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6/29/2012

Six-Sentence-Sunday 7/1


http://sixsunday.com/

Hello everyone to a shiny new Sunday, with a shiny new WIP. The good muse hit me last week and I started writing at once, and sort of couldn't stop. I'm still unsure as to I really have it in me to write Young-adult fiction, and that's what this is, but I am having a blast writing these characters, and I guess, in the end that's what is important. So let me present you with the first six sentences of The Days Adrift, Chapter 1 and the story about three girls at sea, on the run from the turmoil of war and crime, in particular one they committed themselves. So, let me hear it!

Check out the ==>Prologue on my Blog for a seamless transition (-really short read, more of a readlet)


Without Tams’s help we would never have made it to shore with this thing. It’s no simple task, carrying a bulky boat above the head, but luckily Tams has the muscle power of two of us, or one ox, as she likes to say. She swore a lot throughout, which made me think that both Brita and I are clearly worth less than half an ox. Tams is the one I am glad to have aboard; I’ve known her much longer than Brita. Brita's father and mine did business once or twice last year, that’s how I know her, but then again, not really. I haven’t seen her in a crisis. 




6/23/2012

Six-Sentence Sunday 6/24


http://sixsunday.com/

Good Sunday, to all my fellow Sunday Sixers!

And we'll get rrrrright back into the swing of things, with Guardian Kaley and Mage Nian on their journey to Wintershedge. Kaley has a bit of a leadership crisis at the moment, and then something happens to make things even worse. Climbing down the banks to cross the river Ard, Kaley slips on Nian's cloak and falls down...hard. 

Looking forward to reading your thoughts on this!



“Shit, are you alright?” Nian’s voice sounded from behind, and he
came down the rest of the steep bank by the conventional route. He knelt down beside her, and she felt a gentle hand on her lower back. 
“Kaley?” he asked, but she didn’t respond. His worried tone made her feel even more useless. 
“Stop asking me if I'm alright,” she snapped, “I am not your responsibility.”  
~If anything, you are mine, she thought bitterly, but it seemed a formality as much as a cruel joke, as she lay there, stranded, with her face down in the gravel. 



6/19/2012

Activism, Part II


There is this other form of activism, the frightening kind. It has nothing to do with holding hands in protest or shaking heads in silent disapproval. It's the only statement that sets out to take a drastic step: the violent kind. Violence is the voice of the powerless, as life is a value to be threatened anytime, by anyone.

It's the 1300s. Picture peasants with pitchforks in front of the house of a landowner. He kept them under for years, oppressed them as he got richer and richer. Now they are knocking on his door. Him being afraid for his life is the only leverage they have and it's the making of a good and clean revolt right there. His head may end up on a pike, or his body, hanging from a lamp post in the course of events. Someone loses his life in order for someone else to get a new house. In ECON, we call this redistribution. In politics, it's coup d'état. Let's mingle human loss and reset our finances. This is the kind of activism I can get behind.


Peasant's Revolt: any day now


Everyone knows that the way wealth is distributed amongst people is far from fair. Our personal financial state doesn't necessarily represent the things we earn, even less deserve. There is some obscene prosperity accumulated by a privileged few, in many places all over the world. In the USA, the top 20% of Americans owned 85% of the country's wealth and the bottom 80% of the population owned 15% (year 2007, source Congressional Budget Office). How does that not scream revolt in loud and bloody letters? How does that not make you want to kick in some doors?

The powers that be keep us down and we buy into what they tell us. We'd rather believe that they worked long and hard for what they have. That they started from nothing, same as we did. That we, if we work long and hard, can be one of them some day. It's all a big bag of lies. They had a head start in being born with some privileges. They may have worked hard, and cheated even harder, but they didn't tell you about the selling of soul which has to be done as well. That's were the real money is buried. Because they have long passed "being wealthy" now, since it's all about being filthy rich. They know how to get it. They know where to take it, and who to take it from. And hide it. Another bonus this year, just for being 'you'! Congrats!

This makes me sick. So sick, in fact, I think vomiting could become a chronic problem for me. I proved myself wrong. There is some use in activism. I just don't think judging the guy next to us for his lifestyle choices is where it should begin - or end. We should take out the ones that cause the real damage. Let's go now, you take the banner, I'll get the axe. Let's head out and make a statement, red on white.

Activism, Part I


We are getting old and we are void of problems. We sail on smooth sines and cosines towards the bright light. How do we pass the time until we make our last exit? Most of us fuss with growing up, paying the bills, finding ourselves and a partner, having kids. According to the laws of nature and society, that's what has to be done.

The old Witch Procrastinia on the other hand says, we should hang out and relax more, enjoy ourselves, let arms and legs dangle from a giant beach chair while having a sip of Woo Woo. Yes, we may do that. In fact, we are doing that. Unfortunately, it's not enough, it's never enough to only do that. We need to get out of that chair and do something productive.

Bear with me, this is going somewhere.

We have to get up. Take a look through the spy-glass. Then complain. That's what we do and do best. Complain. There are people and they are doing things wrong. They are not living life according to plan. Maybe we can see someone who doesn't care about the environment. He drives two cars, sometimes three. He buys airplane seats, like others do tickets for the merry-go-round. Just because he can. He is one decadent human being. Eating meat with a side of meat, tossing back inorganic wine with a tea cup. One iPad for every room, maybe two. Electricity bills must be skyrocketing with this guy. Does he not care that nuclear power is irresponsible these days? He sure does have the money to run his own hydroelectric plant. Why doesn't he switch? Why does he not care that he ruins this planet?




Let me tell you what is wrong with us people. We judge others, constantly. How they live life, assuming, that we know how to live it - and they don't. We are all guilty of it, it's a human crime. Why would we have a better idea than any other person on how to live life? Why would our expertise count more? We are the same self-absorbed apeheads as they are, and we know exactly as much as they do.

It's fine that you don't eat meat, do not smoke or the thought of genetically modified food makes you sick. Don't do it then, don't eat and inhale. But leave other people out of the equation. It's their right to do what ever they want. It's their right to not get sick by all these things. They don't have to answer to you. You are the ones to make a political statement here, not them. Feel free to not do all the things you don't want to do. By all means, I'm not stopping you. Why are you trying to stop me?

6/16/2012

Six-Sentence-Sunday 6/17

http://sixsunday.com/


Six Sentence Sunday - that's my funday! Last week I didn't have much time to write, read and comment, but this Sunday it's back to the ol' blog'n'hop. I'm pretty much drawing a blank today - so I'm doing something I have never ever done before on a SiSeSu - this weekend, it's oneliners, six of them to be precise. Let me explain: These are supposed to be fun, and actually, a bit of a mockery of wise sayings - like Yoda, but absurd, and on acid. Let's see, how you like them.



I don't think I am a time traveller, but who knows, we may have met before.


Who ever tried to build a castle in the clouds knows that throwing sand in the air doesn't help the cause one bit.

 

My, how radiant the power plant glistens in the sunlight.

 

Heaven knows but only hell will tell. 

 

It's one soup at a time, my grandmother used to say.


Slow and steady wins the race, gross and fatty punches face.

 

 

 

6/09/2012

Six-Sentence-Sunday 6/10


http://sixsunday.com/



I love this time of week! Hello my fellow Sixers. Today I want to share an excerpt from a short-short story called Mr. Peker Rue's Soul Shake. 

 

These are the first 6 lines. I uploaded the whole story on Scribd, it's only 3 pages, so come take a look ==> here, if you're interested. 

 

Enjoy, and, as always: I am very appreciative of all kinds of feedback, but I only take pleasure in a good and constructive bashing. ;)




"We'll see the results in a minute, Mr. Peker Rue. Don't be 
worried, I'm sure it's nothing to be concerned about." 
The doctor ripped the sensor off the elderly man's arm.
"Your word in God's ear," Fred mumbled, as he sat up straight from the gurney. He was disappointed to find out, that the proximity to the hospital wasn't enough to scare the horrible pain in his chest away. It was still palpable between his front ribs.

6/06/2012

The Blood, The Bad and the Ugly - Game of Thrones reviewed

 

Hit-and-Miss

So here we are again, at the end of Season 2 of the highly anticipated Game of Thrones fantasy epos. Let me first say that, on a psychological scale from yay to nay, I'm more happy than sad that it's over now. Granted, these last two episodes (especially Episode 9, "Blackwater") were definitely highlights, so I can share the praise at least to some extent, but overall, well, no, I can't.

It would be easiest to pull the "worst episode ever" card on me now and call me a book loving nerd, or a nag - you can do that if you like.


In fact, I did read the books, but contrary to the legends about book people I think I should have enjoyed it more, because I read them. The written word is neither superior, nor should it be confined by two large covers. We book people have long moved past these judgmental methods of media limitation. At least that's what has been decided on the last big meeting. :-)

The realization that hit me (while axes were thrown, and guts and heads went flying like confetti), is, that ingredient-wise this highly polished production has everything it needs to potentially stun and amaze even the most genre-opposed audience. The casting choices have been close to my own idea of those characters (which is a backhanded compliment to myself, yes) and the acting on some parts is amazing, especially Joffrey (Jack Gleeson), the sadistic yet cowardly boy-king. The settings are magnificent, the CGI wolves are mind-blowing and the directors do a fantastic job.

And yet, some things just can't be brought to life by sheer force of will. It's a problem of adaptability more than anything else.


Voices of their own; Bran Stark's direwolf and companion Summer


I didn't see the problem as much in Season 1, but it was palpable even then. The first season benefited from strong plot lines, intrigue and ominously lurking dangers, on the far side of the wall and below; but I think the novelty bonus added some wiggle room, that's why I gave it my thumbs up.

 

Flighty Flight

Season 2 has some issues, brought on by the book, combined with a plot-related misjudgment on the part of the screenwriters, and the compact format exposes these flaws without mercy.

The episodes rush through major events like a freight train, and the breakneck speed converts story peaks to staging posts on a flat plain towards episode 9, its central station.

Everyone wants something. Everyone has good reason to feel as though their claim on the throne is justified. And then there are those who just want to survive. Some of them flee.
That's what happens - but then some!


Martin's Éowyn Brienne of Tarth: She's the Man
Fleeing or traveling might in itself look like a minor part of a story, something you can easily skip to get to the next big event, but it seems like such a rookie mistake to completely discard the trickle.

Important stuff happened before that ring got thrown down Mount Doom.
- For one thing, someone was attached to it still. (Ok, that was a bit polemic, I admit)

As it is a well-known tradition in fantasy, the journey itself often gives rise to major plot moments. But here, some of those moments subsequently got lost - editor said! Of course I am not talking about the things they left out on purpose, they had to do that, I'm talking about missing things in the story lines they portrayed.




[Spoiler Alert] I'll give you an example from book 2. Aria is a strong voice in the story. She flees from King's Landing, hiding her identity and sex, gets caught and beaten, witnesses torture until she feels wildly determined to kill all men that did wrong by her and her friends (she recites the Hit List of men to kill like a prayer a myriad of times, adding more men each night - we saw it only one time on TV). At the end of her journey to Harrenhal, a man she saved earlier offers to "repay" his debt by killing three men of her choosing. It borders on obsessive when she starts to re-evaluate her picks to Jaqen H'ghar not by urgency but by personal gain. In the book she is tormented by this situation, and the inability to "make the right choice" almost suffocates her - until she discovers how to trick him. This is one of those crucial moments for a character arc, because it brings on a change. On TV, Aria was still Aria, unwashed and unbroken.[/Spoiler Alert]


Strategic Gaps

It makes complete sense, that, for a series with 10 episodes (Hardback about 900 written pages), each episode has to be packed with information to get through the story as a whole. They didn't leave out many of the "things happening", and yet,  storytelling is not only things happening, plots and subplots, coercion and consequence. A Clash of Kings has one of those jam-packed stories where, with only 10 episodes at one's disposal, you just have to leave some things out to make pivotal story elements stand out at the center of it. Characters need to be established with care to make the audience care for them in turn. 

In total, the book offers 9 Points of Views, and I think that not even half of them are fairly represented in the series.

One thing that's missing to achieve that goal is also representative of Martin's strengths as a writer. He is a virtuoso in interweaving self-reflective observations with dialogue. As a result, the reader gets to know each one of those characters, and is able to unravel them, layer by layer.
In the TV series, Tyrion comes off quite well, but even he lacks depth. We hear him saying all those smart things. What could easily be mistaken as being annoying, or bit of a know-it-all, Peter Dinklage is skillful enough to avoid as an actor. But it doesn't mean it's not there.



Varys and Tyrion talking battle strategy before Blackwater


What only readers may know about Tyrion is that one of the traits of being such a good strategist is being able to understand and read people's motivations like an open book. That's his talent. He reflects on people's behavior as he speaks with them, so the reader finds out how his brain works in the process. His POV creates a large amount of intimacy, and is unfortunately completely lost with visual methods of narration only.

 

 

 




High Level Complaints

I guess that's how it goes on TV. Same as it is in fictional battles. Win some, lose some. The fact that I may be the only person on Earth who didn't like the second season as much as the first one doesn't bother me as much as the outlook for season 3 troubles me. 10 episodes, one major event in the middle, then anticlimactic until the end, even more "useless" traveling involved, 12 POVs. Not to be a prophet of doom here, but if the hype does wear off until next year, I see big fat "cancellation" written in the series' future. And as much reasons as I just gave you on why I prefer the books, I still would hate to see that happening - just because it would mean missing out on such spectacular moments as the one below.





6/02/2012

Six-Sentence-Sunday 6/3

Weee, and it's another one of those SISESU moments I have been looking 
forward to all week! This Sunday, I'd like to share another excerpt from my fantasy 
story, a WIP.

What happened earlier:
It is the morning after a night of severe stomach cramps and vomiting. 
Nian, the young boy of 12 years wakes up, exhausted. 
Looking in the mirror he finds himself to be the owner of a freshly-grown beard 
and notices other, more drastic "changes" to his physique.  
He senses there must be something wrong with him, and he eavesdrops on his 
parents talking in the kitchen...

Looking forward to your feedback! :)



"He threw up all night," Nian heard his mother say, and the noise of dishes being set on the table, as well as the clanking of forks and spoons.

"He ate too much of the deviled stew your mother made, 
you should have stopped him," his father said somewhere 
at the farther end of the room. 

Nian clenched his fists in sudden anger, a habit as of late, whenever he picked up on his father's jovial tone.

"Don't joke about it Illnor; you know as well as I what this could mean for us and him." 

His mother sounded like a stranger through the ajar door, talking about him and them as though they were separates, 
and his heart began to sink.

Someone pulled back a chair and it caused that insufferable 
noise, wood on tiles, scraping the surface of the floor like nails on a chalkboard.