A week of writing nights means crap for reading I know. It doesn’t help that I’ve not posted what I’ve written as regularly either I’m sure.
Busy. Lack of dedication. Lull. Call it what you like.
Doesn’t end tonight.
48 words on day 606
Nn…nn…nineteen
Last night at dinner a girl a couple tables over turned nineteen. I know this because it was Chili’s.
She lived in transition. Beside the young woman her mother’s years pared back youth to reflect the bones and structure of the woman she might become. Across the table a friend—hair stuffed into a rubberband and frazzled—cooed into a detachable infant car seat reminding our protagonist how things could be—very soon. Finally, flanking her other side, a younger sister beamed with excitement for the celebration and pride for her sister’s involuntary accomplishment.
Our girl’s rounded cheeks flush red from the just sang song. She pats them down with slim fingers cool from her lap. She’s uncertain how to handle the scoop of ice-cream pinned to a brownie by nineteen candles.
She will go one to remove each obstacle one at a time. Some she will suck the melting reward from the base. Others she will lay neatly on a napkin. Her companions may encourage her to work faster or to remove one before another, but they will not reach out and pluck any away to make it easier. Eventually her fingers will stick to each other, will stick to the other candles when she tries to remove them, and will stick to her spoon once she enjoys the ice-cream.
227 words on day 605
From Shanty to Benhá
Charming’s story keeps feeling much like Luke Skywalker’s with shades of Harry Potter. I don’t know if I see it because I’m that close or if her story truly mirrors both and anyone would.
I don’t want to abandon what I have so far though. I like the bits I’ve put together. I don’t know if I should be sensitive to the commonalities and seek to reduce them, or if I should disregard them and push on.
Roundmartin is Charming’s dad currently but there isn’t any established reason he needs to be related to her. It made sense that the dermatographia/oracle might run in the family. I could write that another way.
Charming has adoptive parents/caretakers. If I remove Roundmartin as her father it’s no longer neccessary for him to orphan her.
I’ve planned to have Gane take her back to the monastery where she’d learn more about her skills. And maybe other skills. A little Hogwartian I suppose, but I think training anyone might always have that feeling. Yesterday I suggested her arrival might not be so positive—no Hermione or Ron. Or hell, no reason for there to be scabs of robed monks wandering around like a boarding school. Could be religiouser like the name monastery implies. Though I’ll have to retcon that with the Solex Corporation if I keep Gane Gane.
Those two things right there may route enough of the sense I’ve been having to keep me happy.
At one point, I’d considered introducing a reference book as a bit of a mcguffin. Or even something of a quest for book two. It’s possible I could swap Roundmarting for the book. Play it either way. In the first novel Charming gets the book but looses Roundmartin. Or vice versa.
Might be useful to consider how Tritti, Johnka, and You figure into the Charming story. I’m expecting rather thinly. Maybe considering them even some small bit will give me other ideas for Charmings story to fill in the gaps. Maybe doing so gives me some insight into their stories instead.
351 words on day 603