Your Secret Identity

In the October 2007 issue, we asked you to show us your avatar or alter ego, and explain why you had chosen it. Your entry could be a persona you use in an online world, or a drawing of a character you'd like to be. Bruce Wayne submitted a fascinating and moving piece ("The Bat Inside Me"), but since he asked us not to publish his secrets, here are some of your most interesting alter egos. You can find more on the Web (www.cricketmag.com/kids_home.asp).

My avatar's name is Arya, the lost princess of Elvesvarilla. Arya was abducted from Elvesvarilla when she was a baby. She grew up in the forest and eventually escaped her captors. Arya is a combination of my role models, which include the Bionic Woman, Maximum Ride and Lily Potter, the unknown sister of Harry Potter (that's a "me" thing). When I was creating Arya I thought, "I've always wanted to be tough so why not make my avatar tough?" It was perfect! Then I thought how I wanted her to look. I didn't want to make her a girlygirl and if she wasn't the prettiest it wouldn't matter. I wanted her to look like she was actually pretty, but she was so covered in dirt, mud, scars, scabs, freckles and tans that you couldn't tell that she was good-looking. Then I said, "What should her personality be like?" She is wise-cracking, joking and good-natured, a lot like me, but then again she gets to fight monsters. She isn't as dumb as a brick, however; she learns weird things like which plants are safe to eat, instead of math and science.

Arya is important to me because she is everyone I want to be without actually having to cast ice balls or chop off heads. I can be whoever I want to be and not who I have to be. She's like a vacation retreat from the real world. I can do things with her that I couldn't do in the real world. Arya helps me deal with the issues of the real world.

Julia M., age 10, SC

Dear Muse,

I am an 18-year-old college student (and will be 19 in March), struggling to fit in and succeed despite my attention-deficit and mild autism. I have a lot of trouble talking to other people and doing things with them, so I usually keep to myself. As a child of the 1990s, I grew up around and with video games. They were my escape from the trials and tribulations of daily life. In fact, once I finish college, I seek to enter the video game industry as a concept artist.

I discovered Guild Wars in the summer of 2005. That was the summer in which I grew up. For the most part, I play Guild Wars alone (with the necessary computer-controlled characters to assist me), but when I need to join others to complete a certain task, or when I choose to discuss things with the other members of my guild, I find it much easier to fit in than it is to do so in real life. In the online community of Guild Wars, people don't care so much about how you look, talk, act, etc. (as long as you are polite and sensible).

My main character, Tigress Dragonblade, is largely an extension of myself. We are both blonde (she more than I), we both wear glasses and we even have a similar hairstyle. The big difference is that I wear street clothes and carry a handbag, but she wears armor and carries a Fiery Dragon Sword. Because I'm fond of animals, I have given her a faithful animal companion to fight by her side. She has had several such pets over the two years I've played her, but her current one is a black moa bird named Manson.

Emily K., age 18, MI

Name: Gerarra Flur

Born: Sometime in the Old Republic

Occupation: Trader, ex-Jedi

Location: Aboard her freighter ship the Star Chaser

Species: G'sy

Human Counterpart: Morgan E.

I invented Gerarra soon after seeing Star Wars (the old trilogy) for the first time. The amazingly detailed and imaginative galaxy that had emerged from such creative minds instantly captivated me. So, of course that set my creative mind going. TA-DA! Captain Gerarra Flur was born. seeing as I practically drool every time I glimpse a picture (or better yet, a 3D model) of the Millenium Falcon, I could easily picture a character of mine captaining her own star vessel. Just to liven things up a bit, the Star Chaser is quite a quirky thing that actually talks and breaks down often. I invented Gerarra's species (pronounced "G-sigh" and finetuned the culture overtime.

As a freshman taking all honors classes, my life can get pretty stressful, since several of my teachers simply adore giving homework (I swear they go home and laugh maniacally before they walkthrough the door, just thinking of the mountain of homework they've given their hapless students). So, what do I do to free myself from those chains? I write stories of course, something I thankfully have the imagination to do well. Gerarra Flur is my character in many of these stories. Not only that, but my friends who also have equally stressful freshman lives write these stories too and they all weave together. All this equals lots of laughs, good times, and a chance to trade our calculators and notebooks for our computers full of our less-stressful worlds.

Morgan E., age 14, TX

muse contest

THE MODERN NATURALIST

Robert Sullivan spent countless hours in a smelly New York City alley to observe the rats that interested him. As a non-traditional naturalist, where would you go and what would you observe? Raccoons in the garden? Ants in the kitchen? Kids in the shopping mall? Maybe you can try it, and report back to us how it is going. Then again, if your choice of subject is "Martians," "divers for pearls" or "teachers' staff meetings," all you'd be able to send us is your plan. That's okay too.

Contest Rules

1. Your contest entry must be your very own original work. Ideas and words should not be copied.

2. Be sure to include your name, age, and full address on your entry.

3. Only one entry per person, please.

4. If you want your work returned, enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

5. All entries must be signed by a parent or legal guardian, saying it's your own work and that no help was given. For detailed information about our compliance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, visit the Policy page at www.cricketmag.com.

6. Your entry must be received by March 31, 2008. We will publish winning entries in the September 2008 issue of Muse.

7. Send entries to Muse Contest, 70 E. Lake St., Suite 300, Chicago, IL 60601 or via email to muse@caruspub.com. If you send digital photos, please scan at 300 dpi. No faxes, please!

© 2008 Carus Publishing Company Provided by ProQuest LLC. All Rights Reserved.