In my creative works, some of the biggest parts of my worldbuilding have involved my dragons. It's a passion of mine that has followed me through most of my life, and it has only grown with age. After I ran out of basic colors and metallics, I turned to gemstones for inspiration. A prime example would be my Addanyre Dragon, whose scales are brilliant as burnished black onyx, dark enough to hold the night sky within them.
Gemstones make for some of the best inspiration for fantastic creatures, as they can give us a wonderful way to describe something that feels otherworldly and mythical in nature. Even today, I still search for new gemstones to inspire new kinds of dragons to fill my fantasy world with.
Burnish(ed) | bər-nish: (verb) to make shiny or lustrous especially by rubbing; to rub (a material) with a tool for compacting or smoothing or for turning an edge; (adjective) having a shiny surface or finish
While burnish isn't necessarily an uncommon word, I did notice that it was enough to make me pause while reading today, which was why I wished to include it in my Word of the Day. I have seen it used more often in its adjective form than its verb or noun forms, which piques my curiosity as to why we prefer to use it in that format more. Even I found myself using it that way.
Burnished | bɝː.nɪʃt: adjective: smooth and shiny, usually because of being polished; (of a colour) shining in a warm way; having had improvements made to it
I especially love the second of the Cambridge Dictionary definitions, as that was the way it was used in the book I started today, Wind Rider. From the description of River, the character of whom the author writes, I imagine her as a deep bronze or chocolate color with dark, rich curls and skin that shines in healthy youth.
Though I'm only a chapter in, I already find myself hooked and ready for more, despite the fact that River is a new addition to the series, introduced in the first lines. A part of me hopes I can finish it and move to another series for my Book of the Month in May, and the other part of me wants to prolong my reading so that I can cherish each moment, as P.C. Cast hasn't put out the fourth installment of the series just yet.
Even River, who rarely gave much thought to how she looked, had to admit that the effect was striking against her burnished shoulders.
I urge you to pick this series up if it even slightly piques your interest, as it will make a wonderful addition to any collection of fantasy novels. And if you do, I want to hear all about your experience reading it!
As for our Word of the Day, let me know your favorite ways to use burnished! Do you like the idea of dragons colored like the various gemstones in our world? What would you do differently? Let me know, and as always, happy reading!
Comments