A Bit About Chapter Eight

As a published author at Cobalt, we often put the manuscripts through test groups and change things as need be or to help make the book better.

I do not have this luxury with United Light and it makes writing this a little bit more challenging for. There are some things in this chapter I would have taken out or altered but overall I am happy. There are also little things I would change like I have realized there are not 2 n's in Juliana.

One of the biggest things I never intended to (and I believe I said this in some comments) do was have Juliana and Sawyer have such a big fight over the money. When writing it I struggled between the words "pulled down" and "tackled" to describe how he grabs her but, I want to put across that it was not supposed to be violent. It would be similar to how siblings fight but, they are not trying to hurt each other (unless you were in my house,lol). I also have some regret with Juliana at the end of chapter 8 but, she is just feeling lonely and as I have said my characters have a mind of their own.

I know this part of the story was somewha depressing but, once they had the challenge before them I knew this story was going to have somewhat of a downfall of the two characters. The parts of the story about Sawyer and Juliana's living condition were inspired byLa Parure or The Necklace by Guy Maupassant. The short story is about a couple who lose everything and suffer for 10 years to replace a lost necklace. I have always hated the end of this short story and I would never treat my characters as poorly (or would I? I don't know) but, it has always been my inspiration and now I can share that.

I have done the broke college student thing for longer than most (I ended up deciding to get another degree in my 5th year) so, I am fully aware that companies like Suave and VO5 make wonderful shampoos for l.50 or less. But, their argument wasn't about money, they were both tired and stressed and letting our some bottled emotions. I was using the argument, the police showing up, the allergy medication and even the mention of explosions in the news last chapter as a way to put the ideas in your head.

I have to say in writing this chapter I have learned a lot more about making crystal meth and it's consequences than I ever hoped to know. If you ever need proof of the Freedom of Speech, Google how to do something illegal.


I knew from the time Caine gave Juliana and Saywer the ultimatium I knew Sawyer was going to do something illegeal. I was writing this during a Law and Order marathon (I love Benson, she is my style icon) and I was planning on making him a callboy but I decided him making drugs was a better option and was something that is actually a big problem in Miami.

Someone commented that Sawyer was wasting his degree but as a back story (atleast in my mind) Sawyer has worked at the diner all through college and while he applied for jobs in his field he wasn't ready to move away from Elisa or take an office job.


As far as the playlist I only have comments on some of the music.

I love the sound of Sara Barielle's and Saving Jane's voice. I was going to use Saving Jane's One Girl Revolution but, it was a bit to edgy. I may use it later.

The song "Ordinary" was really for Rosa, who wants to befriend Elisa and help her see they are the same.

Superchick's "One Girl Revolution" was what I imagined playing during the photoshoot ( I know cliched).

I think the rest of the songs can speak for themselves, those were the only knew ones I added.

I hope that explains some of the things in the web serial, one of my fears with this web serial is I will write myself into a corner and not be able to get out of it without altering reality or something.


I loved being able to give stellar updates and I may start writing out large chunks and then posting it in bits so, I can update keeping 2-3 times in a row.

Once again, if you have any quesitons I would be more than happy to answer.

I need to find a better way to organize these posts

I might be crazy

I have decided to do two updates in a row. I really do want honest criticism for this chapter and I mean brutal but, I have to say this chapter is like my baby that I have been carrying for a long time and get to share with the world. I feel like I have to say I that but, I still want honesty.


I would love to find the perfect playlist for this chapter but, I am not the musical guru Linda is (I hear she has 27 new songs !). Anyway between looking at artist on my playlist, Linda's playlist and your suggestions I have put together a playlist for this chapter, for those of you who like to read along with one.

It is really an update/re-ordering of the one on the left so, it should be there already in order.

Now, this one is less conceptual but I have tried to put a new spin on some of the music.

For the next chapter (which I have yet to think about, yikes !) Joel said we would listen to the One Tree Hill CD's (not DVD's, I know) at lunch and I would find some new music and inspirtation.

I did try something a teensy bit new with the layout and style of the story to make the playlist easier to understand.

I have also taken some liberties with the style and format of the body of work on this chapter and I may continue to do it with other chapters. I feel like it helps me tell the story.

Now, You can listen to this playlist or you can do my personal suggestion and listen to Winter Song through the whole thing.

Okay, I am taking a deep breath because once I post this I will have nothing and I have to find time to get in the zone to start writing again but, here it is.





Elisa Part 1

- Ordinary by Saving Jane

Elisa Part 2

- One Girl Revolution-Superchick

-Better Day by Saving Jane

Juliana Part 1

- This Woman's Work by Maxwell

- Stand in the Rain- Superchick

-Gravity - Sara Barielles

Juliana Part 2

- Bella's Lullaby by Carter Burwell

- Winter Song- Sara Barielles

- Belief- Gavin Degraw ( This song has what I guess is a "club version" so there are two on the playlist)

Quick Update

No, I do not have chapter 8 up (check in a few hours, though).

Playlist

I wrote chapter 7 as the set up for chapter 8 (which is the one I was warning you all about) so, that is why chapter 8 is coming up so quickly but, I didn't want to post them together. I was very surprised how easily these chapters came about once I started on them.

As far as playlist go,I have had the hardest time finding music for these chapters but, I suggest you listen to Lina Leigh's play list especially Winter Song (my new ringtone) and Come Round Soon by Sara Barielles. As I have said my playlist are more conceptual so they go with the over all story and I pretty much use the same one when I write each chapter. If you know a song that you think would fit the story, feel free to tell me because I am done even looking for songs, it takes up to much time I don't have. If I happen to hear or see something that I like I may add it to the playlist and tell you all about it.

This is another behind the chapter post.

Images:

Someone suggested I put pictures of more than just the people I imagine playing the characters. I only really have one and that is for Cecelia's dress :



I snapped this pic when I went to a vintage dress shop in LA. I was turned on to the shop by someone I knew, it's actually the one Mr.Baker's wife gets some of her clothes from.

I know in this chapter the characters sleep alot so, that is why I chose that image I did for the top. It was merely conceptual.

Story:

I have been trying to keep Elisa and Julianna's timelines in sync with each other but, I may be abandoning that soon, it can be very hard to keep their lives at the same pace. I don't know how confusing that may be so I might abandond Elisa's POV for a while and then go back to her. Or I may just use my poetic licesnce and do whatever I want with the timelines. I think that is what will ultimatley happen in chapter 8.

I also hope the way I switch between Elisa and Julianna's POV makes sense. There is a reason in the book publishing world you would never get away with first person omnicient, lol.

I have also taken Poetic Liscense with Miami's urban planning. I am a east coast girl and only go to the South to see families. For those of you who don't know in the south lost of Indian Families own and live in motels (Think Denzel Washington in Mississippi Marsala) that have daily rates. This is wear they are staying, they are on the city limits. I choose the name Orange Blossom becacause the state flower of Florida is Orange Blossom. My color choices have nothing to do with OrangeMarlow and Cobalt (are you happy, Joel ?). Also the fact that the Gators colors are blue and orange is also a coincedece. It is actually creepy to me how many coincideces there are in the story.

I also double spaced this entry (to make it look longer,lol) , I wonder if that makes it easier to read ? Also the official word count on this entry is actually . . . 5,769 so , not 6,000 but it's interesting how you all saw this one as longer.

What you've all been waiting for :

The movie Julianna is watching is 300. I knew if I said anything else about it, it would give it away. I was originally going to write my own sex scene but, with all the good ones (and not so good ones) out there I decided to find one (I had to do this at home and not at work though, lol) anyway 300 is rated R and as much as I believe in free speech, if you are under 17 please don't get me in trouble and watch this.


300 - These bloopers are hilarious


If you all have any questions about UL I am more than happy to do a Q&A, I'd love to here these theories! I won't give away any spoilers though. I would update this entry with your Q's and my A's. As I have said Chapter 8 is written and it will not change.

Full Speed Ahead

While my dear friend, Linda is taking time to exhale I am moving full speed ahead. I know I haven't posted in a while but, I figured if I didn't post and update it wouldn't matter.

So, I do have an update for you all and a behind the page picture post I am going to post after this had been up for a day. This one is one of my longest at almost 6,000 words.

I have considered posting chapter buttons up to chapter 12 so I won't have to do it every time I post an update (yes, I manage the site). But, I was afraid it may confuse people so, you may see some changes with that.

Here is the update.

A New Look

So, I have been experimenting on my own with changing this blog's layout. I was trying to make one that would show all of the playlist but, none of them seem to be able to so I will stick with this one for now. I think I will change the layout once a month to keep things interesting and so I can experiment. If I do find one that goes with the playlist gadget it will probably be pretty simple.

Some of the things I like about this layout is it has a bloglist so, I can see when my fellow Cobaltians (we had lunch with Joel today and we all agreed that is a word now) have updated.

One thing I have been forgetting to mention is that the final scene between Julianna and Sawyer when they are eating dinner, that scene was written to Bella's Lullaby, it just happened to be playing when I was imagining that scene.


This story is kind of hard for me to create because I often write retroactively, meaning I write a whole story and then I can go back and fit the tone of the story with the beginning, I can also add foreshadowing and chekov's guns. But with this I can't really do that because I do not know how or when this will end.

That is basically my warning to you about this story taking a different turn. I think my biggest fear is being told I am copying my dear friend and colleauge, Miss Leigh but I have to say when I started United Light (with no intention of making a web serial) I knew it was going to take a change from it's innocent beginning. Now, it won't be like as Miss Leigh puts it, "sex,drugs and rock n roll" but there will be more mature concepts.

I do have an overall theme for this serial, what I want it to be about and to show and that is what I always intended it to be about. I may reveal more about the theme but, it may ruin the possible angles the story could take.

I have to say I wish I could fully explain the process I take to write this series, I find myself quiet literally asking the characters things like what is your last name ? What kind of car do you drive ? and also what happens next. I am not a planner at all because you cannot plan life as it happens, although I suppose you can try.

I am however a reaseracher and it is funny how with this chapter things have come full circle in an ironic way. I will explain about this later because the instance I am talking about may not come about for a few chapters but, I really have no idea.

Like I was saying I'm a researcher I love to use real pictures or items to help me describe things. And it's tiny things like for the body scrub bottle or a dress or something, maybe it is because I have never been a visual persn.

That was me trying to describe my writing process for this project. When I write my books I use a completely different process.

Behind Chapter 6

I have no clue how people feel about these entries where I kind of go behind the words but, this is one of them. As I often say I have no clue what will happen so there are no spoilers.

After writing chapter 5 I knew I wanted to use Elisa as a way to show life on the commune but, I had not really thought of how to do it. I finally broke down and wrote in her voice, I realize now that this story has to be told in 2 voices while the 3 characters are separated. I never intended to separate Elisa from Sawyer and Julianna but somehow it happened. I am very happy most of you seemed happy with the way I portrayed her.

And if you read chapter 5 and 6 carefully you do know that yes, Cecilia is Sawyer's sister. He lists her when he is talking to Julianna at McDonalds. It is no secret and I am not sure if it has any significance.

Someone commented about symbolism in this chapter. There is really only one instance, which is Julianna's shower. It did not start out that way but, by the time I was ready to post this it was a symbol for Julianna washing away her innocence and purity and lilies are often a symbol of purity and innocence. That is why instead of watching Sawyer move the furniture like she does in chapter 1 she helps him, that's why she rolls the chair.

Obviously people do not change overnight so, Julianne's changes will be gradual so maybe some of you did not catch her differences

I have taken my share of English classes and I like everyone else had the 'sometimes a river is just a river' mentaility. And with me most times it is but, ocassionally I slip in some.

There is a writer (I want to say Tim O'Brian) who is known for writing dialouge using real life language-- he mimicks the way when we talk we interrupt each other, change subjets and talk over each other in his writing.I kind of do the same thing with people. We constantly meet people who come in and out of our lives who we never see or remember again. That is the case with many of my characters. They are there to serve a purpose but, I have no idea if they will be a love interest or a significant character

One thing I notice that I have done a lot is write retrospectively, which I understand can be confusing so I will try to stop doing that. Like in the first section where Elisa tells you where she is, she goes back to how she got there and then she is back where she is.

As for the music, I found Elisa to be much more of a stronger woman than Julianan so, I really chose songs that were more about girl power and finding strength. I found the band Saving Jane, had some really great ones but I only chose one but, One Girl Revolution is good too.

That's all for now, I can't wait to update.

Chapter 6

I was invited to a wedding this weekend so, I fully intended to spend Saturday night going to bed early so, I could be ready for the drive back home but, I couldn't sleep I found a Starbucks that was open late and sat down to IM with whoever was online when I decided to write some United Light.

It was like a total writer-nirvana moment because it was as if the chapter fell out of my fingertips and like the characters were telling me what to write, it was wonderful. So, I am proud to say chapter 6 is up.

I have made a rule for myself that I will try to keep the entries atleast 5,000 words or more like the last one but, this one is about 4,700.

When writing this chapter I did a little something different. For what I was writing my playlist just wasn't cutting it so, I decided to listen to Linda's when I wrote it. And I have to say it helped but, the playlist is very Linda Leigh, not that that is a bad thing.

I really think Come Round Soon by Sara Barielles could be the theme song for Spirits, it's like the song was written for the series it is absolutley perfect.

Anyway during the editing process I decided to add some songs to the playlist I origninally had and it helped the story come along. They are not nearly as perfect as Linda's but they definetley made more sense for what I writing . I am going too see if I can put the playlists in my sidebar somewhere so, I will see.

Edit -- The new playlist is in the sidebar ! I did it, I feel smart !

I really had fun writing this and I can't wait for the next piece to be told.