The Hero's Best Friend

I had to be working on the best friend of Julian and so I finally sat down and worked out who he is and what he's like. Right now, I'm totally in love with him. His history with Julian is just amazing and I will definitely give you more information on that later. For now, I would like you to me Galen D'Amore.

Name: Galen D’Amore

Nickname: None.

Age: 21

Height: 6’0”

Weight: 175 lbs.

Build: Lean, thin, lanky.

Eyes: Deep blue.

Skin: Fair

Hair: Light brown.

Other Facial Features: Angular, very attractive, sort of pretty.

Occupation: Duke after he inherits his father’s duchy.

Personality: Entertaining. He often finds himself in trouble beside Julian. They grew up together since their mother’s are close friends. He is quite the charmer and has a way of always remaining calm in spite of all the trouble they get themselves into. Even growing up, he was the talker for the prince, since Galen was able to talk his way out of next to anything.

Background: Raised among royalty. Galen’s mother is a childhood friend to Claire de Arques. He is not in line to take the thrown unless he happens to marry Sophia (which if anyone was going to do so, it would be him.) He is in the running of suitors for Sophia.

Greek God Equivalent: Eros (Roman Equivalent is Cupid)

Other: His sister is Daphne, which is Julian’s first love. Not quite sure how Galen feels about this just yet. 

You will get to meet Daphne D'Amore tomorrow. I'm making myself work on her too. I already have a physical descriptions of her. I might even tell you the story of how Julian first realized that he even had a thing for Daphne. But, you will just have to sit here and swoon over the awesomeness that is Galen. 


LL&P

Question Friday 05

Question friday time! Had a lot of last minute questions, but as long as they are in, I'm good. Here we go.


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1. What is Julian's favorite book/book genre?
This is hard. I actually think that he probably hates books because they go through such an extensive education as kids. He particularly hates history because as the heir to the thrown, he has a lot he has to learn.

2. What's Julian's favorite food?
Errrr... I have no idea. Food in general? You've stumped me.

3. From the following choices, pick the word that describes Julian best:
A) reserved or outgoing: Outgoing.
B) Passive or aggressive: Passive.
C) Logical or spontaneous: Logical.
D) idealistic or realistic: Realistic.
E) confident or a nervous wreck: Apathetic


I would like to add, that I answered those questions based on Julian prior to the quest. He changes after that.



4. What's your favourite movie to watch when you need a pick me up?
I have a list of movies that I put on when I need something fun. They are Stardust, Star Trek, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Pride & Prejudice.


5. What's your favourite appetizer?
I love appetizers. It depends on the mood I'm in. Anything with bread is a good thing.


6. Have you ever seen Lethal Weapon 4? Do you realize I've had the dentist office scene from that movie stuck in my head ever since I saw the title of your blog post last night after I got off work?
Oh my gosh, this is craziness. I haven't seen it before, but I will now have to figure it out to feel caught up with you.


7. Why steampunk?
This is actually a great question and I have a good answer, which makes me feel cool. I wanted to write a fantasy book, but I didn't want to have magic involved, but I did want something with that same whimsical feel. I wanted creatures involved, but I wasn't sure how to do that. My other love is scifi, but I do not have the brains to make that work. Once you get into that dimension, I start to get lost. I knew that there had to be an in between. Something that let me create a world that wasn't our own, but had elements of technology. I needed something very specific and when I realized that steampunk filled both those qualifications, I knew I had something. Steampunk allows me to be a total nerd with gadgets and technology, but still have that fantasy world in mind. I know that adding in the Greek myths is definitely a stretch, but it seems to be a theme right now, so I am embracing it as something that I have always loved. It's a great backbone to it.

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Thanks for the questions! LL&P

The Legend of Benny the Hunter

I was going to write up a very narrative version of the legend, or legends, of Benny the Hunter. However, I think it would be better told by someone who knows all of the rumors that surround him. Why don't I just let you all peek in on Milo explain to Julian who he is.


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"Benny. Benny the Hunter?" Julian glared down his new companion.

"Yes, sir," Milo seemed much more excited about the situation than was called for.

"Benny is stupid name for a... a... what is he exactly?"

"You never 'eard of Benny tha Hunter!?" Milo slammed his hand down on the table and brought it back up to point in Julian's face, who went cross eyed trying to keep up. "Benny is tha fiercest pirate in all tha sky and sea--or skies and seas, since his legend span all o' 'em. Never you mind, boy. Listen 'ere, Benny is known for his ruthless ways. It's said that tha man has gutted a crew just for takin' too long tae hoist tha sails. He flew Tha Cartographer all on 'is own intae port, kidnapped tha first dozen kids he could find and made off wit' 'em. Then again, there are other legends."

Julian sighed and rested his head in his hand, elbow propped up on the table, "How long is this story going to go on?"

"It ain't a story! These are tha Legends o' Benny tha Hunter. This is a man that defies all understanding. He can track down anyone who betrays him. He's got perfect aim wit' a pistol and you don't even want tae know what he can do wit' a sword, boy. He got his name from hunting down ships. He rules his crew wit' an iron fist, he does. You know how many ships he's taken straight out o' tha skies?"

"No, but I'm sure you're going to tell me."

"I don't know how many! You want tae know why? Because I can't count that bloody high! The man has pillaged and plundered every city, village and port on tha [Kingdom] coast! He's makes tha devil look like a wee kitten, he does. And if he's after you, Julian... boy, you best be ready tae run," Milo huffed a final sigh and crossed his arms over his stomach as a last grand gesture.

"Have you ever seen this man?" Julian inquired, raising one disbelieving eyebrow. When he got no response out of him he shook his head, "Then I won't be worrying myself about legends."

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Well, I hope that was kind of fun to read. It gives you a little bit of the excitement from Milo and some of Julian's unimpressed behavior. You also now got to hear just a little about our darling Benny the Hunter, the hired gun out for Julian who is very much a real person.

Also, I need your questions!! Leave them in the comments. Ask about anything from this week's blogs or about anything else you can think of.

LL&P

Question Friday 04

Coming to you late because it was a busy day and then I napped for like, three hours. I was tired! It was an early start! Anyway, here they are. Lots of Julian questions today.

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1. So, What's your favourite flower?
My favorite flowers are lilies and hibiscus. I like big, open looking flowers that don't have a lot of petals. They also come in vibrant colors, so that makes me super excited and happy. 


2. Do the de Arques ladies have favourite flowers? Oh, do the god/goddesses represented so far have any flora/fauna associations that might be relavent to characterization?
This cracks me up for some reason. I haven't actually thought about the use of flowers, though that would be a fun little easter egg to hide in there huh? I'm sure there will be a mention of flowers for the ladies at some point. I already have the queen in peacock colors because Hera is represented by the peacock. So, you can see that I do like to have those things in there. 


3. What is Julian's favourite kind of weather?
Sunny, dry, clear out. He likes being able to go out and play sports or go on a ride (I'm sure there's some motorized vehicle he cruises around on that I've yet to create) or go hunting. He does like being outdoors so any weather that allows him to do that. You can bet there will be plenty of rainy, stormy days on his quest because I am in fact evil.


4. What would an ideal/perfect day for Julian be?
Probably all of the above in question three. He'd wake up late, have no plans, call up his closest friend and they would go out riding or hunting or just causing trouble. I see the two of them would probably often get themselves into trouble around the castle. Julian is a bit of a big kid and he's clinging to his youth as best he can. 


5. Does Julian have a favourite childhood memory?
Yes, and it was the day he hit his first target with his crossbow. He loves that thing like it's his own leg. I mean, the guy would die if he didn't have it. It's a family heir loom, given to him by his grandfather. He got it at a young age, but his mother wouldn't really let him use it until he was a bit older. His father then taught him to use it and the first time he ever hit the center of his target, he was sold. It's a memory that reminds him of being a child, while still growing up. 


6. Do you like cheese?
Yes, yes I do. Cheese is amazing. It goes with so many things. It can even be melted on apple pie if you ask my grandmother... I suggest you don't ask her.


7. Does Julian have a special weapon or skill to help him on his quest, or must he depend on his own wits?
All heirs are taught to fight with and without weapons. He can defend himself thoroughly, otherwise they wouldn't trust the poor guys out in the world alone. It's part of growing up for them. He's also incredible with his crossbow. It's the only real skill he obtained naturally. Because he's only so experienced in the ways of the world, he doesn't really know what he's capable of and this quest will put him in situations where he has to explore that. He will heavily rely on others and that is also a lesson that is being taught to him; diplomacy and trust. 


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So that's that. See you next week! LL&P

King of [Kingdom]

I've decided to introduce you to the de Arques family this week. So far, none of my characters have faces other than Julian, so you will just have to imagine that they all look somewhat similar to each other. First, I'd like you to meet the King of [Kingdom], our heroes father.

Name: Julian Therius de Arques II

Nickname: None

Age: 48

Height: 6’1

Weight: 200-225

Build: Tall, strong, and broad.

Eyes: Narrow, intense hazel.

Skin: Olive, darker than his son

Hair: Shoulder length and mostly grey covered through previous dark brown hair.

Other Facial Features: Strong features, regal look, weathered skin and wrinkles around his eyes and mouth.

Occupation: King

Personality: Level headed, tradition minded, looks to the future of the kingdom and takes his place in society very seriously, often pushing too far. His intimidating characteristics can only be subdued by his wife.

Background: The fouteenth king of the de Arques dynasty. He completed his journey to the Oracle and his quest in seven months, a shorter period of time than any king before him. He has been the strongest ruler yet, keeping his kingdom well in tact, though there are still oposers of his rule.

Greek God Equivalent: Zeus

Pretty typical, I think for a King/father character. I know that, and I knew going into it that he would seem that way, but he serves his purpose in Julian's life this way. It should be interesting to explore the relationship between Julian and the King since they are different kings of personalities, while still being on the same side. They both want what's best for the kingdom, but Julian is just too young to have the experience and I think that is the only thing that really separates them when it comes to a relationship.

Question Friday 03

Wow, I keep making late posts in the day. I think I average about 5PM though, so it's okay. Things have been going on around my house and I've just now gotten a chance to sit down and write this out. Lots of questions, too.

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1. So, what's your favourite comfort food?

Spaghetti and marinara. It has been my comfort food since I was a kid. It is the only thing I crave when I am sick.

2. What does Julian think of when he daydreams?

Not having to go through with this tradition. He wants to be given the time to go learn about the world on his own without the added pressure of running a kingdom on his heels. 

3. Does Julian have siblings?

Yes. Julian has one sister, named Sophia Helen de Arques. She is seventeen years old and as of Julian's birthday, she is looking for suitors. She remains at the castle while Julian is on his quest, but she will come into play, I believe in the second book. I'm not sure, but I will be utilizing her. More on her later.

4. Does he have a pet?

He does not have a pet that is just his. There are hunting dogs and horses among other things that belong to the royal family, but there isn't anything that he calls his own. 

5. Any thoughts on the climate of [Kingdom]?

I am in the process of drawing a map, actually. The coastal regions range from mild to cool and rainy. Inland there are forests and deserts, but most of the occupied land is around water, whether it be lakes or rivers or even manmade bodies of water. The one thing that there isn't is any tropical climates or rainforest-like climates. Also, I am so referring to it as [Kingdom] from now until I get a name for it.

6. What is your writing process like?

My process changes depending on how serious I am about what I am writing. Sometimes, I just fly by the seat of my pants and go. In this case, I do a lot more planning. I like to write up character profiles for each character that includes precise information on how they look, their personality, their history, their likes and dislikes and any other technical information I need to remember when it comes to writing them into the story. Once I have everyone as detailed as possible, I will write an outline that is a chapter by chapter synopsis. It details the main point of the chapter, what I am trying to convey. I sometimes have more detailed information than others, it just depends on the kind of chapter it is. Often, a chapter is dreamt up from one line of dialogue or a sentence that I want to include and I will build around that. 

I find that I tend to work a little bit backwards. I find one detail that I like and I create the story around that. If I have two details, I will run through every possibility that they have to be connect and go from there. My writing process is very scattered because my ideas come out of left field sometimes. Some of my best ideas I've ever had happened in a grocery store or while shopping. I keep a small notebook with me all the time, just in case. Then, I go home compare all the notes and find the plot inside it. For this story though, the process will be a lot more structured than usual.

7. Did you get character ideas from people you know, other fandom characters or what?

My character ideas come from all over. I find that a lot of times I know that my plot needs one characteristic to round it out. For example, with Julian's sister, Sophia; I knew that somewhere in the family I needed a place that Julian could feel he wasn't being pressured and I wanted a sort of logic and realistic feel to this place. So, I took those characteristics--logic, realistic, familiar, intelligence--and wound them all up into one character. That is what Sophia is. She's a very smart, level-headed, intelligent young woman who is a counter balance at home for Julian. They aren't great friends, but they care for each other. I knew that it would give him a firm foundation. It just worked out that she corresponds well with the goddess Athena. 

Other times, my characters just come to me. Or maybe I have one look or purpose they need to serve in the book. I'm finding that a lot of the characters in this trilogy are created on and around Julian based on my needs to advance the plot. Luckily, I find that my favorite characteristics are easily implemented in this fantasy world and I can use all my loved personality traits and quirks. I will say this, there's at least two characters that did receive parial inspiration from Captain Jack Sparrow. 

8. Do you have faces for any of the characters?

What's funny about this is that I have so many characters to put faces to, but only Julian's came to me and made sense. The rest of them are still up in the air. There's one character in particular, that I could tell you their personality, the way they dress, their scars, their quirks, their fears, their vices, personal details about their childhood and I cannot for the life of me settle on their physical attributes. I can't decide on hair color, hair length, eye color, body type or height. I mean, I know next to nothing about how they look, but I know everything about who they are. Looks are alluding me a little bit for characters, but I think once I get moving on it, they will make a little more sense. For now, we will just have to live with my poor descriptions of their physical appearance.

9. Does Julian have a sidekick/bestie that will accompany him on his travels of epic proportions?

The Quest of Kings does not allow the heir to embark on the journey with a companion. So, starting out on the journey? No. Julian is completely alone, but--and I think I can tell you this without giving away too much, because I want to talk about him--Julian will very quickly gain a traveling companion. I know I've mention Milo Lycus before. He is a very interesting character that nearly gets Julian into trouble... over and over again. I will get to him next week, I believe. He may not be Julian's best friend and definitely not at the beginning, but he definitely occupies the 'sidekick' role.

10. What inspiring/badass music have you been listening to to prepare/write this epic?

Oh man, I dont' even have a good answer for this. I listen to a lot of movie soundtracks when it comes to this kind of thing because I want it to play very clearly in the reader's head when they discover this fantasy land. I've taken to string quartets and also a lot of the metal sounds that are in Hellboy II have been pretty inspiring. Also, the song "Neighborhood #4 (7 Kettles)" by Arcade Fire has been and interesting mix. They actually use the sound of whistling kettles in the song and I like the image it gives me. If I find anything else I love, I'll be sure to share it with you!

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I hope that feeds your craving this week and that you will survive until next week when I post again. I hope to get some plotting worked on this weekend, God willing. A lot is going on around my house right now, but I am consistently excited about this trilogy and I really cannot wait to share it. Thanks for reading!

The Antihero

Probably my favorite character in any book, movie or television show is the antihero; not to be confused with the antagonist. Where an antagonist is a villain, the one causing the problem that is progressing the plot for the hero or protagonist, the antihero is the protagonist with a less than conventional characteristics of the typical hero. Yesterday, I noted that the hero was courageous, self-sacrificing and morally right. The antihero tends to be selfish, morally ambiguous and show more signs of being cowardly in the face of danger.

Its true that everyone loves a great villain. The villain, with all their endless evil and conniving, create the plot that stories are surrounded by. The antihero is all that corruption without making the reader feel like they are siding with evil while they love them. The best part about them, is that you get all of the faults, mistakes, malicious behavior and sharp wit of the villain, but they are, in a way, fighting for good. Occasionally, they aren't fighting for good or bad, they are fighting for themselves. Let's go through a few examples. Here are some of my favorites.


Pirates of the Caribbean - Captain Jack Sparrow
This character single handedly created a franchise. It brought life to the pirates of old and he was the antihero that everyone wanted to be like.

Lost - Benjamin Linus and James "Sawyer" Ford
Both of these characters have very distinct 'bad guy' feelings. Ben being the more questionable of the two (since we still aren't sure what side he is one). Sawyer is fighting more for good, but doing it in a way that serves him best. (Not to mention Kate, who is technically a fugitive. Just saying.)

Dexter - Dexter Morgan
This show just put the lead actor in a place for a Golden Globe. The character is a serial killer hunting murderers. It's the ultimate antihero in that he will kill to find, what he believes is true justice.

Fight Club - Tyler Durden
Brad Pitt's portrayal of this fictional character created quite a stir. Honestly, I can ask any guy what their favorite movies are and there is no doubt that Fight Club with it's chaos creating character will make the list.


I could go on and on. The antihero is one of the most loved characters in all of literature and media. We want to love the bad guy. Woman want to change him, men want to him him. Don't get me wrong, there are certainly the female antihero. What about Pam from the Southern Vampire series? Or even someone a little more mild, like Meredith Grey of Grey's Anatomy? She's repeated described as being 'dark and twisty inside,' labeling her as the antihero and still the protagonist.

I promise, the women in my book, most of them are the antihero. With the exception of Julian's mother and sister, the rest of them have a distinct flair for self-serving, self-preservation, and morally ambiguous behavior.

DISCUSSION! Talk about your favorite antihero in any book, series, show or movie. Also, it's Question Friday tomorrow!! Ask me anything, everything and all you want to know will be revealed... well, within reason. Thanks for reading. See you tomorrow.

Journey of a Hero

Today I'm going to talk just briefly about the hero of not just my novel, but also the role that heroes have played in the past. It seems only appropriate that word hero comes from the Ancient Greek ἥρως or hḗrōs. Originally, hero was actually a demigod and not just a given term for the protagonist of a story, legend or parable. It later turned into the term we use for our self-sacrificing, moral upholding and courageous characters we see today. 


Classic heroes usually were measured by their martial courage. The heros of Greek mythology, like Heracles and Achilles are seen in this same kind of heroism. Modern heroism is modified and more morally based. There doesn't have to be a massive battle that takes place, but rather just a grand gesture of heroics. 


I would definitely have to say that Julian is a classical hero. He may not be our fighting a war or protecting the innocent, but there's a lot to him that is the hero. Julian was not the first character I came up with in this universe. In fact, he was probably the third character or so. I started with a lot of bad guys. I had ideas of all the trouble that would be going on and then once I had figured out what kind of world they were in, I discovered what kind of hero they would need. Of course, there's always the temptation to create the strong, manly, fearless in the face of danger type of hero, but I decided that I wanted someone who was going to have to do a lot of learning before he even realized what he was. 


Julian is very much the reluctant hero. He is unsure of himself, unsure of his place in the world, unsure of his next step in life. All he knows is that he has his entire path laid out before him and he has to follow it, whether he wants to or not. This path, the one that takes him to the throne, is by no means clear cut, so somewhere along the line he is going to be challenged to do more than just follow the path. He doesn't know it yet, but it will require a lot of growth on his part. 


I think what I am most excited about with him is the amount of learning we get to do with Julian. We are going to discover the world outside his castle walls while he does. He knows very little about the world and as he finds out all of these different creatures, people and villages, we will get to do the same. Hopefully you find it as exciting as I do.


Tomorrow will either be talk about the decisions that heroes have to make or the definition of the anti-hero, which does come into play in this plot. Comment below! Let me know what you think of... well, anything!