Writing

Valenta's Choice

I didn't get any words in over this weekend. I did, however, get a quick and dirty crit on what I'd already written. That was useful. Rachel is one of my usual first readers and she squirmed in the right places (you'll get it soon enough, Melanie). She also picked up on the places I already knew needed work. That was oddly reassuring. My goal this morning was to get the full draft finished this week. Unfortunately, by this evening, I'm starting to have novelish thoughts. Since Valenta was inspired by a highly speculative anthology idea, I won't feel too bad if it ends up sitting on the shelf a while longer. Until I hear an absolute 'yea' or 'nay' on the anthology's future, I wouldn't be sending it anywhere else anyway.

Refuge

Oh, my.

Now, first of all, our stories and characters and universes are very dissimilar. That doesn't change the fact that we've managed to come up with some incredible similarities. I suspect that many of them will go unnoticed by readers, but we, naturally enough, are very aware of them. It makes the whole process of discussing our novels rather interesting. Fortunately, we're both satisfied with our own views. Not much danger of either of us stealing from the other. It's a little unnerving at times, though.

Back to my novelish thoughts. One of the things that's been poking at the back of my mind has been the question of religion. Now, formal religion isn't very important to me on a personal level. Religion is, generally, pretty important to any culture you care to name. That being the case, I knew I needed to develop a religion of some sort for my universe... but what kind had been eluding me. I knew I didn't want to get into anything that's too formalized. Designing it would bore me and if it bores me, I can't help but think it would bore my readers. So, I started thinking about the bits of the culture I've already designed, as well as the history of the various characters. What would provide some interesting bits of business? Could I find something that would intensify some motivations? How about something that would provide some additional motivations? Or additional complications, for that matter.

I believe I have come up with something that will be workable, interesting to me (and so, hopefully, interesting to my readers) as well as enriching to the story itself. One of the hallmarks of my novel is change. Lots of things are in flux as forces from both within and without challenge established ideas and ways of doing things. The bare bones of local religious life is based on a form of ancestor worship, though I suppose it's less 'worship' than 'honoring'. There's also the idea that the dead watch out for the living (I haven't decided if this is going to be fact or belief). You might not have a guardian angel... but Grandma might be looking over your shoulder and keeping you out of trouble.

Of course, my protagonist, Stev (the minor character at the end of "Bones" not the major character at the beginning) is an orphan. As is most of his generation. There was an illness that swept through Al-Nabo in his childhood that killed a large percentage of the adults. As happens with many illnesses, it hit the adults harder than the children. So, there is a generation of orphans growing up in a culture where family is revered and they don't have any. There's also an entire generation asking why their other ancestors couldn't protect their parents. Sounds ripe for a charismatic leader to me. We shall see.

Bloomin' Central Texas

Ah, yes, the wildflowers are in bloom and the barbeque is ripe. Or something like that. Went to visit Rachel and James and got to see loads of loverly bluebonnets (including some that don't have the white tips - incredible color!), Indian paint brush, Indian blanket, 'yellow pasture flowers' (about 18 different types and I have no idea what they're really called), bachelor buttons, red clover, buttercups. You name it and it was blooming.

But we didn't spend the entire time looking at wildflowers. No, we spent way too many hours playing a game called Black and White. James bought it, so he got to play it. We just kibitzed. In this game, the player is god (that certainly appeals to me). You have a village that you can either get to believe in you because of your good works or because of the terror you inspire. You get A Creature [tm] that you must train to do your bidding (and to not eat the villagers... unless you're into that sort of thing. I shall never look at cows in quite the same way.) There are all sorts of puzzles to solve and other forces to do battle with. It has a very Mystish feel, though it's more than just logic puzzles.

I suspect it's just as well that I don't own a copy of this. I'd never get any writing done.