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NaNoWriMo 2018--last day
Nov. 30th, 2018 09:48 pmSo what did I learn from this year's NaNoWriMo story, my little tale-in-progress about Akka and Al?
I need to do an outline somewhere along the way--one a bit more detailed than the two or three points I've been carrying around in my head.
Pacing is something I'll need to work on in my rewrites. Also making sure every sentence is relevant in some way. My, Akka loves to talk!
Here's a Christmas bit for you to end with until I finish my Yuletide gift and get this story a useful amount of outline:
As she stirred the cookie dough, Akka asked, "What would you like for Christmas, Al? I've been thinking that at your age, transportation would be a priority"
Al set down the cookie tins he'd pulled from an upper cabinet and blinked.
"I could manage a good mountain bike for you, if you'd like to go zooming down the trail instead of walking."
"Uh...but, that would be a lot. And I don't have much I could give you."
Akka laughed. "You could promise to clean out the chicks' litter pans every day, and then the coop weekly once it's warm enough for them to go out."
"That would indeed be a great gift." Al wrinkled his nose. "I think for that I should get at least a...hmm... a Nissan Leaf."
"Good luck, child. Although that's not a bad idea."
"I did make sure to ask for a car that fits our lifestyle."
***
Thanks so much for reading!!
Akka flushed slightly at the "our."
I need to do an outline somewhere along the way--one a bit more detailed than the two or three points I've been carrying around in my head.
Pacing is something I'll need to work on in my rewrites. Also making sure every sentence is relevant in some way. My, Akka loves to talk!
Here's a Christmas bit for you to end with until I finish my Yuletide gift and get this story a useful amount of outline:
As she stirred the cookie dough, Akka asked, "What would you like for Christmas, Al? I've been thinking that at your age, transportation would be a priority"
Al set down the cookie tins he'd pulled from an upper cabinet and blinked.
"I could manage a good mountain bike for you, if you'd like to go zooming down the trail instead of walking."
"Uh...but, that would be a lot. And I don't have much I could give you."
Akka laughed. "You could promise to clean out the chicks' litter pans every day, and then the coop weekly once it's warm enough for them to go out."
"That would indeed be a great gift." Al wrinkled his nose. "I think for that I should get at least a...hmm... a Nissan Leaf."
"Good luck, child. Although that's not a bad idea."
"I did make sure to ask for a car that fits our lifestyle."
***
Thanks so much for reading!!
Akka flushed slightly at the "our."
Totally crazy ideas I got for the story because I heard Sarah Pinsker read an awesome, off the beaten path short story she wrote at the convention I attended, and have been reading Tillie Walden's On a Sunbeam half the evening and thought, " God, my story is so mundane! What can I do to weird it up? "
Not just for the sake of weirding it up but to all fit,. So, spoilery possibilities below. Read if you don't mind being "spoiled" in case I got with one or both of these...
( Read more... )
Not just for the sake of weirding it up but to all fit,. So, spoilery possibilities below. Read if you don't mind being "spoiled" in case I got with one or both of these...
( Read more... )
[took 2 nights off while I was at a science fiction/fantasy convention. Learned Ursula K. LeGuin wrote at least one book on writing with highly-recommended exercises; will try those soon and may they help when I edit this!]
Akka on magical creatures such as Sola:
We don't know how many kinds of magic-based creatures exist, only that they both contain and feed on magic as well as air, light/fire, earth, water and/or metal, depending. Sola is a creature of light and heat that lives on sunlight, warmth and magic (though products of sunlight such as the chlorophyll in leaves can be eaten safely in small amounts). "Normal" animals have some magic in them but aren't wholly made of their element + magic as magical creatures are. Some of the strongest magic is in corvids (hence stories about ravens, etc), cats (also named in magic), dolphins and a few others. The concept of "familiars" rises from being able to sap some magic from the creatures in order to do divination or other magical work; any decent musician will provide food and possibly shelter in return. Some humans with telempathy can tell what such beings are "thinking" or have seen recently though it takes a lot of practice as one has to learn how a cat/crow/whatever perceives things. (Yes, one reason Akka likes the cats around is to "borrow energy"--in return they get warmth/coolness, food and water, and sometimes take energy off of her, usually in the evening when she knows she won't need it and will build up more during the night. You think your cat likes being petted for the physical touch and grooming only--ha ha they also are taking magical energy from you through your hand--unless you know how to take it.
Akka on why humans can't fly: it's a matter of how much mass magic and/or telekinesis can move. It takes great effort to, say, bend a spoon or move a coin. Telekinesis' most powerful uses tend to be cracking safes and moving shrapnel and other foreign objects in a body to where they will cause less damage. Animals, and what some call "astral bodies" can fly, but again, that's an advanced skill although some people with psychic abilities of certain types take to it fairly easily. Others need a lot of mental work, learning, and possibly calling on certain supernatural beings (deities, angels and the like). Stories of angels, deities, kami, etc., doing things to help humans are based on such calls. Such beings seem to be mostly if not entirely magic and soul/spirit/personality though they may inhabit a statue, work of nature, or person at some point. They don't always answer or help and it's hard to tell why; speculation includes their own opinion on the matter, rules they need to follow, or how much energy they have at their disposal. (Note: I might have Akka do astral travel to Ari for a bit...)
Akka on hiding: one can cover or shield one's psychic/spiritual presence from being detected or from negative influences/attacks; such skills is on the "advanced beginner" level (Al is fairly good at this.) Making oneself seem invisible is harder as it's a combination of shield and putting out a "nothing to see here" sort of anti-message. That's intermediate-to-advanced work. One can do it on oneself--a focus object can help--or do an Obi-Wan Kenobi "these aren't the droids you're looking for...move along" verbal insinuation the other person will pay attention to--if they aren't also advanced in magic in which case they'll pick up the deception like a magnet picking up a nearby piece of iron.
Akka on magical creatures such as Sola:
We don't know how many kinds of magic-based creatures exist, only that they both contain and feed on magic as well as air, light/fire, earth, water and/or metal, depending. Sola is a creature of light and heat that lives on sunlight, warmth and magic (though products of sunlight such as the chlorophyll in leaves can be eaten safely in small amounts). "Normal" animals have some magic in them but aren't wholly made of their element + magic as magical creatures are. Some of the strongest magic is in corvids (hence stories about ravens, etc), cats (also named in magic), dolphins and a few others. The concept of "familiars" rises from being able to sap some magic from the creatures in order to do divination or other magical work; any decent musician will provide food and possibly shelter in return. Some humans with telempathy can tell what such beings are "thinking" or have seen recently though it takes a lot of practice as one has to learn how a cat/crow/whatever perceives things. (Yes, one reason Akka likes the cats around is to "borrow energy"--in return they get warmth/coolness, food and water, and sometimes take energy off of her, usually in the evening when she knows she won't need it and will build up more during the night. You think your cat likes being petted for the physical touch and grooming only--ha ha they also are taking magical energy from you through your hand--unless you know how to take it.
Akka on why humans can't fly: it's a matter of how much mass magic and/or telekinesis can move. It takes great effort to, say, bend a spoon or move a coin. Telekinesis' most powerful uses tend to be cracking safes and moving shrapnel and other foreign objects in a body to where they will cause less damage. Animals, and what some call "astral bodies" can fly, but again, that's an advanced skill although some people with psychic abilities of certain types take to it fairly easily. Others need a lot of mental work, learning, and possibly calling on certain supernatural beings (deities, angels and the like). Stories of angels, deities, kami, etc., doing things to help humans are based on such calls. Such beings seem to be mostly if not entirely magic and soul/spirit/personality though they may inhabit a statue, work of nature, or person at some point. They don't always answer or help and it's hard to tell why; speculation includes their own opinion on the matter, rules they need to follow, or how much energy they have at their disposal. (Note: I might have Akka do astral travel to Ari for a bit...)
Akka on hiding: one can cover or shield one's psychic/spiritual presence from being detected or from negative influences/attacks; such skills is on the "advanced beginner" level (Al is fairly good at this.) Making oneself seem invisible is harder as it's a combination of shield and putting out a "nothing to see here" sort of anti-message. That's intermediate-to-advanced work. One can do it on oneself--a focus object can help--or do an Obi-Wan Kenobi "these aren't the droids you're looking for...move along" verbal insinuation the other person will pay attention to--if they aren't also advanced in magic in which case they'll pick up the deception like a magnet picking up a nearby piece of iron.
NaNoWriMo--Plot, I need a plot
Nov. 22nd, 2018 11:13 pmSo, I'm trying to work out what my plotline is for Akka and Al's story. Part of me says, "oh, it's keeping Al away from his dad, and also his education in using his gifts." But that feels (1) too stereotyped for me; I like weird original stuff and (2) I want the parental thing to be a secondary plot.
Also, I want this story to be about Al as much as Akka and it's still mostly about her. What can I do to make Al unique and not just a listening board for Akka?
Ideas: his dad kidnapped him from his mom, and he and Akka are trying to get dad off the trail and get him back to his mom who is no doubt worried sick about him. I like this better than killling her off because, for one, I haven't lost my mom yet and don't know how that feels from the inside.Being taken away from family and friends (does Al have friends he misses? I sure would have at 17, though not before, oh, about age 15.) by a jerk is something I know about (first husband did that pretty much with my complicity when I was 20) And when it comes to emotions, it's write what you know. Which is why Akka has no living children, though she's had more than I have. This is an ongoing defining point in my life; one probable miscarriage that broke my heart and an incomplete adoption process that couldn't be picked up for reasons.
Yeah, writing often does work out one's personal issues. LoTR ws a lot about war (defining part of Tolkiens youth) and the destruction of countryside and England in general I think.
So, Al's dad is after him. Why won't Al email his mom:? Dad could have it traced. I admit it's a bit hackneyed for me to have in my mind that Al's dad is a shady lawyer--why not a shady Web developer or something along those lines? Also, conflict for Al--back to mom who's not crazy about him learning, or have a teacher who can teach him but who is Not HIs Mom and yeah 17 year old boys need their mom, or split time between the two? Good dilemma, or what?
An answer about friends--maybe his BFF moved and there's no one else he's really attached to?
Also, I want this story to be about Al as much as Akka and it's still mostly about her. What can I do to make Al unique and not just a listening board for Akka?
Ideas: his dad kidnapped him from his mom, and he and Akka are trying to get dad off the trail and get him back to his mom who is no doubt worried sick about him. I like this better than killling her off because, for one, I haven't lost my mom yet and don't know how that feels from the inside.Being taken away from family and friends (does Al have friends he misses? I sure would have at 17, though not before, oh, about age 15.) by a jerk is something I know about (first husband did that pretty much with my complicity when I was 20) And when it comes to emotions, it's write what you know. Which is why Akka has no living children, though she's had more than I have. This is an ongoing defining point in my life; one probable miscarriage that broke my heart and an incomplete adoption process that couldn't be picked up for reasons.
Yeah, writing often does work out one's personal issues. LoTR ws a lot about war (defining part of Tolkiens youth) and the destruction of countryside and England in general I think.
So, Al's dad is after him. Why won't Al email his mom:? Dad could have it traced. I admit it's a bit hackneyed for me to have in my mind that Al's dad is a shady lawyer--why not a shady Web developer or something along those lines? Also, conflict for Al--back to mom who's not crazy about him learning, or have a teacher who can teach him but who is Not HIs Mom and yeah 17 year old boys need their mom, or split time between the two? Good dilemma, or what?
An answer about friends--maybe his BFF moved and there's no one else he's really attached to?
What does your character most want?
Al--to learn to freely use his psychic talents and to have a positive relationship with his father now that his mom is gone (he realizes that last one is probably not going to happen). Reconnecting with Tara would be nice too
Akka--a long-term romantic partner and a child that will actually live to adulthood
What does your character have that they value most?
Al-past time with family; freedom, having a good future.
Akka-her home and friends
What do they fear most?
Al--being shut into a small box (controlled by father is the immediate threat of this)
Akka--losing her home, friends, and autonomy
Al--to learn to freely use his psychic talents and to have a positive relationship with his father now that his mom is gone (he realizes that last one is probably not going to happen). Reconnecting with Tara would be nice too
Akka--a long-term romantic partner and a child that will actually live to adulthood
What does your character have that they value most?
Al-past time with family; freedom, having a good future.
Akka-her home and friends
What do they fear most?
Al--being shut into a small box (controlled by father is the immediate threat of this)
Akka--losing her home, friends, and autonomy
NaNoWriMo. Just a little
Nov. 19th, 2018 10:10 pmI hope scribbling down a paragraph or so of my Yuletide story counts. If not, so be it.
Oh, OK, just a drabble... Akka and Al are in the living room half-asleep, Al with a cat on his lap and Akka with Sola drowsing on her shoulder and two cats nearby (she's been doing unpredictable things with her hands--namely, writing down notes for things to go over with Al--so they don't want to risk her lap. Shes' busy most nights while talking or listening to the radio--usually knitting, crocheting or hand-sewing, but sometimes sanding or fiddling with a bow. Yes, Akka makes (wooden) bows. It's one way she brings in money for things like solar panels, underwear, shoes, and meat other than chicken--more money than her magic does. She's also a bow hunter (I came up with this idea on my morning commute): "it gives the deer and turkeys a fighting chance. Besides, I can't make a gun, and arrows are reusable unlike bullets." Her hunting vest ensures she will never be mistaken for a deer or young bear--wild yellow, orange, turquoise and violet patchwork. Do you think Al needs one too? She has fabric left over, though not much of the violet.
Oh, OK, just a drabble... Akka and Al are in the living room half-asleep, Al with a cat on his lap and Akka with Sola drowsing on her shoulder and two cats nearby (she's been doing unpredictable things with her hands--namely, writing down notes for things to go over with Al--so they don't want to risk her lap. Shes' busy most nights while talking or listening to the radio--usually knitting, crocheting or hand-sewing, but sometimes sanding or fiddling with a bow. Yes, Akka makes (wooden) bows. It's one way she brings in money for things like solar panels, underwear, shoes, and meat other than chicken--more money than her magic does. She's also a bow hunter (I came up with this idea on my morning commute): "it gives the deer and turkeys a fighting chance. Besides, I can't make a gun, and arrows are reusable unlike bullets." Her hunting vest ensures she will never be mistaken for a deer or young bear--wild yellow, orange, turquoise and violet patchwork. Do you think Al needs one too? She has fabric left over, though not much of the violet.
Ugh, I'm all out of "inspiration." So here we go: three things about each character other than Akka and Al:
Sola: Started off life with Akka's friend, Ari. Short-lived. Composed more of light than of corporeal stuff.
Oh, good, this brings me to: magical creatures in the universe!
They are elemental: Sola being fire and air. Others: earth and metal (rock creatures), earth and water, do we want a fire annd water? Is that possible??
Sam and his progeny: Native Americans, Lenape. I have a book on Lenape legends which should help a bit with details. Sam is the only person around who is older than Akka. Point of fact, his spouse and Akka's parents were wondering if she would match up with his son. Didn't happen. Didn't occur to Sam. I need to make him not the "wise old Indian" type nor grouchy. He's probably going to be a bit mischievous and mercurial. HE focuses on what is important in his sphere which is why he never thought about the progeny of the two magical families in the area getting together. "His sphere" btw doesn't mean he doesn't care about others; his thing has been helping Natives retain/regain rights as well as protecting local land and creatures (magical and otherwise).
Marcia: Choir director of about 6-7 members, it's actually a folk/rock CAtholic music ministry (like ones I've been in). Her thing is singing so she directs the guitarists (usually 2) the bassist (regular but not weekly) and the revolving door of high school band members who play anything from flute and oboe to tuba, as well as about 5 singers (one of the guitarists can sing and play both; the other can't.) Doubt this will get in the story but one never knows. Marcia and husband and 1 grown child are one of 3 or 4 black families in the little town.
Randall (father of kid who works in health food store) Doctor Who/good SF TV nerd who also reads fantasy. Probably a Terry Pratchett fan among others. Brought up kid on Harry Potter and Sarah Jane Adventures. Probably a computer programmer/network admin a few towns/small city away. Can't cook well except grilled meat, roast chicken and for some reason duck. They eat a lot of salads and prepared foods other than that. The sort of New York STate resident who fires up the gas grill and cooks outside (sheltered part of back of house) in winter.
Kid (as yet unnamed): about nineteen, graduated high school with okay grades. Not as intelligent as dad but better with customer service and really wants to co-own an organic food shop. Likes to garden; helps out Akka when he has time. Thinking of community college or training for organic and sustainable gardening.
Fandom references I want to make:
Monty Python (good)
Doctor who (good)
BAbylon 5 (maybe too obscure)
The town (more of a village really) has folk musicians coming through who are "big enough" to draw local folk fans but not nationally known. Just very good. Akka will sing their songs and mystify Al.
Music is both a carrier of magic (like an arrow to an arrowhead) and a focus (like a funnel) So are objects. However, music doesn't work well with psychic phenomena other than as a carrier for general telempathy (Feelings/impression), or healing (works slightly better than words). Hence Akka is more tuned to music than Al is.
Sola: Started off life with Akka's friend, Ari. Short-lived. Composed more of light than of corporeal stuff.
Oh, good, this brings me to: magical creatures in the universe!
They are elemental: Sola being fire and air. Others: earth and metal (rock creatures), earth and water, do we want a fire annd water? Is that possible??
Sam and his progeny: Native Americans, Lenape. I have a book on Lenape legends which should help a bit with details. Sam is the only person around who is older than Akka. Point of fact, his spouse and Akka's parents were wondering if she would match up with his son. Didn't happen. Didn't occur to Sam. I need to make him not the "wise old Indian" type nor grouchy. He's probably going to be a bit mischievous and mercurial. HE focuses on what is important in his sphere which is why he never thought about the progeny of the two magical families in the area getting together. "His sphere" btw doesn't mean he doesn't care about others; his thing has been helping Natives retain/regain rights as well as protecting local land and creatures (magical and otherwise).
Marcia: Choir director of about 6-7 members, it's actually a folk/rock CAtholic music ministry (like ones I've been in). Her thing is singing so she directs the guitarists (usually 2) the bassist (regular but not weekly) and the revolving door of high school band members who play anything from flute and oboe to tuba, as well as about 5 singers (one of the guitarists can sing and play both; the other can't.) Doubt this will get in the story but one never knows. Marcia and husband and 1 grown child are one of 3 or 4 black families in the little town.
Randall (father of kid who works in health food store) Doctor Who/good SF TV nerd who also reads fantasy. Probably a Terry Pratchett fan among others. Brought up kid on Harry Potter and Sarah Jane Adventures. Probably a computer programmer/network admin a few towns/small city away. Can't cook well except grilled meat, roast chicken and for some reason duck. They eat a lot of salads and prepared foods other than that. The sort of New York STate resident who fires up the gas grill and cooks outside (sheltered part of back of house) in winter.
Kid (as yet unnamed): about nineteen, graduated high school with okay grades. Not as intelligent as dad but better with customer service and really wants to co-own an organic food shop. Likes to garden; helps out Akka when he has time. Thinking of community college or training for organic and sustainable gardening.
Fandom references I want to make:
Monty Python (good)
Doctor who (good)
BAbylon 5 (maybe too obscure)
The town (more of a village really) has folk musicians coming through who are "big enough" to draw local folk fans but not nationally known. Just very good. Akka will sing their songs and mystify Al.
Music is both a carrier of magic (like an arrow to an arrowhead) and a focus (like a funnel) So are objects. However, music doesn't work well with psychic phenomena other than as a carrier for general telempathy (Feelings/impression), or healing (works slightly better than words). Hence Akka is more tuned to music than Al is.
A few things I have in mind:
More about Akka: A little on the short side, curvy, tiny bit plump, long curly dark-brown hair usually braided and wound around her head or in a braid down her back but sometimes side hair pulled to back and held with hair clip. Tends to wear secondhand clothes, often patched by herself. Loves music of just about every kind as long as it's not very negative or violent. Reads irregularly but enthusiastically, mostly library books she returns but she has a couple of bookcases of mostly secondhand books at home--small-print-run or handwritten on magic, some fantasy novels of various periods, herbology, gardening, raising chickens and ducks (therein lies a tale). Has a treadle sewing machine in the main room. Really a bit too trusting of people; friendly to just about everyone. She had two children. Her daughter died young with her second husband--can't decide whether of disease or an accident. She left her first husband; never a proper divorce but when you emigrate half a world away in the early 1800s that doesn't matter legally...
More about Al: average height, light brown skin, wavy dark-brown hair that's a bit long, beautiful dark, dark brown eyes, average build except broad-ish shoulders. Likes computer gaming (but not a Pokemon Go person) practicing his abilities, some TV, not sure about his music tastes yet. CAutious about trusting people until they start proving themselves. Comfortable with adult women, shy around teenage girls. Likes both cats and dogs. Odd jobs he did to raise money: dog walking, cat sitting, a little babysitting for young neighbors, cutting grass, weeding, clearing out stuff from houses, bagger at grocery store (the only "business" job he's had). Has an active but nearly expired learner's permit. OKay in school, teased a bit but neither an outsider nor insider; best classes are math and computer science, but good at writing. Doesn't really like sports except no-stakes (which means not in PE or on a formal team!) soccer and basketball. Really prefers kicking/dribbling a ball around.
Things Akka and Al have in common: not highly ambitious. Al has no idea what he wants to do for a living except Not a Paperwork-Pushing Desk Job. Akka is content to do magic for friends and neighbors, garden, mend her own belongings and home, just as she's done most (all?) of her life. They both enjoy music; Akka is more passionate about it while Al is more interested in reading fiction and playing computer games. They're both fairly omnivorous about food and enjoy most things; Al has the "cilantro tastes terrible" gene and isn't big on plain tomatoes or on eggplant that's not smothered in sauce and cheese. Both are tea drinkers (Al's mother worked in an organic store specializing in the herb and teas section, and Tara liked tea also.
Things I don't know: Al's and Akka's parents' names (I want to name Al's jerk face father "Don" after a Certain Person but might name him "John" after my ex-husband); more about Akka's second husband (first was a jerk much like my own first husband), what Akka's mild psychic abilities are.
Akka describes her first marriage to Al:
"I was nineteen, I didn't know better. I thought I was in love, and he gave me gifts and treated me like I was special. Oh, and I wanted babies. Partly hormonal, partly that I simply love kids." Akka sighed. "It didn't go especially well and after three years and one miscarriage he simply left "on a trip" and I got good and angry after about five months. As best as I could work out, he wanted to marry me because he thought my parents were wealthy and important in the magical world. Important, perhaps, Wealthy?" Akka shrugged. "We had a small, old partly ruined castle and always plenty to eat and some nice furniture. Oh, and I think he wanted to get into my undies.
Al smirked at Akka's last remark.
"That isn't what they say, is it?"
"More like, get in your pants."
"Well, I didn't wear pants then. Do you want the rest of the story?"
Al nodded.
When he came back nearly seven months after leaving, no explanation and very little money, our life together went from bad to worse as they say. Eventually my parents and I agreed the situation was unacceptable and as Papa wanted to get out of Italy anyway for various reasons and he was very excited about the new United States, we simply left one day while I was "visiting" my parents.
Al is much more advanced in both raw psychic ability and in skilled use than Akka is.
She will teach Al general underlying principles of both psychic abilities and magic, and help him practice both, which is how she can teach something she doesn't know as well as he does. She will state early on that a teacher learns as much as they teach. Also that daily life brings up teaching moments, which is why they weed and cook and do other stuff together as well as specific training and practice. She'll chat with him while kneading bread or sewing or weeding or making soup or making the bed.
More about Akka: A little on the short side, curvy, tiny bit plump, long curly dark-brown hair usually braided and wound around her head or in a braid down her back but sometimes side hair pulled to back and held with hair clip. Tends to wear secondhand clothes, often patched by herself. Loves music of just about every kind as long as it's not very negative or violent. Reads irregularly but enthusiastically, mostly library books she returns but she has a couple of bookcases of mostly secondhand books at home--small-print-run or handwritten on magic, some fantasy novels of various periods, herbology, gardening, raising chickens and ducks (therein lies a tale). Has a treadle sewing machine in the main room. Really a bit too trusting of people; friendly to just about everyone. She had two children. Her daughter died young with her second husband--can't decide whether of disease or an accident. She left her first husband; never a proper divorce but when you emigrate half a world away in the early 1800s that doesn't matter legally...
More about Al: average height, light brown skin, wavy dark-brown hair that's a bit long, beautiful dark, dark brown eyes, average build except broad-ish shoulders. Likes computer gaming (but not a Pokemon Go person) practicing his abilities, some TV, not sure about his music tastes yet. CAutious about trusting people until they start proving themselves. Comfortable with adult women, shy around teenage girls. Likes both cats and dogs. Odd jobs he did to raise money: dog walking, cat sitting, a little babysitting for young neighbors, cutting grass, weeding, clearing out stuff from houses, bagger at grocery store (the only "business" job he's had). Has an active but nearly expired learner's permit. OKay in school, teased a bit but neither an outsider nor insider; best classes are math and computer science, but good at writing. Doesn't really like sports except no-stakes (which means not in PE or on a formal team!) soccer and basketball. Really prefers kicking/dribbling a ball around.
Things Akka and Al have in common: not highly ambitious. Al has no idea what he wants to do for a living except Not a Paperwork-Pushing Desk Job. Akka is content to do magic for friends and neighbors, garden, mend her own belongings and home, just as she's done most (all?) of her life. They both enjoy music; Akka is more passionate about it while Al is more interested in reading fiction and playing computer games. They're both fairly omnivorous about food and enjoy most things; Al has the "cilantro tastes terrible" gene and isn't big on plain tomatoes or on eggplant that's not smothered in sauce and cheese. Both are tea drinkers (Al's mother worked in an organic store specializing in the herb and teas section, and Tara liked tea also.
Things I don't know: Al's and Akka's parents' names (I want to name Al's jerk face father "Don" after a Certain Person but might name him "John" after my ex-husband); more about Akka's second husband (first was a jerk much like my own first husband), what Akka's mild psychic abilities are.
Akka describes her first marriage to Al:
"I was nineteen, I didn't know better. I thought I was in love, and he gave me gifts and treated me like I was special. Oh, and I wanted babies. Partly hormonal, partly that I simply love kids." Akka sighed. "It didn't go especially well and after three years and one miscarriage he simply left "on a trip" and I got good and angry after about five months. As best as I could work out, he wanted to marry me because he thought my parents were wealthy and important in the magical world. Important, perhaps, Wealthy?" Akka shrugged. "We had a small, old partly ruined castle and always plenty to eat and some nice furniture. Oh, and I think he wanted to get into my undies.
Al smirked at Akka's last remark.
"That isn't what they say, is it?"
"More like, get in your pants."
"Well, I didn't wear pants then. Do you want the rest of the story?"
Al nodded.
When he came back nearly seven months after leaving, no explanation and very little money, our life together went from bad to worse as they say. Eventually my parents and I agreed the situation was unacceptable and as Papa wanted to get out of Italy anyway for various reasons and he was very excited about the new United States, we simply left one day while I was "visiting" my parents.
Al is much more advanced in both raw psychic ability and in skilled use than Akka is.
She will teach Al general underlying principles of both psychic abilities and magic, and help him practice both, which is how she can teach something she doesn't know as well as he does. She will state early on that a teacher learns as much as they teach. Also that daily life brings up teaching moments, which is why they weed and cook and do other stuff together as well as specific training and practice. She'll chat with him while kneading bread or sewing or weeding or making soup or making the bed.
Today you get "bits"
"Don't use magic for (x). Use it to tenderize an old laying-hen chicken you're cooking. Even slow stewing won't do that."
"You use magic for food?"
Akka stopped kneading and looked over her shoulder at Al. "Food is important!"
Al's slow grin started appearing. "You're Italian-American, all right."
Akka growled good-naturedly. "Go back to your reading."
***
"How do the cats get in the house? You don't have a cat door. Do you use a spell?"
"Don't need much of one. They come up from the tunnel entrance under the bed."
"I've been sleeping there and there's a tunnel entrance underneath?!"
"Don't worry, only the cats know where it is. And I have put a spell on the other end of the tunnel to help deter any rodents--rabbits, raccoons, mice, moles, voles.... But the real protection..well, what's planted at the edge of the herb garden near the back of the house?"
"Some kind of herb?"
"You must be a genius!" Akka grinned. "Mint. Specifically, catnip."
"And that keeps other critters away?"
"The neighborhood cats love to visit that section of the garden for obvious reasons, so there's cat hair, dander, pee and such all around. Yes, I wash the catnip before drying it for tea," Akka added, seeing Al's grimace. "So rodents avoid it. Raccoons can give cats a run for their money, but they're not fond of the human smell from my gardening, or the spell I use to enhance the sense of cat and human presence.
"So, the first night I found out the cats could get in through the tunnel. I was just drifting off to sleep one cold night when I heard a scratching and a gentle thump under the bed. My first thought was, rats! Literally. So I quietly crawled to the side of the bed and took a look. Two pairs of glowing eyes looking at me, too big for rats and too pretty for opossums or raccoons. Also, I can tell the difference by smell-and that's a story for another day! They couldn't lift the trapdoor enough to get in but were butting with their heads to try. So I cautiously let them in. I suppose they could have been rabid, but I didn't sense that and I have a soft spot for cats anyway--my mother fed any cat in the neighborhood just to tempt them to hang around and catch all the vermin but I liked them for themselves and they returned the compliment. They sniffed around a bit and before I fell asleep they were curled up at my feet on my hot-water bottle. I made the trapdoor lighter, found the outer entrance, and have little foot-warmers when it's cold as well as a rodent-free home."
[notes to self: hole is a collapsed bit of tunnel used for Underground Railroad; I'm basing where Akka lives on the upper part of my home county, which might have had some action there; before slavery was outlawed in NY state that county had some unusually nasty slave owners, per a local tour guide.) there may be a story to how Akka found that end-- probably a mother cat giving birth there in safety. Kittens mewing in the tunnel!
Readers, if you'd like to ask me questions about any characters, ask away! (ProudCockatrice, this was such a good exercise when AskAMuse was active; remember that? It's how we met!)
"Don't use magic for (x). Use it to tenderize an old laying-hen chicken you're cooking. Even slow stewing won't do that."
"You use magic for food?"
Akka stopped kneading and looked over her shoulder at Al. "Food is important!"
Al's slow grin started appearing. "You're Italian-American, all right."
Akka growled good-naturedly. "Go back to your reading."
***
"How do the cats get in the house? You don't have a cat door. Do you use a spell?"
"Don't need much of one. They come up from the tunnel entrance under the bed."
"I've been sleeping there and there's a tunnel entrance underneath?!"
"Don't worry, only the cats know where it is. And I have put a spell on the other end of the tunnel to help deter any rodents--rabbits, raccoons, mice, moles, voles.... But the real protection..well, what's planted at the edge of the herb garden near the back of the house?"
"Some kind of herb?"
"You must be a genius!" Akka grinned. "Mint. Specifically, catnip."
"And that keeps other critters away?"
"The neighborhood cats love to visit that section of the garden for obvious reasons, so there's cat hair, dander, pee and such all around. Yes, I wash the catnip before drying it for tea," Akka added, seeing Al's grimace. "So rodents avoid it. Raccoons can give cats a run for their money, but they're not fond of the human smell from my gardening, or the spell I use to enhance the sense of cat and human presence.
"So, the first night I found out the cats could get in through the tunnel. I was just drifting off to sleep one cold night when I heard a scratching and a gentle thump under the bed. My first thought was, rats! Literally. So I quietly crawled to the side of the bed and took a look. Two pairs of glowing eyes looking at me, too big for rats and too pretty for opossums or raccoons. Also, I can tell the difference by smell-and that's a story for another day! They couldn't lift the trapdoor enough to get in but were butting with their heads to try. So I cautiously let them in. I suppose they could have been rabid, but I didn't sense that and I have a soft spot for cats anyway--my mother fed any cat in the neighborhood just to tempt them to hang around and catch all the vermin but I liked them for themselves and they returned the compliment. They sniffed around a bit and before I fell asleep they were curled up at my feet on my hot-water bottle. I made the trapdoor lighter, found the outer entrance, and have little foot-warmers when it's cold as well as a rodent-free home."
[notes to self: hole is a collapsed bit of tunnel used for Underground Railroad; I'm basing where Akka lives on the upper part of my home county, which might have had some action there; before slavery was outlawed in NY state that county had some unusually nasty slave owners, per a local tour guide.) there may be a story to how Akka found that end-- probably a mother cat giving birth there in safety. Kittens mewing in the tunnel!
Readers, if you'd like to ask me questions about any characters, ask away! (ProudCockatrice, this was such a good exercise when AskAMuse was active; remember that? It's how we met!)
NaNoWriMo. Just bits today.
Nov. 13th, 2018 09:48 pmAkka offered to make supper in return for Randall and Ken's hospitality and busied herself browsing the refrigerator and cabinets.
"Gentlemen, feel free to talk action movies or something while I make this soup."
***
Halfway through dinner, a yellow mixed-breed dog wandered into the room. He sat a few feet from the table, ostentatiously not begging.
End of the meal. "The soup was mostly dog-friendly, so she can run the bowls through the tongue cycle before putting them in the dishwasher if you like."
**
Al--average height, a bit skinny but broad-shouldered. Curly dark brown hair that's never quite neat. Light-brown skin, hazel or light-brown eyes.
Akka about 5 ft six, longish curly dark hair sometimes in braids around her head or in a loose bun. Tanned, a little fairer than Al, brown eyes, curvy and just a little plump. Sometimes holds reading material at a distance and squints at it.
the cottage: main room with kitchen at one side, bathroom behind kitchen, bedroom behind living room. Pull-up door to root cellar in kitchen; door in living room ceiling with pull-down stairs. Wood floors with stone in sections that used to be fireplace/coal stove in kitchen, living room area, bedroom.
Herbs hanging from drying thingie (circulate) hanging from ceiling in kitchen and bedroom.
Bedroom has double bed, dresser, closet or wardrobe (?) , chest. Ring in floor under edge of bed to small cellar.
Bathroom has shower with slightly unevenly put together tile floor and drain; toilet, sink both white porcelain.
Herb garden is partly shielded by house. Fields have buckwheat and some corn. Chicken coop is empty when story opens. Shed has gardening tools.
"Gentlemen, feel free to talk action movies or something while I make this soup."
***
Halfway through dinner, a yellow mixed-breed dog wandered into the room. He sat a few feet from the table, ostentatiously not begging.
End of the meal. "The soup was mostly dog-friendly, so she can run the bowls through the tongue cycle before putting them in the dishwasher if you like."
**
Al--average height, a bit skinny but broad-shouldered. Curly dark brown hair that's never quite neat. Light-brown skin, hazel or light-brown eyes.
Akka about 5 ft six, longish curly dark hair sometimes in braids around her head or in a loose bun. Tanned, a little fairer than Al, brown eyes, curvy and just a little plump. Sometimes holds reading material at a distance and squints at it.
the cottage: main room with kitchen at one side, bathroom behind kitchen, bedroom behind living room. Pull-up door to root cellar in kitchen; door in living room ceiling with pull-down stairs. Wood floors with stone in sections that used to be fireplace/coal stove in kitchen, living room area, bedroom.
Herbs hanging from drying thingie (circulate) hanging from ceiling in kitchen and bedroom.
Bedroom has double bed, dresser, closet or wardrobe (?) , chest. Ring in floor under edge of bed to small cellar.
Bathroom has shower with slightly unevenly put together tile floor and drain; toilet, sink both white porcelain.
Herb garden is partly shielded by house. Fields have buckwheat and some corn. Chicken coop is empty when story opens. Shed has gardening tools.
