Jack Lewis Baillot's Blog, page 31
April 29, 2015
"Such language! Don't listen to him, Tintin, even in Arabic."
As I said in my LAST POST I'm revealing the characters who appear in my short Beauty and the Beast re-telling, Finding the Magic. In the last post I introduced the three main characters, in this post I will give you a chance to meet the side characters. Then, on the 8th of May I will reveal the cover and release date for this story.
Mrs. Potts. She'd rather I not give her age. She is a middle aged woman, but more important than that, she is Chip's mother. A French born woman, she loves cooking, and she tends to mother everyone around her, even if they are older than she is. (Such as Adam Prince.) Mrs. Potts can usually be found in her beloved kitchen. If she isn't there then it is likely she's breaking up fights between the other two servants or keeping Chip from breaking his neck while doing something stupid. A devoted servant, Mrs. Potts has been with Mr. Prince's family for years. That is one reason she is so sad to see Mr. Prince locked up in his rooms all the time. She knew him before, when he was happy and always laughing.
Lumiere. A tall and lanky servant in the mansion, Lumiere is everything one would expect from a Frenchman. He loves to talk, but he especially loves to talk to ladies. Sweet and charming, the only reason he's not married is probably because there are no ladies other than Mrs. Potts still working at the mansion. Shockingly, he doesn't get out much, likely because the horse is too old to ride into town that often. Lumiere keeps things bright around the mansion, along with the help of Chip. Lumiere is always smiling, singing, and tormenting Cogsworth. When he gets especially bored he sneaks into the kitchen and raids the cupboards when Mrs. Potts isn't looking.
Cogsworth. Unlike Lumiere, Cogsworth is quiet and would like to keep to himself all day if possible. He has a small tolerance for people and the only one he doesn't mind seeing day in and day out is Mrs. Potts. This is because she feeds him and doesn't hide behind tapestries to try and scare him. She also doesn't threaten to drop chandeliers on his head like Lumiere and Chip do. When he isn't busy keeping repairs up on the mansion, something Lumiere is supposed to help with but rarely does, Cogsworth can be found in his room repairing clocks. He keeps the door locked as Lumiere took to opening it and shouting at him from time to time throughout the day.
And that is them! Everyone who will appear in the story.
I'm not going to post on Friday as I first had planned. I believe I'm going to the midnight showing of the Avengers (I'm even dressing up, so ha!), and then I work early Friday morning. When I get off work I plan to be incredibly lazy and do something like sleep or crash and be a hermit over the weekend.
Quote is from the Tintin book, Land of the Black Gold. It's the line where Snowy is looking after Tintin after a batty rebel leader gets conked on the head.
ALLONS-Y!
Mrs. Potts. She'd rather I not give her age. She is a middle aged woman, but more important than that, she is Chip's mother. A French born woman, she loves cooking, and she tends to mother everyone around her, even if they are older than she is. (Such as Adam Prince.) Mrs. Potts can usually be found in her beloved kitchen. If she isn't there then it is likely she's breaking up fights between the other two servants or keeping Chip from breaking his neck while doing something stupid. A devoted servant, Mrs. Potts has been with Mr. Prince's family for years. That is one reason she is so sad to see Mr. Prince locked up in his rooms all the time. She knew him before, when he was happy and always laughing.
Lumiere. A tall and lanky servant in the mansion, Lumiere is everything one would expect from a Frenchman. He loves to talk, but he especially loves to talk to ladies. Sweet and charming, the only reason he's not married is probably because there are no ladies other than Mrs. Potts still working at the mansion. Shockingly, he doesn't get out much, likely because the horse is too old to ride into town that often. Lumiere keeps things bright around the mansion, along with the help of Chip. Lumiere is always smiling, singing, and tormenting Cogsworth. When he gets especially bored he sneaks into the kitchen and raids the cupboards when Mrs. Potts isn't looking.
Cogsworth. Unlike Lumiere, Cogsworth is quiet and would like to keep to himself all day if possible. He has a small tolerance for people and the only one he doesn't mind seeing day in and day out is Mrs. Potts. This is because she feeds him and doesn't hide behind tapestries to try and scare him. She also doesn't threaten to drop chandeliers on his head like Lumiere and Chip do. When he isn't busy keeping repairs up on the mansion, something Lumiere is supposed to help with but rarely does, Cogsworth can be found in his room repairing clocks. He keeps the door locked as Lumiere took to opening it and shouting at him from time to time throughout the day.
And that is them! Everyone who will appear in the story.
I'm not going to post on Friday as I first had planned. I believe I'm going to the midnight showing of the Avengers (I'm even dressing up, so ha!), and then I work early Friday morning. When I get off work I plan to be incredibly lazy and do something like sleep or crash and be a hermit over the weekend.
Quote is from the Tintin book, Land of the Black Gold. It's the line where Snowy is looking after Tintin after a batty rebel leader gets conked on the head.
ALLONS-Y!
April 26, 2015
"You pronounced him dead." "He had no pulse!"
I was talking to someone the other day about Brothers-in-Arms and the Wizard of Oz connection I make it in it, and I realized I don't think I've ever explained it here on my blog. I thought I should do that, so my random Oz references I make on and off make more sense.
After watching The Winter Soldier I started to over analyze it, proof I need a hobby. I got to the point where I started to make up before stories for Steve and Bucky. (Double proof I need a hobby.) And, over the course of time, I came up with some rather good ideas.
There was a problem though.
I refuse to write fan fiction. So I had all these ideas and nothing to do with them, at first at least. When I started plotting Brothers-in-Arms I realized I could take a lot of these ideas and put them into my book.
One idea involved Bucky and Steve going to see The Wizard of Oz when it came out and hiding behind the chairs because the monkeys were creepy. (The monkeys ARE creepy, by the way. Anyone who doesn't think so needs help.) I ended up putting this into my book, and the Oz reference became a major plot...additive? Assistant? What do you call it when it is important in the story but not a side plot? Whatever the title for it is that is what I have.
And that is why I have Oz references on my pinboard and why I make them when talking about my book. And that is why today's Music Monday is this song....
Enjoy!
Quote is from Sherlock Holmes, the one with Robert Downey Jr.
ALLONS-Y!
After watching The Winter Soldier I started to over analyze it, proof I need a hobby. I got to the point where I started to make up before stories for Steve and Bucky. (Double proof I need a hobby.) And, over the course of time, I came up with some rather good ideas.
There was a problem though.
I refuse to write fan fiction. So I had all these ideas and nothing to do with them, at first at least. When I started plotting Brothers-in-Arms I realized I could take a lot of these ideas and put them into my book.
One idea involved Bucky and Steve going to see The Wizard of Oz when it came out and hiding behind the chairs because the monkeys were creepy. (The monkeys ARE creepy, by the way. Anyone who doesn't think so needs help.) I ended up putting this into my book, and the Oz reference became a major plot...additive? Assistant? What do you call it when it is important in the story but not a side plot? Whatever the title for it is that is what I have.
And that is why I have Oz references on my pinboard and why I make them when talking about my book. And that is why today's Music Monday is this song....
Enjoy!
Quote is from Sherlock Holmes, the one with Robert Downey Jr.
ALLONS-Y!
April 23, 2015
"What would you do if you were about to be exposed as the biggest polluter of modern times?" "I don't know...run for president!"
Since I am working on the release for my Beauty and the Beast re-telling, Finding the Magic, I decided I should introduce the characters. Since it is a short story I'm not going to reveal them the way I've been doing for Brothers-in-Arms. Instead, I will be doing them in two posts. The main characters this Friday and the side characters next. After that, on the 8th of May I will be revealing the cover and release date.
I think I should have a nice lead up to this, but that was the best I could come up with. Therefore, I will let you meet the characters.
Belle Maurice.
Belle is fifteen. She has lived her whole life in London with her parents, but then war comes and her dad joins the army. Belle is later sent to the country to live until the bombing of London stops. Her mom remains behind in the city. Belle has a cheerful personality and is fast to make friends though she can be shy when she feels intimidated. She has a love for reading, which she got from her dad, and also a love for looking for beauty all around her. Belle has an imagination she puts to good use. She searches for fairies in the garden, Dragons in the forest, and believes an ordinary boy can be a knight.
Adam Prince. (Haven't been able to find a picture which suits him yet.) An elderly gentleman from France, Mr. Prince owns a large estate in the country. As a young man his home was filled with laughter and sunshine, but after a loss he has locked himself away from everyone but a few servants. Sullen and bitter, Mr. Prince likes to keep to himself. He can't look past his own grief and has trouble seeing and accepting kindness from others. To him the world is gray and bleak.
Philippe Potts. (Chip)
Chip is seventeen. He's a proud Frenchman and a knight even though he doesn't have the armor and sword to prove it. Chip has spent his whole life in the bleak mansion with Mr. Prince, his mother, and two other servants. In spite of the isolation and grimness of his home, Chip always finds something to brighten his and his mother's days. Out going and adventurous, Chip is the kind of person who would befriend someone whether they would want a friend or not. He is also the kind of person nearly everyone wants as a friend, even if they don't realize this until after he's befriended them. He also talks a lot, though no one really complains about this.
And there they are, my three main characters.
I have a pintrest board set up with pictures I used has inspiration. You can find it HERE
If anyone would like to help with the cover reveal feel free to drop me an email or leave me a comment!
Quote is from Sahara.
ALLONS-Y!
I think I should have a nice lead up to this, but that was the best I could come up with. Therefore, I will let you meet the characters.
Belle Maurice.
Belle is fifteen. She has lived her whole life in London with her parents, but then war comes and her dad joins the army. Belle is later sent to the country to live until the bombing of London stops. Her mom remains behind in the city. Belle has a cheerful personality and is fast to make friends though she can be shy when she feels intimidated. She has a love for reading, which she got from her dad, and also a love for looking for beauty all around her. Belle has an imagination she puts to good use. She searches for fairies in the garden, Dragons in the forest, and believes an ordinary boy can be a knight.
Adam Prince. (Haven't been able to find a picture which suits him yet.) An elderly gentleman from France, Mr. Prince owns a large estate in the country. As a young man his home was filled with laughter and sunshine, but after a loss he has locked himself away from everyone but a few servants. Sullen and bitter, Mr. Prince likes to keep to himself. He can't look past his own grief and has trouble seeing and accepting kindness from others. To him the world is gray and bleak.
Philippe Potts. (Chip)
Chip is seventeen. He's a proud Frenchman and a knight even though he doesn't have the armor and sword to prove it. Chip has spent his whole life in the bleak mansion with Mr. Prince, his mother, and two other servants. In spite of the isolation and grimness of his home, Chip always finds something to brighten his and his mother's days. Out going and adventurous, Chip is the kind of person who would befriend someone whether they would want a friend or not. He is also the kind of person nearly everyone wants as a friend, even if they don't realize this until after he's befriended them. He also talks a lot, though no one really complains about this.
And there they are, my three main characters.
I have a pintrest board set up with pictures I used has inspiration. You can find it HERE
If anyone would like to help with the cover reveal feel free to drop me an email or leave me a comment!
Quote is from Sahara.
ALLONS-Y!
April 22, 2015
"If you go to jail I'm not waiting for you." "You won't have to. I'll escape, we both know I will."
Wherein Jack got a job.
I've never liked job hunting. I don't mind the actual looking and talking to possible bosses, it's the applications and resumes I hate. The long interrogations of "Why should we hire you? Brag about yourself without actually bragging. But make it a good not real but real bragging because I'm going to hire you based on how well you can pull this off." Then of course the, "Give us the name of your last ten employers. Why don't you have ten former employers? Why did you leave the ones you had? Will you leave us? Sign your name in blood to seal your fate that you will always stay here and work for us the rest of your life and take over the business when I die."
Yes, applications. I don't get along with them.
My plan was to look for a job the day after I got to my new apartment. I was going to find one the first week I arrived. I didn't count on car lag...it's like jet lag only from a car. It happens when you've spent two days stuck in a car, driving across deserts.
I think it took me about two weeks to get over the long drive. If had been able to fly all my belongings out I would have done that.
I think it was the third week before I went down to the place where there was a strong chance I already had a job. (A day care).
I have to admit here, I was slightly paranoid. I don't usually get this way unless it involves something I think is important. Such as having a means of paying for my own gas and helping with rent and food at the new home I'm living at.
First I started with the whole issue with my clothes. I'm hoping this is over thought out and rated and bosses don't study your clothes as much as everyone has told me they do. (I once found a website that had a list of clothing colors and what each color meant. I forget all of them, but supposedly bosses can look at the color of your clothes and figure out the kind of person you are. If that doesn't through added pressure on interviews I don't know what does.)
"You're wearing red. You're passionate and outgoing. You love life and you have more energy than you know what to do with..."
"I had no idea I was any of those. Thanks for letting me know."
In the end I went with something my last boss told me. She said no one dresses up for interviews anymore and she will hire a girl right off if she's in a skirt since it shows the girl cares enough about her job to dress nicely for the interview.
Since I was going in for a day care I figured I'd try and look as sweet and cute as possible. I went with one of my default outfits. (I have a couple of these. One is a red dress and one is a blue skirt with swishes when I walk. I can put a khaki button shirt with the skirt and blue tights and look like I spent hours on my outfit when in fact it is just thrown in my trunk. With a pair of flat shoes I can fool people into thinking I spend my spare time reading by the fire and knitting in a rocking chair. The kind of girl you'd want looking out for your kids.) I also hid my dog tags under my shirt. (They have my nickname stamped on them) I wasn't ready to explain to a day care boss why I'd been nicknamed after a POW who got beat up every day and a one armed assassin....
*Disclaimer note.*
I LOVE kids. I love spending time with them, and I like to encourage their imaginations. When I babysit I take kids Dragon hunting. We visit Giants and search for pirate treasure. I let parents know this right off, so they know what they are getting as a baby sitter. But I figured with the day care work there will be no time for pirates and such so I went with knitter.
*Second disclaimer note*
When on my own I have been known to throw on a pair of shorts, a shirt too large, loose my shoes, and go walking barefoot in lakes which are too cold to be walked in. I hike, climb up rocks too big to be scaled, and do all manner of stupid activities. And while I'd never take a little kid up a sheer rock face, I figured it would be best to not go to an interview with twigs in my hair and smelling of fish.
*Back to my story*
I went to my interview wearing a swishy blue skirt, flat shoes, and walking as stiff as a solder. Every time I get nervous I stand ram rod straight and stiffen every one of my back muscles as if I'm about to walk to the firing squad. By the end of the day my left shoulder will start to ache from this habit. I should learn to relax or someone is going to get the idea I am there for the firing squad and will shoot me.
In I went though and perched myself on the edge of the chair. I was waiting for the interrogation to begin and end and the boss to pitch me out the door. Instead, she chatted about school and my weird life goals, and then told me I had the job because my friends' mom had given me a grand introduction months before I moved. (In other words, they hired me on her suggestion alone so I didn't really need to prepare myself for the firing squad, but you know, better safe than sorry.)
I might or might not have skipped out of the office. (If I did skip I might have made sure I was away from the building so no one could see me.)
Of course, life isn't that easy. With the job came some exceptions. Shots. Doctor tests. Finger printing. (The shot wasn't an actual shot but an injection which turns me into a baby. I detest needles, and it is worse when they inject something into me. I might have whimpered a little and then cried, but at least I wasn't shot by a rifle.)
The finger printing I'm a bit disappointed about. I'm sure my prints are on file somewhere but I have new scars on my fingers since then. Now those scars are on file, which means my world domination plans might be a bit tricky. Thankfully, there are gloves. I might add here that I already have a supply of medical gloves in case I ever run into the situation where I need to do something which would require me leaving my finger prints behind.
But there, that is how I found a job. I should end this now. I had a good quote from Oklahoma! with Hugh Jackman but I forgot it. (You may blame my cold.) Trust me though, it was a good one.
I used one from Psych instead.
ALLONS-Y!
I've never liked job hunting. I don't mind the actual looking and talking to possible bosses, it's the applications and resumes I hate. The long interrogations of "Why should we hire you? Brag about yourself without actually bragging. But make it a good not real but real bragging because I'm going to hire you based on how well you can pull this off." Then of course the, "Give us the name of your last ten employers. Why don't you have ten former employers? Why did you leave the ones you had? Will you leave us? Sign your name in blood to seal your fate that you will always stay here and work for us the rest of your life and take over the business when I die."
Yes, applications. I don't get along with them.
My plan was to look for a job the day after I got to my new apartment. I was going to find one the first week I arrived. I didn't count on car lag...it's like jet lag only from a car. It happens when you've spent two days stuck in a car, driving across deserts.
I think it took me about two weeks to get over the long drive. If had been able to fly all my belongings out I would have done that.
I think it was the third week before I went down to the place where there was a strong chance I already had a job. (A day care).
I have to admit here, I was slightly paranoid. I don't usually get this way unless it involves something I think is important. Such as having a means of paying for my own gas and helping with rent and food at the new home I'm living at.
First I started with the whole issue with my clothes. I'm hoping this is over thought out and rated and bosses don't study your clothes as much as everyone has told me they do. (I once found a website that had a list of clothing colors and what each color meant. I forget all of them, but supposedly bosses can look at the color of your clothes and figure out the kind of person you are. If that doesn't through added pressure on interviews I don't know what does.)
"You're wearing red. You're passionate and outgoing. You love life and you have more energy than you know what to do with..."
"I had no idea I was any of those. Thanks for letting me know."
In the end I went with something my last boss told me. She said no one dresses up for interviews anymore and she will hire a girl right off if she's in a skirt since it shows the girl cares enough about her job to dress nicely for the interview.
Since I was going in for a day care I figured I'd try and look as sweet and cute as possible. I went with one of my default outfits. (I have a couple of these. One is a red dress and one is a blue skirt with swishes when I walk. I can put a khaki button shirt with the skirt and blue tights and look like I spent hours on my outfit when in fact it is just thrown in my trunk. With a pair of flat shoes I can fool people into thinking I spend my spare time reading by the fire and knitting in a rocking chair. The kind of girl you'd want looking out for your kids.) I also hid my dog tags under my shirt. (They have my nickname stamped on them) I wasn't ready to explain to a day care boss why I'd been nicknamed after a POW who got beat up every day and a one armed assassin....
*Disclaimer note.*
I LOVE kids. I love spending time with them, and I like to encourage their imaginations. When I babysit I take kids Dragon hunting. We visit Giants and search for pirate treasure. I let parents know this right off, so they know what they are getting as a baby sitter. But I figured with the day care work there will be no time for pirates and such so I went with knitter.
*Second disclaimer note*
When on my own I have been known to throw on a pair of shorts, a shirt too large, loose my shoes, and go walking barefoot in lakes which are too cold to be walked in. I hike, climb up rocks too big to be scaled, and do all manner of stupid activities. And while I'd never take a little kid up a sheer rock face, I figured it would be best to not go to an interview with twigs in my hair and smelling of fish.
*Back to my story*
I went to my interview wearing a swishy blue skirt, flat shoes, and walking as stiff as a solder. Every time I get nervous I stand ram rod straight and stiffen every one of my back muscles as if I'm about to walk to the firing squad. By the end of the day my left shoulder will start to ache from this habit. I should learn to relax or someone is going to get the idea I am there for the firing squad and will shoot me.
In I went though and perched myself on the edge of the chair. I was waiting for the interrogation to begin and end and the boss to pitch me out the door. Instead, she chatted about school and my weird life goals, and then told me I had the job because my friends' mom had given me a grand introduction months before I moved. (In other words, they hired me on her suggestion alone so I didn't really need to prepare myself for the firing squad, but you know, better safe than sorry.)
I might or might not have skipped out of the office. (If I did skip I might have made sure I was away from the building so no one could see me.)
Of course, life isn't that easy. With the job came some exceptions. Shots. Doctor tests. Finger printing. (The shot wasn't an actual shot but an injection which turns me into a baby. I detest needles, and it is worse when they inject something into me. I might have whimpered a little and then cried, but at least I wasn't shot by a rifle.)
The finger printing I'm a bit disappointed about. I'm sure my prints are on file somewhere but I have new scars on my fingers since then. Now those scars are on file, which means my world domination plans might be a bit tricky. Thankfully, there are gloves. I might add here that I already have a supply of medical gloves in case I ever run into the situation where I need to do something which would require me leaving my finger prints behind.
But there, that is how I found a job. I should end this now. I had a good quote from Oklahoma! with Hugh Jackman but I forgot it. (You may blame my cold.) Trust me though, it was a good one.
I used one from Psych instead.
ALLONS-Y!
April 20, 2015
"I see three angels with golden trumpets," I informed him.
Today's song is to help with the reveal of my secret project, which is really not so secret since I've talked about it before. I've just not talked about it for a while.
Back sometime during the winter, I posted about how I wrote a short story for a contest. The story was a re-telling of Beauty and the Beast. Mine is set in WWII, about a girl who goes to stay with an elderly man to escape the bombing of London. When she arrives, she discoverers her new guardian is bitter and angry over some secret he keeps to himself. She tries to break through his wall and show him there is still magic to be found in the world. (As you can see, my blurb needs work, but I am going to have that adjusted in the next few days.)
My story didn't win the contest, so I am going to publish it as a short novella. I think on Friday I will be revealing the release date and maybe the cover. I need to get some planning worked out.
Until then though! I have a song which fits the little story
Quote is from a book I'm reading, When the Sergeant Came Marching Home. It is during a scene when a younger brother accidentally hits his older brother with a shovel and the older brother is convinced he's dying.
ALLONS-Y!
Back sometime during the winter, I posted about how I wrote a short story for a contest. The story was a re-telling of Beauty and the Beast. Mine is set in WWII, about a girl who goes to stay with an elderly man to escape the bombing of London. When she arrives, she discoverers her new guardian is bitter and angry over some secret he keeps to himself. She tries to break through his wall and show him there is still magic to be found in the world. (As you can see, my blurb needs work, but I am going to have that adjusted in the next few days.)
My story didn't win the contest, so I am going to publish it as a short novella. I think on Friday I will be revealing the release date and maybe the cover. I need to get some planning worked out.
Until then though! I have a song which fits the little story
Quote is from a book I'm reading, When the Sergeant Came Marching Home. It is during a scene when a younger brother accidentally hits his older brother with a shovel and the older brother is convinced he's dying.
ALLONS-Y!
April 16, 2015
"Sorry. I'm afraid all I can do is keep you cold."
I was editing Brothers-in-Arms....YET AGAIN....today and stumbled across the character I've decided to do an introduction on next. (Okay, that isn't how it worked. I was going to tell you about my job hunting experience, but I will save that. You see, what happened was, I was editing and I got to the character I will be talking about and I started to cry over him. And me being me, I figured, if I have to cry over someone all of you have to at least be sad if not cry with me. So sit down at cry, or at least give me the benefit of the doubt and take my word for it that this little man HURTS and you should be sad over him.)
Levi Kriegsman.
Levi is one of the young men who is part of the resistance. He is tall, average build, with dark brown hair and brown eyes. For most of the book he is Fifteen-years-old but looks older than he is. Everyone in the resistance who knows him assumes he is at least seventeen if not eighteen.
Levi is a Jew. His family still follows the traditional practices. He lives with his mother, younger sister Michal, and his father in Berlin. At the start of all the trouble, a friend of theirs helped them get new papers, which changed their names and everything on them so they would appear to have not one trace of Jewish blood in their heritage. This happened because Mr. Kriegsman refused to leave Berlin, where he'd grown up. He now acts like a perfect German while carrying on his Jewish traditions in secret.
Mr. Kriegsmen doesn't believe in fighting. He is convinced if the Jews hadn't fought back, those who did, then none of them would have been sent to the camps in the first place. He and Levi argue over this often, as Levi believes the only way to make it through the war alive is to stand up to Hitler.
Levi joins the resistance in secret. He doesn't tell anyone his new German name or his real last name. All he ever goes by is Levi. His desire to fight nearly gets him killed more than once after he first joins, but at the same time he isn't used to the things he witnesses the Nazis doing. Also the slight of blood makes him sick.
When he is not with the resistance, Levi spends most of his time with Michal. They are close, only being one year apart. In spite of their closeness, Levi doesn't even tell Michal about the resistance. He tries to help her believe everything is okay, he takes her shopping and to the park and on long walks. In the winter they like to sit in their parlor and read together. They often take turns reading out loud to each other.
Levi's dad also believes the Jews should return to Israel. Though he tells no one this, Levi has plans to go there after the war and attempt to help reclaim his country.
Talkative and outgoing, Levi sometimes forget he's trying to pass himself off as older and tends to act like a little boy from time to time. In spite of this, he never turns down missions. He works as hard as the older men in the resistance. He is devoted to his work and more than anything wants to help the Jews, especially those like his little sister who are forced to live in hiding and always be on the alert.
Levi is another side character. He came about in the first draft, but his story was unexpected. I didn't have much planned for him, he was just a fighter I named in an attempt to keep everyone straight and bring more life into the story. At the time I had no idea the important role he would come to play, and I don't think I've yet recovered from him.
Quote is from Rise of the Guardians.
ALLONS-Y
Levi Kriegsman.
Levi is one of the young men who is part of the resistance. He is tall, average build, with dark brown hair and brown eyes. For most of the book he is Fifteen-years-old but looks older than he is. Everyone in the resistance who knows him assumes he is at least seventeen if not eighteen.
Levi is a Jew. His family still follows the traditional practices. He lives with his mother, younger sister Michal, and his father in Berlin. At the start of all the trouble, a friend of theirs helped them get new papers, which changed their names and everything on them so they would appear to have not one trace of Jewish blood in their heritage. This happened because Mr. Kriegsman refused to leave Berlin, where he'd grown up. He now acts like a perfect German while carrying on his Jewish traditions in secret.
Mr. Kriegsmen doesn't believe in fighting. He is convinced if the Jews hadn't fought back, those who did, then none of them would have been sent to the camps in the first place. He and Levi argue over this often, as Levi believes the only way to make it through the war alive is to stand up to Hitler.
Levi joins the resistance in secret. He doesn't tell anyone his new German name or his real last name. All he ever goes by is Levi. His desire to fight nearly gets him killed more than once after he first joins, but at the same time he isn't used to the things he witnesses the Nazis doing. Also the slight of blood makes him sick.
When he is not with the resistance, Levi spends most of his time with Michal. They are close, only being one year apart. In spite of their closeness, Levi doesn't even tell Michal about the resistance. He tries to help her believe everything is okay, he takes her shopping and to the park and on long walks. In the winter they like to sit in their parlor and read together. They often take turns reading out loud to each other.
Levi's dad also believes the Jews should return to Israel. Though he tells no one this, Levi has plans to go there after the war and attempt to help reclaim his country.
Talkative and outgoing, Levi sometimes forget he's trying to pass himself off as older and tends to act like a little boy from time to time. In spite of this, he never turns down missions. He works as hard as the older men in the resistance. He is devoted to his work and more than anything wants to help the Jews, especially those like his little sister who are forced to live in hiding and always be on the alert.
Levi is another side character. He came about in the first draft, but his story was unexpected. I didn't have much planned for him, he was just a fighter I named in an attempt to keep everyone straight and bring more life into the story. At the time I had no idea the important role he would come to play, and I don't think I've yet recovered from him.
Quote is from Rise of the Guardians.
ALLONS-Y
April 14, 2015
"I don't want a big funeral. I just want a few of my close friends to get together...and try to bring me back to life."
I was tagged by Christine, her blog is HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, and since it is a fun tag I'm doing it.
The Rules are simple.
Go to page 7 of your Work-in-Progress
Scroll down to line 7
Share the next 7 lines.
Tag 7 people.
So here they are! I'm doing two Works-in-Progress since I'm working on both equally. One is Brothers-in-Arms and the other my not so much talked about Camp NaNo book.
Enjoy!
“It happens more often than you'd think,” Mrs. Buchanan answered. “A baby is fed by a tube while in the womb. Then one day it comes out into the cold world and it isn't fed anymore and has to eat on its own. And no one is there to give it instructions.”Japhet grinned and dug his elbow into Franz's side.“Bet you needed instructions, since I wasn't around yet to help you out.”Franz pounced on him and knocked him to the floor as Mr. and Mrs. Buchanan continued their baby conversation.“Gert said we can come over and see the baby now. You have to come with me, so it won't be strange that I'm over there.”It wasn't easy holding Japhet down. He was smaller than Franz, skinner and could squirm away. He wiggled like a fish and slithered across the floor. Franz jumped up and threw himself on top of him again, pinning him by the couch. They both banged loudly onto the floor but Japhet's parents said nothing.“You need more babies in your life,” Mrs. Buchanan said.
Brothers-in-Arms
Even though the man ignored Gene, Gene began to feel his temper fraying. The non stop questions annoyed him and he had a feeling the soldier was trying to bait Phil somehow. Phil took it all in stride but Gene had had enough. He squared his shoulders and curled his hands into fists, at the same time Phil glanced at him. He grinned, and then grinned at the other two soldiers.“Well, this has been fun,” Phil said. He stood up and drained the rest of his beer. “We'll have to do it again.” He smiled Gene. “See you later I guess,” he said, and without another word made his way out of the bar. Gene and the other two watched him go, then the soldier who'd been grilling Phil stood up and winked at Gene.“Phil doesn't have a temper,” he said.Gene tipped his head slightly to the side but said nothing as the other soldier grinned.“At least not one we've found yet,” he said, “we've been trying to get him to blow since he arrived, but so far we've gotten nowhere.”“We just need time,” the first one said.No temper. Curious, Gene glanced at the door Phil had gone through. He never thought it humanly possible for someone to not have a temper.
Camp NaNo Book
I'm really sleepy, and I don't feel like being clever and tagging people. So I'm going to be lazy and say the first seven people to comment are the ones I'm tagging.
Quote is from Get Smart. I don't remember which episode, but going by the nature of the quote it's safe to say Max said it. I assume it was during an episode he was asked to do something particularity dangerous which he felt would get him killed.
That is all.
ALLONS-Y!
The Rules are simple.
Go to page 7 of your Work-in-Progress
Scroll down to line 7
Share the next 7 lines.
Tag 7 people.
So here they are! I'm doing two Works-in-Progress since I'm working on both equally. One is Brothers-in-Arms and the other my not so much talked about Camp NaNo book.
Enjoy!
“It happens more often than you'd think,” Mrs. Buchanan answered. “A baby is fed by a tube while in the womb. Then one day it comes out into the cold world and it isn't fed anymore and has to eat on its own. And no one is there to give it instructions.”Japhet grinned and dug his elbow into Franz's side.“Bet you needed instructions, since I wasn't around yet to help you out.”Franz pounced on him and knocked him to the floor as Mr. and Mrs. Buchanan continued their baby conversation.“Gert said we can come over and see the baby now. You have to come with me, so it won't be strange that I'm over there.”It wasn't easy holding Japhet down. He was smaller than Franz, skinner and could squirm away. He wiggled like a fish and slithered across the floor. Franz jumped up and threw himself on top of him again, pinning him by the couch. They both banged loudly onto the floor but Japhet's parents said nothing.“You need more babies in your life,” Mrs. Buchanan said.
Brothers-in-Arms
Even though the man ignored Gene, Gene began to feel his temper fraying. The non stop questions annoyed him and he had a feeling the soldier was trying to bait Phil somehow. Phil took it all in stride but Gene had had enough. He squared his shoulders and curled his hands into fists, at the same time Phil glanced at him. He grinned, and then grinned at the other two soldiers.“Well, this has been fun,” Phil said. He stood up and drained the rest of his beer. “We'll have to do it again.” He smiled Gene. “See you later I guess,” he said, and without another word made his way out of the bar. Gene and the other two watched him go, then the soldier who'd been grilling Phil stood up and winked at Gene.“Phil doesn't have a temper,” he said.Gene tipped his head slightly to the side but said nothing as the other soldier grinned.“At least not one we've found yet,” he said, “we've been trying to get him to blow since he arrived, but so far we've gotten nowhere.”“We just need time,” the first one said.No temper. Curious, Gene glanced at the door Phil had gone through. He never thought it humanly possible for someone to not have a temper.
Camp NaNo Book
I'm really sleepy, and I don't feel like being clever and tagging people. So I'm going to be lazy and say the first seven people to comment are the ones I'm tagging.
Quote is from Get Smart. I don't remember which episode, but going by the nature of the quote it's safe to say Max said it. I assume it was during an episode he was asked to do something particularity dangerous which he felt would get him killed.
That is all.
ALLONS-Y!
April 13, 2015
"Feet don't fail me now!"
The song for today was hard to pick. Not that I have a lack of songs I listen to while writing, but last night I watched the 25th Anniversary of the Phantom of the Opera. (SO much better than the movie if you ask me. I actually liked it this time, I hated the musical before because of the movie.) There, I got off track. But see, my point is, whatever song I was thinking of using today I've forgotten. The only songs I seem to be able to think of are Broadway songs....Broadway songs sung by guys with amazing voices. Broadway songs sung by Raoul. Mostly just Raoul.
Okay, enough about Raoul. (HA! As if that is possible.) This is one of the songs I listen to while writing Brothers-in-Arms. It's another of those painful ones someone sent me because it reminded them of Franz and Japhet. It also has really pretty music,
And that's all I have for you. I need to work on editing a bit. (But the sun is out. So pretty, that glowing orb I see so rarely.)
Quote is from Robots, because it's a fun movie and I like it. So there.
ALLONS-Y!
Okay, enough about Raoul. (HA! As if that is possible.) This is one of the songs I listen to while writing Brothers-in-Arms. It's another of those painful ones someone sent me because it reminded them of Franz and Japhet. It also has really pretty music,
And that's all I have for you. I need to work on editing a bit. (But the sun is out. So pretty, that glowing orb I see so rarely.)
Quote is from Robots, because it's a fun movie and I like it. So there.
ALLONS-Y!
April 10, 2015
"We jumped out a window!"
It is time for another character introduction.
Today I'm doing Warren, since I was editing and crying over the book again last night and Warren is one of the few characters who doesn't leave me curled up somewhere wishing I could stuff this book in a dark hole and never have to look at it again.
Warren Faust.
I've already mentioned Warren in CALEB WEBBER'S post. The two are Jews and best friends with a German - they're all German, but the other one is not a Jew - named Karl.
Appearance wise, Warren is tall and muscular. His hair is dark brown, almost black and his eyes are blue. He's also very handsome, but doesn't realize it. (Mostly because he's always too busy getting into trouble, fighting Nazis, or drinking coffee.) He is 26 during most of the story.
Warren is a Jew, as I've already said. His family followed the Jewish traditions but not as strictly as some of their neighbors, namely the Webbers. Warren did have plans to enter the ministry as a boy and become a rabbi. After he becomes a Christian Warren changed his plans and began to study to become a pastor. All of this changed after the Night of the Broken Glass.
(Little Warren, Karl, and Annie)
At the time of the event Warren was studying at college. He didn't hear about it until later when Karl sought him out and told him about what had happened to Annie, Caleb's wife. Seeing his best friend driven slightly insane because of what the Nazis did, Warren decided it was time to fight back.
Giving up his studies, Warren joined the Resistance. Over time he became one of their best fighters. Usually he worked outside of Berlin, mostly sabotaging everything he could get his hands on. He was almost worse than Caleb when it came to blowing things up.
As a boy, Warren was always getting into trouble and doing dangerous things. He doesn't change over time. If there is anything dangerous which needs to be done in the resistance everyone knows Warren is likely to be in the middle of it.
(Older Karl, Warren, and Annie)
Loud spoken and opinionated, Warren isn't afraid to speak his mind. Yet, in spite of all his rough edges, Warren would do anything for his friends. He's something like a huge German Shepherd, biting at the throat of everyone he doesn't like and cuddling with those he loves.
Warren is a side character in the book. He's one of the ones who keeps an eye on Franz and Japhet when they enter Berlin. It is his job to get them and their family out of Germany alive. And he takes that job very seriously. He's the sort of guy you'd want as your best friend and not your enemy.
If you want to read about the other Brothers-in-Arms characters I've done you can find the list HERE
Quote is from Big Hero 6
ALLONS-Y!
Today I'm doing Warren, since I was editing and crying over the book again last night and Warren is one of the few characters who doesn't leave me curled up somewhere wishing I could stuff this book in a dark hole and never have to look at it again.
Warren Faust.
I've already mentioned Warren in CALEB WEBBER'S post. The two are Jews and best friends with a German - they're all German, but the other one is not a Jew - named Karl.
Appearance wise, Warren is tall and muscular. His hair is dark brown, almost black and his eyes are blue. He's also very handsome, but doesn't realize it. (Mostly because he's always too busy getting into trouble, fighting Nazis, or drinking coffee.) He is 26 during most of the story.
Warren is a Jew, as I've already said. His family followed the Jewish traditions but not as strictly as some of their neighbors, namely the Webbers. Warren did have plans to enter the ministry as a boy and become a rabbi. After he becomes a Christian Warren changed his plans and began to study to become a pastor. All of this changed after the Night of the Broken Glass.
(Little Warren, Karl, and Annie)At the time of the event Warren was studying at college. He didn't hear about it until later when Karl sought him out and told him about what had happened to Annie, Caleb's wife. Seeing his best friend driven slightly insane because of what the Nazis did, Warren decided it was time to fight back.
Giving up his studies, Warren joined the Resistance. Over time he became one of their best fighters. Usually he worked outside of Berlin, mostly sabotaging everything he could get his hands on. He was almost worse than Caleb when it came to blowing things up.
As a boy, Warren was always getting into trouble and doing dangerous things. He doesn't change over time. If there is anything dangerous which needs to be done in the resistance everyone knows Warren is likely to be in the middle of it.
(Older Karl, Warren, and Annie)Loud spoken and opinionated, Warren isn't afraid to speak his mind. Yet, in spite of all his rough edges, Warren would do anything for his friends. He's something like a huge German Shepherd, biting at the throat of everyone he doesn't like and cuddling with those he loves.
Warren is a side character in the book. He's one of the ones who keeps an eye on Franz and Japhet when they enter Berlin. It is his job to get them and their family out of Germany alive. And he takes that job very seriously. He's the sort of guy you'd want as your best friend and not your enemy.
If you want to read about the other Brothers-in-Arms characters I've done you can find the list HERE
Quote is from Big Hero 6
ALLONS-Y!
April 7, 2015
"It's about as pointless as our morning dodge routine."
Wherein Jack complains. Or whines. Or is rude. Or is all of the above.
Sometimes I read something by a talented person. Or I see a picture online of someone who sculpted the yellow brick road completely out of sand and added life size images of Dorothy, the Tin Man, Scarecrow, and the Lion. Sometimes when this happens I become rude. Sometimes I glare at said art work made out of sand and mutter complaints about the talented people.
It's not as if I dislike talented people. I think my problem with it is, HOW CAN SOMEONE HAVE THAT KIND OF TALENT AND MY BIGGEST TALENT IS...nothing?
Okay, so that isn't completely true. I do have a talent. I'm very good at it.
I have the ability to turn completely typical situations awkward.
Yep! I am so good at it. I should get some kind of badge, or medal. An award? A smilie sticker?
Today I went to the post office. Normal, right? All I had to do was ship off some books. Put them in little boxes and send them off. So simple!
I walked into the post office confident I had this under control. After all, I fit into the adult age. I'm living in a state all on my lonesome without my mummy and daddy. Mail a box? Pfft. No problem. This wasn't even adult stuff. I've been mailing things for years.
In I walked, my bomber jacket covered in snow from the randomly blizzard which hit me while I was out walking. I was balancing three very large books, my wallet, and phone. Oh, and my notebook. I stepped into the mailing area and stopped.
Big mistake.
All of my confidence drained out of me when I saw...Heavens! People! Suddenly I wasn't in the adult range of age but a five-year-old who was in dire need of her mommy...and a lolly pop. Because those things are good.
The biggest problem with this whole endevour was that I couldn't turn and leave. I was already late getting the books out, and I HAD to do it today. I couldn't come up with a good reason to put it off for another day.
Trying to pretend I still had the confidence to go through with this I set my books down and looked around for mailing packages. I saw rows of boxes, and more rows of boxes, and MORE boxes. How many boxes does one need to chose from?
Of course, I did the normal thing in this situation. I panicked. Who wouldn't?! All those boxes! All those notes about the boxes! The mail man standing there and watching me intently! What if I picked the wrong box and he started throwing daggers at me? Were there boxes which had to be used for massive books? What if I grabbed a box meant for over seas and paid a hundred dollars so my books might get the grand tour of England while I was left behind?
After much contemplation and wandering around I reminded myself of the adult age thing. "I've got this," I decided. I collected my books and approached the mail man. I intended to, in a very adult tone of voice as I've heard other adult age people use, ask the man while box might be best for my books and not cost me the fortune I didn't have.
Bold and sure of myself, I walked up to him and set my teetering pile down. He eyed me with what I felt was disdain and the look of, "Oh great, one of THOSE costumers." All my nerve melted into the floor and I was back to wanting a lolly pop.
I don't remember exactly what I asked, but it came out as a very childish, "How do I mail things?" kind of thing. He pointed me in the direction of the massive envelopes and I scrambled off with everyone in line now interested in the doings of the strange five foot something being. (I should have loudly declared I'm originally from Wyoming and they all would have left me alone.)
If you're wondering, I did manage to get the books off. And the mail man praised me as one might praise a little kid who did a good job on their finger art. "You did well." (I will mention here I still didn't get a smilie sticker. If I'm going to get praised for something, at least throw in a sticker.)
If I was still as painfully shy as I used to be I'd never show my face in that post office again. I'm now tempted to go back in tomorrow with my hair in pig tails, just skip in the door or something.
And that is the story of how I mailed some books.I then came home and read about Iwo Jima. Nothing like crying over WWII after venturing out into the world.
That is all now. I have work to do.
Quote is from Unbroken. (Shocked, right?!)
ALLONS-Y!
Sometimes I read something by a talented person. Or I see a picture online of someone who sculpted the yellow brick road completely out of sand and added life size images of Dorothy, the Tin Man, Scarecrow, and the Lion. Sometimes when this happens I become rude. Sometimes I glare at said art work made out of sand and mutter complaints about the talented people.
It's not as if I dislike talented people. I think my problem with it is, HOW CAN SOMEONE HAVE THAT KIND OF TALENT AND MY BIGGEST TALENT IS...nothing?
Okay, so that isn't completely true. I do have a talent. I'm very good at it.
I have the ability to turn completely typical situations awkward.
Yep! I am so good at it. I should get some kind of badge, or medal. An award? A smilie sticker?
Today I went to the post office. Normal, right? All I had to do was ship off some books. Put them in little boxes and send them off. So simple!
I walked into the post office confident I had this under control. After all, I fit into the adult age. I'm living in a state all on my lonesome without my mummy and daddy. Mail a box? Pfft. No problem. This wasn't even adult stuff. I've been mailing things for years.
In I walked, my bomber jacket covered in snow from the randomly blizzard which hit me while I was out walking. I was balancing three very large books, my wallet, and phone. Oh, and my notebook. I stepped into the mailing area and stopped.
Big mistake.
All of my confidence drained out of me when I saw...Heavens! People! Suddenly I wasn't in the adult range of age but a five-year-old who was in dire need of her mommy...and a lolly pop. Because those things are good.
The biggest problem with this whole endevour was that I couldn't turn and leave. I was already late getting the books out, and I HAD to do it today. I couldn't come up with a good reason to put it off for another day.
Trying to pretend I still had the confidence to go through with this I set my books down and looked around for mailing packages. I saw rows of boxes, and more rows of boxes, and MORE boxes. How many boxes does one need to chose from?
Of course, I did the normal thing in this situation. I panicked. Who wouldn't?! All those boxes! All those notes about the boxes! The mail man standing there and watching me intently! What if I picked the wrong box and he started throwing daggers at me? Were there boxes which had to be used for massive books? What if I grabbed a box meant for over seas and paid a hundred dollars so my books might get the grand tour of England while I was left behind?
After much contemplation and wandering around I reminded myself of the adult age thing. "I've got this," I decided. I collected my books and approached the mail man. I intended to, in a very adult tone of voice as I've heard other adult age people use, ask the man while box might be best for my books and not cost me the fortune I didn't have.
Bold and sure of myself, I walked up to him and set my teetering pile down. He eyed me with what I felt was disdain and the look of, "Oh great, one of THOSE costumers." All my nerve melted into the floor and I was back to wanting a lolly pop.
I don't remember exactly what I asked, but it came out as a very childish, "How do I mail things?" kind of thing. He pointed me in the direction of the massive envelopes and I scrambled off with everyone in line now interested in the doings of the strange five foot something being. (I should have loudly declared I'm originally from Wyoming and they all would have left me alone.)
If you're wondering, I did manage to get the books off. And the mail man praised me as one might praise a little kid who did a good job on their finger art. "You did well." (I will mention here I still didn't get a smilie sticker. If I'm going to get praised for something, at least throw in a sticker.)
If I was still as painfully shy as I used to be I'd never show my face in that post office again. I'm now tempted to go back in tomorrow with my hair in pig tails, just skip in the door or something.
And that is the story of how I mailed some books.I then came home and read about Iwo Jima. Nothing like crying over WWII after venturing out into the world.
That is all now. I have work to do.
Quote is from Unbroken. (Shocked, right?!)
ALLONS-Y!
