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Post by M is for Morphine on Oct 31, 2012 18:39:10 GMT -5
Outline's not done. Screw it, YOLO. This is me telling the NTWF portion of 'everyone I know'. Thread title is working title, not intended to be final. So, I've read a bit of fantasy and scifi in an urban setting. And all of it seems to paint cities as really, really crappy and dangerous places to live. I love my city, the whole noisy dirty mess. So this is a love letter, in a way. Adult hood is a funny thing. It's full of arcane and archaic rules and rituals that seem to make sense to everyone but you. Everyone seems to already know how to get a good credit score and apply for home equity and all that other crazy crap. It's like everyone has been initiated into a mystery cult: only you are in the dark. Well, were in the dark. One day when you step in line at the DMV, they send you down the hall to the room where the staff of Dionysus and the secret second world will be revealed unto you. Something similar happened to my friend Sophie (a long time before there were DMVs, though). She moved from out in the country to the city of New Lyonesse to find work. If you want to make clothes, you go to Paris. If you want to make movies, you go to Hollywood. But if you want to practice magic, there is no place on earth like New Lyonesse. I tell you, the things she saw there! The people she met! And folks that weren't even people, besides. It's a strange and beautiful place. Far from perfect, though. There's trouble afoot: all sorts of magical creatures are fighting to have the same rights as humans. Gryphons want to go to school. Cockatrice want to vote. And the mighty Shedu demand due process of law. Some are happy to keep them as beasts and use them as they like. Pretty soon she's going to have to figure out which side she's on. Sooner than she thinks. |
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Post by Rikku on Oct 31, 2012 20:07:47 GMT -5
Oh man, this is amazing. And yeah, urban fantasy type things do tend to paint cities pretty dark; the best stories are the ones that write cities just as they are, confusing and loud and dirty and beautiful and complicated and mainly just full of people, and from the looks of it that's more or less the kind of story this is? So: ahhhhh great great great
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Post by M is for Morphine on Nov 2, 2012 8:49:27 GMT -5
OH. Oh jeez. That's not a very coherent opening post. Well, it was halloween and we were sippin' on gin and juice.
The first day went well. I made my goal, just. It's coming hard and slow even though I'm in love with the idea because I hate my writing so much. Just gotta muscle through that literary gag reflex and let it come.
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Post by M is for Morphine on Nov 7, 2012 6:37:18 GMT -5
I have hit quota every day so far. Which is so great and exciting, better than I could have hoped. Unfortunately I've been staying up really late to do it, which I don't think is sustainable. I have to scratch out at least two days of backlog by Thanksgiving, too.
Looking over what I have to post an excerpt, but I don't think there's anything particularly good or that stands on it's own out of context.
I'm also happy that what I have so far is relatively lean. I mean, I know filling your word doc up with nonsense is part of the nano spirit, but I want something I can actually work with later. I feel like if I write 50,000 words, and have to get rid of 20k, then I didn't really do it, did I?
I feel like I've got a good system for quieting that inner editor, too. When I look over my work and find something awful or something that needs to change, I open up my notes/outline/thing and make a note of it there instead of trying to fix it now. It's stopped me from tearing up a lot of stuff and getting behind early on.
Ever onward, eh? Good luck to you all.
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Post by M is for Morphine on Nov 7, 2012 17:13:04 GMT -5
He leapt up onto the altar with the fluid grace innate to felines. He stared out over the assembly; unblinking, intense. They met his gaze, regarded him in return. The frivolous air of before had vanished completely.
Three attendants approached. The first two held aloft a heavy robe of skins. They spread it over his back and tied it under his stomach, binding his wings tight to his body. When they were finished, he laid down. Heraldry again, the gryphon couchant. The third carried a tray with a variety of tools spread out upon it, and a cup of pungent green paste.
The third attendant, a priest of their religion, addressed the crowd.
“Look upon this youth, dear cousins. At your sides he has grown strong. He only just comes into his full vigor and power. In this way he is the Waxing moon. Rhee-kehkeh.
He has joined you on the hunt. He has flown with you, and taken a kill with you. In this way he is the glory of the Moon-in-flight. Tsee-kehkeh.
You have told him the old stories, and he has learned them by heart. He has harkened unto his elders. He gives himself over to a power that is not himself. In this way he is the Waning Moon. Whoo-kehkeh.
Now he sits before you as the Earthbound-Moon. Humbled, as she is humbled on her monthly journey. Flightless, as one day each of us shall fly no longer.
Do you recognize the divinity of the most wise and glorious moon in him?”
“Shreee!” The congregation answered in the affirmative. He turned to address Gimble.
“Will you use your strength and cunning in service of the weak? Will you temper these things always with your wisdom and humility?”
“Shreee!” He answered: A piercing, predatory screech.
“Then let us seal this sacred pact.”
Gimble held his mouth open, reminding Sophie of a Catholic about to receive the holy host. The paste was spread all over the inside of his mouth and his tongue. When he was satisfied that enough time had passed, the priest picked up a small razor from the tray.
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Post by Breakingchains on Nov 7, 2012 17:37:39 GMT -5
*reads excerpt* Oh lawsy, I'm sufficiently spooked now. xD The scene is really vivid in it's creepiness, and the whole project looks very cool.
*goes back to lurking*
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Post by Jayeee on Nov 8, 2012 14:14:56 GMT -5
YaY! I'd totally been waiting for an excerpt for this! 8D
I love the whole concept of this story, and the idea of celebrating city-life is so interesting!
Can't wait to read more snippets =D
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Post by M is for Morphine on Nov 13, 2012 15:51:11 GMT -5
I'm actually writing a scene right now that wants to go in a totally odd direction. I don't know how to handle it. I don't actually think I've got the necessary skill to handle nuance. Might be another 'come back and flesh this out later' in the editing notes.
There's a character who's a singer in a music hall. She's an Alkonost, a kind of Russian Siren. At first I'm like, "Hey mythological character known for singing. So she sings for a living." And really didn't give it a lot more thought than that.
I was looking for a name for the Music Hall. It's a bit racy so I wanted a name that recalled the Moulin Rouge. Red, maybe a flower, ok, Red Poppy Theater. It was a throwaway name.
But it got me to thinking. The thing about the Alkonost is that their song is addictive. I realized this nice, matronly character was basically using the addictive qualities of her voice to sell tickets. She's pretty much a drug dealer. And I realized, just now, days after I named it. It's like Heroin. It's an opium poppy.
Isn't that funny?
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