As I mentioned, the dream sequence was removed from this arc. The scene came to mind while I wrote Hauntings Anonymous but really fit in better in the intro arc. Problem is, the intro arc isn't ready for prime time. It's not even ready for an alpha read, let alone beta. The scene, though, sets up a few themes to be explored in dba LTV Paranormalists.
Dream sequences are tricksy. Done wrong, they annoy the reader. The scene needs to have a purpose. The events in the scene can't just be handwaved away as "just a dream." I didn't have these as set goals while writing. It's NaNoWriMo; the goal is to write. But the scene was needed, at least for me. If it didn't fit, the chapter could be, and was, pulled.
The problem with just pulling it is that the dream does have a purpose. The series gets an overarching plot, one that may not always appear, but one that the cast will have to deal with. One of the ideas I came up with while writing is the invasion of European myths into North America. Raccoon spells it out for Ayel and Kristi. However, the problem there is that there isn't one European myth but many from every country. Europe also isn't the only source. Everyone who moved to North America brought with them some of the legends of their homeland.
However, there are North American myths, from the legends of the First Nations* to stories from early settlers to new urban legends. Ayel mentions flying canoes; that's a courier du bois tale from the Outaouais that appeared in the opening ceremony of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. For many, it was a WTF moment, but I had heard of the tale, thanks to the National Film Board of Canada.
LTV Paranormalists is set up for a culture clash. And then there's Ginger, one of the invaders. An invasion doesn't work well when its foot soldiers behave as cats. If herding cats is difficult, ordering an army of them to march is impossible. Raccoon even says that not every myth is part of the invasion. He's recruiting three young women, one with a Scandiavian background, one a granddaughter of the Boat People refugees, and Kristi. Which led to my next main problem.
Why is Raccoon recruiting three women with no link to the First Nations. I did my research. While Raccoon does appear in Shadowrun as a totem, I verified that he does exist in legend. I could have gone with Coyote, who has appeared in more urban fantasy and has a similar trickster role. But why Ayel, Kieu, and Kristi? And if Kristi is from Moosonee/Moose Factory, where the population is 85% Cree, why isn't she Cree? I didn't have any good answer besides her last name of Thiessen, and that's just her father's side. So, Kristi is now Cree. Does that change anything? Maybe. I worked out her background and her parents, having her mother work as a doctor at a clinic/hospital in Moose Factory. Her father has German roots. I hadn't filled in the details of her mother.
The son of a friend was considered to have enough First Nations' blood in him to qualify for free post-secondary education. The kid took advantage of it. He went to a community college to learn a trade, choosing welding because why not? He had his dorm and his tuition paid. He didn't coast - he got good marks and graduated. Thanks to an inheritance, he didn't even have to go into debt to get his equipment as he started his apprenticeship. Now, he has a girlfriend, a son of his own (I am so old...), and a career he loves. Why am I mentioning this? Because his story gives me the information I need for Kristi's mother. Now that Kristi is Cree, so is her mother. Kristi's mom can take the same advantage that my friend's son had, this time going into a pre-med program. Medical school would have to be paid for, but, because of a shortage of doctors in Northern Ontario, I imagine that the province would happily waive tuition fees for a med student willing to move up there. Kristi's mom is from the area, so why not?
Going back to Raccoon, why him and not the more well-known Coyote? First, everyone uses Coyote. Why follow the pack? The main reason, though, is that there were an unusual number of news articles in 2015 that involved a raccoon. The "Bringer of Sinkholes" bit, which refers to a scene in the unpublished first arc, came about because of the Rideau Raccoon, who appeared on a scaffold in the middle of construction at the Rideau Centre. He was there an afternoon and became a Twitter sensation, then disappeared. Two days later, a major sinkhole appeared. The sinkhole not only caused delays on the construction of Ottawa's LRT but also swallowed an illegally parked minivan. As I was preparing for NaNo, a fight broke out at the McDonalds near the Rideau Centre. Fights there aren't newsworthy, except a bystander pulled out a different object other than a weapon, a baby raccoon. Yes, that's a different raccoon than the one on the scaffold. Because that needs to be said. At that point, I'm rolling with using Raccoon. He fit.
I also used the dream to reveal Ayel's proper given name, Amber-Leigh. Brad and Janet avoided the Rocky Horror Picture Show route and didn't call their daughters Magenta and Columbia, nor did they call their eldest Riff-Raff. Instead, they went the 80s route. Tiffany doesn't mind her name. Ayel, though, hates hers. In high school, she convinced her friends to use her initials, A-L, which eventually mutated into Ayel by the time she graduated. All her official paperwork uses her proper name. She just introduces herself as Ayel. On the plus side, telemarketers will make themselves obvious.
No Kieu in the dream. Her sleep habits are awful. Once she finally gets a decent night's rest, she's dead to the world. I did check to see what Vietnamese myths were like. The bureaucracy Raccoon mentions is the Chinese celestial one, but he's involved in handwaving away why he couldn't get Kieu. I wanted to keep the number of characters in the scene down, and Kieu is the more literal one of the bunch who would need regular explanations in a scene where I didn't want to be bogged down in anything that distracted from the chapter's goal.
Raccoon mentioned others. That was more for me to set up future story arcs, including one where Kristi does go home. There are people in Moosonee who are already involved in the resistance against the invading fae. Three people aren't enough, but I am not creating a cast of thousands when all I wanted is a Scooby-Doo pastiche. The next arc does feature the invasion, with the Paranormalists being called in after their client finds their business card left behind by a raccoon.
Friday, a new series begins with The Elf's Prisoner.
Also Friday, over at Psycho Drive-In, The Dresden Files/ RPG.
Saturday, over at The Seventh Sanctum, hiatus due to life.
* If I am getting the name wrong, please tell me. If I am insulting, it's through ignorance, not malice, and I am open to being corrected there.
Showing posts with label dba LTV Paranormalists. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dba LTV Paranormalists. Show all posts
19 Oct 2018
dba LTV Paranormalists - Hauntings Anonymous - Bonus!
I mentioned back in the commentary for Chapter 7 that a chapter went missing. It turned out that the chapter and some of its follow up worked better in the unpublished first arc. However, since some key elements of the series appear in it, I'm posting it here as bonus content. Some edits have been made because of ideas that wound up needing fixed.
18 Oct 2018
dba LTV Paranormalists - Hauntings Anonymous - Commentary 13
Old Man Peterson revealed, in dba LTV Paranormalists Chapter 13.
All mysteries must have an end, one where the villain has been found. There wasn't any way for me to continue this arc. Everyone had a chance at the spotlight. Clues were found. It was time for the final act, time for the Phantom to be unmasked.
First, though, the Paranormalists had to go through a show of exorcising the spirits Ginger already got rid of in Chapter 10. The display was more for Alex and his boss, to show that the Paranormalists aren't just taking money and to hide that they've broken into the warehouse a few times. It helps that there were spirits to banish. The "ritual" just plays into what is expected of a banishment, thanks to shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Supernatural. Salt is traditional; in the past, it was rare and restricted to the upper class. Today, it's easil;y found in grocery stores and gets into everything.
That leaves the Phantom of the Warehouse. What sort of mystery story would leave the mystery unsolved? It's not satisfying, even if the Paranormalists aren't licensed as private investigators. The clues were there, though not all at once. I hadn't worked out the identity of the Phantom until late in the writing. A few things that I did have, though, helped. First, the explosion in Chapter 9. There was sound, but little damage. More than flash bangs, but still pyrotechnics. That was where I had the idea of the nature of who. Kieu's discovery of the nature of low-light recording in Chapter 12.helped confirm that the Phantom was mundane, not supernatural.
Of course, knowing the clues was just part of it. I still needed a motive. All sorts of valuables pass through a warehouse. Problem is, if they go missing, it's easy to see where they disappeared. Another problem is stealing enough to make the theft worthwhile. There might be a multi-million dollar shipment, but spread over half a dozen crates that are each too large to be picked up by a person. Art theft just needs the one work to be taken to be worth something, especially if a buyer is already lined up. But that's not the full motive.
Art theft is just the crime being done. The thief still needs a reason to steal. That was easy. Thanks to the Police Squad episode "A Bird in the Hand"/"The Butler Did It"*, I had the ultimate reason; "I needed the money." There's no tale of revenge, no deep dark secret, just someone who needed to make ends meet.
The wrap up let me get a few outstanding issues wrapped up. The big one is Kieu's attitude towards Ayel. In the unseen first arc, they did get to a detente of sorts, but Kieu backslid while I wrote "Hauntings Anonymous". I really need Kieu and Ayel to be able to work together for futre arcs. The conflict isn't sustainable for an entire series and characters should develop over time. Since the Paranormalists are doing supernatural investigations as a business, even if it's just on the side, I wanted to make sure that the audience knew they were paid. And I wanted everyone to come clean on asking Aidan to keep investigating. Ayel may have started skeptical, but she's in on the business with the others.
There were a few more shout outs in this chapter. Gregori Hapschatt finishes off the references to The Rocky Horror Picture Show, after Brad, Janet, and the Munroes last chapter. Constable Frasier comes from Due South; I'm not using the same character, but the shout out is there. Besides, I didn't include Benton Frasier's dog/wolf, Diefenbaker. My other option at the time of writing was to reference The Beachcombers, with Constable John Constable.
I do have future arcs in mind for the series. The next one has been started but stalled out. The core idea is to get into the supernatural and paranormal more, with the Paranormalists being called in because of a spriggan invasion of a cottage. I also plan on bringing in some of Kristi's family, so she, too, can be tortured by someone she can't ignore. One for later involves a haunting at a doll convention. I want to have Ginger out in view of the public instead of always hiding, and by disguising her as a doll, though a really life-like one, the LOLfae will get to see what's around her.
Coming up in the next few weeks, one final commentary about the full "Hauntings Anonymous", including items I glossed over or outright missed followed by a new serial, though one that's incomplete. NaNoWriMo starts soon, so there will be juggling involved.
Friday, bonus content for dba LTV Paranormalists.
Also Friday, over at Psycho Drive-In, adaptations of adaptations.
Saturday, over at The Seventh Sanctum, The Dresden Files RPG.
* Police Squad episodes always had two titles, one on screen and one spoken by the narrator. The titles never matched, and in the case of "A Bird in Hand"/The Butler Did It", includes a spoiler of who the thief is.
All mysteries must have an end, one where the villain has been found. There wasn't any way for me to continue this arc. Everyone had a chance at the spotlight. Clues were found. It was time for the final act, time for the Phantom to be unmasked.
First, though, the Paranormalists had to go through a show of exorcising the spirits Ginger already got rid of in Chapter 10. The display was more for Alex and his boss, to show that the Paranormalists aren't just taking money and to hide that they've broken into the warehouse a few times. It helps that there were spirits to banish. The "ritual" just plays into what is expected of a banishment, thanks to shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Supernatural. Salt is traditional; in the past, it was rare and restricted to the upper class. Today, it's easil;y found in grocery stores and gets into everything.
That leaves the Phantom of the Warehouse. What sort of mystery story would leave the mystery unsolved? It's not satisfying, even if the Paranormalists aren't licensed as private investigators. The clues were there, though not all at once. I hadn't worked out the identity of the Phantom until late in the writing. A few things that I did have, though, helped. First, the explosion in Chapter 9. There was sound, but little damage. More than flash bangs, but still pyrotechnics. That was where I had the idea of the nature of who. Kieu's discovery of the nature of low-light recording in Chapter 12.helped confirm that the Phantom was mundane, not supernatural.
Of course, knowing the clues was just part of it. I still needed a motive. All sorts of valuables pass through a warehouse. Problem is, if they go missing, it's easy to see where they disappeared. Another problem is stealing enough to make the theft worthwhile. There might be a multi-million dollar shipment, but spread over half a dozen crates that are each too large to be picked up by a person. Art theft just needs the one work to be taken to be worth something, especially if a buyer is already lined up. But that's not the full motive.
Art theft is just the crime being done. The thief still needs a reason to steal. That was easy. Thanks to the Police Squad episode "A Bird in the Hand"/"The Butler Did It"*, I had the ultimate reason; "I needed the money." There's no tale of revenge, no deep dark secret, just someone who needed to make ends meet.
The wrap up let me get a few outstanding issues wrapped up. The big one is Kieu's attitude towards Ayel. In the unseen first arc, they did get to a detente of sorts, but Kieu backslid while I wrote "Hauntings Anonymous". I really need Kieu and Ayel to be able to work together for futre arcs. The conflict isn't sustainable for an entire series and characters should develop over time. Since the Paranormalists are doing supernatural investigations as a business, even if it's just on the side, I wanted to make sure that the audience knew they were paid. And I wanted everyone to come clean on asking Aidan to keep investigating. Ayel may have started skeptical, but she's in on the business with the others.
There were a few more shout outs in this chapter. Gregori Hapschatt finishes off the references to The Rocky Horror Picture Show, after Brad, Janet, and the Munroes last chapter. Constable Frasier comes from Due South; I'm not using the same character, but the shout out is there. Besides, I didn't include Benton Frasier's dog/wolf, Diefenbaker. My other option at the time of writing was to reference The Beachcombers, with Constable John Constable.
I do have future arcs in mind for the series. The next one has been started but stalled out. The core idea is to get into the supernatural and paranormal more, with the Paranormalists being called in because of a spriggan invasion of a cottage. I also plan on bringing in some of Kristi's family, so she, too, can be tortured by someone she can't ignore. One for later involves a haunting at a doll convention. I want to have Ginger out in view of the public instead of always hiding, and by disguising her as a doll, though a really life-like one, the LOLfae will get to see what's around her.
Coming up in the next few weeks, one final commentary about the full "Hauntings Anonymous", including items I glossed over or outright missed followed by a new serial, though one that's incomplete. NaNoWriMo starts soon, so there will be juggling involved.
Friday, bonus content for dba LTV Paranormalists.
Also Friday, over at Psycho Drive-In, adaptations of adaptations.
Saturday, over at The Seventh Sanctum, The Dresden Files RPG.
* Police Squad episodes always had two titles, one on screen and one spoken by the narrator. The titles never matched, and in the case of "A Bird in Hand"/The Butler Did It", includes a spoiler of who the thief is.
12 Oct 2018
dba LTV Paranormalists - Hauntings Anonymous - Chapter 13
The Phanton Unmasked
Previously:
Ayel jumped out of the van as soon as it stopped moving in the warehouse's parking lot. She dashed to join Kristi and Kieu at the main entrance. "I got your message. What's up?"
"You got me," Kristi said. "Aidan asked me to round everyone up. Did you get the report done for Mr. Morton?"
"Right here." Ayel pulled a manila envelope out from under her jacket. "Feels wrong to just say that the carving's clean now without saying how."
"Got you covered." Kristi opened her shoulder bag. A tiny hand pushed up a box of table salt. "Ginger! I told you to stay behind."
Ginger's head poked up from the bag. "I wanted to see."
Kristi rubbed her forehead. "Don't let anyone else see you, okay? It's going to be difficult enough selling what we're about to do without having to explain a fae in my purse."
Kieu knelt down to face Ginger. "Having fun yet?"
Ginger giggled. "Hiding's fun for a bit, then it gets boring."
"Well, don't get too bored, okay?" Kieu stood back up. "What's with the salt?"
"It works on Supernatural." Kristi shrugged. "I'll sprinkle some in the carvings' crate, say something about the purity of the crystals, and take credit for all of Ginger's hard work. Ginger, I will get you a special coffee when we're done here."
Ayel slipped the envelope back in her jacket. "Let's go see Alex, then."
Kristi stepped in front of the blonde woman, blocking her way to the entrance. "Aidan asked to be here, too." The tawny-haired woman pointed at the street and a red hatchback approaching. "I think that's him."
The hatchback turned into the warehouse's parking lot and coasted to a stop. Aidan got out of the car and waved to the women. "Have you talked to anyone inside yet?"
Kristi walked over to the slim man. "Not yet. What's up?" She tilted her head in Ayel's direction. "Is this what we talked about yesterday?"
Aidan held up several pages of printed paper. "Everything is detailed here." He gave a sheet of paper to Kristi. "One for everyone."
Previously:
"I'm already looking into the warehouse."Monday afternoon
"And don't tell Ayel what you're doing, okay?"
"A partnership that has an employee who has a security license."
"Kristi likes photos of beds in dim light?"
Ayel jumped out of the van as soon as it stopped moving in the warehouse's parking lot. She dashed to join Kristi and Kieu at the main entrance. "I got your message. What's up?"
"You got me," Kristi said. "Aidan asked me to round everyone up. Did you get the report done for Mr. Morton?"
"Right here." Ayel pulled a manila envelope out from under her jacket. "Feels wrong to just say that the carving's clean now without saying how."
"Got you covered." Kristi opened her shoulder bag. A tiny hand pushed up a box of table salt. "Ginger! I told you to stay behind."
Ginger's head poked up from the bag. "I wanted to see."
Kristi rubbed her forehead. "Don't let anyone else see you, okay? It's going to be difficult enough selling what we're about to do without having to explain a fae in my purse."
Kieu knelt down to face Ginger. "Having fun yet?"
Ginger giggled. "Hiding's fun for a bit, then it gets boring."
"Well, don't get too bored, okay?" Kieu stood back up. "What's with the salt?"
"It works on Supernatural." Kristi shrugged. "I'll sprinkle some in the carvings' crate, say something about the purity of the crystals, and take credit for all of Ginger's hard work. Ginger, I will get you a special coffee when we're done here."
Ayel slipped the envelope back in her jacket. "Let's go see Alex, then."
Kristi stepped in front of the blonde woman, blocking her way to the entrance. "Aidan asked to be here, too." The tawny-haired woman pointed at the street and a red hatchback approaching. "I think that's him."
The hatchback turned into the warehouse's parking lot and coasted to a stop. Aidan got out of the car and waved to the women. "Have you talked to anyone inside yet?"
Kristi walked over to the slim man. "Not yet. What's up?" She tilted her head in Ayel's direction. "Is this what we talked about yesterday?"
Aidan held up several pages of printed paper. "Everything is detailed here." He gave a sheet of paper to Kristi. "One for everyone."
11 Oct 2018
dba LTV Paranormalists - Hauntings Anonymous - Commentary 12
The last pieces have fell into place, in dba LTV Paranormalists Chapter 12.
It was time to separate the cast again. Families exist. They get worried when the young adults don't make appearances. So, Ayel and Kieu go home again. Kristi, coming from a different and far more isolated town, doesn't have the problem. The commute to Moose Factory is a little harsh. I do plan on having some of Kristi's family show up next arc.
Kieu has an annoying superpower - she is comfortable for small animals and fae to sleep on. Worse, Kieu tends to not notice while she's asleep. Ginger is basically a cat on two legs. I wasn't planning on going that way, but the LOLfae just went that direction. So, she'll sleep wherever she likes, can get her nose out of joint over a perceived insult, and will perk up on the mention of treats, in Ginger's case, coffee. If it works, it works.
Ayel's sister Tiffany reappears, this time a little brattier, trying to foist off Benedict Flyffybutt. The morning chaos strikes, though not as bad as it could be on a workday. Four people all trying to get ready for work/school? Yeah, traffic control is needed. On a Sunday morning, it's not as bad. This is the first Ayel's parents have heard of her side job. Janet wants her daughter to be safe. Having an employee licensed to carry a handgun doesn't inspire confidence. Brad is missing details, so his wife is getting Ayel to fill them in. And, yes, I named Ayel's parents after Bran and Janet in The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Brad was the last to be named and I resisted as long as possible, but I reached a point where I had to name him. And once that door opened, of course they're about to go out with the Munroes. The Hapschatts appear next chapter.
Since I've mentioned Tiffany, Ayel's middle name was originally going to be that. Except, when I needed to name her sister, Tiffany worked better there. I haven't used Ayel's middle name, or, really, her proper name at all in this chapter, so it's not an issue yet. At some point, though, I'll have to figure it out. Ayel gets her nickname from the initials of her hyphenated given name, A. L. She really doesn't like her proper name.
Kieu finally gets home after her date. Her parents are so used to her disappearing that they call the police when she does show up at home two days in a row. And don't ask where Kieu not wearing panties during her date came from. I'm not sure if she was being sarcastic or being truthful. Kieu isn't like Mara. Your guess is as good as mine right now.
Mysteries do eventually need to be solved. I now know who and have an idea of why, but that still means the clues need to be collected. Each character has an area of expertise - Kristi and art, Ayel and business, Kieu and technology - so each one has a way to dig for information. Kieu's affinity for technology helps get that one last clue I needed to point at the right person.
Friday, revealing Old Man Peterson, in Hauntings Anonymous Chapter 13, "The Phantom Unmasked".
Also Friday, over at Psycho Drive-In, Robocop the Animated Series.
Saturday, over at The Seventh Sanctum, adaptations of adaptations.
It was time to separate the cast again. Families exist. They get worried when the young adults don't make appearances. So, Ayel and Kieu go home again. Kristi, coming from a different and far more isolated town, doesn't have the problem. The commute to Moose Factory is a little harsh. I do plan on having some of Kristi's family show up next arc.
Kieu has an annoying superpower - she is comfortable for small animals and fae to sleep on. Worse, Kieu tends to not notice while she's asleep. Ginger is basically a cat on two legs. I wasn't planning on going that way, but the LOLfae just went that direction. So, she'll sleep wherever she likes, can get her nose out of joint over a perceived insult, and will perk up on the mention of treats, in Ginger's case, coffee. If it works, it works.
Ayel's sister Tiffany reappears, this time a little brattier, trying to foist off Benedict Flyffybutt. The morning chaos strikes, though not as bad as it could be on a workday. Four people all trying to get ready for work/school? Yeah, traffic control is needed. On a Sunday morning, it's not as bad. This is the first Ayel's parents have heard of her side job. Janet wants her daughter to be safe. Having an employee licensed to carry a handgun doesn't inspire confidence. Brad is missing details, so his wife is getting Ayel to fill them in. And, yes, I named Ayel's parents after Bran and Janet in The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Brad was the last to be named and I resisted as long as possible, but I reached a point where I had to name him. And once that door opened, of course they're about to go out with the Munroes. The Hapschatts appear next chapter.
Since I've mentioned Tiffany, Ayel's middle name was originally going to be that. Except, when I needed to name her sister, Tiffany worked better there. I haven't used Ayel's middle name, or, really, her proper name at all in this chapter, so it's not an issue yet. At some point, though, I'll have to figure it out. Ayel gets her nickname from the initials of her hyphenated given name, A. L. She really doesn't like her proper name.
Kieu finally gets home after her date. Her parents are so used to her disappearing that they call the police when she does show up at home two days in a row. And don't ask where Kieu not wearing panties during her date came from. I'm not sure if she was being sarcastic or being truthful. Kieu isn't like Mara. Your guess is as good as mine right now.
Mysteries do eventually need to be solved. I now know who and have an idea of why, but that still means the clues need to be collected. Each character has an area of expertise - Kristi and art, Ayel and business, Kieu and technology - so each one has a way to dig for information. Kieu's affinity for technology helps get that one last clue I needed to point at the right person.
Friday, revealing Old Man Peterson, in Hauntings Anonymous Chapter 13, "The Phantom Unmasked".
Also Friday, over at Psycho Drive-In, Robocop the Animated Series.
Saturday, over at The Seventh Sanctum, adaptations of adaptations.
5 Oct 2018
dba LTV Paranormalists - Hauntings Anonymous - Chapter 12
Discrete Investigation
Previously:
Kristi yawned as she made her way downstairs, her bare feet taking the steps one at a time to avoiud making any noise that could wake up her roomies or her guest. She reached the bottom of the stairs and started creeping towards the kitchen. The tawny-haired woman froze on hearing Kieu stir.
"Hello?" Kieu said, her voice soft.
"It's just me," Kristi said. "You can go back to sleep."
"Kristi, I can't move my arm. Something's wrong with it."
Hurrying, Kristi reached the faded couch. "Can you wriggle your fingers?"
After a moment, Kieu answered, "I can. I can also feel the blanket. I can't move my arm. It's too heavy."
Kristi peered at Kieu, only seeing her friend's head, the rest of her body covered by a grey blanket. "I'll take your covers off so I can see what's going on." With deliberate care, Kristi rolled the blanket back past Kieu's shoulders. She stopped on seeing Ginger's nude form draped over Kieu's arm. "I found the problem. It's not you."
Previously:
"And they're both alive."Sunday morning
"I'm sure we can find the fake ghost."
"Looks harmless enough."
"Getting drunk seems like a good idea right now."
Kristi yawned as she made her way downstairs, her bare feet taking the steps one at a time to avoiud making any noise that could wake up her roomies or her guest. She reached the bottom of the stairs and started creeping towards the kitchen. The tawny-haired woman froze on hearing Kieu stir.
"Hello?" Kieu said, her voice soft.
"It's just me," Kristi said. "You can go back to sleep."
"Kristi, I can't move my arm. Something's wrong with it."
Hurrying, Kristi reached the faded couch. "Can you wriggle your fingers?"
After a moment, Kieu answered, "I can. I can also feel the blanket. I can't move my arm. It's too heavy."
Kristi peered at Kieu, only seeing her friend's head, the rest of her body covered by a grey blanket. "I'll take your covers off so I can see what's going on." With deliberate care, Kristi rolled the blanket back past Kieu's shoulders. She stopped on seeing Ginger's nude form draped over Kieu's arm. "I found the problem. It's not you."
4 Oct 2018
dba LTV Paranormalists - Hauntings Anonymous - Commentary 11
Skirting the edge of a business license, in dba LTV Paranormalists Chapter 11.
There are times when constraints work against the core idea. My constraint was that, unlike Scooby-Doo, my paranormal investigators are doing this as a job. They have limits, mostly so that they don't need two years of PI and Security at Algonquin before the story begins. That's a different story, one that someone else can tell for now. The problem right now in the story is that they are about to cross over into actual mundane investigation work. Sure, Scooby and the gang did that, but they pulled in the police before the unmasking, and they were off in less populated parts than a major city. But the story can't end with the investigation dangling; it's not a satisfying ending. Even that characters are complaining that they can't finish what they started.
Fortunately, I gave myself an out. I figured I'd run into this situation. Thus, Aiden. He's my safety valve. He can step in for the more mundane aspects. That way, if the police get miffed, Aidan can show his license. I may have to throw that in in a future arc, but for now, I have a saving throw. He's there to give cover for the rest. After all, students do know how to research. They can dig into all sorts of files that they have access to. Aiden, though, can use his license to get to more restricted files without having to answer awkward questions.
The death near the night club and Kieu's pink-out are related. In the first arc, where the Paranormalists find Ginger, Kieu tastes purple when the LOLfae uses her magic. The next arc will go into the connection more, but there is a link between Kieu's unusual relationship with colours and magic. Sean and Jared did get home safe; it was a minor point but still out there.
The original concept of the LTV Paranormalists was that Kristi partially convinced Ayel to join her in the venture. That more or less happened, but Ayel was meant to be the skeptic. It's hard to remain skeptical when you meet a real fae. Ginger is very much proof that the paranormal and supernatural exist. Whether other legends are real is another matter, but Ayel can't continue to be a skeptic. So, the character evolves. Ayel is going through a paradigm shift, one that expands her knowledge of the world. She just needed someone to talk to who wouldn't think she's crazy.
Friday, family time, in Hauntings Anonymous Chapter 12, "Discrete Investigation".
Also Friday, over at Psycho Drive-In, animated adaptations.
Saturday, over at The Seventh Sanctum, Robocop the Animated Series.
There are times when constraints work against the core idea. My constraint was that, unlike Scooby-Doo, my paranormal investigators are doing this as a job. They have limits, mostly so that they don't need two years of PI and Security at Algonquin before the story begins. That's a different story, one that someone else can tell for now. The problem right now in the story is that they are about to cross over into actual mundane investigation work. Sure, Scooby and the gang did that, but they pulled in the police before the unmasking, and they were off in less populated parts than a major city. But the story can't end with the investigation dangling; it's not a satisfying ending. Even that characters are complaining that they can't finish what they started.
Fortunately, I gave myself an out. I figured I'd run into this situation. Thus, Aiden. He's my safety valve. He can step in for the more mundane aspects. That way, if the police get miffed, Aidan can show his license. I may have to throw that in in a future arc, but for now, I have a saving throw. He's there to give cover for the rest. After all, students do know how to research. They can dig into all sorts of files that they have access to. Aiden, though, can use his license to get to more restricted files without having to answer awkward questions.
The death near the night club and Kieu's pink-out are related. In the first arc, where the Paranormalists find Ginger, Kieu tastes purple when the LOLfae uses her magic. The next arc will go into the connection more, but there is a link between Kieu's unusual relationship with colours and magic. Sean and Jared did get home safe; it was a minor point but still out there.
The original concept of the LTV Paranormalists was that Kristi partially convinced Ayel to join her in the venture. That more or less happened, but Ayel was meant to be the skeptic. It's hard to remain skeptical when you meet a real fae. Ginger is very much proof that the paranormal and supernatural exist. Whether other legends are real is another matter, but Ayel can't continue to be a skeptic. So, the character evolves. Ayel is going through a paradigm shift, one that expands her knowledge of the world. She just needed someone to talk to who wouldn't think she's crazy.
Friday, family time, in Hauntings Anonymous Chapter 12, "Discrete Investigation".
Also Friday, over at Psycho Drive-In, animated adaptations.
Saturday, over at The Seventh Sanctum, Robocop the Animated Series.
28 Sept 2018
dba LTV Paranormalists - Hauntings Anonymous - Chapter 11
Back Into the Warehouse
Previously:
At the coffee shop, Ayel sat down, giving her feet a brief respite after the after-dinner rush. She massaged the her calves, working out a tenseness she could feel growing. Tabbie set down a tub of dishes and sat beside the blonde woman. Ayel managed a smile for her co-worker. "I'll get those," she offered.
"Sit. Take your break already. I've got these."
Ayel's smile grew genuine. "Thanks, Tabbie."
"No problem. Hey, where did your friends go clubbing last night?"
"Glamour Blue. Why? Want to head there after work and enjoy the rest of the evening?"
"You hadn't heard?
Previously:
"I has a buzz."Saturday night
"Happy Ginger is happy."
"I is a magicks!"
"You. Are. Not. Needed! Go. AWAY!"
At the coffee shop, Ayel sat down, giving her feet a brief respite after the after-dinner rush. She massaged the her calves, working out a tenseness she could feel growing. Tabbie set down a tub of dishes and sat beside the blonde woman. Ayel managed a smile for her co-worker. "I'll get those," she offered.
"Sit. Take your break already. I've got these."
Ayel's smile grew genuine. "Thanks, Tabbie."
"No problem. Hey, where did your friends go clubbing last night?"
"Glamour Blue. Why? Want to head there after work and enjoy the rest of the evening?"
"You hadn't heard?
27 Sept 2018
dba LTV Paranormalists - Hauntings Anonymous - Commentary 10
Ginger banished dark spirits, in dba LTV Paranormalists Chapter 10.
And now the problem of reality interfering with a desired narrative appears. Ayel and Kieu don't have PI licenses. Kristi shouldn't, but she's surprised me before. Aidan does, and that's why he's on retainer. But if there's no evil magic or annoying spirit around, LTV Paranormalists can't investigate without risking fines from the province. There is something in the warehouse; Ginger confirmed it. Just not the source of the Phantom of the Warehouse.
As mentioned last week, Ginger has been to I Can Has Cheezburger. This wasn't planned. Ginger needed a presence in the scene. If she was a cat, she'd be climbing over everyone to be the centre of attention. NaNoWriMo encourages word count, not necessarily coherence, so anything that adds to the number of words is fair game as long as the words are words. Given the two and that this was probably written during week three, when sanity has long fled, Ginger became a LOLfae. Yet, I still wanted a reason for the new behaviour. Zaina introduced Ginger to the Internet. That might have been the wrong thing to do.
The material Ayel brought for Ginger is so that she can have a proper wardrobe. A bit of research - mostly verifying tales like "The Shoemaker and the Elves" and seeing similar stories - let me realize that Ginger could make her own clothes, provided she has the cloth and thread to do so. The catch in most of the tales is that if the human takes the elves for granted, the elves get revenge. Here, not too much a problem; Kristi makes sure that Ginger has what she needs and some of what she wants.
Why did I pick Aztec carvings for the shipment with the "awful magicks"? Shadowrun, mostly. The game does go into some detail about what's known about Aztec culture, enough to give me a base to start with in researching and hand-waving. I didn't get deep into details here; the characters don't know much so thus they are researching. Zaina has taken some classes, first year comparitive religion and such, to give some detail. Kieu, being slightly detatched from reality, found the Shadowrun details and didn't have the knowledge to separate those from actual history.
The new break-and-enter let me get a new detail about Kristi out. Ayel and Kieu have family in town; Kristi doesn't, so her supporting cast tends towards roommates and classmates. Now, she has a sister. And since the sister has been mentioned, an appearance in a future arc isn't a sudden surprise.
The same scene let me show off Ginger. Just how powerful is the little LOLfae? Strong enough to unlock a garbage can and banish spirits. I went with a skunk instead of a raccoon; both are common enough in areas around Ottawa. However, raccoons have another role to play, one that needs to appear in the first arc. Again, things work here without the first arc, but expand on ideas from there. Augh!
One idea I do have for a future arc, now that Ginger has material to makes clothes, is a supernatural problem at a convention, one that includes dolls. Not a dolls-only con, but along the lines of Doll North, part of Anime North. Just because such a con doesn't exist in Ottawa (yet) doesn't mean one can't exist in fiction. That way, Ginger doesn't have to be carried in a backpack, under a jacket, or in a sports bag. She gets to be disguised as a doll herself.
What Ayel did while Ginger exorcised spirits, in Hauntings Anonymous Chapter 11, "Back into the Warehouse".
Also Friday, over at Psycho Drive-In, hiatus week because life
Saturday, over at The Seventh Sanctum, animated adaptations.
And now the problem of reality interfering with a desired narrative appears. Ayel and Kieu don't have PI licenses. Kristi shouldn't, but she's surprised me before. Aidan does, and that's why he's on retainer. But if there's no evil magic or annoying spirit around, LTV Paranormalists can't investigate without risking fines from the province. There is something in the warehouse; Ginger confirmed it. Just not the source of the Phantom of the Warehouse.
As mentioned last week, Ginger has been to I Can Has Cheezburger. This wasn't planned. Ginger needed a presence in the scene. If she was a cat, she'd be climbing over everyone to be the centre of attention. NaNoWriMo encourages word count, not necessarily coherence, so anything that adds to the number of words is fair game as long as the words are words. Given the two and that this was probably written during week three, when sanity has long fled, Ginger became a LOLfae. Yet, I still wanted a reason for the new behaviour. Zaina introduced Ginger to the Internet. That might have been the wrong thing to do.
The material Ayel brought for Ginger is so that she can have a proper wardrobe. A bit of research - mostly verifying tales like "The Shoemaker and the Elves" and seeing similar stories - let me realize that Ginger could make her own clothes, provided she has the cloth and thread to do so. The catch in most of the tales is that if the human takes the elves for granted, the elves get revenge. Here, not too much a problem; Kristi makes sure that Ginger has what she needs and some of what she wants.
Why did I pick Aztec carvings for the shipment with the "awful magicks"? Shadowrun, mostly. The game does go into some detail about what's known about Aztec culture, enough to give me a base to start with in researching and hand-waving. I didn't get deep into details here; the characters don't know much so thus they are researching. Zaina has taken some classes, first year comparitive religion and such, to give some detail. Kieu, being slightly detatched from reality, found the Shadowrun details and didn't have the knowledge to separate those from actual history.
The new break-and-enter let me get a new detail about Kristi out. Ayel and Kieu have family in town; Kristi doesn't, so her supporting cast tends towards roommates and classmates. Now, she has a sister. And since the sister has been mentioned, an appearance in a future arc isn't a sudden surprise.
The same scene let me show off Ginger. Just how powerful is the little LOLfae? Strong enough to unlock a garbage can and banish spirits. I went with a skunk instead of a raccoon; both are common enough in areas around Ottawa. However, raccoons have another role to play, one that needs to appear in the first arc. Again, things work here without the first arc, but expand on ideas from there. Augh!
One idea I do have for a future arc, now that Ginger has material to makes clothes, is a supernatural problem at a convention, one that includes dolls. Not a dolls-only con, but along the lines of Doll North, part of Anime North. Just because such a con doesn't exist in Ottawa (yet) doesn't mean one can't exist in fiction. That way, Ginger doesn't have to be carried in a backpack, under a jacket, or in a sports bag. She gets to be disguised as a doll herself.
What Ayel did while Ginger exorcised spirits, in Hauntings Anonymous Chapter 11, "Back into the Warehouse".
Also Friday, over at Psycho Drive-In, hiatus week because life
Saturday, over at The Seventh Sanctum, animated adaptations.
21 Sept 2018
dba LTV Paranormalists - Hauntings Anonymous - Chapter 10
Contract's Over
Previously:
Kristi led the way into her shared duplex. "Hello? Anyone else here?"
"I'm upstairs," Zaina called back.
"Alone?"
"Yes."
Kristi stepped aside to usher in Ayel. The tawny-haired woman opened her jacket to let Ginger jump down. The tiny woman dashed towards the kitchen. Kristi hung up both her jacket and Ayel's coat before going further. Ayel took the shopping bag she carried into the living room, setting it down on the faded couch. "There's gratitude for you," the blonde woman said.
"Try not to upset the capricious fae, Ayel." Kristi dropped down on the couch. "I can almost hear normally again."
Ayel sat beside Kristi. "This is getting dangerous. We need to tell Morton to get real security."
"But we're close, Ayel. The Phantom wouldn't have shown up if we weren't."
"We're getting close? Kristi, what if the next time, the Phantom decides to blow up the warehouse?"
Previously:
"Flee, or suffer my wrath!"Late afternoon
"The Phantom of the Warehouse made an appearance."
"There's awful magicks in there."
"Can I help it that Alex is an ass man?"
Kristi led the way into her shared duplex. "Hello? Anyone else here?"
"I'm upstairs," Zaina called back.
"Alone?"
"Yes."
Kristi stepped aside to usher in Ayel. The tawny-haired woman opened her jacket to let Ginger jump down. The tiny woman dashed towards the kitchen. Kristi hung up both her jacket and Ayel's coat before going further. Ayel took the shopping bag she carried into the living room, setting it down on the faded couch. "There's gratitude for you," the blonde woman said.
"Try not to upset the capricious fae, Ayel." Kristi dropped down on the couch. "I can almost hear normally again."
Ayel sat beside Kristi. "This is getting dangerous. We need to tell Morton to get real security."
"But we're close, Ayel. The Phantom wouldn't have shown up if we weren't."
"We're getting close? Kristi, what if the next time, the Phantom decides to blow up the warehouse?"
20 Sept 2018
dba LTV Paranormalists - Hauntings Anonymous - Commentary 9
Kieu isn't quite in the pink, in dba LTV Paranormalists Chapter 9.
The problem with putting the second arc first is that some little details that set up later ones are lost. In this case, Kieu and colours. In the first arc, Kieu tasted the colour purple, which got a reference in Chapter 3 of this arc. This time around, it's pink. Of the core cast, Kristi is the one who knows Kieu the best and is well aware of her colour sensations.
Kristi is also not a ditz, despite her earlier incarnation. She was ready in case a drink was unattended long enough to be drugged. Aidan is being thorough, though. Kieu is behaving as if she'd been drugged, and the prime suspects are the guys from the .warehouse. In truth, there is something more going on.
Tim Horton's comes up a lot in the story. While Ayel does work at a barista, her café is based on a Bridgehead in town. The problem with using a coffee shop like Bridgehead or Starbuck's* is that they close early, between eight and ten o'clock. There are 24 hour Tim's all over Ottawa, and not just drive-throughs. There's a Tim's near me that is busier after 9pm than before noon. It makes for an easy gathering area for the characters.
Kieu got to deliver a clue. She's reviewed the tapes sent. She's watched the comings and goings. Sean and Jared are now off the suspect list, for now. Antony is looking good for being the Phantom of the Warehouse now. Will the meddling kids catch him? Back to the warehouse! It's the scene of the crime, so why not? Ayel got to be the distraction. What the Paranormalists are doing is letting their magic expert check for magic, and it's easier to not have to explain a knee-high half-naked woman to everyone they meet. Ginger is still a company secret.
This is the chapter where I figured out who was behind the haunting. Confirmation is coming, but I set up a few pointers already. Some of it was retrofitted; the who didn't include the how or why just yet. The problem with pantsing a mystery is that I need to know whodunit before I start, but often, I haven't been able to figure that part out until the midway point.
And yes, Ginger has been to I Can Has Cheezburger.
Friday, giving spirits an exorcise, in Hauntings Anonymous Chapter 10, "Contract's Over".
Also Friday, over at Psycho Drive-In, the pros and cons of different sources.
Saturday, over at The Seventh Sanctum, hiatus week due to life.
* Starbuck's has fewer locations in downtown Ottawa than Tim's or Bridgehead. *Tim Horton's* is the one that keeps popping up all around downtown. Something to keep in mind if you write a coffee shop scene in Ottawa.
The problem with putting the second arc first is that some little details that set up later ones are lost. In this case, Kieu and colours. In the first arc, Kieu tasted the colour purple, which got a reference in Chapter 3 of this arc. This time around, it's pink. Of the core cast, Kristi is the one who knows Kieu the best and is well aware of her colour sensations.
Kristi is also not a ditz, despite her earlier incarnation. She was ready in case a drink was unattended long enough to be drugged. Aidan is being thorough, though. Kieu is behaving as if she'd been drugged, and the prime suspects are the guys from the .warehouse. In truth, there is something more going on.
Tim Horton's comes up a lot in the story. While Ayel does work at a barista, her café is based on a Bridgehead in town. The problem with using a coffee shop like Bridgehead or Starbuck's* is that they close early, between eight and ten o'clock. There are 24 hour Tim's all over Ottawa, and not just drive-throughs. There's a Tim's near me that is busier after 9pm than before noon. It makes for an easy gathering area for the characters.
Kieu got to deliver a clue. She's reviewed the tapes sent. She's watched the comings and goings. Sean and Jared are now off the suspect list, for now. Antony is looking good for being the Phantom of the Warehouse now. Will the meddling kids catch him? Back to the warehouse! It's the scene of the crime, so why not? Ayel got to be the distraction. What the Paranormalists are doing is letting their magic expert check for magic, and it's easier to not have to explain a knee-high half-naked woman to everyone they meet. Ginger is still a company secret.
This is the chapter where I figured out who was behind the haunting. Confirmation is coming, but I set up a few pointers already. Some of it was retrofitted; the who didn't include the how or why just yet. The problem with pantsing a mystery is that I need to know whodunit before I start, but often, I haven't been able to figure that part out until the midway point.
And yes, Ginger has been to I Can Has Cheezburger.
Friday, giving spirits an exorcise, in Hauntings Anonymous Chapter 10, "Contract's Over".
Also Friday, over at Psycho Drive-In, the pros and cons of different sources.
Saturday, over at The Seventh Sanctum, hiatus week due to life.
* Starbuck's has fewer locations in downtown Ottawa than Tim's or Bridgehead. *Tim Horton's* is the one that keeps popping up all around downtown. Something to keep in mind if you write a coffee shop scene in Ottawa.
14 Sept 2018
dba LTV Paranormalists - Hauntings Anonymous - Chapter 9
The Phantom of the Warehouse
Previously:
Ayel brought her van to a screeching halt outside Glamour Blue. Aidan jumped out from the passenger's side. After a quick look, he saw Kristi just outside the door. The tawny-haired woman held up Kieu with help from a blond man. Kieu's head dropped, her hair spilling over her shoulder. Aidan waved to get Kristi's attention, then opened the sliding door.
Kristi stepped aside to let the two men get Kieu into the back. "I've seen this happen to her before," she said. "Sean, I'll call you later, okay? Kieu really needs to get home to rest."
"Are you sure?" Sean gave a worried glance at Kieu. "I could call an ambulance."
"It's nothing. Kieu just pushes herself past her limits all the time. She's just exhausted." Kristi pulled Sean away from the van. "Trust me, okay?" She stood on the tips of her toes and kissed the blond man on the cheek. "Maybe we can test your endurance another night." Before Sean could say anything, Kristi jumped into the back of the van and closed the door.
Aidan returned to the front passenger seat. "She's buckled up. Hospital, now."
Ayel put the van in gear. "What happened?"
"No hospital," Kristi said. "Kieu was dancing then just stopped."
"Pink," Kieu mumbled. She tried to raise her head.
Previously:
"I don't like this, Kristi,."Friday night
"I feel like a spotlight."
"Something about Kieu."
"We'll be right there."
Ayel brought her van to a screeching halt outside Glamour Blue. Aidan jumped out from the passenger's side. After a quick look, he saw Kristi just outside the door. The tawny-haired woman held up Kieu with help from a blond man. Kieu's head dropped, her hair spilling over her shoulder. Aidan waved to get Kristi's attention, then opened the sliding door.
Kristi stepped aside to let the two men get Kieu into the back. "I've seen this happen to her before," she said. "Sean, I'll call you later, okay? Kieu really needs to get home to rest."
"Are you sure?" Sean gave a worried glance at Kieu. "I could call an ambulance."
"It's nothing. Kieu just pushes herself past her limits all the time. She's just exhausted." Kristi pulled Sean away from the van. "Trust me, okay?" She stood on the tips of her toes and kissed the blond man on the cheek. "Maybe we can test your endurance another night." Before Sean could say anything, Kristi jumped into the back of the van and closed the door.
Aidan returned to the front passenger seat. "She's buckled up. Hospital, now."
Ayel put the van in gear. "What happened?"
"No hospital," Kristi said. "Kieu was dancing then just stopped."
"Pink," Kieu mumbled. She tried to raise her head.
13 Sept 2018
dba LTV Paranormalists - Hauntings Anonymous - Commentary 8
Kristi and Kieu double date to further the investigation, in dba LTV Paranormalists Chapter 8.
If I had known the investigation would lead to a nightclub, I'd have sent it elsewhere. I don't go to nightclubs - too many people. So, I did what writers do; I researched the crap out of the setting, added details from personal experience, then turned everything into a fictional setting so that no one would be the wiser. Then gloss over things so that readers only see what the characters do. It's a useful skill to hone and have in a writer's toolbox.
Kieu's bias against blondes came up in Chapter 3. She's getting better, but it all depends on her sleep cycle. Ayel being reasonable with her is helping Kieu realize that it wasn't every blonde out to get her. But, Ayel does have a point. Kieu isn't completely tethered to reality. Still, I needed Kieu and Ayel to start getting along. Having that brief chat starts to mend the rift.
If I have a double date going on, then I should show at least some of it. Kristi gets to interrogate while hitting on a buff warehouse dude. Whether she's completely into him will be left for the reader. She is using a few techniques I've heard of, mainly through discussions with real people, to keep Sean's interest. I know I am dialogue heavy. What I've developed is working out what everyone is doing along with talking. Thus, Kristi is flirting, Sean has a drink, Kieu takes to dancing like she's done it from birth.
Ayel and Aiden get to play cavalry. If something goes wrong, they get to rush over and save the day. It gives me time to show more of Aidan, the lone male of the team. He gets a proper intro in the missing first arc, but since that's not there... The goal I had with Aidan was to have someone who didn't look like a PI be the PI. He's not hard boiled.
Aidan does have a license to carry a pistol, related to his security and private investigation license. Kristi, though, has a Possession and Acquisition License completely unrelated to the business. She's from Northern Ontario, as mentioned two weeks ago. When she goes out into the wilderness, she has a rifle handy just in case. She keeps up with shooting as a way to let off steam The idea came out while writing the first arc; in that moment, Kristi went from hippy-dippy to complex in my head.
Naturally, the end of the chapter is a cliffhanger. It's an old standard in serials of all types. How else do creators make sure the audience returns? The key is making sure the payoff meets up with expectations.
Friday, in dreams he came, in Hauntings Anonymous Chapter 9, "The Phantom of the Warehouse".
Also Friday, over at Psycho Drive-In, a bonus /Bond/ Project entry with Octopussy.
Saturday, over at The Seventh Sanctum, the pros and cons of different adaptation sources.
If I had known the investigation would lead to a nightclub, I'd have sent it elsewhere. I don't go to nightclubs - too many people. So, I did what writers do; I researched the crap out of the setting, added details from personal experience, then turned everything into a fictional setting so that no one would be the wiser. Then gloss over things so that readers only see what the characters do. It's a useful skill to hone and have in a writer's toolbox.
Kieu's bias against blondes came up in Chapter 3. She's getting better, but it all depends on her sleep cycle. Ayel being reasonable with her is helping Kieu realize that it wasn't every blonde out to get her. But, Ayel does have a point. Kieu isn't completely tethered to reality. Still, I needed Kieu and Ayel to start getting along. Having that brief chat starts to mend the rift.
If I have a double date going on, then I should show at least some of it. Kristi gets to interrogate while hitting on a buff warehouse dude. Whether she's completely into him will be left for the reader. She is using a few techniques I've heard of, mainly through discussions with real people, to keep Sean's interest. I know I am dialogue heavy. What I've developed is working out what everyone is doing along with talking. Thus, Kristi is flirting, Sean has a drink, Kieu takes to dancing like she's done it from birth.
Ayel and Aiden get to play cavalry. If something goes wrong, they get to rush over and save the day. It gives me time to show more of Aidan, the lone male of the team. He gets a proper intro in the missing first arc, but since that's not there... The goal I had with Aidan was to have someone who didn't look like a PI be the PI. He's not hard boiled.
Aidan does have a license to carry a pistol, related to his security and private investigation license. Kristi, though, has a Possession and Acquisition License completely unrelated to the business. She's from Northern Ontario, as mentioned two weeks ago. When she goes out into the wilderness, she has a rifle handy just in case. She keeps up with shooting as a way to let off steam The idea came out while writing the first arc; in that moment, Kristi went from hippy-dippy to complex in my head.
Naturally, the end of the chapter is a cliffhanger. It's an old standard in serials of all types. How else do creators make sure the audience returns? The key is making sure the payoff meets up with expectations.
Friday, in dreams he came, in Hauntings Anonymous Chapter 9, "The Phantom of the Warehouse".
Also Friday, over at Psycho Drive-In, a bonus /Bond/ Project entry with Octopussy.
Saturday, over at The Seventh Sanctum, the pros and cons of different adaptation sources.
7 Sept 2018
dba LTV Paranormalists - Hauntings Anonymous - Chapter 8
Sacrificial Virgin
Previously:
"I don't like this, Kristi," Ayel said. She sat down across the table from her business partner. "First of all, we don't know if these two are involved. Second, I'm not going to be done here until well after ten tonight. If you run into trouble before then, I won't be able to do anything."
Kristi sipped her tea. "Done?"
Ayel crossed her arms. "Yeah, done."
"Good. It's out of your system." Kristi reached out to pat Ayel's arm. "And I won't be alone. I'll have Kieu with me."
"I feel oh so much more reassured now." Ayel tapped the table. "Kristi, you know Kieu better than I do, but she doesn't strike me as being all that tethered to reality. You'd be better off with Ginger there."
"You just don't like Kieu."
Ayel stared at the tawny-haired woman. "Kieu doesn't like me. Because of my hair." She held out a lock of her blonde tresses. "Remember?"
"We'll be fine." Kristi looked at the time on her phone. "If she shows up. Where is that girl."
Previously:
"I met these two guys who want to go meet up with me and a friend."Friday night
"What are you doing Friday night?"
"I'm just going dancing. I think."
"I want proof your went, though."
"I don't like this, Kristi," Ayel said. She sat down across the table from her business partner. "First of all, we don't know if these two are involved. Second, I'm not going to be done here until well after ten tonight. If you run into trouble before then, I won't be able to do anything."
Kristi sipped her tea. "Done?"
Ayel crossed her arms. "Yeah, done."
"Good. It's out of your system." Kristi reached out to pat Ayel's arm. "And I won't be alone. I'll have Kieu with me."
"I feel oh so much more reassured now." Ayel tapped the table. "Kristi, you know Kieu better than I do, but she doesn't strike me as being all that tethered to reality. You'd be better off with Ginger there."
"You just don't like Kieu."
Ayel stared at the tawny-haired woman. "Kieu doesn't like me. Because of my hair." She held out a lock of her blonde tresses. "Remember?"
"We'll be fine." Kristi looked at the time on her phone. "If she shows up. Where is that girl."
6 Sept 2018
dba LTV Paranormalists - Hauntings Anonymous - Commentary 7
Movie night, in dba LTV Paranormalists Chapter 7.
Ever wonder where characters get the money for everything they do? It's not so bad if a character with a decent job with benefits has an odd luxury here and there. Students, though, typically don't have much money to spare after tuition and text books. Kristi should have a summer job, though some of her background hasn't been fully explored yet. How she's earning money over the summer to pay for her rent, tuition, and books hasn't been part of the story like Ayel's barista job has. Kieu, too, should have a summer job, to pay for all the electronic gadgets she has and creates. The problem she has is that she gets hyperfocused on her studies to the point of sleep deprivation, making it difficult to get past the interview stage. Kieu doesn't need rent money, just tuition and text books, and while student loans will cover some of the costs, they don't cover the full needs of someone in Computer Science, like a fully functional computer or two. How does she get around that? Patents on things she's created while sleep deprived. It works for her.
Ginger's personality is like a playful cat. She isn't based on any one cat I've had, but I've used some of their behaviours in her personality. Being one of the Wee Folk, modern technology is magical to her. She knows what movies are, in part thanks to Kristi for trying to keep her occupied. Video recordings are another level of understanding. I haven't defined her magic. It's unlikely that Ginger could explain how she performs her magic; she just does it. From the author's view, though, that's not helpful on knowing her limitations. Research into faerie magic didn't help; myth and legend tend to not give absolutes. Turning a few people invisible is within the realm, though.
This chapter didn't originally follow the previous one. I removed an entire chapter. It didn't fit here; it works best as the third or fourth chapter of the previous, unpublished, arc. It's essentially a dream sequence, except that it wasn't just a dream. That chapter also got me to realize what the main drive of the series would be. In short, when North American got colonized by Europeans, it wasn't just colonists that came over, but also their myths and legends. Same thing with Asians and Africans, their myths and legends came over along with the people. However, some legendary creatures aren't friendly. The fae are trying to dominate, and the local legends are fighting back. This led to a few questions I couldn't answer properly, so some changes, none of which affects the current arc, but still had to be addressed.
Friday, Friday night is for dancing, in Hauntings Anonymous Chapter 8, "Sacrificial Virgin".
Also Friday, over at Psycho Drive-In, a bonus Bond Project entry with Octopussy.
Saturday, over at The Seventh Sanctum[http://codex.seventhsanctum.com], Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within.
Ever wonder where characters get the money for everything they do? It's not so bad if a character with a decent job with benefits has an odd luxury here and there. Students, though, typically don't have much money to spare after tuition and text books. Kristi should have a summer job, though some of her background hasn't been fully explored yet. How she's earning money over the summer to pay for her rent, tuition, and books hasn't been part of the story like Ayel's barista job has. Kieu, too, should have a summer job, to pay for all the electronic gadgets she has and creates. The problem she has is that she gets hyperfocused on her studies to the point of sleep deprivation, making it difficult to get past the interview stage. Kieu doesn't need rent money, just tuition and text books, and while student loans will cover some of the costs, they don't cover the full needs of someone in Computer Science, like a fully functional computer or two. How does she get around that? Patents on things she's created while sleep deprived. It works for her.
Ginger's personality is like a playful cat. She isn't based on any one cat I've had, but I've used some of their behaviours in her personality. Being one of the Wee Folk, modern technology is magical to her. She knows what movies are, in part thanks to Kristi for trying to keep her occupied. Video recordings are another level of understanding. I haven't defined her magic. It's unlikely that Ginger could explain how she performs her magic; she just does it. From the author's view, though, that's not helpful on knowing her limitations. Research into faerie magic didn't help; myth and legend tend to not give absolutes. Turning a few people invisible is within the realm, though.
This chapter didn't originally follow the previous one. I removed an entire chapter. It didn't fit here; it works best as the third or fourth chapter of the previous, unpublished, arc. It's essentially a dream sequence, except that it wasn't just a dream. That chapter also got me to realize what the main drive of the series would be. In short, when North American got colonized by Europeans, it wasn't just colonists that came over, but also their myths and legends. Same thing with Asians and Africans, their myths and legends came over along with the people. However, some legendary creatures aren't friendly. The fae are trying to dominate, and the local legends are fighting back. This led to a few questions I couldn't answer properly, so some changes, none of which affects the current arc, but still had to be addressed.
Friday, Friday night is for dancing, in Hauntings Anonymous Chapter 8, "Sacrificial Virgin".
Also Friday, over at Psycho Drive-In, a bonus Bond Project entry with Octopussy.
Saturday, over at The Seventh Sanctum[http://codex.seventhsanctum.com], Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within.
31 Aug 2018
dba LTV Paranormalists - Hauntings Anonymous - Chapter 7
Ejected Disc
Previously:
"Where is your laptop, Kieu?" Kristi sat down on the faded couch in the middle of her living room. "I've never seen you without it."
Kieu parked in an overstuffed chair faded red, sinking deep in the cushion. "Mom took it away. She said I needed to get out and meet real people. Go out with someone."
Kristi grinned. "You're in luck. I met these two guys who want to go meet up with me and a friend. You just have to dress up for dancing."
"Why not Blondie?" Kieu struggled to sit up in the chair. "And where is she?"
"She's working at her coffee shop." Kristi curled up on the couch. "I'm surprised you're not working somewhere."
Kieu gave up on her struggles, sinking further in the chair. "I made some good investments, apparently. And something I made is still paying royalties. Not sure what."
"That's good, no?" Kristi saw Ginger creeping up on the chair. "Your tuition is covered."
"I suppose." Kieu sighed. "Anyway, what was with the videos? Okay, the one from the back, that wasn't us at all. But the reception? That was us. Except there wasn't any us on screen."
Previously:
"Didn't the Aztecs do human sacrifices?"Late afternoon
"Insured for a half million dollars."
"We're investigators, not exterminators."
"You'll get everything you need. As of this moment, I am paying you, not Alex."
"Where is your laptop, Kieu?" Kristi sat down on the faded couch in the middle of her living room. "I've never seen you without it."
Kieu parked in an overstuffed chair faded red, sinking deep in the cushion. "Mom took it away. She said I needed to get out and meet real people. Go out with someone."
Kristi grinned. "You're in luck. I met these two guys who want to go meet up with me and a friend. You just have to dress up for dancing."
"Why not Blondie?" Kieu struggled to sit up in the chair. "And where is she?"
"She's working at her coffee shop." Kristi curled up on the couch. "I'm surprised you're not working somewhere."
Kieu gave up on her struggles, sinking further in the chair. "I made some good investments, apparently. And something I made is still paying royalties. Not sure what."
"That's good, no?" Kristi saw Ginger creeping up on the chair. "Your tuition is covered."
"I suppose." Kieu sighed. "Anyway, what was with the videos? Okay, the one from the back, that wasn't us at all. But the reception? That was us. Except there wasn't any us on screen."
30 Aug 2018
dba LTV Paranormalists - Hauntings Anonymous - Commentary 6
Not the video the Paranormalists were expecting, in dba LTV Paranormalists Chapter 6.
How do you tell when there's a ghost on camera? The difficult part with the video was making sure that what was seen by the characters followed what they did in Chapter 4. At the same time, the point of view of the scene is now the camera's. Except, none of the Paranormalists are in the video. The other side of the scene was figuring out what sort of security the warehouse has. Cameras made sense, with a recording. A camera where people enter, cameras in the storage area, and, something I forgot to add, a camera watching the parking lot. The last camera could just watch where deliveries are made and not the employee or visitor lot.
Ayel realized that there's a slight problem with what they're researching. They haven't crossed into being private investigators, but they're right on the edge. The Paranormalists have a business license, not an investigator's license. While Aiden is on the books just in case, it's easier to realize that the problem is mundane, not magical, and direct the client to the police or a PI. Kristi is far more into the investigation; she's doing everything she can to maintain the fiction that she isn't acting as a PI. As long as no one files a complaint, she's safe. For now, though, she should be focusing on the supernatural.
Aztec carvings, always good for some dark magic. I needed some sort of clue for the Paranormalists to pick up and run with, and narrowing the art down and giving a price filled the role. No specific artwork was in mind when I wrote the part. I didn't want a real world item, just something that sounded good. Older art tends to be more valuable, though that also depends on how well it's known. Kristi is the Art History major, not me. But her studies did become useful. I also got to reinforce Kieu's linguistic abilities. In the unpublished first episode, Kieu gets to demonstrate her command of a number of languages, including Vietnamese and German. Spanish is just something she picked up.
Kristi is from Moose Factory, Ontario, a short boat ride from Moosonee on the coast of James Bay. It's as Northern Ontario as you can get. Makes for interesting discussions with her roomies about where to set the thermostat in the winter; Zaina is from Lebanon, which isn't known for -30 degree Celcius weather. Janelle is from Kingston, where Lake Ontario moderates the temperature a bit. I did keep an eye on the weather for Moosonee while writing; the temperature was always a few degrees colder. I kept checking over this past winter (2017-2018), when Ottawa set some frigid records, with lows of -30 Celcius and windchills reaching -40; Moosenee was a few degrees colder then, too, but without the wind.
All that to say that yes, Kieu, Moose Factory is a real place. Every community mentioned - Dildo and Come-by-Chance, Newfoundland; Flin Flon, Manitoba; Vulcan, Alberta - are real places. Newfoundland may have more odd names per capita than other provinces, but every province can produce an oddly named town. That aside in the story added a few dozen words without ever having to work on the plot and came out of me trying to figure out how Kristi ever goes home for a visit and what there was in town. Turns out, there's a Google street view of sorts for Moose Factory.
Since it would come up, I tossed in a Ghostbusters reference. The Paranormalists don't carry around unlicensed nuclear accelerators on their backs. While Kieu is working on her own version of a PKE meter, she's using smartphones and tablets, not building brand new hardware. My main inspiration here is still Scooby-Doo. Ghostbusters is more mad science than I want for the series.
Friday, murkier and murkier, in Hauntings Anonymous Chapter 6, "Ejected Disc".
Also Friday, over at Psycho Drive-In, The Bond Project contunues with The Living Daylights.
Saturday, over at The Seventh Sanctum, a bonus Bond Project entry with Octopussy.
How do you tell when there's a ghost on camera? The difficult part with the video was making sure that what was seen by the characters followed what they did in Chapter 4. At the same time, the point of view of the scene is now the camera's. Except, none of the Paranormalists are in the video. The other side of the scene was figuring out what sort of security the warehouse has. Cameras made sense, with a recording. A camera where people enter, cameras in the storage area, and, something I forgot to add, a camera watching the parking lot. The last camera could just watch where deliveries are made and not the employee or visitor lot.
Ayel realized that there's a slight problem with what they're researching. They haven't crossed into being private investigators, but they're right on the edge. The Paranormalists have a business license, not an investigator's license. While Aiden is on the books just in case, it's easier to realize that the problem is mundane, not magical, and direct the client to the police or a PI. Kristi is far more into the investigation; she's doing everything she can to maintain the fiction that she isn't acting as a PI. As long as no one files a complaint, she's safe. For now, though, she should be focusing on the supernatural.
Aztec carvings, always good for some dark magic. I needed some sort of clue for the Paranormalists to pick up and run with, and narrowing the art down and giving a price filled the role. No specific artwork was in mind when I wrote the part. I didn't want a real world item, just something that sounded good. Older art tends to be more valuable, though that also depends on how well it's known. Kristi is the Art History major, not me. But her studies did become useful. I also got to reinforce Kieu's linguistic abilities. In the unpublished first episode, Kieu gets to demonstrate her command of a number of languages, including Vietnamese and German. Spanish is just something she picked up.
Kristi is from Moose Factory, Ontario, a short boat ride from Moosonee on the coast of James Bay. It's as Northern Ontario as you can get. Makes for interesting discussions with her roomies about where to set the thermostat in the winter; Zaina is from Lebanon, which isn't known for -30 degree Celcius weather. Janelle is from Kingston, where Lake Ontario moderates the temperature a bit. I did keep an eye on the weather for Moosonee while writing; the temperature was always a few degrees colder. I kept checking over this past winter (2017-2018), when Ottawa set some frigid records, with lows of -30 Celcius and windchills reaching -40; Moosenee was a few degrees colder then, too, but without the wind.
All that to say that yes, Kieu, Moose Factory is a real place. Every community mentioned - Dildo and Come-by-Chance, Newfoundland; Flin Flon, Manitoba; Vulcan, Alberta - are real places. Newfoundland may have more odd names per capita than other provinces, but every province can produce an oddly named town. That aside in the story added a few dozen words without ever having to work on the plot and came out of me trying to figure out how Kristi ever goes home for a visit and what there was in town. Turns out, there's a Google street view of sorts for Moose Factory.
Since it would come up, I tossed in a Ghostbusters reference. The Paranormalists don't carry around unlicensed nuclear accelerators on their backs. While Kieu is working on her own version of a PKE meter, she's using smartphones and tablets, not building brand new hardware. My main inspiration here is still Scooby-Doo. Ghostbusters is more mad science than I want for the series.
Friday, murkier and murkier, in Hauntings Anonymous Chapter 6, "Ejected Disc".
Also Friday, over at Psycho Drive-In, The Bond Project contunues with The Living Daylights.
Saturday, over at The Seventh Sanctum, a bonus Bond Project entry with Octopussy.
24 Aug 2018
dba LTV Paranormalists - Hauntings Anonymous - Chapter 6
Skirting the Edge
Previously:
The three young women met at a Tim Horton's after ten o'clock, well after the morning rush. Two medium and one extra-large coffee sat steaming as Kieu examined her tablet. Ayel stifled a yawn before picking her medium coffee. "I couldn't find anything in the cargo that was unusual," the blonde said. "Kristi, what about the art?"
"All lesser works. Nothing important, nothing known to be carrying curses. Some of it is worth real money, but stealing it means finding a buyer, and I think Alex's boss is the only buyer for that art here in Ottawa."
"It is real!" Kieu waved turned her tablet around to let Kristi and Ayel see what was on screen. "There's even a street view of it!"
"Of what?" Ayel asked.
Previously:
"Hot monkey sex, why else?"The next day
"Coffee, coffee, coffee."
"There's a stranger on our couch!"
"Go get some fresh air, Kieu."
The three young women met at a Tim Horton's after ten o'clock, well after the morning rush. Two medium and one extra-large coffee sat steaming as Kieu examined her tablet. Ayel stifled a yawn before picking her medium coffee. "I couldn't find anything in the cargo that was unusual," the blonde said. "Kristi, what about the art?"
"All lesser works. Nothing important, nothing known to be carrying curses. Some of it is worth real money, but stealing it means finding a buyer, and I think Alex's boss is the only buyer for that art here in Ottawa."
"It is real!" Kieu waved turned her tablet around to let Kristi and Ayel see what was on screen. "There's even a street view of it!"
"Of what?" Ayel asked.
23 Aug 2018
dba LTV Paranormalists - Hauntings Anonymous - Commentary 5
Meet the family or equivalent, in dba LTV Paranormalists Chapter 5.
It's now the slow portion of the story, where everyone investigates. It's a good time to expand the setting to show everyone's homes. Kristi's we've seen already, with one of her roomies. Ayel and Kieu, though, haven't really had time at their respective homes.
Ayel lives out in Barrhaven, a suburb outside Ottawa's Greenbelt. She has a bit of a commute to get to class at Carleton, so the family mini-van gets some use. Ayel has an older brother, now living in Hamilton after graduating from McMaster there, and a younger sister, Tiffany, still in high school. The goal I had with Ayel and Tiffany is show sisters who love each other, even if they still get on each other's nerves. Their mother, Janet, does what she can to keep the peace. Ayel's father will appear in Chapter 12; he's just not around for the scene, plus he didn't have a name yet.
Kieu lives on the other side of the city in Orleans, where she went to school where a friend teaches. Not that she spends that much time there during the school year. Kieu gets so caught up in her studies she tends to crash on campus, mostly in the computer labs. Every May, she goes through the same routine with her younger brother, Quyen. Their mother is tired of it. And, somehow, the entire family is quirky. I didn't intend for that to happen. Kieu's role was to be the technical expert, not the tech wizard running on energy drinks and sheer stubborness. Her mother wasn't supposed to be able to catch shoes without looking. Yet, Quyen threw the shoe. This is all on me.
Kristi's other roommate shows up. Janelle is not a morning person. She's being introduced to Ginger so that awkward situations don't happen later. Communications between characters is important. Too often, sitcoms have plots that can be short-circuited if people just talked to each other. So many laughs, but leaving viewers wondering if the characters are idiots. Here, I wanted to avoid that. Kristi is smart; she knows Ginger won't stay hidden for long. Introducing the fae to the roomies makes sense. Ginger's love of coffee was also a last minute addition. NaNoWriMo encourages participants to keep writing and toss in ideas when needed. Quirks just happen, but the quirks also help round a character.
Even with the character moments, the plot still needs to advance somehow. I had to somehow figure out what was causing the problems seen last chapter. I set up the situation without working out who and why before I started. That's the wrong direction for a mystery, though. I really should have known who was responsible and why so I could lay down the clues and red herrings. But, I am going through the process of figuring out who with the characters' investigation, with a side of actual magic research. Kristi's major is a help here. If she doesn't know anything about the artwork in question, she knows where to start looking.
Friday, back to the scene of the crime, in Hauntings Anonymous Chapter 6, "Skirting the Edge".
Also Friday, over at Psycho Drive-In, hiatus week to let me get ahead on my reading.
Saturday, over at The Seventh Sanctum, The Bond Project contunues with The Living Daylights.
It's now the slow portion of the story, where everyone investigates. It's a good time to expand the setting to show everyone's homes. Kristi's we've seen already, with one of her roomies. Ayel and Kieu, though, haven't really had time at their respective homes.
Ayel lives out in Barrhaven, a suburb outside Ottawa's Greenbelt. She has a bit of a commute to get to class at Carleton, so the family mini-van gets some use. Ayel has an older brother, now living in Hamilton after graduating from McMaster there, and a younger sister, Tiffany, still in high school. The goal I had with Ayel and Tiffany is show sisters who love each other, even if they still get on each other's nerves. Their mother, Janet, does what she can to keep the peace. Ayel's father will appear in Chapter 12; he's just not around for the scene, plus he didn't have a name yet.
Kieu lives on the other side of the city in Orleans, where she went to school where a friend teaches. Not that she spends that much time there during the school year. Kieu gets so caught up in her studies she tends to crash on campus, mostly in the computer labs. Every May, she goes through the same routine with her younger brother, Quyen. Their mother is tired of it. And, somehow, the entire family is quirky. I didn't intend for that to happen. Kieu's role was to be the technical expert, not the tech wizard running on energy drinks and sheer stubborness. Her mother wasn't supposed to be able to catch shoes without looking. Yet, Quyen threw the shoe. This is all on me.
Kristi's other roommate shows up. Janelle is not a morning person. She's being introduced to Ginger so that awkward situations don't happen later. Communications between characters is important. Too often, sitcoms have plots that can be short-circuited if people just talked to each other. So many laughs, but leaving viewers wondering if the characters are idiots. Here, I wanted to avoid that. Kristi is smart; she knows Ginger won't stay hidden for long. Introducing the fae to the roomies makes sense. Ginger's love of coffee was also a last minute addition. NaNoWriMo encourages participants to keep writing and toss in ideas when needed. Quirks just happen, but the quirks also help round a character.
Even with the character moments, the plot still needs to advance somehow. I had to somehow figure out what was causing the problems seen last chapter. I set up the situation without working out who and why before I started. That's the wrong direction for a mystery, though. I really should have known who was responsible and why so I could lay down the clues and red herrings. But, I am going through the process of figuring out who with the characters' investigation, with a side of actual magic research. Kristi's major is a help here. If she doesn't know anything about the artwork in question, she knows where to start looking.
Friday, back to the scene of the crime, in Hauntings Anonymous Chapter 6, "Skirting the Edge".
Also Friday, over at Psycho Drive-In, hiatus week to let me get ahead on my reading.
Saturday, over at The Seventh Sanctum, The Bond Project contunues with The Living Daylights.
17 Aug 2018
dba LTV Paranormalists - Hauntings Anonymous - Chapter 5
Chapter 5 - Home Bodies
Previously:
Ayel shuffled into the kitchen in time to be barrelled into by her younger sister. "Tiff!" The blonde woman recovered by grabbing on to the counter. "Watch where you're going!"
"Move it, old timer." Ayel's younger sister, Tiffany, finished off her slice of toast. "You know better than to stand there." The redhead dashed out of the kitchen, then poked her head back in the doorway. "I need the van tonight."
"What for?" Ayel poured herself a mug of coffee.
"Hot monkey sex, why else?" Tiffany rolled her eyes. "None of your business, Am."
"Tiffany, really." Their mother's voice carried in from the living room.
"Sorry, Mom." The redhead's tone turned contrite.
"And I need the van today." Janet Lindeman stepped into the kitchen. "I'll drive you to school, Tiff. Ayel, do you need to get anywhere this morning?"
Ayel added cream and sugar to her coffee. "I'm good. I've got the day off, so," she looked down at her pajamas, "I'm going to take it easy."
Janet dishevelled her daughter's hair. "Try to get dressed at some point, dear." She filled a travel mug with coffee, emptying the pot.
Tiffany returned to the kitchen. "I like the look." She reached for her sister's hair.
Previously:
"You're going to get noticed like that."The next morning
"I thought ghosts couldn't touch cold iron."
"There was someone in there."
"So, where's the alarm?"
Ayel shuffled into the kitchen in time to be barrelled into by her younger sister. "Tiff!" The blonde woman recovered by grabbing on to the counter. "Watch where you're going!"
"Move it, old timer." Ayel's younger sister, Tiffany, finished off her slice of toast. "You know better than to stand there." The redhead dashed out of the kitchen, then poked her head back in the doorway. "I need the van tonight."
"What for?" Ayel poured herself a mug of coffee.
"Hot monkey sex, why else?" Tiffany rolled her eyes. "None of your business, Am."
"Tiffany, really." Their mother's voice carried in from the living room.
"Sorry, Mom." The redhead's tone turned contrite.
"And I need the van today." Janet Lindeman stepped into the kitchen. "I'll drive you to school, Tiff. Ayel, do you need to get anywhere this morning?"
Ayel added cream and sugar to her coffee. "I'm good. I've got the day off, so," she looked down at her pajamas, "I'm going to take it easy."
Janet dishevelled her daughter's hair. "Try to get dressed at some point, dear." She filled a travel mug with coffee, emptying the pot.
Tiffany returned to the kitchen. "I like the look." She reached for her sister's hair.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)