I have a new laptop, and her name is Artemis ^_^ It's a cute little silver NetBook that I inherited from a totally awesome friend of mine :D She seemed to have a surplus of computers and she offered this one that she wasn't using. 'I have a MacBook so I don't need it,' she says. Is it possible to love and hate someone at the same time? *giggles* she's awesome. She even hooked me up with some awesome software to go with it ^_^ Nowwww since it's tiny I had to buy an external DVD drive for it, which was not a problem, and I need to get myself a USB hub since Artemis only has two and they're far apart from each other, thus complicating the DVD drive thing (it needs two side by side, though it came with a handy USB extender that I'm using for now) My old harddrive (now an external drive of awesome) also requires the two plugins, so I'm going for a hub *nods*
So, Artemis. She's awesome. She's got a tiny screen (hard to get used to after the monster 17" I had before) and a slightly smaller than normal keyboard, but I'm already getting used to that. I can play some games on it (I tried to load the Sims but the display was all wonky and gameplay is sluggish so I'll take it off...Neverwinter plays great though :D) most importantly my Luxor and MahJong games, though I'll have to download Chuzzle again. *luvs Chuzzle* Just downloaded iTunes but have to get MSN back soon, as well as find an effective antivirus software (I'm using a free one right now called ClamWin, and I was also told about another free one Avira which is supposed to be pretty good, though I heard I might be able to get a copy of ESET NOD32, the newer version of what I had. The fact that the older version left my laptop crawling with viruses however, gives me pause on that one o.o
And so, on the writing front...I managed to write a little bit using pen and paper while I was without a computer. I wrote a few random scenes that may or may not be used, and I also revised the outline. I have tentatively decided that the story I want to tell is not one but TWO novels, the first of which would be named 'Tough Love' and the second would be 'Free Fall.'
I decided that, the story arc of the first, 'Tough Love', will be Nis'ku and Sam (Max). Nis'ku's story will be her breakup with James (or she's already broken up with him before the start), her struggle with depression and alcoholism, the return of Stephen, and her eventually finding the strength to get out of the relationship and ask for help (when the first time he was arrested which forced the separation). Rory will be a big part of this storyline, being her best friend, neighbour and onetime (accidental, honest!) lover ^_^ Sam's storyline will take her from an unruly repeat offender to a nurturing mother by the end of the story. I haven't yet worked out the details of the guys in her life and what part Chris (best friend and the guy she REALLY loves) will play, and if I will write Ryan into the story or just meld him with Chris. That part is still up in the air, but by the end of the novel she will have graduated high school and be handling motherhood well.
Also, by the end of the first book, Nis'ku will discover that she's pregnant. And won't know whether it's Stephen's or Rory's o.o
Book 2, Free Fall, will be the kidnapping story. It will start with Nish having her baby, with Rory ever at her side (despite the fact that he's MARRIED and reconciling with his wife). I think, by this time, we know the baby is Stephen's. So does Stephen. When the baby is about six months old, he kidnaps her right from the daycare, and thus the plot of this story will be the police investigation/searching for the kid, as well as Nish's new friendship with Holden (he will either be one of the cops (cliche!) or a guy she meets at AA (original idea)). She and Holden will become very good (but platonic) friends and he'll be her support during her daughter's absence (I'm thinking Rory will be occupied with his wife and family by this point). This story will end, obviously, with the child being found and will probably end up with Stephen being arrested and/or shot, haven't decided yet. They don't find him until nearly a year later though, and so this introduces the angst of 'my child doesn't even know who I am anymore' when Nish and her daughter are finally reunited. Holden helps her through it, they fall in love, Nish makes a connection with her daughter. The End. *lol*
Sam will also be in this book too I think, though to what extent I haven't decided. She has things to work out with Chris (and the father, if I do write him into this and not just make it Chris). She will also be there as a good friend of Nish's, and will play a role when Nis'ku shuts herself off with depression following her daughter's kidnapping.
The side-plot at the school (yes, there's still a school in this one!) will be, most likely, Sarah and Parson. Sarah is a very troubled girl who has very unhealthy attitudes about sex and gender roles. She falls very hard for her male counselor, and almost brings him down with her before he lays down the law and teaches her why her behavior is inappropriate. It will get very awkward and very squicky in some places and I wanna see if I have the power to make readers squirm *evil laughter* I will have already establish the 'Parson' character in the first book as a co-worker and friend of Nis'ku's (though all the staff at that school are friends, he will have a connection to her, having helped with Sam/Max in the first book).
So...yeah. That's my brilliant idea. Thoughts? Please, I need thoughts ^_^ But what I need most of all is to start writing. I have to set myself a rigid schedule and stick with it. Writing time between this and this o'clock *nods* I need will power...anyone got any to spare?
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I'm in love with it. Artemis sounds beautiful.
ReplyDelete... oh yeah, and those book ideas that followed weren't half-bad either.
I'm teasing- I'm in total awe, my love! So much drama, so much angst, and you find a way to have both a happy ending and a not-so happy ending! I especially enjoy the trouble that comes with making Rory a married man, and also that you introduce a third story in the second novel featuring Sarah and Parson. That was always a really intense line, I loved them.
I vote keeping Holden as the original idea, a guy that she met at AA. Unless he's somehow both one of the cops -and- a guy she met at AA! But that feels like too much, lol. xD hmm. Yeah, I like him being a guy she meets at AA, someone well on the way to recovery, a 'success story', in a way. Sort of.
- now, back to Sarah and Parson, I really do enjoy that line, but I vaguely worry that it will seem too separated from the main plot? It doesn't seem to make any effect on the kidnapping story, so it might just seem... there to be there, you know? I do agree that getting to experiment with your ability to make your readers squirm would be brilliant, and I personally look forward to being one of the test subjects (I want to hear about these squicky parts, right now!), but perhaps it'd be something that deserves its own novel rather than a sideplot in a story that it doesn't really have much to do with aside from Parson's small connection to Nish and Sam? With Sarah and Parson having their own book- you can explore Sarah's background, the flings that she had while at the school (Jackson and Anika?), her confusing fondness to Parson- graduating, dealing with temptations (Evie?), and then you can perhaps introduce Parson's daughter and Sarah's flash-from-the-past in Parker if you so choose, there's so much to do with those two that it seems a little unfair to make them just a sideplot, you know?
... really, it makes me think that you could start a series of sorts, focusing on individual characters at this wilderness school - but I am so totally getting carried away and it's not even my project. *hides* So, rather than poking at your ideas any longer, I'll just hand over some of my will power! *snugs* Good luck, my dear!
hahhh you are awesome, as always <3
ReplyDeleteYou do have a point that the Sarah/Parson story is quite unrelated to the rest of it. I wanted there to be SOMETHING going on at the school too, like, to compound what's going on in Nish's personal life. I could put a less dramatic thing going on there and save Parson/Sarah for later *hmmmm* but then again, I thiiink that what goes on at HW is a little toooo dramatic to be realistic, which is why I wanted to make most of the other characters pretty stable and 'normal' lol
Buuut you did bring up some excellent points and ideas and that's why I love you :D I am almost completely on the side of Holden being in AA too...I think the cop option would be too close to The Lovely Bones idea, and too cliche (and also, her brother is a cop, don't forget ;) He'll be in both books, fo sho!)
I gotta think up a secondary plot though, for Nish to be dealing with at school, some other student with problems similar to hers in the second book *lol* Maybe I can use one of my minor characters, perhaps Willow or Jane or somesuch ^_^
Yup, a smaller story as a subplot sounds like an excellent idea! Something that ties in to the main kidnapping plot of the novel- it keeps the audience aware of the bigger picture, while letting them know that this is something more or less separate from it, a different path in a way.
ReplyDeleteI'm hesitant to suggest creating a brand new character, considering all of your characters thus far are inspired from actual muses on the board- but I figure that it is an option, to create a character to fit into your purposes on the secondary plot. I'm thinking a teenage mother that's uncertain of her role, sort of cornering Nish into having to dish out maternal advice and deal with her own demons regarding her missing kid. Orrrr, having to counsel a kid that was kidnapped. It could provoke a lot of conflict in Nish at having to think of how her child might be like if/when they're reunited.
ohhh I like where you're head's at! A new charrie who had been kidnapped as a child themselves sounds like awesomeness with fitting into the story :D You're so full of great ideas :D
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