However Improbable: Character Posts

           Miss Jack at However Improbable is having a drawing for her book A Stretch of Loyalty that is coming out. Write a character post and leave the link in her comments section and your name will go in. So here's my character post.

           I'm not sure how many of you have read this book. Seraphina by Rachel Hartman. (I will apologize beforehand for any misspellings of names, I don't have the book with me) At first I wasn't sure if I would like it much. I personally am not much for dragons turning into people or vice-versa, or even half dragon and half person? Yeah. To me that gets into macro-evolution (if you're into science you know what I mean), and I don't agree with that. But that's beside the point, and for this book I decided to put that to the side also and just see what the story itself was about.
   
           Amazing! Hartman's style drew me in. But her characters are the real showstopper. I was thinking about discussing Kiggs. But maybe another time. Orma. I don't know if he was my favorite over Kiggs, but he comes very close.

           Orma is Seraphina's dragon uncle. He is most often seen in his saar or human form. But he is so hilarious, without meaning to be really. Because Seraphina tends to be scarastic at times. And being a dragon, Orma more than likely doesn't even know the word sarcastic exists. He can blend in better with humans than most saars. But he still has his quirks. Like sitting on his stacks of books. Because to him, knowledge is treasure.

           Which is another thing I love about Orma. He is different than most dragons. They all covet treasure and power (well. . .they are dragons). But Orma  has more depth. His treasure is not gold. It's knowledge. It's music.

           And dragons consider human emotions to be a disease. If a saar begins to show too much human emotion he can be banned from living amongst humans. It is weakness to them. Orma does not understand all sentiments. But he does have emotions, even if he doesn't show them. He has a father-like relationship with Seraphina. He cares very much for. He has often saved her life, and has had the brains enough to make it look as if he were doing something else, so no dragon could be sure he was attached to her. Even Seraphina at times doubts that he really cares. But he does. And there are so many reason he should not. One, he's a dragon. Two, in the dragon world he could be in a lot of trouble. Three, she's the daughter of his dead sister and that has to be painful. His loyalty is amazing as well as his self-sacrifice for his niece.

           And as I mentioned before all the dragons hunger for is treasure and power. Perhaps Orma has learned that love is powerful. I worry about him in the coming book. I'll try not say too much if you haven't read it. Because you should. It's a wonderful fantasy. The one of the best fantasies I've read in a while time.

           If you want to write a character post and enter Miss Jack's drawing also, you can find her blog here.

Snippets. . . again

          Look! There are new pages on the top bar! Or whatever it is that's called. . . They are link ups, soon to be active. Check them out.  :)

           Whisperings of the Pen is hosting Snippets! Perhaps I should've waited a day or so. Oh, well. Here's a few more.

    
            Someone pulled his head out of the water, finally. Whoever it was, he was going to kill them. Rocky coughed until his lungs hurt. Then his eyes finally focused.
            Rats, it was a girl.

                                                                                              -from Oddball


            "You. . ." Shocky scrutinized him. "You have a slug on your shoulder."

                                                                                             -from Oddball (ages ago)


           Anyone else would have stood there and gawked, clueless. But Mora was smart. He liked smart girls.
           She jerked him to a stop. "Are you crazy? Nobody has ever-"
           "But I will." He smirked.
           She raised an eyebrow, then shook her fist at him. "If you dare kiss me-"
           Rocky laughed. "I would never kiss you."
           "You sure looked like it." She gave him a warning glare.
           He walked away. He didn't have time for this.                                                                                            -from Oddball (yeah, I can't write romance)


           Whenever I see her, I know her heart is crying. With the deep sorrows of silent rain and swelled rivers. But she never cries on the outside.
           She can't.

                                                                                           -from the weird idea

A Snippet

           I don't have much today. I've been writing though today. A lot. I don't know why I say a lot, since I dislike using that word. A lot is used far too often and doesn't have much meaning in it. But anyhow, here's a bit of what I wrote. Edited, of course.

           He could see and hear everything. The flicker of the fire. The people's screams. The tree branches, the rain, and the wind slapped him in the face. But the screams and the crackle of fire were muffled. And the rain and wind; he didn't feel it. He just felt cold, like. . .

           Like he was stuck inside himself.

The Villain and the Girl and the Romance-Driven Good

           I'm sorry about yesterday's odd post. You see I had-

lost my mind. Ha. I lost my mind.
 You haven't seen it, have you?
 My missing piece,
my primary memory circuit?

 -BEN, Treasure Planet

           I'm sorry. It happens often unfortunately. I try not to let it show (yeah, right).

           But today I watched Megamind with my family. I love that show; it's hilarious!

      You certainly are a villain, but not a supervillain.

What's the difference?\

*cue the music*

Presentation!

-Megamind

           The evil overlord said something though. The bad guy never gets the girl. And now that I think about, he's right. I don't think I've come across a fictitious story where the bad guy gets the girl. Now if I dig deeper I might find some insignificant incident. But it's just not popular. Perhaps it's too much of a damper for a happy ending.

           I'm not sure why. Often times though, it seems that the girl is on the good side. Not necessary on the good guy's side exactly (or at least at first). But the girl always seems to applaud and encourage good in general. Like the girl stands for good in a way, like a symbol almost. (unless you're reading fantasy, then she can be either way: light and all good things or manipulating and perpetually wicked)

           With the girl always wanting good to win out, it helps drive the good guy to continue being good when things get tough. If she hadn't desired good in general to prevail, would the good guy remain good? Are there any stories that take a chance on that question? Perhaps. But I can't think of any at the moment.

           One day I want to write a story where the bad guy gets the girl. Or where the bad girl gets the guy, whatever. A story where good isn't romantically driven. 

Why do writers terroize their characters?

           Really, is it a good thing? To raise up  a character like he's your own kin and then, let major havoc loose in his life? And the only thing you do is think up ways to make his life even worse. It can't be healthy psychologically. Can it?

           But who cares about psychology, this is writing. This is stories. And-
                                                              Story is conflict.  
      

           Something must be at odds with something else. Whether it's your protagonist against outside forces (like another person/s or the elements) or your protagonist pitted against his inner self. Stories with both kinds of conflict? The best! 

           If everything is all fine and dandy- well, who wants to read about that? Readers will complain that nothing is happening in the book. Not saying that there can't be "perfect" moments in your story. A good writer will set up that scene where everything is bliss, and then take the protagonist spiraling down back to earth where we all have troubles.

           Yes, bad things happen to everyone. It's a realistic thing. So if you want to have a realistic story, then bad things must happen to your characters. Sorry to you characters out there.

           If your character's supposed to be heroic, a hero can't go without a few troubles  triumph, or else he doesn't seem very heroic, right? If he's supposed to be virtuous, his virtue must be tested.

           Now it is a strange thing, but things that are good to have and days that are good to spend are soon told about, and not much listened to; while things that are uncomfortable, palpitating, and even gruesome, may make a good tale, and take a deal of telling anyway.

                                                                                         - The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien 

    

  

            So it's okay. Maybe we are a little weird. By other people's standards. But it's a necessary part of writing. So feel bad, yes. To stay human. But story trumps all. So tell Carlleta Lynn O'Casey that her troubles are all for the greater good of the story.