Search results for ‘i give you my body’

CHARACTERIZATION Characters are defined in a story on the basis of what they want.  What they want, of course, depends a lot on who they are, and so does the manner in which they go about getting it. When you sit down to “build” a character, you need to consider two things: 1.  Who is this person?  (What are they like?  What is their background?) 2.  What do they want? (What role will they play in your story?) I. Discovering Character A.  Drawing from real life (or literature) 1. mannerisms 2. appearances 3. motives B.  Analyzing the character’s function in the story Impact of Situation on Character Think about the person who seems to be your main character.  Now,  characters are defined in a story not so much by who they are (the  character sketches, background, etc.) as by what they want.  What they want  is of course affected by who they are, but it’s the “what they want” that  drives the story. So think–what is it that this person, […]

JAMIE AND THE RULE OF THREE Copyright 2010 Diana Gabaldon I had a male reader (Justin Brady (@RandomAngst), who runs the Random Angst book review/rating site at www.randomangst.com) on Twitter just today who said he’d just finished reading OUTLANDER and enjoyed it a lot “until the prison chapters.”  I tweeted back that I’d be kind of worried about him if he’d _enjoyed_ the Wentworth part {g}, to which he said, “but why put our hero through such pain and suffering? :)”, adding in the next, “I know I’m late to the #Outlander party & you’ve probably already addressed this; but that was intense emotional, physical pain.” I was on my way out to dinner, so said I’d reply to him later (haven’t done that yet), but have been thinking at brief moments just _how_ to reply to that.  The simple answer is just that that’s what I saw happening, but that’s not enough for the reader.  There always _is_ a reason why things happen or are necessary, whether I know […]

So… you’ve re-watched the available seasons of "Outlander" the TV Series twenty or thirty times and your family is becoming restive about not being able to watch football or play videogames, and you’ve gone through all the Big Books (again) and all of the Lord John novels and all the novellas… And thus find yourself facing the Universal Question: WHAT THE HECK AM I GOING TO READ NOW?!? Oddly enough, people ask me that pretty often. So, some years ago, I started The Methadone List. This is a brief descriptive list of books that I personally can recommend for quality. I’m a very eclectic reader, and thus the Methadone List has a wide variety of titles, everything from the easily recognizable genres to the frankly odd and indescribable. Now, everyone’s tastes are different, and I don’t expect y’all to like all the same things I do— but you may find something there that appeals. I can guarantee that everything on the list is well-written, has Deeply Interesting Characters, Excellent Plots, […]

Copyright 2001 Diana Gabaldon He’d handled eighteenth-century broadswords before; neither the weight nor the length surprised him. The basket around the hilt was slightly bent, but not enough to interfere with fitting his hand inside the grip. He’d done that before, too. There was a considerable difference, though, beyond reverently placing an antique artifact into a museum display, and picking up a length of sharpened metal with the conscious intent of driving it through a human body. “It’s a bit battered,” Fraser had told him, squinting critically down the length of the sword before handing it to him, “but the blade’s well-balanced. Try the feel of it, to see if it suits.” Feeling a total fool, he slipped his hand into the basket and struck a fencing pose, based on memories of Errol Flynn films. They were standing in the busy lane outside the smithy in Cross Creek, and a few passersby paused to watch and offer helpful comment. “What’s Moore asking for that bit of pot tin?” someone asked […]

Copyright 2009 Diana Gabaldon Lord John lingered for a moment on the porch of the inn, watching his son vanish into the shadows under the elm  trees.  He had some qualms; the matter had been arranged with more haste than he would have liked–but he did have confidence in William’s abilities.  And while the arrangement clearly had its risks, that was the nature of a soldier’s life.  Some situations were riskier than others, though. He hesitated, hearing the buzz of talk from the tap-room inside, but he had had enough of company for the night, and the thought of tossing to and fro under the low ceiling of his room, stifling in the day’s trapped heat, determined him to walk about until bodily exhaustion should insure sleep. It wasn’t just the heat, he reflected, stepping off the porch and setting off in the opposite direction to the one Willie had taken.  He knew himself well enough to realize that even the apparent success of his plan would not prevent his […]

Copyright 2009 Diana Gabaldon The world was dripping.  Freshets leapt down the mountain, grass and leaves were wet with dew and the shingles steamed in the morning sun.  Our preparations were made and the passes were clear.  There remained only one more thing to do before we could leave. “Today, d’ye think?” Jamie asked hopefully.  He was not a man made for peaceful contemplation; once a course of action was decided upon, he wanted to be acting.  Babies, unfortunately, are completely indifferent to both convenience and impatience. “Maybe,” I said, trying to keep a grip on my own patience.  “Maybe not.” “I saw her last week, and she looked then as though she was goin’ to explode any minute, Auntie,” Ian remarked, handing Rollo the last bite of his muffin.  “Ken those mushrooms?  The big round ones?  Ye touch one and poof!”  He flicked his fingers, scattering muffin crumbs.  “Like that.” “She’s only having the one, no?”  Jamie asked me, frowning. “I told you–six times so far–I think so.  I […]

Copyright 2009 Diana Gabaldon On July 4th, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was signed in Philadelphia. On July 24th, Lieutenant General Sir William Howe arrived on Staten Island, where he set up field headquarters at the Rose and Crown Tavern in New Dorp. On August 13th, Lieutenant General George Washington arrived in New York to reinforce the fortifications of the city, which the Americans held. On August 21st, William Ransom, Lieutenant Lord Ellesmere, arrived at the Rose and Crown in New Dorp, reporting–somewhat late–for duty as the newest and most junior member of General Howe’s staff. On August 22nd… xxx Lieutenant Edward Markham, Marquis of Clarewell, peered searchingly into William’s face, offering him an unappetizingly close view of a juicy pimple–just ready to burst–on the former’s forehead. “You all right, Ellesmere?” “Fine.”  William managed the word between clenched teeth. “Only, you look rather…green.”  Clarewell, looking concerned, reached into his pocket.  “Want a suck of my pickle?” William just about made it to the rail in time.  There was a certain […]