7 More Lines and Fast Five Friday

Thank you guys for your encouragement Wednesday as well as your interest Monday! It really made me feel better. I was asked to post more from my WIP, so I thought, "I shall!" I decided to show secondary character Andyrsn breaking up an argument between Cyan and Ghuli, who was disobediently not present in Monday's 7x7x7x7 snippet.

“You’re both stressed. Just calm down.” Cyan paced the floor as Ghuli folded her arms. “Ghuli, I’m sorry, but I have to side with Cyan here.” The look she gave him conveyed a slight betrayal, but he stood firm. “We’re watchmen. I know you want to find this scroll thing, but your safety is more important.”

Ghuli’s scowl melted away, but she drew her knees up and hugged them. “What if finding the Great Scroll is the key to my safety?”

“Have we not been enough so far?” Cyan asked, the strength in his voice making Andyrsn jump, but Ghuli yelled right back.

“You’re not invincible, Cyan. I could lose you, too!” Cyan’s jaw hardened, and a pained look came across his reddening face before he stormed toward the door. “I’m not having this fight with you anymore.”

This week, the Cover Girls would like us to list the 5 books that had us bawling or near tears. These I can put in order from hardest sobs to mistiness. lol

Stephen King's The Green Mile (bawling uncontrollably!)

S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders (bawling)

N.K. Jemisin's The Broken Kingdoms (crying)

Terri Bruce's Thereafter (near tears/inconsolable)

Robert Olen Butler's The Deep Green Sea (near tears)

Any books have you dying of the feels?

7x7x7x7

Hello!

Another Monday post? What?

This is the other of the two things that I mentioned in my last post that is happening today. I was tagged for the 7x7x7x7 blog post by Adriana Arrington. The basics are that you post 7 lines from your manuscript beginning with the 7th line from your 7th page. Here are more details on her page.

My 7th line starts in the middle of a sentence, soooo...but there's another sentence there, too...bah.

Their rustling was all that carried on the air. Cyan clenched his teeth and sighed.

“I don’t hear her anymore.”

Laris joined him and listened. “She may have wandered off.”

“She was supposed to stay on the road.”

“You know the Princess, my brother.”

“All too well.”

Cyan walked into the forest, leaving the road for the western trees.  

So there you go! :)  See you Wednesday for IWSG.

Creating a Dynamic by Accident

(No Random Reading today. I'm still reading Cloud City. I blame Pitch Wars. Stalking is busy work.)

This is Cyan and Ghuli, my MC and her 1st Lt. Watchman from my current query and Pitch Wars entry The Crystal Bearer. When I started writing this story 12 years ago (sheesh), as a lover of Final Fantasy games, one dynamic I purposely wanted to maintain was that the action took precedent over whatever romance I had in mind (I had been writing fan fiction romance and YA romance in high school, so that was easier said than done). I stayed very true to that and made sure as my writing sharpened up, I made it make more sense.

No, these two aren't romantically linked, by the way. They're actually adopted brother and sister. Their dynamic was something totally out of left field for me. Draft after draft, their relationship grew into something plausible, something I feel people will actually be able to relate to. Especially adding my "bookends" to the story; it almost created a new story within the story, about how no matter what is going on, and how much fighting they actually do among themselves, their love for each other is so evident.

I wish I had a brother. lol

Last Character Sketch: Avalegna, the Werebeast

Full Name Avalegna (ah-va-LEN-ya)

Nickname: Lenne

1. Age:16
2. Gender: female
3. Date of Birth: Year 1904, unknown
4. Hair color/style: coarse, blonde, waist length hair
5. Eye color: amber
6. Accent (if any): werebeast
7. Height: 5'0
8. Weight: 91 lbs
9. Tattoos: none
10. Piercings: none
11. Scars: various cuts from head to toe

Personality Overview:

1. Fears: not hearing where she is
2. Childhood: very hyper and talkative.
3. Adolescence: the same.

Favorites

1.  Books or Favorite music artists: n/a
2. Authors: n/a
3. What are some of their pet peeves? she doesn't like when people yell.
4. What sort of gifts do they like? she likes new clothes and hair things
5. What is their favorite time of day? nighttime when the nocturnal animals are awake.
6. Where do they like to spend their time? she loves hanging in high places.
7. Favorite food? Favorite drink? Hot drinks, soft drinks, or alcohol? fish, berry juice. She likes hot drinks.
8. Favorite animal? Harpy
9. Do they have any pets? Do they want any? no.
10. What relaxes them? feeling others around
11. Do they have any bad habits? she picks at her scratches.
12. What are some things that they don’t like? (least favorite food/drink, weather/season, etc). soapy water, tough meats.

Resources and abilities:

1. Where did they learn their abilities? Avalegna's adaptive abilities are innate. She learns other abilities by drinking the blood of animals.
2. Where does your character live? Why did they choose it, and how did they acquire it? How do they handle intruders (graciously? violently?)? Avalegna lived in the secluded mountains of Bydlum Isle, where her ancestors were imprisoned. She sends Harpy after intruders, if any.
3. What are some of your character’s more notable merits and flaws (including physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, etc.)? How did they develop? How has this helped or hindered them in the past? Avalegna is free-spirited but can focus and learn very quickly. She is blind, which makes it hard for her to measure depth perception at times, which is why she is so marked up.
4. Do they speak more than one language? She initially only speaks Werebeast, but learns Treesprite Sign Language and later the Common Language.

Relationships and history:

1. What is their family history like? How does it affect them? How do they feel about their family? How does their family feel about them? Avalegna's race was very close and valued the elders. She loved her grandfather and parents dearly.
2. What were they like as a child? What was their favorite toy? Favorite game? Playmates? Avalegna hasn't changed much from childhood. She was very hyperactive and loved to swim and dive into the cave lake, scaring the fish.
3. What did they want to be when they grew up? Avalegna never thought of that.
4. Describe their best and worst memories from childhood. Best memory: When she learned how to use sonar, so she could go wherever she wanted in the caves. Worst memory: falling from a cliff before she learned sonar.
5. Do they, or have they in the past, had a mentor? What was their relationship with this person, and how has it changed since then? No.
6. What sort of education have they had? Do they want more? she knows geography and folktales, but she loves to learn more.
7. Who is their closest friend, and why? What do they like to do with this person? Harpy is her closest friend. When her family was killed, Harpy raised her like her own child. They like to hunt together.

More Character Sketches: Andyrsn, of Viveno Island

Full Name J.G.-Lt. Andyrsn, of Viveno Island

Nickname: n/a

1. Age: 22
2. Gender: male
3. Date of Birth: Year 1898, 9th Month, 4th Day
4. Hair color/style: dark brown, curly, bushy; held back with headbands
5. Eye color: dark brown
6. Accent (if any): none
7. Height: 5'11-1/2
8. Weight: 182 lbs
9. Tattoos: none
10. Piercings: none
11. Scars: none

Personality Overview:

1. Fears: getting close to others, losing loved ones
2. Childhood: he was a hyper child but didn't have many playmates.
3. Adolescence: mellowed out while training for The Watch, quiet but observant.

Favorites

1.  Books or Favorite music artists: local band The Islanders.
2. Authors: Conner, the Hulktroll; Ariane, of South Xelinger
3. What are some of their pet peeves? he doesn't like negative thinkers.
4. What sort of gifts do they like? new daggers, card decks.
5. What is their favorite time of day? late afternoon, best time to surf.
6. Where do they like to spend their time? Andyrsn loves the beach.
7. Favorite food? Favorite drink? Hot drinks, soft drinks, or alcohol? Baobab, Ocean Water soft drink.
8. Favorite animal? the dolphin
9. Do they have any pets? Do they want any? no pets. He wouldn't mind having a dog.
10. What relaxes them? jogging or swimming
11. Do they have any bad habits? he can be a little mischievous.
12. What are some things that they don’t like? (least favorite food/drink, weather/season, etc). he hates bland food, rainy weather.

Resources and abilities:

1. Where did they learn their abilities? Training for the Watch.
2. Where does your character live? Why did they choose it, and how did they acquire it? How do they handle intruders (graciously? violently?)? Andyrsn lives on Viveno Island, a small tropical island town off the coast of the Life Continent. He was born and raised there.
3. What are some of your character’s more notable merits and flaws (including physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, etc.)? How did they develop? How has this helped or hindered them in the past? Andyrsn keeps a calm head through every situation, but he can be a little sarcastic which annoys less calm people. He played by himself often, so he thought out loud often. Both traits help to allow him to provide reasonable solutions to problems.
4. Do they speak more than one language? no.

Relationships and history:

1. What is their family history like? How does it affect them? How do they feel about their family? How does their family feel about them? Andyrsn's mother died just after he was born. His father and two older brothers raised him until his father was sent away for The Watch. The family is highly respected on the island because of their father's high watchman status, Commanding Watchman. When his brother's wife died in childbirth, he helped care for his twin nieces. He loves his family deeply, and they love him, especially his nieces. They're a humble family despite their status in the town.
2. What were they like as a child? What was their favorite toy? Favorite game? Playmates? Andyrsn was a small kid who wasn't paid much attention in school, so he played a lot of card games and played with his friend Donovan when he had the chance.
3. What did they want to be when they grew up? Andyrsn wanted to be a surfer, but when his father died, he vowed to become a watchman.
4. Describe their best and worst memories from childhood. Best memory: When he and Donovan filled Brodie's knapsack with frogs. It didn't scare her, but she had a hard time catching them when they all jumped out. Worst memory: when they received notice of his father's death.
5. Do they, or have they in the past, had a mentor? What was their relationship with this person, and how has it changed since then? Andyrsn relied on his Lt. Watchman's guidance while training.
6. What sort of education have they had? Do they want more? He had general education until he joined the Watch, then combat and geography.
7. Who is their closest friend, and why? What do they like to do with this person? Andyrsn's closest friend is Brodie's brother Donovan, with whom he went to General School until they both branched off into their different fields. He stayed over their house often, and they loved playing pranks on Brodie.

More Character Profiles: Brodie, the Scholar

Full Name 2nd Lt. Brodie, the Scholar

Nickname: n/a

1. Age:19
2. Gender: female
3. Date of Birth: Year 1901, 3rd Month, 20th Day
4. Hair color/style: course, dark brown hair, shoulder length; wears in braided pigtails
5. Eye color: golden brown
6. Accent (if any): none
7. Height: 5'9
8. Weight: 134 lbs
9. Tattoos: an eagle soaring across her shoulders
10. Piercings: none
11. Scars: none

Personality Overview:

1. Fears: being alone
2. Childhood: she was spoiled as a child but was also very sweet and loving.
3. Adolescence: she was a little more focused and knew what she wanted out of life no matter what her family wanted for her.

Favorites

1.  Books or Favorite music artists: She loves the history books, just hates writing them.
2. Authors: Marka of Adamant City
3. What are some of their pet peeves? She doesn't like being told what to do or people with short tempers.
4. What sort of gifts do they like? She won't admit it, but she likes flowers.
5. What is their favorite time of day? just before sunrise, when the birds wake up.
6. Where do they like to spend their time? Brodie likes to take walks or go jogging.
7. Favorite food? Favorite drink? Hot drinks, soft drinks, or alcohol? stew, black cherry seltzer. She likes cold drinks.
8. Favorite animal? the eagle
9. Do they have any pets? Do they want any? Technically her messenger eagle.
10. What relaxes them? sparring or walking
11. Do they have any bad habits? She's judgmental and can hold a grudge.
12. What are some things that they don’t like? (least favorite food/drink, weather/season, etc). She doesn't like overly hot weather or food that's too spicy.

Resources and abilities:

1. Where did they learn their abilities? Brodie's sisters taught her the histories and geography once their mother passed. She was battle-trained by Commanding Watchmen.
2. Where does your character live? Why did they choose it, and how did they acquire it? How do they handle intruders (graciously? violently?)?  Brodie lives in the Eastward Village Temple. She was appointed the scholar there by her grandfather. As a watchman, she handles intruders with no mercy.
3. What are some of your character’s more notable merits and flaws (including physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, etc.)? How did they develop? How has this helped or hindered them in the past? Brodie is very bright and cares a lot for people, but she's also too headstrong for her own good which gets her into many arguments.
4. Do they speak more than one language? She speaks Sprityn, Crystalline, Luup-beti, and knows the Treesprite Sign Language.

Relationships and history:

1. What is their family history like? How does it affect them? How do they feel about their family? How does their family feel about them? Brodie's father, a 1st Lt. Watchman, died in battle when she was 3, and her mother, from the line of scholars, died when she was 11, so her eldest sister raised her. She loves her siblings, but when she decided to join The Watch, she had a falling out with her eldest sister, and her distant family looked down on her. She doesn't care about them, but wishes her eldest sister would support her decisions.
2. What were they like as a child? What was their favorite toy? Favorite game? Playmates? Brodie was a hyper child, always following her sisters and playing with her eagle. She liked to play with wooden swords and guns, playing Watchman with the neighbors' children.
3. What did they want to be when they grew up? Brodie always wanted to join The Watch.
4. Describe their best and worst memories from childhood. Best memory: Watching her sister paint her first mural. Worst memory: When their mother died.
5. Do they, or have they in the past, had a mentor? What was their relationship with this person, and how has it changed since then? Brodie often listened to her grandfather's words of wisdom. Even after she joined The Watch, he never stopped giving her advice or sending her letters.
6. What sort of education have they had? Do they want more? Brodie has the top education as a Scholar.
7. Who is their closest friend, and why? What do they like to do with this person? Brodie's closest friend is her brother Donovan, and they send letters to each other back and forth, go surfing when they have a day off.

More Character Profiles: Prince Laris of the Sprites

I wanted to do Brodie next, but I mentioned Laris in Cyan's, so...

Full Name Prince Laris of the Sprites

Nickname: Laris (to close friends)

1. Age: 26
2. Gender: male
3. Date of Birth: Year 1894, 2nd Month, 5th Day
4. Hair color/style: red, chin-length, wears down
5. Eye color: emerald green
6. Accent (if any): Sprityn
7. Height: 5'8
8. Weight: 143 lbs
9. Tattoos: none
10. Piercings: none
11. Scars: a long, faint tear across his chest

Personality Overview:

1. Fears: none
2. Childhood: he lived in a peaceful palace with his parents and younger brother, cared for by many servants
3. Adolescence: spent much of it caring for his parents, who grew ill as the eldest Sprites died. His mother died just before he joined The Watch.

Favorites

1.  Books or Favorite music artists: He loves old hymns of the Crystal Bearers
2. Authors: Allaran the Crystal Bearer
3. What are some of their pet peeves? He's actually very carefree, so nothing bothers him.
4. What sort of gifts do they like? He likes historical artifacts and art pieces.
5. What is their favorite time of day? sunrise
6. Where do they like to spend their time? He likes to spend his leisure time telling Ghuli tales of his childhood.
7. Favorite food? Favorite drink? Hot drinks, soft drinks, or alcohol? steamed greens, honeydew tea
8. Favorite animal? the sparrow lark
9. Do they have any pets? Do they want any? no, but he likes birds
10. What relaxes them? classical Sprityn music
11. Do they have any bad habits? He's a Prince. They aren't allowed many.
12. What are some things that they don’t like? (least favorite food/drink, weather/season, etc). You won't find much that Laris doesn't like. He might not like that about himself.

Resources and abilities:

1. Where did they learn their abilities? Sprityn nurses taught Laris the ability to heal. He learned his weapons training in the Watch.
2. Where does your character live? Why did they choose it, and how did they acquire it? How do they handle intruders (graciously? violently?)? (see Cyan's profile for current location). Laris used to live in Royalos Castle in the midst of Royalos, a walled kingdom city. Sprityn Guards watch the walls of the both the castle and the city.
3. What are some of your character’s more notable merits and flaws (including physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, etc.)? How did they develop? How has this helped or hindered them in the past? Laris is calm in every situation no matter his inner worries, but his small stature makes him easy to injure. His father is a jolly king even in sickness, so Laris learned to find the good in any situation to ease the fears and pains of others.
4. Do they speak more than one language? He speaks Sprityn, Crystalline, and knows the Treesprite Sign Language.

Relationships and history:

1. What is their family history like? How does it affect them? How do they feel about their family? How does their family feel about them? King Loren and Queen Kara were a loving and dutiful couple. They raised Laris and his brother Ariel to be goodly princes and future kings of the Sprityn people. Laris on his time away from the castle used their lessons to serve the people as well as rule them. He also maintains a strong relationship with his wife and son, who send him letters while he is away on watch.
2. What were they like as a child? What was their favorite toy? Favorite game? Playmates? Laris was a quiet child, very polite and good-natured. His favorite toy was a wooden horse and sword. Children of the servants were often his playmates, as was Ariel once he was old enough.
3. What did they want to be when they grew up? Although he knew he would one day be King, Laris also wanted to be a watchman...or a travelling singer (but he can't sing).
4. Describe their best and worst memories from childhood. Best memory: Meeting his wife Ylana. Worst memory: the sudden death of his grandfather. He was there when it happened.
5. Do they, or have they in the past, had a mentor? What was their relationship with this person, and how has it changed since then? King Loren served as a great mentor for his sons. Now that he is ill, Laris keeps his teachings close to always feel his father with him.
6. What sort of education have they had? Do they want more? Scholars taught Laris everything he knows. His explorations of the world help him learn more.
7. Who is their closest friend, and why? What do they like to do with this person? Laris took Cyan under his wing as a brother, and he guides him as a close friend.

More Character Profiles: 1st Lt. Cyan, of Aterholt

Long though it was, the Character Profile I did on Ghuli really made me think and want to do more on the other principle characters in my WIP. So, since I kept mentioning Cyan, here is Cyan!

Full Name Cyan the Hulktroll

Nickname: n/a

1. Age: 22
2. Gender: male
3. Date of Birth: Year 1898, 1st Month, 11th Day
4. Hair color/style: blonde, short & spiked towards a mohawk
5. Eye color: light blue
6. Accent (if any): none
7. Height: 7'5
8. Weight: 350 lbs
9. Tattoos: antlers up his right arm and side of his neck to his jaw
10. Piercings: none
11. Scars: a long tear across his back

Personality Overview:

1. Fears: failure
2. Childhood: lived in an orphanage where he began training to be a watchman
3. Adolescence: constant training, watching Ghuli

Favorites

1.  Books or Favorite music artists: Trollic Battle Arts by Joah the Gillatroll
2. Authors: Joah the Gillatroll
3. What are some of their pet peeves? when Ghuli doesn't listen, when his authority is undermined, being treated like a child
4. What sort of gifts do they like? He actually doesn't mind getting new boots every now and then.
5. What is their favorite time of day? morning, when it's most peaceful
6. Where do they like to spend their time? He enjoys time in his room when he gets it.
7. Favorite food? Favorite drink? Hot drinks, soft drinks, or alcohol? Venison, black tea, hot drinks
8. Favorite animal? leonine
9. Do they have any pets? Do they want any? no
10. What relaxes them? sleep
11. Do they have any bad habits? He frowns often.
12. What are some things that they don’t like? (least favorite food/drink, weather/season, etc). He doesn't like leisure games or swimming (he can't swim).

Resources and abilities:

1. Where did they learn their abilities? First in an orphanage, then from Sir Aleksandyr while on Watch for Ghuli.
2. Where does your character live? Why did they choose it, and how did they acquire it? How do they handle intruders (graciously? violently?)? Cyan lives on the Island Continent to the west. It's a northern island with a cold, snowy climate. The willow trees are blue and white, blue being the strong ones and white being fragile. When the story opens he is living in the former Western Crystal Palace called Aterholt Manor, a large graystone manse with red and black brick stairs along the hill on which it stands. It is built like a maze to confuse intruders. He uses force to handle those that do try to break in, but in dire straits, there is hidden shelter beneath the manor (Ghuli's life is his top priority).
3. What are some of your character’s more notable merits and flaws (including physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, etc.)? How did they develop? How has this helped or hindered them in the past? Cyan is actually short for a hulktroll. His best and worst flaw is that he always thinks like a watchman. That's all he was trained for, and he doesn't understand (or like to understand) emotional thinking and going with the flow. This makes him seem cold.
4. Do they speak more than one language? He only speaks the Common Language.

Relationships and history:

1. What is their family history like? How does it affect them? How do they feel about their family? How does their family feel about them? Cyan's father, at an early age, had one son before him with his first wife who died in childbirth of his daughter, who was stillborn. Cyan's half-brother Grey married a hillsprite which sealed a peace treaty between Trollics and Sprites. Cyan's father married again late in life as Grey moved up the ranks of the Trollic Council. When his parents were killed in a Contagion attack, Cyan was sent to an orphanage. He doesn't have any contact with his brother for years, but Grey does keep track of him and his accomplishments, which earns his respect.
2. What were they like as a child? What was their favorite toy? Favorite game? Playmates? Cyan was a serious child, only playing when allowed and when he wanted to. He mostly practiced his fighting techniques and protection measures. Ghuli was his only playmate.
3. What did they want to be when they grew up? He wanted to become a Commanding Watchman like Sir Aleksandyr.
4. Describe their best and worst memories from childhood. Best memory: Getting his Marking, the Trollic tattoo he received for his first injury on duty. Worst memory: when Sir Aleksandyr died in battle.
5. Do they, or have they in the past, had a mentor? What was their relationship with this person, and how has it changed since then? Sir Aleksandyr was his Commanding Watchman and treated him like a son. He was the only reason Cyan knew how to love others.
6. What sort of education have they had? Do they want more? Ghuli's handmaidens taught Cyan geography, reading, and writing. His Trollic caretakers taught him Trollic History. Sir Aleksandyr taught him how to be a watchman and how to contact the Scholarship.
7. Who is their closest friend, and why? What do they like to do with this person? Ghuli and Laris, his 2nd Lt.

Friday Freeday: Ghulien of the Crystal Bearers

I had something else planned to write today...Do you think I remember what it was? SMH!

My sister was actually the first person to mention making profiles for your characters (I really hope she finds the time to start writing again. Her work...sheesh, I miss reading it!), and profiles are very important to help you get to really know your characters and establish their own voice. So I figured, let me find one! And the NaNoWriMo site has one.

It's pretty extensive, so for the sake of you reading, I will leave some of the most notable questions.

Full Name Princess Ghulien (joo-lee-EN), of the Crystal Bearers

Nickname: Ghuli

1. Age: 17
2. Gender: female
3. Date of Birth: Year 1903, 7th Month, 19th Day
4. Hair color/style: black, long & curly
5. Eye color: hazel
6. Accent (if any): slightly Sprityn
7. Height: 5'3
8. Weight: 128 lbs (just looked at my stats and had her at 108...that's pretty frail)
9. Tattoos: none
10. Piercings: none
11. Scars: n/a

Personality Overview:

1. Fears: dying, herself
2. Childhood: spoiled, sheltered, loved to play in the forest or at the beach
3. Adolescence: a little more grounded. death of a loved one made her more aware of reality

Favorites

1.  Books or Favorite music artists: Her favorite book is The Land in the Reflection by Amlyn the Sprite
2. Authors: Amlyn the Sprite, Migan the Sprite
3. What are some of their pet peeves? when she is ignored or spoken over
4. What sort of gifts do they like? She loves books about the other continents.
5. What is their favorite time of day? sunset, when it gets warm for an hour
6. Where do they like to spend their time? She loves being in the weeping willows in the Forest of Weeping Willows
7. Favorite food? Favorite drink? Hot drinks, soft drinks, or alcohol? stew, peach nectar, hot drinks
8. Favorite animal? leonine
9. Do they have any pets? Do they want any? Technically, the leonines are her pets.
10. What relaxes them? sitting alone and reading
11. Do they have any bad habits? She fidgets when she's nervous, plays with her fingers or her hair.
12. What are some things that they don’t like? (least favorite food/drink, weather/season, etc). She doesn't like contemporary art or dark stories. She's not a fan of peas.

Resources and abilities:

1. Where did they learn their abilities? She was self-taught. Her powers were forbidden by a past king.
2. Where does your character live? Why did they choose it, and how did they acquire it? How do they handle intruders (graciously? violently?)? Ghuli lives on the Island Continent to the west. It's a northern island with a cold, snowy climate. The willow trees are blue and white, blue being the strong ones and white being fragile. When the story opens she is living in the former Western Crystal Palace called Aterholt Manor, a large graystone manse with red and black brick stairs along the hill on which it stands. It is built like a maze to confuse intruders. Her watchmen handle those that do try to break in, but in dire straits, there is hidden shelter beneath the manor.
3. What are some of your character’s more notable merits and flaws (including physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, etc.)? How did they develop? How has this helped or hindered them in the past? Physically, as a Crystal Bearer, she has a crystal in each hand and foot that channels the planet's energy and transforms into her powers. Mentally & emotionally, she can be a pessimist and also acts on impulse. But when she isn't impulsive, she has very clear thinking and is often right.
4. Do they speak more than one language? She speaks Crystalline and knows Treesprite Sign Language.

Relationships and history:

1. What is their family history like? How does it affect them? How do they feel about their family? How does their family feel about them? Ghuli's father was the first prince born after the Trollic-Sprityn Wars ended. He was a symbol of world peace, a loving, kind man who valued life and people. He and his wife were childhood sweethearts and created a loving home. The kindheartedness of her father made Ghuli also a kindhearted princess who cares deeply for her watchmen and handmaidens as though they were her own blood. They also love Ghuli and treat her like one of their own.
2. What were they like as a child? What was their favorite toy? Favorite game? Playmates? Ghuli was a hyper, spirited little girl who fought often with her watchman/adopted brother Cyan when he wouldn't let her get her way. She loved to swing from the willow trees and only had Cyan to play with mostly, when he was allowed.
3. What did they want to be when they grew up? She wanted to be an explorer and travel the world.
4. Describe their best and worst memories from childhood. Best memory: Cyan took her to the beach once, and she actually got him to go out into the water! Worst memory: when her Commanding Watchman died in battle.
5. Do they, or have they in the past, had a mentor? What was their relationship with this person, and how has it changed since then? Sir Aleksandyr was her Commanding Watchman and the only father figure she could remember. He was very loving and merciful in his punishments for her. She thinks of him almost every day.
6. What sort of education have they had? Do they want more? Ghuli's handmaidens taught her geography, reading, writing, and music. Sir Aleksandyr taught her history and about their policing system: the Scholarship and the Watch.
7. Who is their closest friend, and why? What do they like to do with this person? Cyan will always be her closest friend. She loves the moments where they can go outside and have fun.

Now I want to do more of these! Gah!

Express Yourself: Tuesday Words

Grr, I hate the lack of alliteration in that lol.

Welcome back to Express Yourself Weekly! This meme was created by Jackie @ Bouquet of Books and Dani @ Entertaining Interests to get to know their bloggers a little better each week. This week they want to know: In your WIP, what is the last line on Page 10 and the first line on Page 42 (or of the book you're currently reading if you're not a writer)?

Fortunately, I just emailed and saved my WIP to my work computer because we can't connect personal devices to our work computer.

(Whoops, let me take this out of reader mode...wow, Screen 10 is really Page 5!...And I'm guessing they would like a full sentence, so...) The last line of Page 10 of my WIP The Crystal Bearer  is:

The hull was made of blackwood, washed sand-white so the warm island colors and the sharp tribal shapes and flowers of his home stood out.

I can probably go ahead and cut some of those words and de-passivy this sentence. Live edit!

Sir Aleksandyr had whitewashed the blackwood so the warm island colors, flowers, and sharp tribal shapes of his homeland stood out.

Hurray!

And the first line on Page 42 is dialogue, but that's okay. lol

“That’ll do. Come with me, Ghuli.” She followed Brodie up a flight of stairs to the library.

See you tomorrow for Wednesday Words! :)

The Color Line

Now, I've actually had this thought in the back of my head for years, but not until recently has it started creeping closer and closer into my frontal lobes.

Do I want to change the color of my main character??

At the moment, and as I've always envisioned it, Ghuli has mirrored the likes of Rinoa in FF8 and Dagger in FF9. Can I add pictures? (edit July 24: NOPE. lol Just read a blog about a woman who got sued.)

Here are some links. Rinoa. Dagger.

That pale, large-eyed, black-haired damsel. I've had the Crystal Bearers described in the same manner. Fair, dark hair, dark eyes.

For the movie adaptation (you know, for the book I haven't even published yet), I have SERIOUSLY been monitoring Jodelle Ferland to make sure she doesn't grow into some awkward looking child as most adorable child actors do. She's succeeding, thank God.

I also want Kristin Kreuk to play her mother, but anyway, that's part of the point. This face is the thing right now, as seen on those Fallen novels and Twilight, and TV's version of Vampire Diaries, Snow White every 10 years. That innocent, pale-faced, dark-haired damsel.

I used to just wonder, "What would happen if I made Ghuli brown?" out of curiosity. My first thought has always been, "What would the jewels in her hands look like then??" That's the big thing that stops me from changing her color. The jewels are white because they look good against just-as-white skin. White jewels embedded in a brown hand? I think of pus. Gross, I know, but my mother's a nurse, so that's what I think of. I thought of changing them to red to compensate, but then, I thought of blood. I'll come back to this in a moment.

Now I'm thinking, since we're inundated with this stock face, while beautiful, I'm now wondering if I should change Ghuli's color to propose a new type of heroine? I don't ever really jump into the conversations about race portrayal in movies and such, but if anyone else read all the racist comments that happened after The Hunger Games came out, it's clear that people have their ideas of who's innocent and who doesn't matter. Would the population accept a brown-skinned (and when I say brown, I mean like the crayon color, since many people label tan people brown and brown people black) damsel/heroine, and will my story get the same attention, or would it be shelved under "African American" literature? Not that it couldn't be as popular, but would it?

One simple question birthed SO many other ones! Well, I guess then it's not so simple.

I just asked my sister, and she said, "It would definitely get people's attention."

It also goes deeper, as a symbol of me embracing MY color, as a black girl who grew up in Southeastern PA just north of Philly where everyone's Italian or Jewish, so my identity was shot to Hell by the time I hit the first grade.

I think it could work. Perhaps a Kerry Washington type face? She could be the face of the Crystal Bearers. It's blowing my mind right now. And it's not like I'll lose the Jodelle Ferland face. In fact, the Crystal Bearers, like the Humans, can be black AND white! Epiphany #2.

So, I think I can do this (and I know it means going through another read-through to change any instance of describing Ghuli and identifying the Bearers as exclusively pale, white, fair, etc.). I think I will.

So back to the jewels, I think an amber stone would work, even a diamond...Let's do this.