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Subplots and Storylines – May 2016

Tracey Dyck 28 Comments

I would like to remind you that I am a wizard. And a wizard is never late.

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So even though I started typing up this post within the last three hours of May, and it’s only getting to you in June, I’m not late at all.*

* Great excuse, right? But actually I have been going nonstop since Sunday morning, and these S&S posts are hard to put together until . . . you know, the month is pretty much over.

Life Etc.

A few notable things happened this month. I learned how to make origami flowers and felt so proud of myself. A friend/co-worker is getting married in June, so I joined her and a passel of girls in making some of the dozens (hundreds?) of flowers she needs. Behold my handiwork.

And I’ve been greatly enjoying my new vehicle. It’s officially in my possession now, and the first time I left work and laid eyes on it waiting in the parking lot for me, I had a thrill of that’s my car!

Warm sun and frequent showers have turned everything green, green, green around here. And that means yard work, planting the garden, starting the flower beds, etc. But digging my fingers into freshly tilled dirt, clomping around in rubber boots, hauling watering cans, watching little bugs scramble away as I work–that’s a totally different kind of labor than my job. It’s more refreshing.

We hauled out our lawn croquet and set it up at a park. Let’s just say that I finished fourth out of the six of us. My mom whupped us all severely. I had forgotten she was that good!

One of the biggest happenings this May, though, is the day I WENT TO A PIANO GUYS CONCERT! I’d heard way back around Christmas that their tour was bringing them close to home, and was naturally very interested in getting tickets. So was Sarah. But I procrastinated and did nothing about it for months. Two weeks before the concert, I checked online to see if tickets were still available, only to find out that $200 meet and greet passes were all that was left. (A little much for my sensible side to spend on entertainment.) But then it ended up working out that one of Sarah’s friends had two extra tickets she could sell us for $50 apiece. This has got to be the only time in my life that procrastination actually produced better results than . . . well, being on top of things.

Anyway, the concert itself was AH-MAY-ZING, OH MY GOODNESS. The music was absolutely gorgeous. The Piano Guys themselves were hilarious and so down to earth and humble. This was apparently their first time touring Canada, which was pretty cool. They played some of my favorites, and threw in a few unofficial pieces. (Including a joking mash-up of the “two happiest songs on earth” according to them: “Don’t Worry, Be Happy,” and the main theme of Phantom of the Opera. They called it, “Don’t Worry, Be Psycho.” Too funny!)

I took a bunch of short videos with my phone, and I was hoping to upload one or two to this post, but sadly it’s not working. Just imagine, though, a live version of this song . . .

. . . in which four bagpipe players come and join them on the stage near the end. Ah, ’twas glorious!

Another fun event was a girls day out with a dear friend of mine (the one who got married a couple months ago). We hadn’t spent much time together since then, so it was awesome to catch up! Smoothies were also a plus. (But aren’t they always?)

Le Movies

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Once Upon a Time season 3 // My sisters and I finally finished! Great ending, but now we very much need the fourth season. Thankfully, I own it already. But ugh, why did that particular character have to come to Storybrooke right when a certain relationship was going so beautifully? She’s going to ruin everything.

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Sister Act // cheesy at some parts, funny at others, and even a little heartwarming in between. Watching Whoopi Goldberg play a casino singer who witnesses a murder and then has to hide at a nunnery (of all places) was pretty entertaining. Especially when she started teaching the nuns to sing.

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The Two Towers // At last! I’ve been wanting to see it since I watched The Fellowship of the Ring a couple months ago. Being the extended edition, my bro and I went at it in two separate sittings. So. Good. Gollum’s inner conflict was done really well, everything felt darker and more foreboding than the first film, the Ents were fun (but not as good as the book version, in my humble opinion), Legolas and Gimli’s developing friendship was awesome, the battle at Helm’s Deep was the most epic thing ever . . . I could go on and on, but there are other things to talk about yet. I feel it should be known, however, how much I love Aragorn. And Eowyn. And Merry and Pippin. (But–but–but Aragorn! Could he be any more awesome?)

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War Room // I was half expecting it to be one of those tired, clichéd sort of Christian movies, but it was actually good. It started out a bit clichéd, but it turned into a good story with a more focused storyline than, say, God’s Not Dead (which I did enjoy; it just had a big cast with lots of plot threads). And if the movie’s intent was to inspire the viewers to pray more, then it certainly was convicting. Bits of humor, mostly supplied by the elderly Miss Clara, were also appreciated.

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Sleepless in Seattle // My mom and I had a movie night, complete with my favorite kind of popcorn. It was a fun old “classic,” which meant I could make fun of the hairstyles and music whilst enjoying the girly romance. Several sexual comments detracted from my enjoyment of the film, but otherwise it was a sweet movie. The dialogue of the main character Annie Reed reminds me of a more extroverted, reckless version of myself. I think it was the way she cobbled topics together and left others scratching their heads, or her random musings on little details about life?

Le Books

Hey, guess who up and joined Goodreads? (I haven’t figured out why we say “guess who” when it’s completely obvious we mean ourselves. But I say it anyway.) Yes, this social media hermit finally ventured into that particular bookish corner of the internet! A hermit, you ask? Doesn’t this blog count for something? Yes, of course it does, but as far as the imminently popular Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/Pinterest/what-have-you world goes, I am notably absent. I’m on Google Plus simply because, well, Google gives me Gmail and Blogger and everything on one account. Before you mention it, yes, I am aware of how lame Google Plus is. (Except Mary and I have great little conversations there, so that’s a plus.) (Gosh, that was bad.)

But I was supposed to be talking about Goodreads. Yes. So I’m on there now, and still in the process of creating shelves and adding all the books of which I’ve kept a record. I’d love to connect with you over there!

One of the things I’ve been reading this month is Christine’s Burning Thorns, which is so marvellously wicked in its treatment of my heart. It’s a beautiful, heartrending story, and I’m currently having trouble imagining how things are going to get even worse than they already are.

The Prayer Box by Lisa Wingate // A sweet, romantic story of a single mom named Tandi shored up with her kids in a quaint little coastal town. Her elderly landlady, Iola Anne Poole, dies peacefully and leaves behind a huge mansion and a lifetime’s collection of prayer boxes–the prayers she wrote out since she was a little girl. These prayers are instrumental in Tandi finding healing for her broken heart. I give the story a bit of extra credit for the love interest’s originality. Rather than being Mr. Tall-Dark-and-Handsome or Rugged Outdoorsmen, he’s a quirky lawn care guy who wears the worst flamingo shirts ever. (But he’s sweet, so ya like him.)

Water Walker by Ted Dekker // Book 3 in the Outlaw series. This story was written in almost a parable style, I feel, which is a bit different than Dekker’s usual method. It worked for this book, a short novel digging into themes of forgiveness and freedom through grace. Young Eden, who has no memory of her childhood, is kidnapped by people claiming to be her real parents. And let me tell you, those people are creepy. (What really struck me was how minimal the violence was–only one or two scenes, and only one of those made me wince–and yet how chilling the story was anyway. It was more of a psychological creep factor, with Eden’s captors being obsessed with a twisted version of purity, cleanliness, and sacrificial lambs.) I caught a few typos, but the story was well worth reading anyway. The messages coincide perfectly with what I’ve been learning in Dekker’s The Creative Way course.

Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones // So a number of online buddies of mine have been recommending HMC to me for a couple years already. Very, very enthusiastically recommending. Threatening to throw books at me if I don’t read it. Telling me my life will not be complete until I read it. I believed them, of course, because these people are rather discerning bookdragons. For the last two-ish years, I’ve been looking for HMC at every bookstore I visit, but never found it. You’ve probably guessed that I recently FOUND IT. (Technically, my mom and sister found it for me, sweet things.)

IT WAS GLORIOUS AND WHIMSICAL AND GAH, I NEED TO READ IT AGAIN. Everything was quirky and fun and seemingly random . . . until they started connecting in surprising ways. I also loved the fairytale setting with its scarecrows and talking fire demons and hat shops and magical doors in magical castles and curses and seven league boots ETC.

Can we talk about the characters? Like how I adore Howl? How spunky Sophie is, even (especially) as an old lady hobbling around and muttering to things? And how hilariously grouchy Calcifer is, and how he hopes Sophie’s bacon burns, and how Michael is a pretty cool wizard’s apprentice, and how everyone is just strange and wonderful? But Howl . . . he really does take the cake. He’s different than I expected, but probably better. (Unbelievably vain. Secretly a big ol’ softie. Dramatic as all get out. Howl being sick is so great, I have to say.)

So a humongous thank you to the folks who pushed me into HMC! You know how certain books or movies instantly snuggle into your heart and tell you they’re being added to the list of happy places you can go to when you need a pick-me-up? HMC is one of those.

Le Writing

6,170 words this month in The Prophet’s Key. Not a whole lot, considering I wrote twice as much last month–but decent considering everything else going on.

I managed to do some more research in the realm of literary agents! My list of potentials is slowly growing.

And I spent a significant amount of time doing plain old research for TPK. There’s a lot of globetrotting happening in this novel, and I am a person who has not ventured further than a few states south and a few provinces west. Needless to say, I haven’t been to most of the places in my outline. Google satellite images, maps, and Wikipedia are my not-so-helpful friends in this endeavor to soak up knowledge. (Can I just book two months off work and fly to places like British Columbia, Scotland, and Australia? Pretty please?)

To make matters worse, the specific locations I’m looking for are supposed to be in the middle of nowhere, set apart from the general civilization. Good places for hiding. Which means they are not good places to Google, because the car that takes their streetview images doesn’t trundle up the wilderness of the Rockies and snap pictures of the scenery, gosh darn it. Seriously, get your act together. (Just kidding. Kind of.) So I have resigned myself to getting a feel for a general area, and then making up the specifics. That gives me more freedom to get to the actual writing.

Oh, and I also completed two or three sessions of The Creative Way, including my first session on the module dealing with the craft of writing. Yay!

Now, some of you may have already heard this, but the fourth fairytale contest held by Rooglewood Press has been postponed until next year due to health concerns/busyness on Anne Elisabeth Stengl’s part. Very understandable (and I hope she recovers soon from whatever it is), but the news was a bit disappointing. I gave the matter some thought, and have since decided that this may actually be a blessing in disguise. As much as I was looking forward to writing another retelling, it will be good to have the entire year to focus on Journeys of the Chosen, including agent research. Plus I’ll be busy this fall (I have a college interview coming up!), so perhaps this is for the best. Besides, by the time June 2017 rolls around, I’ll have that much more creative juice stored up for twisting another fairytale!

One last writing-related thing before I wrap this up . . . Because of the postponement, I’m joining Go Teen Writers’ 100 for 100, something I’ve never done but am eager to try. The idea is to write at least 100 words a day for 100 days. The wordcount is easy. It’s the every day part that will be a challenge, especially on the busy days. But that’s the point of the challenge–to build discipline. I’m excited to give it a go!

Okay, I’m done.

Sorry this was so late, folks. I meant to have it out much sooner.

I’d say May was a good month. There were a lot of subplots humming along rather busily, weaving through the weeks. How was your month? Any good books you read or movies you watched? (HAVE YOU READ HMC?) How’s the writing life going, if you’re of that particular bent? Grab an iced cappuccino or something yummy like that and let’s chat!

P.S. I’m loving the discussion we’re having on swearing in books, and I promise I’ll get to your comments as soon as I have the time to give them the thoughtful responses they deserve!

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a discussion on swearing in books

Tracey Dyck 23 Comments

I once explained why swearing should be eliminated from fiction. While I would still happily trim all those four-letter words out of books (except that defacing library property is a naughty thing to do), I’ve been pondering this subject recently. I had a good discussion about it with my brother, then with blogger friend Emily, and later with my writer friend Sarah. And I have come to the stunning conclusion: It’s not quite as black and white as I would like it to be.

I’m here today not to draw any concrete conclusions, but rather to weigh both sides and discuss it with you all. Fair enough?

swearing in books: what makes it undesirable

* Some of us just aren’t comfortable with foul language. Why should we be subjected to it in a novel? I’ve started to read some great books that I ended up putting down because the amount of profanity was more than I wanted to endure. I think authors should thoughtfully consider the section of their audience they’re driving away with their content. Those who don’t care how many f-bombs litter the page will still read your books even if you clean them up, whereas those who do care will be very thankful. Listen to the dollar signs, if nothing else.

* In some cases (not all), it’s lazy writing. In these sorts of books, the characters seem to have a limited vocabulary, 50% of which is profane. Even the narrative is sprinkled with it. Yes, I understand that that particular word is an angry one, but I would appreciate your art far more if you used some creativity to convey that anger. It takes more writing muscle to vividly describe someone seething with rage or moping in misery than it does to plop down a four-letter word or two. (Or a blue-streaking seven.)

* I could go on, but most of my other reasons are close siblings of the first one. Because of my faith and because of personal preference, I just don’t like language, be it in a book, movie, TV show, or real life.

swearing in books: what makes it okay

* It can be realistic. I loved Maggie Stiefvater’s The Raven Boys, but the characters, particularly Ronan, swore more than I expected them too. Being rough around the edges, all tough exterior and shaved head and independence, Ronan’s language was in keeping with his character. He’s kind of the bad boy. I have to be honest: there are just some people that wouldn’t realistically shout “oh pumpernickel!” when they spill hot coffee over their lap. If writers are meant to reflect life accurately, then perhaps a measure of realism in the dialogue is acceptable?
* In a very select few cases–of which I’d be hard-pressed to name, but still know they exist–there’s no other way to say it. Let’s imagine a scene showing the aftermath of deep evil or the heinousness of a crime. The most fitting words to describe those evil people and their destructive deeds are not PG-rated, people. (These days, maybe they are, but that’s another topic altogether . . .)
*Again, I could go on, but the rest of what I have to say is best discussed . . . as an actual discussion, instead of in point form.

so what are we to do?

On the one hand, many readers and writers find swearing offensive. I am one of those.
On the other hand, I write about things I don’t agree with, and no one is under the delusion that I approve of those things. I have characters with different mindsets than I do. I have characters who lie, steal, manipulate, betray, lust after power, burn people at the stake, and strive to conquer worlds. And yet I do not condone any of those actions, even if some of them are done by protagonists who are struggling on their journeys. So why should swearing be different?
Maybe it’s because we can read about someone lying or murdering, but we don’t truly experience the telling of that lie or the murdering of that person. But when we read a swear word, it’s just as bad as if we thought of it ourselves or spoke it aloud. Swearing is a verbal/mental sin, right?* It’s one of the few that can be communicated fully on the page.
*(And while we’re at it, can any of you point me to Bible verses on the subject of language? Beyond one of the Ten Commandments being “Do not take God’s Name in vain.” Because most swearing doesn’t invoke God’s name at all. I’m interested in doing some further study.)
BUT. I easily forget that non-Christians don’t ‘play by the same rules,’ if you want to put it that way. To me, swearing is wrong, but to a lot of people, it’s simply not an issue. How can I expect them to censor their language if they don’t believe it presents a problem?
On another note, intended audience is a big factor. Please do not put foul language in a book written for twelve-year-olds. I don’t care if they may be hearing those words at school already–some of them still have innocent eyes and ears, and I would hate for a book to introduce them to something better met at an older age.
But what about adult fiction? Or even YA? (As a reader, I consume both, as I imagine lots of you do.) These readers have heard plenty already, unless they live in Antarctica with speechless penguins. Does exposure justify the continued use of language? Is it a matter of maturity or of principle? Or both?
To some of you, this probably isn’t a big deal at all. I understand that the public school system is good at desensitizing people. Really, though, the secular world at large is good at it. As a homeschooler raised in a Christian family, I was not exposed to the same volume of profanity during my childhood as many public school students were. Emily pointed that fact out to me, and it’s true. Not that I was some unsocialized little stereotype who bathed in hand sanitizer after setting foot out in the big, bad world! I was simply in an environment that didn’t involve anything much worse than ‘crap.’ Now, as an adult in the workforce, and as a person whose media intake has expanded, I hear and read more. Not that I like it, but it’s reality.
So. Should we read books that contain swearing? I believe that’s between you and God to decide what you can handle (or what you want to handle). Should we write books that contain swearing? That question is even more muddled with grey than the first. And I did say I wasn’t trying to come to any solid conclusions just now.
But I will say that, no matter the answer, a few things need to be thoughtfully and prayerfully considered.
  • the audience
  • the context of the swearing
  • the intensity and frequency of the swearing
For me personally, there may come a day when I pen an adult novel that calls for a restrained measure of language. I can’t imagine myself ever laying it on thick. At all. I’d rather leave it at a non-scarring, “he swore” and be done with it. But a few deliberately placed words, for the right audience, in the right context, might happen. I honestly don’t know. I still wish the issue was as simple as attacking every novel out there with a black Sharpie. We all know it’s not, though.
In lieu of a real conclusion, I leave us with this:
Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.

Philippians 4:8-9 (The Message)

So what are your thoughts? It’s a tricky matter, and I want to hear your take on it.
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Beautiful People – Skaes

Tracey Dyck 24 Comments

Since I introduced you to The Prophet’s Quest not too long ago (and now you finally know what the Dickens this girl is working on), and since I’ve been rewriting The Prophet’s Key (the second book in the series), and since I haven’t done a Beautiful People post in approximately five and three-quarter eons (my last one was in February), and since I appear to be overly fond of parentheses . . .

Let’s do another Beautiful People, shall we? Today I’m introducing Skaes, a young but not-so-young woman from The Prophet’s Key. She is a part of the Five Shifters, a group of individuals blessed with elemental-type powers. Born in Demetria but currently living secretly on Earth (because reasons), she has the ability to shift/control water. I’ve loved her since she appeared on the handwritten pages of the first draft, and coincidentally, her character will probably need the least amount of refining. Nevertheless, I need to get to know her better, because that penciled-in first version of her is sorely lacking in details.

Anyway. Some pertinent details before we begin:

Beautiful People is a monthly link-up hosted by Cait @ Paper Fury and Sky @ Further Up and Further In. Each month, they come up with ten questions to help us get to know our characters better. For more info, follow the links!
Natalie Portman would make a good Skaes, I think. The
dress here is perfect for her Demetrian attire.

How often do they smile? Would they smile at a stranger?
Skaes is the sort of person who smiles often, at friends and strangers alike. She revels in the little joys of life. Nowadays, though, she smiles less frequently. Centuries of living alone in hiding, watching generations go by, will do that to a person.

What is the cruelest thing they’ve ever been told? And what was their reaction?
Skaes is very tender-hearted, and most people can’t help but like her. So she hasn’t been directly told many cruel things. The cruelest jabs are those of silence, omittance, and cold shoulders. The only other female Shifter, Nisi (who controls light), is a dear friend of Skaes’s . . . but Nisi is often guarded and unaffectionate. There are times Skaes wants to reach out for companionship, but Nisi’s standoffishness hurts her.


What is the kindest thing they’ve ever been told? And what was their reaction?
The words Skaes holds most dear, the words that have stayed in her heart over her long life, are from King Jirus (the Jesus-figure in this series). When she and the other four were first called to the Garden to accept their shifting abilities and learn how to wield them, King Jirus’s words of wisdom and affirmation washed over her like sunlight. And they have never left. They’re what she clings to now in the years of waiting.


What is one strong memory that has stuck with your character from childhood? Why is it so powerful and lasting?
As a little girl in Demetria, long before she became a Shifter, she lived in a village on the coast. The song of the sea was ever present, drawing her to the shore on a daily basis. She would stand in the shallows, deep enough that her fingertips brushed the water, and look out to the horizon. The vastness of the sea has always fascinated her. And when storms would fall upon the village, she was perhaps the only one unafraid of the power of water. Even though she can harness it now, she still has that childlike wonder and fascination with it.


What book (a real actual published book!) do you think your character would benefit from reading?
I think she would find Bryan Davis’s Eye of the Oracle very comforting. She has much in common with Sapphira Adi, as far as long lifespans and the need for patience/contentment goes. Sapphira would be a good fictional companion for her.

How I imagine her on Earth.
Have they ever been seriously injured? How severely? How did they react?
Yes. She has seen many battles on Demetrian soil, and thusly has been injured numerous times. Whereas some of her fellow Shifters would stubbornly keep fighting with a broken leg or fatal wound, she is quicker to accept her weakness, adapt to it, and do what she can from the sidelines instead. (See? She’s fluid. Ha. Ha. Ha.) That doesn’t mean she cares any less, just that she will naturally bend with the circumstances and find a way around it, even if that means taking on lowly tasks like dishing out rations to the knights. She realizes that she doesn’t have to be on the battlefield to advance the cause.

Do they like and get along with their neighbours?
Because it’s vital that she lives a solitary life, she doesn’t have many neighbors at all. In fact, she lives on the coast of Scotland (I’m working out the exact details, to be honest), in a sparsely populated area. She has minimal contact with outsiders, and has had to move several times to avoid suspicion. (“What’s with that lady in the cottage? I could’ve sworn she looked just as young when I was a wee child, and now I’m getting up to sixty.”) All that said, if she could have contact with her neighbors, she would get along with them very well. She likes almost everybody, after all.

On a scale from 1 to 10 (1 being easy and 10 being difficult) how easy are they to get along with?
Oh, probably a 2. She’s a kind, quiet soul. Like I said, she likes people and they like her.

If they could travel anywhere in the world, where would they go?
Well, she’d rather travel out of this world she’s been forced to live in so long. She would give anything to return to Alewar, to her homeland of Demetria.



Who was the last person they held hands with?
Probably some young, sweet-faced chap in her old Demetrian village. But that was ages ago. Having a prominent place in the military as one of the Shifters took up all of her time and attention, and then of course, she came to Earth and took up life as a hermit. So romance has not had a chance to blossom in her life. Besides, who could she be with? Anyone she falls in love with would be a mortal. (Speaking of which, I’m not exactly sure if she’s immortal, per se. But she does have a ridiculously long lifespan.) And the three male Shifters are out of the question. Two are like brothers to her, and one is an old man. (Technically speaking, they’re all old, but he was already getting on in years when he became a Shifter, and the role has kind of pickled him. He has spent most of his life looking elderly. Not that he minds much.) (But now I’m overusing parentheses again. Ahem.)

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I hope you enjoyed meeting Skaes! I may have to feature her fellow Shifters sometime. What do you think? And hey, would any of your own characters make a good friend for Skaes? Poor girl is lonely. But not for long . . . Just as soon as I iron out some details and hammer out, oh, another ten thousand words or so, she’ll find herself anything but lonely. But that’s a story I can’t tell you yet. *wink*
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My Favorite Story Elements

Tracey Dyck 24 Comments

Not too long ago, my dear online buddy Christine blogged about her favorite story elements. (Go check it out! It’s a wonderful list. Just reading it makes me happy and hungry for books.)

It inspired me to ponder about what I like in a story, and so with Christine’s permission to use her idea, I thought I’d share it with you lovely folks. As I was brainstorming my list, I noticed that everything falls into one of three categories, so I organized them accordingly.

The People . . .

Firstly, I love characters who make me care. If I can’t step into the character’s skin in some way, you’ve already lost me as a reader. Put me in someone else’s mind for several hours. Let me hear their thoughts and feel what they feel. Let me live their lives for a few hundred pages. How much I care about the characters will determine how much I care about the book. If they fall flat, even the most amazing plot won’t make up for it. On the other hand, good characters can make up for a multitude of (plot) sins.

I also love character arcs! Round characters, dynamic characters, whatever you want to call them. People who change over the course of the story, whether for the better or for the worse. Being fascinated by people and the way their minds work and why the make the choices they do, I want to see the characters transform in some way.

Speaking of regressing . . . I like genuine characters. As uncomfortable as it can be, I want to see a reflection of humanity, including the not-so-pretty parts. (How much of that is revealed depends on the story, and there are certain things I shy away from because I have zero desire to wallow in them.) But everyday imperfections? Yes, please.

Christine mentioned character relationships in her post, and I couldn’t agree more! Siblings, parents, friends, couples, relatives, neighbors, co-workers, brothers-in-arms, rivals–I want those deep, realistic characters to interact with each other. To have a bond of some sort, whether that bond be solid or shaky. What’s better than an awesome character? Seeing two or more awesome characters bounce off each other through conversation or shared events.

There’s also a couple of character types I adore (okay, there’s actually a lot–but I’m limiting myself to just two of them today). One is the chivalrous hero. A guy who’s morally white and noble of heart, who treats people with respect and takes a stand to protect what is good in this world. I find those fellows incredibly inspiring.

And let’s not forget the heroines. I’m tired of the popular definition of a strong heroine, the kind who “don’t need no man” and won’t stop broadcasting that opinion. The kind of heroine I love is a girl who’s strong, yes, but also feminine. She can kick butt, but she still has a heart, and she desires to nurture and protect in whatever way she does best. A warrior princess. She can be independent in the fact that she stands on her own, but she also recognizes when she needs the support of her comrades. Balance is key, people.

The Plot . . .

I did say that worthy characters can make up for many things, but that being said, the best books deliver on both fronts: character and plot. Here are a few plot elements that make me over-the-moon excited.

A reason to worry. Tension, conflict, high stakes! Bad things are happening, and I have to wonder how the heroes will ever win and find a happy ending. It’s worth noting, however, that “high stakes” are relative. I might be worrying over whether the protagonists will save the world from annihilation, or fretting about whether the main character will stop pushing away the guy who’s obviously perfect for her. The level of tension can be vastly different from one book (or genre) to another, and that’s fine by me. As long as the stakes feel high for this particular situation, I’m hooked.

I absolutely love connections. (Another thing Christine mentioned. What can I say? We have similar taste in books!) Discovering how one character over here actually has a history with that character way over there . . . and this particular challenge is connected to what took place back in chapter two . . . and this country’s decision is going to have a massive effect on the neighboring kingdom . . . and so-and-so is related to the enemy and didn’t know it . . . ETC. In real life, everything is intertwined, and one thing has a domino effect on so many other things. I love it when books are the same way. Not only is it super fun to piece everything together, but it ups the believability factor.

Plot twists make my day. I recently read one in a certain story I’m beta-reading, and it made my head spin. My favorite twists are obviously the ones that work–the ones that are foreshadowed, but in such a subtle way that you don’t figure it out until BOOM, something happens.

This one is more of a plot type–I love quests. Ha, bet you didn’t know that, did you? (*cough* The Prophet’s Quest, anyone?) Some also call it the Hero’s Journey, but overall, I just like those linear, goal-oriented plots. Not to say I don’t love other kinds too, but quests are one reason I read so much fantasy. Something big is at stake. A person or object must be found. A villain must be stopped. A disaster must be averted. And the whole book is a series of attempts, failures, and eventually successes along the road toward that goal. Much epicness ensues.

And when it’s all said and done, please, please give me a satisfying ending. None of this completely hopeless stuff. Things don’t have to end perfectly happily, but I want to find some satisfaction upon turning the final page. I want all the struggles to mean something. The characters may have lost much, but I want them to gain something worthwhile in the end. A good, satisfying ending gives me hope for my own adventure in this life.

. . . & Other Epic Things

Okay, so everything else is pretty miscellaneous, and some of it is admittedly specific to fantasy. Here goes.

Deep world building. Just like I want to delve into a character’s mind, I want to be immersed in the world of this story. I want people, places, history, and beliefs to be organically conveyed. I want to get a sense of where and when I am. Nothing makes me happier than a world in which I can settle in and put down some roots.

Writing style. Whether the author’s words are bullets (like Andrew Klavan, Travis Thrasher, or Suzanne Collins) or more like flowers (such as Anne Elisabeth Stengl, Jeffrey Overstreet, or Maggie Stiefvater), I love reading a story told in distinct and delicious language.

Another thing I love is cleverness in general. Brilliant battle plans, sly characters manipulating others, or particularly well thought out plots–just impress me with the cleverness, please. Make me wish I’d thought of it first.

More specific to fantasy, I enjoy objects of power. The One Ring, Jack Sparrow’s compass (okay, yes, that’s from a movie, but they count as stories too!), candlestones, a talking sword, a horn that summons help when blown, an orb with mysterious transformative/transportation powers (oh look, a shameless plug for my own book) . . . There’s something fascinating about cool devices or weapons. They lend themselves nicely to those quest plots I was talking about.

Speaking of which, I love DRAGONS. And that is all anyone ever need say on that subject.

One of my most favorite things, though, is symbolism. Whether it’s on a large scale like an allegory, or as small as a passing description, I love when one thing stands for something else, be it a person, object, or concept. C.S. Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and Anne Elisabeth Stengl’s Heartless are two examples of allegories I treasure. But even something as brief as the dropping of a sword representing that character’s inner surrender–that makes me tingle with happiness.

I also get a kick out of the strange and the scary. Not over the top, mind you–I do have my boundaries–but stories that are odd or out of the box shake me out of my comfortable rut. And a certain measure of creepiness or scariness (like in Ted Dekker’s or Robert Liparulo’s thrillers) will guarantee that I devour the book.

You’ll never, ever guess this one. I like humor. (What a shock. Because I never laugh or joke around here, no sir.) Whether it’s an inherently funny scrape the characters get themselves into, or a character like Walter Foley or Sir Eanrin providing comic relief, I’m happy because “I dearly love to laugh.”

And lastly (for today, anyway), I love a book that affects my vision of life. Preferably in a good way, of course. When I have to pause and stare off into the distance, or when I close the book and spend the rest of the day thinking about it, that’s when I know that the story is affecting me on a deep level. Most of us don’t read to get a sermon, but if we can learn while being entertained? That’s fabulous. My favorite authors are those who have opened my eyes to something about God, life, or myself. Some wording or images have even seeped into my daily thoughts. These books enrich me in the best way possible.

Well, that was much lengthier than anticipated. If you’ve read this far, you’re a dear. Now tell me, what are your favorite story elements? I must know! (Feel free to provide examples of those elements, too.)

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