By the way, does anyone know any good Appalachian folk tales that involve land spirits? I'm mulling a story that ties into the crumbling of thte land back home from the longwall coal mining, with streams and springs running dry and hills falling apart.
Wesley: All right. I'm going to let you all in on something you may have trouble comprehending. I assure you however-- Gunn: Vampires are real. Wesley: I was telling!
'The Cautionary Tale of Numero Cinco'
The Great Write Way, Chapter Two: Twice upon a time...
A place for Buffistas to discuss, beta and otherwise deal and dish on their non-fan fiction projects.
Connie Neil - Jul 21, 2007 1:23:43 pm PDT #9124 of 10001
brillig
Liese S. - Jul 21, 2007 1:25:35 pm PDT #9125 of 10001
"Faded like the lilac, he thought."
Totally a yeehaw moment, connie! Yeehaw! You deserve it.
Anne W. - Jul 21, 2007 2:00:48 pm PDT #9126 of 10001
The lost sheep grow teeth, forsake their lambs, and lie with the lions.
Congratulations, Connie!
Deena - Jul 21, 2007 3:45:30 pm PDT #9127 of 10001
How are you me? You need to stop that. Only I can be me. ~Kara
Connie, you might also go back to the roots of the people who settled the Appalachians--Welsh, perhaps? I don't recall off hand, though I'm sure there were others.
Connie Neil - Jul 21, 2007 5:32:52 pm PDT #9128 of 10001
brillig
Since I'm looking at my own ancestry in the area, it'll be a lot of Scots-Irish. Also, traditions of protective magic in re: mining, because I think I remember stories of very early mines having protective shrines.
Ah, research. It suddenly occurred to me that the deaths of miners could be seen as a sacrifice to the earth in return for taking the coal and gold etc.
Deena - Jul 21, 2007 9:21:37 pm PDT #9129 of 10001
How are you me? You need to stop that. Only I can be me. ~Kara
I did a quick google and there are a million sites on appalachian folktales. I'd help, but I just remembered I can't.
An excerpt of your story is up on the site now. I forgot to put up excerpts.
Jesse - Jul 22, 2007 3:57:35 am PDT #9130 of 10001
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.
FYI, writers, apparently Walter Mosley has a new book about writing your novel in a year, and it's excerpted in this month's Oprah. It's a lot of, "No, really, just write every day. It'll be OK." but his style is engaging.
Connie Neil - Jul 22, 2007 8:37:17 am PDT #9131 of 10001
brillig
I'll have to read it in the grocery line, because I refuse to give money to Oprah. Her and Disney, they've both become Evil Empires in my mind.
erikaj - Jul 22, 2007 10:00:18 am PDT #9132 of 10001
Always Anti-fascist!
Walter Mosley's good, though. He has been somebody I've kept in mind a lot while I've been trying to change up the detective story..
Typo Boy - Jul 22, 2007 12:39:30 pm PDT #9133 of 10001
Calli: My people have a saying. A man who trusts can never be betrayed, only mistaken.Avon: Life expectancy among your people must be extremely short.
A drabble challenge for Monday:
"My god! Its full of handwavium!"
As with all challenges, you are free to interpret as broadly as you wish.
And anyone else feel free to make another one.