Amanda Frederickson's Blog: Musings, page 5
August 19, 2013
Danger
This has been bouncing around in the back of my head for a while and came back again today, funny enough, while I was watching some Doctor Who with my family today. I confess, I did a little griping about the last season paired with some hopes for the upcoming twelfth Doctor. I've heard that viewing numbers fell during this last round of episodes and this comes as no surprise. The writing fell abysmally flat. One could even go so far as to say they weren't Doctor Who episodes, they were guest star spotlights.
The finger could be pointed at a number of factors, but what it boils down to is that there was no real sense of danger. None.
On the surface it might seem that there was plenty at stake in any given episode (usually life, the universe and everything). I'll use a particular episode as an example.
*Here is your token spoiler alert.*
The Rings of Akhaten. It starts off promising with an impressive, Doctor Who sounding title and it features as many varied aliens as a Whovian could want, complete with some nods to older episodes. When the Doctor and Clara land on an alien asteroid, the population is in the midst of a festival preparing for a particular event. The Queen of Years is tasked with singing to a monster to keep him asleep. Of course it goes wrong and the monster wakes up, then we find that the monster we thought was the big dangerous monster isn't the real big dangerous monster. The real big dangerous monster is the huge glowing planet, which suddenly has a snarly face.
Except it isn't. Dangerous, that is. We're told it's dangerous. We're told it's threatening. It could even destroy the universe. So we're told.
Really, when it boils down to it, all that this "big dangerous monster" does is growl and snarl. After a very, very long monologue that is supposed to be a rousing battle speech, the big snarly monster is defeated by a leaf. Because this leaf had too much psychic/potential energy to digest. Seriously. We've seen better. We've seen much better.
We've even seen captive monsters scarier than this.
*Here's your real spoiler alert. If you haven't seen these episodes yet (why not?) then they're worth seeing first.*
In the two part story arc of "The Impossible Planet" and "The Satan Pit" there's also a monster that wants to destroy the universe, trapped at the heart of an asteroid. But this time we believe it. We get a taste of what it can do, even in chains.
The Doctor and companion (Rose this time) land on an asteroid orbiting a black hole, but the TARDIS is swallowed by an earthquake, cutting off the easy escape route. They are as trapped as the other people at the asteroid base. The tone is further set by mysterious writings all over the base and other hints that all is not what it seems. Over the course of the episodes, the Beast in the pit takes over one of the crewmen and the Ood (alien servants) in the base, sending one woman into vacuum, killing others through the Ood, and the asteroid is sent careening toward the Black Hole. The remaining crew make an escape using the emergency transport, but what they don't know is that the Beast is using one of their men as an escape pod of his own. How will anyone survive?
Don't you want to find out?
That's what danger does. It creates suspense. It creates that indefinable urge to find out what's next. It is the principle behind our favorite dragons, vampires, and bogey-men.
When you know everyone's going to make it out the other side in one piece, there's nothing at stake. No tension. There's nothing to worry about.
(Related, but requiring a post of its own is gratuitous deaths. Another day....)
Both episodes star giant monsters as the antagonists, both episodes threaten the fate of the universe and ultimately the lives of Doctor and companions, but one is full of tension and suspense while the other is full of wind. It isn't enough to be told that something is dangerous. We need to see it for ourselves.
The finger could be pointed at a number of factors, but what it boils down to is that there was no real sense of danger. None.
On the surface it might seem that there was plenty at stake in any given episode (usually life, the universe and everything). I'll use a particular episode as an example.
*Here is your token spoiler alert.*
The Rings of Akhaten. It starts off promising with an impressive, Doctor Who sounding title and it features as many varied aliens as a Whovian could want, complete with some nods to older episodes. When the Doctor and Clara land on an alien asteroid, the population is in the midst of a festival preparing for a particular event. The Queen of Years is tasked with singing to a monster to keep him asleep. Of course it goes wrong and the monster wakes up, then we find that the monster we thought was the big dangerous monster isn't the real big dangerous monster. The real big dangerous monster is the huge glowing planet, which suddenly has a snarly face.
Except it isn't. Dangerous, that is. We're told it's dangerous. We're told it's threatening. It could even destroy the universe. So we're told.
Really, when it boils down to it, all that this "big dangerous monster" does is growl and snarl. After a very, very long monologue that is supposed to be a rousing battle speech, the big snarly monster is defeated by a leaf. Because this leaf had too much psychic/potential energy to digest. Seriously. We've seen better. We've seen much better.
We've even seen captive monsters scarier than this.
*Here's your real spoiler alert. If you haven't seen these episodes yet (why not?) then they're worth seeing first.*
In the two part story arc of "The Impossible Planet" and "The Satan Pit" there's also a monster that wants to destroy the universe, trapped at the heart of an asteroid. But this time we believe it. We get a taste of what it can do, even in chains.
The Doctor and companion (Rose this time) land on an asteroid orbiting a black hole, but the TARDIS is swallowed by an earthquake, cutting off the easy escape route. They are as trapped as the other people at the asteroid base. The tone is further set by mysterious writings all over the base and other hints that all is not what it seems. Over the course of the episodes, the Beast in the pit takes over one of the crewmen and the Ood (alien servants) in the base, sending one woman into vacuum, killing others through the Ood, and the asteroid is sent careening toward the Black Hole. The remaining crew make an escape using the emergency transport, but what they don't know is that the Beast is using one of their men as an escape pod of his own. How will anyone survive?
Don't you want to find out?
That's what danger does. It creates suspense. It creates that indefinable urge to find out what's next. It is the principle behind our favorite dragons, vampires, and bogey-men.
When you know everyone's going to make it out the other side in one piece, there's nothing at stake. No tension. There's nothing to worry about.
(Related, but requiring a post of its own is gratuitous deaths. Another day....)
Both episodes star giant monsters as the antagonists, both episodes threaten the fate of the universe and ultimately the lives of Doctor and companions, but one is full of tension and suspense while the other is full of wind. It isn't enough to be told that something is dangerous. We need to see it for ourselves.
July 30, 2013
Breaking Radio Silence
I know, I know. I've been in "hide from the world" mode. *Stretch.* July turned out to be a busy, busy month, with a whirlwind of curveballs like leaking ceilings, car break-ins and friends in crisis (not to mention July Camp Nanowrimo).
Despite this, Kingstone is at a healthy fighting weight of 65,000 words and change, Cornerstone is three chapters further along (with more rolling along nicely), Masquerade's knottiest problem has been unknotted with a bit of timeline work and some key scene revisions, a writing contest has been added to my full plate (basic world building, character foundations and tentative outline already worked out), and a custom jewelry project finished, shipped, and awesome. That's right, all three of 2013's book projects have made significant progress, overcoming debilitating blocks. Ha! Take that, July!
Not a moment too soon, either, because Neko-chan threw out her back again and is on reduced mobility, which drives her crazy because she's such an active person. It's now my personal mission to ply her with new reading material to keep her occupied until the doctors can do the surgery that should fix her up.
Despite this, Kingstone is at a healthy fighting weight of 65,000 words and change, Cornerstone is three chapters further along (with more rolling along nicely), Masquerade's knottiest problem has been unknotted with a bit of timeline work and some key scene revisions, a writing contest has been added to my full plate (basic world building, character foundations and tentative outline already worked out), and a custom jewelry project finished, shipped, and awesome. That's right, all three of 2013's book projects have made significant progress, overcoming debilitating blocks. Ha! Take that, July!
Not a moment too soon, either, because Neko-chan threw out her back again and is on reduced mobility, which drives her crazy because she's such an active person. It's now my personal mission to ply her with new reading material to keep her occupied until the doctors can do the surgery that should fix her up.
July 5, 2013
Keystone Movie Cast
This is what can happen at five a.m. when I haven't been able to sleep all night. I created a movie cast for Keystone. Why not?
So. *Rubs hands together.*
Charlie - Allison Scagliotti, (Claudia on Warehouse 13) because, well, I think she'd play Charlie perfectly. (Charlie in squirrel form would be played by a trained squirrel - no CGI thank you.)
Rhys - Luke Goss, (Hellboy II, Blade II). He's played both an elf and a vampire (not at the same time), plus he would look old enough to play Rhys with age makeup, and then also be able to look younger.
Jack - Michael Shanks. Do I need to explain this one?
Tom and Lallia - I originally thought David Tennant and Billie Piper, because Tom and Lallia are actually named for Tom Baker and Lalla Ward from the classic Doctor Who series, but then I realized that David Tennant and Billie Piper would actually be perfect for a different pair from Kingstone (Shh! Spoilers!). So, for Tom and Lallia the pixies, Kate Winslet (because I think she would have fun playing Lallia) and Rupert Everett as Tom (After all, he played Oberon in glitter; can't you see him in turquoise hair?) (Yes, both pairs technically look older than Tom and Lallia are supposed to, but I'm considering an acting perspective, not completely looks.)
Princess Maelyn - Katie McGrath (Morgana from Merlin). Princess princess princess princess. She would be AMAZING as Maelyn, especially with the range of character she's showed as Morgana.
Taryn - There are several actresses who could pull of Taryn and put their own twist on the character. Keira Knightly would be fun, or Naomie Harris maybe. Actually, Penelope Cruz might be entertaining in blue facepaint. (Somehow these all ended up Pirates of the Caribbean actresses.)
Gwynne - Flexible, mostly because young actors grow up so fast. Daniel Huttlestone would fit.
Taliesin - Anthony Stewart Head. Again, need I explain?
Edouard - Liam Hemsworth. His role is pretty simple.
Isil - Allison Harvard, for her distinctive eyes. O.O
The Guardian - BWAHAHAHAAAA! Spoilers!
The Mara - This part actually would be more than one actress, with her face morphing. I think it would be funny to use Joanne Kelly, Genelle Williams, and Jaime Murray (the other Warehouse 13 ladies).
The Blood Prince - Duhn duhn duhn! I couldn't decide this one, actually. He would be spending most of the time in a mask, so the actor would have to act without eyes. This would take some real acting skill, I'm thinking. Nobody is really standing out and waving their arms, begging for the part. Huh.
What do you think?
Edit: I thought of a better Tom! Tom Hiddleston. He has the right facial shape, obviously wouldn't have trouble playing a trickster, and would be adorable in turquoise hair. I'm still keeping Kate Winslet as Lallia.
So. *Rubs hands together.*
Charlie - Allison Scagliotti, (Claudia on Warehouse 13) because, well, I think she'd play Charlie perfectly. (Charlie in squirrel form would be played by a trained squirrel - no CGI thank you.)
Rhys - Luke Goss, (Hellboy II, Blade II). He's played both an elf and a vampire (not at the same time), plus he would look old enough to play Rhys with age makeup, and then also be able to look younger.
Jack - Michael Shanks. Do I need to explain this one?
Tom and Lallia - I originally thought David Tennant and Billie Piper, because Tom and Lallia are actually named for Tom Baker and Lalla Ward from the classic Doctor Who series, but then I realized that David Tennant and Billie Piper would actually be perfect for a different pair from Kingstone (Shh! Spoilers!). So, for Tom and Lallia the pixies, Kate Winslet (because I think she would have fun playing Lallia) and Rupert Everett as Tom (After all, he played Oberon in glitter; can't you see him in turquoise hair?) (Yes, both pairs technically look older than Tom and Lallia are supposed to, but I'm considering an acting perspective, not completely looks.)
Princess Maelyn - Katie McGrath (Morgana from Merlin). Princess princess princess princess. She would be AMAZING as Maelyn, especially with the range of character she's showed as Morgana.
Taryn - There are several actresses who could pull of Taryn and put their own twist on the character. Keira Knightly would be fun, or Naomie Harris maybe. Actually, Penelope Cruz might be entertaining in blue facepaint. (Somehow these all ended up Pirates of the Caribbean actresses.)
Gwynne - Flexible, mostly because young actors grow up so fast. Daniel Huttlestone would fit.
Taliesin - Anthony Stewart Head. Again, need I explain?
Edouard - Liam Hemsworth. His role is pretty simple.
Isil - Allison Harvard, for her distinctive eyes. O.O
The Guardian - BWAHAHAHAAAA! Spoilers!
The Mara - This part actually would be more than one actress, with her face morphing. I think it would be funny to use Joanne Kelly, Genelle Williams, and Jaime Murray (the other Warehouse 13 ladies).
The Blood Prince - Duhn duhn duhn! I couldn't decide this one, actually. He would be spending most of the time in a mask, so the actor would have to act without eyes. This would take some real acting skill, I'm thinking. Nobody is really standing out and waving their arms, begging for the part. Huh.
What do you think?
Edit: I thought of a better Tom! Tom Hiddleston. He has the right facial shape, obviously wouldn't have trouble playing a trickster, and would be adorable in turquoise hair. I'm still keeping Kate Winslet as Lallia.
July 4, 2013
Whoosh
Life, the universe, and everything. Nothing happens in orderly fashion. It all has to hit at once, right?
My middle brother got engaged! We had a picnic for her birthday at the park where they had their first date. When she was opening presents, she saved his for last, but when she opened it there was nothing but plastic bags in the box. She turned around, and he knelt there with the ring. ^_^ Sweet stuff. She couldn't even say "yes" for almost five minutes, she was too busy being giddy.
So cute!
My middle brother got engaged! We had a picnic for her birthday at the park where they had their first date. When she was opening presents, she saved his for last, but when she opened it there was nothing but plastic bags in the box. She turned around, and he knelt there with the ring. ^_^ Sweet stuff. She couldn't even say "yes" for almost five minutes, she was too busy being giddy.
So cute!
June 18, 2013
Deadlines and Doom
"I like deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by." - Douglas Adams
I don't particularly like the sounds of deadlines whooshing by, but I seem to be hearing them a lot lately.
There's a persistent little cheerleader in the back of my head insisting that Kingstone can still be finished by the 21st. Finished? Maybe. Presentable? Not likely. Just the other day I found a place where Charlie was filing miserably when she should have been failing. Yeah. I haven't given the manuscript to my readers yet.
Whoosh.
Apparently I was being even more idealistic than I thought when I set June 21st as the tentative release date. I also didn't realize at the time that Kingstone would end up needing the most wholesale changes of any manuscript I've ever written (seven full length ones so far). I don't think there's more than a handful of paragraphs left of the original draft, and only chunks out of the second one.
Funny enough, working on Kingstone this week has been going smashingly. I'm really pleased with how it's shaping up and what's been coming out on the page. It's just not going to be done by this Friday.
So. Question of the week. Have I written the Ending of Doom?
Erm. Hm. Not yet. By the end of the week? Possibly. I'm dancing around it.
A while back on Facebook I saw a link to a list titled Top Ten "Puppy-Kick" Moments in Doctor Who. Not literally puppy-kicking, but meaning those gut-wrenching twists that make you feel like curling up and bawling for a while.
I'm planning at least two of those.
They're in my head. I have the scenes laid out. I haven't put the words on the page. I don't like kicking puppies, even if it's for a reason. (Nee-chan would argue and say I do it too often.)
Death happens. So does loss and separation. It doesn't mean we have to like it. The good news here is that this book isn't the end. There's another one coming, but you have to get through the middle to reach the end.
(Random trivia: Douglas Adams wrote a few scripts for the classic Doctor Who series. I wonder what they thought of his philosophy regarding deadlines.)
I don't particularly like the sounds of deadlines whooshing by, but I seem to be hearing them a lot lately.
There's a persistent little cheerleader in the back of my head insisting that Kingstone can still be finished by the 21st. Finished? Maybe. Presentable? Not likely. Just the other day I found a place where Charlie was filing miserably when she should have been failing. Yeah. I haven't given the manuscript to my readers yet.
Whoosh.
Apparently I was being even more idealistic than I thought when I set June 21st as the tentative release date. I also didn't realize at the time that Kingstone would end up needing the most wholesale changes of any manuscript I've ever written (seven full length ones so far). I don't think there's more than a handful of paragraphs left of the original draft, and only chunks out of the second one.
Funny enough, working on Kingstone this week has been going smashingly. I'm really pleased with how it's shaping up and what's been coming out on the page. It's just not going to be done by this Friday.
So. Question of the week. Have I written the Ending of Doom?
Erm. Hm. Not yet. By the end of the week? Possibly. I'm dancing around it.
A while back on Facebook I saw a link to a list titled Top Ten "Puppy-Kick" Moments in Doctor Who. Not literally puppy-kicking, but meaning those gut-wrenching twists that make you feel like curling up and bawling for a while.
I'm planning at least two of those.
They're in my head. I have the scenes laid out. I haven't put the words on the page. I don't like kicking puppies, even if it's for a reason. (Nee-chan would argue and say I do it too often.)
Death happens. So does loss and separation. It doesn't mean we have to like it. The good news here is that this book isn't the end. There's another one coming, but you have to get through the middle to reach the end.
(Random trivia: Douglas Adams wrote a few scripts for the classic Doctor Who series. I wonder what they thought of his philosophy regarding deadlines.)
June 5, 2013
Cats are a Book's Best Friend
"A catless writer is almost inconceivable." - Barbara Holland
I've missed having my own cat. I just didn't realize it was also affecting my writing.
I've been a voracious reader since I learned how (I mentioned a little of my book obsession in the last post), but in the last few years I've had trouble reading as much as I used to. I thought it was just a factor of life getting more complicated, as it always seems to do, but then life got quieter again and I still had trouble reading. I write more (better?) when I'm reading anything, but even knowing this I've had trouble just sitting still long enough to read (though I've had no trouble sitting still for making chainmail; unfortunately the two don't combine well).
Apparently a content cat in my lap does wonders for my ability to finish a book.
All through middle school and high school my cat was my reading buddy. He was perfectly happy to sit in my lap or on my legs while I devoured books.
Four years ago now, my siblings stopped calling him "fat cat" and started calling him "flat cat" because he lost so much weight. We think he might have developed the feline equivalent of diabetes. In any case, at the ripe old age of seventeen, my tuxedo baby decided to pass away. I lost my best childhood friend.
I posted a few months ago about my family's new kittens. I'm officially stealing one. His name is Pippinpaddle-Opsokopolis the Third, and he's a beautiful, lanky cream tiger. (Ok, you can call him Pippin.) He's Callie's third baby, and already proficient in the Art of Key Slaying and Candy Wrapper Chasing. The other day when I was visiting the House he decided to take a nap in my lap. Of all the kittens, he has the loudest purr.
He's so mine.
It was the first time in a long time that I finished a book (that wasn't a manga) in less than 24 hours.
By the way, on the subject of the kittens: Phineas turned out to be a girl and is already loving her new family, Ferb is a cuddly, fluffy butterball with the same coloring as Pippin (he might come home with me too if I can pull it off, but my youngest sister is begging to keep him), Callie's first baby is also already with her new family and the middle kitten is waiting to be picked up. They got so big so fast!
I can't wait until Pippin is big enough to bring home.
I've missed having my own cat. I just didn't realize it was also affecting my writing.
I've been a voracious reader since I learned how (I mentioned a little of my book obsession in the last post), but in the last few years I've had trouble reading as much as I used to. I thought it was just a factor of life getting more complicated, as it always seems to do, but then life got quieter again and I still had trouble reading. I write more (better?) when I'm reading anything, but even knowing this I've had trouble just sitting still long enough to read (though I've had no trouble sitting still for making chainmail; unfortunately the two don't combine well).
Apparently a content cat in my lap does wonders for my ability to finish a book.
All through middle school and high school my cat was my reading buddy. He was perfectly happy to sit in my lap or on my legs while I devoured books.
Four years ago now, my siblings stopped calling him "fat cat" and started calling him "flat cat" because he lost so much weight. We think he might have developed the feline equivalent of diabetes. In any case, at the ripe old age of seventeen, my tuxedo baby decided to pass away. I lost my best childhood friend.
I posted a few months ago about my family's new kittens. I'm officially stealing one. His name is Pippinpaddle-Opsokopolis the Third, and he's a beautiful, lanky cream tiger. (Ok, you can call him Pippin.) He's Callie's third baby, and already proficient in the Art of Key Slaying and Candy Wrapper Chasing. The other day when I was visiting the House he decided to take a nap in my lap. Of all the kittens, he has the loudest purr.
He's so mine.
It was the first time in a long time that I finished a book (that wasn't a manga) in less than 24 hours.
By the way, on the subject of the kittens: Phineas turned out to be a girl and is already loving her new family, Ferb is a cuddly, fluffy butterball with the same coloring as Pippin (he might come home with me too if I can pull it off, but my youngest sister is begging to keep him), Callie's first baby is also already with her new family and the middle kitten is waiting to be picked up. They got so big so fast!
I can't wait until Pippin is big enough to bring home.
May 28, 2013
Book Bingeing and Purging
I am a book hoarder.
I still have the first book I ever bought with my own money (The Cloak of Night and Daggers) and my collection of Baby-Sitters Club and Mandie books are boxed in a closet waiting for my nieces to be old enough to read them. Beauty and the Beast was one of my favorite Disney movies because of the epic library. I love the passages in Inkheart that describe Meggie's relationship with books, because that was my childhood. Books were my security blanket.
Yesterday, I cleared three boxes worth of books off my shelves with the intention of taking them in to our local used bookstore. This is a first for me. (I don't count selling back textbooks. Actually, I kept a bunch.) I came away from it feeling unexpectedly accomplished. Most of what I cleared are books that were given to me by well intentioned friends/family who didn't actually know what I read, others are books I've picked up over the years at various bag sales or library fundraisers (Hey, you can't beat ten cents a book!), but all they've done is gather dust.
When I moved into my apartment, I realized just how heavy they all were.
Not only do I have empty spaces on my shelves now, I've realized also just how many of my books I haven't read yet, especially since I picked up tons during Borders' going out of business. My sisters and I literally hunted down every Borders within driving distance and came home with boxes full. I even came away with one of their shopping baskets. It's now a mini bookshelf.
I've decided that the lightening of my shelves deserves an old-fashioned reading binge. And then I'll use the store credit for new books. ^_^
I still have the first book I ever bought with my own money (The Cloak of Night and Daggers) and my collection of Baby-Sitters Club and Mandie books are boxed in a closet waiting for my nieces to be old enough to read them. Beauty and the Beast was one of my favorite Disney movies because of the epic library. I love the passages in Inkheart that describe Meggie's relationship with books, because that was my childhood. Books were my security blanket.
Yesterday, I cleared three boxes worth of books off my shelves with the intention of taking them in to our local used bookstore. This is a first for me. (I don't count selling back textbooks. Actually, I kept a bunch.) I came away from it feeling unexpectedly accomplished. Most of what I cleared are books that were given to me by well intentioned friends/family who didn't actually know what I read, others are books I've picked up over the years at various bag sales or library fundraisers (Hey, you can't beat ten cents a book!), but all they've done is gather dust.
When I moved into my apartment, I realized just how heavy they all were.
Not only do I have empty spaces on my shelves now, I've realized also just how many of my books I haven't read yet, especially since I picked up tons during Borders' going out of business. My sisters and I literally hunted down every Borders within driving distance and came home with boxes full. I even came away with one of their shopping baskets. It's now a mini bookshelf.
I've decided that the lightening of my shelves deserves an old-fashioned reading binge. And then I'll use the store credit for new books. ^_^
May 20, 2013
Kingstone Update
Right now the official typed-in word count for Kingstone is almost 42,000 words. It's a little on the low side for what I'm aiming at, but it's also sans three battle sequences, which will fill it out some more.
I'm aiming to have this draft fleshed out without any holes left by the end of May, which should give me a decent amount of polishing time to have it finished altogether by my tentative release date.
Yes, Kingstone has a tentative release date. It's June 21, which is also the summer solstice according to my calendar. Keystone was released December 21, so I'm going to see if I can release the others on a 21 too. Why not?
Ooo, and Kingstone also has a blurb, or at least a working blurb:
Hardly a moment after setting foot on solid ground, Charlotte “Charlie” Donahue finds herself kidnapped. Again. This time it isn’t by well-meaning but misguided pixies. Charlie manages to get scooped up by elven slavers, who decide that her talent for trouble deserves a real test: in a gladiatorial fight to the death. Last man (or woman) standing gets to live. As attached as she is to her own skin, she doesn’t particularly want to cost someone else theirs.
Meanwhile, the rest of the crew isn’t sitting idly by. Rhys is determined to get Charlie back, no matter the cost, and Princess Maelyn’s accidental fiance may hold just the ticket. Of course, Llyr Silverwings has a few secrets up his sleeve as well, and has more in mind than a simple snag and bag rescue. There’s a faction of rebels harboring elves somewhere in the mountains, and Llyr thinks that Charlie’s rescue is the perfect opportunity to find them.
Meanwhile, Charlie has to decide what to do with her growing feelings for Rhys. Is love really enough to overcome the boundaries between literally two different worlds? Or will it only end in heartbreak?
A broken family, a kingdom divided, ancient magics, and creatures straight out of legend collide in Kingstone.
Kinda cool, huh? Might still be subject to tweaking before it ends up on the back cover though.
I'm aiming to have this draft fleshed out without any holes left by the end of May, which should give me a decent amount of polishing time to have it finished altogether by my tentative release date.
Yes, Kingstone has a tentative release date. It's June 21, which is also the summer solstice according to my calendar. Keystone was released December 21, so I'm going to see if I can release the others on a 21 too. Why not?
Ooo, and Kingstone also has a blurb, or at least a working blurb:
Hardly a moment after setting foot on solid ground, Charlotte “Charlie” Donahue finds herself kidnapped. Again. This time it isn’t by well-meaning but misguided pixies. Charlie manages to get scooped up by elven slavers, who decide that her talent for trouble deserves a real test: in a gladiatorial fight to the death. Last man (or woman) standing gets to live. As attached as she is to her own skin, she doesn’t particularly want to cost someone else theirs.
Meanwhile, the rest of the crew isn’t sitting idly by. Rhys is determined to get Charlie back, no matter the cost, and Princess Maelyn’s accidental fiance may hold just the ticket. Of course, Llyr Silverwings has a few secrets up his sleeve as well, and has more in mind than a simple snag and bag rescue. There’s a faction of rebels harboring elves somewhere in the mountains, and Llyr thinks that Charlie’s rescue is the perfect opportunity to find them.
Meanwhile, Charlie has to decide what to do with her growing feelings for Rhys. Is love really enough to overcome the boundaries between literally two different worlds? Or will it only end in heartbreak?
A broken family, a kingdom divided, ancient magics, and creatures straight out of legend collide in Kingstone.
Kinda cool, huh? Might still be subject to tweaking before it ends up on the back cover though.
May 10, 2013
Evil Queens
There was a discussion a while back about evil queens, and there was an argument made that the queens were seen as evil for defending their power, whereas a man would not. (Included in this was the argument that the White Witch really wasn’t that bad because no one was starving. She’s also the villainess of a children’s book; she’s not going to be Cersei Lannister.)
Can I call B.S.?
Generally evil queens earn the qualifier on their own merits.
Here’s an example. Maleficent is my favorite Disney villainess. Even her name is awesome. Is she evil because she wears black with a horned headdress? Is she evil because she has minions and a castle? Is she evil because she turns into a dragon? No. She targeted an infant because she felt insulted, put her under a spell that would have killed her, then hunted the girl down and imprisoned the prince to ensure her curse was fulfilled. That is why she is evil.
A queen is not considered evil for the simple fact of defending her throne. Queen Elizabeth I repeatedly defended her throne throughout her reign, but she is one of the most beloved queens of history. She is not considered evil for executing her cousin Mary, Queen of Scots, when Mary kept attempting to seize power. Elizabeth allowed Mary every chance to live before Mary crossed the line for the last time.
Less well known, Athalia was a true evil queen from the past. When her husband died she had all of her rivals, including her own children and grandchildren, slaughtered to secure her position. Only one grandchild escaped. When the boy was brought out six years later and crowned, no one lifted a finger in Athalia’s defense. The only objection was in saying she shouldn’t be executed before the temple – on holy ground. Athalia's mother made a name for herself as an evil queen too. You might have heard of her. Her name was Jezebel.
Similarly, kings equally earn the “evil" designation. Think Richard III, with his own list of eliminated rivals, including two young princes whose remains were discovered under a staircase in the Tower of London. Shakespeare’s rendition may be a little embellished, but Richard III’s recently exhumed corpse shows signs of post-mortem injuries, including a dagger to the buttocks. This is not how one treats a respected king.
Heck, Prince/King John of Robin Hood fame is considered evil for not only usurping his brother's throne, but for being incompetent at it. He doesn't even have a body count to his name (at least in most tellings).
History is full of both good and evil queens, as is literature. It is the choices they make that determine if they are viewed as good or evil, hero or villain. Most stories have both, of either gender. After all, there’s only two genders to choose from but thousands of characters.
Can I call B.S.?
Generally evil queens earn the qualifier on their own merits.
Here’s an example. Maleficent is my favorite Disney villainess. Even her name is awesome. Is she evil because she wears black with a horned headdress? Is she evil because she has minions and a castle? Is she evil because she turns into a dragon? No. She targeted an infant because she felt insulted, put her under a spell that would have killed her, then hunted the girl down and imprisoned the prince to ensure her curse was fulfilled. That is why she is evil.
A queen is not considered evil for the simple fact of defending her throne. Queen Elizabeth I repeatedly defended her throne throughout her reign, but she is one of the most beloved queens of history. She is not considered evil for executing her cousin Mary, Queen of Scots, when Mary kept attempting to seize power. Elizabeth allowed Mary every chance to live before Mary crossed the line for the last time.
Less well known, Athalia was a true evil queen from the past. When her husband died she had all of her rivals, including her own children and grandchildren, slaughtered to secure her position. Only one grandchild escaped. When the boy was brought out six years later and crowned, no one lifted a finger in Athalia’s defense. The only objection was in saying she shouldn’t be executed before the temple – on holy ground. Athalia's mother made a name for herself as an evil queen too. You might have heard of her. Her name was Jezebel.
Similarly, kings equally earn the “evil" designation. Think Richard III, with his own list of eliminated rivals, including two young princes whose remains were discovered under a staircase in the Tower of London. Shakespeare’s rendition may be a little embellished, but Richard III’s recently exhumed corpse shows signs of post-mortem injuries, including a dagger to the buttocks. This is not how one treats a respected king.
Heck, Prince/King John of Robin Hood fame is considered evil for not only usurping his brother's throne, but for being incompetent at it. He doesn't even have a body count to his name (at least in most tellings).
History is full of both good and evil queens, as is literature. It is the choices they make that determine if they are viewed as good or evil, hero or villain. Most stories have both, of either gender. After all, there’s only two genders to choose from but thousands of characters.
May 1, 2013
Can't Brain. I has the dumb.
Braaaaiiinnsss. *Shuffle shuffle.*
The brain is fried. I wish I could sleep for a week. Instead, up early for errands.
April's Camp Nanowrimo is over. Sadly, I don't have a shiny new winner's certificate, but I do have a book that has everything but an ending. This is turning into a nanowrimo habit. Beginning and middle but no ending. Thing is, I don't think I can call it a bad habit.
Ok, not good for my word count losing streak, but over the last three days of frantic typing I could feel the story getting thinner and thinner as I buzzed through the middle. There are a few patches that are going to need some serious filling out. On the other hand, at least the skeleton is on paper to be fleshed out.
I'm already a bit twitchy when it comes to endings (ok, they terrify me, even when I know from the beginning how it's going to end, just because they're that important for the story). For this case, maybe it's better that I didn't rush through it for the sake of a shiny new winner's certificate.
On the other hand, I like shiny new winner's certificates. *Sigh.*
I'm glad I tackled this particular project though, because it does take place after Kingstone, and they share a few characters. Now I know to play up a few incidents in Kingstone that I might not have otherwise.
That's another thing: I wanted to come out the other side of camp ready to get back into Kingstone, and I am.
Ok, maybe after a nap. *Drops dead.*
The brain is fried. I wish I could sleep for a week. Instead, up early for errands.
April's Camp Nanowrimo is over. Sadly, I don't have a shiny new winner's certificate, but I do have a book that has everything but an ending. This is turning into a nanowrimo habit. Beginning and middle but no ending. Thing is, I don't think I can call it a bad habit.
Ok, not good for my word count losing streak, but over the last three days of frantic typing I could feel the story getting thinner and thinner as I buzzed through the middle. There are a few patches that are going to need some serious filling out. On the other hand, at least the skeleton is on paper to be fleshed out.
I'm already a bit twitchy when it comes to endings (ok, they terrify me, even when I know from the beginning how it's going to end, just because they're that important for the story). For this case, maybe it's better that I didn't rush through it for the sake of a shiny new winner's certificate.
On the other hand, I like shiny new winner's certificates. *Sigh.*
I'm glad I tackled this particular project though, because it does take place after Kingstone, and they share a few characters. Now I know to play up a few incidents in Kingstone that I might not have otherwise.
That's another thing: I wanted to come out the other side of camp ready to get back into Kingstone, and I am.
Ok, maybe after a nap. *Drops dead.*
