Pen and Keyboard

Silence . . .

2011-09-19T19:42:00.004-06:00

I've been silent here because I haven't been working on my fantasy projects recently (part of the reason is due to mental health difficulties, which I go into detail about on my personal blog). I've been blocked up trying to figure out Peikigi's story, and I think focusing so much on that particular project has blocked my mind from really looking at any other fantasy projects.

So, I've cleared out my Works In Progress box and will refill it after November with whatever project I decide to focus on. Peikigi's story will not be among them. Right now, I'm looking at the possibility of working with one of three stories:

Sethe's story

The Power of Wisdom

Married to the Moons 1

In December, I intend to start working them all into the two-year-novel system to see what I have built up for them and what I need. They all need a lot of worldbuilding, and I have no idea what Sethe's story is precisely about--only that it's going to be dark and grim. I need to figure out the point of The Power of Wisdom, but it has a bit of plot already. I already know most of MttM1 so that may be what I go with, but I won't know until after I've gotten done with plugging it into the 2yn structure.

Issues With Causing Characters Pain

2011-03-25T09:37:00.003-06:00

I'm not talking physical pain here. My stories aren't generally the kind where my characters acquire physical pains of any sort. I'm talking about emotional pain and suffering.

I have trouble with this.

Big time.

It's what's holding me back on pretty much every project in my list. Well, except maybe Married to the Moons. That's just plain old lack of ideas. With the rest, though, it's definitely my squeamishness with emotionally injuring my characters.

The issue is at a particular point with The Obscure Child. I stopped working on it (again) weeks ago because I lacked ideas for what was to happen in the middle third of the story--act two, that is. Now I know what's supposed to happen, and I'm balking at writing it because it's the act where Peikigi is dragged through hell. Even the one seemingly good thing I'm giving her isn't really as good as it seems, and I'm going to rip it away from her. My goal in this act of TOC is to bring Peikigi to the point where she decides to commit suicide, and I know I have everything in place, in my mind, for that.

I just don't want to hurt her like that.

The problem is, I have to hurt her like that. She needs to be muchly depressed and at least spur-of-the-moment suicidal to put her in the place where the person who helps her decide to turn her life around can get to her. I have about 30-40k words to do this in, and I feel that's plenty, and I'd like to write the stuff out.

I just don't want to hurt her like that.

I periodically read over what I've written of her story to refresh my memory about what's gone on before. I can see that I've set things up just how they need to be. I've taken her from her true friends, placed her in a school where she's already realizing she'll be scorned, and gotten her in trouble with some authority figures by having her have a knock-down drag-out fight with an established student who is the favorite of at least one instructor. I know all the background workings, what that instructor is going to do in order to get back at Peikigi for beating up her favorite student, what the other instructors, particularly the Sabi'Oji instructors, are going to do in response to what that teacher does (which in turn will make Peikigi further despair). I know all this.

I just don't want to hurt her like that.

Part of the problem may be just tha the story's not a primary focus of mine at the moment. But this has been a long-standing issue with me. I've always shied away from seriously hurting my characters, even if the plot demands it.

I know this will make the story much better than originally conceived. I know it'll make Peikigi a stronger character in the long run, and she needs to be a strong character, or she won't be able to do what she'll have to do in the third book. I know this will improve my writing skills, make me a better writer, and teach me new things about myself and my writing.

I just don't want to hurt Peikigi like that.

But I laugh, too. This tells me that my characters are real to me, and that's the biggest step to making them real to someone else. Now I just have to accept the fact that I've got to emotionally rip them to shreds to make their stories work.

I'm kind of dreading this.

Progress . . . Of A Sort

2011-01-25T14:12:00.003-07:00

Well, I haven't been actively working on any of my fantasy projects. Part of that's because my laptop died and I'm working on converting all my writing files to a new writing program's format because my new laptop doesn't have Microsoft Works. I've chosen Liquid Story Binder, and thus far it's working out great. I like the organization it gives my work and notes. I haven't yet managed to convert all my files, mostly because doing so bores me half to death, so it's taking a while.

As for progress on writing that I have made, I've had a couple big epiphanies about Zaashen's story, which means that I'll be able to make progress on it again. These epiphanies are such that I'll have to pretty much scrap every bit of work after the first chapter, but the story will be much better for it. He has it too easy in the story I've got now, and I figure he should be suffering some sort of conflict over his faith since his spouse leaves him.

Peikigi's story is still stalled at the day she arrives, and I'm a bit frustrated with myself because it's reached the portion of the plot that's already been written. I think I'm still trying to figure out exactly what to change and what needs to be written from scratch. Once I have that done, I'll be able to make more progress, but it's not a priority right now.

On A Lark

2011-01-18T19:37:00.004-07:00

I entered a contest on The Sharp Angle on a lark. For the contest, I had to send in approximately 500 words of the beginning of a project for critique and possible prize. Since the contest was free and I really don't expect to win (winner isn't announced as of this post), I figured it would be a fun thing to do. Below is what I sent in with the critique I received, and I must say that it amazed me.

I will add that this is first draft, if highly edited with a focus on technical issues. I did not expect it to read as well as it apparently did to Lydia, who ran the contest. I've left her crit bits in it and bolded them to help differentiate them from my text. These are the first approximately 500 words of Baheen.

-----

Thanks so much for entering the contest!

Zaashen wasn't in the Oasis when the Child appeared at the Fountain during the last gloaming moments of dawn, so he was not the first to see it. He lay prostrate on the night-cool sand, praying, his shesees spread around him, as he did every morning and evening. His spouse objected to this habit, but he would not abandon it.

With a deep sigh as the last of his murmured prayers faded, he pushed himself up to sit back on his feet and looked at the desert, patting his chest twice with his left hand. He could have turned around and seen much the same view--the deep shadows dipping between the still dunes, the few clouds streaking gold across the cerulean sky. The sun sat just at the edge of the horizon, still deeply red from its rise. He sat there for a time, not thinking anything, just letting his mind drift before he pulled it back into focus.

Zaashen rose and gathered the front of his shesees shut. He didn't bother fastening it but instead turned around and walked back to the Oasis. Just over two dunes, and he was home. Well, as close to home as he would ever come again; {period} he wended his way between the thick-walled, multicolored glass homes to his own and entered. {this is a slow-paced beginning, but I like the tone you're setting here, and I'm intrigued by this character.}

"Noova?" he asked as he entered, stepping just inside and easing the heavy door shut. He shivered, heard only silence. "He's probably at the Fountain," Zaashen murmured, entering deeper into the house. That meant that Noova had left breakfast up to him.

Halfway through preparation, the door grated open. Zaashen glanced over his shoulder, saw his spouse, and froze.

"Noova, what's wrong?" he asked.

Noova shifted, glancing away as his expression jerked out of shock and fear into too-innocent. "Just an argument at the Fountain," he said, then added, "I brought us water." He raised the amphora, the tip of which had been propped on the ground, for a moment, then set it in its stand. {this is a m/m couple? I think I love you. You're the first person to give me something with any kind of lgbt element. Is there a reason you can't say husband though? Spouse implies that they are married (or bound in some way), so I would think the term husband, for each of them, is appropriate. But that's entirely up to you and what you've set up in your story world.}

"An argument about what?" Zaashen asked, turning back to the desheepan he was cubing.

"N-nothing important. Just tempers."

Zaashen raised his head a little, uncertain that he'd actually heard the stutter. "It sounds like it's upset you quite a bit," he said, carefully, in an effort to evade what could become an argument. As soon as the statement was free, he wished to withdraw it, certain that Noova would misinterpret his concern as insult or something similar.

"I said, nothing important," Noova said, more firmly.

Zaashen stiffened briefly in surprise as Noova's arms came around his waist in a loose embrace.

"Why are you still wearing this ratty thing?" Noova asked, tugging one of the edges of the shesees.

Zaashen shrugged. "I just didn't take it off."

"You need to get a new one. One that isn't so drab."

"What color would you pick for me?"

"Blue."

Zaashen chuckled, wiggling a little. "I like this one; {period} it's still good enough for its purpose."

Noova stepped away, muttering. Zaashen shook his head once, catching the familiar words, "Which purpose?" and ignored them. They were old words and no longer had the power they'd once had when they'd first joined, when Zaashen was still defensive about his excommunication and Noova insecure about Zaashen's loyalties.

Wow. You've totally hooked me with this, and I can't even pinpoint exactly why. I think it's the intrigue about the fountain in combination with this unsettling situation between these two men who were likely best of friends at one point. What's the word I'm looking for… they're… jaded? They've fallen into a routine of disinterest, and you've made me wonder why. And for you to be able to convey that so clearly in so few words, while at the same time portraying multiple elements of intrigue-- the fountain, the child, the supposed hiding of something, the religious devotion despite being ousted-- it's all very well done. I would definitely keep reading.

Thanks again, and good luck with this!

-----

And as to why I use the word spouse--I'm writing this as though translating it from Zaashen's language, and in Meeyaharan, they don't have gender-specific words for spouse. Then again, they don't have the strict sex/gender assignment that we do (which is: you are either this or that, and if you are this, you are expected to behave this way and dress this way, and if you are that, you are expected to behave that way and dress that way), their sexes number three, not two, and they tend to view gender as something rather fluid over the populace.

I should also probably note that the day after sending this entry in, I had a major epiphany about Zaashen's conflicts, which means that every chapter I've already written following the first chapter no longer fits. Times like this I really wish I could bring all my subconscious reasoning to my conscious mind when I really need it. It would prevent a lot of the rewriting and backtracking I've found to be necessary in writing my fantasy projects.

Issues with Worldbuilding Ferodoxis

2011-01-04T02:22:00.004-07:00

There is an issue concerning the people of Ferodoxis, and I've been struggling with it for several years. I have more than one project set in this world, and since about 2003 I've been "accidentally" writing the characters as though they're not quite human. I've actually experimented and gone far afield with this, and I've withdrawn to a great extent. All my Ferodoxans have left are really tails and certain reproductive issues, notably with the females of the race.

I've been fighting this because there is really no way for me to do a human-to-Ferodoxan comparison. Though they are very similar to us, and I've determined that they'd be able to eat our foods and contract our illnesses, and us theirs, I've been uncomfortable with this.

I feel that accepting that my Ferodoxans aren't human will take me into the realm of science fiction. It would of necessity be very soft, more along the lines of science fantasy, as Lucas claims his Star Wars saga to be. I, however, am not Lucas, and I have difficulty believing readers would suspend disbelief enough to read my stories, yet the aspects which make the Ferodoxans markedly different from us continue to rear their heads.

And not all Ferodoxans have tails. Only the people of one society really have tails consistently. In other societies they appear intermittently and mark the bearer of the tail as a "throwback." Part of my explanation is that the presence of a tail indicates the person with it is especially chosen of deity for some reason, but that doesn't fit across the board, so I've decided to leave that explanation out.

The other primary issue is that the females have an estrous period that is markedly different from human females' estrous. I haven't decided when during the year this is, or if it occurs more than once. It does explain why I gave the world a 651-day year, however, and I have determined that pregnancy for a Ferodoxan takes about 320 days, give or take a few, from conception to birth. I do know that estrous occurs over a period of ten days, and is frequently quite uncomfortable experiencing it, and that Ferodoxans as a race aren't very fertile to begin with.

I do also know that they used to be much more fecund than they are in the era Peikigi lives in, and I know what caused the infertility. I think it might be tied into the female estrous period--the reason why its very uncomfortable for them. I think it may even have altered the estrous period to some extent, but I don't know in what ways yet. I have a feeling that if I fully accept that Ferodoxans aren't human I'll figure this information out; thus far that has proven true in that the more comfortable I've come to be with the idea that they aren't human the more I've learned about them.

I need to figure this out in part because Peikigi will have issues with it once her estrous periods begin. Even in Secondary School, she'll be receiving training as a Sabi'Oji from Sabi'Oji, and it's not an easy process. Unlike other females who will permitted to skip certain classes--notably the self-defense class because of the physical requirements--Peikigi will not be permitted to do this.

Most of my progress on accepting the fact of this issue has occurred in the past few months with my rereadings of Peikigi's story that I already have written and with the commencement of the rewrite from that partial manuscript. I've discovered that I can't ignore these issues now with the way Peikigi's life is going to change.

Complete acceptance of this fact will enable me to more fully work out growth periods and at what ages their youth and adulthood are considered to begin. I'll also be able to start counting their ages solely by their year and determine their lifespan, another thing I've ignored because of the issue of their precise race.

The longer I struggle with this issue, the more frustrated I get with myself for balking at this. I'm close to reaching the point where I'll give up on what I expect the reader to go along with and just go the way the worldbuilding is pointing me.

I am not looking forward to this.

Progress on TOC

2010-12-23T01:20:00.002-07:00

I've reached the point where Peikigi has arrived at school. I've redone the scene where she injures the other student and kind of stopped there. I spent a very intense two weeks writing up to that point, putting in all kinds of new scenes. I feel what I have is much improved over what I had before, and I'm very pleased with my progress and the scenes I've written. I have a more complete picture of Peikigi than I had before, and I've given her an almost-sweetheart that will goad her into a situation that will both hurt her deeply and make her stronger.

I'll be spending Christmas through Sunday with my mom, so I intend to write a lot on Peikigi's story. I've been working on a different, project for the past several days, and I think my mind needed the break because the project is already done and spawned a sequel. I'm hoping I'll be able to balance this a bit, kind of see saw between Peikigi's story and non-fantasy projects for the duration. This break from her story has been good for me. I can feel ideas hovering in the background. It's a very nice feeling.

Part of the reason why I stopped is because I've been trying to figure out how to continue her journal entries while at the same time skimming over sometimes full weeks of time. The best I've been able to come up with is relying upon the introductory entry I wrote on the 29th of last month to cover for the lapses of entries over time. Peikigi's days are going to develop a kind of sameness as she becomes accustomed to her school schedule.

I've changed the division of the book somewhat. Each section that begins with another major occurrence (for instance, her arriving at school) starts a large chapter, but I've kept her journal entries as separate chapters within that. So far, she's got two sections; the initial one, and her arrival and first day at school. I'm titling these large sections and including proverbs relating to what I see as either the theme or major point made in each journal-entry chapter. It's proving to be a fairly interesting process, as I write each journal entry before deciding on the proverb, which I often just pull out of thin air. It would take too much time for me to research appropriate aphorisms and, in any case, I wouldn't be able to find enough to fit Peikigi's story since it's set on a fantasy world in a society very different from ours.

Progress On The Obscure Child

2010-12-06T14:20:00.002-07:00

On the 29th of November, I wrote a short introductory piece to the new version of Peikigi's story, The Obscure Child. I wanted to do this as part of the worldbuilding of the story, to give the reader some clues as to Peikigi's future. That her journals from her Secondary School years have been made available to the reading public is an important indicator of her status to come, as is the fact that the person who wrote the introduction shares her last name. Just two hints of Peikigi's future at the very beginning.

The story has changed substatially from my original conception of it, though much of that original concept remains. The substantial changes encompass my better understanding of Peikigi and those around her. I have a bit of outline written, but I doubt I'll be doing much outlining on this project; I can't seem to get the scenes to organize enough in my mind. I may be too accustomed to working things out as I write them; it took me a couple hours to organize the scenes in the outline, and I'm still not satisfied with the organization. I may have to try a different method of outlining. I just haven't figured out what yet.

I believe I was able to improve upon the original first chapter of TOC with the new first chapter I've written. I've given Peikigi friends and allies in her home eshosha, but I've still placed her in a location where she's discounted and condescended to. Her original goal is to become a priest, which will explain her closeness to Abodaore and familiarity with the Temple, but will retain the indications that she would best serve her people as a Sabi'Oji.

I did do some copy-pasting from the first chapter; I believed it began the story too well for me to be able to rewrite it all better. I couldn't think of any scenes that could improve upon what I had originally written, except to change the eshosha manager's opinion of Peikigi.

I've been working on the motivations of the various people she'll meet in secondary school. I intend to make Peikigi make her situation more difficult at the school all by herself. She'll start off by injuring a favored student, which will offend at least one teacher. Then she'll backtalk other instructors, telling them they're not treating her properly (she'll be right, but they're Voting adults, and they won't like it). It's going to culminate in the teachers who are indifferent and supportive of her departing when she enters for her oral exam and refusing to grade her written exam. They'll do this because they'll have been corrupted with certain information they shouldn't have and will feel unable to fairly judge her knowledge--these are the instructors with integrity. Those without it will deliberately remain so they can falsely judge her knowledge, doing so unfavorably.

This will drive her closer to the Sabi'Oji.

At the same time, her peers in school will mock her. What I'm doing with all this is isolationg Peikigi. And making her angry. An angry Peikigi becomes more determined to succeed, and, though she really doesn't want to, she will turn to the Sabi'Oji because her education is very important to her. Through their guidance, she'll come to see the merits of becoming a Sabi'Oji and come to appreciate her strengths, but it won't be an easy journey for her. Part of her condition is a weak heart, and that's going to interfere with her education under the Sabi'Oji who volunteer to educate her.

I'm really looking forward to writing this new versiono of TOC. I just hope I can make steady progress on it.

Progress On Married to the Moons

2010-11-11T11:25:00.003-07:00

I've been going through a spotty mostly dry spell of writing recently, but I have made progress on MttM. This progress was inspired by a post a friend linked to on the blog The Sharp Angle concerning the inciting incident and catalyst in one's story. It made me realize I'd left out quite a bit about the boys' friendship--in fact, I skipped the whole foundation of it in the original ms of MttM.

What I have now is much better. Not only is it describing the friendship the boys are developing, but it's enabling me to set up their departure better. It's also changing quite a bit about their trip through the forest, but that's okay. The story will be better overall, and I expect it to meet at least 80k this time around; before it wouldn't have met 55k, even if I'd gone ahead and written the ending to the first section.

Not only that, I've realized that instead of sections, I've got three actual books going here. A trilogy. Using the logline advice from more recent posts on The Sharp Angle, I've figured out just what the first story is about and what the title is: Attachment. This title fits for many reasons. The Nameless One has attachments to his life as it is as well as his desire for independence from what his father sees as his obligations; he also has an attachment to Anyit in that he's attracted to the other boy though he feels this is wrong, and his attachment to his religious beliefs fuel this misconception. Anyit is attached to his independence, almost as much as he is attached to his desire for friends, but he also lacks the capacity for emotional attachment to people and things, which makes the friendship difficult for him. The third and final aspect the title refers to is the attachment, the bond, the highest deity, Ceinthe, creates between the boys; it is a necessary attachment because it will anchor Anyit whenever he uses his powerful magic ability.

Aside from that, actual writing progress has been slow on it, but all the words are good. I'm just glad to be getting any at all, and I'm still very enthusiastic about this project.

What I Haven't Been Doing

2010-09-30T01:58:00.003-06:00

Which is any work on any of my projects. The most I've done the past couple weeks is open Baheen and check it out to see what might be done with it, and aside from getting the same ideas I had before, nothing showed up. I'm trying to restructure my days, but it's going slowly, so I think any progress on any of my writing projects is going to go with equal slowness.

However, I do have some writing goals.

1. I want to get back into my progress on Sethe's story using the Two-Year Novel course. I was doing well previously when I had enthusiasm to support my will, but I think my will alone will keep me going at least fairly well with that.

2. I want to reverse outline not only The Obscure Child, but am considering running it through the Two-Year Novel course as well to perhaps steamline some aspects of it.

3. I'd like to outline Baheen from where I've stalled at.

4. I'm considering running Married to the Moons through the Two-Year Novel course as well. I'm not sure I want to outline on this any just yet. I want a control project, I think, to test how well just the course does without any outlining out of turn, but with the base of the wordage it already has.

5. There is a "trilogy" of an old project that I abandoned that I think I can restructure sufficiently to work. I'm not sure exactly how to go about this, but that project is primarily on the backburner.

Both Baheen and The Obscure Child take place on Ferodoxis, as you can see by the notes following the titles in the sidebar. I haven't decided which one takes place first just yet, but I'm thiking TOC will. I'm thinking of changing the gender designation for bigendered individuals in Baheen to a slightly different word, but that would be the biggest change I'd make at this point.

How Things Are Going

2010-09-04T18:17:00.002-06:00

Okay, I've gotten to somewhere around Week 14 on the Two Year Novel lesson plan with Sethe's story. I've been in a manic phase the past couple weeks, and my interest in writing has fluctuated a great deal, so I've stopped working on it, but I plan on getting back to it on Monday. I'm kind of letting the questions in the week's less stir things around so I have plenty of information to add to the outline. I've got two "chapters" of the story written, as much to kick start the ideas as well as to help myself organize my thoughts on the story, and have begun an outline in the notecard program I purchased, Supernotecard. I'll provide a link to it in the sidebar.

I've actually started reverse outlining Peikigi's story, The Obscure Child on the notecard program I've purchased. I've added more into the beginning and started things out more reasonably, having come to the conclusion that the people she's most associated with (the other people who live in the hostel eshosha she's grown up in) would have come to accept her as being intelligent and teachable. I'm still beginning the story with her departure from her home, but I've made the eshosha's manager more sympathetic, understanding, and accepting of her to emphasize the opinion of her escort to the ojishiku's eshosha, who doens't know her and is basing his assumptions on her appearance.

I haven't decided if I want to reverse outline what I've got of Baheen or outline from where I've stopped with it, so I haven't worked on that recently. I'm pretty satisfied with what I've written so far and have plans for a couple upcoming scenes. I'm especially looking forward to writing out the scene showing Zaashen attempting to speak with his ex husband, but haven't quite worked out how I want things to go. I do know that Noova will turn away, insult Zaashen somehow, and then decide to leave the community to get away from Zaashen.

About Supernotecard (SNC): It's a program that does notecards for outlines and story information on the computer. I've been using it for a few days, and though it doesn't seem to have an instruction page, a little exploration of the options and experimentation proves that the program is pretty intuitive. I've found its workings fairly easy to understand. The notecards expand if you double-click on them, to a full page size that scrolls as you add your notes, which is good for me because of the way I'm outlining (I'm not someone who can get by on just a couple sentences describing the scene).

Using this program, I haven't noticed a loss of enthusiasm from putting the ideas down like I did back when I first tried outlining. As I've gotten older, and because of my mental health issues, and more experienced with writing, I've learned to do the kind of outline I'm doing on these computer notecards in my head, and I feel relieved after I've gotten the scenes listed. The only problem is that since I'm not focusing on my fantasy projects, I'm not making steady progress like I want. I need to buckle down and set aside a little time each day to make these notes and work on my 2YN thing for Sethe's story, but it's proving difficult, particularly with Peikigi's story, because the ideas are intermittent and I can't always get them to solidify enough for me to "capture" them.

Changes and What I'm Working On

2010-08-28T13:47:00.005-06:00

I've removed Failing from the WIP list, mainly because it's not going anywhere at all.

I've added "Sethe's Story" because that's a project that's just kind of fallen out of my head and into the Two Year Novel lesson plan. I'm already up to lesson 9 on it and the only reason why I haven't done it yet is because I'm still refining the information necessary for that step. Otherwise, as long as I know what's going on, I progress pretty quickly.

Haven't started the outline for The Obscure Child yet. Mainly because I'm waiting to be able to afford a notecard program. I'm also working out ideas for what Peikigi can do.

I haven't even opened Baheen recently, but I'm considering doing the outline thing for that, too. Also considering the outline for MttM, at least from the point where I'm at since I'm pretty damn happy with what I've got so far in the WIP. I'm just sort of stuck as to where to go with it and I'm thinking that maybe doing an outline of future planned scenes might jump start something.

Sorry About the Lack of Updates

2010-08-22T19:57:00.005-06:00

But I haven't been writing fantasy recently. I've been working on another genre and it's filling my time. I will be dabbling in the fantasy stuff, however. I have plans (evil cackle).

For instance, Peikigi thinks she's not getting written about. But that's not the case. The problem is that I've realized I've left some important stuff out of her story and it'll change how things go. I'm trying to decide exactly what I want to do with her story. In any case, I'm planning on trying to outline things, whether I go back and make the changes or just power on through and write from where I am.

I'm not concentrating at all on MttM, mostly because I have no idea what happens next, pov-wise. I kind of want to include some scenes from the pov of Anyit's Nameless One, but I'm not sure where to insert them.

Still trying to figure out exactly what to do with the other two things. I've actually substituted my made-up word for bigender individuals in Baheen, and I must say that it's taking some getting used to. The languages on Ferodoxis don't have the he/him/his and she/her/hers forms we do. They have one word that covers all forms; for instance, in Meeyahar, where Baheen is set, "keena" for all the female forms and "valaacha" for all the male forms. She/he forms are covered by "keeva". It's really taking some getting used to using "keeva" instead of the various forms of she/he.

In an effort to streamline my writing, I'm trying two different things.

First, I'm going to be outlining The Obscure Child (Peikigi's story). I don't know how other writers do their outlines, but I'm going to do like I do in my head already. I'm going to write down what needs to happen in the scene in some detail, write down what the pov character's goal is, and write down what the goals of other characters in the scene are. I do this so that I can make sure the non pov characters react properly to what the pov character is doing. I think it might help, and it feels like this is an outline format that just might work.

Second, I'm starting a completely new project on a new world using Lazette Gifford's Two-Year Novel Course. I'll provide a link to the ebook in my side column. I've got the first two lessons done for this new project and am gathering the courage to face the third (which is about Themes, which I don't usually look for at all--at least, not on a conscious level). I'm hoping this works. I'd take the class, but I think I'll succeed better doing it on my own. I figure that if it works for me I'll start working up new stuff into it.

Ishtal

2010-06-30T22:50:00.003-06:00

Ishtal is one of the deities of Nahela. Here's a brief scene from MttM in which she appears.

----------

"Wake up, Ressi, wake up."

He rolled over, trying to escape the small hands which shook him, and pulled his pillow over his head to muffle her almost-shrill voice. He didn't succeed; the bed sank behind his back, at the level of his shoulder blades and the child continued to shake him.

"Wake up, Ressi."

Child? Ressi pulled the pillow off his head, slapping it against the wall. Seela's temple housed no children. Dilfris did according to all laws, and children without parents lived in foster homes as was proper.

The child shifted behind him. Her right hand gripped his arm near the shoulder, where his Seal was, and her left hand loosely gripped a handful of his hair. Her knees shuffled to her left, closer to his head. A moment later, her breath brushed his ear.

"I have come with a message for you, my son," she whispered and kissed his earlobe before crawling off the bed.

----------

Make of that glimpse what you will.

Behind

2010-06-29T20:21:00.004-06:00

I'm running pretty far behind on MttM. I should be at 58k words today, and I've only gotten up to a little over 43k. Part of the reason is because I missed writing on the 20th and I didn't write from the 23rd through the 27th. My current goal is to write 3k a day, but I've only made just over 2k today, and I'm not sure what to do for the next scene.

Right now, I've separated Anyit's Nameless One from Anyit and he's on his way home, and Dilfris is in the Flestan version of the doghouse (considered dead to all others until her fate is decided). I haven't figured out how Dilfris and Anyit arre going to get to the capitol, but I do know that Dilfris is going to get to walk barefoot the whole way. She's not looking forward to it. I also haven't decided whether or not she's going to be expelled from the priesthood, but I suspect that'll be one of the things that'll come up when I get to the point where it is being decided.

I'm not sure if they "need" an armed escort, and I'm seesawing between giving them one and not. Flesta is a pretty peaceful place, and people respect the Voice too much to want to harm him. Besides, the road they'll be on goes through remote forest, and most people aren't familiar with wilderness survival like Anyit is, so it's not likely there would be bandits. People tend to stick close to their villages, towns, and cities unless they're required to travel. The most they'd come across are trade caravans, farming vehicles filled with goods, and the odd mendicant priests and minstrels. Not only that, Anyit is so imbued with Baoyin's Gifts that he's capable of physically defending himself, though he doesn't realize that yet. I don't know if he'll ever have an opportunity to use that inherent skill or not, however.

I'm also not sure I really need to use Anyit's Nameless One's pov, though I feel some temptation to do so. He's not going to have an easy time of it. Right now, he's bound and on his way back to Tress, where he's going to be imprisoned pending his father's return. I'm not sure how to get him out of that situation, now that I think about it. I'm thinking that maybe Baoyin Valis, Jair's assistant, will be making a visit to Tress to retrieve Anyit's Nameless One. I'm also thinking that they'll attempt to Seal a name on the boy before he can be rescued, and that's going to traumatize him, but I'm not sure just how yet--this is where his point of view becomes necessary. I'm not going to let them force a name upon Anyit's Nameless One, so Ceinthe will definitely interfere. In fact, I'm seeing a bit of a few scenes with Anyit's Nameless One. I may well be writing from his point of view.

Progress

2010-06-15T03:41:00.005-06:00

Okay, I know I've been away for a few days, but that's because I didn't write from the 4th through the 8th and I've been working on catching up on Married to the Moons. I've made a lot of progress; I've been writing an average of over 3k a day since the ninth and am 1397 away from being completely caught up. My goal with any project is to write 2k a day, and by now I should be at 30k.

I'm backbraining stuff for Baheen and have figured out a little more. Likii's going to be in some bit of trouble when she/he returns to home.

Trying to figure a way around the block I have with The Obscure Child because I'd really like to finish it. Since I've finally figured out what the damn block is, I should figure out a way around it pretty soon. "What is the block?" you ask? Well, it's the fact that I don't know if this story is going to end up as two books or one. I have the ultimate ending mostly in mind, but not an intermediary one in case it's split in two. I forget how many words in I already am, but I think I'm a fair distance in and I'm still in her first year of school. I'm actually planning on skipping the last couple and to not go very far into her second year since pretty much everything's going to be set up in Peikigi's first year.

As for Failing, which will be getting a title change eventually, I have no idea when that's going to go. I need to finish TOC first, then determine the line of descent for Failing's characters, do a workup of Danere's eccentric family (and that is going to be sheer hell), and figure out exactly what's going to happen. Current idea is sending Danere to Mukamutara as an envoy, but after that, my mind goes KAPUT.

And, on top of all this, I still have ideas for Selected by the Sun and Led by Lightning--the "sequels" to MttM. I'm getting quite a bit about the main character of LbL. I'll admit here that I got carried away after reading a Valdemar/Velgarth anthology and plopped this particular MC into the middle of the Pelagirs to figure out who he was. I learned quite a bit, and he's now one of the pov characters in MttM. Unfortunately, anything from his pov is in first person. He insists upon it and refuses to do more than cameo bits in anyone else's pov. If I don't cooperate, he doesn't cooperate. However, he was kind enough to be at "home" and answer his door and knock an errant priest of Baoyin down a few pegs for Jair. Then he saddled Jair with the errant priest's "assistance." Things are not going to go smoothly for Jair and his new assistant, to say the least. It's going to cause some problems; now all I have to do is figure out what those problems are.

Progress and Sequels and Titles, Oh, My!

2010-06-09T21:17:00.004-06:00

Well, I'm not going to let myself complain. My progress pace for MttM seems to be stuck at that commonly used by snails. Still, it is progress. I wrote a bit early this morning before I went to bed--the chapter didn't turn out exactly as planned, and I'd had it more planned than most, thanks to having had several days to just think about it. However, I have to say that it turned out better than I'd planned. I think that if I keep getting such good chapters/scenes, I have no right to complain about how long it takes me to write the damn things down.

And I'm getting an idea for a sequel. Something to do with the ancestral enemies of Anyit's people and a challenge issued by the Moon Sisters to the Sun god. Based on the current prevailing motto of the state religion, which is "It takes only one male to do what it takes three females to do." So, what if the Sisters issue the challenge of, "If that's so, why don't you create peace with our people?"

The Sun's Chosen isn't going to be able to do it alone, to say the least.

Not sure who the main character of this is going to be yet, not even gender. Tentative title is Selected by the Sun. I have a feeling that this story is going to utterly change the society's existing structure a bit. Hoping to be able to do it without having to create an underground army of rebels. However, if I end up doing that, it'll certainly stretch my skills.

And, damn it all, I've got the title Led by Lightning ricocheting around my head. No earthly idea what that'll be about--if I ever get to it.

Changing Things Around

2010-06-05T04:41:00.002-06:00

I once expanded my writing blogs into a set of three, this one being concerned with Ferodoxis alone. However, due to some nice changes with Blogger and the fact that I'm not writing as much any more, I've decided to contract back into a single writing blog. Over the next few weeks, you'll be seeing old posts from one of my old writing blogs appearing, interspersed with new posts about current writing. Please bear with me here.

Snippet - Married to the Moons

2010-06-05T04:01:00.003-06:00

Here's a bit of my newest story, Married to the Moons. Hope you enjoy.

----------

He scooted his feet forward. Yes, he should drown himself. The river would carry him away, so nobody would have to take care of his body. His life meant nothing to everyone here. It didn't truly mean anything to him any more. His toes curled over the edge of the bridge's wall. Yes, he should drop himself into the water.

He held out his arms straight from his sides and looked up at the moons. He closed his eyes and tipped forward, giving himself to gravity. It claimed him more quickly than he'd thought it would, and jerked him off the bridge's wall.

"Anyit!"

He turned his head, opening his eyes. A shadowy figure waved its arms. Too late. He landed, and the impact smashed the air from his lungs. Anyit gave a short scream and sank, inhaling water convulsively.

---------------------

This happens in the first chapter.

Figuring Things Out

2010-05-13T15:48:00.003-06:00

The time away from Baheen has given me the freedom to consider options for getting Likii out of the mage plane. Things are looking up, too. I've also figured out more about Qawra-Pol's part in all of it. At the same time, I've refined a later scene a bit, one of my "candy bar" scenes, if you will. I'm looking forward to writing it, but I have a long way to go before I get there. I'm not ready to work on Baheen yet, but I'm looking forward to doing so pretty soon. Maybe within the next week or so. The ideas need more time.

A Scene From Qawra-Pol's Youth

2010-05-07T11:39:00.002-06:00

Go to Collecting Whistlegrass to see a snippet of young Qawra-Pol's life. She's commencing the final test of her skills and must begin by gathering a number of poisonous stalks of grass.

Playing

2010-05-07T09:57:00.005-06:00

I'm considering playing with an incomplete story set in Imotina which I abandoned earlier. Its working title is Failing, which in no way fits how the story is turning out, even only four chapters in. However, until I think up a better title, it will remain known as Failing.

Its MC is Danere, a bigender individual who would like to be referred to as "neither," which is rather impossible as there is no acceptable designation for one of that gender identity in Imotina. Her/his mentor has set his thoughts on that, however, so I expect him to come up with something at some point. I should note here that it is extremely arrogant to refer to any intelligent being as "it" anywhere on Ferodoxis. That designation is reserved for Abodaore's Avatar, the genderless Child whose care Zaashen has been given.

Speaking of which, I've made no progress on Baheen the past few days. I'm thinking that I'll stay in Likii's pov, however, and have her/his would-be mentor kidnap her/him while she/he is cuddling a child from another family on her/his lap. Seeing as Likii's relatively new to being a priest, I do believe I'll give her/him some trouble in returning to her/his home Oasis. Perhaps a bit of a trek. Still need to think up some things for Zaashen to do while Likii's gone. And I need to think up a description of the mage plane that satisfies me. Oh, and it just occurred to me that Likii doesn't know how to connect to others' spirits in order to move them. Hrm. Things just keep getting more and more difficult for Likii. Oh, and she/he also has no idea how to read landmarks in the mage plane. Likii is in deeeeeep shit.

Now I just need to figure out how to get an unarmed, unprepared youth with a toddling child back home. whee

Qawra-Pol

2010-05-05T13:57:00.007-06:00

Qawra-Pol is one of my oldest (agewise, not conceptually) characters on Ferodoxis. She is a mage, a priest, and a shaman of the Ird-an'e people. In age, she has lived for over three thousand of Ferodoxis's years, was a youth when she saw the rise of the Unity, saw the fall of the Unity, and was one of the directors of which peoples would retain what knowledge. It was Qawra-Pol who suggested the Imotinans be assigned the keeping of technology.

She is actually bigendered, like Likii, but she prefers to be known as female. This does not mean she has closed herself off from accepting a woman as a spouse; Qawra-Pol simply prefers the female gender and does not feel that this is any disrespect to Deity; she takes the view that Deity made her to prefer to be known as female so won't be angry that she chooses to be known as such.

Qawra-Pol's people are Especially Chosen of Deity on Ferodoxis. They have more Holy Ones than any other country has priests. I should perhaps make it clear that shamans aren't necessarily Holy Ones (priests), but are simply those who have mental abilites instead of magical abilities. However, for the Ird-An'e, shaman generally does translate to Holy One because the Deific Gift of Holiness is given to almost any Ird-An'e who practices the basics of prayer and compassion and asks for Holiness. The Ird-An'e are also Especially Marked, in the color of their hair, which is always some variation of red; this tends to breed true in all descendants, regardless of how much actual Ird-An'e blood they retain.

Epiphany

2010-05-04T20:11:00.003-06:00

What if the one who teaches Likii her/his magical skills isn't Yasaroon? What if the "foreigners" who teaches the people aren't just aimless foreigners? What if the "people" who are supposed to do that are the same person? What if "they" are Qawra-Pol?

I will have to play with this idea a little before I can decide if it's the one I want to go with.

Today's Justin's Exercise

2010-05-04T19:51:00.008-06:00

I've decided to see if I can keep up with doing Justin's Exercises at least a few times a week over on Forward Motion. Since I don't really have anywhere else to post such things except here, I'll be posting what I do here as well as on FM. Today's exercise involved a character cozy in their home hearing footsteps outside. The image that came to mind has nothing to do with Ferodoxis, but I wanted to write his bit anyway. Wordcount came out to 1530. Here it is:

------

Wade opened his eyes. Had that been a footstep? The sound came again. A distinct ploomp, a slosh, then another ploomp followed by another swish, just barely audible over the sounds of the wind whistling around the Cathedral. Someone paced outside his window.

He rose, leaving the pew's row, and padded to the Cathedral's door. The sound had come from the east side, so he went down the stairs, heading to the east. At the end, he levered himself over the railing, perched his toes and the balls of his feet on the curl of the bottom step around the one above, and leaned out past the corner of the Cathedral to look up the long side of the building.

Light scattered on the water. A hard wind blew, stirring the water up, creating waves which flickered in the colors the light through the stained glass windows threw on the surface. Wade shifted, rubbing a hand over his coarse hair in a gesture of frustration as the wind blew his loose garments about. Granted, it was pretty boring being stuck in this place whenever he slept in his own world, but the last thing he wanted right now was the frustration of mysterious noises outside his dreamland-home.

Then he saw it. A movement. A flicker of silhouette, a bit of face partially lit by the light coming through the open window. The stranger halted, facing the wall, and moved the shutter a little. If the hinges squealed, Wade couldn't hear it as far away as he was.

"Hey, you!" he called.

The stranger started and looked at him, taking a half-step in retreat. This brought the stranger completely into the light. Wade gestured, a come-hither motion.

"Who's there?" the stranger called.

Wade shifted, glancing down. Since nothing happened most nights, he'd chosen to appear in his blue pinstripe pajamas. Them, with his black skin, probably made him pretty nearly invisible in the darkness here. He sighed.

"I live here," he called back. "Well, sometimes. Come this way. I'll meet you just inside."

He turned, one foot slipping into the water. Wade didn't take any time to test whether his foot would sink in or not. It was irrelevant if it would; that his visitor could walk on the water was enough for him to know. It told him that the other was probably another visitor like he was.

Rain slammed down as he levered himself over the handrail. It soaked him in moments, but he ignored his wet clothes. He mounted the stairs and entered the Cathedral just far enough to get out of the rain. Thunder rumbled; a few moments later, lightning flashed.

He heard the sound of hard soles hitting the stones of the step just before the stranger entered. Wade watched the stranger enter, then shut the door and barred it before the wind could blow it open again.

"What is this place?" the stranger asked.

"I'm Wade," Wade said. "What's your name?"

"Valon," the stranger said, pushing a heap of wet blond hair out of his face.

"This is what's known as a Cathedral where I spend my waking hours," Wade said, indicating the room at large. He took a moment to shake himself, concentrating so that his clothes dropped all the rainwater at once. The water slapped the old wooden floor. "It's a kind of religious gathering place."

"You're not from here?" Valon asked.

"No," Wade said, turning. "Come with me. Hungry? I have some food."

"A little."

"I'm not from anywhere in this place," Wade went on. "I come here when I dream. Every single night, since I was a child. I imagine I came here when I was an infant as well. Here, for this place, this world, I am an Oracle. Where are you from?"

"Not here, either," Valon said. "How did you get dry?"

"A little bit of concentration. Try it, you'll dry out, too."

Valon's footsteps ceased for a moment, and Wade paused. It took Valon a while, but Wade eventually heard the slap of water hitting the floor again.

"What brought you here?" Wade asked.

"I don't know. This is the first time I've been to a place like this--or in a dream that feels this real. What's the name of this place?"

Wade glanced over his shoulder, then stopped to turn and take a closer look at Valon. The blond looked to be in his middle teens. He wore a simple tunic to mid-thigh and a pair of heavy hose that could have been wool, with a pair of ankle-high boots with hard heels.

"The name of this world is Mizariel," Wade said. "You are most likely another Oracle, Valon. Don't ask me how we come to be here when we sleep, or how we learn what we need to know for the people who ask questions of us. There is no way to know any of this."

"Why didn't you come across the water to me?" Valon asked.

Wade chuckled and continued walking, mounting the steps to the platform where the altar stood. He went to the altar and pulled his satchel close, digging into it.

"Because my mind is not as flexible as yours. I doubt that I can walk on water, and I don't want to test the theory that I can because I can't swim."

"But we can do anything in our dreams," Valon said, joining him.

Wade chuckled again, passing the youth a fruit. "Take the peel off that before you eat it," he said.

Valon accepted it. "What's it called?" he sniffed it then dug his thumb nail into the peel.

"It's an orange," Wade said. He watched Valon separate a length of peel from the orange and took it to put in his satchel; there were animals that liked such things. "And, usually, we can do anything in our dreams, but Mizariel is a world as real as our waking worlds, so I doubt my abilities."

"I just walked across the water from the shore," Valon said, gesturing with a bit of orange peel toward the door. "What am I supposed to do here?"

"Go someplace and hole up," Wade said. "I've always been here, but you may have to go to the woman herself for advice on where to go."

"The woman who?" Valon asked.

"Mizariel," Wade said. "I suspect you're probably to go to the other continent. The one on the other side of the world, I mean. I've heard things are nicer there than they are here. You don't want to stay here. Things are . . . unhappy."

Valon looked up at him. Wade took the last bit of peel from the youth's hand and put it in his satchel.

"Where is she?" Valon asked.

"In a cave on Northaff--the northern continent. If you concentrate, you'll go directly to her. Unfortunately, she's one of the few Landmarks you can use here, and none exist on the other continent--at least, none that I know of."

"Can I stay here for a while?" Valon asked, looking around.

Wade looked around as well. The storm's power had increased and now the wind almost continually howled around the building. Rain pounded on all the windows as the wind whipped it around, and frequent rolls of thunder joined the howling of the wind. Flashes of lightning, just as frequent as the rolls of thunder, lit the windows from the outside. He realized that he'd left the lower window open and went back to the pew where he'd been seated to close it.

"It's best to go where you need to be as soon as possible," Wade said as he returned to the altar. "How's the orange?"

"Unusual," Valon said between mouthfuls. "But good."

Wade smiled. "Well, when you're done that, I'll teach you how to go on to Mizariel so she can tell you where to go."

Valon looked around, biting into one of the last few sections of his orange. "What's this place called?"

"The Waterborne Cathedral," Wade said.

"Will I see you again?" Valon asked, looking at Wade again.

"Probably not," Wade said. "Once you get to your dream-home, you'll be tied there." He watched Valon eat and swallow the last orange section. "Ready to go on?"

Valon looked around again, frowning, then sighed, meeting Wade's gaze. "Not especially," he said. "But I don't have much choice, do I?"

"Not really," Wade said. "Now, close your eyes."

Valon did so.

"Okay, stretch yourself out until you feel a point of great power."

Valon inhaled a deep breath. He remained silent for several minutes.

"I feel it," he said. "Somwhere northwest of here."

"That's Mizariel. Focus on her like you did when you dried yourself off."

The youth didn't speak. Wade watched, nodding a little when he saw the power increase around Valon. A subtle glow surrounded the youth for a few minutes, then Valon faded, leaving only a silhouette of light in his shape before that, too, faded.

Wade sighed and dug into his satchel again, this time for an apple. He set it down, pulled himself to sit on the altar, retrieved the apple, and bit into the fruit.

Ready To Write

2010-05-04T13:55:00.009-06:00

I'm feeling ready to write today. Don't know if I actually will, however.

I still haven't decided exactly what I want to do with Zaashen's next scene. I'm considering bringing in a foreigner or two to assist him with teaching the people how to defend themselves. At the same time, I'm wondering if there's a way for me to bring in some other Meeyaharans from a different Oasis to do the same thing. The main problem with the second option is that the priests once had the duty of teaching the people these things and there aren't any other priests left in Meeyahar. Well, none that have any training in any of the duties they're supposed to have, anyway. If I go with the foreigners, I have to fiture out exactly where they're from (as the backstory for them will fit pretty much anyone who shows up) and who they are.

Then there's Likii. I need to start bringing in her/his want-to-be mentor. Confusions galore there, at least until her/his want-to-be mentor announces a preference for being known as female. She's not going to be very happy with Likii's unwillingness to cooperate. I still haven't figured out how Yasaroon will know that Likii needs training. Perhaps Likii's want-to-be mentor will complain to Yasaroon? But why, when the other mages avoid Yasaroon because of her/his unwillingness to join them in the mage plane? Maybe she/he is a bit Touched by Keena-Valaacha, though not a priest? I don't know. All I know is that Likii needs proper mage training and she/he can't get it from any of the other mages who'd take an interest because it would take her/him away from the people and she/he wants as little to do with the mage plane as possible.

Reading over this, I just got it. Yasaroon will arrive with the foreigners, who are priests or shamans of Deity. That will solve a couple problems quite nicely. Unfortunately, I still need more scenes for Zaashen, and I still need to figure out where the foreigners come from. Much as I want to write, I just have no idea if I will today. whee

Basic Instructions For Using Langmaker Software

2010-05-03T21:36:00.005-06:00

To create your language: *SAVE the spreadsheet after each step or three. The program will tell you that it wasn't able to save, so check to make sure it did, because it will regardless of what it says. It's always been that way.

1. Click the uppermost, leftmost box on the spreadsheet and format your font. Arial size 12 is a good size; using serifed fonts like Courier New takes up more room, so try to avoid them, especially since going smaller on the font's size makes the words more difficult to read.

2. Resize five or six columns; remeasuring for twice the original width is a good ballpark for four-syllable words in the above suggested font and size. Any wider than this, and you may not have all your columns on the page if you print out the words, which is a good idea; that way you won't have to open the Lexicon file every time you need a new word.

3. Select the first column by clicking on the header.

4. Select LEXICON, then select GENERATE.

5. Using letters of the alphabet, enter the patterns you wish to use. (I generally start with C and V--Consonant and Vowel, respectively and choose different letters for different consonant or vowel makeups).

TAKE CARE and USE CAPS in the PATTERNS box. If you use lowercase letters, you won't get words; you'll get only the patterns you entered into the pattern box (took me five minutes to figure this out). It's a good idea to work out your patterns on paper before you enter them into the patterns box. It's another good idea to copy-paste your PATTERNS to each pattern box for each column you're using.

An example. For Meeyaharan, I have three entries: C, V, and W. Consonant, Vowel 1, and Vowel 2 repspectively. These include the sounds b, ch, d, f, g, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, r, s, sh, t, th, v, w, y, z, zh in the Consonants section; the letters a, e, i, o in the Vowel 1 section; and my made-up letters aa, ee, ii, oo in the Vowels 2 section.

6. Enter the number of words you want generated in the column. I generally choose anywhere from 500 to 1,000.

7. Check the EXCLUDE DUPLICATES box. This means when you generate the column the words appear in will NOT have duplicates. Duplicates from column-to-column is another matter, however . . .

8. Click SAVE before exiting each Generate box; the box will then automatically close.

9. Once you have prepared your 5 or 6 columns' Lexicons, reopen each, and click the GENERATE button next to the SAVE button. This will generate whatever number of words you've chosen to have generated in that column. The box will automatically close again.

10. It's a good idea to ALPHABETIZE your columns. There is a little button above the spreadsheet that will do this. SAVE after each generation.

11. Once you have the number of words you want generated, print out the lexicon for ease of access.

Today . . .

2010-05-03T18:52:00.004-06:00

I've made no writing progress. Not even pinning down ideas. sigh

On the other hand, I've been afflicted with a desire to head up to the nearest office store to purchase things I may not need right away. I've done a budget and I don't have the money for that and some of the other things I want this month, though, so I need to think about it. On the other hand, I do tend to eventually use whatever I buy, so it'll come in handy someday. Sun's still high enough. If I leave now I should be able to get home before dark or just near. whee

I found some old software that I had years ago for making languages and I've used it for making a list of words in case I need them for naming concepts we don't have and other Meeyaharan characters. I'll put the link to it in the sidebar later.

Epiphanies

2010-05-03T00:57:00.007-06:00

Ever since that little character chat, I've been getting teensy epiphanies. I already knew that Likii had already memorized all the Holy Laws Governing Marriage, and that led me to the fact that she/he, at eight (almost nine), is going to be the one officiating marriages. She/he is also a mage, and that chat cued me in to the fact that she/he is going to have to be the one to raise the dewllings and other structures for new settlements. I've just realized that this also means that she/he will be the one raising the walls that are supposed to surround Oases as well.

Now I just need to think of some more things for Zaashen to do. Hm, methinks it's time to bring in that foreigner from overseas. And, what luck, I already have her backstory planned. All I need to do is figure out what the hell her name is. Something derivative of Imotinan, for certain, as she's Sakmar, and they're a breakaway nation. Hrm.

Character Chat: Likii

2010-05-02T17:35:00.005-06:00

This is a character chat I did for Zette's Gym on Forward Motion (FM). I thought it would be fun to post here:

I'm sitting at my desk watching Chat pass by when Likii walks in through my front door. And it's closed. She/he stops to look at me and shakes her/his head before stepping over to prop her/his rump on the arm of my sofa. She/he looks like she/he will in a few years in the MS I'm working on--brown hair loose around her/his shoulders, earrings, a multitude of fabric necklaces decorated with beads of various colors and shapes, a sleeveless sand-colored tunic that extends to her/his knees, a shesees (a voluminous garment worn to protect against sun and blown sand), barefoot, more lengths of fabric laces with beads wrapped around her/his wrists and ankles.

"So, when do I get a say?" she/he asks.

I glance at her/him. "Well, considering the way my Muses are acting, probably not for several more months."

"Ha ha. Very funny. Without being foolish, A." Likii folds her/his arms and tosses her/his head a little, flipping the ends of her/his loose hair back.

"I'm thinking after Zaashen leaves the Oasis," I say.

"You're not going to go into the beginning of my training with Yasaroon?" Likii asks.

"I'm not sure," I say. I watch a few more posts enter Chat.

"I'd like my point of view to be included sooner," she/he says.

I look at Likii. "I know, but you know how much it's going to drive readers nuts reading 'she/he'?"

Likii laughs. "So? I choose to honor Keena-Valaacha. If you don't let me be myself, I won't cooperate."

I mutter.

"What?" She/he asks, voice perky. "I didn't get that, A. Speak a little louder."

I chuckle against my will. "I was complaining about other characters getting to you before I trained you properly."

"Oh, you'd hate us all of we followed you like sheep, A., so don't try to tell me otherwise. So, how many years do I have to wait before I can rejoin Zaashen?"

I sigh. "A few," I say. "He'll be at the Oasis for a few years, then leave to work on the next settlement, and you'll have a lot of training. You really should stay with your Oasis."

"What for?" Likii asks. "The community's too small to require additional homes, and once Yasaroon's set the mage lights and I've added my power, they'll be good. Besides, if Zaashen's going to be trekking a new community to an oasis for settlement, he'll need me along to set that up. And a few of whose years? Yours or mine?"

"Yours," I say. "Four, I'd say, but I don't think you'll take the same path he does. You'll have a few things to do on your own."

Likii groans. "How am I supposed to help Zaashen if I can't be with him?"

I chuckle. "I'm considering sending you on that trek with the new community instead of him. I think it'll be good for you, teach you some things about responsiblity that you'll need to know. Why does Zaashen need that?"

"No reason, I suppose. So, are you going to have me reconcile with Zaashen now?" Likii asks. She/he stretches out her/his left arm and shifts the bracelet on its wrist around with her/his right hand; the cord the beads are on is the same color as the rest of her/his priestly garments. She/he looks at me, folding her/his arms again. "I'd like to, you know. I mean, where you are in the MS, I'm angrier than a sandstorm, but I do want to reconcile with him. I believe you should put in my point of view now, A., because I think I have something to say where you've left off." She/he snickers. "And I think what you've got going on right now is kind of boring, never mind Napiina's squeamishness about sex. And at his age," she/he snickers again, shaking her/his head.

I chuckle, remembering Napiina. "I'm trying to figure out how to go about the reconciliation. And I'll consider putting in your point of view now, too. That's all I can promise."

"Well, I know better than to beg," she/he says, rising. "I have a question."

"What?" I ask, watching her/him step over to the door.

She/he looks at it as though really paying attention to it for the first time since her/his arrival. "Will I be able to walk through doors like I did when I came in here after I've had my mage training?"

"Not unless you use the mage plane," I tell her/him.

Likii winces, looking at me. "I don't think I'll do that," she/he says. "I'm not looking forward to meeting my want-to-be mentor for the first time, and I'm not too sure about Yasaroon, even though she/he's kept away from the mage plane as much as possible."

I chuckle. "That's understandable. I have a question for you."

"Ask."

"Why did you choose to remain known as both when you don't want to be a mage in the first place? I mean, other mages who are also priests or shamans choose one gender to be referred to as."

She/he looks at me, smiling a little. "Like Zaashen told me, I'm the perfect bodily image of Keena-Valaacha. I want to honor Her/Him. That's my entire basis for accepting myself as I am, even to my future agreement to being trained by Yasaroon. Like I told Zaashen, I'm what Keena-Valaacha made me to be--with, of course, the additional bits I've acquired since infancy--but I'm essentially Keena-Valaacha's child, and I refuse to disrespect Her/Him by not claiming all that I am." She/he starts to step through the door, then halts and leans back to look at me. "Ah, A.?"

"Yes?" I ask, ignoring Likii; looking at her/him leaning through the door makes me queasy.

"Will Yasaroon be the one to teach me how to raise the structures for the new settlement?"

"Yes," I say.

"Oh, that's a relief," she/he says. "Nice speaking with you."

She/he leaves and I slump in my chair, putting consideration into her/his suggestion. Maybe I will put in a bit of Likii's pov now in the MS. I think I'm seeing what she/he has to say.

Resurrection

2010-05-02T16:53:00.002-06:00

I'm playing with something in Ferodoxis right now. Totally different project than anything before and I want a place to babble so I won't annoy my friends in FM chat any more.

Currently working on something that's been "complete" as a short story for quite some time now. I've long thought that Baheen could be extended into a novel and I've been writing on it for four days in a row. I don't know what this means for my other writing, and progress is slow (for me, at least in my opinion), but I am making progress.

Thus far, the MC, Zaashen's lost his spouse of 11 (Ferodoxan) years, gained an Avatar, and is reawakening the faith of his people. I'm having a fair amount of fun with this and would be having more if it wasn't like pulling teeth.

WC--until I can update the bars on the side

2007-06-16T00:36:00.000-06:00

First time writing in about two weeks today. Returned to Forward Motion, and I made about a thousand words in half an hour while word-warring in chat there. My usual is a thousand an hour. I beat my own record. whee

Made a total of 4,243 words today.

Some interesting developments occuring on my primary WIP, too (where I made the wordcount). I left character A ready for a fight, character B anticipating Courtship, and character C in fear for his life and the ruler's. whee I want to write more, but it's past bedtime and I'm tired.

Will continue writing on THOI tomorrow. Er, later on today.

Also, it seems that A Novel Thought has gone offline. I'll try to research it, but I'll have to disconnect the links later.

Whee

2007-04-16T23:05:00.000-06:00

It's just occurred to me that my first and secondary projects occur on the same world, so I've added Power of Creation to this blog. whee

It's Chaaaa-aaanged Again

2007-04-15T03:06:00.000-06:00

Not the main concept, but the titles (I haven't worked them out yet), and the format of writing them. Instead of following one another, The Hands of Intrigue (now called: The Heirs of Imotina) they occur at the same time. So, they're a Tandem Trilogy. This means I have to write them all at the same time, so I don't get confused in what's going on between them. whee

A New Link

2006-10-19T12:09:00.000-06:00

I've just added a new link to this page. It goes to a writing website called A Novel Thought. It's just started up, so there isn't much going on, but I encourage you to join. More people=more happening.

No Work On THOI For Two Days (at least)

2006-10-12T20:10:00.000-06:00

I keep opening my WIP, but it keeps staying right where it is; I have no progress in it. Wish I could figure out why. I've thrown in my little twist and it's stopped. Maybe it's just that I need to write through this stall.

If I could think of something else to write, I would.

A whole lot of nothing, and I hate it.

Hit A Block

2006-10-09T20:54:00.000-06:00

I hit a block yesterday after chapter 18. It's taken until now for me to figure out what I want to happen.

A twist of mine: the man the victims believe has been attacking them is an impostor.

heh heh

I'm enjoying this.

Speaking of Twists . . .

2006-10-08T00:31:00.000-06:00

I've reached 22,000 so far, and the novel's twisting to give me new ideas.

I won't tell you the one I'm thinking about . . . it could change the whole prehistory of the novel--and bring about an unexpected villain. I still have to work out the details if I'm going to use it, and I haven't even decided that yet.

I'm having fun, just wish my brain hadn't flopped on me. Can't get the next chapter started, and I wanted so much to go on writing! Maybe all I need is a break and I can go back to it after this. I hope so!

WHEE

A Twist of My Own (heh heh)

2006-10-07T01:31:00.000-06:00

I just broke 19,000. whee

I got to throw in a little twist of my own--finally! Instead of Akotai being quietly insane for a few days . . . he's tried out his new insanity: Megalomania. He thought he could handle more power than he's ever handled before.

He was wrong.

Unfortunately, he'll be back, and he's managed to destroy about a third of the city.

Barukei doesn't believe Hiyo that the spell was aimed at them. I think he already knows who the culprit is, but just doesn't want to face it. He just can't bring himself to believe that Akotai, who shows him such kindness and attention, could do it. But I think now he's close to being convinced.

14,000!

2006-10-03T23:59:00.000-06:00

I just completed another little twist, courtesy this time of Hiyo. LOL She's given Akotai's mind a little twist, though that's not her specialty. The twist is going to turn into megalomania. It should be funny for a while, but it'll have bad repercussions later on. But for now, he's going to be trying to cast these grandiose spells and fail miserably.

All in all, a good day for writing.

I Finally Caught Up

2006-10-03T16:42:00.000-06:00

I slammed out a little over three thousand words yesterday and last night after I forced myself to come up with something to type. whew!

Well, Akotai stormed out before the secret was divulged. LOL I wasn't expecting it, but Feiyao and Barukei have been seeing one another secretly for about three years. Hiyo figured it out first; I didn't know what I was typing until it came out. Talk about a twist--this was a yummy one. Akotai doesn't have a chance.

Hiyo recieved a secret note from Akiro at the TLozhipei's Ascencsion Anniversary Celebration. I can't remember what I was originally going to put in that note, so now I'm debating on whether it's going to be a proposal for marriage or not. It's a fun thing to think about. A proposal would knock Hiyo's feet out from under her. It's just a thought I'm toying with. But it's fun.

Molasses Moves Faster Than This

2006-10-02T15:46:00.000-06:00

I've been writing, but it's going slow. Really slow.

I mean, here's the situation: Akotai (whom nobody was expecting) is at the door and Barukei's all dressed up for his meeting with Feiyao. Hiyo and Jaiya are going to be disapproving, and Akotai is going to be suspicious. Until Feiyao arrives, that is. When Feiyao arrives, Akotai is going to throw a temper tantrum and storm out of Barukei's apartment (good riddance).

It's just going so slow. I need to get to work. *sigh*

Yesterday . . .

2006-10-02T01:24:00.000-06:00

It's now 0117 here in Utah.

I got about 1,000 words done yesterday, maybe a little more. Today (much later) my goal will be 14,000. I'd be excited about breaking the 10,000 mark, but I'm too tired right now.

I'll post tomorrow . . . whee

Wrote Some Today

2006-09-30T20:33:00.000-06:00

I got about 2,000 words in today. whee

Barukei had a near-death experience. He was nearly choked to death by magic. heh heh He was lucky; Hiyo had already spelled him to sleep. She didn't get any sleep; she started the spell to protect her brother, had to rescue him, and ended up spending the rest of his sleeping time watching over him. She hasn't had a chance to work on the spell during the day, either, she's been too busy getting clothes in Faochimaotao House Colors (because she's serving a member of House Faochimaotao) and has had to deal with her fretful brother, who's worried about what he's going to wear for the meeting with Feiyao Zaothetezhi. heh heh heh And she'll be up all night again, watching over her brother while she works on the remainder of the spell. Just to make things more difficult for her, she'll have to wait until her brother is awake and alert enough to participate in casting the spell.

I'd feel sorry for Hiyo, but she opened her mouth and asked questions she shouldn't have, so Barukei gets to be bothersome for a while.

Lazy Day

2006-09-29T20:09:00.000-06:00

I didn't get much writing done today. Part of the problem is that I left off last night at a place where I didn't know how to continue on. To change this, I started a new chapter. It's kind of fizzling. I don't know exactly what I want to happen next--bedding is being prepared for Hiyo, but she's NOT going to sleep. Well, she's a mage . . . maybe I'll have her stay up all night casting a protective shield around the building where her brother lives. heh heh She'll be up preparing the spells, anyway; she's a very cautious mage. Imotina has many old dialects, and she's going to use all those she knows to build this spell.

Yeah, I'll do that. Maybe that'll teach her not to open her big mouth in front of her brother like she did last night (early this morning). Two nights without sleep should be enough for her, I think. heh heh heh heh . . . .

Barukei Is Rebelling

2006-09-28T23:58:00.001-06:00

He's being uncooperative now. I'm going to have to find a way for him to still be bothered by Akotai without his being "courted" now. The courtship was supposed to last through most of the novel. grrr I don't like it when characters make their own paths through my plots. It screws things up and makes it harder for me--and I have a hard enough time keeping things going without characters deciding to make it easier on themselves. This is one of the times when I wish characters were real, so I could really throttle them.

Maybe I should blame Hiyo. She's the one who asked all the questions. She got her brother thinking about the men who are interested in him. Yeah, I think I'll blame her. That way I have a good excuse for making her work extra hard to protect her brother. heh heh She isn't going to like me. Especially when she has to start watch-dogging Akotai to prevent his courtship of Barukei, who's apparently too distracted to notice when he is being courted.

I have some thinking to do here . . .

Starting again.

2006-09-27T19:18:00.000-06:00

Yes, I'm starting my main novel over again. Mainly because I couldn't access most of the info I needed. whee Anyway, it's well on its way--hard-copy-wise--and I'm looking forward to getting on with it when I've finally got all the stuff typed in.

However, having been so long from it, I now have a more complete idea of what I want to happen. Barukei's in for it. Akiro's edgy on his involvement, but he's going to play a key part in the whole thing. Hiyo's liking her part. whee

It's a good thing I know where I want this to go . . . oh, and somone's still going to die.

Some new developments . . . .

2005-03-04T10:06:00.000-07:00

With my new faith, I've had to rethink some things about THOI. One is that I'm going to adjust Rikiyu's relationship with Akiro into friendship instead of something more intimate. It can work that way, and I'm going to give Akiro his Sabi'Oji in this novel. I'm also going to detail his Ascension to Heir. I'm going to make Rikiyu's relationship with Barukei more intimate; I have to so that I can keep the tension up, but they are definitely not going to act on anything. In fact, I'm going to find a way to indicate that they've never acted on their feelings for one another. Partially because Baruekei was too young when they first met, and partially because their later, intimate relationship ended before they could act. I need to keep the tension up, and that's the only way I can see to do so, because it's not working with a past history of friendship alone. Akiro is going to become completely heterosexual, too; he's been married once to a woman, and I'm thinking that maybe the third novel will be about his second wife, a political marriage. I think the changes will improve THOI. I'll just have to think of a better reason than "past intimate relationship" for Rikiyu to make Akiro his Heir. whee

Interesting developments (I)

2004-07-01T12:48:00.000-06:00

Well, things are going quite differently in Imotina these days. Rikiyu has shown his face to Barukei and they're both now living in Feiyao's house. This I never expected, but it opens some new possibilities. For one, Akotai would never suspect his brother to be visiting Feiyao's home. Another is that Barukei is avoiding Rikiyu like the proverbial plague. He is not happy to find that someone whom he thought himself well rid of has returned to "meddle" in his life. Feiyao is trying to help them both. Poor Feiyao, caught between his love for Barukei and his respect for Rikiyu.

I'm doing things I never thought of before. I've had Akotai attack Rikiyu--which doesn't happen in any of my previous drafts. It's the reason why Rikiyu and Barukei end up staying with Feiyao. It means that Rikiyu can't provide the infusions necessary to keep Akotai's magic from working on Barukei. Oh, delicious twists. Yum yum. LOL

I actually wrote myself into a corner at one point. I had Rikiyu on the floor, his back injured, and his Zhiraikaovei basically powerless against Akotai. How does one get out of this situation? IIRC--I've been doing a lot of writing so I'm not too certain--I had Rikiyu drag himself around to grab Akotai's ankle as Akotai prepared to stomp on him. The landing provided enough of a distraction for Akotai that he lost his concentration and the spells he had on Feiyao and Barukei stopped working. It doesn't pay to be a half-trained Mage; I've decided they don't start learning how to multitask (so they can hold one spell while working on others) until their second year, when they've got all the basics down. Akotai never made it to second-year classes; he was given enough training so the magic wouldn't kill him, then sent home. He's been practicing illegaly ever since, with some reluctant help from his brother, Akiro.

I've determined that Rikiyu's going to have to infuse Akiro's refreshments every time he visits. It'll also be a good explanation for the memory problems he'll have in his novel. He needs to have them; it provides some of the conflict, with him worrying that his brother will find out what he's been remembering and "dreaming." It will also be a good reason for Pei Pei to present herself to him; she'll be helping him decipher everything and will be a buffer to distract Akotai until he kills her.

I'm really enjoying everything that's happening. :D So much fun.

2004-05-29T02:24:00.000-06:00

Finally got some done--over 4k between yesterday and now. whee I had an epiphany (sp?) and decided to follow it: what if Rikiyu wasn't able to remove the enchantment on Barukei. *glee* Things are a lot more interesting now--and I absolutely REFUSE to do another full draft after this. I'll just puff it up to my goal (100k) and polish it a lot.

I'm having fun.

2004-05-22T09:03:00.000-06:00

Some interesting progress here. For one, I never thought that Rikiyu might be doing what he's doing because he wants to. Also, he's learned about what Akotai's doing. Always a fun thing, eh? I'll have to insert some more musing on the volcano so he'll have the idea to try and make something similar of magic to prevent Akotai's work from blowing a hole in the middle of the continent.

I've removed his interest in Barukei, too. It just didn't fit any more with the initial changes to the story. I've dropped in thoughts of his about Akiro instead, and that's working much better, particularly since Akiro made an effort to warn him about Akotai's workings on Barukei. I'm looking forward to the scenes when Akiro and Rikiyu get to interact; it's going to be fun. *grin*

It's really a pity they'll never be together. Oh, well. It'll be more interesting if I tease Rikiyu; he'll come so close to getting the man he wants. Then he'll die.

Mwahahahaha! It's so much fun being a writer.

2004-05-05T14:02:00.000-06:00

Didn't get my daily word goal on THoI rewrite, but I did do a little over 1600 words of worldbuilding, so I decided to count that as today's goal-meeting. Figured out exactly why Rikiyu's balking at being Heir-Regent and they're a lot better reasons than I'd originally thought up.

Also got some worldbuilding on the political parties done. There were, IIRC, seven total, but I feel like there are more. I just needed to get these down so I know what's going on and which parties are after Rikiyu--they play a part in his reasoning and one or two could be a major threat to him if he resurrects his Heir-Regent persona. whee

Am having fun. Always a good thing. Can't wait to get home and write some more tonighte. :-)

2004-05-04T20:04:00.000-06:00

I didn't finish the second rewrite. I think that was a mistake. I may go back and finish it before I go any further on the "final" rewrite. I think that's what's caused me to stall, but there are so many changes I've made that I can't see where finishing the second rewrite will help.

I've dropped the first chapter and started at the second chapter, for one. I think it's a truer beginning, and not just because I chopped off all the exposition and threw the MC into the fire first thing. Better beginning, opened up some room for more time spent hunting out Barukei--which is how I've managed to put all the exposition in where it's needed. I've managed to introduce both Akiro and Akotai this way, and Jaiya, and I've given readers an idea of the political situation and the threat Akotai represents. All I have to do is go back and include the foreboding thread of lava leaking from the neighboring volcano to thicken things a bit.

whee

2004-04-02T14:36:00.000-07:00

I wish I didn't have to finish the rewrite. It feels like it's going badly. I want to restart the rewrite.

Maybe, I will.

Then again, maybe not.

*sigh*

2004-03-24T17:46:00.000-07:00

My characters are still at it. I've decided that this will be the last full rewrite. This rewrite will be printed out and I'll type it back in adding revisions and doing a general edit, but nothing more for THoI in the way of a full rewrite. It took me about six or seven chapters just to get Barukei out of the palace and back home (he decided he was going to get more drunk under a tree somewhere). And I've lost Hiyo as a secondary character. She no longer fit once I met Akiro's Grand Aunt leaving a bordello owned by Barukei. I figured she'd be a more logical contact and it cleans up the story quite a bit.

Hmmmmmm . . .

I just had an idea. It might be a good idea to bring Hiyo in for future purposes. I've never quite liked the fact that Akiro's going to marry a cousin of his. He did once, according to the new timeline I've got worked up. I think it would be quite a surprise to society in general and the Houses in particular if Hiyo Faochimaotao was the one who started lobbying for Akiro's release. I don't know whose pov I'll use in Akiro's novel--perhaps both their points of view.

I love good ideas. I just wish DOC's keyboard wasn't all upset; I can't write. *pout*

2004-03-03T12:01:00.000-07:00

Okay!

After a few days of floundering, I've refocused. I was online on, I think, Sunday, at Forward Motion and hopped in to attend the Think Tank. Talking to everyone there helped me figured out what I was doing. *bows worshipfully in homage to fellow writers' wisdom*

Problem: I wanted to insert a bit of Akiro's past history into the THoL. The only way I could think of doing so was through expanding the novel into a trilogy. However, I was having difficulty writing that much, even though I've learned a few things (for example that Akotai killed their mother and actually forced Miyara into marriage before using her the same way he'd used his mother. I'm not certain if she kills herself somehow, or if Akiro killed her to spare her further pain).

Well, I've figured out how to do it: Pei Pei.

Which means, the rewrite of THoI is going to be more complicated--it's already taken about five or six chapters just to get Barukei out of the palace and to his parents' home. Now, he's run off so Rikiyu and Jaiya are on a hunt for him. whee And I've upped the ante a bit, too. Rikiyu hadn't gained the sought-after control of his voice, so must of what he says is flat in addition to being higher-pitched in the search for perfect neutrality. Jaiya knows him very well. So does Barukei (when he's not drunk).

He's had an encounter--brief with Akiro. A longer one with Akotai. He knows something deeper is going on, and right now he's only looking out for Barukei. However, I've foreshadowed his death as well as the fact that Akiro will become involved in things, even though he's becoming known as "The Traitor's Brother."

Which brings me to the next novel. *grin* The Hand of Liberty was good, but it wasn't the best. ANd it was repetetive. I don't want to repeat "the Hand of This" and "the Hand of That" throughout. Besides, since he is the Traitor's Brother, and that's how it begins, and it follows him even to the Throne, I thought it might be best.

Over that, I'm going to try and finagle some things. I know Akiro gets married to someone. A willing wife, much younger than he--but age isn't much of an issue to Imotinans. What is the issue is his history. Most people won't realize what he did to help Rikiyu in THoI. Damn few will realize that he's the Heir until it's too late. Well, few among the Muti and Baiya classes will. The Oji class is a different matter, and the most important class in terms of politics. They're the ones who will be Akiro's major support, I think.

I'm so excited. *GRIN*

2004-02-20T13:38:00.000-07:00

Akiro's out of hiding and has abandoned the traditional garments an Heir-Regent wears. He's recieved an unexpected welcome from his own kin, and I left him dancing with a distant cousin.

I've also figured out exactly why his son and his son's Sabi'Oji end up in the Convict Army. I wasn't comfortable with murders--too many bodies lying around for no good reason. It hit me, though, that it's so socially disgusting and the Law is so strict where Sabi'Oji are concerned that Akiro's son and son's Sabi'Oji could have been lovers. Me, I wouldn't be inclined to convict so harshly they'd choose the Convict Army, but I'm not Imotinao. It would also effectively remove Akiro's son from the succession--such a law is not meant to be broken--or forgiven--because Sabi'Oji are holders of trust and the common view is that having sex with one's Sabi'Oji is the Sabi'Oji's fault and that the trust has then been ruined. If the Shisei admits to anything--as Akiro's son did--that person is also convicted. It's right up there with Treason and murder.

The only reason why Akiro's forgiven is because the truth of what his brother's plans were is going to come out at about the same time the volcano on the other side of Hipichopi Sea erupts. Barukei (though Akiro doesn't know it) will make sure everyone in Siviyaonei understands that much.

heh heh

Poor Akiro . . . He'll almost drown before he learns he's been exonerated.

2004-02-18T14:03:00.000-07:00

Well, I dropped back and restarted the chapter I was working on. Now Akiro's hiding in a secret storage place under an empty room's floor . . . whee

2004-02-17T17:47:00.000-07:00

Whee.

I've gotten to "part three" in THoL. Akiro's killed his brother, found his son, and just returned to the capital city--under threat of a volcanic eruption and the awareness that he's now got to get rid of the occupying foreingers out of his country.

Oh, and Pei Pei's dead. She was poisoned with the rest of the Sabi'Oji serving the interim ruler, Deivashai. Akiro didn't take it well at all. Of course, it didn't help that one of those who greeted him upon his return to the city was Barukei--who made certain to tell Akiro of her death in the most hurtful way he could. I left off with Akiro doing a credible imitation of someone well-adjusted discussing Magical theory with a non-Mage (Barukei's adopted daughter).

I don't really know where to go from here. I know where the Book of Blood is--and it's not in House Odaohanei. That would be too easy. It's at the bottom of Hipichopi Sea--and I wouldn't have thought of dropping it there if I hadn't spent a paragraph describing the view outside Akiro's old "office" window in his House. I thought I was foreshadowing, and I asked myself just what I could be foreshadowing. Well, now I know. I just need to find a way to help Akiro remember while at the same time making things more difficult for him.

("No! No! No more problems!" he screams behind me, in a rather Gollum-esque way.)

2004-01-23T14:40:00.000-07:00

#2 is well on its way. I've got Akiro battling his memories. He's absolutely certain that if his brother finds these things out, he'll be killed. I've introduced one of the Euidisainese--he's there to "help" Akotai. Not. He's got his own agenda, and Akiro's just blasted it open, though not in front of his brother.

He's also just come home drunk for the first time in his adult life. Pei Pei wasn't home, but his brother was waiting. When Akiro left to go upstairs, Akotai was not a happy person. He's been deprived of his magic--something to do with having lost his hoard when Rikiyu/Keiki made the Heir's Monument using the hoard. He's got a lot of political clout; he just needs the military manpower to back up his bid for the Throne.

We'll see.

I'm having fun with this . . . Now to introduce Deivashai.

2004-01-11T11:55:00.000-07:00

Well. I think I actually do have a trilogy. I just need to get book #2 adequately started. I may have given myself a bit of a false start with it. Granted, Pei Pei grew up in a rather rual area, and her "home"--actually a place where Sabi'Oji live--wasn't the most up-to-date--they still have gaslights instead of electric and what's called a sluice-tub. Water is brought down by gravity and you get in the tub, stand under the pipe, and pull a chain for a primitive kind of shower--but I spent a whole chapter on her raptures over a "modern" bathroom. She has Kazhehimo's Face, and it's taken a rather unattractive form over the top of her head. What little hair she has, she shaves because it just looks worse if she has hair, and she is a bit simple-headed--she has insatiable cheer and nothing seems to break her spirits for long. Also, the image of her dancing in the tub, with "truly running water," is one that's been immortalized in Akiro's mind. While Imotinans aren't body-shy, Akiro isn't comfortable with his memory of his dignified young Sabi'Oji dancing in the bathtub.

I may just cut the first chapter off. I'm over 4,000 words right now, so it won't put me too far behind. Perhaps half that. No problem to catch up. I may also just restart. I don't know yet, but I think it might be more interesting if I start things off from his POV and change Pei Pei's backstory a bit so she's not aimlessly travelling--nobody travels for no reason in Imotina, particularly Sabi'Oji'ubu, and Pei Pei's always known whom she will serve.

I've also left Akiro's brother mobile and threatening. It'll run better that way, and there really wasn't much reason to incapacitate him to begin with. Akiro's fears are more logical at the beginning if his brother's able to carry out threats. Also, I've decided that the spell that Keiki/Rikiyu died to end didn't lead to a direct confrontation with Akotai--Akiro's brother--and that Keiki/Rikiyu had to die only to stop the spell from destroying the world. It also effectively took away a great deal of Akotai's magical power, but he's got enough political clout he's back to using his magic to protect himself from the threat of death he sees every day.

Now, since he's able to rip the servants' minds apart--though it's illegal--he would dearly love to rip Pei Pei's open. However, despite her lack of obvious influence--her clothing isn't embroidered in the traditional manner--he's even more wary of her. This was a calculated move on Pei Pei's part. She's simple, not stupid. She knows far more about House Odaohanei than either Akotai or Akiro realize, and she knows Akotai's begun to slip into one of the signs of Giyaowaime's Disease--he's paranoid. He wants to "test her for loyalty" but he doesn't dare because he can't predict what will happen. Without embroidery, Akotai doesn't know which Zhiraikaovei Pei Pei serves.

I'm going to have fun with this one, I think. :D

2004-01-07T15:57:00.000-07:00

My, how things change. LOL Having what amounts to a nervous breakdown is helpful to the writing soul, I guess. At least, in my case it seems to have worked that way.

THoI is back on track, though far behind. I've set the rewrite goal at somewhere near 85K, IIRC. I've got perhaps twenty more to go to reach that goal, and things have gotten very interesting.

I've been able to insert a bit more about the past the three main players shared--and have included Jaiya, who tutored them all, in the mix; she now works for Barukei's Family as the House Mage. Barukei's stiffened up a bit--not that way--and spends the first half or so of the book antagonistic. By the time he comes around, things have developed to the point that, when he discovers Keiki is Rikiyu--and that Akiro is involved in some complicated plot, he blows up and leaves the whole mess behind. *glee* He's turned into a major ass, but now that I know what's happened, I understand why he's doing it, and it makes the story better.

Also, the main theme seems to be "bad decisions/bad choices." It's rather obvious, with Barukei prattling on about how he shouldn't have gotten so angry at Rikiyu (before Rikiyu became Keiki) and later with Rikiyu struggling over forgiving Akiro for being "his brother's slave." Forgiveness doesn't come easily to Rikiyu, and I need to extend and intensify that internal battle, so it doens't seem like he just melts when confronted with the past, particularly when it comes to the scene where Barukei abandons his whole Family and accused Rikiyu of being a traitor.

I also need to pull Rikiyu's illness closer to the surface. I forgot for a while--focusing on the emotional conflicts--that he's supposed to be ill to the point of debilitation, and he's up and moving around without any symptoms. That's what edits are for; I won't do another rewrite on this unless I have to, and I'm going to let it rest before I do. Perhaps even find someone to read over it for me.

As for The Shadow of Blood, I don't know what's going on. I may shorten it again. Now that I know the past, it isn't screaming to be a trilogy, and I've inserted enough back-history into THoI, I think, to cover. I'll gloss bits over in Akiro's story--I definitely want to keep it, but I think I'll focus on his struggle to escape his brother's influence--and that to accept his own mistakes and find his confidence. He will have a Sabi'Oji of his own, but she won't be anyone he knows, and I think she'll have to die.

I do plan on giving him some funky amnesia. I've got it in my head--despite what our society would have to say about it, that Hiyo gets herself impregnated with Akiro's child. Jaiya kindly does the spell that wipes the incident from his mind--and a few other things as well. It would give me a good excuse at the very least for going over past events. It might also provide some conflict, particularly since he'll have his Sabi'Oji, Pei Pei to egg things on a bit.

I've also been working on the background and worldbuilding bits for Imotina some. I've finally got a full calendar of Imotina set up, and I've determined that there are at least three different official religions. I've set the "holidays" of one of them, and determined what days, exactly, are the National Holidays--completely secular, relating to the Founding of Imotina and New Year's celebrations, etc.--nothing at all religious about the lights they put in their windows at the beginning winter. I've added a lot of new words to the glossary and determined that I'll need to expand on the timeline a bit--change a few things. whee I love it.

2003-11-10T14:14:00.000-07:00

I AM BEHIND.

Well, my rewrite of THoI is ahead by a little over a month. That, unfortunately, is well-balanced by my 28 days of catch-up work I have on TSoB3. whee LOL I'm actually looking forward to it. I've got the whole plan down for all three books, and I may move TSoB1 out of school and back to Siviyaonei, after school, since I've got the timeline going. I just don't want to start it off at the same time as THoI because I want to use THoI as detail, not have the exact same story from two different pov's hanging around. bleah

I do want to illustrate the relationship between the three main players, however, and to do that, I feel I need to show them in school together. I also want to use this to explain why Akiro does what he does in THoI--and I don't feel confident that "they used to be lovers" will suffice as an explanation. I want to make it very clear that he does this because Barukei and Rikiyu (Keikithei) are friends--the first two people in his life who took him as himself, not as an extention of his brother, or--worsel--as Akotai's autmaton shadow. Not that Akotai is particularly notorious, but these are two people from Akiro's home city who don't act as if he's a person in his own right, and not just a way to Akotai.

I'm rather anxious to see how Akiro grows. He's braver than he believes he is, and he's far stronger than anyone--including himself--suspects.

I'm glad I write. It's fun, even when I'm so far behind . . . :D

2003-10-18T12:39:00.000-06:00

The Shadow of Blood has expended itself into a trilogy. This means that, yes, I really am working on FOUR WIPs at once. They are, however, feeding off of each other. Since expanding TSoB into a trilogy, I've learned that Rikiyu (Keiki), Jaiya, and Akiro went to mage-school together and that Barukei went to Secondary at the same time. I inserted something about Akiro's Mage-School being one of several other municipal buildings atop a levelled-off hill in TSoB2, and things sort of developed from there.

It's frustrating, somewhat. I had to equalize all the daily goals to 500wpd in order to keep up. I regularly do more than a thousand on them all and last night I slammed out over 3K on TSoB1. I've made up a timeline to determine exactly when everything's happening, and I started it on 3000, so now I know how long there's been an Imotinan Empire. LOL I needed dates, and wanted to start on an even number and three was the one that came to mind.

The best thing about working on all four WIPs at once is the fact that they're building on each other. I'm glad I started the others, even though it's bothersome. I now have a much clearer idea of the characters' relationships and a better understanding of how Rikiyu's (Keiki's) attitude about his relationships with Barukei, Jaiya, and Akiro challenges him. He's assuming that Akiro is untrustworthy, when in fact Akiro's decided to keep his friendships a secret. He cares for Barukei, and for Rikiyu. I haven't decided if he figures out who Keiki is . . . but I think he might. It'll allow me to insert a couple of intense discussions. Either that, or he'll just spill his guts at Rikiyu's ashes--against his brother's wishes . . . which will be rather difficult, since he doesn't like to do things quite so openly.

I figure TSoB will probably cover both Akiro's mage-schooling. The second will cover him with Pei Pei (Hiyo Faochimaotao), and the third . . . I haven't quite gotten that figured out, but I've got plenty of ideas for it. According to what I've already written, he's undergone something to hide some of his memories from him. I'm not sure what that is, because there's not quite enough going there. I may go and follow him through inei, but I'm not sure . . . it would certainly be interesting. He goes to inei on one of the four islands off the south coast, and, because of the spells that have blanked things out, he's a bit clumsy. He's also got more company than most Sabi'Oji generally do . . . all of the Zhiraikaovei are pretty much permanently bound to him. I haven't figured out why, but I do know in the TSoB2 that they're doing their damn best to convince him to become a Sabi'Oji.

I refuse to expand TSoB any further. It would be too much work, and I'm afraid that if it did get published it would lose readers at four books. I could give up on following Akiro through his part in correcting the problem he's created, but I see too much potential. This of course means I'll have to reiterate things from THoI, but it'll be from Akiro's pov, which should prove interesting and distint enough.

THoI is proving to be a bit more intense than I first thought it would be. The rough draft did not indicate anything of what I'm doing with the rewrite. It's still essentially the same story, but the focus has changed. This time, I've found the Heir-Regent rather quickly--Hiyo, who fulfills her duty by becoming a Sabi'Oji. Just when that's been almost decided, Keiki, who's all but drained himself with magic-use, leans of a major problem with magic. The last time a similar thing occurred, it blasted one continent into two and created a desert out of the southern half. (Huh, I think I know the map I need for Ferodoxis now . . . ) After that, the survivors each found a way to control magic: the northern survivors (Eudissainese) instituted pogroms and eradicated mages and have legalized the exposure/murder of mageborn children; the southern survivors bind children into a power matrix that, in time, makes each of them into the anchor/wells that they removed from their land (which has in turn kept it a desert), and the Imotinans have taken to binding mages, at the completion of their educations, to Wells and Sources (binding someone to an anchor will kill them--Anchors absorb power).

However, the last attempt at restraining power had been on a Source. Not nearly as dangerous as what Akotai (Akiro's brother) has done. Akotai's put a "lid" on a Well, and has altered the streams so that magic is going into his trap-spell. None of the power can get out, and the Anchor-end of the Well is also affected. This means if nothing's done--and if it's not done carefully--half the world will disappear. Granted, eradication of Eudissaine will prevent a lot of trouble, but the blast wouldn't leave any survivors elswhere, either.

I'm excited about this . . . very excited, but cautiously so. LOL But very, very excited.

2003-10-06T20:28:00.000-06:00

I've been writing for the past week. My goal for The Hand of Intrigue is 1,000 wpd, since it's a rewrite and I'm more familiar with its characters. My new project, The Shadow of Blood has a goal of 500 wpd, because it's new and written in a new pov.

I'm considering expanding SoB to a duology or a trilogy. It's pov character is Akiro Odaohanei, and I'm wondering how he got to the point he's at--emotionally and politically--where SoB begins. I think a "prequel" (that's what it's status is at this point) would be enjoyable to write, and I'm thinking about taking it from when Akiro learns his favorite cousin has drowned--she goes ice skating on a pond she thought frozen near her Secondary School, and falls through. No one is near enough to save her. I think that's something that has a lot of bearing on his current personality, in addition to the role his twin brother plays. He's really the brains of the outfit, but Akotai is manipulative--though in a subtle way--and after the death of his favorite cousin, Akiro is willing to follow.

As for HoI--it's proving to be much more interesting--and Keiki-oriented than I'd anticipated from the initial draft. Some things have changed a great deal, but Barukei's still an unwilling Shisei, and someone's stil out to kill Keiki. He's just had a shock I wasn't expecting--it seems that Hiyo, one of Barukei's nieces, has ideas of her own. She's willing to Contract-bear the Heir Keiki needs to secure the throne, and to be regent, she's going to have to be a Sabi'Oji--which, of course, she's wanted to be for years. LOL Poor Keiki had quite a shock--he didn't realize she had a crush on him, and I'm going to have to go back through and patch in comments about disturbing dreams concerning pretty young Hiyo that Keiki has. At age nine (about sixteen in our years), Hiyo is legally mature enough to make her own decisions--the law was originally set in place so youngsters wouldn't have to run away to become Sabi'Oji, and it has since grown to cover everything from signing Contracts to getting married and having children.

Hiyo, apparently likes to shake things up. LOL I'm glad I'm getting an "oustide" view of her; I don't think I could write her from her own pov. She's a fickle thing, with her own rather stick-in-the-mud opinions and beliefs. She's as much a conniver as her grandmother, but she's more subtle and far more willing to manipulate . . . which I suppose explains why she disobeys her Zhiraikaovei and presents herself to Akiro instead of the "spiritless, spineless, and thoroughly superfluous girl" to whom the Zhiraikaovei'ubu wanted her to present herself. She won't be able to say as much, but they'll still be on the search for a suitable Heir for Keiki . . . LOL

I'm having fun, despite the trouble I've had keeping up. I've kept Keiki off-balance throughout the first 22k words, so I'm going to give him a bit of a break. I'm also keeping Akiro off-balance in SoB, which is giving him a lot of quiet anxiety. He's been introduced to the Temple of the Zhiraikaovei, though he isn't a Sabi'Oji, and I plan on plaguing him with frequent, vague "calls" toward the Temple throughout the novel, until his Sabi'Oji is un-gairi'd and escapes somehow. I think Akiro will have something to do with that, but I'm not quite certain what . . . yet.

2003-09-18T19:02:00.000-06:00

I haven't written any in the past few days. I've been itching to, but nothing's really been coming on the rewrite and I've come to the conclusion that I've hit a minor block. In the interim, however, I've had a few ideas for the second novel, which is struggling for a suitable title. I've known the POV character will be Akiro and that Hiyo had a very large part to play in it all.

I've just figured out exactly what's going on--with Hiyo, anyway. I know the opening--which will be in a "tourist attraction" imbued with blood magic. The magic consists of an autobiography written in blood that glows, imbued with power with a spell-phrase and truth. It's to foreshadow Hiyo's service to Akiro; she'll be discovered (as a Faochimaotao) and accused of spying by Akotai, Akiro's insane twin. She'll do the same spell to exonerate herself, and that is what will convince Akiro to abandon his brother. Because Akiro has been the one making all the public appearances, this will cause a bit of trouble (*glee*). However, during the course of her service, Hiyo will learn quite a lot: for instance that the Usurper's supporters are funded by the Eudissainese who intend to use the admittedly weak-willed woman to conquer Imotina subtly. However, things don't go as planned for the Eudissainese. The second novel will commence just after Hiyo is released from inei (school for those who wish to learn to be Sabi'Oji).

Hiyo is rather hardheaded. She goes her own way . . . much to the chagrin of the Zhiraikaovei. LOL

2003-09-15T10:59:00.000-06:00

I'm about 500 short on 10k on the rewrite. I've noticed that things are going along rather closely to the rough so far. This surprises me, because any other time I've tried to rewrite any of my attempted novels it's diverged a great deal. Thus far, instead of going to Barukei's parents' home, the same scene occurs at his private apartment. It's also a lot more interesting . . . I have a feeling that Keiki's going to be rather behind magically for most of the novel this time around, thanks to a trap-spell meant to drain mages who attempt to break the enchantment on Barukei.

I'm having fun with this, and thus far have come away from the WIP very happy and excited about it. I still chuckle over Keiki's getting whapped in the head with the window, which is a good thing. It's rare that anything I write that tickles me this long. That scene, I think, has become representative of what I want in the rest of the novel. What I want: Poor Keiki to get whapped in the face with a window every so often.

2003-09-12T15:03:00.000-06:00

I'm back into the rewrite for HoI. Things are coming together much better this time around, and I'm closing up some loopholes from the original draft, which has fallen to the status of glorified outline--I have lots of "glorified (something)"s. LOL

I've decided--for now--to keep the relationship more uncertain and thus bothersome to Keiki. :) He's already suffering . . . Barukei is just as determined not to have a Sabi'Oji as in the original, and instead of taking them to his parents' home, I decided things may go better at Barukei's private home. Thus far, Keiki's been cussed at, insulted, locked out, whapped in the face with the cellar window, and almost killed by a drain-spell meant to power the enchantment another mage has placed on Barukei. I'd feel sorry for him, but I can't stop chuckling over his getting knocked with the cellar window . . . LOL

In all, things are qoing quite well, despite the fact that Barukei's one servant has seen Keiki's face. She's a country-born Baiya, and actually in the employ of Barukei's mother as a spy (which Keiki has guessed). She won't tell anyone who doesn't already know (Barukei's mother and her Sabi'Oji) who Keiki really is. Barukei's younger sister, Hiyo also knows--but she's apparently been in contact with Keiki throughout his training to be a Sabi'Oji . . . LOL I love what I'm writing! *giddygiddygiddy*

2003-08-24T21:03:00.000-06:00

I've worked a bit on the HoI rewrite. whee However, that was moving slowly and I wanted to move quickly . . . I'm working on the "second novel" now--Hiyo's. I've gotten her into chapter two and almost 4k into the novel. I'm not making things difficult enough, I think; that'll change. Akiro's brother, Akotai, won't be happy to learn his brother's gotten a Sabi'Oji--especially when he realizes Hiyo's under the will (nominally) of more than one of the Zhiraikaovei (guiding-spirits, for lack of a better short explanation--I'll dredge through the WIP and find Hiyo's explanation. It's much clearer and gives a clearer picture of what the Zhiraikaovei are/do).

Anyway . . . I'm going pretty good. Didn't write today--just feeling too edgy, and aimless. I expect to write some tomorrow, however, and I'm anxious to get on with Hiyo's story. She's proving to be more interesting than I thought she would be. LOL

2003-08-19T15:01:00.000-06:00

On the trip to CO, I made a detailed list of the characters' motivations. whee I've now started on the full rewrite of HoI, and it seems to be going well. I think I have a stronger begining. I'm trying to focus more on Keiki, too. I think I lost focus on his emotions and all in the rough. To make sure I keep his motivations in mind, I'm keeping the list on top of the rest. I need to remember to include the others' motivations only as they relate to Keiki's, and I hope this helps some.

I'm finding the pov a bit easeir to get into this time. 1st isn't my best (in my opinion) pov to write from. Familiarity with the world is helping a bit, I think. I'm having fun with it--when Dale's desktop works. LOL

2003-07-26T19:45:00.000-06:00

Tried working out a character influence map for HoI . . . unsuccessfully. Everything criss-crosses and I don't want to have that. ick Not fun, not neat, and just too confusing. *sigh* Unfortunately, characters overlap their influences in HoI. Much more complicated than the map for Heidi and Mem's story (see P&KII).

I've figured I'll probably have to do the second novel in Keiki's pov at least part of the time. I don't want to, but I don't see any way around it. The rest of the time, I'll be in Hiyo's or Akiro's pov, but in third. But I think the halting relationship between Keiki and Barukei (and, by extension, Barukei's husband, Feiyao) will be important to the progress of the plot. Keiki, I think, despite a distinct lack of interest in being the "Legal" heir, will be looked upon as such by the populace, especially those actually in the capital city. I'll, in effect, have two intertwined-but-not-quite-meldable plots going. whee

I love it when I get plots like this . . . ROFL

2003-07-24T23:57:00.000-06:00

Yes, I was home most of the day. No, I didn't go through the rough of The Hand of Intrigue.

But I can feel something perking for the next novel . . .

2003-07-23T16:44:00.000-06:00

Okay. I'm starting to feel guilty here. *sigh* I've been neglecting The Hand of Intrigue in favor of my new project. Maybe if I don't make it out tomorrow before Jane's trailer is moved out I'll open the file and start looking at it hard.

I want to start on book two. I need to go through HoI and figure out the character motivations. That should help me figure out what exactly is going on with Hiyo. How much she has to do with her Uncle and Keiki. Well, with Keiki, anyway. I've got a feeling he'll be masterminding--to some extent--what she does in book two. He, after all, will know who/where the legal Heir is.

But before I can figure any of Hiyo's activities out in book two, I need to hammer down Keiki's connections. Not just the obvious ones. I need to get the "hidden" ones down, too. ANd I need to decide once and for all exactly how far the relationship between he and Hiyo's uncle goes. *sigh*

I really hope book two is a bit more straightforward than HoI was. I don't know if I can drag Hiyo through the mess I've gone through with Keiki. There are days when I wish my characters were real enough for me to lock them in my bedroom with the command, "figure this thing out, then I'll write your story." Unfortunately, I can't, and I seriously doubt they'd be more forthcoming even if I could. They enjoy tapping me on my shoulders and whapping me upside the head with inspirations via my Muses far too much to give that up.

Particularly Barkei and Keiki. *chuckle* I almost wish I could skip to book 3 . . . I can't wait to give 'em both what they deserve--each other. Which reminds me . . . I need to work up the Contract Laws . . .

. . . In rereading this, I got some ideas. I'll have to let 'em cook a little. Maybe I can get things organized so the two not-quite-but-want-to-be lovers can meet a time or two in book 2. Don't know, though . . . pov doesn't switch, and I can't seem to write Imotinan pov's in anything but 1st. *sigh* Something to think about, anyway . . . maybe if Hiyo has Feiyao's help? Ooooh. That's a definite possibility. *VEG*

2003-07-19T15:22:00.000-06:00

*sigh* Haven't been working on anything for Imotina . . . I think my mind wants to work through a few odds and ends before it finally sets everything on the stove. I've got other things simmering, and I know I want to continue chronicling (rather tame, I think--more like on-site war reporting) the usurpation and reacquisition of the throne of Imotina. The characters aren't all there, though, I think. And I'm certain something about the Eudissainese Envoy will have to be involved. The Legal Heir needs a good reason for getting herself into the palace so she can do her little appearance in the throne thing. *grin* No reason to guard the Audience Hall when the Zhipei isn't present . . . And, thanks to an old law, the person seated in the throne at sunrise on Coronation Day (national holiday) is the Zhipei.

It'll help that more recent laws--and the small fact that the Book of Blood recognizes her blood and not the usurper's--will reinforce the true heir's claim of the throne. Not to mention the fact that she's married a direct descendent (though he neither is eligible himself nor particularly "likes" women) and could be pregnant at the time. I'm still undecided on the pregnancy part.

Hmmm . . . It may end up as book three . . . I've just had an idea for a twist. I know Akiro separates himself from his brother . . . Hiyo Faochimaotao may be the reason why. And she's supposed to be a Voice--one of the few and decidedly the most . . . vocal. Basically, Voices are the representatives of wronged people. Not necessarily victims, just wronged. They also happen to have some "bardic" qualities that they learn to use to remind people of the proper order of things.

Imotina is proving to be more interesting than I realize all the time.

By the way, the proper order of things is not for usurpers to alter the Imotinan constitution and laws to support their own wrong views. For instance, the suppression of legal demonstrations in protest of forced, illegal changing of the government.

2003-07-01T15:58:00.000-06:00

I think I've figured out how I need to go about doing book #2 about Imotina. whee *giddy* I need to use a different 1st pov. It's dragging me out and I'm forcing my writing if I stay in the Messenger's pov . . . but if I try the soldier's pov--he's had experience dealing personally with "barbarians" (in Meeyahar)--I may be able to swing it. :) It'll be easier, at least, because I'll be able to allow myself to be openminded about Imotinan society--as the Messenger is NOT. Not only that, I'll be able to let the Messenger be as prejudiced as he wants to be, without having to rationalize his reasons to myself. (And I can't spell today--I've had to correct way too many words here in this post. LOL)

And it'll be interesting to watch the Messenger's attitude change as he comes into contact with more and more of Imotina, learns more of its ways, etc. Innokenti (pronounced EE-noh-kensh) will be asking all kinds of quesitons that the Messenger will be forced to hear the answers to.

2003-06-09T15:34:00.000-06:00

Awright! from now on, all posts about Velara, Heidi, and Mem will be on P&KII.

As for writing . . . I wrote a bit on my tentatively-titled WIP last night. I think I'm forcing the story a bit, and it's giving me that itchy not-quite-right feeling I get when something's wrong. I may need to rewrite a bit--I think the MC (unnamed 1st pov) gives in a bit too easily, and that's just not him. He doesn't LIKE these "barbarian" Imotinans . . . especially since their women "don't know their place." I think I'm just shying out of the mindframe. Heh

2003-05-17T19:12:00.000-06:00

Well, I did write a bit after my last post, continuing on where I'd stopped as if I'd written everything as if what I want to do for the revision has been put into my first draft. I may try to divide it, but I need to see what I've got going and if it'll work in one novel. I figure I'm going to use Velara as the focus and kill her, make her the central . . . motivation for what's done in the novel. Not the "Velara would do this" kind of motivation, but the kind of motivation where she's touched and changed people and they do things because they feel it's now right.

I'm looking forward to writing this. Unfortunately, I'm bogged down in a job full of long hours. whee

2003-05-01T14:57:00.000-06:00

I know what I'm doing!

No, a writer does not always know what one's doing. Visit Holly Lisle's website and read a few of the general discussion board posts. There are plenty initiated by people who've lost hold of their outlines despite their best intentions, more by people who've lost interest, lots by . . . . well, just imagine everything that could go wrong with a book, and you'll get the picture.

What my first statement actually means is that while I don't particularly have any desire to write, I do know what I'll be writing about when I do tuck my ass on the chair to write. I just can't remember them right now. LOL I've got 'em written, and I know I'll remember when I see what I've written so far, so I'm not worried. I already know what I'll be doing with the rewrite.

Hopefully, tonight, Mom will do BushWatch. I'll be able to write. And I'm about 3k behind right now.

2003-04-26T21:42:00.000-06:00

I've written a bit more on Untitled. whee

Precentice and Adervalis have come to an understanding--their jumping point for begining their father-daughter relationship seems to be their matching opinions about the elves and elven society. Nothing like attending a "rebellion" and realizing the "movement" is a farce erected to inflate one's social standing.

Velara's bespelled the Swallowsands and that's led to one of her peoples' totem-animal-gods to permanently bind her to the land in control of the Swallowsands. Her twin, Demara, is becoming more and more a leader among the renegade women of her tribe, and their tribal totem, the Plains Bear, has been protecting them. They may leave the uncertain company of their tribe; I'm not sure if they will. They want to keep their children, but I've learned that Velara's had a full-Sanuset (human) son whom she abandoned when she broke the taboos, and I think her example is what the others are trying to emulate.

I've written no more on LedÈa. I really don't know what's going on with her or Elari. I do know that Elari isn't a shaman--one would not have survived a breath in LedÈa's presence. However, it doesn't take the spellbinding of a shaman or a mage to do what's been done with their blood.

I'm pleased overall with what's happening with this one. I'm slightly over 26k now in it. I'll have to cut one or two characters, and a lot is going to be culled when I reorganize everything. Ah, the chapters are coming out mixed liberally. I'm just letting the chapters begin with whomever they choose. My first rewrite of this one will involve a major reorganization of the chapters, and for that I'll have to page-break them properly. I've just been clearing seven double-spaced lines between them for now.

I've hit a bit of a stall; I think I'm trying to write from Adervalis's pov right now. Velara's has been giving me the most trouble, and I think I'm going to have to outline exactly what a shaman is/does before I get into the rewrite. I'm hoping that doing this draft cold will help me figure out her limits.

2003-04-19T17:10:00.000-06:00

I've been reading Jane Eyre online and listening to the Lord of the Rings soundtrack on headphones. I've had an epiphany. I know why Elari is important. More than just a foil for LedÈa's character. I just have to write through the scene where Precentice proves she can wield magic (for the elves, who've never had a wizard among them).

Elari is her own person. She has her own duty. That first duty will require a knife.

2003-04-18T10:01:00.000-06:00

Last night, I almost had the title to this WIP. It came and kicked me when I was getting ready for bed, then danced on the edge of my conciousness just as I was falling asleep. For a fleeting heartbeat, I had the words, not in order, that make up the title. I should be frustrated, I guess, but maybe I just haven't gotten to the point in the WIP where I have the title. Right now, it's working title is "The Messenger" which won't remain. It sounds like a religious story, and I wouldn't want to confuse anyone expecting a fantasy-fictional biblical story (but aren't some of them fantasy already? Not if you believe in them).

If I'm remembering right, I've gotten about 14,000 words on it now, and every single MC has managed to surprise me thus far. Adervalis is having an easier time accepting his daughter, now that he realizes that Velara was right about his people being snooty and prejudiced. Velara's shown me just how much her Healing can do--for herself and others; she's shaman, but largely untrained, and the earth likes to eavesdrop for her. LedÈa, the ruler of Onofar, has finally looked beyond the boredom she used as an excuse to begin her subjugation of the Sanuset and has now decided that a more subtle form of genocide (what she calls "civilizing the Sanuset"--rather akin to what was done to Native Americans) is a way of eradicating the thing that really bothers her: Gelee, a city on the northern edge of the Deeperat Rift, which has unobstructed trade with the Sanuset and levies taxes and tithes from Onofarian traders doing business with the Sanuset, who aren't subject to the same taxes and tithes. Then again, the Geleen government isn't interested in converting the Sanuset into settlers; it knows better. At the same time LedÈa's instigating this plot (and perpetuating beliefs that the Sanuset are all dirty mean wild men through her third-party alliances with four of the worst tribes in the Sanuset nation), she's befriending a Sanuset woman who was sent to her by one of her envoys, because she's lonely.

*sigh* Between Velara, who'll disembowel someone, then Heal him, just to make a point and LedÈa, who really doesn't seem to know what she wants, I'm discovering a rather complicated story under the plot. Do you think being disembowled by a woman, then Healed by her would change your opinion about what a woman is capable of, if you'd lived among people who felt women have a place, and that it's not in the practice-yard with a sword in her hand? I'm speaking of Rashir, here. His tribe is one of those allied with Onofarian "slavers," and they told him to seek another tribe or be exiled when he protested his sister's marriage to someone in Velara's former tribe. His aren't the worst, but they're a bare step above rogues; Velara's tribe takes great care to ensure their women are meek and obedient. Rashir won't abuse a "proper" woman, even though seeing all those women of Grass Mouse Tribe (which has taken him in) armed with nonmetal weapons (the taboo prevents women from handling any metal that can be used as a weapon) has made him a bit nervy. When they welcomed Velara, scarred by Outcasing and bearing a sword showed up, his poor male ego broke and he tried to attack her when she was entranced; I don't think he realized the reason why the shamans are sheltering her is because she's a shaman too, or he would have known better than to try and attack her. He now bears a lovely scar that slants up his torso from right hip to just under his left breast. I think he's wishing his sister had had some freedom to make her own decisions.

Of course, the whole of Grass Mouse Tribe has broken a taboo in allowing Velara to stay with them. She's a "ghost," Outcast. However, the fact that she's wearing some elven armor allows them to pretend she's not a fullblooded Sanuset at the same time, and it's well known that the more domineering men will scar half-breed Sanuset, even their own children. Not only that, the shamans Grass Mouse Tribe seem to enjoy leading their people to the edges of taboos. They've allowed their women nonmetal weapons; I have a feeling that means some of their women ride horses and that they allow all women to have a say in whom they marry.

Then, there's Demara. Velara's twin. She seems to have become a reluctant leader for the women of her tribe. They seem to believe that Demara will know more about what taboos they can bend just because her sister "came back from the dead" to warn them about the coming war. I don't think the men of Plains Bear Tribe realize that they've got a rather large population of saboteurs literally in their camp. The women outnumber the men almost three-to-one. And the men think they have control when they don't realize that by forcing all the "misbehaving" women to trek together only encourages the women's dissent.

2003-04-16T14:37:00.000-06:00

As of today, the WIP for this blog is changing. I need to sort through what I've done on The Hand of Intrigue before I can continue with it. In the meantime, to keep up with my writing dare, I'm working on something I have yet to find an acceptable title for.

I've already done almost 7,000 words on it so far, and it's starting to look good already. Velara, the MC, is proving to be more forthright than I thought she was; she's older than I originally thought she'd be when I got around to writing his, and she's had a daughter by Adervalis.

She's not very happy with Adervalis right now. He's managed to insult their half-blood daughter with his elven prejudices. I wonder if he'll loosen up enough before he meets her. Although I'm curious, I don't particularly care to find out just yet what kind of temper Precentice has.

He's left the camp he made to help Velara. I don't know where I'm starting next, though I do know I'm moving on to another chapter. I can't think of anything interesting enough for anyone to do just yet. Even LedÈa--the antagonist--isn't doing much that seems interesting. Maybe back to Demara? Nah.

Huh. Maybe I'll follow Adervalis. Demara's not meant to be much more than a view into the changes going through the Sanuset tribes. Velara's going to avoid Gelee and the elven city, Perduinona. Perhaps I could do the meeting between Precentice and Adervalis? From her pov?

I'll have to think about it.

2003-04-14T09:49:00.000-06:00

I'm thinking of backing off of this for a time. I'm doing okay on it, but I think I've been concentrating too much on it and I'm losing sight of my goals with it. If I do decide to set this on a back burner for a time, I'll be replacing it with Velara's story, as yet untitled and unbegun.

I really must think about this for a while, though.

2003-04-07T15:33:00.000-06:00

I'm finally caught up on my wordcount for the dare, at 7,732 from the start. Whee.

Things have progressed a bit further between Keiki and Barukei than I thought they would. I don't know if I'll leave it in, but I think the scene fits so far. I'll have to see if I can get a couple of the guys on HL to read it over for me, particularly since this is the first complete m/m sex scene I've ever written. And from 1st POV.

Maybe I did okay the first time around. Maybe not.

I hope I did.

2003-04-05T14:13:00.000-07:00

Update. I'm on chapter 19 of HOI rewrite. I"ve made almost two thousand so far; I'm almost caught up on what I've missed writing on it the past couple days.

I honestly didn't know what I was going to do when I restarted. Keiki's told Hiyo, enlisted her help in finding the mage. He's also learned that Barukei's confusing I-don't-want-you-around-but-you-MUST-be-within-my-sight reaction to Keiki's confession boded ill. To prevent it from growing into an unacceptable situation, Keiki's now sending Courting gifts to Barukei--under his own name. It's a confusing situation, but it's keeping Barukei from making a difficult (for Keiki) situation worse by openly Courting someone who it's widely rumored to be the Heir to the throne. Keiki can't accept Barukei's Courtship, and he knows he'd be tempted to. As long as Keiki's Zhiraikaovei, DLachomaogu, doesn't pay attention when Keiki acts as his alter ego (the DL'Zhipei, Rikiyu), Keiki's safe on the side of legality; DLachomaogu refuses to denounce Keiki, but he can't ignore it if Keiki actively, seriously Courts a non-Sabi'Oji. It's not done. Not officially, that is. DLachomaogu is willing to do what's necessary for the betterment of Imotina and it's people. If that means aiding his Sabi'Oji in the farcical Courtship of his Sabi'Oji's former lover, then DLachomaogu's more than willing to do so.

In addition to such prosaic little societal details, there's the fact that the Imotinai do have electricity. They just don't have electric lights. Not yet. This gave me more insight on the reason why inventors and such aren't usually Sabi'Oji as well; apparently one's closeness to a Zhiraikaovei tends to hinder one's creativity. It's not as strong as the influence of the Gods, but it's there. It's also much easier for the Imotinan society as a whole to divide itself without the presence of the Gods. Gods=stagnation. The Gods knew the people would need some technological advancement to meet the future, so they willingly retreated. As a result, the people became rather . . . insane. As a happy (the Gods hoped it would be happy, anyway) medium, the Gods allowed the creation of the Zhiraikaovei. The Zhiraikaovei'ubu cannot Themselves perform miracles, but they are diverse enough and undemanding, so the people were able to turn to them for guidance without the danger of complete reliance upon the Zhiraikaovei'ubu. Most mages are Oshiri ("priests" of the Zhiraikaove'ubu) and Priests of the Gods, or in some way affiliated with Law and Lawkeeping or Healing. Most inventors are all but atheist, disinterested in the Gods, and happy to accept the representation of their patron-Zhiraikaovei, which is, in essence, nothing more than a personification of what they are and/or do.

Gods give miracles.
Zhiraikaovei give guidance.

Imotinans, as a whole, crave guidance. They're all well aware of what had been happening to them under the Gods, and are religious only in that they make annual sacrifices/tributes to the Gods in gratitude for receding from the direct influence of the people and for the births of the Zhiraikaovei'ubu.

Ugh. I'm going to have to do a workup on Imotinan Theology now. Wonderful

2003-04-03T15:02:00.000-07:00

I skipped writing altogether yesterday. In the interim, I had an epihpany (sp?). Hiyo will instigate the investigation. Keiki's going to go bonkers when he gets the impulse to share the duty assigned by his cousin with the girl. heh heh.

Aside from that, no major developments on the writing front. Wheee.

2003-04-01T21:18:00.000-07:00

I got 2024 words done tonight. That's just over twice my goal for HoI. Whee. The chapter just took off from me. Keiki threatened to quit (his duties as Sabi'Oji). I ended up sending Barukei in and Keiki had a nice little "you hurt me" moment with him. I think this has effectively hit the ball back into Barukei's side of the court, so to speak. He's not happy. Keiki had to break several taboos so he could come to peace with his past with Barukei, and this has upset Barukei. Now, however, Keiki's able to focus on his other duties--I hope. I'll find out when I get back on HoI. I need to work on DS tomorrow. Whee.

Having cleansed his soul, I do believe Keiki's going to get a bit braver. He's been afraid to move on, I think, and I'm ready to shove him off into the dangers he needs to face; he had to tell Barukei how he felt first, I think. Now he's done that, I think he's ready to go off into the other important stuff. Like finding that illegal mage. And being dutifully horrified by Akiro's Tendering of Courtship.

As for Barukei, I believe he's going to be thinking very hard about what he's done to Keiki and Keiki's response. After all, Keiki, though he ran away from the situation when Barukei broke off their young relationship, did go to inei to become a Sabi'Oji. Barukei, I think is realizing that he's been moping about things too much. Not only that, his Sabi'Oji is serving him despite very mixed feelings. Things are not resolved on Barukei's side. In fact, now he knows it's Keiki under that gairi, I think he's going to either be more upset, or more thoughtful. Probably both. A little hopeful, even. Maybe. I hope Keiki's confession has awoken Barukei to some of Keiki's strengths, at least some of the truth of the breakup, and to some of Barukei's own weaknesses. Maybe now Barukei will take some risks. Whether or not he actually accepts Keiki's Certificate of Oji . . . that doesn't have to happen; it's not that important. What is: that they both do what they need to.

I think they're ready to.

2003-03-31T13:34:00.000-07:00

Damn. I accidentally signed out. They need to move the bloody sign out button over.

Anyway, I've been working on the reverse outline for HoI in preparation for the Dare on HL. My goal is for 1,000 words a day. Whee.

I already have an idea of what I want to do with things. In essence, I'll be pissing Barukei off. I may have his mother send a whole line of suiters to Barukei--why do things by halves? And Keiki will be right there to argue in favor of accepting Courtship--making sure he weighs his advice towards the only thing Barukei really considers: how things will help his Family. He's really going to push DLufeiyao, though, because 1)he IS Lord Zaothetezhi and 2) House Zaothetezhi is the Mercenary House. Need an army? Hire from House Zaothetezhi. Need a bodyguard? Hire from House Zaothetezhi. Their alliance will be very important in the future--if I ever get the second book done.

I may even throw Akiro into the mix. I wonder how long it'll take Keiki to choke out Akiro's virtues for House Faochimaotao? Keiki, of course, doesn't know what I know about Akiro . . . and it would provide an excellent excuse for his already unstable twin to go a bit more bonkers.

In the meantime, Keiki's going to be working on finding that illegal mage for his Cousin, the TLozhipei. Things are going to get dangerous, I think. Between Keiki's investigations and Akiro's apparent defection, Akotai's going to be getting very . . . messy.

Whee. I know what I'm doing. Well, with this one, anyway.

:)

2003-03-30T11:56:00.000-07:00

I know what I need to do with HoI today. I need to go through and update the reverse outlines. Whee. It's a hassle because I accidentally minimize something completly. This means I have to move the file I have open over, then back when I have the other one restored. Ugh. I can't wait until Mike's able to get down here so I can get that annoying program I hate on Ye Olde Borrower. At least then I'll be able to open up the same program several times so when I minimize something, it won't disappear.

I altered my wordcount pages; I intend to enter next month's Dare on HL. IIRC, I've decided to do Master-level on both projects. I'm not sure, though. Whee.

Once I get done with this reverse outline, I may have a better idea what to do. I hope so. I changed the last scene I wrote so instead of caving in, Barukei leaves. I don't know how Keiki's going to work around this. Maybe Hiyo will help? I don't know. I have to see what's going on. I think its about time TLowai and the other three showed up as Tendering of Courtship from DLufeiyao anyway. Hmmm. I get the feeling TLowai's going to like Keiki; I know she respects his devotion to duty.

I also need to work more on the background notes. I need to punch holes into the ones I've already got printed out. They're starting to look messy, curling up at the corners. I've also got to go through and redo the "cast list" and sort out the twins. I think Keiki's going to have more direct contact with Akiro, but he's going to be fighting Akotai magically. I'm begining to wonder if Akiro really isn't the mageborn one. He just had more . . . aptitude, so his minimal magic was trained, but his brother, who had no interest or aptitude, wasn't because he didn't show signs of having magic. It would explain why Akiro is the leader of their conspiration and the director of the magic and why Akotai is angry; he's learned he has greater magic than his twin and wants the greater portion of control. Which would also explain why he commandeers that Source; he thinks a private power source, which he has not been given (because he wasn't schooled), will give him the power to overwhelm his brother.

This is a new dimension here.

2003-03-29T17:48:00.000-07:00

Okay. I think I'm about done with the Blogs. I've even gotten my rants blog going. Whee.

I'm going to try to write a bit, but I'm not sure where HoI's going. I may end up working on DS instead. I plan on doing the reverse outline for what i have of HoI tomorrow, to see where I'm going with it. I've hit a stall, and I think it's because Barukei's given in too easily. Well, I'll have to change that. Unfortunately, I don't know how.

2003-03-28T17:52:00.000-07:00

I've spent most of my online time working on Pen and Keyboard II for The Dismantled Sword today. I've written a few words, and Barukei seems to be caving in to Keiki's wishes a little too easily. I wonder what's going through his head, especially since he still refuses to accept Keiki's Certificate of Oji.

Now all I have to do is get the Investigators to Keiki or vice-versa. Somehow. Whee.

2003-03-27T19:43:00.000-07:00

Ahhh. Spent a the day at a one-day job from temp agency. The break seems to have helped. Keiki's been "recruited" by his cousin to investigate a possible illegally operating mage. Since Barukei hasn't accepted his service, he isn't bound to Barukei's agreement. Of course, Barukei's jealous and upset. I think he's privately thinking of Keiki as his Sabi'Oji now, if not something more . . . intimate.

This is going to be a major twist of the plot and will bring things down upon Keiki. This investigation will also bring to light just how much involved in the interhouse-spying business Keiki's family is. tee hee. It's going to do everything the original draft did--and then some. I'm excited again! Whee. LOL

And poor Barukei. (HAH!)

2003-03-26T19:18:00.000-07:00

I haven't done anything on HoI recently. I worked on Heidi&Mem, whose story looks like its shaping up to be The Dismantled Sword, with a good bit of erotica in it. I haven't decided if I'll just add the title to this page, or make up a separate blog for DS. Either way, it looks like HoI will be getting a bit more erotic, too. Oh, whee. I. can't. wait. to. start. THOSE. sex. scenes.

LOL But I got myself into this, didn't I? At least y'all can't see me blushing when I write the stuff.

2003-03-25T18:32:00.000-07:00

YAAAAAAAARRRRGGHHH!

2003-03-24T17:55:00.000-07:00

WOOHOO! That scene I redid, I sent to Fetu Andi on HL. She saw the original BAD version. She says it's much improved, and she liked the little addition of the smoke from Barukei's nostrils. Whee!

I'm going to go over everything I've written after that scene and slog though the holey rough draft and see what I can do to more convincingly introduce the Evil Twin. I'll definitely keep the argument scene and the following one, where Barukei walks in on Keiki all but completely nude. I think it's important for Hiyo's development (she's becoming more important), and for the development of the tension between Keiki and Barukei. Up to this time, it's been Keiki and I want to show that Barukei's returning Keiki's interest, in spite of that gairi Keiki's required to wear in Barukei's presence as long as Barukei refuses Keiki's service.

I started Adelaide and Marion's novel today. I'm already going to make some changes to it, and I'll probably put up a Blog for them, too. It should be a more interesting blog, too; they aren't wasting time. LOL

2003-03-23T18:31:00.000-07:00

Late post attempt #2. I accidentally signed out before post&publishing my last post. My computer fell off the internet and I signed back in and hit the wrong button when I got back online. *sigh*

Back onto my main WIP with a frenzy now. I tried several methods of getting around the bad het-scene knot. I tried third pov again, then tried switching 1st pov's between Barukei and Keiki, which didn't work too well. I finally ended up cutting a couple of largely useless chapters out and reinserting the rest. I deleted the last scene and rewrote it from the gate of Barukei's new home. I basically shoved Keiki through the gate and Barukei followed along nicely. tee hee.

Imotinans are proving more violent than I thought they would. For all their silk-and-velvet finery, they've got some wicked weapons. The flat of Barukei's sword has some sort of coarse and harmful inlay that scratches Keiki through the headcloth. Keiki also does a little teasing when Barukei tries to throw him out.

LOL I'm liking this situation. Hiyo, who is approximately 15 in our years, chews out her uncle for his "mistreatment" of Keiki (he spent his first night at Barukei's new home on the porch--and prevented one of the twins from entering). Then Hiyo turns around, all sweetly and hugs Keiki in greeting and asks if they can practice sword-dancing. To do this, Keiki changes, and Barukei comes in when Keiki's back is turned; Keiki's almost naked, wearing only his underpants. LOL Barukei definitely liked what he saw, though he never got to see Keiki's face.

Whew! Now I just have to get Keiki out of the house, and I know exactly how to do it. It's time for an attempt on his or Barukei's life, don't you agree?

2003-03-21T16:01:00.000-07:00

I've just written a short story. Marion's. I've tried writing it before, but it never came out quite as I thought it should. I think going to the Character Chat at HL did me good last night. LOL The fun Marion had. She kicked a poor character named Ted in the crotch (he's considering cheating on his wife, apparently), met an evil Queen (whom she's offered to assassinate for besides finding quite enticing sexually), and an interesting toothy evil blue demon named Elethredil. All in all a very interesting night for Mem. I'm looking forward to the next Character Chat, though I'm not sure I'll bring Mem back. I have other characters I'd like to exercise.

On the main WIP, I intend to start working on it again sometime today. Well, maybe tomorrow, probably when my friends are here tomorow night. LOL I've allowed the good advice I've gotten to simmer a bit and I'm about ready to tackle the WIP. Wish me luck. Hopefully, it won't read as a bad hetero romance any more.

2003-03-20T17:30:00.000-07:00

I haven't written any today. I've been trying to figure out where I want a surprise wannabe-novel wants to go. I'm really just procrastinating on going through and seeing how things read in HoI, but the other characters, Adelaide and Marion (Heidi and Mem) have a valid story. I think I know what it is, but I'm going to think on it a while. I think.

If I can get Heidi and Mem's novel going, it'll give me a bit of a break from the 1st POV with Keiki and shake me out of the intensity of that situation. The way I'm thinking of playing their story out is having Heidi look for the stranger who keeps helping her (Mem). They're old characters, ones I've had for years, and I've been looking for their story for a long time. Besides, it'll be a first draft of theirs. My only fear is that I won't stick with HoI, even though I'm still excited about it. Oh, well.

Okay, I'm off to dredge through *something*. Oh, the joy of having two projects.

If I strangle my characters, you won't tell anyone, will you?

2003-03-19T14:32:00.000-07:00

Got in a little over 3,000 words last night, ending on a scene that's supposed to raise the sexual tension between my MC and Barukei. Unfortunately, Keiki sounds like a woman and the scene reads like something out of a bad hetero romance. Ick! I've sent a few PM's around on HL to see if I can get some advice.

I'm about ready to give up working the 1st pov junk with Keiki. Only problem is, I'd still make it seem like a bad hetero romance--and any 3rd pov I've tried has always flopped. It is NOT easy writing in 1st pov, especially when you're female and your MC is gay male.

*sigh*

Hopefully the guys can help. *crossing fingers* This relationship is too important to the novel; it's what drives Keiki further towards his duty, and he must be driven towards his duty in order to make the ending work. Not that Keiki will renounce his vows to his Zhiraikaovei, but those vows will eventually be the only thing driving him to protect Barukei and himself and to find a proper heir.

2003-03-18T12:26:00.000-07:00

I didn't actually get to writing last night. I realized that I needed to start a scene involving the Imotinan dishes/silverware. This is more complicated than it sounds. I didn't have the interest to work on it last night, so the scene's been stewing for a while. Ugh. I do not want to do this. Imotina isn't your typical run-of-the-mill based-on-medieval-Europe scene. There are social customs that come from well before Imotina was an Empire, and the characters refuse to let me drop the dishes. Besides, it'll give me a good way to explain something on making Alliances, etc. *sigh* I just wish I didn't have to write it all out. Worldbuilding can be so tedious sometimes.

Maybe I'll watch a movie. Write it longhand. That might help. I think I'll try that. Going to look at movies now . . . .

2003-03-17T20:40:00.000-07:00

I'm really looking forward to writing. I've been working on my WIP kit some more and have gotten the brief list of Zhiraikaovei and the Imotinan numbers printed out. Also, the names of the days, weeks and months. It's all very simple and mundane. One Month, Two Month, etc. on up to Sixteen Month. Same with the days. And weeks of each month. Whee. I'm working on the glossary for clothes right now and my minds been blown.

Maybe I can get past that stall I'm in.

Anyway, I saw the movie "The Hunted" tonight and while watching the credits (to see who it was singing one of the songs) I figured out why the sword-dancing stuff's so important. Keiki's going to be challenged. Whee. I get to write about fighting with swords (which I don't know how to do) using a system that's purely imaginary (which I can do. I think). I don't know how that fight's going to come about, but I do know that his opponent isn't going to be competing for skill, but for life.

Okay, going to go punch holes in my printouts and try to write. Wish me luck.