WRIT-ual

Given the nature of the subject matter of the new novel (a simple twist on a haunted house) I keep feeling compelled to write in the dark. It just seems apropos.

Well, I’ve extended that idea. I’m trying out something new. I decided to have a little ‘ritual’ each time I set to bring the story to the page. Right now it merely involves a few simple bits such as ceremoniously lighting a candle. Maybe it will develop even more 'steps' as time goes on... I just figure it should have a séance quality to it.

I tried it out last night and will again tonight.  So far it’s got a lot of potential. It lent a spooky aura...not just the glow of candlelight but being aware of the emptiness surrounding me. I really did feel more connected to the characters than before.

However, it’s also true that I found the writing to be slow-going. But not in the sense of not knowing what should be there nor even having trouble scribbling to the page. Rather I kept belaboring over the choice way of putting it down. That’s happened to me before, but, this time in reverse.  Unlike before, it hadn’t been me who objected to the words I'd write. I thought them just fine.  But my guys in the story didn’t seem to be very appreciative. So I’d re-craft what I had (at one point realizing an unintentional double entendre that HAD to be disposed of since there are no romantic feelings between the two of them) and wait until they approved. These guys seem to be giving me great impressions of how they feel rather than spouting out the story bits. Not that they aren’t forthcoming with what’s happening in their tale, they are very much so, even to the point of surprising me already. But with say, Jeremy, well, he wouldn’t stop rambling and I had to write like a madman to keep up with him. These two are wading in each moment, making sure I totally grok what they’re experiencing (even if it doesn’t appear directly onto the page) and hence I’m trying to carefully distill the essence into those ‘choice’ words.  Instead of the slowness frustrating me, I reveled in it - absorbing the atmosphere.

It’s so remarkable... how each book develops differently.

As for the music playlist I compiled before... it’s working pretty well. I might have to tweak it a bit. But then, I haven’t gotten through all of the songs on it yet either.

And so my ‘ritual’ will continue... and I certainly hope it produces great results. (Well, duh. ;] )

Of course, I won’t be able to utilize the ritual every single time. For I don’t plan on writing solely at home in the dark of night. I often bring my work with me.  If I’m in a café or by the lake... well, no candles can be lit. But whenever I write at home, I’ll fire up the steps to composing. It will be interesting to see if I can notice a distinct difference or not.



The Pain of Joy

I came across another one of those crazy word wonderments.

Joy.

One can be overjoyed, but what about just joyed?

Nope, not really.  It doesn't count as a word in the dictionaries I checked.

It's odd, since it takes wee bit less effort and one less word to say
 "It joyed me." than it does to say "It brought me joy."

And yet - "enjoyed" is fine, which again, causes more to be there than necessary, it would seem.

Apparently it had been okay to say "joyed" at one time, since we find it in use by Shakespeare in 

Henry IV, Part 1

Poor fellow never joyed since the price of oats rose, it was the death of him.

No, I didn't pore over the the Bard to find that... nor did I know it off the top of my head.  The only reason I know it is because Dictionary.com had it listed as a quote for "joy."  Hmmm.  And yet it doesn't appear AS a word.

Words can be weird.

Maybe I just notice and care because I work with them?

An "X" for 'Jeopardy!'

This time Jeopardy! didn't have an answer regarding the famed eternal youth, rather someone who could be construed as having a Peter Pan Syndrome.  He's also one of my favorite characters as well.



The Correct Response.

But that's not the reason that I am posting this answer.  It happens to be one of the rare instances where Jeopardy! is incorrect.  What's worse, the clue says to be more specific.  Well, if we're being specific, one of the words used here does not count as right.  I bring it up because it's actually an 'issue' in the film.  Ramona Flowers (the girlfriend) corrects him over and over until the technicality is revealed.

Peter ZEN

Bart started thumbing through the book on the left,

The Little Zen Companion.  It's a collection of (what else?) but Zen-ful quips by David Schiller.

Well, look what's right on page 3!

A quote that certainly embodies the spirit of Barrie.

Gobbles of Thanks

I'm most thankful for having such wonderful friends & family.

Especially Bart.  He's cooking in the kitchen right now...

since we're hosting our first Thanksgiving.  [I better go help! ;) ]

And may I extend my thanks to any and all fans out there!

p.s. - Am I the only one who can't stop thinking about Scott Pilgrim today?

Yet Another PAN Window Opens...

Seems like the window to let Peter Pan in just won't stay closed...

(I can't help but think this would both please and disturb Mrs. Darling!)

Coming in 2011 is a 6 issue comic book series from SLG Publishing
by R. Rikki Simons & Tavisha Wolfgarth-Simons is

Peter Pan and the Ghosts of Neverland

The pixies of Neverland have befriended Peter Pan for as long as he can remember. But truly, they are not Peter’s friends. Whenever a child says they do not believe in fairies, a fairy of Neverland drops down dead. What better way for fairies and pixies to keep themselves safe from oblivion than to imprison upon their magical island a child who will believe in them forever — a child who will never grow up. Every day is a new world to Peter, and under the fairies’ spells he forgets the faces and names of the Lost Boys and pixies who have played and died by his side. But one night, a hundred years after Wendy Darling first found Neverland, Peter starts to realize his life is only an illusion. The pixies, in their panic, decide Peter needs a more familiar distraction to keep him linked to Neverland — and so they look to the spirits of long deceased friends, ghosts whose squabbles once kept Peter’s interests far better than any living Lost Boy: Tinkerbell and Wendy.

The general idea of this is quite interesting. I kind of like that the fairies (called pixies here) are not actually the friends of Pan. It certainly seems like something that could be true given their personalities as laid out by Barrie. The Neverland is definitely construable as a type of prison. But would having Peter there to believe in them really save them from all the "full of sense" kids out there? Peter couldn't even stop Tinker Bell's light from eventually going out. Then again, since it's possible that Tink's demise could be just from natural causes rather than a nasty child's words one can hardly blame Peter's lack of belief. Perhaps this is addressed in the story? I also rather like the concept of "ghosts" being used, since Barrie had quite a bit of them peppering his thoughts and stories other than Peter Pan's adventures. The ghost of Wendy Darling is intriguing... I always thought of Hook as a ghost. (Not for a story, just in general.) But incorporeal Wendy? That has some promise. Depends on the execution. (Pun noted.) I'm a little skeptical in general, given the pointy ears, but then, I'm known as a stickler for the details. ;)
 

PAN at the Window Yet Again

Another Peter Pan movie is coming...
sort of...

I'd heard about this one the first time it showed up on the horizon way back in 2006.  But, as with anything and eveything in Hollywood, the changing of hands and decisions and delays caused it to wait by the window for a while.

This new film won't be a direct version of Barrie's tale.  It's of the "re-tooling" variety.  Here, Captain Hook is a former police detective in search of the child-kidnapper Pan.  Doesn't sound too bad in the sense of having a little fun with the tale.  I also recall it being set in New York, though the filming is set for Europe next fall.  The script (at the time of 2006) is by Ben Magid and it's (currently) just called PAN.  Ben Hibon will direct.

I wonder if it will just be a romp in the sense of playing around with the elements, but not including any of the deeper psyche.  One would hope it does do so, considering "profiling" is so much a part of the "police mythos" we've come to expect regardless of how much its grounded in reality.  (Which of course it is... but stories tend to exaggerate the truth.)  The other factor that makes it seem like it won't miss the levels of Barrie is that it's reportedly "dark."  Of couse, that could just be a reaction to the "child napping" aspect being played up.

Here's hoping it's a good take on it.