Timewaster's Guide Archive

Jason wandered through his grief, soothing his soul in alcohol. 
He met with a stranger, who gave him a mysterious ring.
This ring gave him a backhanded wish that, Jason, was unaware of.
He then goes on to find out that his inadvertent wish got him partially
married to a female vampire.  He also finds out that to complete the
marriage they have too consummate it.

Jason finds that his bride-to-be (Miranda) is not entirely pleased with the
situation.  Before they can attempt any reconciliation, Jason is abducted
and sent to Hell.  Jason has been given the task of collecting certain items
from this list, for a spell that will transfer his soul and the ring to the Deamion.
Jason then finds himself in a different place.  Where he encounters a pretty
young woman bound as a sacrifice.  Unfortunately, this woman is a spiting
image of his dead wife, Kim.  The woman guides Jason back to his own campfire…

Jason goes into the town of Gorstauk with Angel.
He meets her mother and finds out she does not like him, at all.
Jason wanders the town for a bit until he meets Angel’s father,
who then sells Jason what he needs/wants of supplies.
Thinking Angel would rather stay with her mother;
Jason moves on with his quest and gets lost.
He then meets back up with Angel,
who was to be married to Javik on her mother’s say-so.
Jason cries on her shoulder, the only friend in this world he has
Thinking of Kim, Miranda, and Angel; Jason falls into a troubled asleep…

Jason and Angela (I’ve changed her name for now) continue to search for
the rest of the reagents needed.  Along their journey, they are attacked by
Javik, who with his dieing breath lays a curse on Jason.  After the attack,
Angela begins to train Jason in the ways of magic.  After finding and in
Angela’s case discovering, they have all but one reagent left to gather, Eye of Newt.
Angela comes up with a plan that sets her up as bait to lure Newt into ambush.
Newt comes but not everything goes according to plan.  Jason sees Angela
swallowed after his spells seem to misfire.  He then chases after Newt to rescue her.
Jason finds Newt dieing in a clearing, compelled Jason hacks off Newt’s head
and eats Newt’s heart.  The magic that compelled him leaves after he’s done
and Jason loses consciousness…

Jason has had his battle with the Deamion, and won.
Most questions have been answered at this point,
but more questions have been introduced.
We now fade to Miranda…

(I will be separating and sorting out where and how I’ll introduce these different viewpoints.)

Miranda and Jason were attacked after they left dinner with her parents.  Using her own innate powers, Miranda tracks down the thug who made off with Jason's unconscious body.  Finally resorting to torture, she finds that the thug has no idea where Jason went.  After the surprise attack from the thug, Miranda uses up the last of her depleted reserves of power to heal herself.  Weak, in pain, and in no mood to deal with family issues; Miranda did not greet her father at that moment with her usual enthusiasm.

Miranda has found out that Jason has been sent to hell and she’s desperate to get him back.  Both because she loves him and because she’ll die if they don’t fulfill the terms of their contract.  Needing her fathers help, Miranda reluctantly agrees to his price and agrees to do a job for him working with him and her brothers Paul and Adam, her sister Rachael, and her mother.  But this first job will be for her alone…

Thanks for reading, your help is greatly appreciated!

Hello Writerchick and welcome!

Not that I know of, and it's been 12 years on this one so far.  When I have nothing better to do I take a look at her site.  She did write and publish some other stuff since, but if she's not going to finish what she starts then I'm not buy'n.

...the act of writing about his punishment, of putting myself in a mental state of guilt, shame, and submission, is very difficult and uncomfortable for me to do.

Well, the first thing I would do is focus on how uncomfortable it is, and use it as a catalyst in your own story.  You may also want to try writing the scene several times, experimenting with body language.  The writing group I’m in (shameless plug) Reading Excuses, has advised me that the use of body language is an extremely important tool.  It might also help you visualize your character's own emotion a little better.

It might also help to look into some of the clinical aspects of guilt and shame as well.  It could give you some great ideas as to the physical effects one could suffer from such powerful emotions.

That’s all I can think of for now, hope it helps.

Edit:  http://clinicalphilosophy.blogspot.com/2008/03/shame-and-body.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shame

I have a little bit that I would like to submit as well.

You can't just kill the spending. By cutting it off you would just be breaking old promises made as well as causing a lot of problems from organizations that are expecting the money.

If you spend now in the effort to later not have to put out that money then you can make progress towards finally being able to cut the spending.

EXAMPLE:

I personally think that we need to eliminate the Social Security program, but so many people have put money in they would be angry that they didn't get back from the government. Also many people would not know how to live without that money, causing many families, most importantly, children who don't deserve it, to become homeless. BUT if we started putting out money to these people now with the knowledge that now they get more than they were before and that it will only last for a while and then we will cut it off. Then we could focus on paying back to the other people who have already put into it. Eventually causing us to be able to eliminate the program.

Miyabi, I could be taking your example out of context, but SS is mainly for retirement.  Yes, there are survivor benefits, but most are given on a limited time frame anyway.

EDIT: Also disability benefits.

The problem with a lot of (or even just some of) these people is that they feel they deserve it.  So no matter what happens they're gonna pretty mad if (when) the money stops coming in.  And while some of these governmental programs actually help some people, they also hurt others.  I've seen so much wasted potential flushed away because these individuals had no motivation to better themselves.  Even if warning is given, many people will be in dire straights anyway.  If they can't manage their money now why would they later?  I'd much rather give someone a hand-up, not a hand-out.

Wouldn't it be easier to just write, tee?