151

(213 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)

I don't want her to incapacitate him and get away, he must still be able to prevent her from making a run. I'm thinking just to have her go for his groin and Peter blocking the blow. Any thoughts?

152

(213 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)

Okay njc, I'll 'soften' the sound! Geez, when you guys are not complaining about the lack of sound and smell, you're complaining about the exact sound and smell! *said with love, I know I need all the help I can get, but no admitting it loud or to myself!* smile

Question If Catherine kick or knee Peter in the groin, will he still be able to stop her from reaching her horse (which as per Amy's suggestion will in the next revision be with them in the mill)? *looking at the men for some guidance, please* Don't make me go to the big bad forum!!!!

Thanks for all the help!

153

(1,217 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)

Another congrats on a huge achievement! I'll keep an eye out for v3!

154

(354 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)

Elisheva Free wrote:

1. Grandpa had a stroke.
2. Little sister had a car accident.
3. Boyfriend is now sick.

Involuntary. sad

Shit E! I hope your grandpa, sis and boyfriend are doing okay! Hang in there! Thinking of you and your family. xx

155

(1,528 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)

njc wrote:

Got maybe half of one-and-two typed up, with the first edit-for-composition done in process.  I'm near 1,800 words.
There's a LOT of description.  Tolkien could manage it.  I don't know if I can.  You'll tell me.

big_smile

156

(1,528 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)

njc wrote:

I'm not sure they'll ever get fully reconstructed.

I meant the original ones would surface the moment after I put the last period at the end of the last sentence. smile

157

(213 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)

Okay, so what you guys are saying the details around the mill is too thin and not educating enough? That can be fixed! But my understanding was that I had to mention it way back earlier in the story ... Then again, I can probably do that! I just thought of a clever idea ... have Matthew or someone mention something about the new watermill that was built closer to a hamlet or town or the castle or something. That would work?

Just saw K's comment. I'll have Matthew and Catherine talk about it while they're falling, rolling and thumping! tongue big_smile

NJC, but you would still make a sound or some sound when you hit the ground, whether you hit it perfectly vertically or in a rolling motion? Yes? Don't make me do it to find out!!!!

amy s wrote:

I like the idea of making Tazar's name a single syllable, BTW.

No!!!!!

njc wrote:

Just apostrope out the E when he says it quickly.

Oh, just sometimes?! Phew! Breathes again! big_smile

159

(1,217 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)

Norm d'Plume wrote:

I'm missing the appeal of Girl Genius, but then I never understood the humor in Calvin and Hobbes either, until I saw one day that Hobbes was a stuffed toy. Then it was hilarious. It's the Calgary winters. Slows the brain. The sleeping pills don't help.

The appeal to me is that there's a Girl Genius for EVERYTHING ... smile

160

(213 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)

amy s wrote:

In the last review, you wondered if the reader would just assume there were random windmills laying around.

Oh myyyy.

Um, I'm not going to let that one slip by. I absolutely NEVER, even once...considered that a water wheel was part of the surroundings. We have been on the moor, in the town, and at the fortress. Then we went on a search for the reivers. NOT ONCE did we see a windmill or water wheel.

At the end of the book, I should know the characters as well as the surroundings. That way, I can concentrate on the action. And the Romance.

Just mention the waterwheel earlier. Simple fix that keeps my head from spinning around and calling the exorcist.

No one gave me crap about the abbey ruins where a few secret meeting took place ... And like cottages, rivers, hills, hamlets, etc., watermills (not windmills) are a typical thing I really hope I shouldn't be spelling out for historical readers?

161

(1,528 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)

It will come out as soon as you have reconstructed it if your life is like mine! Good luck!

162

(213 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)

NJC:
"Again, we're on the precipice. Long sentences with long logic chains take us out of the moment. // Or are you trying to hew to the Romance character?"

I've recently seen something that will explain the Romance with a R and adventure with an a:

In Romance, while the hero is bleeding out, the heroine will be wondering "He's dying, but does he love me?!". It's all about the relationship in other words. The rest is just backdrop and obstacles.

That said, I'm trying to back down just a tiny bit on putting too much focus and making it ridiculous. Which it sometimes can be.

Amy, I got it! Will do, the cloak shall be mentioned! Thanks!!!

163

(213 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)

njc wrote:

In her state?  Even if she sets out to do that, I don't think she'll have time to orient.

This. She's not a trained fighter, just desperate to warn and save M.

Groin ... she needs no rock for that ... That could work? But, would he recover in time before she gets away? Because I don't want her to get away. That will take away Matthew's time to shine ... And Romance.

164

(213 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)

1) C lunges up and hits with an overhand knock on Peter's head. First, is she ambidextrous? Because she would have thrown the knife with her dominant hand, leaving her off-hand for the rock.

She is using her off-hand with the rock. Desperate times do not make choosers.

2) Declare the prop. First of all, you said, 'knives' (multiple) in a description. Yet you only have C throw away a single weapon. We also need to know that C put the knife in her boot when she woke up at the beginning of the chapter.  You also need to have a scenario where C shows Peter her knife and he knows about it. (At a table or to cut thread while she works with the women.) Otherwise, I have to suspect that he has seen her dress.

I have three, if not more, times mentioned that Catherine always have two daggers with her, one per boot. What I haven't shown is that others know this too. The question how Peter knows about her having A knife will be answered later.

3) For the fight...have C replicate a move that she saw while she watched the men fight during Andrew's training. Because she hasn't fought for this entire book, she hasn't worked out in secret...hasn't joined the men in the pell...I can see readers questioning her willingness to use violence.

I might have to clarify that her love/concern for Matthew override any sensitivities she has against using violence though. But I don't think she specifically needs to train for this moment ...

4) Suggest that you have C use the cloak to trap Peter's sword without allowing him to slice her. That way, the cloak issue is answered and becomes part of the fight. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloak_and_dagger

Against Peter, a trained fighter/stronger man? She traps his sword, he punches her in the face. Game over?

5) Rather than having C hit him in the head from a kneeling position (and risk being cut), I suggest that you just have her break Peter's kneecap. That will stop him from following and allow her to escape.

A broken kneecap will not work for what I have in mind at the end ... I'd appreciate it if we could park this after you've gotten to the last posted chapter ...

6) Motivation for Peter...His hatred of Matthew should be foremost on the mind. Instead of taunting C about how she interferes with his plans, consider having Peter know about the tryst. Face it, the house steward knows. Therefore, he might have mentioned this to Peter. That makes killing C all the more sweeter because Matthew will be hurt by killing his lover. (If Peter knows about the knife in the boot, why doesn't he know about the affair?)

The servants and Walter's discretion is unquestionable, although there's a different way for Peter to know or at least suspect that much. He tried to kill Matthew once in Matthew's chamber when Matthew wasn't there ... And Matthew opened Catherine's chamber door to listen after he though he heard a noise ... Not being in Peter's POV means he has to talk about this. He's crazy enough though, so this is an option I have open, and will consider!

Thanks for this! Sorry about the absence, I was away for work and only came back late last night. Today so far was mostly a waste writing wise.

165

(13 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)

Tom, would it not be easier to contact the author and simply ask which group it was posted to? It sounds like you have a connection\understanding\relationship going and this wouldn't be out of line. Although I agree that receiving emails of work we cannot access doesn't make a lot of sense either.

njc wrote:

The muscles that were in good shape (relative to their duties) are pretty much rehabbed.  I'm lucky that my hip swivel exercises were just the right thing.  The muscles that weren't up to their jobs before are still a bit worse.  I have to keep looking for something that will work them in just the right way.

Looks like there's been some real progress, which is great news! Now hoping that you find something for the second group of muscles.

njc wrote:

I hope I never have a cop demanding I rise from the driver seat on just one leg.

Keep to the speed limit, make sure your registration etc are up to date and hope for the best! smile

amy s wrote:

Janet...the glue that pulls us together:-)

I think I'm more the magnetic force. You are definitely the glue! smile

168

(213 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)

Oh, please no Star Trek! But if I have to, well, who knows, maybe I can like it a little or just enough to get through it. I've outgrown that.

Matthew is a bit in a tight spot to do anything really - both his arms are pretty occupied, so Catherine is on her own. That said, my initial intent was that Peter's unbalance was more due to shock and surprise - Catherine wasn't supposed to have another dagger and she was definitely not supposed to actually use one to stab him either. But it sounds as if this doesn't work or didn't come through from Matthew's POV. If it's the latter, it's an easy fix - I just have to add dialogue to that extent. If ti's the former, it will be a harder fix - the stabbing isn't the real thing that kills Peter - it's surprise, losing his balance and then falling from height. The reason why I like this, is that neither Catherine nor Matthew actually kill Peter.

Like you said in the review - I'll use Adventure to make sure it's a good scene but always keeping in mind it's still intended for Romance readers. And I think they really wouldn't care too much about the details as long as Peter is dead and Catherine and Matthew are heroes so that M and C can just get together for their happy ever after. That said, the obligatorily separation before that can happen is coming soon.

169

(1,217 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)

Norm d'Plume wrote:

Yabba dabba doo! Amy's edits for chapter 35, Apollo's Faith, are done. Now to clean up Joseph's Sword, then Caligula, and then I get to write new sh*t.

Please let me know when you post the new chapters and I miss it!

170

(1,528 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)

amy s wrote:

You didn't start writing your story 18 years ago and piddle around without a group for 16 of those years. So keeping up isn't really a worry. You got your story into the gate and joined an online group right away. Someone had to hit me over the head before I took their advice and joined TNBW.

I'll give you that! smile And yeah, it's not a competition, the only thing that matters is getting it done!

171

(213 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)

njc, no probs, that's a good one and very detailed. So we're still good! big_smile I'll go through it in more detail tomorrow and reply. Appreciate it, that must have taken a long time!

172

(1,528 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)

amy s wrote:

I'm only working on 5 at the same time. I bow to the master.

I'm working on a grand total of ....








wait for it ....












have you guessed it yet ....













ONE! And I can't keep up all the time. sad

I can visit Dirk in Canada - I'm in Edmonton every now and again lately - going there next week again. We also have a road trip to Calgary on our list ... And Eleshieva is definitely within visiting distance from me. If all else fails, we can meet until we can have a big together!

njc wrote:

Checked.  I80 is supposed tp be a shorter drive.

It will be beyond super awesome if you could be there too!
Speaking of trips and driving, how is your health going lately?

amy s wrote:

Oregon, OH (unless there are 2 facilities) is less than 15 miles away from me. Is it the refinery, I assume? Give me as much notice as possible so I can get the time off! There is NOTHING to do do in Toledo but eat. And don't bring a warm coat...I'll send you back with a new one!

And dinner is on me! Only 15 miles?! *jumps up and down!!!!*