A Stop on the Road

Seems I’ve lost immediate inspiration for Eye of the Peacock. I think I need a break to figure out some plot probs. In the meantime, I’ve begun toying with another idea that’s been knocking on my cranium.

I’ve been inspired by a location – again.  And shortly after visiting the sight this summer, a character for a fantasy popped into my head. I’ve developed him briefly, but he doesn’t even have a name yet.

Then, about two nights ago, at about 2 a.m. another character popped into my head. I think she starts the story. I’m trying to figure out how the two characters will connect – if they’ll ever meet.

The whole situation, made me remember Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey. If you’ve never seen it, I’ve included a graphic. It’s a great outline for any hero’s story. I started using it when first organizing Peacock. I’m going to start working with it again to see how my new characters and the ever important location fit.

 

In Honor of Snape

"It is an ancient need to be told in stories. But the story needs a great storyteller."
                           - Alan Rickman

What sad news that Alan Rickman has passed.

He brought to life the unforgettable character of Severus Snape from the Harry Potter series. Often when I read a book, I create the characters in my head. Then, when I see the movie, I am undoubtedly disappointed by the actors chosen for the roles. But not with Alan Rickman’s portrayal. He was the perfect Snape.

 

I enjoyed how he acted with his eyes. If you knew the secrets the character held, you could see hints of them in his expressions all through the movies. It makes me truly sad that Snape, the unlikely hero, has died again.

As Snape loved Lily, we will love him “Always.”

Crafting Similes

Writing Tip #7: Figurative language is a good way to move your writing from draft to craft. But all wording in your writing must be chosen carefully. If it doesn’t advance the plot, or add to character development or setting, it needs to be eliminated or changed.

I’m currently reading Cinder by Marissa Meyer, and while I love the story and most of her descriptions and word choice, I came upon this simile: “…Sybil floating into it like a feather upon a breeze.” At first I loved the simile, but the more I think of it, the more it bothers me. The words give me a pleasant image, and yet the character is rather sinister. The only way I can doctor the image in my mind is if the feather is a left-over from a raptor attack.

If you want to see examples of similes that truly, artfully add to the craft of the story, search for them in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. Similes aren’t there just for the sake of simile, they build the story. “Aunt Alexander fitted into the world of Maycomb like a hand into a glove.” She could have fit like a foot in a boot, or cereal in a box, but the simile itself displays what part of Maycomb’s society Aunt Alexander fit into.

 

Use similes and other figurative language sparingly and use them well.

Melon Research

From St. Nicholas Magazine, August 1916.
From the Dave Thomson
collection

“Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please.”

                  -Mark Twain

That’s been my writing job this week. Getting the facts.

Both Eye of the Peacock, and Relic, are inspired by real mansions in New York State. The stories are ficticious, but I like pieces of the story to ring true for the age and location of each real place. So, I’ve been doing some research as I’ve been writing. The extra time over the holidays has allowed for this nicely.

This morning, for instance, I was looking into conservatories, greenhouses, the differences between them, how they are constructed, and details about the real greenhouses on this particular property. I’ve also been researching melons – yes, melons! Muskmelons versus Casabas, and how growers use little hammocks to protect them from falling.

Both of these, believe it or not, are needed in my next supernatural mystery.

No, it’s not about an attack of ghost Casabas from a haunted greenhouse….