Author Topic: July 27 Frog DR Chp1  (Read 2176 times)

Frog

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July 27 Frog DR Chp1
« on: July 27, 2009, 05:36:36 AM »
Comments, questions, concerns and death threats taken here.

Thank you!
« Last Edit: July 28, 2009, 12:14:36 AM by Frog »
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RavenstarRHJF

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Re: July 27 Frog DR Chp1
« Reply #1 on: July 28, 2009, 01:52:44 AM »
Is it just me, or did Aishia's reaction cut the divination short? 8)  Also, good for her, deciding not to be willingly bound by a prophecy she doesn't like- although, she's really too young to realize the blessing of living an unremarkable life... adventures are seldom comfortable.

The Djinni made me laugh.  I love how he so uselessly grants Aishia's wish, too.  Princess of the kingdom of Pebble.  Wonder if any Who's live on that? :D

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...into the cool, dark of their plastered home...
Not quite clear what I'm supposed to be picturing here.  Traditional woodframe house with whitewash?  Adobe, a la Native American dwellings?

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“Are you ready yet, child?” her mother called, coming from the market stall.
Metal jewelry clanked together as Aishia hopped around stork-like, lacing her sandal with both hands. Aishia wanted to protest.
The way you have these sentences arranged, it sounds like Aishia wants to protest about hopping around on one foot, instead of her mother calling her a child.

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As the youngest of her sisters, it stood to traditional reasoning that she would get the best of the lot even if she wasn’t an orphan.
Maybe better to say that tradition favored her, or something like "the odds were in her favor."  The above reads awkwardly.

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Finally, the Diviner’s potion, now the consistency of goat’s milk, [had] turned green and was and Aisha was beckoned to the back of the tent where a fire was blazing. ...Aishia watched the red flame’s reflection danced in the water’s reflection.
Watch your "to be" verbs. ;)

You also want to be aware of what your characters have picked up/are holding.  When Hajel picks up the bottle and points at Aishia, does she leave Aishia holding the bowl by herself? Or does she both hold the bowl and pick up something else and point?

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She held the helm of a sword
Are you sure you meant "helm" and not "handle"?
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Silk

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Re: July 27 Frog DR Chp1
« Reply #2 on: July 30, 2009, 12:26:47 AM »
Hi Frog,

I don't have a great deal to say at this point. Before you ask, I'm happy to report that I didn't have the same problmes getting engaged with it as I did last time, and that's...very nearly it. The story seems just begun, so there's not much to say at this point.

The one thing that bugged me a little bit was not knowing how old Aishia is, since she's supposed to be an adult now. But I'm sure you can find a way to slip that in there. :)

Frog

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Re: July 27 Frog DR Chp1
« Reply #3 on: July 30, 2009, 01:19:38 AM »
Is it just me, or did Aishia's reaction cut the divination short? 8)  Also, good for her, deciding not to be willingly bound by a prophecy she doesn't like- although, she's really too young to realize the blessing of living an unremarkable life... adventures are seldom comfortable.
Don't worry, she'll figure it all out one way or another. She is in the hands of a very evil author after all.... ;).

The Djinni made me laugh.  I love how he so uselessly grants Aishia's wish, too.  Princess of the kingdom of Pebble.  Wonder if any Who's live on that? :D
Why not? I'm pretty nondiscriminatory about the races I 'borrow.' :D
(And I'm glad Genie has a potential fan. He's a lot of fun to write.)

I don't have a great deal to say at this point. Before you ask, I'm happy to report that I didn't have the same problmes getting engaged with it as I did last time, and that's...very nearly it. The story seems just begun, so there's not much to say at this point.
Well, it is the first chapter, but now I am wondering, looking it over, if it all goes too quickly pacing wise. Did it seem rushed to either of you?
(But, yea! At least it engaged you this time. :D )

The one thing that bugged me a little bit was not knowing how old Aishia is, since she's supposed to be an adult now. But I'm sure you can find a way to slip that in there. :)
Oh, thanks. I need to fix that. She's about 15. The ceremony/prophecy is more her leaving off childhood and taking steps to find her place as an adult more than her actually already being a full adult woman. Still has a lot of growing up to do....

And thank you both for all the line edits.... Seems I was pretty sloppy this time around.  :-[
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Silk

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Re: July 27 Frog DR Chp1
« Reply #4 on: July 30, 2009, 01:40:01 AM »
Pacing seemed fine to me. It's kind of hard to tell from only one chapter, of course, but I had no problems with it.

Hooray for the cranky genie, and hey, we're all allowed to be sloppy once in a while. :P

ErikHolmes

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Re: July 27 Frog DR Chp1
« Reply #5 on: August 12, 2009, 10:15:30 PM »
Ok, I loved the Genie.

(I've always liked Genies. I played a Genie in a secondlife sim for a while. I do prefer the correct Djinn spelling, but maybe that's just me.).

I didn't feel that the Genie really fulfilled her wish however. Obviously, her wish was poorly worded. But even given the poor wording, he didn't come close to granting it.

She wished: “I’d like to be something exciting, and important. Like a princess,”

What he gave her was neither exciting, or important. He could have fulfilled the wish in many deadly ways.

I got the impression that he's just lazy. He bears no ill will towards the girl and just wanted to go back to sleep.

But I did enjoy the chapter. I thought the pacing worked well and that it was a good introduction.
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Frog

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Re: July 27 Frog DR Chp1
« Reply #6 on: August 12, 2009, 10:40:35 PM »
Darn it Erik. You're too good. I can't address your concerns without giving stuff away, but I might be able to tweak the wording a bit and I get where you're coming from. You also nailed the genie's motive, which is good.

I went back and forth on the spelling. I kind of prefer Djinn too, but I didn't want to lose anyone....

Thanks!
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ErikHolmes

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Re: July 27 Frog DR Chp1
« Reply #7 on: August 12, 2009, 10:58:14 PM »
I don't think you'd lose anyone by using Djinn. Unless this is intended as a Middle Grade book maybe. Right now I'm thinking its YA though. Especially with the Raven Mordin thing.
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Re: July 27 Frog DR Chp1
« Reply #8 on: August 13, 2009, 12:12:43 AM »
I'd put it at YA too, from what we've seen so far.

Frog

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Re: July 27 Frog DR Chp1
« Reply #9 on: August 13, 2009, 06:31:19 AM »
Yeah, that's the aim. Some innuendos and maybe some violence later on, but nothing too bad as all of my POVs are extremely silly teenagers.... Well, except for maybe the Genie, but he's ageless and silly enough that it really shouldn't count. :P
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ErikHolmes

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Re: July 27 Frog DR Chp1
« Reply #10 on: August 13, 2009, 06:34:26 AM »
Content has little to do with if its YA or not. Just read one of those Holly Black Modern Faerie Tale books if you want to find out. (They're full of kids doing drugs and having sex in subway tunnels, with F-bombs).

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Frog

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Re: July 27 Frog DR Chp1
« Reply #11 on: August 13, 2009, 06:59:38 AM »
No thanks. I know that age appropriate-ness doesn't matter to some people, but I am one that thinks it definitely should. One of the reasons that I prefer a younger audience. That, and I keep putting silly things in there that all the hard-core dark fantasy readers would hate. :P
« Last Edit: August 13, 2009, 07:04:08 AM by Frog »
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Silk

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Re: July 27 Frog DR Chp1
« Reply #12 on: August 13, 2009, 07:04:33 AM »
Well, it might make more of a difference in terms of MG vs YA, but it wouldn't so much if you were talking about deciding whether a book was YA or adult.

That's my understanding of it, at least; of course, you probably don't want to take my word for it. I'm not exactly an expert. :P

Frog

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Re: July 27 Frog DR Chp1
« Reply #13 on: August 13, 2009, 07:07:18 AM »
Yeah, really it doesn't matter to me all that much as I plan on calling it whatever my imaginary agent tells me to.  ;)
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Re: July 27 Frog DR Chp1
« Reply #14 on: August 13, 2009, 07:08:00 AM »
Atta girl. NOW you're thinking :P