Noveling as a lifestyle
Having completed (or "won") the National Novel Writing Month 50,000-word challenge in November, I find myself returning to another book I started writing several years back: the "Elanor" fan-fic story, following the unwritten (until now) adventures of Elanor, daughter of Sam and Rosie (Cotton) Gamgee.
It is being typed on my little AlphaSmart keyboard, at odd intervals.
I hope something exciting happens soon. The story seems to center around minor emotional/relational/intellectual devices, because apparently I hate conflict and have a hard time writing it. The worst thing that's happened to my MC so far is that she and her current friend, the daughter of two other LOTR characters (Faramir and Eowyn) had a hard time opening a very heavy door leading to the stables, where the other girl had begun sneaking down to see the horses. (The problem was solved when Eldarion, Aragorn's son, happened to come along on his way to the stables for a riding lesson, and casually opened the door with one hand. Boys!!) As a descendant of a horse-loving Rohirric woman, this girl misses her wild, carefree lifestyle in Ithilien (that's where Faramir and Eowyn had settled, remember?) and gets bored and claustrophobic trying to learn to be a handmaiden to Queen Arwen, along with Elanor who has been invited to do the same thing. The two girls are studying herbal lore (with Ioreth) and flower arranging, as well as learning how to serve tea to the Queen and her court. They also babysit Eldarion's two little sisters several mornings a week for an hour or so at a time; and Elanor is learning to read and write Elvish from the royal children's nurse, a Gondorian woman who spent a few years in Rivendell so she could speak Elvish with the children.
I have temporarily called the wild little maiden Lily, for lack of a really good Numenorean-sounding girl's name.
Elanor and Lily have an ongoing argument about whether it is really necessary to be able to read and write. Elanor is holding out for literacy; Lily does not see the point. Her father is somewhat of a scholar, but her mother, who does in fact know how to read and write, favours the Rohirric custom of learning the old tales by heart.
Ultimately, I am planning to have Eldarion and Lily fall in love. When they're older of course--they're 12 and 13 during this story (Elanor is 15). I have searched through the Appendices in ROTK and can't find anything to tell me who (if anyone) Eldarion married, so am assuming the right to guess that it might as well have been Eowyn's daughter. Elanor, of course, will marry Fastred of the Shire in the next 20 years or so. He has already appeared in the first part of the novel, as a mischievous red-haired boy who keeps rabbits in his back yard.
Rosie Cotton is a whiz at doing beautiful floral embroidery. Elanor's hand-embroidered "best dress" is greatly admired in Gondor. However, she is soon fitted for a beautiful yet simple, well-made "maid of honour" gown, which she is expected to wear while in court. Lily has one too.
I really need some excitement to come into the story. Have considered having the girls go with a group to visit Lothlorien, Fangorn or some other place, and be waylaid by one of the few Orc bands still hiding out along the way, but it seems contrived. As I said, I have a hard time writing conflict. It's hard enough dealing with it in real life. :o(
It is being typed on my little AlphaSmart keyboard, at odd intervals.
I hope something exciting happens soon. The story seems to center around minor emotional/relational/intellectual devices, because apparently I hate conflict and have a hard time writing it. The worst thing that's happened to my MC so far is that she and her current friend, the daughter of two other LOTR characters (Faramir and Eowyn) had a hard time opening a very heavy door leading to the stables, where the other girl had begun sneaking down to see the horses. (The problem was solved when Eldarion, Aragorn's son, happened to come along on his way to the stables for a riding lesson, and casually opened the door with one hand. Boys!!) As a descendant of a horse-loving Rohirric woman, this girl misses her wild, carefree lifestyle in Ithilien (that's where Faramir and Eowyn had settled, remember?) and gets bored and claustrophobic trying to learn to be a handmaiden to Queen Arwen, along with Elanor who has been invited to do the same thing. The two girls are studying herbal lore (with Ioreth) and flower arranging, as well as learning how to serve tea to the Queen and her court. They also babysit Eldarion's two little sisters several mornings a week for an hour or so at a time; and Elanor is learning to read and write Elvish from the royal children's nurse, a Gondorian woman who spent a few years in Rivendell so she could speak Elvish with the children.
I have temporarily called the wild little maiden Lily, for lack of a really good Numenorean-sounding girl's name.
Elanor and Lily have an ongoing argument about whether it is really necessary to be able to read and write. Elanor is holding out for literacy; Lily does not see the point. Her father is somewhat of a scholar, but her mother, who does in fact know how to read and write, favours the Rohirric custom of learning the old tales by heart.
Ultimately, I am planning to have Eldarion and Lily fall in love. When they're older of course--they're 12 and 13 during this story (Elanor is 15). I have searched through the Appendices in ROTK and can't find anything to tell me who (if anyone) Eldarion married, so am assuming the right to guess that it might as well have been Eowyn's daughter. Elanor, of course, will marry Fastred of the Shire in the next 20 years or so. He has already appeared in the first part of the novel, as a mischievous red-haired boy who keeps rabbits in his back yard.
Rosie Cotton is a whiz at doing beautiful floral embroidery. Elanor's hand-embroidered "best dress" is greatly admired in Gondor. However, she is soon fitted for a beautiful yet simple, well-made "maid of honour" gown, which she is expected to wear while in court. Lily has one too.
I really need some excitement to come into the story. Have considered having the girls go with a group to visit Lothlorien, Fangorn or some other place, and be waylaid by one of the few Orc bands still hiding out along the way, but it seems contrived. As I said, I have a hard time writing conflict. It's hard enough dealing with it in real life. :o(