I think I'm going to do something I never thought I would do.
I'm going to get my main character drunk.
I feel slightly bad about this, actually. I remember reading this Monday Misdemeanor by Creepy Query Girl some time ago and thinking, "Oh, well, good for me, I've never done that! Never have, never will!"
(Which is another lesson of how pride comes before a fall, and how what you judge in others becomes your own weakness.)
You see, Daniel's been captured and has been in the process of being brought back to camp for the past four weeks...four weeks in which I have done everything except write. How to construct their reunion? I wondered. It's such a pivotal moment.
And then, yesterday, as the triumphant party was returning with their captured prize, Daniel, someone brought out celebratory ale. They've brought it out before; Ivolet doesn't like it because it tastes different than the wine she's accustomed to. However, this time, in the panic of seeing Daniel again, I have the feeling that she's going to take more than a sip.
Not enough to do any horrible damage, of course. It's just so hard for her to forget herself - she's so cunning and in charge of her emotions and never does anything that could get her into trouble [well, sh is a phlegmatic]. Doing something startling in meeting Daniel again was completely out of character.
But characters change when they've downed some ale, right? Especially when they're not used to it. I'm not making her drunk, per se, I'm just...loosening her tongue a little bit.
I'm excited at where the conversation can go now that I've done this to Ivolet. Possibly more excited than I should be. (Yet any excitement is a good thing, since it's been four weeks since I last wrote!)
What about you? Done anything terrible to your characters recently (or not so recently)? Ever used the convenient glass of wine/beer/ale/[insert favorite alcoholic beverage here] to get the conversation going in the story?
(I wrote 151 words yesterday, which is the most I've written on Ivolet since before that camp that turned my world upside down. I know it's not much, but I finally feel like I just might be regaining my flow. Be proud.)
Oh, and Eugenides, after conquering both The Princess Bride's Westley and Dragonflight's Lessa, is up against Katniss Everdeen in the YA Fantasy Showdown. That's right, The Hunger Games champion.
Farewell, dear Eugenides! :'(
1 comment:
I remember the scene in Poison Study where the main character got drunk because she was learning how to test wines for poison, and she tried to seduce the guy. Personally I liked the tension in that scene. Glad nothing came of it, though...
Post a Comment