeleteSeconding:
Cordelia Beaumont
Luna Lovegood
Resa
Seconding Miri.
ReplyDeleteOh, I love this intro so much!!
ReplyDeleteNominating:
-Sylvia Kirke (the Afterverse)
-Tanwen En-Yestin (The Weaver Trilogy)
-Birdie (The Songkeeper Chronicles)
-Molly Weasley (Harry Potter)
-Nymphadora Tonks (Harry Potter)
-Minerva McGonagall (Harry Potter)
-Hyacinth Smith (The Door Before)
-Essie (Elven Alliance series)
-Tiger Lily (Heirs of Neverland series)
-Amy Crockett (the Afterverse)
-Holly Short (Artemis Fowl)
-Easton (Dark Is the Night by Mirriam Neal)
-Glory Spalding (Outlaws of Time)
-Antigone Smith (The Ashtown Burials)
-Ceridwen (Of Fire and Ash)
-Camellia (The Worlds Behind series)
I second Molly, Tonks and McGonagall!
Deleteseconding Ceridwen, Birdie, Tanwen, and Tonks!
DeleteI heartily second Glory Spalding!
DeleteI second Tonks and Tanwen!
DeleteSeconding:
ReplyDelete- Sylvia Kirke
- Birdie
- Molly Weasley
- Nymphadora Tonks
- Minerva McGonagall
- Hyacinth Smith
- Essie
- Tiger Lily
- Amy Crockett
- Holly Short
- Glory Spalding
- Antigone Smith
- Ceridwen
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteCatherine! Sorry I haven’t seen you in AGES. (I mean, I’ve never seen you, but talked. XD) Hope you’re doing well! <3
ReplyDeleteAh, this is one of my favorite categories! I don’t even need to think about this.
I nominate:
Inej Ghafa from the Grishaverse <3 Dictionary definition of epic.
Adima Radi Kashinda from the Pirate Hunter Chronicles
Miryem from Spinning Silver
Dorothy Gale from The Wizard of Oz
Cress from The Lunar Chronicles
I second.:
Ella
Luna
Scarlet
Molly, Tonks, and McGonagall
I second Dorothy!
DeleteSeconding Dorothy and Cress!
DeleteI second Cress
DeleteI second:
ReplyDelete-Starflower and Rose Red from Goldstone Wood
-Tellie from Moonscript
-Kyrin from Ilyon Chronicles
-Essie from Elven Alliance
WAIT WAIT WAIT, I thought of someone else.
ReplyDeleteI nominate:
Beatriz from All the Crooked Saints
I second
ReplyDeleteTiria
Resa
Hyacinth Smith
Holly Short
Glory Spalding
Antigone Smith
Tiger Lily
Dorothy Gale
Cress
Scarlet
I Nominate
Evanlyn from Rangers Apprentice
I second Evanlyn!
DeleteI second:
ReplyDeleteVin
Tiria
Echo
Liz Sharp
Starflower
Shiloh
Tellie
Rose Red
YeoWoo (so glad someone nominated her!)
Ceridwen
Cress
And I nominate:
Ailsa from The Dark King's Curse
Isabella from the Two Monarchies series
Poly from the Two Monarchies series
Ashley Stalworth from Dragons in Our Midst
Isobel from An Enchantment of Ravens
Elizabeth from A Sorcery of Thorns
Jane from Cinderella Must Die
Calla from The Austen Fairy Tale
Elinrose from The Austen Fairy Tale
I second Elinrose from the Austen Fairy Tale.
DeleteI Second
ReplyDeleteEvanlyn/Cassandra
I Nominate
Alyss
sorry, I don't know any others...
I second Alyss!
DeleteOh! I forgot! I nominate Mina from Dracula!
ReplyDeleteI second Mina
DeleteI nominate:
ReplyDeleteJenna (Septimus Heap)
Sophia (The Glass Sentence)
Marina (Silverwing)
Yvaine (Stardust)
Cimorene (Enchanted Forest Chronicles)
Addie (Two Princesses of Bamarre)
Meryl (Two Princesses of Bamarre)
Asa (Fairest)
Kitty (The Golem's Eye)
Kate (Airborn)
Buttercup (The Princess Bride)
Meg (A Wrinkle in Time)
I second Buttercup (Princess Bride) and Meg (A Wrinkle in Time).
DeleteI second Buttercup.
DeleteSecond Buttercup and Cimorene
DeleteI second Buttercup!
DeleteI second Addie, Meryl, and Asa
DeleteI nominate:
ReplyDeleteSabrina Grimm (The Sisters Grimm)
Zita (The 13th Princess)
Cornflower (Redwall)
Irene (The Princess and the Goblin)
Alice (Alice in Wonderland)
Maggie Folchart (Inkheart)
Maria Merryweather (The Little White Horse)
Leeli Igiby (Wingfeather Saga)
Serilda (Gilded)
I second:
Luna, Molly, Tonks, and McGonagall
Cordelia
Resa
Scarlet and Cress
Hyacinth
Glory
Antigone
Dorothy Gale
Alyss and Evanlyn
Mina
Jenna
Buttercup
I second Alice.
DeleteI second Cornflower, Irene, Sabrina, and Leeli.
DeleteI second Leeli and Irene!
DeleteSeconding Sabrina, Cornflower, and Alice!
DeleteI second
DeleteSabrina Grimm
Zita
Cornflower
Irene
Alice
Maggie Folchart (seriously though you haven’t even read it. I can’t believe you’d do this to me 😭 😂)
Maria Merryweather
Leeli Igiby
Serilda
I second Meggie and Leeli
DeleteI second Maria and Meggie!
DeleteI second Cornflower and Leeli.
DeleteHey, Catherine, thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteI second Princess Buttercup.
And I nominate Eilonwy from The Chronicles of Prydain.
I second Eilonwy!
DeleteI second Eilonwy.
DeleteI second Eilonwy!
DeleteI second Eilonwy.
DeleteI nominate
ReplyDeleteAlyssa from The Princess Companion
Princess Celeste from The Princess Game
Evie from The Princess Search
Princess Azalea from A Kingdom of Slumber
Princess Wren from A Kingdom of Feathers
Princess Zinnia from A Kingdom of Dance
Petra from The Rizkaland Chronicles
I second Alyssa, Celeste, and Evie!
DeleteI second Vin!
ReplyDeleteI nominate:
ReplyDeleteLebia from Raven Son Saga,
Eilonwy from The Prydain Chronicles,
Alys from Through a Shattered Glass,
Kale from Dragon Keeper Chronicles
Lizbeth from The Welkening
Angie from The Welkening
Oh, and Sabiana from Raven Son Saga too
DeleteI second
ReplyDeleteLeeli Igiby
Tellie
Irene
I nominate
Talea from Kingdoms Reign
Tess from the Kingdom Series
Lilam from Sir Quinlan and the Swords of Valor
Keanna from Kingdoms Quest
Carliss from Lady Carliss and the Waters of Moorue
I second:
DeleteLeeli
Tellie
Talea
Tess
Lilam
Keanna
AND SECONDING LADY CARLISS SO HARD!
I second:
ReplyDeleteVin from Mistborn
Echo from Echo North
Rae from Theft of Sunlight
Tonks from Harry Potter
Glory from Outlaws of Time
Miryem from Spinning Silver
Beatriz from All The Crooked Saints
Evanlyn from Ranger's Apprentice
Jenna from Septimus Heap
Meg from A Wrinkle In Time
Irene from The Princess and the Goblin
Leeli Igiby from the Wingfeather Saga
Eilonwy from The Chronicles of Prydain
I nominate:
Clovis from Lady of Dreams
Carys from Lady of Weeds
Helen from The Queen's Thief
heck, Irene from The Queen's Thief also
Shallan from The Stormlight Archive
Jasnah from The Stormlight Archive
I second Clovis, Carys, Helen, Irene, Shallan, and Jasnah!
DeleteI second Shallan and Jasnah!
DeleteSo many epic heroines!
ReplyDeleteSeconding:
Eilonwy (Prydain)
Cimorene (Enchanted Forest Chronicles)
Essie (Elven Alliance)
Meg (A Wrinkle in Time)
Nominating:
Prism (Supervillain Rehabilitation Project by HL Burke)
Shannon (Dragon and Scholar by HL Burke)
Megan (Escape to Vindor by Emily Golus)
Maki (Seventh City by Emily Hayse)
Rosanna (The Goblin and the Dancer by Allison Tebo)
Kitrin (The Green Princess by HL Burke)
Alys (Through a Shattered Glass by Sarah Pennington)
Tiryn (The Swordspeaker Saga by DJ Edwardson)
Ayianna (The Hidden Dagger series by JL Mbewe)
Baili (Blood in the Snow by Sarah Pennington)
I second Prism! (Also, Alys and Baili appreciate the nominations!)
DeleteI second Baili!
DeleteNominating Keladry of Mindelan from the Protector of the Small series by Tamora Pierce. Also Alanna the Lionness and Daine Sarrasri also from the Tortall books by the same author.
ReplyDeleteNominating the following characters from the Circle of Magic series by Tamora Pierce: Sandrilene fa Toren (Sandry), Daja Kisubo, Tris Chandler, Evvy
Nominating Navani from the Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson
Nominating Danaerys from ASOIAF
Nominating Mara Jade from the Star Wars Legends books by Timothy Zahn
Nominating Mina Harker from Dracula.
Nominating Essun from NK Jemisin’s Broken Earth trilogy.
Nominating Orual from CS Lewis’ Til We Have Faces, if that counts as fantasy.
(Or seconding these if someone else has nominated.)
If Orual, counts, I second her!
DeleteI can't accept Mara Jade - the Council has declared that all Star Wars characters are ineligible due to it being sci-fi - but everyone else is good!
Deleteseconding:
ReplyDeleteVin
Tiria
Tress
Kate Sutton
Camicazi
Luna Lovegood
Miri
Camellia
Holly Short
Addie and Meryl
Asa
Meg
Cornflower
Helen and Irene
Shallan and Jasnah
nominating:
Rose Brier (Regina Doman's fairy tale novels)
Serphimera (Pelmen the Powershaper series)
Rose, Warbeak (Redwall series)
Honor (Beauty by Robin MkKinley)
Annabeth Chase, Piper McLean, Hazel Levesque (Heroes of Olympus series)
Marasi Colms, Steris Harms, MeLaan (Mistborn series)
Sarene (Elantris)
Siri (Warbreaker)
Shai (The Emperor's Soul)
Lift, Syl (Stormlight Archive series)
Raksha (The Jungle Books)
I nominate Echo from An Echo of the Fae, by Jenelle Leanne Schmidt 😊
ReplyDeleteI nominate:
ReplyDeleteMariel - Redwall
Nia Wingfeather
Nani B'nli - Milana Legends
Heather Longtreader - the Green Ember
Redwyn - Iron
I second:
Cornflower, Leeli, Kyrin and Meg
I second:
ReplyDeleteCordelia Beaumont
Scarlet
Miryem
Mina
Maria Merryweather
Carys from Lady of Weeds
Mariel
Seconding:
ReplyDeleteKamarie
Dylanna
Amy Crockett
Birdie
Essie
Isabella
Cimorene
Irene
Alys from Through a Shattered Glass
Tiryn
Echo from An Echo of the Fae
Mariel
Seconding
ReplyDeleteKyrin
Nia
Leeli
Petra
So many wonderful heroines!
ReplyDeleteI second:
Echo (Echo North)
Ella (Ella Enchanted)
Luna Lovegood (Harry Potter)
Ani (The Goose Girl)
Imraldera/Starflower (Goldstone Wood)
Rose Red (Goldstone Wood)
Cordelia (Afterverse)
Amy Crockett (Afterverse)
Bonnie, Acacia, Sapphira, Shiloh, Listener, Thigocia, Karen, and Ashley (all from Dragons in Our Midst/Oracles of Fire)
Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles)
Cress (Lunar Chronicles)
Kyrin (Ilyon Chronicles)
Molly Weasley (Harry Potter)
Nymphadora Tonks (Harry Potter)
Minerva McGonagall (Harry Potter)
Essie (Elven Alliance)
Easton (Dark Is the Night)
Adi (Pirate Hunter Chronicles)
Isabella (Two Monarchies series)
Poly (Two Monarchies series)
Isobel (An Enchantment of Ravens)
Elizabeth (A Sorcery of Thorns)
Cimorene (Enchanted Forest Chronicles)
Buttercup (The Princess Bride)
Irene (The Princess and the Goblin)
Alice (Alice in Wonderland)
Kale (DragonKeeper Chronicles)
Rosanna (The Goblin and the Dancer)
Baili (Blood in the Snow)
Annabeth (Percy Jackson)
I second
ReplyDeleteLeeli
Evanlyn
I Nominate
Isla
I second:
ReplyDeleteKale (Dragonkeeper Chronicles)
Rose Red/Rosie (Goldstone Wood)
Leeli (Wingfeather Saga)
Vin (Mistborn)
Yeowoo (Worlds Behind)
And I nominate Pet, from The City Between series.
My sister can't get her comment to post, so on her behalf, I second:
Starflower
Cordelia
Bonnie
Acacia
Sapphira
Shiloh
Listener
Thigocia
Ashley Stallworth
Karen
Imogen
Andaryn
Rose Red
Amy Crockett
Hyacinth
Glory Spalding
Leeli.
Pet actually won in 2021, so she's ineligible. But I got everyone else!
Delete