She remembered to label a post !

Hello, all !

So, I don't know if I plan to stretch the postings of  Sundays because I want to rework the story or because I want more time to deal with writer's block of my other serials. I mean I kind of want to post this close together to keep the illusion of a continuing story. This was written as one long piece so, it is hard for me to find places to break it into parts. Anyway, as soon as I post this I will be googling writer's block cures. Okay, on to the blogging :

Dr. Channing

This is hinted at a bit in Hidden but, Dr. Channing was the one of the people hosting the fundraiser the Dory family was planning to attend in chapter 2 of Hidden. The Life Project was not keeping Minnow a secret and  Channing was actually using her case to campaign more funds and he would bring images to show people. Which is why in Chapter 2 Alan says if they had crashed the party things would have been different. They would have met Channing and potentially seen Minnow's picture and found out she was alive.

Of course upon hearing about their daughter's death the Dorys and all there friends never attended the fundraiser and no one saw her picture. Does that make sense ?





Pet Peeve 

Because in some sense the stories in the Veritas series take place in an "imaginary" world , I have taken liberty with names often using nouns as last names and things like that. I make the names match the character (although in some cases I make the name purposely contradict).

Haley was written for a long time with no name because he was kind of a special character to me. His story kind of materialized like I had known it the whole time. His character was very inspired  and I flirted with not giving him a name at all.

In some sense Haley's less than masculine qualities in Hidden were supposed to make up for the lack of females in this. With that in mind I wanted to give him a gender bender name or a very soft feminine name. I toyed with the names Shiloh and Trace. His name was actually Harlow for a little bit and for a long time it was Jamie but, then at the last minute I realized it looked like I was stealing Jamie Campbell Bower's identity.


In the end I gave him two unisex names that I found equally masculine and feminine.  Now, with that in mind here comes the pet peeve . . .  H-A-L-E-Y is a boy's name and H-A-Y-L-E-Y is a girl's name. It's weird how one letter makes the difference but, it does. I mean Shawn and Shawna are two different names and the name Joel brings a whole different idea than the name Joe. Okay, no more Grammar police.

Perspectives

I messed with this a little in UL2 and a bit in UL2  and a lot in IVB but, I have never really mixed perspectives like I am here. In IVB I switched POV's because I always planned to write a series from each characters POV and the characters in the book lead relatively independent lives and have their own storylines. The same goes for UL and UL2, I changed POV so we could be in more than one place at once.

In Sundays, the changing POV's is all getting different perspectives of the same places and the same people. This entire piece is all about perspective, keep that in mind. I mentioned this in the comments about the 3 perspectives but I wanted to say it again. Take Harlow for instance, to Alan Harlow's death had no affect on him and he saw it as crazy, Haley sees Harlow's death as emotional and sad while Maxwell sees Harlow's death as a big problem for him, almost an inconvenience.

Just remember you are seeing through their eyes and not from an impartial narrator. This whole "perspectives" section is me dancing around something that I want to tell you but, would rather let unfold in the story. It is nothing huge or plot central and, it won't come up until the end but, still . . .

On a side note I originally wrote the whole thing in 3rd person but, it felt to distant so I changed it in revision 1. . . . I just can't do 3rd person. I honestly feel the best person to tell how a character is feeling is the character themselves.

Part 2

So, I tried something different here with Haley's voice. To make it clear, there are times when he is talking to his dead brother, Harlow. I wanted to try something different but, I don't think this storytelling style will make a re-appearance.

Author's Note. I've said it a lot and I will say it again. I wrote this with very little intention of ever posting it. So, I will say some of you will totally hate me for parts of this chapter.


Part 2 

My playlist is a 50 songs now , don't know how many I plan to use.

-1- Heartless  cover by the Fray (second Kanye cover, I don't hate him just hate autotune)

-2- Save You by Matthew Perryman (Recycled from the Hidden  author's cut playlist.)

-3- Everything by Lifehouse  (Yes, I know that song. I kind of like it  though)

-4-Warm Whispers by Missy Higgins

-5- Lost by Anouk ( I feel like Lile has used this. Y/N ? I just went through SYTYCD 7 scavenging for music)

Ahhh ! 2 years and a 100 posts !

Okay, maybe not quite 2 years but, my first post was in August 2009 and it is almost 2011.

Brothers on a Hotel Bed

I've been meaning to blog about this for a while but kept forgetting to. Some people mentioned this song in relation to Jean and Alan's relationship and it made me start thinking about what exactly the title of the song means. The song itself refers to lovers who are growing apart as they get older and after some digging I think the best explanation for the title is that it refers to being apart.

I believe it is referring to if you stay in a hotel on family vacation and don't have enough beds so, 2 brothers or male friends have to share a bed. They will sleep on opposite ends to be as far apart from each other as possible. There will be a big gap in the bed. Whereas I think you could argue sisters or something may not mind sleeping closer together.

The song kind of relates to Jean and Alan's relationship at the time because, they are sitting so far apart from each other in the jail cell. Plus this moment marks the decline of their relationship in Hidden.

Hidden

I usually have so much more to say about a story when I end it but, I don't have much to say. There is not much to it except some rambling.

Orginigally, when Veritas was one piece I planned for Minnow to die as sort of the climax, then Jean and Alan  go on this undrafted adventure of sorts and then reveal she had lived. Only, that adventure of sorts never materialized and I decided to just split the story into parts. I felt it was getting to long anyway. On a side not I have totally forgot the parts of a story all I remember is climax and falling resolution.

Arcadia

I always created the concept of Arcadia (I hate to get all JK Rowling) with the intent of destroying it. Before there was ever any aspect of military in the story  I wanted Alan to come back to Arcadia and see it as a refugee camp of sorts. To see something so important to him destroyed by war. This idea was actually central to the story because it sparked the entire plot. I had mentioned this story was inspired by the earthquake in Haiti. Everything was kind of building towards that moment of him seeing this refugee camp but, that story got abandoned as well.


The Title

The title come from the storyline involving Luce that I tied up early on in Hidden. The fact that Luce had this thing hidden inside of him. It also comes up a few more times but, really Hidden is about not being able to see the things that are right in front of you. Take if for what you will.

Orginal Story

I have no idea why I want to mention the original story, it was so different than what came out but, I feel like blogging.

Originally, after Minnow and Saint died the rest of the crew went back to work as usual until something forced them to leave the LOLA. Alan goes back to his home and faces his dad (I had an epic song for this moment too) and there meeting is a bit more dramatic then he leaves. They head across the battlefields to Arcadia which is now a refugee camp and that is where he sees Minnow. . .  or something like that, okay . . . *stops rambling*


Sad note

On a sadder note, Saint died. That is why he doesn't come back for Minnow one day. I didn't see room in the story to really explain this so, I decided to blog it.

SH Future ( I need a cooler web nickname like LiLe of MaTow. Maybe I need a pen name . . . )

So, I have a lot working for the future. Which is funny because before I was worried this was it and I's fizzle out.

I am editing the 600 word flash fiction story that I think could spawn a short web serial.

I am drafting the final chapter of Vertias, which will be about 2- 3 chapters. I am very excited about it because it will be written very simply not a lot of overarching plot themes . . . or atleast that is how I want it to be.

 . . . And I have a little idea floating around in my head. It is a concept for what can only be described as a supernatural YA serial (No, there are no vampires or zombies). I have no plot, only a few character names so, I am waiting for that idea to solidify. I'm actually considering making it an re-interpretation of another story. It will probably be another short one. Don't worry to much on this because I have made no progress with it.

Oh wait !

I mentioned somewhere along the line, something I  drafted as author notes turned into something bigger than I thought. Well, as I was writing Hidden I poured over this other piece re-reading and editing it multiple times, flirting with the idea of posting it. 

I've decided to post it. It is more of a companion to Veritas than a sequel or anything.I would love for you all to regard this as a WIP but, it's really not. I have been looking at if for weeks. This is the first time I have soemthing from start to finish done before I post it.

With the nerves I have with posting this, consider this my Free Spirits.

Because this was kind of written in a big chunk, I didn't find any music along the way for it. I was still listening to the Hidden playlist so, some of the music will be reused from my other web serials and maybe even some LiLe web serials. She has one song in particular I have always wanted to steal !

@ LiLe -- Always, waiting for an update. Seriously, you are my muse so I am sure when you start posting it will only help me get more ideas. Can we get a time frame maybe ? Or a hint about something ? (jk, but, I have to advocate for the fans)




Sundays

Part 1

-1- Down by Jason Walker

-2- If I Die Young by Band Perry ( I know country music, prepare yourself)

-3- Between the Lines by Sara Bareielles

Wishing I had a more significant name for this post.

Chapter 8

So, I think a few of you got the wrong impressions from Chapter 8 and I debated whether to clear them up or not. Reader interpretation is so important to reading  but, I ulitmately realized those impressions could ruin the perception of the next chapter.

Dr. Channing


Dr. Channing is supposed to be a foil to the other military personnel Alan has met. Mostly, he is a foil to Dr. Frank. Dr. Frank wears a uniform and doctor's coat as a status symbol even though the wearing them impedes his full range of motion and makes his job more difficult.

Dr. Channing does the exact opposite and never acknowledges his military rank even though his is actually quite high. He does not wear the uniform unless he has to. Channing is Alan's superior but never acknowledges it, he sleeps the same place as Alan and treats him as an equal.

Also, Channing is the surname of Juliana and her dad's psychiatrist in UL2. I like the last name, I thought it sounded like a 'nice' name.

Shai & Griffith

So, Shai and Griffith's death were a part of that story structure I was talking about in my last posts. I added their storylines in chapter 8 to help better organize the chapter. I wanted to narrate Alan's experiences at Ft. Life through his interactions with the 2 men.

A story within a story . . .  kind of.  I wanted them to have the "first meeting",  "a moment between family ( Shai visiting Arcadia/ Griffith and his dad) " , "penultimate moments (Shai reorganizing Arcadia/ Griffith moving to Sector A" and finally "death/life".

I wanted their deaths to be ironic in that the one who was supposed to live died and the one who was supposed to die lived. 

Picspirations !

Persephone (Summer Glau, I know not the best image of her)

Shai (Robert Roldan from SYTYCD. He always inspired the character of Shai, I just forgot to mention it back in Veritas and couldn't bring it up without making it obvious he comes back in this.)
Persephone














Dr. Channing  (Based on RSL. This was a last minute inspiration but, I can't unsee)

Chapter 9

Okay, so on to Chapter 9. Once again a short playlist. Which is odd because I have a lot of music I love but, can't find a place for. One song is only on last.fm and I fought with it but, I can't embed it here so, I found a copy of it and  youtube mini-embed.

Chapter 9

-1- Better Day by Goo Goo Dolls
- 2- Same Things by Twintapes (Mini-embeded)

Falling in Love Again !

Where have I been ?

So, I took a detour from my regular posting schedule and it was mostly because I fell in love with my writing again. I heard some songs and got super inspired and ended up  almost completing two goals I have always talked about in these blogs.

Turning in to Tim O' Brien

I mentioned Hemingway's iceberg theory early on in this serial and a lot of it related to the war going on in the background of the serial. Which is ironic because the Iceberg Theory is something Hemingway came up with when he was a war reporter.

Anyway, In my head I knew so much more background on Camp Independence than I let on or had time to write. I actually deleted large chunks of dialogue from the last chapter to keep the flow.

That being said, after I posted chapter 7 and Chapter 8 was in an editing stage I decided to scratch out some of this story about Camp Independence that had been floating in my head. It was all  for my own enjoyment.

It was supposed to be scenes or whatever and I just got addicted to writng this and it ended up being 10,000 words in just 2 days. I thought to myself  'hey, if I can do this I bet I could make this a NaNo' so the next day I added more scenes and more words and I made it 20,017 words.

Then I looked and saw a NaNo was 50,000 and I though No.Just.No. I mean, if I put Hidden on the back burner I could have added more scenes and more dialouge but, a part of me  didn't want to and I kind of forfeited.

I don't believe every aspect of the whole story has to be told and I did not see this backstory as being a 175 page novel.

Anyway, the story revolves around the Camp Independence and I mean it's pretty crappy  (and seriously, I mean high school fan-fictiony crappy)  in itself so, I am debating wether to post it or not. I'm not trying to be a tease but,  I wanted you guys to know what I had been up to.

I just had a lot of fun writing it and honestly it has made writing Hidden so much better, I feel like I have a whole new view of everything.

Flash Fiction

After I gave up on expanding the Camp Independence story I still had a writing itch and chapter 8 was giving me a hard time.

A while ago,  I heard a song on playlist.com and fell in love with it and this very short story formed in my head. I wanted to make it a flash fiction of 300-400 words and planned to start it much later but, I thought 'what the heck' and wrote it.  It is 588 right now so I need to do some work. I worked on that for a while--still abandoning chapter 8

So, yeah that's what I've been up to. Also for all that writing I listened to Pandora so, after it finished giving me every song from IVB and UL it finally started generating a lot of new music I really like.

Re-Context

I commented on a forum post about someone pointing out how I recontextualize things and I thought it was very clever but, that list is actually mostly plot elements I am guilty of using over and over again like Dan Brown.

To me, Recontextulizing is when I take the context of something, the meaning of it that is and turn it into something else. For instance The 10th Circle is a club in Miami in United Light  in Hidden The 10th Circle is a club in LOLA . . . hmm that is not the best example.

The best example is how the triangle with the flower went from being a symbol of ownership used by Caine to the insignia of the Republican Liberation Army (although I suppose you could argue that as being the same . . .)

Chapter 7

I hate to be a tease but I don't want to explain to much about Chapter 7 because it may come up if I ever post the Camp Independence story but there was one thing. Haley thinking he has Shingles is supposed to shadow that premonition thing some people have before something bad happens. A lot of people reported having nightmares or feeling sick before 9/11.


Chapter 8
I wrote this chapter and it felt very empty so, I re-wrote it with a specific outline in mind and I hope that comes through. This chapter got a little abandoned as I mentioned earlier but, as I listen to it with the music and re-read it, it is actually one of my favorites for a few reasons.

Chapter 8

-1- Twilight Serenade by Jason Myles Goss (the first song on the Hidden Inspirations playlist)
-2- Sheep May Safely Graze by Bach & Jon Sayles

-3-  Stronger (cover) by 30 Seconds from Mars (remember Jared Leto ???)

-4- Dog Days are Over by Florence and the Machine (New favorite song)

-5- All That I Am by Rob Thomas (would you believe I randomly added this song to the inspirations playlist, without hearing it)

First NSFW Shawna Harrison Post

So, there is a minor NSFW image in here. Also, this will help with when you computer loads this page. Click on the title to see the post unless, I have fixed the jump cut by the time you are reading this.

Picture

So, I want to do a picture post of all the characters who have pic-inspirations so far. As I make this I realize that Hidden may be a little Blue Bishie Ghetto


Alan -- as always based on the chiseled looks of Zac Efron (the 2nd image is the nsfw one but, I think understand it being 'artistic')

Jean Dory -- He is based on Jared Leto, the lead singer of 30 Seconds to Mars, I have used there music once before. Leto was a little more eccentric in his younger days.

Rayne Washington -- His has always been like Daniel Dae Kim from Lost. I know he is Korean but, Washington is supposed to be Japanese.
















Sgt. Maxwell -- The young Thomas Gibson.

Belle -- has always been based on Megan Fox. I have to say I like this classy (yet shopped) photo of her.

Blackbird-- Robin Williams, in case you couldn't tell from the eccentric.















Haley -- Yes, he gets his own section.

  As one  of you guessed Haley is based on Bonnie Wright's fiance Jamie Campbell Bower and Chris Crocker but mostly on Jamie. As a matter of fact his name was Jamie for a while until I noticed it would be to similar. I do want to say Haley was inspired by a  character in Slaughterhouse 5 who only appears for about 2 sentences.

For some reason I wanted to expand on him so I did. Later on I realized he was kind of like Terry in LiLe's FS so, that was why I was looking at back entries of LiLe last post. I wanted to see who she based Terry on and she never said. Haley is a bit of a gender bender and even the guys want him

However, once I found Jamie the entire character came into place. Also Haley's earring is based on an earring Jamie wore at a premiere. There is also a Sweeney Todd interview where he is wearing red nail polish . . .

 

Chris Crocker ( Male and Female versions)

I actually find Jamie to be just a really beautiful man. Haley's personality is based on Jamie as well, ecspecially in these interviews. I watched them over and over to get the characterization just right. Linda said his description stuck with her and that is probably why.

This interview I thought was actually kind of funny , just look at the way he sits very closed off and never looks the interviewer in the eye. He looks at her from the side even when he is directly addressing her. Also, he always seemed so into his own world. When he isnt being talked to it looks like he isn't listening. I also think he tweeted when this first came out he was looking at a bug on the floor at one point.





And in this one he acts just as I imagine the character. They are talking to Dakota and he is in the shot and he is not paying attention and in the very beginning when they are all smiling at the host looking, he is looking down. He always sticks out to me in these interviews.

Alan's Sexuality

Some people mentioned Alan's sexuality. At first I said he was the Q in LGBTQI, I'm not sure if it stands for Queer or Questioning. But, then I realized the only people he thinks about sexually about Belle and Allison and Sara a little bit  so, he is straight.

Chapter 6

You know I wasn't sure at first but, I think Chapter six solidified for me the fact that Alan is telling this story from the future. I'm not sure which point in the future but, he is.

New Blogger

I kind of like the new blogger, it lets me upload multiple pictures at once but, IDK I miss the old one.

@ LILE

I love  The NBC show The Event for  no other reason but, that the two main EBE's names are Sophia and Thomas-- seriously it makes me think of you all the time.

Chapter 7

Okay, this chapter has become a UL like chapter it is over 7,000 words long--I have no idea how I got there. You will notice a lot of similar SH plot devices so, I know they are there but there is a divergence. So, here it is. Also, I accidentally had a song on the playlist that was supposed to go on this one. It's all fixed.

Chapter 7

Playlist :

Falling Slowly by Kris Allen (UL flashback ! but, I like this version better. I'm always looking for good covers to use.)

Jar of Hearts by Chrisine Perri

You Could Be Happy by Snow Patrol

Howl by Florence and the Machine (In love with this group and love this song !)

Fall Colors !

New Blogger

The jury is still our for me on weather I like the new blogger.com or not. I feel like they have less colors to choose from. Guess I have to learn HTML colors.

Writing

I don't have much to say about chapters 4&5 that was not already addressed in the comments so, I thought I would blog about writing. I think a lot of people want to be or are writers and I love that and more than that I like people who write for themselves. I am trying to turn my web serials into that. I often find myself worrying what readers will think but I can't do that. This is not something I need to sell and have analyzed a Cobalt but, something that I should make my own and into something I love. Maybe that piece of advice will help Lile's writer's block ? (I know I pick on you every post) and if that doesn't help there are always tropes. Oh, the tropes.

Also, something has just motivated me to just write, write, write this serial like I am possessed so I decided to go ahead and post this.

In this chapter I will admit you will see some similar means but trust me they lead to very different ends.Look out for the author's note at the end.

Music Fail

Did no one notice I called the Red Hot Chili Peppers the Red Hot Chili Brothers in the last post ?  *headesk*

Chapter 6

I call this the sleepy playlist because all the music is very dreamy and lullaby like for some reason. Also one of these is a Scrubs song

-1- Bad Dream by Keane

-2- Los Angeles by Peter Bradely Adams

-3- Piano Duet from Corpse Bride by Danny Elfman  (and Victor and Victoria too I suppose)

-4- Ain't No Life by Pilot Speed.

Chapter 6

Double Chapter Post All The Way . . .

Lile ♥

So, I was looking in old Lile blog entries (for reasons I will explain a few chapters later) and I just noticed what a long way she has come and I just wanted to acknowledge that. At first she was very self-consious about her writing, often taking things down or finding something wrong and deleting it. Now, I think Lile writes just for herself and is so uninhabitated in her writing and interactions with her readers so well--I mean we love you. I also think she had found a great balance between herself and her writer persona that wasn't there before. I mean I honestly can see how we became friends through our writing, it is just really great.

I took a glance at some of my favorite, LA,FS and S&A passages and I feel like I am reading it all over again for the first time. Even after all this time and knowing how it ends up I can still feel the characters passion. There are a couple times she posted saying she was quitting and I just want to say I am so glad she didn't.

Conceited Egotist, Much ? : Canonical Babblings

So, I was doing like I ocassionally do and re-read some of my old work. I am not really concieted  or anything, I actually  find some of it a bit cringe worthy. I mean, I re-read UL2 and I was like 'this story makes no sense to me' for some reason. I mean everyone was getting thrown in jail left and right and having mood swings.

I was originally never going to deal with the court case and write sort of this New England Romance Type Thing, like the first chapter was. I just made up the phrase New England Romance Type Thing, I think the better word is Lifetime Moviesque.Anyway, part of me thinks UL2 would have gone down better that way.

The point of this was I also re-read Veritas and I realized I made a huge error in Hidden. In chapter 4 Alan not only states his birthday is November 11th but, he is going to die April 4th. The events in Veritas take place roughly over a month so it ends in May. Meaning Hidden takes place 6 months later in October/ early Novemeber which means it probably isn't his birthday . . .  although if you stretch it a couple of days I guess it does work oddly well. This may have been a pointless section.

Re-reading this made me realize I totally need to start up on that Lexicon, because it gets a bit convaluted. I will get to it.

In Closing

So, maybe this isn't the most bloggiest of entries but, as I come to an end of this exact entry I realize I may be able to squeeze some UL short stories out. I think I may need help from my tropes first. The impossibility does not seem so great to me know for some reason. And I am not trying to pull strings this is honestly how I am feeling so, we will see.




Full on Double Chapter Post

So, yes double chapter post. I finally have some music and in no particular order : One song is from a group that is growing on me, one song is the obligatory SYTYCD song, a song that is a huge favorite of mine I stole from Lile and listen to obsessively,  One I hated a first but, came to really like.
 
Chapter 4

-1- 9 Crimes by Damien Rice

-2- Little Bit by Lykke Li

-3- Fix You by Coldplay

-4- Around the World by Red Hot Chili Brothers


Chapter 5

Brothers on a Hotel Bed by Dashboard Confessional