Artemis

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?

Inspriration and Muse

Right now, I have more muse than I know what to do with, and no time to write any of it down o.o I'm knee-deep in preparing for Passover this coming Monday and so any sort of writing time is taken up by my efforts on Suite101 (which I am currently falling behind on *lol* so much for 15 articles in 15 days *pouts*). And also, when I do have time at the computer, it's not peaceful quiet time in which I can write novel stuff for more than a few minutes. *pulls hair out*

I thought it would be a good idea to write down the various muse-boosters that help with the writing process though, for my reference as well as for anyone's interest.

Main Character Muse

Having a face to put on my characters is VERY important to me, it gives me something for my imagination to latch on to and 'picture' while I write. Having said that, my muse for my main character Nis'ku comes largely from the avatar that I've been using for the past five years, Sarah Wayne Callies. If I'm ever running out of muse I watch something she's been in, which is most often Prison Break, but also Whisper (2007), and Tarzan (2003). Looking at photos of her in various roles, as well as candids and photoshoots 'off the set' gives me a lot of inspiration for Nish (like personality, habits and mannerisms, background, etc), as well as a visual representation of the character I'm writing about. If my book was ever to be a movie, the character Nis'ku would have to be cast with her, or no one. That's it *lol*

My muse for the secondary character 'Max' (she will be renamed and reworked quite a bit, but I'm still calling her Max for now) actually started as being loosely based on Jessica Alba's character 'Max' from the TV show Dark Angel (2000). I rewrote the character to fit the board's setting, but she quickly became one of my favorites and I ended creating several story arcs with her. She will, again, be heavily re-written for the novel, but the same basic feel of the character will be there (I hope!) Because her character is a teenager and Jessica isn't, I wouldn't demand her for a movie, if such a thing happened. She could easily be recast, but she'll always be Jessica Alba to me ^_^

Other characters were cast as well. For the role of Rob, Nish's brother, I (or rather, my loverly Cylent who graciously played him for me) chose Karl Urban (with Mark Wahlberg as a close runner up), her abusive boyfriend Stephen was/is played by Josh Hollaway, her co-star from the movie Whisper. Other characters (created by other players) had their own avatars too that I'm attached to, but none so much as Nish and Max ^_^

Secondary Character Muse

Music! Ohh how well music and lyrics aid in character development and inspiration! I always load my iPod with music appropriate to what I'm writing. I've found that now that I'm working on the novel I'm favoring more mellow and alternative stuff like Moby and Franz Ferdinand. When I'm doing the actual writing part I put on soundtracks (current favorite is the score from The Fountain by Clint Mansell, and Hero by Tan Dun). Moby works well for that too ^_^ Lyrical music is good when the lyrics match up with the emotions I'm writing in any given scene, though I usually listen to that while doing other things, gathering muse for later writing. Right now, one song is stuck in my mind, and I think I'll need to aquire the rights to use it as quotes thruought the book (if I ever get published, that is lol). The lyrics to 'Lovers Walk' by Elvis Costello are perfect for the different parts of the book, and I'm just itching to use them. That song is a great muse booster for me whenever it comes up in my playlist ^_^

Other Sources of Muse

If I'm stuck on something, discussing my plot problems with a friend almost always helps. Often times a fresh pair of eyes helps solve things that I just can't figure out for whatever reason. Or the other strategy is to leave it alone and sleep on it - or even leave it be for a day or two and come back to it. Spending too long with the same thing can make it difficult to know what to do next, and that happens a LOT (especially when writing on the RPG board my characters came from). Also, researching something that is in the novel (addiction, wilderness schools, etc) generates a LOT of ideas, really getting me into the story and setting so that when I write it feels as if I'm actually 'there'. I like to say that writing is just like acting, without the body movements, because it's so similar. Creating, being in that moment...the only difference is, I write it down.

So that's it! I guess I have to go back to work now ^_^ I plan to write at least a little tonight, so I'll let you know how it goes.

Working Title

So I'm writing a novel. Or, at least, attempting it. See, it's my first, and so there will always be the doubt that it will ever be finished. I do have a definite plot mapped out though, based on an original Text RPG storyline that I've been working on (in collaberation with others) for the past four years or so. I have more than enough material, enough that perhaps, there may be a second book. If only I could get the first one written.

And so the tentative title of this novel is 'Free Fall', although recently I've been toying with the title 'Tough Love'. I like them both, and they both fit the story, but I'm starting to think that 'Tough Love' would be best for 'book 1' and 'Free Fall' for book 2, if there will ever be such a thing. For now though, I'm going to stick with 'Free Fall' as my working title.

The story is that of a woman, a counselor for troubled teens in a fictional wilderness school. By day she helps teenagers work through the problems that are holding them back in life, such as addictions, abuse, anger issues or something similar. Off campus though, she is just as messed up as any of them, and relapses back into the alcoholism and abusive relationship she'd just narrowly escaped a few short years earlier. Help comes to her from the most unlikely of sources - one of her students.

I have the outline (in pencil!) done, and about one page written. I am currently in the research phase, and have been reading journal articles and websites for information about alcohol and drug addiction, abuse, wilderness schools and juvenile offenders. So far, I have found several websites for different schools that fit the bill, and I will be contacting them in order to gain information about their daily operation and anything else that will be useful to the story. I will also be conducting hands-on research into addiction, attending one (or perhaps a few) AA meetings in order to more accurately portray them over the course of the book.

I'm going to use this blog to track my progress with writing and researching, as well as discuss other non-noveling interests as they come up. I welcome questions and comments, I am also here to socialize!

And now, back to the writing...