13 May 2025, Writing - part xxxx047 Bookgirl, Initial Deus Ex Machina
Announcement: I
still need a new publisher. However, I’ve taken the step to republish my
previously published novels. I’m starting with Centurion, and
we’ll see from there. Since previously published novels have little
chance of publication in the market (unless they are huge best sellers), I
might as well get those older novels back out. I’m going through Amazon
Publishing, and I’ll pass the information on to you.
Introduction: I wrote the
novel Aksinya: Enchantment and the Daemon. This was my 21st novel
and through this blog, I gave you the entire novel in installments that
included commentary on the writing. In the commentary, in addition to other
general information on writing, I explained, how the novel was constructed, the
metaphors and symbols in it, the writing techniques and tricks I used, and the
way I built the scenes. You can look back through this blog and read the entire
novel beginning with http://www.pilotlion.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-novel-part-3-girl-and-demon.html.
I’m using this novel as
an example of how I produce, market, and eventually (we hope) get a novel
published. I’ll keep you informed along the way.
Today’s Blog: To see the steps in
the publication process, visit my writing websites http://www.sisteroflight.com/.
The four plus two basic
rules I employ when writing:
1. Don’t confuse your readers.
2. Entertain your readers.
3. Ground your readers in the writing.
4. Don’t show (or tell) everything.
4a. Show what can be
seen, heard, felt, smelled, and tasted on the stage of the novel.
5. Immerse yourself in the world of your writing.
6. The initial scene is the most important scene.
These are the steps I use to write a novel
including the five discrete parts of a novel:
1. Design the initial scene
2. Develop a theme statement
(initial setting, protagonist, protagonist’s helper or antagonist, action
statement)
a. Research as required
b. Develop the initial
setting
c. Develop the characters
d. Identify the telic flaw
(internal and external)
3. Write the initial scene
(identify the output: implied setting, implied characters, implied action
movement)
4. Write the next scene(s)
to the climax (rising action)
5. Write the climax scene
6. Write the falling action
scene(s)
7. Write the dénouement
scene
I finished writing my 31st novel,
working title, Cassandra, potential title Cassandra:
Enchantment and the Warriors. The theme statement is: Deirdre and
Sorcha are redirected to French finishing school where they discover difficult
mysteries, people, and events.
I finished writing my 34th novel
(actually my 32nd completed novel), Seoirse,
potential title Seoirse: Enchantment and the Assignment. The
theme statement is: Seoirse is assigned to be Rose’s protector and helper at
Monmouth while Rose deals with five goddesses and schoolwork; unfortunately,
Seoirse has fallen in love with Rose.
Here is the cover
proposal for the third edition of Centurion:
|
Cover Proposal |
The most important scene
in any novel is the initial scene, but eventually, you have to move to the
rising action. I am continuing to write on my 30th novel,
working title Red Sonja. I finished my 29th novel,
working title Detective. I finished writing number 31,
working title Cassandra: Enchantment and the Warrior. I just
finished my 32nd novel and 33rd novel: Rose:
Enchantment and the Flower, and Seoirse: Enchantment and the
Assignment.
How to begin a novel. Number one thought,
we need an entertaining idea. I usually encapsulate such an idea with a
theme statement. Since I’m writing a new novel, we need a new theme
statement. Here is an initial cut.
For novel 30: Red Sonja, a Soviet spy,
infiltrates the X-plane programs at Edwards AFB as a test pilot’s
administrative clerk, learns about freedom, and is redeemed.
For Novel 32: Shiggy Tash finds a lost girl
in the isolated Scottish safe house her organization gives her for her latest
assignment: Rose Craigie has nothing, is alone, and needs someone or something
to rescue and acknowledge her as a human being.
For novel 33, Book girl:
Siobhàn Shaw is Morven McLean’s savior—they are both attending Kilgraston
School in Scotland when Morven loses everything, her wealth, position, and
friends, and Siobhàn Shaw is the only one left to befriend and help her
discover the one thing that might save Morven’s family and existence.
For novel 34: Seoirse is assigned to
be Rose’s protector and helper at Monmouth while Rose deals with five goddesses
and schoolwork; unfortunately, Seoirse has fallen in love with Rose.
For novel 35: Eoghan, a Scottish National
Park Authority Ranger, while handing a supernatural problem in Loch Lomond and
The Trossachs National Park discovers the crypt of Aine and accidentally
releases her into the world; Eoghan wants more from the world and Aine desires
a new life and perhaps love.
Here
is the scene development outline:
1.
Scene input (comes from the previous scene output or is an initial scene)
2.
Write the scene setting (place, time, stuff, and characters)
3.
Imagine the output, creative elements, plot, telic flaw resolution (climax) and
develop the tension and release.
4.
Write the scene using the output and creative elements to build the tension.
5.
Write the release
6.
Write the kicker
Today: Let me tell you a little about writing. Writing
isn’t so much a hobby, a career, or a pastime. Writing is a habit and an
obsession. We who love to write love to write.
If
you love to write, the problem is gaining the skills to write well. We
want to write well enough to have others enjoy our writing. This is
important. No one writes just for themselves the idea is absolutely
irrational and silly. I can prove why.
In
the first place, the purpose of writing is communication—that’s the only
purpose. Writing is the abstract communication of the mind through
symbols. As time goes by, we as writers gain more and better tools and
our readers gain more and better appreciation for those tools and skills—even
if they have no idea what they are.
We
are in the modern era. In this time, the action and dialog style along
with the push of technology forced novels into the form of third person, past
tense, action and dialog style, implying the future. This is the modern
style of the novel. I also showed how the end of literature created the
reflected worldview. We have three possible worldviews for a novel: the
real, the reflected, and the created. I choose to work in the reflected
worldview.
Why
don’t we go back to the basics and just writing a novel? I can tell you
what I do, and show you how I go about putting a novel together. We can
start with developing an idea then move into the details of the writing.
Ideas. We need ideas. Ideas allow us
to figure out the protagonist and the telic flaw. Ideas don’t come fully
armed from the mind of Zeus. We need to cultivate ideas.
1. Read novels.
2. Fill your mind with good
stuff—basically the stuff you want to write about.
3. Figure out what will
build ideas in your mind and what will kill ideas in your mind.
4. Study.
5. Teach.
6. Make the catharsis.
7. Write.
The development of ideas is based on study and
research, but it is also based on creativity. Creativity is the
extrapolation of older ideas to form new ones or to present old ideas in a new
form. It is a reflection of something new created with ties to the
history, science, and logic (the intellect). Creativity requires
consuming, thinking, and producing.
If we have filled our mind with all kinds of
information and ideas, we are ready to become creative. Creativity means
the extrapolation of older ideas to form new ones or to present old ideas in a
new form. Literally, we are seeing the world in a new way, or actually,
we are seeing some part of the world in a new way.
The beginning of creativity is study and
effort. We can use this to extrapolate to creativity. In addition,
we need to look at recording ideas and working with ideas.
With that said, where should we go? Should
I delve into ideas and creativity again, or should we just move into the novel
again? Should I develop a new protagonist, which, we know, will result in
a new novel. I’ve got an idea, but it went stale. Let’s look at the
outline for a novel again:
1. The initial scene
2. The rising action scenes
3. The climax scene
4. The falling action
scene(s)
5. The dénouement scene(s)
Right now, I want to
write bookgirl. That’s the working title
of my novel with the following theme statement:
For novel 33, Book girl:
Siobhàn Shaw is Morven McLean’s savior—they are both attending Kilgraston
School in Scotland when Morven loses everything, her wealth, position, and
friends, and Siobhàn Shaw is the only one left to befriend and help her
discover the one thing that might save Morven’s family and existence.
I’ve already developed the protagonist and
the protagonist’s helper for this novel.
I’ll remind you with their descriptions:
Siobhàn Shaw was a very tall and slender
girl. She didn’t sit or stand, she
folded and unfolded. Normal chairs and
furniture didn’t seem to fit her properly, but no onlooker could really tell
why—she wasn’t basketball tall, and she never sat in an unladylike or informal
way. Perhaps it was her approach to
sitting and standing. It made her
standout in ways she never wanted to stand out.
Her dark brown hair was long and always looked a little stringy. She pulled it up into a highly unpopular and
old-fashioned bun, that frizzed at every side.
She didn’t know any other way to put up her hair. Her face was a classic oval, but that did her
no good. It wasn’t long, just slightly
short and she had a high, broad forehead with a widow’s peak that was a little
lopsided to the left. Her eyes were
large but slopped a little down at the outside corners so she always looked a
little sad even when she smiled. Her
smile was made her cheeks go up without any nice dimples, and her chin was
round. Well that’s what oval means. She was lucky her brows weren’t like her
father’s. They were evident but not connected and well shaped
except they followed the sad droop of her eyes.
That only made her look a little sadder all the time. The only problem was that she was never
really very sad at all. Her lips and her
nose were nicely formed. The nose small
and a little blunt, and her lips wide and pink.
Her complexion was light like a peach and the real redeeming feature was
the constant blush on her cheeks. That
also made her stand out in ways she didn’t wish. Her clothing was always a little frumpy. It was hard to fit a girl as tall as she
was--too tall, but not tall enough, and there never was enough money to have
anything that was new. The used clothing
and charity shops were all she could afford.
Even her school uniform was used, and didn’t fit her well. The ones for tall girls were too big to fit
her slender frame and the ones that fit her size were all too short. Her skirt looked strange and too large, and
her blouse a little too short. At least
her skirt, a kilt, was the Shaw tartan, mostly blue and green with a think red
line, it matched the coat and her sweater.
Still, the sleeves on her dark blue coat were always too short and the
coat too large. She disappeared in it,
and it bulged in all the wrong places.
Only her emerald green sweater fit her properly. That’s because she has an extra large one
that had been through the wash one too many times—the wool had shrunk. She didn’t have many sewing skills, so she
couldn’t do much to fix her clothing.
Her shoes always looked a little off because she had to repair them with
book glue and polish them with ink. Then
there was the thing that made her always stand out. Siobhàn Shaw always carried a book in her
hand. A book in one hand and her
official bookbag in the other. The book
is what set her apart. That’s why they
never called her Siobhàn, just book girl.
Always book girl.
Morven McLean was elegant looking. Everything about her was elegant
looking. She was perfectly formed—not
too tall, not too short, not too thin, and not too curvy. She was the perfect physical balance that
girl’s desired and boys followed greedily with their eyes. Her face was oval, but with that little
well-formed chin that made her look, yes, elegant. Her cheeks rose sweet and gently high, not
too plump, and not too thin with a natural shadow of pink. Her lips were nicely molded around perfectly
white and straight teeth. They were
exactly the correct balance to her nose and her large upward inclined eyes and
delicate brow. Her Scottish hair was the
exact shade of red with brown that made her standout in the way she usually
wanted to stand out. Her brow was not
too large and not too broad. Her hair
was controlled exactly where she placed it and how she placed it. She kept it long and free and brushed into
perfection. Not a lock was out of place
and not a single strand of her hair dared disobey where she put it. Her clothing was what you expected from a
model. Always the haute couture and
always fit to her form so it revealed her to perfection and not to distraction. Even her uniform looked good on her from the
top of her head to the tip of her toes.
She was always happy that her McLean tartan was mostly red, and made her
standout like almost none of the other girls.
These two young ladies are already
connected. They will soon be embroiled
in even more connections. I’ll get to
that, next.
Setting:
Kilgraston School in Scotland. This is a Scottish boarding school near Perth
and Bridge of Earn. The school is one of
the best in Scotland. It has closed down
since I researched it—so sad, but I think I’ll still use it.
I chose and researched this school for a
couple of reasons. First, I wanted a
woman’s boarding school. My protagonist
is a girl of limited means who is very bright and hard working. She lives and came from Bridge of Earn where
her father owns a bookstore. She has a
problem with books, she can’t stop reading them. This is the source of her knowledge, skills,
and intelligence.
Second, I wanted to set my novel in
Scotland because of cultural and social reasons. I was looking for a little exotic yet
familiar for my English readers and my American readers.
Third, a girl’s boarding school provides
many positives and many negatives. The
negatives are those cultural and social issues that affect all schools and
especially boarding schools. These are
exacerbated in a girl’s school, plus the pathos creation is very powerful. You can have a bullied boy in the boy’s
school or boarding school, but that doesn’t generate the same pathos in your
readers. I’m sure boys can be as cruel
as girls in any environment, but we expect boys to defend themselves and we
culturally consider them wimps if they don’t.
Girls on the other hand are culturally
different. They are not necessarily
expected to fight physically to defend themselves and we tend to see them as
victims. This builds pathos. When a girl responds and gets back at her
bullies, we also see that as a powerful statement of action. We expect this from boys, we don’t
necessarily expect it from girls. In
fact, a girl responding physically to bullying, can be expelled. We do that with boys today too, but that’s
another problem.
Suffice to say, I an researching
Kilgraston as the setting for my novel.
This is the initial setting and will be unless I discover something that
would greatly affect its usefulness as a setting—even then I might just fake
the rest. It’s fiction, after all. We want to use real settings, but they can be
fictionalized for entertainment and use.
Telic Flaw:
The telic flaw comes with the protagonist,
but what if it doesn’t. I’d argue that
the telic flaw must always reside with the protagonist, but I am proposing a
novel where the protagonist and the protagonist’s helper strongly
interact. The telic flaw is theirs
together. Just what is this telic flaw?
I’m proposing a telic flaw concerning the
family and library of the protagonist’s helper.
Morven McLean has a problem. She isn’t the protagonist, but she has lost
everything. That is her family has lost
everything. She never really had
anything except what her family did, but now she has nothing. Ultimately, one of the books from her library
includes a cryptic message. The message
will lead the protagonist and her to the resolution of the novel, but we have
to get there.
This will be a mystery novel, and the
mystery will be about Morven McLean and her family. Siobhàn Shaw, the protagonist will eventually
resolve and solve the mystery using her skill as the book girl, but the telic flaw
comes from the protagonist’s helper and not the protagonist.
This is an interestingly set up
novel. So, the telic flaw is the mystery
regarding Morven McLean and her family.
I also am contemplating another telic flaw
and piece to this novel. I’m debating
how I will make these work together or which I will make the main telic
flaw. I’m contemplating that Siobhàn has
every possibility of being a model.
Morven realizes this and also realizes that she has been jealous of Siobhàn
from the beginning because she is really so elegant. Siobhàn still has real issues that she must
personally contend with because of her personality and her life. I’d like to have Morven realize her own
negative affect on Siobhàn and desire to make up for it. Basically, Siobhàn and her father will take
Morven into their circle and family because Morven’s family has abandoned
her. The changes in Morvan will cascade
to Siobhàn and the actions of Siobhàn will cascade to Morvan. We’ll see how this works when I finally get
around to writing the novel.
Initial Scene:
I didn’t write much about the initial
scene for bookgirl working title Books. I’m certain you’d like to know more about the
initial scene for Books. I’d like to
know too.
Back to basics. I wrote and write that the meeting of the
protagonist with the antagonist or the protagonist’s helper makes the best
novel initial scene. There are other
ways to do this, but this is the way to make it work. This brings conflict directly into the novel
as well as the telic flaw. Since the
telic flaw is what the novel is all about, that’s the way to begin.
I already developed the protagonist and
the protagonist’s helper—that’s Siobhàn Shaw and Morven McLean. We know enough about these girls to begin to
write. Their meeting as protagonist and
protagonist’s helper are what we want to focus on. The question is how to write it, and how to
set it properly.
This is a little difficult initial
scene. The question for me, as the
writer, is how to compose it. I want
this to be the reveal about Morven’s loss of wealth. The elegant Morven is shown to be a
pauper. The where and when are
important. The realization for Morven is
important. The point is to bring out the
greatest pathos possible. The perfect
situation would be a television announcement or a public announcement that
tells the world that Morven is broke.
That might be what I begin with.
Perhaps Morven and her current friends
learn about it from the tele and Siobhàn finds out through reading the
news. Something like that. Morven receives a call from her father telling
her to walk home. Perhaps the day should
begin with Morven coming to school in her family’s Mercedes touring car or
better yet, their Rolls Royce with a chauffeur.
She bullies Siobhàn personally.
Maybe they run into each other.
Siobhàn’s lunch gets stepped on or something. Then she is harassed at
lunch. This would allow us to see
Siobhàn and Morven in action.
The moment of truth is the televised
announcement that the McLean family factory or industry or bank or whatever (I
need to research) is bankrupt. We see
Mr. McLean being escorted off the premises.
Morven calls her father, and he tells her to walk home, but her phone is
suddenly cut off.
We have a situation, where Morven is
completely devastated. Siobhàn walks
with her to her house, estate actually.
When they get there the police will not allow Morven inside. She has a breakdown. Siobhàn invites her to her house. We see a domestic supper scene. Siobhàn helps Morven. They get up in the morning, have
breakfast. She gives Morven a lunch like
hers.
When they arrive at school, when the girls
try to bully Siobhàn, Morven steps in, and that is the consummation of their
friendship. We have a great lunch and
communication scene.
Okay, that’s more than just the initial
scene. Perhaps we should try to expand
on the initial part of the initial scene.
That’s just where we are at the moment.
We have reached the point of writing the
initial scene.
I started the initial scene. I’m not sure how I will put the entire scene
together. I just started with Siobhàn
and her movement from class to outside.
I think I need to build more description in the scene, and I’ll bring in
Morven. I’d like to show some of the
bullying that Siobhàn does through, and then zap Morven. I need to actually write the scene to really
get it together. I might show you the
details just for grins but it may take a little while to get it all
together. As I wrote before, the best
initial scene is either the meeting of the protagonist and the antagonist or
the protagonist and the protagonist’s helper.
I might need to find the antagonist for this novel, but I’m not sure
they could fit into the initial scene.
The true power in the initial scene is the
interaction of the characters and especially the interaction of the protagonist
I their world. Part of the development
of the initial scene is the initial setting and the telic flaw—specifically,
the circumstances of the overall novel.
The events of the initial scene develop and design the entire
novel. It sets in place the action,
secrets, and mystery of the novel. It
asks and develops questions that only can be answered in the context of the
novel. That’s what gives power to the
initial scene.
I started it. I’d like to finish it today. We shall see.
I didn’t even work on it—ouch. I did start the setting development. My plan was to create a circumstance that
would lead to Morven’s revelation as well as Siobhàn’s initial bullying. I will plan to lead both of them
outside. However, in retrospect, the
revelation of Morven’s great loss might be best revealed with a broadcast.
Perhaps, I’ll have Siobhàn wandering
around while revealing the character and her background. This might be a good way to show off the
school and the character. When Morven
comes to school. Morven might be pulled
off by her girlfriends to witness the broadcast. Before that, I’ll need to have Morven and her
friends bully Siobhàn a little before all this happens. Perhaps there is some means to bring them all
together. When I write it, I plan to
share it with you. It will be the first
run of the initial scene.
It's very important that the initial scene
really touch the reader and bring the novel to life. The characters and the place should come to
life just like the characters, and all the problems, or a large portion of the
problems of the protagonist should be made obvious. All these are not necessarily resolved by the
climax or the resolution of the telic flaw, but they are part of the life and
revelation of the protagonist through the novel. This also doesn’t mean the writer makes an
information dump about the protagonist—there are many secrets to keep about the
protagonist and to reveal in the proper time and sequence. One of the great secrets I want to reveal
about Siobhàn is brought out by Morven.
Morven realizes that Siobhàn is a very
elegant and beautiful girl, but who has never had a teacher or the opportunity
to learn about beauty and herself.
Morven becomes the power building the new life of Siobhàn. How this will happen with no money and other
issues is still up in the air. We shall
see.
I find that once you start writing, things
change. In the first place, I’m rather
happy with the development of Siobhàn and Morven in the initial scene and first
chapter. What is interesting is what
changed, and what I discovered about these two.
In the first place, the real advancement
is the idea about modeling. I fancied
this idea from the beginning when I developed the Siobhàn character. She is a girl who is totally unaware of her effect
on people. She has no idea how special
and beautiful she is. One of the main
points of the novel is to show the development of Siobhàn from a quiet
wallflower to a powerful young woman. The
way I expected to accomplish this was through Morven.
Morven changed a little. I envisioned her as similar to Siobhàn in
some ways, but I decided to make her significantly different to explain her
bullying and attitude. Morven is much
like her father. She cares little about others and mostly about herself, but
she is self-aware enough to realize many of her own faults. Thus, when she loses everything, she
understands how she can regain some of her own stature and value. She sees that through Siobhàn, she might
regain something—at the moment, this is the only thing she can hold onto. I haven’t shown this much yet, but this is
one of the great character ideas for this novel and for Morven. She is a person desperate for a certain type
of attention as well as a certain type of success. She also has a cruelty streak, a degree of badness
that gives her a feeling of superiority, but she realizes where her emotions
come from—in a certain way. This is part
of the discovery in the novel.
Also, I needed a reason for Morven’s
knowledge as well as the perverseness of her emotions. Her father is a basis, but her mother and her
second mother are the reasons. The
occupations and success of her mothers provided her knowledge, but also her
mother gave her a stature and a build that makes modeling impossible for her,
but the knowledge that will (might) allow her to make something of Siobhàn.
That’s one of the main plots of the
novel. I intend to build on this idea of
modeling. The second main plot of the
novel hasn’t happened yet. This is
supposed move forward when the books from Morven’s estate come into Siobhàn’s
bookstore and they find the book. I’m
not sure how this will work out, but I’m planning to move into this in the
third chapter. Should I begin giving you
the second chapter? Perhaps that’s next.
As I wrote, the main plot of this novel
has moved a little. In my primary development
of the novel, I planned for a book related premise and a mystery based on a
specific book and mystery concerning Morven and her family. Siobhàn would be the main force resolving
this mystery and saving Morven.
In the writing of the initial scene and
chapter, some of this changed because of the natural features I discovered in
my own character development as well as the ideas behind the characters and
their background. In addition, there is
a third part or plot I would like to integrate into these two major plots: the
modeling success plot and the book mystery plot. This third plot is the connection of Morven
and Siobhàn to the supernatural.
Why the supernatural? Most if not all of my Enchantment novels
incorporate the redemption of some supernatural being. I write my novels in the reflected worldview,
so the supernatural can exist. I don’t
usually write about the supernatural as the supernatural, although Rose is
half-Fae, but Rose lives in the real world with flashes and interactions with
the reflected (supernatural) world from time to time. That’s the point of the reflected
worldview. The world is the normal world
we all experience while the reflected part of the world is the world we see in
the shadows. It’s the world we think
could exist, but we aren’t certain exists.
It is the world we really wish could and might exist, but that is
usually hidden completely from us.
In my novels, I like to show this
reflected world just more evident than we are used to. Sometimes the characteristics of this world
are in the shadows and sometimes they are evident and explained. I’d like to create a question in the mind of
my readers—the question: does this supernatural world really exist? And, am I just missing some of the evidence?
Here is the first scene, or really part of
it for the second chapter.
September 2016, Friarton Bookstore,
Kintillo, Scotland, Great
Britain
They
arrived at the Friarton Bookstore in Kintillo later than Siobhàn usually
did. Her father, Callum Shaw looked up
from the books with a slight tension in his face, “There you are, Siobhàn. I was a trifle worried.” Callum Shaw was a long, tall man. He looked too skinny and wore a shopman’s
clothing. A Shaw tartan sweater covered
his top, and a pair of dark shopman pants below. His shoes were scuffed brogans. His face was gentle with a thin look and
prominent cheeks. His hair was wild and
gray, but not completely out of place because he wore a newsboy’s cap of the
same Shaw tartan on his head. He looked
more like a grandfather to Siobhàn’s youth rather than a father, but father he
was.
Morven
stepped forward, “We were late because, Bookgirl was looking after me.”
Callum
pushed up his glasses, “Bookgirl? And
who are you?” He straightened up which
showed Morven exactly where Siobhàn’s grace and elegance came from. Callum Shaw unfolded himself and stood very
straight and proud. Morven might have
imagined he was a military man. He stood
so unintentionally perfectly and elegantly.
Morven
pointed with her thumb at Siobhàn, “This is Bookgirl. I’m Morven McLean. My father was arrested today for bank fraud,
and I’ve lost everything. My best
friend, Bookgirl, has offered to let me stay with you. I shall until I can work out something
better.”
Callum’s
lips twitched. He stepped forward and
Morven offered her hand. He shook it,
“I’m glad to welcome you to our bookstore and house. We don’t have much room or much to offer, but
for any of Siobhàn’s friends, it’s yours.”
Morven
gave a deep curtsey.
Callum
asked, “Do you read books?”
Morven
laughed, “Not as much as I should, but perhaps I’ll take up the habit if I’m
surrounded by them.”
Siobhàn
took Morven by the hand and led her back behind the counter through a curtained
opening that led to a supply area that ran the back length of the shop. Another opening with a door led into a small
kitchen and eating room. Four doors
exited this room: one to the outside
with a half window, two at the center, and one at the left. She led Morven to the left and opened the
door. Inside was a room like a
closet. A desk with a chair, a small
dresser topped with a rack of clothing, and a small bed at the far corner
filled it. There was a window at the
back, but Morven could see a brick wall through the thin, aged curtains.
Siobhàn
stepped to the far end, “I don’t have much space, but I’ll share all I
have.” She began to pull off her uniform
and put it carefully on a hangar on the rack.
Morven copied her. She hung her
uniform on the same rack. Siobhàn
dressed in a very old tartan skirt that looked as if it had been overworn then
added to later to make it continue to fit her.
She pulled on a green contrasting sweater without a blouse.
Morven
put on a light blue frock and a darker blue jumper. They looked very new and very nice. She was ready to go, “What should I do with
my clothes?”
Siobhàn
glanced over them, “Let’s hang the nice things on the rack—there’s plenty of
room. I have space in my dresser drawers
as well.”
They
put away Morven’s clothing and Morven asked, “What should I do to help you?”
Siobhàn
shook her head, “You don’t need to do anything.
I’ll help in the bookstore and start supper. You may work on your schoolwork. I’ll show you the water closet.”
Morven
cocked her head. She followed Siobhàn
back into the kitchen, and Siobhàn opened the center door to the right of her
room, “This is the water closet. There
is a bath with a shower, but sometimes the hot water is questionable.”
Siobhàn
stepped back into the kitchen, and Morven followed her. She wanted to shoo Morven back to her room,
but Morven followed Siobhàn into the bookstore.
Siobhàn put on a bookstore apron and went to work. She usually stocked the new books and took
care of the newspapers and magazines.
She also repaired the damaged books.
Her father put them in an old box behind the curtain.
Morven
moved around the store for a while. She
watched Siobhàn very carefully and closely.
Siobhàn carried filled boxes with books from the storage area. She opened them and examined the
contents. While Siobhàn was cataloging
the books, Morven tried to lift the book filled boxes. She couldn’t budge them. That made her watch Siobhàn even closer. Morven examined the books as Siobhàn
cataloged them and studied the classification system. She came to understand it pretty
quickly. No one entered the bookshop for
a while, and then the walking home crowd began to come in for their late papers
and some magazines. She really wanted to
help. She figured she looked like a
customer and not a helper. She went
behind the curtain and put on one of the bookstore aprons hanging there. Then she looked a little like an
employee. By then, the late crowd had
gone, and Siobhàn headed back to the kitchen.
Siobhàn
kept on her apron. She dug in the frig
and pulled out some meat. Siobhàn
apologized, “We have mutton for supper tonight.
I hope you like it.”
Morven
smiled, “Beggars can’t be choosers. I’m
sure it will be delicious.”
Siobhàn
gave her a strange glance. She heated
the oven and opened the back door, “It will get hot in here if I don’t.” She put the mutton in an cast iron pan with a
top. She seasoned it with salt, pepper,
and some other spices. She put some
broth over it, and put it in the oven with a timer. After a little while, she put some fresh long
French green beans in another cast iron pan with a little water and some
salt. When she had everything cooking,
she took a repair kit in a metal box and then took a couple of books out of the
repair box. She retrieved the book she
was reading first and pulled the two, now three pieces: cover, book, and front
piece from her bookbag.
Morven
sat up on her knees so she could see better.
Siobhàn took
glue, thick decorative paper, heavy string, a needle, and an awl from her metal
toolbox. It seemed like a miracle. In moments, the book was completely repaired,
and Siobhàn put it to the side. She
glanced at Morven, “The glue needs to dry.”
Morven
was just about to pick up the book. She
put her hands in her lap, “That was pretty amazing.”
Siobhàn
was working on another damaged book, “What was?”
“You
made it look almost new.”
“I
just sewed the cover back in place, glued it a little, glued and sewed in a new
front piece, and cleaned it up a little.”
“You
made a whole book from a piece of trash.
Can you sew?”
“Books?”
“I
mean clothing.”
Siobhàn
looked up at her, “I wish I could. If I
could sew clothing, my things wouldn’t look so careworn. Can you sew?
Clothing I mean.”
“A
little. I would think that with your
skills you could make anything. If you
can sew books, you should be able to sew anything else.”
“I’m
not sure that’s how it works.”
Morven
put her cheek on the table to better watch how Siobhàn’s fingers were working
on the book. Morven stated very clearly,
“I think that’s exactly how it works.
Have you ever used a sewing machine?”
“Never
had the opportunity. We don’t own one.”
“My
first mother was a genius with anything made of fabric. She looked just like me.”
“Pretty
and cute.”
Morven
laughed, “Short, petite, and like a little girl.”
“Your
mother?”
“Father
is a bit of a pervert. My second mother
intentionally dressed to lure him in. I
warned him, but he never listened to me.”
She mumbled, “They never listened to me.” She didn’t say anything for a while then she
sat up, “My mother…my real one was not model material. She wanted to be a model, but she never had
the height or the skills. She became a
designer. Her clothing sold for
thousands of pounds, and she made millions.
That was the basis for the bank father started and then lost. My second mother spent everything he made or
gave her. She couldn’t hold onto a brass
farthing. That may be why he started
embezzling funds.” Morven raised her
nose a little, “That smells good, but a little strong.”
Siobhàn
grimaced, “Mutton is like that. Sorry in
advance. Its about the best meat we can
afford.” She put the next repaired book
on the pile.
Morven
sighed, “My second mother was a witch.
She didn’t do anything but spend money and wear clothing.” Morven squinted and stared at Siobhàn, “You
looked better in her dress than she ever did or could.”
Siobhàn
smiled as she picked up the third book, “That’s funny because it fit me
perfectly.”
“It
fit you better than it ever fit her because she wore gowns a size or two too
thin for her bulk. Plus, she could never
match you for elegance and style.”
Siobhàn
frowned, “You keep saying things like that, but I can barely believe it.”
“You
should believe it—I’ve seen many models, but I’ve never seen anyone with such
natural talent. It would just take a
little education and practice to make you a perfect model. You would astound people.” She looked away a little, “That’s why I hated
you to begin with.”
The
timer went off. Siobhàn stood and went
to the stove. She pulled out the pans
and opened them up, “They look about right.
She put the lids back on them then went to the curtain and called,
“First warning, pop.” The small table
was pushed against the wall with the forth chair on that side. Siobhàn came back and picked up her
things. Morven tried to pick up Siobhàn’s
toolbox—she couldn’t budge it. Siobhàn
just picked it up as though it was weightless.
The cleared table provided plenty of room for three. Siobhàn came back and set the table. Morven helped her place everything. They put glasses of water for drink.
Siobhàn
pulled the lids off the pans. She cut up
the mutton. It was very tender for
mutton and fell apart. She put a large
fork in the mutton pot and a large spoon in the French beans.
When
Callum came in, Siobhàn handed Morven a plate, “You go first.”
Morven
took a piece of mutton and some French beans.
It looked good, just smelled a lot like sheep, and she hadn’t smelled
that many sheep.
Callum
came second. He took a large portion and
gave his appraisal, “Yum. Just like me
mum used to make.”
Siobhàn
knocked him with her hip, “I’m not your mum, but I’ll take the compliment—if
that’s what it’s meant to be.”
Callum
sat across from Morven and winked, “Of course it’s a complement, sweet Siobhàn
or should I call you Bookgirl too.”
Siobhàn
twisted her lips as she sat down, “Of course you shouldn’t.”
“But
it sounds just like you.”
Morven
chuckled.
Callum
bowed his head and put his hands together.
He gave a short prayer, and Siobhàn and he crossed themselves.
They
began eating.
Morven
took a bite of the mutton and made a face.
Siobhàn
glanced to the side, “Sorry you had to come on mutton night—it’s not to
everyone’s taste.”
Morven
took another and bigger bite, “It’s not what I’m used to, but it’s good. You cooked it perfectly. The French beans too.”
Siobhàn
beamed.
Afterward,
they cleaned up and Morven helped. Siobhàn
and Morven took showers, the hot water held out, and dressed in their
nightgowns. At least Morven did. She brought a frilly white nightgown with
pink ribbons and lace. Siobhàn pulled on
trackies both top and bottom. They did
their schoolwork. Morven at the desk and
Siobhàn on the bed. Then Siobhàn started
reading another book. She’d pulled it
from the repair box.
Morven
sat at the desk and worked on something else entirely. She wrote diligently until Siobhàn called, “I
usually go to sleep now. Would you like
the inside, next to the wall, or the outside?”
Morven’s
lips twitched, “I’ve never slept with another before. Which would you recommend?”
“Bed’s
small and I’m big. I suspect you’ll have
more room on the inside.”
Morven
laughed, “You’re not big at all. You are
perfect.”
Siobhàn
rolled her eyes. Morven took the inside,
and Siobhàn the outside. Siobhàn settled
the sheets and covers. She had to put
her arms above the pillow and rest her body next to Morven’s, “Sorry it’s such
close quarters.”
Morven
was already drifting into sleep. With
the smell of the mutton in the house and the soft trackies against her body,
she imagined she was in the arms of a big sheep. She gave a little giggle, but that’s all she
remembered until the morning.
Morven
never remembered sleeping so well in her entire life. She literally felt no worries—at the moment,
and the very warm and beautiful Siobhàn lay face to face with her in the very
small bed. Morven couldn’t help
herself. She put her arm around the
bigger girl and tried to go back to sleep.
The sunlight reflected too brightly through Siobhàn’s small window, but
Morven still didn’t move. She snuggled
deeper, if that was possible against Siobhàn.
Finally, Siobhàn’s eyes fluttered open.
Siobhàn
looked confused for a moment, but her features smoothed, and she breathed,
“Good morning.”
Morven
responded, “Good morning, Bookgirl.”
Siobhàn
frowned. She pulled off the covers and
got out of bed. She pulled off her
trackies, top and bottom, and began to pull on fresh underwear.
Morven
yawned, “You really need to clean up a little tighter on the top and bottom.”
Siobhàn
glanced at Morven, her knickers only halfway up her legs, “What do you mean?”
“Your
hair is pretty fine, but the things you’ll be wearing in the future will need a
closer shave, so to speak. Plus, you
can’t have a dabble of pit hair showing.
Not with the poses they’ll want.”
Siobhàn
glared at her, “I’m not at all sure what you mean.”
“I’ll
explain the plans at lunch. We are
having lunch, aren’t we?”
“As
long as the sandwiches don’t get squished,” Siobhàn pulled up her knickers and
then on her sports bra.
Morven
pulled her night gown over her head and stood proudly exposed, “You see. I don’t have anything to really talk about,
but I clean it up completely. And, I
don’t intend to be a model.”
Siobhàn
grimaced, “Who said anything about being a model? Put on your clothes.”
Morven
pulled on clean lace knickers and a matching lacy bra. They both put on their uniforms. Siobhàn tied on a bookstore apron, and they
went into the kitchen.
Siobhàn’s
father was already in the bookshop.
Morven and Siobhàn took turns in the water closet, and Siobhàn went into
the bookstore to take care of the morning papers and any morning parcels. She settled the papers and sold a few to the
early morning traffic. Morven noted that
Siobhàn effortlessly carried whole boxes filled with books and papers—boxes
Morven couldn’t budge much less lift.
Morven watched and read the papers.
The
papers, of course, were filled with the tragic news of the fall of the McLean
family. The headlines were sordid and
the articles filled with conjecture and accusations. Morven wasn’t mentioned by name or even
referred to. She thought that was
good.
After
a while, Siobhàn came back into the kitchen and put on fried eggs, lorne
sausage, and toast. They ate
together. Siobhàn cleaned up and made
two lunches. Morven and Siobhàn picked
up their official bags and headed to Kilgraston School.
Just for grins, here is a full
scene from chapter 2:
Everyone
ignored Morven through the morning. If
they thought it odd that she would arrive at school with Siobhàn, and the two
would speak together, no one said anything.
They were all curious about the state of Morven’s affairs. Morven, herself, just ignored them. The teachers, who were usually dreadfully
curious about the mental and emotional state of their students, seemed
unexpectedly quiet about Morven’s particular issue.
Siobhàn
met with Morven in the library to eat their lunch. When they sat in a quiet corner against the
radiator there and out of sight of anyone else, Siobhàn asked, “No one has
bothered you about your family’s incident yesterday, have they?”
Morven
was flippant about it, “They haven’t, yet.
I expect the fireworks to start soon.”
Siobhàn
glanced at her, “What will they do?”
Morven
nibbled on her sandwich, “They haven’t bullied you all day.”
“Not
yet.”
“I’m
up next. You’re out of their current
radar or short attention spans.”
“What
will you do?”
Morven
smiled slyly, “You just wait and see. I
can get away with all kinds of things you never could. Now, I want to speak to you about our plans.”
“Our
plans? I haven’t been involved in any of
them…”
“Not
yet. That’s why this very important
planning meeting. In the first place, we
don’t have much capital. I have a
little, but I suspect you have nothing at all.”
Siobhàn
looked forward and licked her lips, “In the main, that is true.”
Morven
continued, “I suspect your da doesn’t pay you for any of the work you do around
the bookshop or the house.”
“He
can’t afford to. I help with the
books—there just isn’t enough money coming in to pay any help.”
“No
allowance either?”
“Of
course not.”
“Well,
I have some cash, but all my savings were in my father’s bank. I suspect they have been impounded as his
property, and I’ll never see a cent. My
cash should be enough to get us started.”
“You
should keep it for yourself.”
Morven
gave a great guffaw.
Siobhàn
shushed her, “We’re in the library.”
“Look
besty. You are my new besty, and perhaps
my first. I will be using your looks and
skills to build our corporate basis.”
Siobhàn
looked confused, “What exactly is that?”
Morven
smiled, “I already signed you up for a couple of modeling casting calls. The first is this Saturday.”
Siobhàn
sputtered, “Wouldn’t you need pictures and information and everything?”
Morven
snickered, “I already got all the pictures I needed to start—they were perfect
by the way. All the information, I just
made up or borrowed from you. You really
don’t protect such things very well—you wrote it all in the front of your
notebooks.”
Siobhàn
looked stunned, “What is a modeling casting call, and where do we need to go?”
“Don’t
worry. I’ll teach you everything you
need to know. It won’t be hard for
you. The casting calls are in Perth. Now listen closely to me. I made up a little of the information to
fluff up your resume. You may read the
application tonight if you must. There
isn’t really anything you need to know—just this. If asked about experience, say yes, local,
and not documented.”
“Why
should I say such a thing?”
“We
need to explain your natural propensity for movements and refinement. You didn’t go to modeling school and you
aren’t part of an agency. The next best
explanation is that you have been doing a little local work where you have
learned the basics. I’ll explain and
help you during the casting call. I
expect, I’ll have to help you through the poses and the types of looks they’ll
want from you. Mostly, they’ll look for
you to be open and impromptu. Primarily
spontaneous in your appearance.”
“Is
that even possible for me?”
Morven
laughed again, “Look here, Bookgirl. You
have this very odd and disconcerting look about you. It seems sad, but isn’t at all. I really looks mysterious and unusual. This
is exactly the type of unique look that modeling agencies and casters are
looking for. They want the unusual and
interesting. Being an amazing clothes
horse is only part of the deal—the way you express yourself, or not, is the
power of the model. My first mother was
a genius at it. My second had been
taught and spoke about it endlessly.
Their friends and guests were all in the business.”
Siobhàn
gave a grim look, “You really think this can work? I can’t even imagine people wanting me to be
a model.”
“They
will and they will pay you good money to wear their very beautiful and
wonderful clothing.”
“They
will pay me money?”
“Yes,
it will help your father and the bookstore.
It will mean you can buy better food and clothing. It will be wonderful for you.”
Siobhàn
hugged her knees, “What about you?”
Morven
giggled, “I’m not coming out of this with nothing. I’ll charge you a twenty percent management
charge above costs. You’ll still snag
about fifty percent of the revenue. If
you want to work the books, that will be fine with me.”
Siobhàn
shrugged, and the bell announcing the end of lunch sounded. They both stood.
Before
they headed for their classes, Morven grasped Siobhàn’s arm, “I’m certain I
can’t stop you this afternoon, but whatever you do, don’t let them hit you
where it could show—especially your face.”
Siobhàn
had no idea how she should respond to this warning. It bothered her the entire rest of the school
day.
The
end of the day came none too soon for Siobhàn.
She waited for Morven to pack up her official bookbag, and they started
together toward the door. Outside,
Morven turned right instead of left and they headed toward the Woods.
Siobhàn
glanced around, “Why this way?”
Morven
licked her lips, “Less chance for an encounter.
Plus, we need to get some more of my clothing…” she grinned, “And some
food. It will go bad anyway. My da had some steaks in the freezer.”
Siobhàn
looked up, “I haven’t had steak…ever. I
don’t think.”
Morven
frowned, “Spoke too soon—about an encounter.”
A
group of girls stood at the edge of the buildings. They were Morven’s usual friends, plus some
others. The others looked interested,
but just observers.
Morven
kept walking. She whispered, “Ignore
them.”
As
Morven and Siobhàn stepped by, one of the taller girls—none of they were very
tall, by Siobhàn standards, called out, “Are you ignoring us?”
Morven
threw to the side over her right shoulder, “Yes, I am.”
The
troop rushed to block Morven and Siobhàn, “We want a word with you.”
Morven
stopped as did Siobhàn, “Say it then.
We’re busy.”
“That’s
just it. Before you bullied the book
girl every day. Now, you’ve taken up
with the lavvy heid.”
Morven
stood with her hands balled at her sides, “I’ve personally decided to make a
new alliance because of my sudden change of status.”
“Then
it’s true about your father?”
Morven
nodded, “I suspect it’s all true. He
wasn’t a very good father.”
The
girls stepped back a pace. It still
didn’t give Morven or Siobhàn room to get around them.
The
girl laughed, “Then you’re poor as the book girl now.”
Morven
put her fists on her hips, “You really should call her Bookgirl and not the
book girl. It’s a name not a
description.”
The
girl sneered, “What’s the difference.
Didn’t you hate her because she was a scholarship student and a bowfin
nyaff.”
“Nah,
you eejits didn’t get it at all. I hated
her because she was better than all of us and all of you put together. She has it all except wealth and presumption. That’s what I’m going to give her.”
The
girl put her finger against her nose, “Wait a moment. You just insulted all of us, and told us that
she’s better than we are. But, but you
bullied her every day since you came to this school.”
“Bookgirl
is Bookgirl. Nothing I could do would
ever prevent her from succeeding, but I have nothing now, and I must figure
some way to rebuild my life and wealth.
I certainly can’t do that with the lot of you. None of you have the life skills or qualities
to succeed like that.”
“But
the gommy book girl can?”
“She’s
amazing, and she can—but you can’t.”
The
girl cracked her knuckles, “We’ll see what she can do to the lot of us.”
Moren
pulled her ruler out of her official bookbag.
She whispered to Siobhàn, “When they get close to you, just give them a
push.”
Siobhàn
glanced up and licked her lips, “Just a push.”
“Yes,
love, just a push.”
The
first girl closed the distance toward Morvan.
Although Morven was stones lighter and much smaller, she raised her
ruler and began whacking the girl on the side of her head. The girl gave an astonished scream and fell
to the ground. Morven just kept whacking
her.
When
the first girl got close enough to Siobhàn, she gave her a big push with both
hands. The girl wasn’t expecting
this. Perhaps a punch or a grapple, but
not a shove. She was coming with her
hands open to grab at Siobhàn’s clothing, instead, she went head over heels
into the rushing group of girls. That
sent them all flying.
Their
leader lay on the ground screaming and crying.
Morven straddled her and kept hitting.
The
group of four girls confronting Siobhàn really didn’t know what to do. They weren’t really used to cat fights, and
in the past, the book girl would fold and take whatever harassment they gave
her.
They
ganged up and made a rush for her. Siobhàn
pushed against the two forward girls, and they all fell down at her feet. They lay stunned.
Finally,
one of the observers cried out, “Teacher’s coming.”
Except
for Morven and Siobhàn, the girls all disappeared then.
Mrs.
Madox, the English composition and writing teacher came striding up between the
buildings. She noted the running girls.
Morven
put away her ruler and grabbed Siobhàn by the hand, “Just stay put. No need for us to run.”
Siobhàn
had never run in her life.
Mrs.
Madox twitched her nose, “I saw from my room that you’d been put upon, Ms. McLean.” She ignored Siobhàn.
Morven
nodded, “Yes, Ms. Shaw and I both were attacked.”
“Did
you recognize the attackers.”
Morven
smiled, “I suppose I should say yes and let them flail, but I’ll state that I
was so confused by their actions that I can’t properly remember.”
Mrs.
Madox frowned, “That’s really not acceptable, Ms. McLean.”
Morven
leaned forward, “If you saw it, you know who it was. I need not say a thing.”
“Very
well. I can’t have students fighting or
bullying others.”
Morven
turned her head slightly, “You certainly can’t, and if you need a
statement. Ms. Shaw never laid a finger
on any of them, and I didn’t either. We
were just defending ourselves.”
“That’s
how it looked to me. I’ll need to make
some report to the Headmistress…”
“Just
tell her we are sad that my previous friends would bully me when I’m at my
lowest.”
Mrs.
Madox’s brows rose, “That’s so. Perhaps
we should call in the malefactors.”
Morven
smiled, “I’ll leave that to your discretion.
At the moment, Ms. Shaw, and I have other business.”
Mrs.
Madox’s eyebrow rose again, but she didn’t make a remark. She turned slowly and headed back to her
classroom.
Morven,
still holding onto Siobhàn’s hand pulled her along the gravel road toward the
Woods. After a while, she squeezed Siobhàn’s
hand, “Did you see how you take care of bullies?”
“Not
really. You beat that girl with your
ruler.”
“Yes. On her head and over her hair. It hurts almost as badly as against bare skin,
but no visible marks.”
“Then,
that’s why you hit me with your ruler.
You don’t intend to do that again to me, do you?”
“If
I need to punish you sweet Bookgirl, I might.”
Siobhàn
examined her free hand. It held her
bookbag, “Pushing seems to be a very positive thing.”
“Yes,
especially for you. Didn’t you realize
how beastly strong you are?”
“I
had no idea.”
“Look
the moment I first saw you naked…”
Siobhàn
blushed to the roots of her hair.
Morven
glanced at her, “Yes, naked. You are
much too thin, but that’s why they will love you in the modeling business. At the same time, you have strength. You aren’t exactly Arny, but you have obvious
muscles even under that wonderful smooth skin of yours. A push doesn’t usually leave a mark although
yours might. A push keeps them away from
you, it doesn’t leave any indications, and what can a teacher say about it? Stop pushing that naughty girl away from
you? It’s the perfect offense and
defense.”
“That’s
why you taunted them to attack?”
“That’s
exactly why I taunted them to attack.”
Morven laughed, “You are so innocent my sweet, Bookgirl. Perhaps I shouldn’t teach you these life
skills.”
Siobhàn
grimaced, “I could have used them against you.”
“Yes
you could, besty, but now we are allied and not enemies.”
Siobhàn
shrugged “I guess.”
They
arrived shortly at Morven’s old house and entered the same way they had before. Morven was a little more careful about observations,
but she didn’t explain anything to Siobhàn.
Morven
packed up some more clothing. When she
was done, she led Siobhàn to her second mother’s room. This time she pulled a suitcase from her
mother’s closet and raided her mother’s lingerie drawers. She took some casual wear and a couple of jeans
with tops. She almost snagged the Oscar
de la Renta Orchid Organza A-Line gown, but grabbed a much less expensive
plunging neckline Costarellos emerald floral embroidered gown. It had white floral accents on the skirt and
top. She folded it carefully in the
suitcase. She also looked through the
shoes and slippers. She glanced at Siobhàn
and tossed her a pair of golden slippers, “Try these on.”
“They
fit.”
“How
well?”
“Pretty
well.”
Morven
tossed her a pair of high heels, “These aren’t too tall. Try them on.”
Siobhàn
tried them on and shook her head. Morven
passed another pair of heels. After a
while, they found a pair of medium heels that fit Siobhàn well. Siobhàn commented, “I’ve never worn heels
before.”
“We’ll
practice every evening until the casting call.”
Siobhàn
frowned, and Morven tossed her a new pair of trainers. Siobhàn tried them on and nodded.
“Then
these will have to do until we get the first paycheck.”
Siobhàn
scratched her nose.
Morven
went through the makeup and put as much as she could in a special makeup box
like a plastic toolbox. She picked out a
couple of clutches one gold and one silver.
She placed those in the bag and headed toward the kitchen. Inside the kitchen area was two large
refrigerators and a freezer. Morven went
through the freezer and took out packages of meat. She wrapped this in plastic wrap and put it
at the bottom of the suitcase. She
opened the refrigerators and called to Siobhàn, “If there is anything you want,
you should get it now. I’m sure it will
soon be spoiled.”
Siobhàn
picked vegetables from the frig.
Morven
packed it all up and they headed back to get Morven’s bag and leave the house. Morven stopped in a couple of rooms to check
for money, but she didn’t find many pounds for her trouble.
They
left the house with two suitcases and headed back toward Kintillo and the
bookstore.
That’s the end of chapter two. I’m thinking about giving you chapter three. The reason is that chapter three really gets
to the real power behind Morven’s plans for Siobhàn. If you didn’t figure it out already, I’ve
tried to make it very clear, Morven really hated Siobhàn for her looks and
perfection. Siobhàn is not only the smartest
girl in the school, she is the most beautiful, and Siobhàn’s unusually pleasant
looks and body will make her a perfect model.
This is the deus ex machina that propels the plot and the novel. What does that mean? Aren’t deus ex machina’s a bad thing.
The deus ex machina is a terrible thing to
complete any novel, that is to resolve the telic flaw of any novel, but the
deus ex is the means of beginning almost every novel. What is the deus ex machina and why is it a
problem in the end, but not the beginning.
The deus ex machina should really be in
italics. It is a Greek term for the god
machine. In a Greek play, when the
playwright ran out of ideas to resolve the telic flaw, they could always rely on
the deus ex machina, a machine that lowered the god(s) to the stage and allowed
the god(s) to resolve the problem, usually supernaturally. The deus ex machina became the saying for
this trope and plot device used in Greek and later literature. It may have been used earlier, but we don’t
know. Let’s assume the Greeks invented
it and eventually despised it. As I
noted, it became a trope and a concept that indicates bad writing and bad
literature.
The classic deus ex machina is the scene
where the calvary comes over the hill and saves the protagonist from certain
death at the hands of the enemy, whatever the enemy. Thus, the modern deus ex machina of note is
the coming of the calvary. This was used
so much in modern early Westerns it became a trope on it’s own, but any unexpected
and unplanned or foreshadowed rescue is considered a deus ex machina
today. That’s where the telic flaw is
resolved by an unexpected miracle. Now about
beginnings.
It is safe to say that almost every novel
starts with a deus ex machina. The reason
is that some great and wonderful, but unexpected event is the basis for almost
every great initial scene. Harry Potty
isn’t the greatest example, but many will be familiar with it. In the initial scene for Harry Potty, we see
the leading good witches and wizards gathered with the miraculous child Harry
Potty to place him as a founding on the doorstep of a relative. The events leading up to this are miracles—he
is the boy who survived an killing curse.
This is supposed to be impossible.
Whisper, that’s a deus ex machina.
Further, Harry survived his parents, another deus ex machina, and was
rescued by the good withes and wizards who could save him, a calvary crossing
the hill, and another deus ex machina. Then
Harry Potty is placed with a family who hates him but who accepts him. That’s really another deus ex machina on it’s
own.
We forgive all these deus ex machinas for
Harry Potty because we realize that, as I wrote, almost all novels begin with
some deus ex machina in the initial scene that drives the initial scene and the
novel. Usually this initial scene is
some unexpected or nearly impossible interaction. Many times it is the protagonist him or
herself that is the deus ex machina. In
most cases, the Romantic protagonist is the deus ex machina. It is the qualities of the protagonist that
drive the novel. I’ll give an example from
my novels.
In my novel Essie: Enchantment and the
Aos Si, the creature (Aos Si) who eventually is called Essie happens to
pilfer Mrs. Lyon’s pantry in the middle of the night. This event is a deus ex machina. The fact that Essie invades the pantry of the
only person who could possibly help and understand her, is a deus ex machina in
itself. The person of Essie is also a
deus ex machina—she is a very special and particular supernatural creature, a
singular being in the entire world. That’s
not to say every being isn’t singular and unique, but some are more unique than
others, and that is the point of the Romantic protagonist. I give you Siobhàn.
The power and deus ex machina of Siobhàn
and specifically, the novel Bookgirl is her natural beauty and elegance. This
is a true Romantic protagonist and Romantic idea. She is also very smart. Siobhàn is like a perfect character, but one
who doesn’t recognize her own skills and capabilities. That’s the power of the ideas in this
novel. That’s the telic flaw of the
novel.
To be very exact about the telic flaw of
the novel and also the problem of the protagonist, they are the same, is the
inability of Siobhàn to recognize her true human skills and abilities. This is more common a problem than many of us
would realize. It is also a type of problem
or perhaps not as much a problem as a common delusion of many. That delusion is the idea that with a little,
or a lot, of effort, any knowledgeable person might succeed at anything they
try to achieve. The realization of this
truth or the opposite are drivers of both real human society as well as novels.
The average person believes that with some
effort and action, they might achieve amazing things. This is important for writers and for readers
because that is the basis for fiction.
Many if not most readers see this as a power of their reading, or perhaps
the purpose of their reading. They love
the protagonists because they represent what they think they might achieve, but
realize they could never really achieve.
Thus, some of the power of the Romantic protagonist is that the readers
really want to see this success in their own lives. Think of Harry Potty.
Although Harry Potty is not fully a
Romantic protagonist, he’s close. The
reader knows they don’t have magic as a skill, but if they did, they could be
just like Harry Potty.
In Bookgirl, the reader sees the inability
of the protagonist to recognize her own skills—then Morven points out that the
reason she bullies Siobhàn is because of her skills (educational), her natural
beauty, and her physical elegance. The
deus ex is partially these amazing and classical Romantic protagonist
characteristics, but it is also Morven.
Morven being Morven is the other side of the deus ex machina that fuels
the initial scene and the telic flaw.
We can accept a Siobhàn who is a Romantic
protagonist, but we can also accept the protagonist’s helper, Morven, whose unfortunate
life and mothers makes her the perfect person to identify and then use Siobhàn’s
natural skills. Those are all the deus
ex machina’s we need—nothing else is a deus ex—they are a natural fallout of
the skills and abilities of Siobhàn and Morven.
Thus when in chapter three, Morven takes Siobhàn to a casting call, we
can accept that the very beautiful and spectacular Siobhàn can win it and even begin
working right away. The logical fallout
of the circumstances makes it impossible for her not to succeed.
There are other ways to play this
out. I should look at the potential, for
example, the failure model. That’s next.
I think you can see that many if not most
novels start with a deus ex machina.
That deus ex is either in the protagonist or in the initial scene or
both. I like both, and since the author
really gets the benefit, I think using both types of deus ex at the beginning
of the novel is a great idea. You could almost
make this a type of novel plot development technique. In some ways I do.
Just as I’ve written over and over about
the development of the Romantic protagonist, the Romantic protagonist is seeped
in this idea of a quality well outside of the normal human realm. In Bookgirl, I happened to pick a girl of unusual
beauty and elegance who has no idea that she is either beautiful or
elegant. I did something similar with Rose. Rose was beautiful, unusually elegant, but
also a half Fae being with power over glamour in the world. Glamour is a type of Fae miracle. I should mention, the action or plot based
part of the deus ex was the coming of Shiggy who discovered and captured
Rose. Here you see two unusual coincidences
that drive the initial scene and the novel.
There are no other deus ex machinas in the novel, and that’s right.
In Bookgirl, likewise, we have two unusual
coincidences (another short hand for deus ex machina). The first is the protagonist. Siobhàn is the perfect girl, but not very
personable and not accepted by others.
She’s pretty typical for kids like this, if you haven’t noticed. In some cultures, they are loved and idolized
while being ignored, in others, they are bullied. Siobhàn was bullied, but the second deus ex
machina (unusual coincidence) was her bully, Morven loses everything and must
find some way back out of poverty and victimhood. The very astute and tricky Morven sees Siobhàn
as her potential cash cow. There is hope
for them both, at least that’s the web I’m weaving.
I should mention the potential for failure
as well as that of success. I love
success. I set up my characters for
success, but failure is also an option and a great one in writing. In fact, some writers suggest the three
trials method for plot development and in fact, the three trials method is a
plot type. I’m not as wedded to this as
some are, but it is a recommended type of plot design. In this three trials method, when a character
(usually the protagonist) faces a task, they make three different tries and on
the third succeed. For example, if a
character must throw a rope to catch a rock, they might try once, then twice,
unsuccessfully, but just stag the rock on the third try, and succeed. This presumes success, but we can also have
failure.
I point out the example of Siobhàn. I really should give you the third chapter
just for grins. The reason is that is
the first major success for Siobhàn and Morven in modeling and modeling
management. I could have easily had them
fail, for various reasons, but that would have ruined the point of the
novel. Ah ha, that is that point you
might say.
The entire point of Bookgirl is to present
a person Siobhàn who is a diamond in the rough, and not just any diamond. She is very intelligent as well as beautiful and
elegant. She is perfect in the sense of
the Romantic protagonist—she just doesn’t really understand her potential or capabilities. Morven does.
Siobhàn can’t fail at this and this early. There may and will be some point for Siobhàn
to discover failure, but she’s already faced a lit of failure in life. I also want Siobhàn’s special characteristics
to propel her into another world and place.
I’m not certain how I can do that, but that’s my initial plans. The next part and chapter should begin the
next stage of their, Siobhàn and Morven’s development. I’ll move to chapter three, next.
I want to write another book based on Rose
and Seoirse, and the topic will be the raising of Ceridwen—at least that’s my
plan. Before I get to that, I want to write another novel about
dependency as a theme. We shall see.
More
tomorrow.
For more information, you can visit my author site http://www.ldalford.com/, and my individual novel
websites:
http://www.ancientlight.com/
http://www.aegyptnovel.com/
http://www.centurionnovel.com
http://www.thesecondmission.com/
http://www.theendofhonor.com/
http://www.thefoxshonor.com
http://www.aseasonofhonor.com
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