You ever read a story and the character does something that seems out of place? Maybe the noble hero flat out killed someone for insulting him. Perhaps the villain laid waste to an entire town and left the school alone even though he swore every man, woman, and child would die. There are various reasons this can happen, but it can really throw a reader off. These abrupt and isolated changes of moral alignment can break a book if done at the major climax. This is why an author has to always remember the essence of a character and their experiences.
Though it can always go down the drain if the reader has a different perspective and mindset for the hero. For example, I once got into a debate with someone over Spider-Man. He maintained that it was ridiculous for Spidey to avoid killing his enemies because dead villains are no longer a threat. At least outside of comics, but you know what he means. My argument was that it simply wasn’t in Spider-Man’s nature to willingly kill his enemy and doing so would break his established character. If he did then he would have to show grief or something to build a bridge to a new personality or to get back to the old one with a new scar. So, you see how a reader can demand an abrupt change of moral alignment because it makes sense for their perception.
This week I’m going to talk about three areas that a sudden change irks me: violence, romantic relationships, and loyalty. So I’m trying really hard not to dive into these areas right now.
What do people think about this topic? Can you think of any books, movies, or shows where a character breaks their own moral code with no hesitation or consequences?
Made it through the break with only minor injuries. Tomorrow will be a day of outlining and relaxing with my newest DVD set: Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood. I’ve seen the original series and read a lot of the manga, so I’m looking forward to this. With any luck, I won’t be bombarded by distractions and chaos.
What does this mean for the rest of the week?
Well, it means tomorrow I try to kickstart my imagination and get back into a Windemere groove. Wednesday will be when I tackle Book 8 of Legends of Windemere. With any luck, I’ll have 2 chapters done by the weekend and I can write this book within 2 months now that the outline is fixed up. I might take a little time tomorrow to set up ‘Excerpt Week’, but it depends on if I get any suggestions or can think of anything myself.
It’s the last day of the Monster/Magic Item/Whatever fun and here are all of the people who shot me short lists. First up is Chris McMullen:
Kheyjm
An aquatic predator found in the open ocean, the Kheyim travel in schools. They are modest-sized fish that are dark blue with a white dorsal fin and black tail fins. Their pectoral fins are clear and can be suddenly extended to deliver a slice to their target. The school will surround prey and dart around while slashing at it. Some studies have shown that they may do this to a fish they don’t intend to eat in order to attract their favorite meal: shark.
Nobody is sure if they should classify this creature as a duck or a dog. It has the bill and webbed feet of a duck as well as a love of water. Yet, it has the shaggy fur, sharp teeth, and four legs of a Pomeranian. The typically gentle nature of the Daawkwiddle has led to it becoming a popular pet, but there is one complaint. It is a picky and difficult eater who switches from dog food to duck food (especially snails) without warning. Some have even been known to make the switch in the middle of a meal and knock over its food bowl in anger. It doesn’t attack, but struts off to mope under a table or couch.
Indigenous to cities in tropical climates, this crab-like parasite can be found on any of the armadillo family. It hides within their armor to occasionally feed off blood, but not enough to draw attention at first. When the Dasypoedidaewahl grows to the size of a quarter, it begins injecting a hardening agent into the host. It gradually sucks out the internal liquids to make room for the agent, which petrifies the armadillo. After hollowing the body out, the parasite lays its eggs and dies.
Jacinthewoky
A dance done by the men and women of the Kelpie Isles, it is performed during the Harvest Festival. Each person holds a white handkerchief and holds it out in front of them with both hands. They perform a series of complicated steps for an hour, which works up a sweat. Once the dance is done, the performers quickly tie the handkerchief around their heads where it either remains white or turns orange. If it turns orange then that person has been chosen to help pick the crops when they’re ripe.
Jettaturathicus
The victim of an Evil Eye done by the sixth female descendant of a third son born out of wedlock under a triple star eclipse. Those hit by this curse are made sterile, plagued by night terrors, and can never eat chocolate again.
This legendary beast is rumored to wander the Plains of Semikol, which has been a barren wasteland for centuries. Nobody knows what happened to the tribes or animals that lived here. One day they simply disappeared and left nothing but ruins and a sea of bones. Of course people blame the Krimkiklekawanamung since it might be the only creature left in the area. The problem is that it isn’t some large beast. If the stories are true then it’s actually a fist-sized beetle and there’s only one of them. It is dull orange with a black heart on its back and it darts around, never stopping for longer than an instant if it truly exists. Considering the Plains of Semikol span for a couple hundred thousand miles, it’s possible the Krimkiklekawanamung (translated to either Devourer of Life or Easily Crushed by a Rock) exists. The chance of it being the creature that turned the region into a near lifeless wasteland? Many don’t think it’s possible.
Not really sure where to even start here. I’m exhausted and stressed. If last weekend proved anything, I can’t really go into how things work around here. Otherwise, I get a lecture/debate on this side of the machine. Let’s just say that it’s been ‘suggested’ that I watch what I say on here. So if I’m in a bad mood, I slap on a fake smile or disappear to avoid anyone thinking I dislike people and aspects of my life. The whole issue with Matzoh being one of the few things to eat in the house and setting off my IBS hasn’t helped me.
I’m really not feeling social by any stretch of the imagination. This sucks because the weather is good and my son can play outside. I don’t think people realize that by always leaving me in charge of him, things pile up. So when a family outing is about to take place or he’s going to have a new experience, I’m forced to decide between work and son. This is a shitty situation to put someone in. I can’t even get writing done because by the time I get to a computer, I have tons of emails to sift through. Mostly I’ve been deleting them this week because I’m simply not in the mood for things. Hell, I might be burning out on blogging and human interaction entirely at this point.
All I want to do is write, but I don’t even know what to work on now. I keep saying Book 8 will be started. Probably Wednesday as I take Tuesday as an attempt to recover some energy. History teaches me that I’ll come out worse than I started, but what the hell. Yet part of me wants to go over Book 5 and another part wants to focus more on getting the characters of another series written up. You know, that main goal of my 3 week ‘vacation’ that is nowhere near being completed. I might finish the heroes and a few villains if I use Tuesday.
This has really been nothing more than a downer post, but it shouldn’t be a surprise for anyone who knows certain aspects of my situation. Anyway, I’ll see if I can piece together a few goals:
Start writing The Merchant of Nevra Coil.
Design a few characters for The Elysium Saga.
Get off the Passover diet of glorified crackers that make my intestines cry.
So, I wanted to do something special for the first week in May . . . Actually, I’m lazy and lost my list of post themes at some point. I think I was going to do something about languages, but that isn’t as interesting as it was before. I’ll save it for later since I have a better idea.
I want to post excerpts from my first 5 books. I’d go for 6, but that reaches a point where I can’t avoid certain spoilers. Then again, there is a great Fizzle scene in there that doesn’t spoil anything. It really depends on how this post goes.
Now, I don’t know what excerpts to take. I’m leaning toward the ‘Luke/Sari bar fight’ from Tri-Rune, but that’s all I’ve got. Which means I’d greatly appreciate it if people who have read the book suggest a scene. I can’t take everyone’s suggestion since it’s 1 scene per book.
This also brings up the following question:
When can I start mentioning a few characters on this blog?
I can get away with the Krypters, but the 5th Champion and the Main Baddie have never been named or introduced here. As the series progresses, I find it harder to talk about things without bringing them in. ‘Bob’ I’ve managed to avoid for the most part, but he’ll be the big reveal as Book 5 approaches. So, do I allow excerpts and revelations of the other two who are very important to the series? If yes then I can grab a scene for each one during this event in May. If no then how long do I wait until I can mention these two by name without getting a flood of ‘SPOILERS!’ in my email?
Anyway, anyone excerpt suggestions and opinions on these two guys would be greatly appreciated. Thanks and enjoy your weekend. With any luck, I’ll be able to spend more time on here come Tuesday . . . or I’ll start in on the 8th book.
Been a long time, but here’s a game from the Ionia Martin/Charles Yallowitz team. Maybe this is the start of us returning to a few comical sketches or interviews. Seems ‘Life’ got in the way. Seriously, we were playing the board game called ‘Life’ and it got totally out of hand. We’ve called off the ninja squirrels and capybara cavalry, but peace talks are still ongoing. Having trouble with the Cupcake Clause. Anyway, on to the real fun.
Many authors use pen names for various reasons. Some dislike their birth name or feel it’s too complicated to put on a book cover. Others wish to hide their true identity because of any number of reasons. For example, a writer of erotica might want to keep their writing career hidden from family or a full-time employer. Either way, there’s a big tradition in pen names, so Ionia and I came up with a game.
Give us a pen name in one, some, or all of the following categories:
Today’s list comes from M T McGuire! Enjoy the weekend!
Gralark
A member of the crow family, this bird has a grainy coloration to help blend in with the wheat fields. It feeds off insects and rodents, using its camouflage to sneak up on prey. There are sharp barbs on the underside of their wings, which can deliver a paralytic toxin for taken down larger prey like rabbits. Gralarks can get fixated on shiny objects and have been known to get pulled into wheat threshers because a fallen item has stolen its attention.
Scaboildan
This beast is covered in scabs caused by the hot water that it lives in. The Scaboildan thrives in bubbling springs and sitting on the hot bottom creates a solid shell of rough skin. These large amphibians have no pain receptors, so they are able to live within the dangerous water. They move very slowly and only leave the water when they are hungry. Laying on their back, the Scaboildans pretend to be dead to attract scavengers or put prey animals at ease. When they are close and feel they are not being watched, they use what little energy they have to strike and roll into the hot water with their meal. It isn’t a perfect strategy and Scaboildans have frozen to death waiting for food.
Mistlegron
A bush with blue berries and dark green leaves that is found in the frozen tundra region of Ipstur. These plants grow in bunches to stay warm and share nutrients by connecting their roots. Any that die are eventually absorbed. New Mistlegron grow far away from the colony, so they send tether roots out. These roots seek other Mistlegrons to either bring the sapling to an existing group or attract other loners to create a new one.
Smirnaldipad
Lost spellbook of the great wizard Rolfstern who helped to push back the troll armies of Westyell. The spells and rituals found within have never been repeated, so many have gone in search of this item. Rumor says that it has been enchanted to look like a basic notepad and will be destroyed when the final page is used. Many scholars have pointed out that if this story is true then it’s entirely possible that the Smirnaldipad is gone forever. They have been called pessimists and pelted with rotten onions.
Screepdilia
A disease named after the terrifying sound that the victims make if they try to sleep. It is contracted through the bite of the Zorgilious Bronk, which is a three-headed alligator that only has two teeth per mouth. Aside from the ‘Screep’ sound, a victim gets a fever, holes in their palms, 1-3 head horns, diarrhea, reverse knees, and exaggerated spine. Surprisingly, nobody has ever died directly from Screepdilia, but many have taken their own lives or had themselves assassinated. The cure is Zorgilious Bronk milk, which can only be harvested on the third full moon of the year.
Gloin
(Son of Groin and father of Gimli.) This is a mixed drink from the Ungel Tribe and is made from the following: Ipsy Rum, Pubbleberry juice, one drop Yawa Bear Blood, ground marigold stems, fermented Coal Yak milk, and sugar. It is used as a pre-hunt drink and enhances the senses of the barbarian warriors. Any guests who attempt to imbibe a Gloin will lose their sense of taste for four months and it will return so sensitive that water can be spicy.
Norrell
Thriving in the Desert of Near Eternal Night, the Norrell is a type of owl that lives within the large boulders found around the region. It has brown and white feathers, but its head is bald. In place of plumage, its skull is a dense piece of bone that it uses as a ram. To catch prey, it dives from high altitude and slams into the rabbit or lizard. Small and quick, it tries to smash its prey against rocks to kill it in one shot. If unsuccessful, the Norrell uses its long talons to puncture the brain through the eye socket.
Confusion is your world
As your heart is ripped
Though it was never in your chest
You found it on the path
Sitting in another
Who now lays beneath the ground
Taken without warning
Sudden and severe
You had no time to prepare
Making the scars so deep
That the others can only watch
As you limp along
Unsure if you want to live
Or join your missing heart
Before anyone jumps to any conclusions, nobody died. Just the remnant of a strange dream that I don’t even have any mental pictures of. Thought I’d use it to wake myself and start the day. This is going to be countered later by more crazy critters and a fun game.
