I Started Something I Couldn't Finish
Mar. 31st, 2006 04:56 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
vovatFirst of all, happy birthday to ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
rockinlibrarian! I remember attending her birthday party nine years ago, in the philosophy classroom at Whitmyre.
In other news, I recently wrote a short (approximately 1000 words) story describing the thoughts of Pastoria a few months after the events of The Lost King of Oz. A lot of ideas for Oz stories have been swimming around in my brain as of late. I was just coming up with some ideas for the plot of what might or might not be my next full-length Oz novel, and making a few edits to Prince Pompadore in Oz. Then, yesterday, I thought of a lot of general ideas for another novel I'd been considering for some time, involving a search for Princess Azarine's parents. (As with a lot of the official Oz books, many of my plot concepts boil down to a search for a missing person and/or an attempt at conquest.) My problem is that I'm great at starting things, and terrible at finishing them. I have no idea how many unfinished stories I have lying around. I'm really not much good at conclusions, and even when I have the general idea for how a story will be wrapped up, it's difficult to get there.
Anyway, one idea I had for the Azarine story is that it would feature a conference of magic-workers from Oz and the surrounding lands, and the possibility that Glinda would be appointed as their new leader. Here's the only portion that I've actually put down in words so far:
Traditionally, the archmages have been of the popular wise, kind-hearted, but absent-minded and bumbling variety of wizards. The position of Archmage is technically for life, but in a profession where it is possible to extend one's life well beyond a typical lifespan, this is a somewhat meaningless distinction. Usually, once an Archmage starts wearing his underwear over his ceremonial robes, his associates talk him into retirement. There is a home for retired Archmages on an island off the coast of Ev, where they spend their time discussing past feats of magic with each other, and even MORE time trying to remember these past feats of magic. Occasionally, there has been an Archmage who has gone mad with power, like Kalorio the Pyromage, or Arthro the Insect-Summoner. Once they have retired, though, these wizards tend to stop trying to destroy the continent with fire or locusts, and rarely do anything any more evil than leaving their clothes lying around on the floor. Kalorio is currently employed as the cook at the retirement home, while Arthro forces crickets to play concerts, and constantly repeats the explanation about how he is unable to summon spiders, as they are arachnids, not insects.
If Glinda was to be appointed as the next Archmage, she would be the first female to hold the position. She was very popular among the other magicians, known for her power, wisdom, and kindness. Some of the others were somewhat jealous of her, like Zixi, who envied Glinda's good looks and her friendship with Lurline, Queen of the Fairies. The Queen of Ix had once had a confrontation with Lurline, in which the Fairy had essentially condemned her witchcraft, and refused to grant her wish to appear in a mirror as she appeared to everyone else. While Glinda was able to remain eternally young and beautiful, Zixi's attractiveness was only an illusion, and most illusions cannot fool mirrors. It was widely admitted even among the jealous, however, that Glinda was well-suited to the position of Archmage.
As can easily be deduced from the nature of a lot of the magic in Oz and the surrounding lands, most of the Archmages have been great punsters. Because of this, the Archmage is always sworn in under a ceremonial arch.
That last paragraph might well be moved to another part of the story, as it doesn't really follow the one before it. Anyway, I'm not really sure how Ozzy this whole thing sounds, but maybe it'll work better in context. I don't know.
I'd be glad to let anyone who's interested see the Pastoria story, but I don't think it would make sense to anyone who hadn't read The Lost King of Oz. I wish I could write something everyone could understand, but my mind is pretty well stuck on Oz stories, when it has story ideas at all.
I got this survey fromzaph.
The Rules:
1. You can only say YES or NO!
2. You are NOT ALLOWED to explain ANYTHING unless someone comments to the entry and asks.
Taken a picture naked? No
Made out with a member of the same sex? No
Danced in front of your mirror? Yes
Told a lie? Yes
Gotten in a car with people you just met? Yes
Been in a fist fight? No
Had feelings for someone who didn't have them back? Yes
Been arrested? No
Left your house without telling your parents? Yes
Ditched school to do something more fun? No
Slept in a bed with a member of the same sex? Yes
Seen someone die? No
Kissed a picture? No
Slept in until 3? Yes
Laid on your back and watched cloud shapes go by? Yes
Played dress up? Yes
Fallen asleep at work/school? Yes
Felt an earthquake? No
Touched a snake? Yes
Ran a red light? Yes
Had detention? Yes
Been in a car accident? Yes
Pole danced? No
Been lost? Yes
Sang karaoke? Yes
Done something you told yourself you wouldn't? Yes
Laughed until something you were drinking came out your nose? Yes
Caught a snowflake on your tongue? Yes
Kissed in the rain? No
Sang in the shower? Yes
Got your tongue stuck to a pole? No
Ever gone to school partially naked? No
Sat on a roof top? Yes
Played chicken? No
Been pushed into a pool with all your clothes on? No
Been told you're hot by a complete stranger? No
Broken a bone? No
Mooned/flashed someone? No
Forgotten someone's name? Yes
Slept naked? Yes
Blacked out from drinking? No
Played a prank on someone? No
Felt like killing someone? Yes
Made a parent cry? Yes
Cried over someone? Yes
Had sex more than 5 times in one day? No
Had/Have a dog? No
Been in a band? No
Drank 25 sodas in a day? No
I guess that's cool, but the word "quirky" has lost a lot of its appeal for me after being used by so many two-bit music critics in cookie-cutter They Might Be Giants album reviews.
I'll probably post another entry tonight or tomorrow morning. I have some comments on a few movies I've seen recently, and a couple of other things to mention.
rockinlibrarian! I remember attending her birthday party nine years ago, in the philosophy classroom at Whitmyre.In other news, I recently wrote a short (approximately 1000 words) story describing the thoughts of Pastoria a few months after the events of The Lost King of Oz. A lot of ideas for Oz stories have been swimming around in my brain as of late. I was just coming up with some ideas for the plot of what might or might not be my next full-length Oz novel, and making a few edits to Prince Pompadore in Oz. Then, yesterday, I thought of a lot of general ideas for another novel I'd been considering for some time, involving a search for Princess Azarine's parents. (As with a lot of the official Oz books, many of my plot concepts boil down to a search for a missing person and/or an attempt at conquest.) My problem is that I'm great at starting things, and terrible at finishing them. I have no idea how many unfinished stories I have lying around. I'm really not much good at conclusions, and even when I have the general idea for how a story will be wrapped up, it's difficult to get there.
Anyway, one idea I had for the Azarine story is that it would feature a conference of magic-workers from Oz and the surrounding lands, and the possibility that Glinda would be appointed as their new leader. Here's the only portion that I've actually put down in words so far:
Traditionally, the archmages have been of the popular wise, kind-hearted, but absent-minded and bumbling variety of wizards. The position of Archmage is technically for life, but in a profession where it is possible to extend one's life well beyond a typical lifespan, this is a somewhat meaningless distinction. Usually, once an Archmage starts wearing his underwear over his ceremonial robes, his associates talk him into retirement. There is a home for retired Archmages on an island off the coast of Ev, where they spend their time discussing past feats of magic with each other, and even MORE time trying to remember these past feats of magic. Occasionally, there has been an Archmage who has gone mad with power, like Kalorio the Pyromage, or Arthro the Insect-Summoner. Once they have retired, though, these wizards tend to stop trying to destroy the continent with fire or locusts, and rarely do anything any more evil than leaving their clothes lying around on the floor. Kalorio is currently employed as the cook at the retirement home, while Arthro forces crickets to play concerts, and constantly repeats the explanation about how he is unable to summon spiders, as they are arachnids, not insects.
If Glinda was to be appointed as the next Archmage, she would be the first female to hold the position. She was very popular among the other magicians, known for her power, wisdom, and kindness. Some of the others were somewhat jealous of her, like Zixi, who envied Glinda's good looks and her friendship with Lurline, Queen of the Fairies. The Queen of Ix had once had a confrontation with Lurline, in which the Fairy had essentially condemned her witchcraft, and refused to grant her wish to appear in a mirror as she appeared to everyone else. While Glinda was able to remain eternally young and beautiful, Zixi's attractiveness was only an illusion, and most illusions cannot fool mirrors. It was widely admitted even among the jealous, however, that Glinda was well-suited to the position of Archmage.
As can easily be deduced from the nature of a lot of the magic in Oz and the surrounding lands, most of the Archmages have been great punsters. Because of this, the Archmage is always sworn in under a ceremonial arch.
That last paragraph might well be moved to another part of the story, as it doesn't really follow the one before it. Anyway, I'm not really sure how Ozzy this whole thing sounds, but maybe it'll work better in context. I don't know.
I'd be glad to let anyone who's interested see the Pastoria story, but I don't think it would make sense to anyone who hadn't read The Lost King of Oz. I wish I could write something everyone could understand, but my mind is pretty well stuck on Oz stories, when it has story ideas at all.
I got this survey from
zaph.The Rules:
1. You can only say YES or NO!
2. You are NOT ALLOWED to explain ANYTHING unless someone comments to the entry and asks.
Taken a picture naked? No
Made out with a member of the same sex? No
Danced in front of your mirror? Yes
Told a lie? Yes
Gotten in a car with people you just met? Yes
Been in a fist fight? No
Had feelings for someone who didn't have them back? Yes
Been arrested? No
Left your house without telling your parents? Yes
Ditched school to do something more fun? No
Slept in a bed with a member of the same sex? Yes
Seen someone die? No
Kissed a picture? No
Slept in until 3? Yes
Laid on your back and watched cloud shapes go by? Yes
Played dress up? Yes
Fallen asleep at work/school? Yes
Felt an earthquake? No
Touched a snake? Yes
Ran a red light? Yes
Had detention? Yes
Been in a car accident? Yes
Pole danced? No
Been lost? Yes
Sang karaoke? Yes
Done something you told yourself you wouldn't? Yes
Laughed until something you were drinking came out your nose? Yes
Caught a snowflake on your tongue? Yes
Kissed in the rain? No
Sang in the shower? Yes
Got your tongue stuck to a pole? No
Ever gone to school partially naked? No
Sat on a roof top? Yes
Played chicken? No
Been pushed into a pool with all your clothes on? No
Been told you're hot by a complete stranger? No
Broken a bone? No
Mooned/flashed someone? No
Forgotten someone's name? Yes
Slept naked? Yes
Blacked out from drinking? No
Played a prank on someone? No
Felt like killing someone? Yes
Made a parent cry? Yes
Cried over someone? Yes
Had sex more than 5 times in one day? No
Had/Have a dog? No
Been in a band? No
Drank 25 sodas in a day? No
| Your Quirk Factor: 61% |
 You're so quirky, it's hard for you to tell the difference between quirky and normal. No doubt about it, there's little about you that's "normal" or "average." |
I guess that's cool, but the word "quirky" has lost a lot of its appeal for me after being used by so many two-bit music critics in cookie-cutter They Might Be Giants album reviews.
I'll probably post another entry tonight or tomorrow morning. I have some comments on a few movies I've seen recently, and a couple of other things to mention.
