Writing Sequels for April Camp NaNoWriMo

As I move towards April's edition of Camp NaNoWriMo the plans regarding what writing project I should work on begin to swirl around in my head.  Whereas in previous years the answer has been clear this time around I have several projects to choose from.  Below I will outline the three key ideas and a brief description of how likely I am to work on them.

1) The Rules Book 3: This book's rough draft is almost finished and it would be nice to complete my first series.  Despite this fact I would need to refresh myself by re-reading the book and am just not feeling it this NaNoWriMo.  I think there will be typing and editing of what I have before I finish it.

2) Land and Sea 2, Sinister Depths:  Sequel to my first Belle and Ariel fanfiction this story follows the two heroines five years after their marriage.  Children have been disappearing from the area where they're tutoring.  Uncovering why leads to the women discovering a variety of Europe's mythical creatures, both benign and sinister.  I've got a good portion of Chapter 1 completed so it's possible that more of this will get written this April.

3) Call of the Black Panther 2: Filled with rage after the events at the end of the first book Irene wanders the wilderness, her sole purpose the preservation of the lives growing within her.  I'm currently quite pumped to write this second installment.  Although not much is set in stone yet there's a great deal of possibility and I look forward to seeing where this narrative could take me.  It is the one I am most likely to work on.

Here is the link to my Camp NaNoWriMo page: http://campnanowrimo.org/campers/starfire-falcon/novels/cotbp2

Image of a bobcat and two kits.  

Source (Google search): http://fineartamerica.com/art/photographs/bobcat/all

Revolutionary Girl Utena: Episode 1

The intro features Anthy and Utena almost exclusively, drawing attention to the relationship between them as the focus of the story.  Given this attention it's understandable that some would automatically see it as a lesbian series.  I have no doubt that this is part of the reason I began watching it years ago since I had just discovered Fingersmith, a made for TV movie based on the book by Sarah Waters.  Fingersmith is an expertly crafted story whose central focus is the complex relationship and eventual romance between the two lead female characters and I was inspired to find more tales like it during my first year of University.

Utena and Anthy on horseback before a castle

Anthy and Utena being pulled apart

Back to the first installment of season 1.

Besides the lesbian under (or over) tones Fairytale tropes like castles, roses, horses and dueling feature throughout the intro, promising character development and action.  Given this opening discovering that the story takes place in a high school is rather disorienting.  A narrator explains that the main character,Utena, is raised out of grief by a prince, vowing to uphold the hope he gave her by making herself in his image.  In other words, by becoming a prince.  Hence the reason Utena attends what appears to be an extremely prestigious school in a boy's uniform (I love how short-shorts are apparently mandatory attire for the male students).

Utena brushing off the guidance counselor in her boy's uniform

Utena is athletic and the girls fawn over her yet she doesn't see herself as boyish.  She has flawlessly integrated this aspect into who she is despite what the larger society thinks (be it negative, in the case of the teacher, or positive, in the case of the fangirls).  The school itself is part university campus part cathedral, rose-symbols prevalent throughout its structure.  A rose-garden backdrop is how Utena first sees Anthy who is tending flowers in the green house.

Our heroine then witnesses Anthy being physically abused by someone she assumes to be the woman's boyfriend (which is disturbing) but the attack is interrupted and we learn that all three figures (Anthy, Touga and Saionji) are members of the Student Council.  Anthy is completely submissive in every scene and apparently no one likes her.

Touga stops Saionji from further abusing Anthy

Drifting away from Utena's perspective we learn that the Student Council is vying for 'ownership' of Anthy who is called 'The Rose Bride'.  Whoever possesses her gains the power to bring world revolution, although what that means is a mystery.  The Council does not condone Saionji's abuse of Anthy but cannot stop him from treating her how he wishes while they're 'engaged'.  Only a figure named 'End of the World', who oversees the rules of the game, can interfere.  Tying into the cruelty of this strange game is the emotional reality of high school.  Utena's apparently sole close friend, Wakaba, has written a love letter to Saionji who has posted it on the bulletin board where spectators are jeering at its sincerity.

To avenge her friend Utena challenges Saionji to a duel.  Little does she know that by challenging the current owner of the Rose Bride she enters herself into the game.  One crucial point I've thus far neglected to mention is that participants in this game where rings with a rose crest.  The prince that raises Utena out of grief gives her a ring identical to that of the duelists.  This is how she is able to enter the forbidden arena at the back of the school to fight Saionji.  The arena is located on the top of a dais raised high in the air and gotten to via a winding staircase.  Above the arena floats an upside-down castle.

Utena gazes up at the castle above the arena

Understandably awed by her surroundings Utena is also surprised to see that Anthy is part of the duel, Saionji pulling a real sword from her chest for the fight.  A winner is determined by whoever cuts the rose (which is placed in the shirt pocket of each duelist) off first.  Despite her lack of a proper weapon (Utena fights with a broken kendo sword) she manages to beat Saionji and becomes engaged to Anthy.  Touga, the Student Council president, watched the battle from afar and now has an interest in the new duelist.  Utena does not know what to think - and it's only the beginning of that state for her and the viewers.

Anthy meets Utena outside the arena as her Bride

All in all it's less cheesy than I thought it was, although there's no doubt that it's style is unique and takes some getting used to.  The visuals are stunning and heavy with symbolism we can only begin to guess at.  Although it seems simple and light there's something at the edges of my awareness suggesting that there's more to this little drama (and it's not just from what I remember of the initial viewing).

Future entries should not be as long since this episode establishes the set.  Nonetheless, I hope any who come across this entry enjoy it!

Images courtesy of  http://ohtori.nu/

Inspiration Series: Revolutionary Girl Utena

It's not all about lesbians I swear! 

Despite now being an old anime Revolutionary Girl Utena is touted as the Neon Genesis Evangelion of shoujo anime.  The incredibly complex story balances multiple characters, themes and symbols, weaving them into a fascinating and sometimes utterly unfathomable tapestry.   The series' director thought the series would be his last project so he threw everything in - the tension of self-expression in adolescence, tropes in fairytales, gender role critiscm, among others.  Many great essays and reviews have been written about it.  For my part, I am not in a position to effectively comment since I discovered and watched the series many years ago but recall being enormously inspired and struck by it.

I, therefore, wanted it to be the first installment in my Inspiration Series - a series of entries where I comment on books, movies, TV, and other media that I find interesting.  Since I've been meaning to re-watch this series for a while now I thought that including brief written comments about it as I go would provide both insight and perhaps even amusement for those reading this blog.

I leave you with a video that I saved during the height of my love for the series paired with an incredibly moving song.  Although the video features clips from the film version I recall appreciating the series far more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BP675PT-Cro


Also, here's a review.
Nihon Review: http://www.nihonreview.com/anime/revolutionary-girl-utena/

Image of Anthy hiding her face, Utena being open and expressive and the princely ideal between them.

The Rules' Reality

Is a stable society achievable without oversight?  Perhaps it depends on what you consider a 'stable society'. 

The Rules trilogy is my attempt at a deeper look at humanity - whether we can be charged with our own future or whether we must be controlled to avoid catastrophe born of selfish, narrow-sighted desire.   The incredibly complex nature of this debate is why I ultimately decided to focus my attention on 'Black Panther' since I'd like to publish at least one book before I'm thirty.  Around my correspondence with the wonderful Boxjelly1 for that novel I am editing Book 2 of the Rules trilogy, trying to connect threads of narratives into a cohesive vision.  The first big challenge was place names.  Since this is the first real 'epic fantasty' I've ever attempted I have run into the challenge of visualising a world while keeping its coordinates, place names, and cultures straight.  It's been an interesting, not always fun task.

Besides the world's physical complexity there's the spiritual aspect which is its heart, but I'm still not 100% certain I completely grasp it.  This aspect consists of an ingrained system of rewards and punishments for behaviour which is at once separate from and linked to the world's energy.  I'm hoping this passage is too abstract to be much of a spoiler.  It's abstractness is what makes it fascinating yet enormously challenging to capture in narrative.  As a story told from a first person perspective the audience must learn with and be plagued by the limitations of their insight into this world.  I had no idea when I began this piece that it would be as complex as it is trying to be.  The feeling I have as I work with it is akin to what I felt when contemplating a series where individuals explore sections of the human brain: incredibly intrigued yet sensing I am out of my depth.

As I make progress editing I am gradually becoming more confident.  It's still a ways from being ready for publication but I know that I will be proud once it is finally finished.  After all, it's my first trilogy and, even if I'm not wholly successful in attaining my vision for it, the series will still be a great achievement.

An image whose significance for this trilogy comes in Book 3.
Image courtesy of ur1crazedupfruitloop

Life: Strange Interests - HG&SS

Fandom: Harry Potter
HG = Hermione Granger
SS = Severus Snape

Now don't sign me into the mental clinic yet, let me state my case.

I discovered this pairing by accident about seven years ago when I was perusing Harry Potter fanfiction and was vaguely intrigued but then abandoned it for other interests.  In 2011 I discovered some very impressive music videos, stories, and art containing this pairing which re-peaked my interest.  I was trying to figure out why I like this couple since, yes, the age difference does make most people uncomfortable and in a lot of ways it's a bit of a stretch to conjure a situation where they would accept let alone date one another.  One of the primary reasons I like this couple is that I'm honestly not fond of any of the canon couples.  Ron and Hermione are alright but I think they make much better friends/sex buddies than long-term partners.  I view Harry and Hermione in the light of a sibling relationship (which is better for them both in the long run since it means less complication and more love).  While we're on Harry, I have nothing against Ginny, I like her, but it feels like she and Harry were thrown together because Harry needed a love interest besides Cho and it helped satisfy Ginny's earlier crush on him.  Additionally, as Lilbun pointed out, their relationship is seeped in Freudian psychology since Ginny is in many respects Harry's attempt at filling the mother-void (she bears an uncanny resemblance to his perception of his mother both physically and mentally).

So after that brief tangent; I've always felt that Severus and Hermione got the short end of the stick.  Yes they both attain hero status and ultimately enable Harry to bring down Voldemort but their sacrifices are often taken for granted, Snape because he's difficult to get along with and Hermione because she's so nice and in control that people just assume she'll do everything.  Plus, both undergo horrendous torture and circumstances in the name of the greater good.  Harry's suffered a lot, I don't deny that, but in a lot of ways the fact that Severus and Hermione keep all the emotional torment from their experiences inside makes their suffering that much worse.  That's a big reason why I like the two of them together.  I feel they'd have a chance at understanding each other and maybe filling some of the hellish void forged by their negative experiences.  They're both extremely intelligent and talented magic-users with enormous wells of loyalty.  Yes Hermione is more openly affectionate than Snape ever showed himself to be but the fact that he had such strong feelings for Lily all those years illustrates his capacity to love.  And goodness knows the two of them are strong-willed when they want to be!

In conclusion, not that I have to prove to anyone why I like something but I feel that these two do have a certain thread of affinity to one another, even if it only leads to a tentative friendship.  I prefer an exploration of the characters of the two of them together rather than tons of explicit sex as well which is the tendency with an older man and a younger woman.  On top of all this I was very disappointed when Snape died, it wasn't a surprise really but I felt cheated in that he never had a chance to be completely recognized as a good-guy in his lifetime.  So I have no problem with the fact that people frequently ignore this cannon detail in fanfiction.  Please keep on writing all!  Let's give Snape and Hermione the recognition they deserve!


Two really great HG/SS fanfictions I've read:

Chasing the Sun by Loten

Pet Project by Caeria

And a wonderful piece of art by comfortablylaura

Inspiration

            There haven’t been many times in my life when I’ve been at liberty to wallow in the search for story ideas.  Generally I am working on completing or polishing a narrative that presented itself many years before, not lazing around in the summer sun waiting for inspiration to strike me with its fiery bolt.  Still, I can recall one occasion in the past when this did occur.  I had just finished writing Call of the Black Panther, it was late in my high school days; I was sitting under a tree in my backyard pushing around ideas, waiting for one to grab me with the rush of exhilaration I’m certain some drugs elicit.

            Most of my story ideas happen in mid-project rather than neatly at the end of one.  This is both a blessing and a curse.  One encounters the challenge of never finishing all of their projects but also has several to choose from should enthusiasm be lacking for the current tale.  Inspiration is not something that can be forced although it can be encouraged.  Exposing oneself to literature, interacting with others, and simply experiencing the world exposes an author to millions of themes, backdrops and characters, and within this mix of constantly shifting existence lies the hearts of stories waiting to be realised.

            This topic came to mind since I am currently reading a fanfiction that, while interesting and expansive, follows a few too many romantic clichés and is dragged out a bit too long for my liking.  Reading this fanfiction has made me want to write my own romantic adventure, although I like to focus my energy on original works rather than fanfiction.  This is an example of how reading another’s work, whether you love it or hate it, can benefit an author.  Although I’m not sure where this desire to write a romance will lead I’m glad that my creative will is still active.  Perhaps by the time April Camp NaNo rolls around I’ll have some more ideas to work with.

                                             Great little image about inspiration by Lehanan

Editing for a Living

While assisting others edit their stories the notion of earning a living as a freelance editor came to mind.  Although I would have to accumulate some experience on this front it's something that would be attainable since I have spent most of my life pursuing English literature informally and, for four years, formally.  I would have to learn not to put too much of myself in the process since I do have a tendency to arrange the works of others after my own style and preferences but I'm certain I would get better with practice.

I toss around ideas like this so I have options to deal with whatever the future holds.  I don't think I will ever have great difficulty finding a job thanks to the opportunities I've been fortunate enough to receive but as I get older and contemplate what I'd like out of the rest of my life doing what I love (and having the time for it) becomes increasingly important.  Working for oneself offers flexibility and chances for diversity that no day job ever could but can come at the price of security and a steady wage.  It's an intriguing idea but not one I think I'm quite ready to pursue.

Perhaps when I live in my paid-off, environmentally-friendly home with a large plot of vegetables I will feel more confident taking that step.

Image from http://io9.com/look-beneath-the-surface-of-these-incredible-undergroun-1269686668