Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Not a Bad BAD Idea!


Yesterday, I chatted online (typed) to friend and author Andrea Jones about that day's post.  I mentioned to her a bit of backstory I have yet to iron out regarding a character that will show up in Book 3 of the NeverWorld.

I won't tell you the character's name (yes, I do have one and I've known it for years) but I will say that it's a fairy.  I won't get into the details for that would reveal too much of the plot, but rest assured that such a concept is indeed integral.  This fairy is a bad fairy.  As in one of the wee folk gone sour.  A villainous fairy.  No, not the baddie of the tale.  But he's malevolent nonetheless.

The trouble with him, though, which I related to Andrea, had been what would cause a fairy to go bad?  Oh sure, I had some thoughts here or there.  But nothing concrete.  And I always wound up resorting to some involvement of the Fairy Council.  But I know that's too pat an answer.

A 'photo' I whipped up for Andrea.


So Andrea says:  I can think of lots of reasons for a fairy to go bad. Shall I start?
Me:  OH?? well, sure!

Well, folks, Ms. Andrea Jones certainly knows her way around the Neverland, as she proved in her novel Hook & Jill.  The typing came...and bam.  Three great ideas.  But she only needed three.  For the third had been gold.  A strange and lovely logic permeates it, echoing Barrie.  A perfect fit.  And yet she said:  Shall I continue?  I have no doubt she could have brought up three more in as little time.  But we agreed emphatically that her third idea had to be it.
 ...for, as many believe, three is a charm.
- Peter Pan's NeverWorld

I had to have it, so I asked if I may steal it from her.  With a comment about how she liked the "piratey" aspect of it, Andrea kindly let me snatch up the idea.  So let this be the first acknowledgement of her being given credit for the bad fairy's backstory premise.  Thank you, Andrea!

Goodness, if I keep this up (i.e. picking up good snippets like this) I'm going to find myself on the NeverWorld again!

*Note:  This is not to say that Barrie fairies, in general, are not mischievous.  Indeed they are!  But note these lines from Peter and Wendy:   Tink was not all bad; or, rather, she was all bad just now, but, on the other hand, sometimes she was all good.  Fairies have to be one thing or the other, because being so small they unfortunately have room for one feeling only at a time.  The fairy in Book 3, however, IS all bad.  Always.

1 comment:

Andrea Jones said...

"Bad fairy backstory." Indeed, Peter. Count on a Captain Hook lover to come up with it.

I'll be watching through my spyglass for this new book on the horizon.