I'm Hearing Voices Blogfest Entry #2

Rules for the Day: Dialogue Introduction: Have two characters introduce each other using only dialogue—no backstory, no internalization, just dialogue between the two. Max 250 words.




“Hoy there, lassie, I never caught your name, back there when we picked up you and your friends. I’m Gurnsey, you may have heard, ship’s crew and fellow refugee.”

“I’m Clara, thanks for waiting for us. I didn’t even know there were ships waiting to pick us up when we came out of the caves under Skycliff. I was just focused on getting out of the city, and staying alive, and then . . .”

“Then you nearly single-handedly defeated those Red Drinaii scum. You didn’t seem to need a rescue as much as a ship. You know you’re younger than I thought the Champion would be.”

“Champion? You mean, like in the prophecy? That doesn’t make any sense. I’m a sword apprentice. In the caves, in one of the Maker’s testing chambers, I was given this amazing crystal sword, but that doesn’t make me the Champion from the tales and prophecy.”

“Well, now I’m just a sailor, and refugee from the Far Islands, actually called Chain of Hope by my people, but I don’t think you’re going to stay just a sword apprentice for long. That sword isn’t just any crystal sword, not that I have one, mind you, but I’ve seen them.”

“I just want to help free my people from Sihrqayya. That doesn’t make me Champion.”

I'm Hearing Voices Blogfest Entry #1

I’m Hearing Voices Blogfest Entry #1 Monday’s Entry: Character on the Couch: Have one of your characters answer the following questions (to make this work to your benefit, choose a character who is the hardest for you to write.) Max 250 words (Not including the questions – only the answers).


On the Couch: Clara, my MC from The Crystal Sword. For some reason, I’ve been struggling with her in the third draft, and I just want to finish. It’s been like getting drilled at the dentist for what feels like an eternity – I know because I just had that happen just last week. (Must floss).


1. What is your biggest vulnerability? Do others know this or is it a secret?

Clara: That’s the issue right there. I have huge doubts about whether I can wield the crystal sword, even though I know I’m an awesome swordswoman. I found out that I really don’t like killing people, even when I’m defending my people from the Red Drinaii and Sihrqayya. Yet at the same time, when I was at my worst, most painful doubting moment, I received the crystal sword. It doesn’t make sense. Why would I be given such an honor, when I clearly don’t deserve it? And yes, everyone knows. Well, not everyone, but my closest friends and family know. My mentor, Master Dantor, thinks that the Maker gives us the swords we need to fill our weaknesses. But that still doesn’t make sense. If I have doubt when I’m wielding it, the sword might crack. I’ve seen it happen to other crystal swordsmen. If they lose faith, then they lose their sword. I’m expected to battle Sihrqayya and her Red Drinaii, or at least King Alexandros whose become a traitor to our people, and my sword will crack under the pressure if I don’t find a way to get rid of my doubt.



2. What do people believe about you that is false?

Clara: Other than my closest friends and mentors, and the student apprentices who escaped with me through the underground tunnels when our city was attacked, people believe that I’m a hero, a champion of light, truth, and faith. Those moments when I’ve been heroic I just surrender myself to the Maker, and I don’t feel like that’s anything that comes from me.

3. What would your best friend say is your fatal flaw? Why?

Clara: Salene would probably say I spend too much time alone, especially since my parents disappeared on a mission for the Triune Halls. She’s a wonderful friend, and I know out of everyone she probably understands best since her brother was killed five years ago by Sihrqayya’s agents. Her family is stuck in Skycliff, and they are probably prisoners of the King, or worse. She has to be hurting as much as I am, but it’s hard to start that conversation.

4. What would the same friend say is your one redeeming quality? Why?

Clara: She would say that I care deeply about my friends, family, and our people, the Septilians. Why? Well, once I was a sword apprentice because I wanted it. Now, I’m a swordswoman because my family, friends, and country need me to be one. She might have said once that I had a clear faith, but now . . . well, that's up for debate.


5. What do you want most? What will you do to get it?

Clara: Freedom for my friends, family, and people, freedom from evil and oppression, freedom to live and live with joy. When we're free, well, I might like to find someone like Salene has found Prince William, but for now I have too much to do. When those I love have that freedom, then I will be free. To get it, I will fight even when I feel doubts. I will push myself to keep going, and I will do everything I can to defeat King Alexandros, the Red Drinaii, and Sihrqayya.

If you want to join in on this awesome blogfest hosted by Angie at Live to Write, Edit When Necessary and Cassie Mae at Reading, Writing, and Loving It Or follow this link: I'm Hearing Voices Blogfest

In the midst of my interview with my character, I found the flaw in my story that I had been struggling with . . . and now I can fix it!!! Thank you Cassie Mae and Angie!

C - a week late

C - "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." Psalm 51:10
She Sparkles:A to Z Memorization Challenge This verse from She Sparkles is a week late . . . sound like a familiar refrain on my blog?

In many ways last week blurred by me at high speed, and in the midst of thinking about story details I forgot life details, blog details, and just details in general. Thankfully, Jesus is my salvation, and God creates in me a new, pure heart, renewing a steadfast spirit with me. And I have some wonderful, forgiving, blogging buddies.

I hope to be back in the swing of blogging next week, and back on my feet and running at high speed through life as well.

BTW - Blogfests are Beautiful, and I'll be involved in three in the next 10 days. Check out the sidebar on the right.

Insecure Writer's Support Group - OOPS!

Uh oh, just realized I missed the fantastic, amazing, awesome insecure writer's support group day yesterday . . . I feel like my whole life is off by three days.

I've been writing about how details are important to stories, but have forgotten the details that are important to life.

Please forgive me, and I'll post something cool for next month . . . or at least I'll post something, cool or not.

For now, all I can say is . . .thank you for being my blogging buddies and being awesome, even when I slip up.

The Story is In the Details, Part 2

First off, I want to apologize to all of you for not keeping my regular post schedule this week. In the last week I was sick for three days, celebrated my oldest daughter's birthday twice, (once with family, once with friends), took part in a open house for homeschool co-op, spent some extra hours (yes, hours) in a dentist chair and have sworn off diet soda (partial reason for the dentist chair).
The result: I've been exhausted, and completely behind.

Now, on with the post that I meant to post on Monday.

The Story is in the Details, Part 2


In my last post, I discussed integral details to storylines, like knowing why a character reacts in a certain way to certain stimuli. Remember my writing friend’s story about the character who broke up with the guy who jingled his keys . . .her father jingled his keys every night when he came home. One night, there was no jingle. He never came home that night. So for that character, the jingle of keys brought deep sorrow.


Details can be the keys to plot-lines, or a grouping of notes that when played will make beautiful music, or jarring, spine-tingling music . . . whichever direction the story is heading.


But what about details that seem inconsequential, like setting and world building details that don’t seem integral to the plot-line? Why do these matter?


You can throw your reader out of your otherwise well-crafted story with a detail that's out of place.




For instance, my daughters have been fans of American Girl products for many years now, and when we received this year’s new catalog with the 2012 American Girl of the year, we found just one little problem. The 2012 American Girl is a character from Seattle. That’s cool. I was born in Seattle, and still live within a 45 minute drive on a clear traffic day. (BTW, if you live in Washington state, never state how many miles it is to a certain point, but how many minutes or hours is takes to drive there)

This new American Girl has a school outfit that includes an umbrella and rainboots. It’s cute. It’s not Seattle.

Why not?

If you lived near Seattle, you would know that while the weatherman may say it will be sunny, it still might rain. It could rain any day of the week. It could rain with wind gusts that will rip an umbrella out of your hands or bend it backwards. It could drizzle, then gush, then mist, then drizzle again for four days straight. Once wet, umbrellas stay wet. They don’t store anywhere well when they are wet. It might be a week until they dry. Mold can be a problem here. We have rain in every season. Umbrellas are clunky, stay wet, and are just annoying to carry everywhere every day. We use them for special events like outdoor sporting events. Most of us aren’t sure why Seattle “had to have” a new retractable partial roof for the new sports arenas – a fad from California? We might bring an umbrella to something like that where we are just going to sit for hours. Otherwise, we just shrug and go about our day. It will rain again later, or it might just be cloud covered all day, or it might be sunny for a few hours. Who knows? The weatherman usually doesn’t.


Rain boots are for special events too. We wear them specifically for stomping in puddles, or when we own farm animals and have to walk out to feed them. Otherwise, we just get wet. Sometimes outdoor games are “rained out” but that’s usually because we are trying to save the soccer fields or baseball fields from becoming big mud pits, so actually outdoor games can be “mudded out” but usually not just “rained out.” As a kid I played soccer, and I only remember a handful of sunny day games. I came home caked in mud regularly from practice. Shoes are often parked in houses next to heating vents so they can dry out. Leaving them on the porch invites mold and slugs to make a home in them.


So, why does all this silly reaction to the details of an American Girl doll matter?
Because I've had the same reaction when reading novels based in Washington when those novels are written by someone from outside the state. In fact, I rarely read fiction that's based here if the author doesn't live here because I know some small detail is simply going to bug me.

Readers have a tough time shrugging away details that are misplaced.

So, please, if you base your WIP in the Seattle area, make sure your MC only uses an umbrella and rain boots for special events, not for school days or work days. Seattle area Washingtonians wear layers and carry hooded jackets in their cars. Short hair and ponytails are popular ways to keep the frizz at bay.
I tell my kids "hoods up" when we go outside in the rain. It's also popular to say, "oh, you're not going to melt" when someone whines about getting wet (that's just not in my household).

However, if you base your WIP on “the other side of the mountains” in Eastern Washington (divided by the Cascade Mountain Range), all this is useless advice. Eastern Washingtonians are used to being dry, and they call us Western Washingtonians “coasties”. Eastern Washington grows apples and potatoes, Western Washington has Evergreen trees and coffee stands.


So, to wrap up:
Stories are strengthened by the accuracy of their details, and plotlines can hinge on knowing the details of your character.

What are the details about your state, town, or country that might surprise a “newbie”, “tourist” or fiction writer?