A New Novel, Part 321 She is Quite Strict

21 August 2011, A New Novel, Part 321 She is Quite Strict

For those who haven’t been following this blog, let me introduce it a little. I am currently blogging my 21st novel that has the working title Daemon. The novel is about Aksinya, a sorceress, who, to save her family from the Bolsheviks, called and contracted the demon, Asmodeus. Her family was murdered anyway, and she fled with the demon from Russia to Austria.

Dobrushin and Aksinya married.  Aksinya and Dobrushin are in Boston, and Aksinya has come to an Orthodox girl's school looking for a job.  She is waiting for the headmistress to call on her, but she happens to be sitting next to a girl named Stacy... 

The girl, Stacy asked, “Are you going to go to school here?  Where are your mother and father?”

Aksinya laughed, “I’m applying to be a teacher here.”

The girl’s eyes widened, “You look so young.”

“I’m married,” Aksinya held out her right hand.

Stacy admired Aksinya’s plain golden ring, “Mother told me they married young in the old country.  Just how old are you?”

Aksinya laughed again, “I’m twenty-three.  I just graduated from Radcliffe.”

“Do you like school that much?”

“Yes, I like it very much.  I never was able to go when I was young.”

“You’d hate it if you were my age.”

“Why is that?”

Stacy held out her red hand, “Sister already used her ruler on my hand, and now I have to speak to the headmistress.  If she tells my mother, I’ll get the strap for sure.”

“Perhaps you should tell the headmistress you didn’t know what the words meant and beg her forgiveness.”

“I truly didn’t know what the words were, and I still don’t know what they mean.”

“Then tell her that.”

“Sister wouldn’t listen.”

“Sometimes they are like that.”

The door cracked open, and a call came from inside the office.  It was Russian accented English and sounded very pleasant, “Miss Anastasiya please come inside.”  To Aksinya, the voice seemed slightly familiar.

As Stacy passed Aksinya, she whispered in Russian, “Don’t let her voice fool you, she is quite strict.”

Aksinya nodded.

More advanced techniques.  At the beginning of this dialog, I describe Aksinya to you through the eyes of Stacy, but I don't use a single word of description.  Stacy asks if Aksinya is going to school there and where are her parents.  This indicates that Aksinya still looks like a teen to Stacy, plus there is just so much wrapped up in this comment.  It drives to the core of Aksinya's previous lack of confidence.  Look how she handles it now--she simply answers the girl as though nothing were amiss.  This indicates her maturity. 

Perhaps Aksinya gets this kind of reaction all the time, because she answers it in an interesting way.  She shows her ring and indicates she is married.  Note, the ring is on the right hand and not the left.  In general in Europe, the wedding ring goes on the right hand, in the US, it is the left hand.

Stacy attributes this to the old country, but notice the admiration--all women (and girls) in this era admired those who were married--it indicated a level of maturity, worth, and wealth.  This lets me move on to give Aksinya's age and again that she graduated from Radcliffe.  The reason for this is a setup to give the point about school.  Aksinya loves school--she never got to go except in Wien for a few short months, and then Radcliffe.  That idea is a lead in to Stacy's complaint about the Sister.  I show you Stacy's hand and Stacy tells you that the sister struck her with a ruler--this was a common punishment for girls at the time.  Poor Stacy knows that the headmistress will tell her mom and Stacy will get the strap.  Again, not an uncommon punishment at the time.

Aksinya's advice comes directly from her own experience.  This is supposed to be a small parallel.  This sets up the conversation for a couple of jokes, one about the sister not listening and the other about Stacy not knowing what the dreaded words meant.

Then, the headmistress calls for Stacy.  She speaks English.  The fact that the voice is familiar is a foreshadowing.  Stacy has accepted Aksinya as an intimate--she passes on some advice herself.  Tomorrow, the result of Stacy's interview.

A New Novel, Part 320 What were the Words?

20 August 2011, A New Novel, Part 320 What were the Words?

For those who haven’t been following this blog, let me introduce it a little. I am currently blogging my 21st novel that has the working title Daemon. The novel is about Aksinya, a sorceress, who, to save her family from the Bolsheviks, called and contracted the demon, Asmodeus. Her family was murdered anyway, and she fled with the demon from Russia to Austria.

Dobrushin and Aksinya married.  Aksinya and Dobrushin are in Boston, and Aksinya has come to an Orthodox girl's school looking for a job.  She is waiting for the headmistress to call on her, but she happens to be sitting next to a student... 

The maid turned a stern look at the girl then pointed to the seats.  Aksinya sat next to the girl.  The maid knocked at the office, entered and closed the door behind her.  She exited just a moment later, “The headmistress will call for you in a moment.”

Aksinya answered “Thank you.”

The girl beside her stared at Aksinya.

Aksinya stared back, “I’m Aksinya Andreiovna Lopuhin, and you are?”

The girl answered, “I’m Anastasiya, but everyone calls me Stacy.”  Her Russian was from Moscow, but the name Stacy was said purely in English.

Aksinya laughed, “Do you speak English?”

“Not well.  We’re supposed to learn it here.”

“Are you?”

“Too well.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“My brother taught me some words and the Sister didn’t like me to say them at all.”

“What were the words?”

Stacy motioned for Aksinya to lower her head a little and whispered into her ear.

Aksinya blushed, “Is that why you are here to speak to the headmistress?”

Stacy nodded woefully.

“You have a Nun teaching here?”

“Yes, she is Orthodox but not from Russia.”

“What does she teach?”

“English, German, and French, but mostly German.”

“I see.”

All right, here is an advanced method to show you about a character.  I set up a situation.  Here is a girl who is being punished for some misdeed.  I sit Aksinya next to her.  The ensuing conversation allows me to tell you something about the school, but even more about Aksinya.  This is a method to get across information to your readers without telling them anything.  Plus, you can use this type of conversational scene to get under the skin of your character a little. 

The first glance is interesting enough--the girl stares at Aksinya.  Aksinya looks odd enough for a child to stare at her.  We will discover why, but the point should be made that the girl feels comfortable about Aksinya--comfortable enough to stare.  Aksinya stares back--that's just Aksinya.  She introduces herself, and the girl, Stacy responds. 

The point I wanted you to get here is that the girl is from Moscow, but she is acclimating to America.  Stacy is certainly not a Russian diminutive for Anastasiya.  Stacy was pronounced so well in English, Aksinya asks about is, and we learn that part of this school's focus--English and assimilation.  Then we learn why Stacy is waiting to speak to the headmistress.  Notice, I never tell you the words--don't have to.  Your imagination provides them for me.  This also lets me bring up the point of a nun teaching at the school.  This is a foreshadowing, and one part of the reason I wanted to put in this scene.  We get a little information about this nun.  Tomorrow, more about Stacy.

A New Novel, Part 319 The Headmistress Will Call for You in a Moment

19 August 2011, A New Novel, Part 319 The Headmistress Will Call for You in a Moment

For those who haven’t been following this blog, let me introduce it a little. I am currently blogging my 21st novel that has the working title Daemon. The novel is about Aksinya, a sorceress, who, to save her family from the Bolsheviks, called and contracted the demon, Asmodeus. Her family was murdered anyway, and she fled with the demon from Russia to Austria.

Dobrushin and Aksinya married.  Aksinya and Dobrushin are in Boston, and Aksinya has come to an Orthodox girl's school looking for a job... 

Aksinya pulled the bell.  After a couple of minutes a matronly woman dressed as a chamber maid answered the door.  She was pleasant looking.  Aksinya smiled and announced in English, “I am Mrs. Aksinya Andreiovna Lopuhin.”

The maid responded in broken English, “This is a Russian academy, are you certain you are at the right place?  We don’t accept married students.”

Aksinya changed to Russian, “I am here to apply for the position of English and linguistics teacher.  You posted it with the Russian exchange office.”

“Yes, so we did.”  The woman frowned and looked Aksinya up and down.

“Is there a problem?”

“None at all.”  The woman’s tone of voice said there was.  “I’ll take you to see the headmistress.  She is also the wife of the owner of this school.”

The building was similar to many of the row houses Aksinya was familiar with in Boston.  The foyer wasn’t large.  It opened to a stairway that led up into the building and a hall that led to the rear.  A parlor was on the right and a classroom on the left.  Aksinya could hear the teacher lecturing through the closed door. 

The maid didn’t lead Aksinya into the parlor or upstairs but rather headed down the hall on the first floor.  They passed a second and a third classroom on the left and right and finally arrived at a large dining room and kitchen.  They were also on the left.  On the right was a door labeled Office of the Headmistress.  The door was closed.  Outside the door sat four hardback chairs in a row.  A girl of about twelve slumped in one of the seats.  She didn’t seem very happy.

The maid turned a stern look at the girl then pointed to the seats.  Aksinya sat next to the girl.  The maid knocked at the office, entered and closed the door behind her.  She exited just a moment later, “The headmistress will call for you in a moment.”

Aksinya answered “Thank you.”

The scene setting is complete and notice I move directly into conversation.  Aksinya announces herself in such a way that she doesn't give her title or her rank.  She uses her husband's name.  This might catch the modern reader off guard.  A noble woman would continue to use her title.  Aksinya has given up her nobility--just as Dobrushin gave up his profession and Church rank.

The maid responds in broken English--this way you know she is Russian.  I don't have to tell you this--I show it to you.  The maid mistakes Aksinya for an American, and she punctuates Aksinya's fears by thinking Aksinya is seeking to be a student there.  This is another reminder of Aksinya's appearance.  Notice the advanced writing technique used to show this.

Aksinya changes to Russian--another reminder of the maid's language.  She announces her intentions.  I give you a little historical knowledge.  There were no Russian embassies.  The USSR was not acknowledged by the USA.  The best there were was exchange offices.  The maids attention to Aksinya builds the tension.  The woman finally decides to take Aksinya to the headmistress, but she isn't happy about it.  I give you a little information as a foreshadowing that the headmistress is the wife of the owner of the school.  A little history here too--men usually owned the property of their wives.

Now, I give you scene setting of the inside of the building.  It is a typical row house that incorporates a school.  The rest is a tour of the lower floor to the headmistress' office.  Outside the office are chairs for waiting and a girl is sitting in one of the chairs.  You can guess already why the girl is there.  I don't tell you anything--I show you: she is slumped and not happy, and the maid gives her a stern look.

Aksinya sits next to the girl.  You knew Aksinya would--that is her personality.  The maid announces Aksinya.  Tomorrow, conversation with the girl.

A New Novel, Part 318 I am Mrs. Aksinya Andreiovna Lopuhin

18 August 2011, A New Novel, Part 318 I am Mrs. Aksinya Andreiovna Lopuhin

For those who haven’t been following this blog, let me introduce it a little. I am currently blogging my 21st novel that has the working title Daemon. The novel is about Aksinya, a sorceress, who, to save her family from the Bolsheviks, called and contracted the demon, Asmodeus. Her family was murdered anyway, and she fled with the demon from Russia to Austria.

Dobrushin and Aksinya married.  The last we knew, they were contemplating travelling to Boston in the United States... 

Aksinya swung off the streetcar and skipped down the Union Park in Boston.  She wore a tweed dress and a jaunty tweed cap.  She carried a leather briefcase her Dobrushushka had given her at her graduation only a month before.  It reminded her of the briefcase she owned when she attended Sacré Coeur, but she never remembered carrying that one herself.  She was very proud of this briefcase—it held her diploma in linguistics and teaching from Radcliffe College.  Radcliffe was one of the few woman’s college she could attend since all the Catholic ones excluded her.  She had mostly escaped notoriety, but still she and Dobrushushka attended a very small Russian Orthodox Church near his office. 

Aksinya spotted Saint John the Baptizer Greek Orthodox Church across the street and started counting the buildings down from it.

She and Dobrushin had been in Boston for a little over four years.  They were delightful years.  She already wondered what she would do to seduce him tonight—it had been two days already since the last time.  He was already a partner at the law firm.  Everyone in the firm knew he was married, but Aksinya rarely showed her face there.  Dobrushushka begged off officially because of her schooling.  That was a good thing, she didn’t need notoriety.  She didn’t want her Dobrushushka to lose this job.

Aksinya halted when her counting reached the correct house number and glanced at the building.  She stopped skipping and walked carefully up the stairs in front.  The sign was right beside the door: Sacred Heart of Christ, Russian Orthodox Seminary for Young Women and Girls.”

Aksinya smiled.  That sounded like just the place for her.  All the other schools where she applied to teach mistook her for a student.  None of them had called her back.  She luckily heard about this place from a friend at their Ecclesia.

Aksinya pulled the bell.  After a couple of minutes a matronly woman dressed as a chamber maid answered the door.  She was pleasant looking.  Aksinya smiled and announced in English, “I am Mrs. Aksinya Andreiovna Lopuhin.”

This is an entirely new scene and location.  First, I set the scene.  I do this by showing you Aksinya's actions.  She swings off a streetcar and skips down Union Park (that's a street).  I give you a description of her clothing.  Do you remember the type of clothing she wore once before--it was silk and satin.  In the beginning of the novel, she was dressed in a dress fit for a princess--that didn't fit her well.  Now, she is dressed like a Kelly Girl.  She has on wool--it is nice clothing, but not very fine.

I give you another past reminder and some information.  She carries a briefcase that was a gift from Dobrushin at her graduation only a month before.  This tells you that she went to school.  I also tie the briefcase to Sacré Coeur and to Natalya (Aksinya never carried her old briefcase).  I use the briefcase as a tool to tell you her degree and her college.  Then I remind you that she couldn't attend any Catholic colleges. 

I give you more information: they attend a small Ecclesia and near Dobrushin's office.  Do you see how I am bringing you up to date about Aksinya and Dobrushin just using description.  I really haven't told you anything.

Then more of the setting.  The church on Union Park and Aksinya counts the buildings to find the proper address.  More information--they have been in Boston more than four years.  This is mixed with a little of Aksinya's thoughts--to tell you how precious Dobrushin is to her, and how they keep her nobility a secret.  Again, mixed with this is information that Dobrushin is a partner in the firm.  The reminder here is that Aksinya's notoriety could lose Dobrushin his job.

So, Aksinya arrives at her destination.  She stops skipping.  Did you get that before?  Aksinya is so happy, she skips.  She stops intentionally to not give the wring impression.  The name of the school is another connection with the past.  Sacré Coeur means Sacred Heart in French.  The sign is in English (I don't have to tell you).  The name is why it is just the right place for her.  

Then I give you some information--Aksinya's appearance is young and small.  The schools where she applied mistook her for a student, and they didn't call her back.  We also find that Aksinya heard about this school from a friend in the Russian Ecclesia.  This is an important connection. 

At the end of this piece, Aksinya announces herself to the maid.  A maid answering the door indicates the wealth and status of the school.  Tomorrow, the school.

A New Novel, Part 316 We Will Go to America

16 August 2011, A New Novel, Part 316 We Will Go to America

For those who haven’t been following this blog, let me introduce it a little. I am currently blogging my 21st novel that has the working title Daemon. The novel is about Aksinya, a sorceress, who, to save her family from the Bolsheviks, called and contracted the demon, Asmodeus. Her family was murdered anyway, and she fled with the demon from Russia to Austria.

Dobrushin and Aksinya married.  They consummated their marriage and are speaking together... 

When she caught her breath, she brushed the hair away from his forehead, “You gave up your position as priest for me.”

“At this moment that is what you are thinking…?” He smiled at her, “But the answer is yes.”

“You would have given your life for me.”

“But in the end, you saved me.  I don’t think Raphael would have been able to cancel any harm the demon would have done to my body.”

She stroked his face, “Did the demon injure you?”

His voice cracked, “No, but the demon almost stole my beloved, my wife.”

She smiled and kissed him, “Truly your wife now.”  She nestled in his arms, “What will we do in the future?  Where will we go and what will we do?”

“We will leave Wien.  I have been working in immigration law.  The Americas are a place where many of our Russian compatriots are escaping…”

She snuggled closer to him, “We will go to America?”

“To Boston in the United States.  I already made connections.  They are looking for lawyers who can speak Russian.”

Aksinya pouted, “They speak a kind of English there.  How will we communicate?”

“We shall learn English.”

“Yes, I guess.  You’ve thought this through for a long time.”

“I realized early that Father Makar would oppose any help I gave you, and I knew that you would require much help.”

Her pout deepened, “Am I such a problem?”

“Yes, Aksinya, you are a very great problem.  Plus, I don’t think there is a diminutive for Aksinya.”  He rolled to face her, “What will I call you, wife?”

Aksinya wasn’t certain she should frown or smile.  She harrumphed and plucked at her lip, “My father called me Aksyusha, but I would like you to call me, Aksenyushka or perhaps Princess.”

“Very well, I shall call you Princess Akenyushka.  May I kiss you?”

“Yes, you may kiss me all you wish.”  Their lips touched. 

“You were much more passionate before.”

“Shall I be passionate again?”

There is an old joke I will not repeat--it isn't very dirty, but it speaks to the thoughts of women during intimate moments.  Men perhaps are too one tracked--women want to know what is going on.  Aksinya is all woman.  She is thinking about how much Dobrushin loves her.  So much that he would give up his position and his money and his life.  The joke here is that Dobrushin isn't certain why she is thinking these things, his thoughts are somewhere else completely.  Then, we see, he does understand her thoughts.

Then Aksinya wants to know his plans.  Can you see the wheels going around in her head?  If he doesn't have a job or any prospects, how can he take care of her.  Although Aksinya has learned to live with very little, she doesn't wish to starve and this is post WWI Austria. 

You shouldn't be surprised that Dobrushin has everything planned out.  He planned everything from the beginning.  He is a planning type of person.  He knows exactly what he will do--just as he planned out everything in working with Aksinya. 

Aksinya isn't so sure about America.  She will have to learn English!  Listen to Dobrushin's response: "I knew that you would require much help.”  Aksinya is a great problem.  She was a great problem for the demon, for Natalya, for Ernst, for Sister Margarethe.  Aksinya is a person who can't help being a problem.  It is good that Dobrushin understands this.  He uses humor to distract her.  Aksinya can't go any further with this because she knows she is a problem.  The joke is that all the diminutives for Aksinya sound more proper than Aksinya (I picked this name for this reason).

Dobrushin extends this joke and so does Aksinya.  She certainly doesn't want her lover and husband  to call her by her father's pet name for her, but Aksenyushka is just silly.  Dobrushin is just as silly.  He shall call her Princess Aksenyushka.  You can guess that he calls her princess.  Then, a gentleman, he asks if he can kiss her.  This is what Aksinya wants.  She has not been allowed physical love all her life, and she wants to be loved.  We get a little joke here too.  Tomorrow, details of sleeping together.