Brainstorming
So, as I've told you guys before, I'm writing a fantasy story. Today, I spent a ton of time outlining for it and brainstorming new ideas, and I've come up with a lot of fresh material that I'm really proud of. Unfortunately, this break-through has left me with several hours worth of homework to start at 11:00 PM.
Meh, it was worth it!
Today, I got a lot of plot stuff written out, and I also managed to write a little scene between Ava and Kyros. Who knows if I'm going to use it or not? It doesn't matter. I had fun writing it. I'd love feedback (or confirmation that I'm not crazy for thinking that this scene should be renamed "Taylor's version of Draco and Ginny") Click the link if you want to read it. I'll update with more of my story details later this week. Night!
“Why do you avoid history?”
The girl nearly jumped a foot in the air at the unexpected voice, but managed to hold her ground. Instead, she dropped the book she was holding clumsily, and admittedly painfully, on her foot. “Ow,” she said.
The girl spun around to stare severely at the young man who’d spoken. “Now look what you’ve made me do,” she said, scowling. Before she could lean down to retrieve the book, however, the boy had snatched it from the ground. His eyes skimmed the cover of the book quickly before he raised it above his head.
“Answer my question, Ava,” he ordered, waving the novel teasingly over her. “Why do you avoid the history section?” He laughed as he watched her expression darken. “Come now, you can’t find this dribble informative,” he said. “A Night of Mischief in the Courtyard? What a delightful waste of time. And brain capacity.”
“Kyros,” the girl growled warningly.
“Not to mention,” he added thoughtfully, “dignity.”
“Since when do you care,” Ava asked bitterly, “what I do and don’t read? The last time I checked, you hardly acknowledged my existence.”
The boy chuckled again. “Of course I acknowledge your existence. How else would you be able to leave with these ridiculous little booklets if I didn’t ring them up for you?” The girl rolled her eyes and began skimming the bookshelves, fingertips sliding over each book spine as she passed it. Kyros watched her curiously.
After a few silent minutes, he spoke again. “What do you find so interesting about fiction anyway?” Ava turned to look at him, and Kyros was surprised to see that she was smiling.
“I find that I can better relate to it,” she said quietly.
Kyros snorted, gesturing to the novel he’d taken from her. “Relate better to what, the mischief or the night in the courtyard?”
Ava’s smile fell instantly. “Or maybe it’s just that I find reality intolerable!” she barked. “Like you! No one like you is in any of these books! That would just be…” She hesitated, trying to find the right word.
“Distracting?” Kyros offered.
“In bad taste!” she finished lamely. “Besides,” she added, “what’ve history books got to offer me? Everything in them has already happened.”
Kyros frowned, all playfulness wiped from his countenance. “Fine,” he said quietly, “enjoy your fantasies.” He tossed the book to her, and she caught it awkwardly. “And your ignorance.”
For a moment, Ava just stood and stared at Kyros. His attitude had changed so quickly, and it had shocked her. As they locked eyes, Ava couldn’t help but feel guilty. But what did she have to feel guilty about?
Finally, she found her voice. “How much do I owe you?” She felt like curling up into a ball and crying, but she firmly held his gaze.
Then Kyros’ eyes fell to the floor. “Nothing,” he said tonelessly, turning away from her and striding towards the back room door of the book shop. “We shouldn’t be charging for that garbage anyway.” Ava found herself following him and reaching for his shoulder, but she withdrew her hand as his pace quickened. Reaching in his pocket, Kyros pulled out a ring of keys and began fumbling through it. Finally, he found the proper key, opened the door, and slammed it shut behind him. The Employees Only sign hanging from the door knob clattered noisily to the ground.
Ava stood in the center of the empty book store, silence ringing in her ears. Eventually she gazed down at the novel in her arms and patted it warily. Sighing, she made her way to the counter, fishing in her pockets for the correct amount of change to pay. She paused, however, when she looked down at the counter to find a battered paperback book resting there. Ava set her change down and lifted the mysterious book in her free hand. The title in the center of the otherwise plain cover shined in a vibrant silver: The Sorcerer Genocide.
Several minutes later, Kyros emerged from the back room, prepared to make an embarrassed apology, only to find that he was alone in the store. “Ava?” he called out, but there was no answer. He hadn’t expected this. Guiltily, Kyros headed towards the counter to retrieve the change he knew Ava had left for her book. It was there, as he’d predicted, but oddly enough, so was her novel. And the book Kyros had been reading earlier was missing instead.
A folded note rested atop the cover of A Night of Mischief in the Courtyard. Gingerly, Kyros took the piece of paper and opened it. His lips involuntarily twitched into a smile as he read Ava’s loopy handwriting: Hope you don’t mind, but I’ve tired of fantasy for the time being.
Meh, it was worth it!
Today, I got a lot of plot stuff written out, and I also managed to write a little scene between Ava and Kyros. Who knows if I'm going to use it or not? It doesn't matter. I had fun writing it. I'd love feedback (or confirmation that I'm not crazy for thinking that this scene should be renamed "Taylor's version of Draco and Ginny") Click the link if you want to read it. I'll update with more of my story details later this week. Night!
“Why do you avoid history?”
The girl nearly jumped a foot in the air at the unexpected voice, but managed to hold her ground. Instead, she dropped the book she was holding clumsily, and admittedly painfully, on her foot. “Ow,” she said.
The girl spun around to stare severely at the young man who’d spoken. “Now look what you’ve made me do,” she said, scowling. Before she could lean down to retrieve the book, however, the boy had snatched it from the ground. His eyes skimmed the cover of the book quickly before he raised it above his head.
“Answer my question, Ava,” he ordered, waving the novel teasingly over her. “Why do you avoid the history section?” He laughed as he watched her expression darken. “Come now, you can’t find this dribble informative,” he said. “A Night of Mischief in the Courtyard? What a delightful waste of time. And brain capacity.”
“Kyros,” the girl growled warningly.
“Not to mention,” he added thoughtfully, “dignity.”
“Since when do you care,” Ava asked bitterly, “what I do and don’t read? The last time I checked, you hardly acknowledged my existence.”
The boy chuckled again. “Of course I acknowledge your existence. How else would you be able to leave with these ridiculous little booklets if I didn’t ring them up for you?” The girl rolled her eyes and began skimming the bookshelves, fingertips sliding over each book spine as she passed it. Kyros watched her curiously.
After a few silent minutes, he spoke again. “What do you find so interesting about fiction anyway?” Ava turned to look at him, and Kyros was surprised to see that she was smiling.
“I find that I can better relate to it,” she said quietly.
Kyros snorted, gesturing to the novel he’d taken from her. “Relate better to what, the mischief or the night in the courtyard?”
Ava’s smile fell instantly. “Or maybe it’s just that I find reality intolerable!” she barked. “Like you! No one like you is in any of these books! That would just be…” She hesitated, trying to find the right word.
“Distracting?” Kyros offered.
“In bad taste!” she finished lamely. “Besides,” she added, “what’ve history books got to offer me? Everything in them has already happened.”
Kyros frowned, all playfulness wiped from his countenance. “Fine,” he said quietly, “enjoy your fantasies.” He tossed the book to her, and she caught it awkwardly. “And your ignorance.”
For a moment, Ava just stood and stared at Kyros. His attitude had changed so quickly, and it had shocked her. As they locked eyes, Ava couldn’t help but feel guilty. But what did she have to feel guilty about?
Finally, she found her voice. “How much do I owe you?” She felt like curling up into a ball and crying, but she firmly held his gaze.
Then Kyros’ eyes fell to the floor. “Nothing,” he said tonelessly, turning away from her and striding towards the back room door of the book shop. “We shouldn’t be charging for that garbage anyway.” Ava found herself following him and reaching for his shoulder, but she withdrew her hand as his pace quickened. Reaching in his pocket, Kyros pulled out a ring of keys and began fumbling through it. Finally, he found the proper key, opened the door, and slammed it shut behind him. The Employees Only sign hanging from the door knob clattered noisily to the ground.
Ava stood in the center of the empty book store, silence ringing in her ears. Eventually she gazed down at the novel in her arms and patted it warily. Sighing, she made her way to the counter, fishing in her pockets for the correct amount of change to pay. She paused, however, when she looked down at the counter to find a battered paperback book resting there. Ava set her change down and lifted the mysterious book in her free hand. The title in the center of the otherwise plain cover shined in a vibrant silver: The Sorcerer Genocide.
Several minutes later, Kyros emerged from the back room, prepared to make an embarrassed apology, only to find that he was alone in the store. “Ava?” he called out, but there was no answer. He hadn’t expected this. Guiltily, Kyros headed towards the counter to retrieve the change he knew Ava had left for her book. It was there, as he’d predicted, but oddly enough, so was her novel. And the book Kyros had been reading earlier was missing instead.
A folded note rested atop the cover of A Night of Mischief in the Courtyard. Gingerly, Kyros took the piece of paper and opened it. His lips involuntarily twitched into a smile as he read Ava’s loopy handwriting: Hope you don’t mind, but I’ve tired of fantasy for the time being.