When I wrote "Remember your Character"I did not think that I would be writing a part two... but I have done a lot of thinking about my story.
In reading the book Testament of Youthshe writes a great line about how her dream and what she wanted to do with her life, she said everyone that really mattered to her had died in the war and yet she still had her dream of being a writer. I underlined that line and thought what is Mattie's dream? At that point I didn't know, which is sad to admit as her story teller and not to know her dream.
I feel I have cast Mattie a lot like me, she doesn't mind going unnoticed and wants to make people around her happy no matter what it cost her. Through out the story she learns to step out of her comfort zone and wants to make a difference in the world.
I found this picture (on right) on Pinterest and read the article and I was captured by the post, there was a great quote:
It’s crucial for your hero to have a goal. If he doesn’t, you have no story. “Well why not?” you ask? Because your hero’s goal is what drives the story. It’s the story’s
purpose. Like a ripple effect, it influences your entire plot.
And I thought, while I know Mattie intimately and I know what her dreams and goals are (because they are almost the same as mine), but I don't know if I have expressed it. And then I thought, why would someone read my story if they didn't know her dreams. Because her dreams of being of use is what drives her story. But do I have to spell it out or can it just be obvious. The post states:
Be sure to make it clear as soon as possible what your character’s goal
is. Of course you’ll spend time in the beginning setting up your
characters and plot, but don’t wait until halfway through your story to
clue readers in to your hero’s goal.
But I have never read a book where it says... "My goal is this(Fill in the blank)" unless they are trying to escape a situation. So I am wondering how to weave this into my story?--If you have any thoughts let me know.
Last Wednesday I attended a writing workshop and we had to structure a villain and I will admit I will never admit that I have never been good writing a villain, I never really thought about it in my writing only because I think of the super villains like Darth Vader or even Moriarty (from Sherlock).
But the "leader" of the workshop tells us villains for the story are people who see the world similar to the protagonist but slightly different. He also says for villains to be good they need to be
Sympathetic
Have motivations
Needs and Desires
Changes over time
Then we had to construct a villain with one characteristic we chose at random mine was: "Has a crippled sibling".
I am currently reading The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult and I just read
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, both of these stories about WWII and
both of them have made an impact on my mind. Both these stories have been really intriguing and they have slipped into my head. This kind of slipped into my thinking when I was thinking of a villain.
So here is my villain (at least a bit of his back story):
"Come on Laura," Rudy shook his young sister awake. "Come on time to get up." In truth Rudy had already been up for hours, checking his traps for any prizes, getting milk and collecting eggs. All resources were drying up it was as if the animals know there was a war going on. He tried to quietly make breakfast as not to disturb father, who had been at work all night. Then helped Laura braid her hair into two pigtails. He had been teased mercilessly when the kids at school know he did his sisters hair, but he had to. Laura could a lot on her own but she couldn't braid her hair with only one arm. After breakfast they made their long trek to school. Rudy hated school, not just because he was fifteen years old and that what fifteen year old boys did, no he hated school because every day he had to sit next to Alexander, as they had to sit in alphabetical order. Alexander Janson then Rudy Jenkins. Alexander was tall with muscles that had only appeared recently, but since then Greta Adler only had eyes for him. Everything was perfect for Alexander. His father owned the factory in town that supported most of the town's employment. Most but not Rudy's father who had been let go six months ago and now Rudy's father had to work odd jobs making inconsistent wages, and never enough to pay for rent, food, and doctor's bills. Rudy knew deep down it wasn't Alexander's fault, but he felt it was. Everyone knew Rudy should have won the race, the only thing Rudy had going for him was his speed, as he had to run away from boys who started fights with him. That day the whole school including Greta Adler, had been out to watch the race. Rudy had a good lead but somehow Alexander caught up and tripped him. The next day Rudy's father announced the factory had to let him go. It could have all be a coincidence but Rudy had a hard time believing in coincidence.
Book 12 in my challengeThe Chance fulfills the requirement of reading a book you own but haven't read. My friend gave it to me for my last birthday but I just got around to reading it. It wasn't very long and the story is cute with a good message about hope, forgiveness and second chances.
Link
Am I the only one who thinks it is odd that books have trailers that are like movie trailers?
Watch
Now that both Park and Rec and Parenthood are over I really only have one TV show that I watch on a usual bases and that is Reign.
However, I just finished watching the show Turn that was on AMC (through Netflix)
{trailer for season1}
And I am not ashamed admit that I watched it mostly because of JJ Fields
Who yes is a bad guy (well bad if you are rooting for America) but I love him as Mr. Tilney in Northanger Abbey so it was interesting to see him play a bad guy.
Mr Tilney
Also I have started watching Arrested Development for the first time since I did not watch it when it was on TV but I am only a few episodes in and thus far have not felt the need to binge watch it.
Usually I listen to NPR in the morningwhile at work and then in the afternoon I turn on my Pandora account. I have a 90's Pop Radio station and I love when an N*SYNC songs come on and I still sing every word.
Planning
Besides my trip to Paris, I am planning a trip to see my sister and meet my newest nephew.
From my trip meeting my first niece
Still can't believe that picture was taken more than 5 years ago.
I know I cast myself as being a lover of historical stories and I love historical accuracy, but I have to admit I have a guilty pleasure in the CW show Reign. Saying that it is a CW show should tell you that it is not going to be historically accurate in both story and fashion. It is the story about Mary Queen of Scots and her time in the French court. If you are like me, I don't really know much about Mary Queen of Scots except she was beheaded by her cousin Queen Elizabeth I and her son became King James I of England. So I am enjoying watching this how that has now been on for two seasons and renewed for a third. Francis and Mary have had their ups and downs... but I keep shipping them and hoping they will have a happy ending (even if it is not historically accurate).
No matter what the plot line the fashion is fun to watch as well so here are some of my favorite dresses from Reign, in no particular order:
At the start of the show Mary is suppose to be this almost naive girl about the way of politics and I notice she wore more colorful outfits with lots of prints on them (example above). I loved these mismatched prints and how well they work together.
This is probably my favorite dress of Mary's from season 1. It might be that Mary and Francis have such a tender moment in this dress. A lot of the first season is bringing Mary and Francis together only to separate them again... causing this shipper a lot of angst.
These are some of my other favorite dresses of season 1. As you can tell they have lots of details and still full of color. I think these dresses do a good job showing off Mary's femininity. Even though Mary is Queen of Scotland, she is a pawn a lot of time being pushed to follow the politics of French Court.
Over time though Mary grows more powerful as a character (it is good character development) and her fashion represents this. While this dress might look feminine, in the scene she not only fighting for her ladies in waiting, and herself, she is fighting for her love (Francis) and the French court. Up to the point in this series it is the most powerful thing she has done.
Even after she marries Francis (sorry SPOILER Alert... but seriously it's history) she is not safe and has to defend herself. I actually feel in season 1 she is more under attack after Francis and she get married than before. Above are some of her more "fierce" outfits.
These are just the outfits from season 1- Even though she is Queen of France in Season 2, life does not get easier for Mary, and I keep watching every week for a glimmer of hope.
When you see this dress you think everything, colorful and cheery, you would think everything is happy. Uh but Reign is good about making you think things are good but wait five seconds and everything changes. However this pink dress might be the most historically accurate dress.
Speaking of everything changing this picture is from after, probably most shocking moment on the show, but I love this dress because it shows her power and how she is not willing to be the victim of circumstances. I also love this photo because Catherine de' Medici (played by Megan Follows aka Anne of Green Gables) is standing beside her which is not usually the case.
Outside of Mary's fashion there is also her "Ladies in Waiting" fashion, though they also verge on being a bit ridiculous as well. Sometimes I think the strength of the show is showing women who at the time would be completely vulnerable standing up for themselves and having great courage. Also though Mary is Queen she sticks by her friends even when they do follow the rules of the times, and are usually scandalous. So while it is not
always historically accurate and sometimes the plot lines are
ridiculous, I am still on the edge of my seat through each episode as
keep holding onto my Frary shipping though right now it feels in vain,
however the hopeful romantic in me cannot let it go.
Okay I mean this post to only have only have the top ten dresses I like but if you are following there are fourteen...sorry but not really because the fashion of the show is intriguing (even if sometimes it is is eccentric).
After Easter dinner some friends and I went to the book store Brookline Smith, if you live in Boston it is one of those local places most people love. I like going because they have a great used book section and they usually have a good collection of $5 books. I love books but my budget is better suited for checking books out of the library.
Any way, I was drawn to this book, The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult, I have never read one of her books though I know she has written a lot. I had kind of casted her off as airport bookstore author; you know one making the top sellers list but books lack substance (sorry I might be a book snob). Going back to my story, I was drawn to the book about a baker, Sage who tries to hide away from the world, and her unlikely friendship with an older man, who has a dark secreted past. This drew me and the fact that it was called The Storyteller, made me wonder why the title and what was going to happen.
I thought after reading The Nightingale (link to book blurb) that this would be a good light read... however this was not a light read at all. I was too far in when I discover the older guy, Josef Weber, was a former Nazi SS Guard (Goodread.com states this, so I don't feel this is a spoiler). "Ugh!" I thought to myself, I had just read a book that left me breathless with Nazis and now this book has Nazis. "What is the book universe trying to tell me?" There were moments in the book we went into Josef's past and had I not been on the T, I would have cried.
Before I rehash those details and give spoilers away, I will say over all it was great story. I liked because it was written almost from 5 different view points. There is Sage Singer, who is trying to block out the world after her mother's death. There is Sage's grandmother, who is a survivor of the Holocaust, Josef the Nazi, Leo the federal agent who is trying to find out if Josef is truly a Nazi guard and then their is a tale woven through of Ania and Alek. The book actually starts off with Ania's story... "My father trusted me with the details of his death" is the first line of the whole book and that chapter ends with "My father trusted me withe the details of his death... but in the end, I was too late." I was impressed Picoult was able to weave these five different narratives to make a good story, I have always wanted to write a multi-narrative story so when I find that is well written it is awesome. I liked how the book gave each one of these characters different type so you knew who it was in reading their words.
Also there were other great lines, in the book about telling stories and discovering what sharing your story truly means. As a aspiring author I found those lines to be great and I wish I could have underlined them. There is one line that I loved and took a picture of it with my phone... "History isn't about dates and places and wars. It's about the people who fill the spaces in." As someone who studied history and is frequently teased about loving history I want to remember this quote.
Though you don't have to be a historian or a wanna-be-novelist to appreciate this book.
The only thing I did not like about this book was there were moments it felt a little too rushed. For example Sage calls Leo about the Josef being a former Nazis and he seems to be able to work a little too quickly for it be practical (kind of like a crime solving show where DNA test happen instantly). But mostly it was the violence that affected me the most, and even though it is a work of fiction, knowing that it is based on reality and this violence truly did occur left me a little heart broken.
Currently looking forward to some lighter reading.
