![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
pjthompsonNow that I’m halfway through the read-through of Venus in Transit I’m beginning to get that thrill of anticipation at the thought of finally being able to work on something new. There are some stories I want to get to for rewrites and for first writes, but the big subterranean beasts that have been swimming in the deeps for ages now have also made their break for the surface. Two novels seem to be vying for the attention of my forebrain, feeding me bits and pieces of themselves at odd times of day or night. My research reading seems to swing back and forth between the two subject matters, too.
One is a story involving an 18th century cunning man and the 21st century fallout from his old magic. That one even has most of a chapter one done, plus the 17k novella on which it’s based. For this I’ve been reading some fascinating stuff on JSTOR and also a book called, Popular Magic: Cunning-folk in English History by Owen Davies. I have about three more books on cunning folk lined up on my shelves, too.
The other is a very fractured and weird sort of fairy story in which Faerie hardly appears at all, and whatever fairies show themselves are neither flittery little beings of light, nor dark and sinister monsters. Or, as recently portrayed, sex mad stud muffins. Although, because I’m writing it, I imagine there will be sex. Is there not air?
These fairies are more like I imagine fairies would be if fairies do be: neither fundamentally good nor bad, just profoundly uninterested in the well-being of humanity, unless some poor hapless fool intrudes upon their space by accident or intent. Then it’s watch out mortal, you’ll pay for your trespass.
I have scads of books on fairies and fairylore. My current reading includes Meeting the Other Crowd: The Fairy Stories of Hidden Ireland by Eddie Lenihan and Carolyn Eve Green which informed a lot of my current thinking on the subject. I’ve also been playing with The Heart of Faerie Oracle by Wendy and Brian Froud, which is an absolutely gorgeous work of art. I can stare and stare at each one of those cards. There is so much rich detail in them—and gorgeous, as I say.
I ask myself if the world needs another novel of Faerie and I’m inclined to think not, there’s such a glut. But I also know that when the leviathans make a break for open waters, I’d better follow whichever is the strongest swimmer, hitch my darling coracle to their flukes and hang on for dear life, or get left adrift far out to sea. The leviathans choose me, not the other way around.
Mirrored from Better Than Dead.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-07 02:20 am (UTC)... I'm writing a novel with elsewhere people in it... I don't suppose that not calling them "fairies" will make editors any less bored by the notion, but we'll see...
no subject
Date: 2010-07-07 08:43 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-07 09:02 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-07 07:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-07 08:12 pm (UTC)I see, by the way, that you and I created our livejournals--a good reason to become LJ friends, yes?
(...and this text box has sat minimized on my screen for long enough that now I know you think so too!)
no subject
Date: 2010-07-07 08:25 pm (UTC)I'm working on bk1 of a trilogy, Witherwilds. Epic fantasy fare but without all the Dark Lord, missing heir trappings. :)
no subject
Date: 2010-07-07 08:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-07 08:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-08 01:59 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-07 04:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-07 04:16 pm (UTC)We'll hope that what we come up with charms some editor. I'm sure yours will charm me. :-)
no subject
Date: 2010-07-07 04:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-07 04:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-07 04:52 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-07 06:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-07 07:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-07 07:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-07 07:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-07 08:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-07 08:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-07 03:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-07 04:22 pm (UTC)I'd love to attend that class!
And yeah, it also gob smacks me that they used to go to sea in those things.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-07 08:58 am (UTC)My leviathans are getting restless, and I'm going to have to decide what to do after bk1 of WW is finished. I very much understand you.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-07 04:25 pm (UTC)My leviathans are getting restless, and I'm going to have to decide what to do after bk1 of WW is finished. I very much understand you.
What to do next: always a leviathan of a question. What's practical, or what's calling to you. Stephen King says you've always got to write what interests you and he's done all right for himself. But he didn't break in during the current market, so who knows if he would today? He also got rejected 50 times for Carrie, so he didn't have an easy time breaking in then, either. I guess the lesson is that it's a crap shoot and you'd better be doing this for the love.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-07 07:29 pm (UTC)Absolutely. Right now I'm feeling a lot of longing for The Bitter River, my historical with a hint of magic realism*, the monster research project. Like I need that right now. :P
Did you ever read far enough in To Be Undone to figure out I have a leviathan in there, two types actually, one of the seven-headed variety and a take on Ouroboros.
_________
*Though, after looking up "magic realism" on Wikipedia, I may not really mean "magic realism." *shrugs*
no subject
Date: 2010-07-07 07:41 pm (UTC)Right now I'm feeling a lot of longing for The Bitter River,
As you know, I know all about longing for those old projects.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-07 07:53 pm (UTC)However, I'm keeping you in mind to beta. >:}
no subject
Date: 2010-07-07 08:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-07 08:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 10:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 10:28 pm (UTC)