Hero´s Manual: Author's Notes
Comments, credits and general wierdness about the original fic I've got on back-burner, "Hero's Manual".
Chapter 1: Enter Main Characters (in assorted capes, coats and aprons)
I began this when I should have been studying for my Psychology of Deafness midterm. I was tired of sitting at my desk and bored because the material was simple enough to be boring, but not so simple as to require zero studying. I’d recently skimmed through a number of self-insertions (not Mary Sues, but blatant “this is me interacting with the characters in my own home”). There was one with the X-Men and from that I got the image of Toad barging into my room. Quickly, however, the concept remained but the character became Hero, in no way Toad-like. His name stays. I managed to squeeze in an explanation later, but I was too lazy for give him a new one.
Chapter 2: Enter Secondary Character (With a Grudge)
Quasi was originally based on Terry Pratchett’s long-suffering Igors, particullarly the one in Carpe Jugulum, who greatly dislikes his new master. He quickly became much too sane for the story, even more so than Gwen, and thus is my favorite (but still long-suffering) character.
Chapter 3: Coffee is not your friend
I was bored. Forgive me?
Chapter 4: Carpeting Made Easy
My love for Quasi continues. Here is where I also first introduce a character who takes up more space in the upcoming chapter. I never intended for him to exist, but there you go. A gentlemanly mummy, in no way tainted by my muddied memories of Anne Rice’s The Mummy, or Ramses the Damned. Honest.
Chapter 5: Into the Dark Closet
The strange clapping man was inspired by the rock song “Clap for the Wolfman” and the recollection of Peter Pan clapping to bring Tinkerbell back. I got carried away with the mummy and gave him more story than intended. Deal with it.
Chapter 6: Of the Garden Variety
One of the first scenes written, actually. Plain silly stuff. And yes, Vicky’s propositions are what you think they are. He was channeling Sidious from the Sith Academy.
Chapter 7: Tea with the Enemy
This chapter was written after the dungeon ones, and was done much less freely than most of my chapters, because I had a certain information and exchanges I had to put in. This made the chapter too long, so now I have four tea/confrontation chapters, not that I’m complaining.
Chapter 8: Evil Mascots Inc.
Clyde exists because in 2002 I heard a song by Raymond Stevens called “Ahab the Arab”. It’s a very funny song with ridiculous details. And a camel named Clyde. Somewhat further influenced by TPratchett's "You Bastard" camel.
Chapter 9: The Confrontation
The game of Risk comes to you thanks to evadne_noel’s Once Upon a Freakin' Time series which revolves around the Death Eaters (HP fandom). In one chapter, Voldemort makes Harry play Risk to decide who will rule the wizarding world. There’s a bunny cartoon that works on the same idea, linked to on the comments section for one of her stories.
Chapter 10: Uncle Mycroft
Mycroft is Sherlock Holmes’s brother (coincidently, also Thursday Next’s uncle, in Jasper Fforde’s series), and Pike was a vampire in the movie-version of BtVS, (though I first got that name from Buffyworld’s actor list for their Season 8). This chapter ended on a darker note (if you take it seriously) that I’d originally intended. I couldn’t help myself from paraphrasing ultra_lilac, quoted in metaquotes as saying: “People should never be baked into pies, you monster! The pastry overpowers the delicate bouquet of flavours in human flesh!” Gwen’s shout of “campfire” comes to you thanks to Listener who noted the rhyme in one of her poems. *pimps*
Chapter 11: Down into the Darkest Dungeon
This was the first thing I wrote after “The Dark Closet” many, many months later. Things hadn’t been going well, which is why there’re a few moments of comfort and actual fear. Short moments, because humour is good.
Chapter 12: The Billowing Cloud of Terror
Huzzah was supposed to be prissy, like a peeved-off Good Omens Arizaphale. I’m a bit surprised by the magic-logic I came up with.
Chapter 13: Shadow Puppets
This was just for fun. Again, surprisingly tender moments. I had no idea when I wrote this why Hero screamed at the shadow puppet.
Chapter 14: Carpet Morse Code
A somewhat forced chapter, especially getting the characters to work the carpet. Hero is becoming surprisingly adept at the hero-work. The carpet insisted on being somewhat sentient. I never knew that making Huzzah have glowing purple ectoplasm would be so useful. (He bears no relation to the green slime ghost from “Ghostbusters”.) Oh, and everyone wants tea, what of it? Tea makes everything better. Just ask this thread and icon.
Chapter 15: Clothing Interlude
A very domestic chapter where Vicky and Quasi actually - gasp - get along together and work quite well as a team. Except for the vest buttons.
Chapter 16: Goodnight Moon
Hero’s getting too smart, damn him.
Chapter 1: Enter Main Characters (in assorted capes, coats and aprons)
I began this when I should have been studying for my Psychology of Deafness midterm. I was tired of sitting at my desk and bored because the material was simple enough to be boring, but not so simple as to require zero studying. I’d recently skimmed through a number of self-insertions (not Mary Sues, but blatant “this is me interacting with the characters in my own home”). There was one with the X-Men and from that I got the image of Toad barging into my room. Quickly, however, the concept remained but the character became Hero, in no way Toad-like. His name stays. I managed to squeeze in an explanation later, but I was too lazy for give him a new one.
Chapter 2: Enter Secondary Character (With a Grudge)
Quasi was originally based on Terry Pratchett’s long-suffering Igors, particullarly the one in Carpe Jugulum, who greatly dislikes his new master. He quickly became much too sane for the story, even more so than Gwen, and thus is my favorite (but still long-suffering) character.
Chapter 3: Coffee is not your friend
I was bored. Forgive me?
Chapter 4: Carpeting Made Easy
My love for Quasi continues. Here is where I also first introduce a character who takes up more space in the upcoming chapter. I never intended for him to exist, but there you go. A gentlemanly mummy, in no way tainted by my muddied memories of Anne Rice’s The Mummy, or Ramses the Damned. Honest.
Chapter 5: Into the Dark Closet
The strange clapping man was inspired by the rock song “Clap for the Wolfman” and the recollection of Peter Pan clapping to bring Tinkerbell back. I got carried away with the mummy and gave him more story than intended. Deal with it.
Chapter 6: Of the Garden Variety
One of the first scenes written, actually. Plain silly stuff. And yes, Vicky’s propositions are what you think they are. He was channeling Sidious from the Sith Academy.
Chapter 7: Tea with the Enemy
This chapter was written after the dungeon ones, and was done much less freely than most of my chapters, because I had a certain information and exchanges I had to put in. This made the chapter too long, so now I have four tea/confrontation chapters, not that I’m complaining.
Chapter 8: Evil Mascots Inc.
Clyde exists because in 2002 I heard a song by Raymond Stevens called “Ahab the Arab”. It’s a very funny song with ridiculous details. And a camel named Clyde. Somewhat further influenced by TPratchett's "You Bastard" camel.
Chapter 9: The Confrontation
The game of Risk comes to you thanks to evadne_noel’s Once Upon a Freakin' Time series which revolves around the Death Eaters (HP fandom). In one chapter, Voldemort makes Harry play Risk to decide who will rule the wizarding world. There’s a bunny cartoon that works on the same idea, linked to on the comments section for one of her stories.
Chapter 10: Uncle Mycroft
Mycroft is Sherlock Holmes’s brother (coincidently, also Thursday Next’s uncle, in Jasper Fforde’s series), and Pike was a vampire in the movie-version of BtVS, (though I first got that name from Buffyworld’s actor list for their Season 8). This chapter ended on a darker note (if you take it seriously) that I’d originally intended. I couldn’t help myself from paraphrasing ultra_lilac, quoted in metaquotes as saying: “People should never be baked into pies, you monster! The pastry overpowers the delicate bouquet of flavours in human flesh!” Gwen’s shout of “campfire” comes to you thanks to Listener who noted the rhyme in one of her poems. *pimps*
Chapter 11: Down into the Darkest Dungeon
This was the first thing I wrote after “The Dark Closet” many, many months later. Things hadn’t been going well, which is why there’re a few moments of comfort and actual fear. Short moments, because humour is good.
Chapter 12: The Billowing Cloud of Terror
Huzzah was supposed to be prissy, like a peeved-off Good Omens Arizaphale. I’m a bit surprised by the magic-logic I came up with.
Chapter 13: Shadow Puppets
This was just for fun. Again, surprisingly tender moments. I had no idea when I wrote this why Hero screamed at the shadow puppet.
Chapter 14: Carpet Morse Code
A somewhat forced chapter, especially getting the characters to work the carpet. Hero is becoming surprisingly adept at the hero-work. The carpet insisted on being somewhat sentient. I never knew that making Huzzah have glowing purple ectoplasm would be so useful. (He bears no relation to the green slime ghost from “Ghostbusters”.) Oh, and everyone wants tea, what of it? Tea makes everything better. Just ask this thread and icon.
Chapter 15: Clothing Interlude
A very domestic chapter where Vicky and Quasi actually - gasp - get along together and work quite well as a team. Except for the vest buttons.
Chapter 16: Goodnight Moon
Hero’s getting too smart, damn him.