Firebrand's Trailer

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Writing FIREBRAND Year One

As promised!

K I Sawyer, MI
(Marquette, MI)
January 27, 1992

Journal time. My word. Such progress. And content. How did I know all that? Wow. Weekends are nearly hopeless. Summer will be impossible. Well, one thing about the kids coming home from school--they bring me back to the 20th century every now and then. And that's not a bad thing. Not good to stay too long in the Dark Ages.

Keep saying I'm going to take a a walk, but never do. Just not the same as the country lanes I wandered in England. My, it's nearly a year since we had to leave. Talked to Bill (hubbie). He is really encouraging. He likes the samples I've sent so far. Been reading and re-reading what I've written so far. The latest 2 pages gave me shivers and the fear for my own sanity--that I could 'dream" that up!

Lin is telling the story to her daughters! She has two and she's about 4 months pregnant with another child. Possibly a son as well? (Art?)

*****

A bit of brain-storming there I see. So, Bear didn't exist right away. Interesting how things evolve in creating stories. I had forgotten that bit, that I thought of the daughters first, but not her son. Must have been a feminism thing I was striving for deep down. Not sure what I wrote thast gave me shivers though--maybe the bit towards the end of chapter one where she's recalling the horrors of the battle-field. It must be that cuz I couldn't have had much more of the story by then.

Announcement redux

Have to put groceries away first. I'll be back!

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Announcement

Just saying--there is a journal entry dated for tomorrow, the 27th. I can feel the excitment. LOL I'm happy with the new look of the blog page, the color and the layout. Any comments?

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

New blog look

What do you think? Took me a while to get to this after trying various templates with silly pastel colors that did nothing for the tone and mood I want to set for House of Pendragon.

Thanks for reading!

Colosseum Saved by Shoes?

This may not be Arthurian, but it is historical. And preserving history is always cool.

Colosseum Restoration

Besides, there was no entry for today in the '92 journal.

Thanks for reading,
Debra

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Go Bears!

Just saying. Besides, there's nothing in the 1992 journal to share today. Lin talked to me a little yesterday. Wrote a few pages for book #3 in the House of Pendragon series--The Shield-bearer. She just called her dad a liar and a fraud. In the Round Table Hall. In front of all the knights. And she has walked out. (After being a knight for less than a whole day.) Now she's realizing what she's done. Do I send her to the tavern to drown her sorrows in ale? Or do I send her to her room to pack, intending to leave Camelot?

What would Lin do?

Friday, January 21, 2011

Writing FIREBRAND Year One

K I Sawyer AFB, MI
(Marquette, MI)
January 21, 1992

Fifty-two "good" hand written pages.

***

Give it up for the small victories. "Good" at that point? Fodder for more brainstorming? I was happy though and things were gelling. Wish I could say the same about House of Pendragon now.

Watch this space for more. I didn't journal every day back then either.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Update from the Indy Branch of Camelot

Although written in 1992 my journal entry for this date inspired me to return to my roots. Not sure if I actually went downstairs to watch CAMELOT that night--probably just Arthur's soliloquy. I did watch it today and felt a familiar jolt. I think may Lin have returned. Or even Arthur himself. I paid particular attention to the second part when Mordred comes to Camelot. I know I was drawn to Arthur's sorrow and loneliness and the destruction of the Table. It must have struck a chord back then too. I wish they had drawn out the story line of Mordred just a little more. David Hemmings played him well and I wanted more! I also found myself crying for Guinevere for the first time ever! I have never cried for Gwen. But Vanessa Redgrave's portrayl was so moving in that final scene when she's talking about forgiveness. I guess I just haven't watched it start to finish in quite a long time. I usually just watch Arthur's speech and that Round Table scene.

Writing FIREBRAND Year One

Settled on the brown ink for this one.

K I Sawyer AFB, MI
(Marquette, MI)
January 18, 1992

It is after 1 am and I'm still wide awake. Nothing new to write. Had a small bit for the story "Visions of Avalon", continuing with events happening the day after. Introduced two new characters. Who are they? They will be interesting to get to know. Tighan and Elen. Plus mentioned two others. Lots to do. People to meet and learn about. Become friends with. And me as shy as I am!

Nowhere near being tired. Maybe I'll watch Arthur's soliloquy in "CAMELOT". Good idea!

****

Fun, both Tighan and Elen wound up in FIREBRAND. Elen as Dafydd's mother and Tighan as a slave. Lin and Dafydd meet her in the slave's camp after being transported from Orkney to Britain's mainland. Dafydd and Tighan become instant friends. Lin, as usual, isn't so sure. She resists making friends with anyone because she's afraid she will lose that friend because of their slavery.

Monday, January 17, 2011

Love this quote

"Thank you, God, for making me an atheist." Ricky Gervais

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Writing FIREBRAND Year One

I'm still awake. Thought I would get this one up early. I volunteer at my local library's book sale room a few hours on Sundays, so I may not get to this!

Are you ready?

K I Sawyer AFB, MI
(Marquette, MI)
January 16, 1992

At least two volumes.
Dedicate to A. E. (Arthur Erickson)

****

There are only a few people in the world who know the significance of Arthur Erickson in my life. I will leave it that way for now. But I changed my mind when the time came for a dedication when the book came out. Still searching though and he's half of the reason for my e-mail--FerchArthur.

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Writing FIREBRAND Year One

This is a colorful entry! I started in black ink--ball point. Switched to brown ink--fountain pen. Tried green for a few words. Then red - the line: "I've died and gone to heaven". (The line of my letters was very smooth.) Then there are a few sentences in a bright blue and I really didn't like the pen, but I do like the color. I finally ended in brown.

K I Sawyer AFB, MI
(Marquette, MI)
January 15, 1992

Journal time. Not much new. No new earth shattering inspirations on Camelot. Not that ideas have stopped! They keep coming faster than I can sort them. They've been keeping me up to the wee hours lately.

I'm sure the neighbors will be glad when I get some new music. Wish I could find a new Marillion or Chris de Burgh CD. That would be brilliant. Need to write some letters. To Bill, Jan, etc. Need to get groceries, go to finance. Payday errands. The usual. More later!

(Brown ink) Wow! Check this out. A brown Berol. (Loved that pen company!) Got a red and a green as well, plus a few more blue! Yippee!! Found a place that can order them for me. All right. Check it out, great color. I've died and gone to heaven.

Check out the Varsity. Nope. Not the same, too splotchy. Nice color though. Save it for emergencies only. Ick.

Love the Berol!

***

There is just something about the write pen in hand. It's weight and balance. Kinda like a sword has to be right. Right, Lin?

Friday, January 14, 2011

Writing FIREBRAND Year One

K I Sawyer AFB, MI
(Marquette, MI)
January 14, 1992

Helin's fosterage -- Morgause offers to do it, "to atone for Modred" but instead of raising her according to her station . . . About 12 - 13 years later Morgause goes to Camelot and presents her brother Arthur with some "servants": Lin and Dafyd, a few others for good measure. Then Lin and Dafyd work on Camelot for about a year before anyone realizes who Lin really is. Let's try to avoid that royal birthmark cliche to identify Lin.

God! They were all related to each other. No wonder they were all mad. Such twisted geneologies.

****

Interesting peek at my brainstorming process here. Again with Helin instead of Lin. And Dafydd with only one "d" at the end. And like Morgause would really repent anything! So funny. But I was really thinking along the lines of Lin working in Camelot alongside Gareth (using his kitchen-knight story-line) and them becoming friends and all and Lin hidden in plain sight! Had some interesting scenes going on in my head that never made it to the page. But it was all driving me to Lin being a slave in Orkney! This is so much fun, looking back like this.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Writing FIREBRAND Year One

K I Sawyer AFB, MI
(Marquette, MI)
January 13, 1992

What an incredible feeling--to have this magnificent story, exploding from somewhere deep within you. The words bursting out from your soul, through the pen and onto the page.

****

Wow! What eles can be said? I guess I was pretty happy. Now? I'm just frustrated with Lin. I've been stuck for chapter 14 in book three for quite awhile now. Where are the words now?

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Writing FIREBRAND Year One

Today was a very short post back in '92. The struggle for the title of the book. I knew the theme would involve Arthur's children: daughter Lin and the more famous Modred. I was still also thinking of the broader story of Arthur. I still had a lot of brainstorming to do. Looking back, the title was the least of my worries at the time. But I was much younger and . . .

K I Sawyer AFB, MI
(Marquette, MI)
January 12, 1992

Leave it to divine intervention and the solution presents itself. New title: Daughter of Britain. How could it be anything less? Thanks, Lin.

end of entry

***

Ah, I used "Lin" here. That's a good sign. This was also when I was thinking it would be only one volume, that I could get the entire story in one book. Ha!! How naive of me. I think I was also influenced a little by Indiana Jones--well his father in the third movie: Indiana Jones and the Holy Grail. That's still one of my favorite movies. LOL!

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Writing FIREBRAND Year One

I wonder if it was snowing on this date back in 1992 when I wrote my journal entry. It is snowing here today in Noblesville and I'm glad I don't have to go outside. I do all my travelling here on the Internet!

I seem to be full of myself. Or does every writer get like this in the creating process? I certainly was riding high. And I remember the giddiness of those days. I didn't have an office then, or a computer, or even a typewriter. Back then, I wrote while sitting on the couch. I balanced a clipboard holding loose-leaf paper in my lap and wrote in longhand with a fountain pen. Maybe I need to go old school again!

K I Sawyer AFB, MI
(Marquette, MI)
January 11, 1992

A new day, full of new ideas and new words. What a bloody, great tale I have to tell, indeed! Where is all this coming from? Don't question, Deb. Accept the gift. For it can only be just that.

I realized today that the majority of modern novels pertaining to the Arthurian have been done by women. How odd.

I no longer want to call this "The King's Children". At least I don't think I don't think I do. But I don't know what else to call it. I'm sure that too will be there when the time comes. I doubt it not. Oh. I feel numb right now as Helin.

Indeed. Indeed.

I have run out of ideas for today. That's alright. Don't mind. Just as well. My arms certainly are sore, as if I had hefted a sword and shield myself all day. Ouch!

I read and re-read what I wrote this week and can't help but be amazed that it came from me.

(end of entry)
***
(back in 2010!)
I was still calling her Helin then? I thought I had made the switch a few weeks earlier. And I don't think I was impressed so much with the brilliance of the quality of the writing, but the creative process. I was feeling good about simply setting my ideas into words that made sense on the page. It seemed to me that I had a decent sense for character and dialogue and point of view. And I proved that right when I had the thing critiqued a few years later.

As always, thanks for reading!
Debra

Monday, January 10, 2011

Writing FIREBRAND Year One

Here I was in a very happy mood, I think. The words were flowing. But what I wrote in this period of time never made it to the final version of FIREBRAND. Today? No words from Lin or Dafydd. Or Gareth or Ris. Even Modred is quiet.

K I Sawyer AFB, MI
(Marquette, MI)
January 10, 1992

Time to reflect on this past week. What a difference a “year” makes. New Year’s resolutions sure can be powerful, even if you do not consciously make them.

My husband Bill suggested that I take my writing seriously, when I did the short story. Him--actually encouraging all along. Me--paying lip-service. “Yes, I really want to but . . . “ Same old excuse. I have just been afraid of it. Well, it’s beyond my control now. Some other force has taken over, given me the spark I needed. Feeling the despair of my characters, sharing a joke with them, my heart soaring with hope along with them, the joy of getting the words to mean exactly what I thought. There is no other feeling like it and I can’t imagine doing anything eles, ever. Nothing will ever measure up to this labor of love.

Somehow, from somewhere, words are flowing out of my pen, that I never realized were in me. I don’t know if anyone eles will think it is any good but I am truly amazed at what I have accomplished this week. And the ideas keep flooding in. Flooding in so fast I can can’t keep up with them!

Wow! Need to send 2 more installments to Bill. Can’t wait to hear his opinions. I never thought I would be able to share it with others so freely. I know, that’s the point! I guess I was reluctant before because everything I have written up to my short story have been false starts to Lin’s true story. I wasn’t happy with it and felt it unfit for human consumption.

I have finally grown up, I think. Maybe? Not! Had too much fun this week.

Thanks for reading!

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Update from the Indy Branch of Camelot

There was no entry for today in the 1992 journal. I must have been busy writing! LOL. Not much going on in 2011. Had a brainstorm that could be splint into two projects. Lancelot's madness--torn between Elaine (who tricked him into bed to conceive Galahad) and Guinevere. Elaine shows up in Camelot and poor Lance can't handle it. He bolts and goes wild in the woods for some time. Now as mild mannered Debra, I could write it as a screenplay in April during ScriptFrenzy. As my saucy alter-ego I could write a hot erotic version. I'm going with that second option at the moment. I wrote some scenes a while ago that went nowhere, I think this project would be right for them. We shall see.

Thanks for reading,
Debra

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Happy New Year!

19 years. It has been 19 years since I first officially began writing FIREBRAND. I think I'll use this year and the old journal and post things on the actual date I wrote the entry! So for now, we are caught up with January 2 and 3. There was no entry for today. Guess I was busy taking down dictation from Lin. LOL I was happier when she was talking to me. She isn't at the moment for book three in the series. I hope to get back in tune with her this year. Maybe if I re-read FIREBRAND?

Thanks for reading and see you next time in this same space.

Debra