Meet the Books! - To Save a Little Face

 Well, in true disorganized form, I have come with another linkup to save the blog from being neglected again. This may be the last Meet the Books! for a while, though... Unfortunately, this is my last archive story idea. (But the last two times I said that, I was struck by new ideas in time to make another linkup... Hmm... Well, we'll see how the muse behaves this time.) As always, if you want to join the linkup, the rules are pretty easy. Just answer the questions in bold below for your own story, and then leave a link to your post in the comment section here. You may use the image if you like (but I'm not sure why you would want to...). 

Well, shall we begin?

What is the title?

The title of this particular work, as you can see from the post name,* is To Save a Little Face. It'll make more sense when we talk about the plot.

*Why do I even have this question on here again...? 

What is the genre? Time period?

The genre is Comedy, quite possibly Romantic Comedy, depending on the way the wind blows when I write it. I know I said a long while back that Comedy simply was not my genre, but ever since I became an ardent pupil of Miss Megan's discipline of Comedy,* I have been quite in love with the genre. When I tried it again to write He Travels the Fastest, ** I found I actually quite enjoyed writing it. So, yes. The moral of the story is try new things and maybe vegetables don't taste as bad as they smell and all that jazz. (Although, really, most vegetables taste quite as bad as they smell.) 

As to the time period, it is in the American 1930s again. (I tell you, I'm really liking the way HTtF is set up...) 

*"Discipline of Comedy"... That sounds... odd.

** Oh, yes, did I mention that HTtF is now being drafted? It's been splendid fun. Perhaps I'll post some snippets some time. (What is with all these footnotes??? I feel like Megan...)

How is it written (POV, format, etc.)?

Third person, probably narrative, but I'm not sure yet. I'll figure that stuff out when I write it.

What is the setting?

The high society of America in the 1930s is our setting this time. We'll be hitting up Broadway and Carnegie Hall as well as the subways and street corners of New York. 

Who are the characters?

   In order of appearance...

    Donna Delany is a trained, gifted, gorgeous star of Broadway who aspires to even greater heights. After all, she was trained in a conservatory of music. Broadway is for lowbrows. She dislikes Broadway, dislikes working, and dislikes most people as well. She enjoys the applause, though she might not admit it, and she has gained a reputation for being witty, beautiful, and snobbier than an Englishman at Harvard. She has very little regard for anyone else's opinions or feelings.

   Neville Devine is a charming and troublesome actor from the Continent. Or at least, that's what he says. The man has a different backstory by the day, not to mention to new present stories he causes in the newspapers everywhere he goes. He's quite difficult to keep up with. 

    Mr. King is Donna's publicity manager. He usually lets Donna do what she likes, but he shouldn't be crossed. He is quite stubborn, and he's growing tired of trying to fix Donna's reputation...

   Karol Drozdoborod is a Russian-born pianist and composer who is on the rise in America. His beautiful compositions are the talk of the town, but he is a retiring, quiet man. He retains some visible facial damage from being in the wrong place at the wrong time during the Bolshevik riots in his home country. 

   Sergei, the fiddler, is a humble, immigrant street musician with traditional ideals. He doesn't ask much other than a home and everything being in its place. He loves to come to stage doors and see the actors with his fellow buskers. 

What does the plot consist of?

Anybody here read/remember "King Thrushbeard," of Grimm's Fairy Tales? This is pretty much a retelling of King Thrushbeard, if you can imagine it. With that said, I've pretty much given away every spoiler already, so be warned that I'm going to be pretty open with the plot twists. To configure the fairytale into this is pretty simple. Princess is Donna, the King is Mr. King, Thrushbeard is Drozborod, and the Fiddler is Sergei. (As for Neville... He is an interesting bit of plot device. Consider him what was necessary to spark the story into action.)

So, more or less, for those who are not familiar with "King Thrushbeard," here is a more detailed version from my summary notes:

       --A Broadway/stage prima donna who is very set in her ways won’t give the time of day to any man and criticizes all. Then, when a somewhat malicious rumor starts about her concerning a relationship with a scandalous fellow, her manager forces her to find someone to marry in order to keep an image of respectability. She has snubbed so many men, nobody will touch her with a ten-foot pole, and she doesn’t want anybody because she doesn’t think anybody is good enough. In a rage, her manager swears that the first honest, single man who walks in is going to be the one or else she’s fired. After all, she can just get divorced later, once the scandal dies down.

        A group of street performers come to her after her show and want her autograph. She’s disgusted, but one of them, a fiddler with some talent, plays for the manager and stops one of his coworkers from stealing from the place. The manager is delighted, asks if the man is single, and then arranges everything accordingly. The two are married quietly, and much to the disdain of the prima donna. Her new husband demands a good few things. He is very quiet and traditional, and he dislikes his wife doing certain things on the stage. He makes her change things and makes her help him with the house, and he won’t let her stay out late nights or go to a lot of parties. (Perhaps he even disguises himself and disrupts her performances.)

        Her ire increases when she sees how famous Drozdoborod - a turned-down suitor of hers - is becoming in America, his many concerts and compositions, and how rich he is. The fiddler lives practically in the slums and prefers Donna to stay with him instead of living at her penthouse. When her latest show flops, she is demoted to a small side role in the next musical. Her lesser

female co-stars are rising in popularity as she falls. She becomes disheartened. Finally, it’s heard that Drozdoborod has written an opera, and wants a classically-trained female actress to define the lead role. This fits Donna, and she wants the role badly at the same time as being embarrassed and regretful that she rejected Drozdoborod when she could have had him and the role so easily.

        It is announced that Drozdoborod himself will be leading the orchestra for the show. The lead role is given to her old female secondary, and she is given a one-song role that is very small and unsuited to her. She is angry, and angrier still when she realizes that Drozdoborod shows up for most rehearsals of the songs except her own, as if her song wasn’t even big enough for him to care. Finally, when it is showtime, she is so angry she doesn’t even see Drozborod properly until it’s her scene. At that point, facing him from across the orchestra, she sees that it is her fiddler leading the

orchestra. Completely distraught and confused, she bungles her one number, and leaves the stage in humiliation. She is too ashamed to come to even enter the cast party afterwards, but it’s said                that Drozborod demands her attendance.

        Knowing she will be fired from the cast and likely never see another stage, she humbles herself and goes anyhow, to get the thing over with. She goes in, and - lo and behold - it is Drozborod, but with some identifying element of her fiddler. She recognizes them as the same, and he reveals that very fact. She is mortified, but she admits that she sees the justice in it all. She submits to the idea of a divorce now that the scandal is over and he’s gotten his back. He dismisses the idea and brings her to the party with him, announcing their secret marriage to all, and there the story ends.--

Sorry about my notes being rather incoherent... If that made any sense at all, that's more or less the story in a nutshell.

What gave you the idea?

Well, I don't know about you, but I've thought King Thrushbeard would make a great Romantic Comedy for forever. I figured nobody else was going to do it, so here we are.

Who are the favorite characters so far?

Well, it's still archived, no actual writing, so there aren't any favorite characters yet.

What is the favorite scene thus far?

Once again, none yet.

Any drawings? Aesthetics?

I'm afraid not. This idea is pretty darn fresh (less than a year old), and I haven't done much work other than collecting notes and brainstorming.

Any themes of music for this story?

Not yet, but hold tight...

Any snippets?

Not written yet, so not at this time. (These questions, by the way, are for any linkup joiners... Obviously, I have very little to offer on them.)

Strong point in story?

I think that the plot is pretty strong. But I could also still be in new-story-idea euphoria.

Weak point in the story?

Hard to say at this point. Dialogue is always a safe bet, though. It's not my strong suit.

What are your plans for it?

Well, I'll write it, and after that, we'll see.

Any particular writing habits for it?

None yet.

If it were made into a movie, what would be your ideal cast for it?

I like Ida Lupino (like in the picture above) for Donna. (If not her, then Jeannette MacDonald.) A slightly more marred Mel Ferrer could make a good Drozborod, if he actually did the accent. I think I see an Errol Flynn cameo for Neville Devine.

That's all for now, folks. Let me know what you think? Are there any fairytales you think would make good comedies? What are you all writing right now? Once again, feel free to join the linkup to introduce your own stories! (And I will see you all again come Easter!)

Meet the Books! - Turning the Century

 Well, it's been a good while since the last Meet the Books!, and I've got two new projects (sort-of) since then, so let's get cracking. This one, previously known by the titles Divided and The World That Was, is coauthored with the Grim Writer, whose blog is here. I will mostly focus on my side of the story, as I know it better. (Perhaps Grim will grace us with her own Meet the Books! post to better introduce her side of the story...? EDIT: Grim's splendid supplementary post is here. Definitely go read it - it will make a bit more sense out of things.)

I really must redo this graphic at some point. It is so very pathetic...

What is the title?

The present title is Turning the Century, but it has been known by the above titles before now.

What is the genre? Time period?

Okay... Um. So we might have sort-of invented a genre...? I guess we'll call it a Fantasy. That works, right? It's a strange sort of Fantasy, though. It's strange because of the time period. You see, the book's world is divided into two halves, in two different period-inspired times. The first half is based on the 1920s, and the second half is based on the 1890s, I believe. 

How is it written (POV, format, etc.)?

We've gone with third person for this, mostly limited. We have stylistically strayed from limited a couple times, though, I think. We're going with a traditional novel format for the most part. Now, the one difference is that, since there are two authors, there is sort of a split of which characters/places are written by whom. In general, scenes in Bellafossa or from my characters' POVs are written by myself, and scenes in Bricklebury or from Grim's characters' POVs are written by Grim. 

What is the setting?

The setting is twofold. The first setting you see is Bellafossa, a rich, decadent, dissipated city loosely based off of Italian and 1920s culture. The second setting introduced is Bricklebury, an impoverished and war-torn fantasy village held together by a few influential patrons, inspired by Britain in the 1890s. 

Who are the characters?

In Bellafossa...

Gianni Verreni is a rich, young gentleman in Bellafossa. He is absent-minded, quiet, heartily lost in the world he lives in, old-fashioned, and perhaps a bit curmudgeonly. He is my main character and POV. He is quite fond of his younger sister,

Fioria Verreni, called Fio. She is a high socialite with spirits as bubbly as champagne and a character to match. She is quite independent, and she enjoys her riches and freedom. She's never worked a day in her life nor had to do anything harder than convince Gianni to take her places. She is Grim's main character and POV.

The suitors are a gang of high-society fellows, mostly working for Vin (explained in a moment), and all quite enamored of Fio. Those particularly worth mentioning are Addio, a fashionable sulker, one of Vin's right hand men, and the one most struck by Fio; Gerry, a fun-loving smooth talker who never misses a party or a trick, also one of Vin's boys.

Flavio Vitale is one of Gianni's best friends, but also a frivolous and somewhat nervous fellow, with good reason; he is very dangerously in debt to Vin and his boys. 

Iago Potenza is Gianni's other best friend. As he tells it, he witnessed his father, mother, and uncle, and his second cousin being shot when he was a boy. He is now an existentialist artist who believe the world is an abyss of suffering, and his only particularly real mission in life is to remove Vin's operation from power. He is always trying to do this, with the help of Gianni and Flavio. 

Vincente Vespa, commonly known as Vin, is a very rich, influential man about town who pulls most of the strings around Bellafossa. Nearly every chap from the old, rich families works for him, and he hosts much of high society at his nephew's ritzy place, the Rubino. It is well-known that he does things under the table and gets his power the hard way, but nobody can prove it. Vin and his boys - those who are admitted to his special circle - are the center of Bellafossa's society, regardless of anybody else's feelings about it. 

In Bricklebury...

Bernard Chester, later to be dubbed "Bob" by Fio for no particular reason, is one of the only pillars left holding Bricklebury up. He comes from an old, noble, wealthy family there, but doesn't have much wealth left, unless compared to the rest of the town. He is Grim's other MC. 

Anne Chester, known as Nancy, is Bernard's cousin. She is also one of my other MCs. She has mysteriously disappeared from Bricklebury when Fio arrives, and nobody but Bob and his confidantes seem to know anything about it...

Saoirse is Miss Nancy's maid, whom Fio renames Wyo because she can't spell Saoirse. 

Lady Macready is one of the strangest old women Fio has ever met (and, yes, her name rhymes). She lives in a house that has feet, apparently her dog is her long-enchanted husband, and she knows about secret things around Bricklebury. She is one of the only people helping Bob to keep the town afloat. 

Odysseus Wilde is a long-gone inventor and relative of Bob and Nancy. Rumored to be either quite crazy or a genius, bits and pieces of his various projects litter the Chester mansion. He hasn't been heard of since the War. Nobody is really sure what happened to him.

What does the plot consist of?

The plot begins with Fio and Gianni living it up in the Bellafossa half, a world that vaguely remembers the word "war," but has no idea what it means. They are comfortable and have their own private dramas until a hungover Fio messes with something she shouldn't and lands herself in the Bricklebury's world, a place where a great war still leaves its long shadow, impoverishing and dividing the land. Bricklebury has a grave problem with malign fantastical creatures. (Heh. Grave. Methinks I made a pun for you, Grim...) This leads some from Bricklebury to propose a great plan to try and reach the other side of the world using haphazard inventions from a lost lunatic. On Bellafossa's side, there is a serious gangster problem. Vin pretty much owns the city, and he has no intention of letting the threesome who oppose him go. Gianni increasingly gets in hot water when he starts a fight with one of Vin's boys on account of Fio's disappearance, and he is very soon on the run with a mysterious stranger who seems to know what happened to Fio...

(Anyhow, I described it really badly, but it should be a pretty fun story. Hopefully Grim will do a Meet the Books! for it as well so you can get some better synopses.)

What gave you the idea?

Eh.... *searching back into the abyss of brainstorming from years ago* I think we vaguely based the idea on some fairy tale awhile back. You know, the one where the girl falls down a well and discovers another world? Well, in the original draft of this story, Fio did fall down a well, but we changed the means of transportation to an old, crashed plane. I would give credit where credit is due with ideas and all that, but it's been so long, I really can't remember who came up with what. As for the time period overhaul, I suggested it to be funny, but Grim liked it and really fleshed it out (thanks for that!), so here we are. 

Who are the favorite characters so far?

Well, nobody's really read the whole thing, but I think Fio is pretty well-liked by authors and sneak-readers alike. She really was meant to be a flapper - the medieval period was really cramping her style. 

What is the favorite scene so far?

Again, nobody's really read it in earnest, so there isn't one yet.

Any drawings? Aesthetics?

I don't have any drawings, but I have a couple aesthetics. (Grim has even more, so let's hope she does a post also, at least to show off the aesthetics.) 

Storyboard. My image.

My image.

Any themes of music for the story?

Well, we've actually had to write a song for this story. Don't ask why... It's kind of complicated. Anyhow, though, we do have an original song for the story. It... does not have a name yet. We also have a playlist for writing it too, here. (Hopefully it's accessible... I can't tell). 

Any snippets?

Here goes...

***

“Back-step, kick-step, kick-kick-kick-back…?” Two feet crashed through the stained glass window, each belonging to a different person.

Gianni lifted his foot out of the conservatory window pane gingerly. “Don’t tell me that was what’s supposed to happen.”

“No, no, no!” Fio tossed her head back and laughed. “You can’t just keep kicking 

backwards. It doesn’t work that way.”

“Don’t forget, you did it too.”

“I was just following you.” She lifted her foot out of the window pane.

Gianni frowned at the broken window thoughtfully. “I think that’s the first time the conservatory window’s been broken since I hit a baseball into it when I was ten.”

Fio grinned. “Well, then, it’s about time, honey. It was in need of some excitement.”

***

It was swinging at the Rubino that night. If Fio hadn’t been thoroughly used to it, she might’ve felt a bit blinded walking in, the room glittering with champagne and diamonds. Just past the bar area, the open silver floor was barely visible through the many dancers. Every one of Vincente Vespa’s boys was there every night, and every rich doll, and just everybody who was anybody. Nobodies simply didn’t come to the Rubino. And judging from the atmosphere, it was going to be a killer diller night for everybody that did. Fio fluffed up the feathers on her dress excitedly. 

“Oh,” said Gianni dubiously, glancing around as they entered the floor. 

“What do you mean, ‘oh,’ you old grump?”

“The entire string of victims is here.”

***

Strangely, though the squirrels had quieted and the only birds singing were doves, as Fio kept walking, she had the distinctly unpleasant notion that she was not alone. Somebody was watching her.

“I’m just crazy with hangover and worry,” she said to herself, with a nervous laugh. But she started walking a little faster all the same.

There was the ravine ahead of her—but where was the path down? She walked to the edge and paced up and down a moment, trying to determine where the path had gone—but it seemed that years of weather had worn down the earth and rendered the cliff too steep to be traversed. 

“What a bummer,” she said aloud, pouting her lower lip in an attempt at humor, but in reality, she was close to tears. It was very silly of her to see that ravine and that old plane as the key to fixing her relationship with Gianni, no doubt, but she’d almost begun to believe her little daydream in her short time walking. She walked back the way she had come a bit, and stood peering over the ledge, trying to make out the details of the plane’s dark form on the bottom of the ravine. It was covered in leaves from all the autumns since she and Gianni had last visited it and brushed it off, but it was still there.

***

Gianni and Fio’s father had successfully got the machine to start when they had first found it. However, as he was not a pilot, and it was so old, he had determined he would never attempt to fly it, nor sell it, nor give it away. The children love playing on it, so there it shall stay, he had said. 

But that didn’t mean Fio couldn’t give it a go. With difficulty she managed to get herself into the seat, despite the years of forest debris within it. 

The key was in the engine—but when she reached for it something clinked to the floor of the cockpit. She reached down with a grunt—another key? Yes, a silvery one, with an odd shape, and a tiny face etched into the key’s end. There was a half-rotted string loop that had attached it to the other key until it had broken at her touch. 

Fio frowned, and, slinging her purse tighter over her shoulder, she stuffed the key into it and zipped it closed. 

Then she turned the other key in the engine.

“Well, here goes nothing.”

But the engine roared to life, and as she pressed her high heel against the accelerator, unbelievably, the plane began to move, crackling slowly through dry leaves, picking up speed—and then time seemed to freeze for her. 

Would it take off?

In that frozen moment, she smelt something peculiar—something marvelous—something far more pleasant than antique engine oil.

She didn’t have time to determine what it was before the plane took off—and she was rising up—up—through the trees, into that lovely sleek blue of the sky. 

Fio couldn’t help but whoop with delight at the sheer adrenaline high it gave her—

And then the engine stalled—and stopped.

With a bloodcurdling shriek, Fioria Verreni and her antique airplane plummeted to the earth. 

***

And, appropriately, I think, I'll leave you there at the end of my part of things...

Strong point in the story?

Well, the strongest point right now is probably Grim's energy for it, haha... But on a more serious note, I think we've been okay about making the fantasy and storyline and such fairly creative and not too reliant on any stereotypes. 

Weak point in the story?

Eh, my part, haha... In the original draft, my part was a little boring. My people just traveled around looking for something and never finding it. I think my part might still be a little boring unless I figure out another plotline to set up in it. 

What are your plans for it?

That is a good question... Unfortunately, I have no answer. Other than finishing it at our leisurely pace, I don't think we really have a plan. 

Any particular writing habits for it?

Not particularly, but it seems an almost universally true rule that if we both get on there to write, very little writing gets done... 

If it were made into a movie, what would be your ideal cast for it?

Okay... So, I spent way too much time trying to think of some good castings, but, really, just look at the face claims on the aesthetics. I think those are pretty good. (Grim has more face claims as well...)

Well, this post is ridiculously long, so I will end it without further ado. Have a good weekend, all!

Meet the Books! - He Travels the Fastest

The seasonal Meet the Books! is back again! And it seems I shall live to post another day, for, in the time since the last one, I have acquired another archive novel idea to write about for this installment. Anywho, let's proceed to the rules of the link-up and to the questions. The rules are to answer the questions of the link-up using one of your WIPs, use the picture (if so desired), and link your Meet the Books! feature in a comment here so that I can see all the lovely posts. Things have been a little less orthodox lately, so I'm quite eager to hear about any projects - novels, poetry, musicals, biographies of Robin Hood, etc. Anyways, onto the questions.

What is the title?
The title is He Travels the Fastest, taken, as some more adept readers than I might guess, from a line of Rudyard Kipling's - "He travels the fastest who travels alone."

What is the genre? Time period?
The genre is most decidedly Comedy. 'Nough said. The time period is strangely specific for one of my books -  1930 in America, specifically starting in New York.

How is it written (POV, main character, etc.)?
I'll actually be trying my hand at something new for this one - third person omniscient. After much reflection on the matter, I now believe it is either impossible or quite difficult to write a splendid comedy in anything but a somewhat narrative style. (So, to m'dear Megan Chappie, yea, you have finally convinced me...)

What is the setting?
Like I said, 1930 in America. While starting in New York, it will traverse all along the country into California.

Who are the characters?
There are only a handful, really. The main character is

"Chess" Ridley, a middle-aged American traveling salesman. Having been relatively successful at his gig for many years and now being quite tired of the business (and busyness), he plans to retire quietly out West alone, traveling by himself. A nice, slow, leisurely trip West to some quiet, country home all to himself is the only castle on a cloud the practical (and rather grouchy) salesman allows himself. Finally, he's saved up enough that he can quit the business and do it... or, so he thinks.

Marquesa Helena de Marcos is an aristocratic widow recently immigrated illegally from Spain. Just escaped from Ellis Island, she is iron-set and determined to get to her alleged American relatives in California, whom she is quite convinced would make her immigration legitimate. She and her brood - did I mention her eight children? - have come to America knowing little to nothing about the country, other than some broken English and the praises of its faraway freedom... Her brood consists of...

Consuelo is the Marquesa's oldest daughter, a pretty young Spanish girl of twenty with a dry tongue and some very odd ideas about Americans. Unfortunately, she draws the eyes of American boys at the most inconvenient times...

Inez is the second daughter, seventeen, and also possesses the Spanish belleza. She does not like the looks of Chess or this country.

Nuncia is the third daughter, sixteen, who has a most intense fondness for "Senor Ridley," who she believes to be in truth a kind and artistic soul... Needless to say, Senor Ridley doesn't exactly share the sentiment.

Alfonso is the oldest son, fifteen years old, and is extremely protective of the family... to the point of almost getting in a fist fight with every relatively grown male who looks at them funny.

Clemenz is the second oldest son and fifth child, at eleven. He also loves a fight, though more for its own sake. He tries ardently to pick up American phrases, but usually fails.

Constanza is the fourth daughter and sixth child, at nine. She is fairly quiet, but seems to possess the singular characteristic of never seeing when the little ones do something mischievous...

Miguel, third son and seventh child, has to be the naughtiest boy alive. Only his mother's looks save him from being utterly throttled. He is nearly six.

Margarita, or Mari, the youngest of all, is sweet, but the inseparable companion of Miguel, which means she gets in trouble regardless of her better tendencies. She is four.

There may be other assorted small recurring characters, but non relevant enough to mention.

What does the plot consist of?
As hinted above, the plot begins with Chess's resolve to take a long, slow trip West to lone retirement. His fate changes, however, when he runs into the family of illegal immigrants, and they attach themselves to him with a will, thinking he can guide them to California. Thus, the trip across the country begins, with plenty mishaps, misunderstandings, and misadventures along the way, all while being distantly chased by the police.

What gave you the idea?
Eh. Sorta the title. A good title really inspires a novel like nothing else. I always liked the idea of an ironic title, and the best path of irony according to that quote is to make poor Chess travel as un-alone as possible.

Who are the favorite characters so far?
Seeing as only my writing confidante and Madam Megan have seen even the rough sketches of what it will be like, there's not really a good answer. Possibly Chess.

What is the favorite scene so far?
None, since it's just an archive idea, and there aren't any written yet.

Any drawings?
Not quite yet.

Any themes of music for the work?
Mmm... The possibilities tempt me, but, unfortunately, there are none as of yet.

Any snippets?
Nope.

Strong point in story?
It will probably be the theme.

Weak point in story?
At the moment, the research. I've done some preliminary stuff, but I will have to research a lot more before actually writing it.

What are your plans for it?
To draft it, once I get a few current WIPs knocked out.

Any particular writing habits for it?
As I haven't written it yet, no, not at the moment.

If it were made into a movie, what would be your ideal cast for it?
Unlike my other archive novel ideas, I actually have thought about this. I think either William Powell or Fred Macmurray would be best as Chess (it would have to be a slightly older, slightly more disheveled version of either of them, though). I particularly see William Powell in his hobo dress from My Man Godfrey, for some reason. For the Marquesa, I see an older Delores del Rio. I don't know about the kids, though.

***

Anyways, that's the end of the questions. I hope you enjoyed the post, and I can't wait to see everyone else's Meet the Books! posts. Don't forget to link them up back  here so I can see! 

Meet the Books! - Burn the Shakespeareans

Late, but better late than never, it's that time again - the time for Meet the Books! to see the light of day for a bit. It's quite possible that this will be the last full feature, as this is my last archive book idea to use, much less an actual WIP. I will, however, try to continue to post the questions and prompts about once every three months so that other bloggers may use the feature. And, remember, it's always free to be taken whenever one likes, late or on time, as long as one follows the rules.

(For a recapitulation of said rules, they are to link up your post here, so I can see it, give credit - using the picture, if wished - and answer the questions for one of your stories. Enough said.)

Anyways, let's get to it...

What is the title?
The title of this particular archive story of mine is Burn the Shakespeareans (and one of my much more better ones, if I do say so). I will explain that in a bit.

What is the genre? Time period?
The genre is a sort-of dystopian drama. I hesitate to use the word dystopian because of the implied sci-fi-esque setting and action and monsters and all that, but it fits in the very barest sense, of a vaguely post-disastrous, satirical, presumably future world setting. Which brings me to the time period - it is unspecified, to be gleaned by the keen reader or imagined by the insightful one. In my head, it looks rather like Lemony Snicket's stories - about 1930's-seeming, but modern.

How is it written (POV, main character, etc.)?
As usual with me, it's going to be third person limited. There are, however, a few main characters, as the story is split up between a few different trains of thought. When it's actually started, of course.

What is the setting?
Very possibly America. That's really all I can say generally without giving away too much. The more specific setting is an old, abandoned theatre in a small, Catholic town, where a group of now-grown childhood schoolmates are attempting to revitalize their long-lost Shakespeare company and the world's love of beautiful things.

Who are the characters?
There are a lot of main characters, but the one I'm most tempted to call the protagonists is

Justine Kendall, the usual leading lady of a resurfaced childhood Shakespearean troupe. She was always the leading lady in the old troupe too. Troubled, doubtful, and newly expectant on top of it all, she's undecided about the troupe's rebirth, and is unsure whether to even take part. She is partly the coordinator of the troupe, along with her husband,

Stefan Locke, one of the leading men of the troupe. A strong man, very confident in his faith and in his wife, and definitely the pillar holding the troupe up. He used to be an assistant director when the childhood troupe was around, and it was mostly his idea to try and bring it back.

Drew Kendall is Justine's wayward younger brother. Originally uninvited, he showed up to see Justine and stuck around for kicks. He's a long fallen-away family member, and rather a black sheep of the town after leaving it for the world. He was never a consistent part of the original troupe either, but he wants Justine to pull strings and get him a job doing leading roles. Needless to say, he's a bit of a crack in the glass of old childhood friendships.

                                                        

Benedicta, or Bena Staunton is Justine's best friend, and one of the most faithful old returning members of the troupe. She's one of the only ones who's really kept things together in the town this whole time, and so she's wary of anything that might cause a new split, for more reason than one. She's supporting a few family members single-handedly, and is constantly in fear of going blind, a process already started, as it would lose for her any ability to provide, work, or help herself.

Elliott Scott is another returning member, mostly for chorus and small parts. He's also stayed in the town most of the time, but only after having an, um, unpleasant experience outside. He believes the troupe is doomed to fail. He is deadly afraid of the outside world, and what may happen if their endeavor to bring the Bard back succeeds.

Charles Fawkes, or just Fawkes is the old troupe's leading man, returned mostly at Stefan's request and to help get everybody's lives back together. He left the town, but he's got a good head on his shoulders, and thinks the world of the troupe, particularly a certain

                                                           

Dahlia Grey, an old chorus member too young to have met Fawkes before. She is Elliott's best friend from a long time past, though does not return romantic affection to either him or Fawkes.

Tristan Leare is the only new member joining the troupe. He is a slight older than the rest of them, and moved to the town as a young man just as their childhood troupe was performing its last play. He's been gone for years, and has come back seemingly just to lose himself in the beauty of the stage. No one knows too much about him, but town rumors say he's a foreign fugitive.

What does the plot consist of?
There are many plots, not one. The main event tying everything together is the effort to bring back the art of the stage to the town and the country by rebirthing the Shakespearean troupe, but lots of little subplots will litter the story, including some of the ones hinted at in the character descriptions. And, obviously, it will get more intense than that, and there will be some fire and burning because why else would I name it Burn the Shakespeareans...? But I'm not going to say too much about that part because I don't want to give spoilers.

What gave you the idea?

Mostly, the title. I always kind-of wanted to write a drama/dystopian sort-of thing, and had sketched out some random character and plot ideas, so I grafted the spur-of-the-moment title onto the sketches, and it fit like a jigsaw puzzle. Also, my sister. That was the first title I'd ever thought up that she agreed was any good, so I had to use it.

Who are the favorite characters so far?
None really, since it's not been written and therefore not read.

What is the favorite scene so far?
Again, none yet.

Any drawings?
Not at the moment, unfortunately.

Any themes of music for this work?
Eh, sort-of. It's complicated. But one song that definitely has recurred in threads of the plot is Saint-Saens' "The Swan."

Any snippets?
Nope, not yet.

Strong point in story?
The imagery is going to come through very strongly, I think. The few draft scenes I've written and the theme elements I'm playing with have so far been very successful as far as painting a picture of the story go.

Weak point in story?
Well, for one thing, it's not written yet. Also, I think that getting some of the characters through correctly without sidetracking the story is going to be challenging. Also, I have a sinking feeling that Elliott is just a plagiarized Harry Beaton from Brigadoon...

What are your plans for it?
To write it, once I get a couple more current WIPs finished.

Any particular writing habits for it?
I'll let you know when I start writing it...

If it were made into a movie, what would be your ideal cast for it?
Hmm, way too far ahead... I'm not sure I have any solid cast choices at the moment, unfortunately.

***

Well, that's all for now, folks. Hope you enjoyed the post, and that you'll follow up with your own - I'll be checking the comment box here for links, and awaiting some splendid story info. For now, though, I shall sign off, and wish you all a good evening. 

The Writerly Sibling Tag

Hello! I am back with a tag that has waited a shameful span of time for me to complete it. Without further ado, I present The Doorman's Writerly Sibling Tag, tagged direct from the man himself. To start off, here are the rules:

• Thank the blogger who tagged you and provide a link to their post. (Thankee kindly, good sir!)
• Answer the inquiries, including any ones added by #6.
• Always use your own characters. No exceptions, unless you don't actually have sibling characters (in which case you need to go and write some) or you don't write (in which case you need to start ASAP).
• Tag three other bloggers.
• If you happen to have any siblings who blog, they are automatically tagged, and they cannot count toward your three.
• Add one question of prompt to the list you were tagged with (see at the bottom of this post, or at the bottom of Doorman's, as I was tagged first).
• Close out the post with some honoring of the King of Kings. 

Alright. Now that that's settled, I will start answering the questions.

 

           

 Name the most annoying sibling character in any of your stories (Either annoying to you as the author or to any other characters)

Eh... That's a hard one. Really, siblings all annoy one another (let's be honest), so it's more realistic to pick ones annoying to the author. (Unless you're talking about those siblings whose life mission is to annoy their siblings. Then... that's a different story.) Owain from The Second Brother actually annoys me a lot, probably because he gets a lot from his writerly mama. It is an ongoing thing that I cannot stand any of my characters who act like me in any way, intentionally written so, or unintentionally. Because of this, I find Owain incredibly irritating at times. As for annoying to other characters... Feo might win that prize. 

Name the most caring sibling character in any of your stories

That one's fairly easy. Blakely from The Clarion Call/Alagna is, despite his frequent eye-rolling and scolding, extremely fond of his brothers, Francis and Edmond, and cares for them probably better than he does for himself. Heaven knows what kind of trouble they would get into if he weren't around to keep a check on them... and how bored they'd be if he didn't fall into their pranks all the time.

Name the most entertaining sibling character in any of your stories

Well, I sort-of already mentioned the Almost Twins (Francis and Edmond), but they'd probably get this award. Through thick and thin, the twosome find their greatest pleasure in the simple things in life... especially giving Blakely a hard time and, in their younger days (mostly), giving their mother gray hairs with their various escapades and misdemeanors. They have won particular infamy for a certain episode involving stew...

Name a sibling character who was inspired in some way by an actual sibling

Intentionally, I try to steer clear of basing characters off of siblings, as it can create too much trouble (what if I wanted to kill off the character...?). However, a couple characters became a reflection of real life without my permission, particularly Feo from The Second Brother. He was never meant to be based off of anybody, but is, in his present state, my first younger sister to a 't.' Just as Owain unwittingly soaked in my own personality, Feo seemed to become ZZ (my sister's nickname) out of sheer fatedness to be so. The only particularly great difference between them is that Feo is, obviously, a guy.

Name the largest character family (talking family, not family tree) in any of your stories

Well, there are a few competitors. Celeise from Alomina has four younger siblings, a boy and three girls (I think? I keep changing it...). Alejandro from A Broadway Waltz has five younger brothers (and an unofficial older one). Freddie Mayne from The Top-Hat Gang has seven sisters, either all younger, or all but one younger. The winner, though, I believe, is Vic Vance (from In Greater Hands), who has eleven siblings (three boys, eight girls). The catch there is that he is adopted, as well as a fair few of his siblings, so none of them are his biological family. (But then, nobody said that this tag had to be for biological family, right...?)

Provide one to three excerpts from your sibling characters' dialogue from any of your stories

Alrighty... Let's have Francis and Edmond, since it's been a long time since they've gotten any spotlight on the old blog...

***

            "Welcome to our humble abode, my lady." Francis did a little half-bow to her, playing along with her masquerade, as usual.

            Then all pretentions dropped. Alagna relaxed her form a little, smiling teasingly at the both of them. "Surely that's not your best bow?"

            "Of course it is," interjected Edmond grinningly. "He's just never learned as well as I, even for being the elder one." Edmond bowed with a flourish fitting for a king's crier.

***

             Confusion only grew in Blakely's eyes at Alagna's behavior. "Alagna    ," he began, but was cut off by a different voice.

            "Ah, Blakely?" Francis and Edmond came up behind him all of the sudden. Alagna might have laughed at their uncanny knack for it if it had been any other situation.

            Blakely half-turned from Alagna. "Yes? What is it, Francis?"

            Edmond's expression turned from a rather more serious one to a rather sly smile upon taking in Blakely and Alagna's close proximity. "And, ah, what might you be doing now, Blakely?"

            "Or, ah, saying?," joined Francis hintingly.

            "And to whom?"

            "And whatever about?"

            Blakely looked both of them over. "Nothing more than Alagna's name, I'm afraid, because     "

            "Because you were interrupted?" Francis laughed. "I wonder who did that..."

***

Name three published books which have an amazing portrayal of siblings and family

Well, Outlaws of Ravenhurst had a pretty awesome family in it, even if it was small. The mother, Lady Margeret Douglass was a great character - a Scottish lady and an accomplice to her outlawed priest brother. The family seemed so close, it was awesome (especially considering the protagonist hadn't met the other three members in nearly ten years). 

As tortured as the siblinghood was sometimes, the Books of Bayern by Shannon Hale had a good portrayal of siblings. Personally, I would only recommend the first one (as I thought the others were slightly stupid, plus, the second one had some content issues), but the first and last both had pretty good sibling characters and relatively low content caution. In the first one, the protagonist, Ani, barely knows her five siblings, and is distraught because she may never know them (she is sent away to be married off near the beginning). It really hits hard for anyone who grew up close to their siblings to think of never knowing them, and never seeing them again. Then, for a closer sibling relationship, Razo and Rinna in the fourth book were very close, constantly teasing each other and giving each other a  hard time, just like real siblings, and it was adorable. I think, despite the other issues of the middling books, the series as a whole has a believable pluck for large families. The happiest families are the Forest-Born ones, which range from a couple kids to eleven or twelve (mostly on the larger end, including Rinna and Razo's), and the least happy ones always seem to be those that are not close or don't have many siblings (like Ani's, where she wasn't allowed to know her siblings, or Selia's, as an only child). 

And what talk of siblings and family would be complete without Louisa May Alcott's Little Women? The story of four sisters and their way in the wayward world, always finding their way back to Marmee (their mother) and their beloved home. Need I say more?

Name another author's character family that you wouldn't mind jumping into

Hey! I thought we weren't allowed to use anybody else's characters...! Well, anyhow, I'd like to be in Peter Wimsey's family - seems like some smashing good fun, even though it's just him, his brother, and his mother (as far as I've read).

Provide an excerpt/quote of sibling drama or camaraderie from any title (though be sure to credit it)

Oh dear. I'm afraid I'm far too lazy to get books out at the moment, and this post has already been waiting too long. I believe I shall direct you to Little Women and sit back for the rest of this question.

Name two characters from two unrelated books that you feel would make for great literary siblings (whether in terms of getting along, or being a constant head-to-head combat)

Hmm. I think that Taran from The Chronicles of Prydain and Finn from The Goose Girl would have been good siblings. Finn, quiet as he is, would be balanced by Taran's outgoing nature, and Taran's slight hotheadedness would be tempered by Finn's common sense. Their skills and interests are also very similar - both grew up on a small farm but desire knighthood and the life of a warrior. It would be a siblinghood I'd like to see. 

***
As for tagging other bloggers, if you aren't tagged, consider yourself so. Particularly, I suppose I shall recognize Catherine Hawthorn, Sarah Seele, and Lia, at their leisure and capabilities, of course.
***

And there are all the questions for now. If' you'd like them in a list, here you are.

•  Name the most annoying sibling character in any of your stories (Either annoying to you as the author or to any other characters)
• Name the most caring sibling character in any of your stories 
• Name the most entertaining sibling character in any of your stories  
• Name a sibling character who was inspired in some way by an actual sibling
• Name the largest character family (talking family, not family tree) in any of your stories 
• Provide one to three excerpts from your sibling characters' dialog from any of your stories 
• Name three published books which have an amazing portrayal of siblings or family
• Name another author's character family that you wouldn't mind jumping into 
• Provide an excerpt of sibling drama or camaraderie from any title (though be sure to credit it)
• Name two characters from two unrelated books that you feel would make for great literary siblings (whether in terms of getting along, or being a constant head-to-head combat)

And I shall add this, per the terms of the tag:

Name sibling characters at odds with each other in any of your stories

And I believe that just concludes the tag, but for one last salutation.

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam