Saturday, February 24, 2007

Out of chaos

I feel like Alex and Nea are slipping away from me. I haven't had time to write more than a sentence here and there for weeks now. I've always maintained that if it's important to you, no matter what it is, you'll make time for it. But my brain can't process these days. Paint. Work. Move. Paint. Work. Move. Work. Unpack. Work. I vaguely remember staring at the television in a fog the other night.

There won't be any more time this weekend either. Missing my characters is a good sign. It means my brain is coming back online. I hope. There's a section in the sagging middle that I can work on in my head while all this chaos gets straightened out. Imagine that, it's the section of the book that is filled with chaos and confusion for the characters. All their preconceived ideas are turned upside down.
Nothing is what they thought it was. They aren't where they want to be, physically or emotionally. I can use how I feel right now when I'm stuck for a description. The main difference is that I know how wonderful life is going to be once the dust settles.

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Spider Web

I've been painting all the walls in the house the same off-white colour. It's called Spider Web. In some lights it has a hint of blue, in others it looks green. It depends upon lighting, time of day and where you're standing. Very strange, and brings us back to perspective.

That's a big thing in my life and in my writing. I try to see situations from the other person's point-of-view so that we can come to a better understanding. I try to write scenes from the character who has most to learn.

This project started as Alex's story. He was supposed to save the world but I let his sister do that instead. When she defeated a demon the germ for Alex's story embedded itself in my psyche.

I haven't had a lot of time to write while I paint. This house is bigger than I thought. And while Spider Web doesn't sound like it would be, it's actually a bright, fresh colour. It gives the rooms a different look. Considering the fact that we're taking several individuals and weaving their lives under this roof, the name is appropriate. I like the connections we're making. Spider Web in both apartments.

Alex and Nea have been relegated to the background but they're still lurking in my brain. Nea has taken more thought than Alex, because she's newer to me. She's had a lot to learn, been given a lot of scnes in order to show that. I was a bit concerned that the story had shifted ownership to her. I shoved the thought aside and focused on painting. Spider Web in the common room.

Alex appeared in his sister's story. The seeds of Nea were sown there. Wings and rivers, kayaking and flying - images that tumbled around as I continued to apply paint. There were connections between Alex and Nea, between the stories and once I found the link between ripping Nea's wings off and sending Alex over Niagara Falls in a kayak, I realized the story belonged to both of them. Their connections are integral to each other and the story in much the same way painting all the rooms in the house the same colour reminds us that we rely on each other's strengths to balance the family as a whole.

Threads weaving throughout the house - and the story.

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Flying

I made an amended version of my goal for the January writing challenge. Instead of writing full scenes, I wrote notes, dialogue and descriptions for the entire book. I not only know where it's going, I know how it's getting there. Now I have to work on the details, those pesky demonic details.

Nea loves to fly. She loves everything about it - the wind in her hair, the steady beating of her wings, riding air currents, and scaring the crap out of people when she comes up on them. I've been playing around with her wings. I know they're pale, translucent with tiny veins visible. I want to stick with the leaf motif but also want them to be creepy.

What kind of texture do they have? Alex not only has to touch them, he's going to fondle them. Yes, like that. So it better not be too gross. And I don't want him to damage them either. There's some thought still required on this subject.

But flying. Where does fly? Why? When? Not how. I can picture how. The expression on her face is pure ecstasy.

Which is why it's going to demoralize her when I ground her like the nymphs - rip her wings off her body.

Writers are evil people.