Weelend Writing Warriors, Final Snippet from War’s End

Greetings, peeps. I’m scheduling this before my first session of chemo (July 12) so I don’t know how I’ll be feeling as you read this. [update the morning of the 14th–first chemo went fine aside from blood sugar–they insisted on giving me steroids, so BS has been erratic to put it mildly!] It’s entirely possible I won’t be up to much commenting, even if I’m up to visiting. For those of you healthy enough to make the rounds, clicking on the logo above will take you to the other fine authors of Weekend Writing Warriors and their eight-sentence snippets. Clicking on the logo below will take you to the facebook page of SnipSunday.

Coralie’s group have done all they can with heavy rain and nightfall approaching, and Coralie has suggested that in the morning she sends out her dog Bounce, whose senses she is to some extent able to share.

“Then if Bounce finds a better spot, she can take you to it. But she’s pretty tired right now, and it seems to me that it’s getting darker than the storm can account for. Tomorrow?”

“Definitely wait ’til tomorrow,” Kelty agreed. “Meanwhile we’ve got at least enough emergency bars for a few days here. Might as well eat and pass out the blankets. It might cool down at night.”

Wishful thinking, Coralie thought—but she wished right along with him.

End of the chapter, and end of what I’m going to blog from War’s End, at least until I get it edited. I’m going to start putting in bits from my published books, interspersed with bits from Rescue Operation as I get it edited.

Jarn’s Journal Year 7 Day 200

Year 7 Day 200

I must confess my latest method of choosing acolytes has not been terribly successful. Torch Flower cooks after a fashion – well, better than I do. Certainly the food is edible, though not nearly as good as that Meerkat or even Gazelle prepared. But Torch Flower is clearly used to being the center of attention, and has much more on her mind than preparing my food. In fact, I would say she is doing her best to seduce me.

I don’t think Rhinocerous cares about her enough as a person to be greatly bothered. She was the girl all the young men wanted, so he had to have her. He’d object if she went to another man, but to a god? I would only enhance his self-importance.

At least he has learned to bring down small game with a sling or a thrown stone, so we have some change from fish.

He resembles the rhinos here before me in more than strength and bulk. I am protected by a warnoff, and even with one I am careful not to approach too near. The four-legged rhinos are faster than they look, short-tempered, near-sighted and rather stupid. It’s a good thing I have my mapping as an excuse to stay away from my “helpful” assistants!

Jarn’s Journal is the journal of a fictional human-like alien who was stranded in Africa 125,000 years ago. His journal to date is on my Author site. His story is part of the remote back story of the Jarnian Confederation, in which most of my science fiction is set.

Quotes from Jane Austen

All but the last quote from @sueannbowling between July 4 and July 10 were from Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen.

“I hope I never ridicule what is wise or good.” Elizabeth defending herself against the charge of making a joke of everything.

“Society, I own,  is necessary to me.” Witham, explaining his presence in Meryton

“Pay me the compliment of believing what I say.” Elizabeth, trying to convince Mr. Collins that she cannot marry him.

“I would rather be paid the compliment of being believed sincere.” Elizabeth is beginning to despair of getting through to Mr. Collins.

“Allow me the free use of my understanding on the present occasion.” Mr. Bennett, after he refuses to side with his wife in insisting that Elizabeth marry Mr. Collins.

“Those who do not complain are never pitied”. Mrs. Bennett, after Elizabeth refuses Mr. Collins (though she has many other excuses for her nerves.)

“He never said anything about your being here to me.” Sue Ann Bowling, Homecoming. Coryn, when the school head implies (wrongly) that he took it for granted that Lai had taken Roi.

Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman Review

This is a reread rather than a first-time read, but my favorite (so far) of the re-tellings of Pride and Prejudice from a different point of view is Pamela Aidan’s Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman. Pride and Prejudice itself is not entirely from Elizabeth’s point of view, though Jane Austen is famous for never writing a scene with no women present. There are parts that suggest Darcy’s point of view, especially during the period when Elizabeth is nursing her sister at Netherfield. But we are only given hints, and Darcy’s change of heart is never explained.

Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman is entirely from Darcy’s point of view. Here we see a Regency gentleman who, as he finally says to Elizabeth, was “given good principles, but left to follow them in pride and conceit.” Here we see him in his natural mileau, torn increasingly between his feeling that Elizabeth offers what he most wants in a wife, and what he sees as his duty to society and his family. We are introduced to new characters, the most important of whom are Darcy’s valet, Fletcher, and an old school friend, Lord Dyfed Brougham.

The parts with Elizabeth are amusing, as the same happenings and dialog are presented from entirely different points of view. But the most enjoyable parts of the trilogy, from my point of view, are of Darcy away from Elizabeth.

The first book of the trilogy, An Assembly Such as This, for the most part follows Jane Austen’s book. My favorite part, however, is the end, when Darcy is trying to use the enticements of London to distract Bingley from Jane and gets a bit more than he bargained for! Beau Bummel and a scandalous new dance called the waltz are too much for Darcy!

In the second book, Duty and Desire, Darcy tries to forget Elizabeth by going wife-hunting at a Regency house party. This section is delightfully atmospheric, but the possible wives on display make Carolyn Bingley look like a bargain. This section of the trilogy has no direct relationship with the original Austen book, though it occurs during the time Jane is in town. Elizabeth appears only as a memory, but a memory that keeps Darcy safe in this “den of vipers.”

The third book of the trilogy, These Three Remain, starts with Darcy and Col. Fitzwilliam’s annual visit to Lady Catherine. Here Darcy agonizes over his relationship with Elizabeth and manages to misinterpret everything she says, leading up to his first, disastrous proposal.

I’ve always wondered at the change in Darcy between Rosings and Pemberly. In this book it is natural, though not easy. Initially Darcy is angry, though still obsessed by Elizabeth. It takes a near-entrapment into blackmail and a drunken evening to begin his reformation, but he eventually determines to strive towards “a conduct of his life that would have gained Elizabeth Bennet’s approval,” even though he recognizes that the chances of ever actually making her his wife are slim, if not non-existent.

Probably my favorite scene of this third volume is the descent of Lady Catherine de Burgh on Darcy’s town house, with the news that eventually sends him back to Hertfordshire.

I am sure there are many books from Darcy’s point of view I have not read, and which I cannot compare with this trilogy. But of those I have read, this is my favorite.

North Pole Weather 7/8/13

The sun rose this morning at 3:31 and will set 20 hours and 48 minutes later at 12:19 tomorrow morning. We’re losing 5 minutes a day, and a week from now the sun will be rising and setting on the same day. The sun is still high in the sky, though, more than 45° at noon.

Mints (no two are the same variety) with weed-stop fabric. I’m missing two I really like (lime and strawberry) as they weren’t available this year; banana and grapefruit are new.

The weather has remained dry with areas of smoke, but the forecast suggests increasing showers and even rain next week. I certainly hope so; there are evacuations strongly suggested within 20 miles of my house.

I’m trying to get weed-stop fabric around the mints and other herbs, and flowers planted in the hollows in the cement blocks making up the raised beds. I doubt I’ll feel like it once chemo starts, so I’m getting as much as I can done while I’m still feeling decent. At least the intense heat seems to have faded – forecast high temperatures for the next week are high 60’s to low 70’s.

I need to drag out the other hoses and water more than the vegetable beds and potted plants. The lilies are barely breaking the ground – probably lack of water. But I may not feel up to watering once I start chemo, and I don’t want to start if I’m not continuing.

Weekend Writing Warriors: Horse Power

It’s weekend Writing Warriors/SnipSunday again today, and you’re invited to read and (we hope) comment on both. Click on the logos to get the lists of participants. I’ll try to get around and comment today, though I can’t promise anything a week from now.

Horse Power is free again today on Amazon, so I’m giving a short, repunctuated excerpt from that story today. It’s not a space opera, but a story of colonization of a frontier planet with the colonizing company trying to make debt slaves of the colonists. Yes, you’re seeing esper powers in this snippet, which is from just after the point where Amber hears the stampede and asks Roi to get them to the top of the hill.

Amber spared a quick glance at the mirror mounted on her handlebars as she pedaled wildly downhill, and cursed as she saw Roi standing next to his bike at the crest of the hill.  Debating the ethics of getting involved, she thought furiously, and began waving her arms and screaming at the oncoming tide of silkies.

The leaders hardly slowed, but she suddenly realized that the rearmost animals were shaking their heads as if waking up, seeing the fresh greenery on either side of the trampled stampede path and turning toward it as if starved.  She could almost see the wave of hesitation working forward through the herd until it reached the leaders, who were only a few armspans away when they stopped to graze.  No running over the leaders, no piling up when they reached a barrier they could not cross, no broken legs or other injuries she could see.  Just a quietly grazing herd, and a frantically pedaling cyclist following the stampede track.  Twice the front wheel twisted and the cyclist fell, but each time the rider scrambled back onto the vehicle and continued the pursuit.

“A bicycle?” asked Roi, who had rejoined Amber so quietly she was not aware of his presence until he spoke.

Next weekend will be the last snippet from War’s End for a while, at least until I get it a lot closer to publication. I’ll still be here, but I’ll be posting snippets from my published books, Homecoming and Tourist Trap. If I feel up to editing Rescue Operation (the first of the trilogy of which War’s End is the third) I may give you some short bits from that.

Jarn’s Journal Year 7 Day 124

Year 7 Day 124

Both the shamans are men, of course. Most of the female shamans I’ve known seem to have a better feel for their own abilities. But neither Haboob nor Stillwater is willing to give up a single group member, even though neither of them is, at least in my opinion, capable of handling the group size they have. The only thing I see as keeping their groups together is the lack of anyone else capable of leadership in either group.

Certainly neither Rhinocerous nor Torch Flower show any capacity for leadership. Rhinocerous has all the power of his namesake, but seems satisfied with the adulation of every girl in the camp. His choice, Torch Flower, is likewise the center of attention of the young males at the Gather, but is decidedly not a challenge to Haboob, though I suspect he has his eye on her for a second mate. But Stillwater will not allow Rhinocerous to join another group, nor will Haboob allow Torch Flower to leave.

“If the shamans keep it up,” Songbird predicted darkly, “Rhino and Flower will take off on their own and they’ll both starve.”

I groaned. “If they either one knew anything ….

Songbird grinned as she put her youngest child to her breast. “Well, Flower knows more than I did when you rescued me. Her mother saw to that! And Rhino’s quite good at hitting what he throws things at. He just needs to learn what to throw at. And he’s not all that fond of fish.” Her eyes sparkled with malice.

Somehow, I thought to myself, picking an acolyte has become a way of helping the People, rather than my own convenience.

Horse Power is free July 5, 6 and 7th. Get your copy and see what you think of it. I’d love more reviews.

Jarn’s Journal is the journal of a fictional human-like alien stranded in Africa roughly 125,000 years ago. He has gradually joined the People, primitive humans who, much to his annoyance, persist in treating him as a god. His story is part of the back story of the universe in which my science fiction is set.

Quotes from Anne McCaffrey

The first six quotes are from The Skies of Pern, by Anne McCaffrey.

“We cannot change minds and attitudes overnight.” Lord Groghe, after the first attack on the Healers and Glassmakers.

“The benefits of technology are often ambivalent.” F’lar, discussing the attacks and possible reasons.

“We know the problem; it’s the solution that eludes us.” Seball’s reply to Groghe’s statement that the younger generation doesn’t want to work for anything.

“Some will never understand.” Jaxsom, commenting on the fact that few seem to understand what the dragonriders did to eliminate thread as a future problem.

“Those are happy to believe easy lies rather than complicated truths.” Jaxson again, commenting on the tendency of those with poor education to be easily misled.

“Boats are replaceable. Lives are not.” T’gelllen to the dragonriders sent out to rescue people of a fishing village from a tidal wave.

“You don’t go asking guests for favors.” Bowling, Horse Power. Timi to his children when they hope to get Roi to Heal a broken-winged bird.

North Pole Weather, 7/1/13

The sun rose this morning at 3:12, and will set 21 hours and 24 minutes later tomorrow morning at 12:36. The days are now shortening by about 4 minutes a day, though it still doesn’t get dark. Or very cold, either, though it does usually get down to around 60°F at night.

The warm nights are a bit worrisome not only because it is hard to cool down the house at night but because some diseases cannot mature in mosquitoes subject to low overnight temperatures. Usually ours are low enough that mosquitoes are pests rather than transmitters of disease, but that’s not been the case this June.

It’s been dry, too. We’ve had a mere .43 inch of precipitation, less than a third of normal. (Surprise—this is a desert climate in terms of mean annual precipitation.) Fire danger is high to extreme, and temperatures have actually been lowered somewhat (and breathing made more difficult) by smoke.

The food garden this year consists of 4 zucchini plants (3 of which have already set female flowers in the heat) and two raised beds of herbs: mints, thymes, rosemaries, basil, lavenders, and a few extras like oregano and parsley. Chives are perennial and in bloom. The white iris, the dwarf delphinium and the roses are almost through for the year, but the daylilies have started to bloom and the tall columbines and the delphinium are in bud.