Writing Log: Began Heretic's Hope!
"Heretic's Hope" Writing Log
New words: 934
Total words: 18,519
Overused word: egg
Gratuitous Chinese food: chaofan
Type of scene: Introducing Jia, her daughter Ming, and their problem.
Challenge(s): Trying to reflect the Indian/Chinese heritage of New Singapore, the colony planet they're from, without defaulting to, "They're Chinese!"
Which line made me hungry anyways?Jia smiled, a little relieved that her daughter still loved the food of her mother's people--though growing up, Jia's own favorite was chicken chilli momos with scallions and soy sauce. As soon as they reached the New Singapore station, she was heading straight for a food stall and that was the first thing she'd eat.
Researched: Gah. What *didn't* I research? Chinese terms for family relations. Chinese food. Chinese decor. Chinese-Indian food. Manchu history and culture.
Notes: New Singaporean gambling dealer Jia used to be blue-eyed, blonde-haired prostitute Ariane. Then I went and edited Vicesteed. And when I came back, that wasn't the character she was supposed to be anymore. Weird.
Music emanated from the tinny speakers inside Minnow's joint. Men staggered past with one arm around scantily clad girls who might be pretty in a certain light. Hanging red lanterns cast jagged, dancing patterns of light to shine over the bared flesh of the handful of women leaning against the tunnel wall.
Ariane lurked in the shadows, as far away from the lineup as she could get. A small, fully-clad woman scurried up and began talking earnestly to them. The scrawny whore nearest Ariane sidled over to join her in the shadows.
"What does she want?" Ariane asked. "Something kinky for her boyfriend?"
"Oh, yeah," Fanta said, crossing her arms over the only portion of her anatomy that wasn't narrow. "That's right. You weren't here the last time she came around. Minnow was really pissed, too."
Ariane shifted further back into the shadows and tilted her face to conceal the pale green bruise on her cheekbone.
"Nothing like that," Fanta continued. "She's a reformer. She thinks we ought to be unionized." She laughed. "What--she thinks our lives will all be sunshine and light if we strike to get a 10-dick workweek?"
"She said that?"
"Nah. Just a bunch of other stuff that's about as ridiculous. Stupid girl doesn't realize that whores don't unionize. They whore--or they get out of the business."
"If they can."
"Yeah." Fanta reached up and tilted Ariane's chin so she could see the bruise under its layer of pancake makeup. "Huh. Minnow didn't hit you so bad as all that. You won't have a mark left in a few days."
"I--I can't do this anymore," Ariane said, dropping her voice to a whisper. "I just can't."
"Don't try to talk to Minnow right now. Wait until he's in a good mood."
"Yes. Yes, I'll do that." Ariane seized Fanta's arm. "You can't tell anyone. I'll do what you suggest, but you can't tell anyone. If he finds out from anybody but me--"
"I won't."
Other writingy stuff:
* Posted writing log, freewriting.
* Read FundsforWriters, FFWSmallMarkets, Duotrope, and WritersMarket newsletters.
* Processed agent responses, and re-queried one (He said to if he hadn't responded by 2 weeks! Honest!)
* How to Write a Book: http://www.randsinrepose.com/archives/2010/06/28/how_to_write_a_book.html
New words: 934
Total words: 18,519
Overused word: egg
Gratuitous Chinese food: chaofan
Type of scene: Introducing Jia, her daughter Ming, and their problem.
Challenge(s): Trying to reflect the Indian/Chinese heritage of New Singapore, the colony planet they're from, without defaulting to, "They're Chinese!"
Which line made me hungry anyways?Jia smiled, a little relieved that her daughter still loved the food of her mother's people--though growing up, Jia's own favorite was chicken chilli momos with scallions and soy sauce. As soon as they reached the New Singapore station, she was heading straight for a food stall and that was the first thing she'd eat.
Researched: Gah. What *didn't* I research? Chinese terms for family relations. Chinese food. Chinese decor. Chinese-Indian food. Manchu history and culture.
Notes: New Singaporean gambling dealer Jia used to be blue-eyed, blonde-haired prostitute Ariane. Then I went and edited Vicesteed. And when I came back, that wasn't the character she was supposed to be anymore. Weird.
Music emanated from the tinny speakers inside Minnow's joint. Men staggered past with one arm around scantily clad girls who might be pretty in a certain light. Hanging red lanterns cast jagged, dancing patterns of light to shine over the bared flesh of the handful of women leaning against the tunnel wall.
Ariane lurked in the shadows, as far away from the lineup as she could get. A small, fully-clad woman scurried up and began talking earnestly to them. The scrawny whore nearest Ariane sidled over to join her in the shadows.
"What does she want?" Ariane asked. "Something kinky for her boyfriend?"
"Oh, yeah," Fanta said, crossing her arms over the only portion of her anatomy that wasn't narrow. "That's right. You weren't here the last time she came around. Minnow was really pissed, too."
Ariane shifted further back into the shadows and tilted her face to conceal the pale green bruise on her cheekbone.
"Nothing like that," Fanta continued. "She's a reformer. She thinks we ought to be unionized." She laughed. "What--she thinks our lives will all be sunshine and light if we strike to get a 10-dick workweek?"
"She said that?"
"Nah. Just a bunch of other stuff that's about as ridiculous. Stupid girl doesn't realize that whores don't unionize. They whore--or they get out of the business."
"If they can."
"Yeah." Fanta reached up and tilted Ariane's chin so she could see the bruise under its layer of pancake makeup. "Huh. Minnow didn't hit you so bad as all that. You won't have a mark left in a few days."
"I--I can't do this anymore," Ariane said, dropping her voice to a whisper. "I just can't."
"Don't try to talk to Minnow right now. Wait until he's in a good mood."
"Yes. Yes, I'll do that." Ariane seized Fanta's arm. "You can't tell anyone. I'll do what you suggest, but you can't tell anyone. If he finds out from anybody but me--"
"I won't."
Other writingy stuff:
* Posted writing log, freewriting.
* Read FundsforWriters, FFWSmallMarkets, Duotrope, and WritersMarket newsletters.
* Processed agent responses, and re-queried one (He said to if he hadn't responded by 2 weeks! Honest!)
* How to Write a Book: http://www.randsinrepose.com/archives/2010/06/28/how_to_write_a_book.html