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[Annie]

Sorry about all the questions, hope you don't mind! Oda living with her grandmother sounds good. Will Brix living with Jolly add a extra closeness between these two do you think, more brother-like?

[OddmentTweak]

I love talking about this, I don't mind your questions.  It helps us guage what caught a reader's interest and what is working well and what not so much.    Yes, Brix is much more like Jolly's brother than Oda's.  And they both feel like they are stuck watching out for her.

Its just that we try to be careful to not give too much away.   Although is is just so fun when the pieces of the puzzle we are building start to fall together!

... the character's personalities and what we need them to do,
... the generations before that set up our situations,
... historical folks and stories and philosophies that lend a reality to our world...

This is the most fun intellectually I have had.      We are studying and researching as much as we did in college, but loving every minute.

And it's totally true that your own characters will surprise you with what they do.     I was very surprised that Daphne kicked Arne when they were captives of the pirates.  Even though I was writing that scene, I laughed and laughed when she did it.  I did not see that coming, did you?

[Annie]

And it's totally true that your own characters will surprise you with what they do.     I was very surprised that Daphne kicked Arne when they were captives of the pirates.  Even though I was writing that scene, I laughed and laughed when she did it.  I did not see that coming, did you?

Didn't expect it. I felt sorry for Arne. But, I did like that Daphne developed some get-up-and-go. I don't empathize that well with girly-girly type of characters, I like them to have some sort of strength to them. Whether it be, abilities, or strength of spirit, etc. But, don't like them much, being punch or hex-happy either. A happy middle ground, I think.

Posted on: March 10, 2008, 06:23:32 AMHi

I was just wondering how your re-write of the beginning of your story is going?  I hope you haven't cut Boje out to much. 

[OddmentTweak]

Hi Annie.   

How kind of you to still be interested.  Thank you. 

Right now, I'm not sure how to answer your question.  We have not dealt with the Oda's early life, and her friend Boje for a long while.  But I do believe he is a favorite of NyC, and has a secure place as the human reacting to the magical world.

We have lately been learning about archetypes, and their form (and uses) in psychology, folktales and mythology.  We have been discussing how to frame our background characters to most effectively set up the conflicts and the final resolution.  Most of our original plans have morphed into rather unrecognizable new forms.  But I feel we have more depth, mystery and resonance now.

Yet, never fear.  The same writer of Bikini Girl is in charge here too.     We still love the kids we started with, and they will get into plenty of trouble.   

[Annie]

How kind of you to still be interested.  Thank you. 

Of course I am still interested! 

But I do believe he is a favorite of NyC, and has a secure place as the human reacting to the magical world.

  Good, glad to hear that. I'm quite fond of the little fella; his form in the current Tears of Ash story.

We have lately been learning about archetypes, and their form (and uses) in psychology, folktales and mythology.  We have been discussing how to frame our background characters to most effectively set up the conflicts and the final resolution.  Most of our original plans have morphed into rather unrecognizable new forms.  But I feel we have more depth, mystery and resonance now.

You mean like: Culture heros, Tricksters, Old Wise Men/Women, etc? Sounds very interesting where you're both going with the story.

[OddmentTweak]

Yes, that's what I mean. 

We started out sticking closely to Norse mythology, as you can tell from the names we picked.  It has a full cast of characters like the Greek mythology, and has not been as deeply mined (until Tolkien got the ball rolling) 

As our interests expand we saw how good stories use variations of human nature and how wee need to grow as their base.  Why and how do men find the world of faerie, how do they leave, how are they changed?  Why is the ocean, caves, darkness, the moon used for the unconscious?  Why do we love the idea of 'having powers' so much?   

If you have been following NyC's HP and Dante series, you will know that she has been thinking about the symbolism and characters he meets up with in Paradise.  Some of those myths have shown up in our plans now.     I began looking at the Gilgamesh Epic and pondering how it deals with wild men, civilization, death, wise ruling and life.     

We have also been seeking sketchy historical figures and wondrous historical tales that we can 'borrow' and explain our own way.     

In short, its still very fun to work on.   

[Annie]

Humans at some point in their lives seem to ponder: "What's the point of it all?" Why do things happen, why are we here? Personifications seem to arise as a way of having reason and thought for why/how set things occur, instead of it just being random and unfair. Some explanation for things we don't understand (or didn't all those years ago in some cases).  Sorry, just feeling philosophical this evening. 

[Conidia]

Okay, I just finished chapter 5. 

I noticed this: "The niche contained a velvet pillow holding a richly decorated, coiled, silver Horn."

I would like to know how richly decorated this thing was. It sounds beautiful! Was it carved wood, laden in silver, or was it cast? Perhaps the metal was manipulated while still molten...

Yet, I know that there are times when detail serves to halt the story and takes away from its flow.

[OddmentTweak]

Hi Conidia!:hello:
Thanks for your comments.  I'm still struggling with 'how much detail', so your comments on which parts you are the most curious about help to pinpoint which things we should elaborate upon.

The horn. While NyC wrote that part, I envisioned a cross between these:

Can you picture those heraldic horns in the King Arthur type movies that had the banners flowing down from them?  Like extended trumpets?  Well, make one large circle curled around with one of those (instead of straight or the multi-coils of the trumpet) rather like the main circle of a french horn...

then decorated like one of these.... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Horns_of_Gallehus

Since we are using a Norse template, it would have been made by the dwarf smiths under the mountains, using their special magical skills.

Hope that helps.

[Conidia]

Ooh! I like the last line of ch. 6!
Posted on: July 30, 2008, 12:43:36 PM

Hi Conidia!:hello:
Thanks for your comments.  I'm still struggling with 'how much detail', so your comments on which parts you are the most curious about help to pinpoint which things we should elaborate upon.

The horn. While NyC wrote that part, I envisioned a cross between these:

Can you picture those heraldic horns in the King Arthur type movies that had the banners flowing down from them?  Like extended trumpets?  Well, make one large circle curled around with one of those (instead of straight or the multi-coils of the trumpet) rather like the main circle of a french horn...

then decorated like one of these.... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Horns_of_Gallehus


Since we are using a Norse template, it would have been made by the dwarf smiths under the mountains, using their special magical skills.

Hope that helps.

I really like the sound of it! Thanks for explaining. 

___
8/1/08
Started ch 7: '“Yes, Headmistress.” the man inclined his head slightly at the woman now smoothing the front of her richly embroidered garment.  The ceremonial robes suited her, making her appear as queenly as she had always seemed to him.  Silver threads decorating the hem, sleeves and neckline echoed the silvery streaks that now threaded their way through her hair.  She always wore her hair pinned up in a braided knot ornamented with sparkling deep blue stones.'

Yay!!! I imagined, as I read, that her hair and the silver in the neck of her robes blended, appearing as one, because they were the same color. I guess what I'm describing sounds a little Bride of Frankenstein-ish, but with the bun, maybe less so.

As for stones, I'm thinking lapis lazuli. Check these out: http://www.demairo.com/images/upload/lapis-lazuli-vases-04b.jpg

Oh! but you said "sparkling!" Well, I was thinking more of the color, anyway, but I got a really nice picture. Thanks for the detail. Good job!