I haven't gotten very far on the writing goals yet this month. 993 new words written, 1824 if I add in the count from May 31st. I had a good start, then realized my scene had the wrong emotional overtones which meant the characterization didn't fit with the first scene. Even the history and political structure had changed based on the tidbits I'd thrown in. I reread my original notes and decided that I preferred the old context. The whole scene went into my cut file. 3k words=ouch.
After taking a few days to study what pulled it out of alignment and read up on various empires for ideas to solidify my basic concept, I got trickling forward again. Some of what I'd had has been recycled back in. New stuff is trickling in, but I think I'm picking up momentum again. Whether I finish the scene today is questionable, but I will try.
Do any of you have similar stories you'd like to share?
Showing posts with label change. Show all posts
Showing posts with label change. Show all posts
Labyrinth
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
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One of the classic movies I grew up with is Labyrinth. It was utter magic to me. Even though I faced different issues than Sarah was going through, I felt a certain understanding for her character. Maybe it was that we were both fantasy-absorbed. She was escaping her changed family life, and I was escaping my changed social life. (I discovered the movie a few years after it was released.)
Plus it's a Jim Henson movie. Goblins are almost cute as muppets. From IMDB.com:
The labyrinth was never what she expected, but its changing ways--influenced by her choices and words--forced her to discover and accept changes in herself. If she had reached Jareth's castle easily, she might have still failed in saving Toby. It was her self discovery along the way that allowed her to succeed.
Not only was the story meaningful to me, but the music is catchy. In fact this post was going to be about something else, but then I popped on the Labyrinth soundtrack. I decided to share this favorite from my collection instead.
Who else is a Labyrinth fan? What is your favorite quote?
Here is one of my many favorites.
Jareth: Hello, Hedgewart.
Sarah: Hogwart.
Hoggle: Hog-gle!
(and 11 years later we get Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, hehe)
Here's another one: Too bad the image is distorted, but it's still a gem of a scene. Sarah gets advice from a worm.
Plus it's a Jim Henson movie. Goblins are almost cute as muppets. From IMDB.com:
15-year-old Sarah accidentally wishes her baby half-brother, Toby, away to the Goblin King Jareth who will keep Toby if Sarah does not complete his Labyrinth in 13 hours.
The labyrinth was never what she expected, but its changing ways--influenced by her choices and words--forced her to discover and accept changes in herself. If she had reached Jareth's castle easily, she might have still failed in saving Toby. It was her self discovery along the way that allowed her to succeed.
Not only was the story meaningful to me, but the music is catchy. In fact this post was going to be about something else, but then I popped on the Labyrinth soundtrack. I decided to share this favorite from my collection instead.
Who else is a Labyrinth fan? What is your favorite quote?
Here is one of my many favorites.
Jareth: Hello, Hedgewart.
Sarah: Hogwart.
Hoggle: Hog-gle!
(and 11 years later we get Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, hehe)
Here's another one: Too bad the image is distorted, but it's still a gem of a scene. Sarah gets advice from a worm.
The Tower at Stony Wood
Monday, January 24, 2011
| | | 4 comments
From the jacket flap of The Tower at Stony Wood:
To be honest, when Cyan got his quest from the Bard of Skye, he was only asked to rescue the true queen. The false queen tried to warn him off by saying that if the true queen ever left her tower, she would die. That if she ever even looked at the world directly rather than through her enchanted mirror, she would die. So there was no way he could save her. But Cyan fought the false queen's sorcery to swear he'd find a way. Ill-prepared, he set out on his journey.
However, once he is on his way, we are promptly introduced to Melanthos, a baker's daughter in the land of Skye, and then Thayne Ysse, the oldest surviving son of the lord who had once ruled the North Islands.
Thayne's addition is more clear as to why he'd been added; he wants to find a way to take back the islands from the king of Yves, Cyan's king. A dragon and its hoard would be potent resources to that goal. His path crosses with Cyan's fairly early in the journey, so that the knight has more impetus to complete his quest quickly in order to return in time to save his king's life again. But Melanthos, in her tower with an ensorceled mirror of her own and the compulsion to embroider what she sees in it, is more passive, an observer. She is later joined by her mother who is stranger and becomes even more absorbed by the mirror than Melanthos. I often found myself questioning their importance to the story, especially since I couldn't remember how it ended. (I read it several years ago.)
Cyan tries hard to find the tower with the true lady of Skye. He faces setback after setback from being waylaid in the woods, to nearly being killed by Thayne, to finding a few wrong towers. But he persists in his quest even though his heart quails that he will ever succeed. Ultimately, the book is about his quest. It just turns out that there was more to his quest than he'd been told. Melanthos and her mother and Thayne were a part of that. Everything had a reason.
The Tower at Stony Wood is not an easy read. It's like one of those old fables rich in description and ancient magics. However, convoluted and meandering as the plot seemed, it was all carefully planned from the beginning. I thought it really paid off. I still don't want to read it all that often, but it is well worth reading every so often just to study the crafting. I recommend that you read it at least once to study the way she fit the story arcs together and builds her world. Just have patience. It's worth it.
During the wedding festivities of the king, Cyan Dag, a knight of Gloinmere, is sought out by a mysterious bard and told a terrifying tale: that the king has married a false queen--a lie cloaked in ancient and powerful sorcery. Spurred on by his steadfast honor and loyalty, Cyan departs on a dangerous quest to rescue the real queen from her tower prison, to prevent war, and to awaken magic in a land that has lost its way...
To be honest, when Cyan got his quest from the Bard of Skye, he was only asked to rescue the true queen. The false queen tried to warn him off by saying that if the true queen ever left her tower, she would die. That if she ever even looked at the world directly rather than through her enchanted mirror, she would die. So there was no way he could save her. But Cyan fought the false queen's sorcery to swear he'd find a way. Ill-prepared, he set out on his journey.
However, once he is on his way, we are promptly introduced to Melanthos, a baker's daughter in the land of Skye, and then Thayne Ysse, the oldest surviving son of the lord who had once ruled the North Islands.
Thayne's addition is more clear as to why he'd been added; he wants to find a way to take back the islands from the king of Yves, Cyan's king. A dragon and its hoard would be potent resources to that goal. His path crosses with Cyan's fairly early in the journey, so that the knight has more impetus to complete his quest quickly in order to return in time to save his king's life again. But Melanthos, in her tower with an ensorceled mirror of her own and the compulsion to embroider what she sees in it, is more passive, an observer. She is later joined by her mother who is stranger and becomes even more absorbed by the mirror than Melanthos. I often found myself questioning their importance to the story, especially since I couldn't remember how it ended. (I read it several years ago.)
Cyan tries hard to find the tower with the true lady of Skye. He faces setback after setback from being waylaid in the woods, to nearly being killed by Thayne, to finding a few wrong towers. But he persists in his quest even though his heart quails that he will ever succeed. Ultimately, the book is about his quest. It just turns out that there was more to his quest than he'd been told. Melanthos and her mother and Thayne were a part of that. Everything had a reason.
The Tower at Stony Wood is not an easy read. It's like one of those old fables rich in description and ancient magics. However, convoluted and meandering as the plot seemed, it was all carefully planned from the beginning. I thought it really paid off. I still don't want to read it all that often, but it is well worth reading every so often just to study the crafting. I recommend that you read it at least once to study the way she fit the story arcs together and builds her world. Just have patience. It's worth it.
Blog updates under way
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
| | | 4 comments
First step: new layout. The blue was pretty, but I wanted something with more flavor. Out of the ones I found, this was the best fit in layout and theme. It only took a few hours to choose and then customize the font colors. It might change again if I find a look I like better (dragons and books perhaps), but I'm pretty happy with how this turned out. I hope you like it, too.
Next step: add/update features. I'm thinking a page of treasures for collecting pictures and poems. I might also shift all my labels to their own page. Stay tuned. :D
Next step: add/update features. I'm thinking a page of treasures for collecting pictures and poems. I might also shift all my labels to their own page. Stay tuned. :D
Young Fliers
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
| | | 2 comments
I'm sure many of us have dreamed of flying. I know I have. My flying dreams were among my more lucid ones. I'd dip and soar, going pretty much anywhere I wanted. But it's been a long time since I've had a flying dream. Maybe it's from getting older. Or maybe I've found a new way to fly that doesn't require dreams, such as my writing. Change doesn't have to be something to fear or regret. That is what Newton and Vanessa discover in The Things With Wings by Gregory J. Helch.
Angel Falls holds a secret, something connected to the Emerald Rainbow butterflies that stay for a week every spring on their migration path. Newton is a newcomer in town. Growing up with actors and constantly moving, he's become fearful of change, a watcher rather than a do-er. Vanessa has lived here all her life, and she wishes her middle name was Adventure. She tells him when they meet that she has always wanted to fly, has dreamed about it. When they realize their classmates have gone missing, her inquisitive and friendly nature pulls him into the middle of the mystery. But who is the strange man who keeps following them?
Now Newton must learn to accept that change cannot be stopped, nor should it be feared. Sometimes dreams can take wing through it. No one ever said growing up was easy.
The ending of this book almost made me toss it aside, looking like one of those "Was it just a dream?" endings. I promise it isn't. I'm glad I had the patience to finish, because despite the sense of sadness, a half-forgotten moment from the middle of the story allows for closure and hope that all is not lost. That change can be sad and promising at the same time. A good thing for tweens to remember as they enter their own big changes.
Humans aren't the only ones to have dreams. In Troll King by John Vornholt, Rollo would love to be able to enjoy the daytime. He imagines smelling flowers, chasing dragonflies, and napping where it is warm and dry. But it is risky to be out in the sunshine. Ogre patrols punish trolls caught out in the sun without a good reason. The ones allowed to work in the daytime are heavily guarded. Rollo would love to get off bridge building but isn't sure daytime work is worth being hemmed in by their masters.
Changes come to the Dismal Swamp when Stygius Rex, the ancient sorcerer who rules over all the ogres, ghouls, and trolls living in the land of Bonespittle, decides he wants to expand his territory by making a bridge over the Great Chasm. He needs the trolls to build it for him. Rollo ends up an unintended volunteer and then a crew leader during their training. His team gets chosen to be the first trolls to be flown over Rawchill River, a major obstacle on the way to the Chasm. Even though it is the sorcerer's magic, Rollo discovers flying to be a fascinating as he imagined. Maybe they really can bridge the Chasm and make peaceful contact with the elves and fairies who live in the Bonny Woods!
Because of his ingenuity in training and leadership over his crew, the sorcerer picks Rollo to help him and General Drool scout the other side of the Chasm. Again the flying magic is used on him to get there. And he is learning control over it now. The magic is contagious.
When Stygius Rex and General Drool capture Clipper, the fairy Rollo has talked into considering peaceful terms, Rollo has to decide who he is going to help. That decision will fly him into big changes for himself and the other trolls.
Vornholt crafted functioning societies and vivid descriptions. Trolls are not quite what you'd expect. He plays with preconceptions and puts his own spin on them. Despite some of the lack-luster reviews on Amazon, I enjoyed it. And I am going to be looking for The Troll Queen and The Troll Treasure to find out what happens next in Rollo's adventures. The Troll King will probably have more appeal with boys, but girls who enjoy more than just pink, cute critters, and other "girly" stuff will have fun with this, too. I think I would have enjoyed this when I was a tween.
(For the record, I loathed pink back then, even though I did enjoy some of the girly stuff like My Little Ponies. I like pink better now, but I still prefer it in small doses and in specific hues. Not particularly relevant but it gives you an idea of my sort of taste: eclectic.)
Angel Falls holds a secret, something connected to the Emerald Rainbow butterflies that stay for a week every spring on their migration path. Newton is a newcomer in town. Growing up with actors and constantly moving, he's become fearful of change, a watcher rather than a do-er. Vanessa has lived here all her life, and she wishes her middle name was Adventure. She tells him when they meet that she has always wanted to fly, has dreamed about it. When they realize their classmates have gone missing, her inquisitive and friendly nature pulls him into the middle of the mystery. But who is the strange man who keeps following them?
Now Newton must learn to accept that change cannot be stopped, nor should it be feared. Sometimes dreams can take wing through it. No one ever said growing up was easy.
The ending of this book almost made me toss it aside, looking like one of those "Was it just a dream?" endings. I promise it isn't. I'm glad I had the patience to finish, because despite the sense of sadness, a half-forgotten moment from the middle of the story allows for closure and hope that all is not lost. That change can be sad and promising at the same time. A good thing for tweens to remember as they enter their own big changes.
Humans aren't the only ones to have dreams. In Troll King by John Vornholt, Rollo would love to be able to enjoy the daytime. He imagines smelling flowers, chasing dragonflies, and napping where it is warm and dry. But it is risky to be out in the sunshine. Ogre patrols punish trolls caught out in the sun without a good reason. The ones allowed to work in the daytime are heavily guarded. Rollo would love to get off bridge building but isn't sure daytime work is worth being hemmed in by their masters.
Changes come to the Dismal Swamp when Stygius Rex, the ancient sorcerer who rules over all the ogres, ghouls, and trolls living in the land of Bonespittle, decides he wants to expand his territory by making a bridge over the Great Chasm. He needs the trolls to build it for him. Rollo ends up an unintended volunteer and then a crew leader during their training. His team gets chosen to be the first trolls to be flown over Rawchill River, a major obstacle on the way to the Chasm. Even though it is the sorcerer's magic, Rollo discovers flying to be a fascinating as he imagined. Maybe they really can bridge the Chasm and make peaceful contact with the elves and fairies who live in the Bonny Woods!
Because of his ingenuity in training and leadership over his crew, the sorcerer picks Rollo to help him and General Drool scout the other side of the Chasm. Again the flying magic is used on him to get there. And he is learning control over it now. The magic is contagious.
When Stygius Rex and General Drool capture Clipper, the fairy Rollo has talked into considering peaceful terms, Rollo has to decide who he is going to help. That decision will fly him into big changes for himself and the other trolls.
Vornholt crafted functioning societies and vivid descriptions. Trolls are not quite what you'd expect. He plays with preconceptions and puts his own spin on them. Despite some of the lack-luster reviews on Amazon, I enjoyed it. And I am going to be looking for The Troll Queen and The Troll Treasure to find out what happens next in Rollo's adventures. The Troll King will probably have more appeal with boys, but girls who enjoy more than just pink, cute critters, and other "girly" stuff will have fun with this, too. I think I would have enjoyed this when I was a tween.
(For the record, I loathed pink back then, even though I did enjoy some of the girly stuff like My Little Ponies. I like pink better now, but I still prefer it in small doses and in specific hues. Not particularly relevant but it gives you an idea of my sort of taste: eclectic.)
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