Author Quest

Hannah at The Writer's Window tagged me in this fun meme. I'm answering the questions using Ice Roses, a retelling of "The Snow Queen" by Hans Christian Anderson.

1. There you are in the middle of writing one of your favorite stories. Suddenly, a portal materializes in front of you, and a note is tossed through. You read it and discover that it is a plea of aid from one of your favorite characters--you know, the comic relief one. You leap through the portal (Danger? Who cares about danger?) and meet your character! Your reaction? (Explain who this character is first.)

Hmmm, I don't know if there is really a comic relief character in this story--due to certain events, most of my characters are rather serious. But the one that is least serious is Riddick, the crown prince of the Autumn Kingdom. I would be really excited to meet him--he and I are a lot alike: we could talk about books, our shared love of crisp autumn walks, and how people react to the scars on our faces. I could help him get over his inclination towards being naive and show him how the real world really works, without breaking his sensitive heart.

 2. Wow. Things really are a disaster. The story is taking a life of its own. Worst of all, your awesome hero/heroine has fallen in love with the completely wrong character. How do you convince them that your match is really the best person for them?

Well, at the very beginning of the story, Gerda's in love with the wrong person from the outset. When this character is abducted by the villain, she sets out to rescue him. Along the way, she gets some help from a few faeries--one of which is a kind, sensitive, book-loving prince. He's everything she needs--and certain events will show her just how perfect he is for her. ;)

3. Oops. You just got captured by the villain. But you can handle this, right? After all, you created their nefarious mind. What's your plan? Do you exploit his weakness or do you take advantage of your knowledge of his lair to escape?

Well, the Snow Queen would be rather disappointed in capturing me, a pesky, 'powerless' human. So she'd probably put me to work as a slave in her icy palace. Her weakness is her pride and condescension towards humans; she doesn't realize they have a power of their own. So I would use that to trick her into thinking I can't do anything about my situation....and then use her own sense of control against her. Never underestimate a determined writer....

4. Unfortunately, your awesome hero/heroine just go captured too...and they're wounded. Rats. You can't just leave them now can you? And they're feeling pretty discouraged. What would you say to encourage them?

Actually, that's good! Because unbeknownst to the Snow Queen, Gerda has the one weapon that can kill the icy faerie queen: a snow dagger. So I would take the snow dagger from Gerda and use it against the Snow Queen. I would remind Gerda that the Lord of All Lands has given her this mission for a reason, even if it means she can't have her happily-ever-after with the boy she once loved.

5. Great job. You just practically promised your character a happy ending. But can you guarantee it? You're in the story now, and you might never have written your hero into such peril. But wait a second...you are the author! So what if the story isn't going how you thought? Make a new happy ending! Do you single-handedly  rescue your hero or do the other heroes come and save the day?

I pretty much took care of it, I guess. But despite that, though everything's ended 'happily', certain things will never be the same. The characters--especially Gerda--are forced to grow up a lot in this story. Friendships will stay strong but not the same. It's basically the journey from childhood to adulthood, and some people--and ideas--will be left behind in the past. I would definitely describe their ending as "bittersweet."

6. Whohoo! You're free! And things are shaping up. Maybe not the way you had written it, but hey, perhaps you got a new perspective on the story! Now...sniffle, sniffle...you have to say good-bye to your characters. Do you hug them good-bye? Give them something to remember you by? Give an inspirational speech, telling what you love about them and what hopes you have for their future?

I would give Gerda a huge hug. This girl has been through so much, including various versions of the same story! And each time, I put her through such torture and pain. Honestly, I would want to drag her into this world and be her best friend. She definitely deserves a break. I would tell her to take the life that's been given her and, even though things haven't turned out the way she wanted them to, to make the most of it. In earlier drafts I had plans for sequels, but right now I'm thinking these characters will be with me for only one novel. But perhaps a few short stories....? Either way, I will never forget them!

Tag! You're It!

Ysa Rivas
Amber Stokes

And anyone else who wants to join in! :)