A quick "thank you" note to all of my followers, who prove that people do indeed visit this blog! As a blog writer, it's often just you and the computer with no way of knowing if people are really reading what you're writing... except in those rare instances when they leave a comment. (I like feedback, too!) It's always a pleasant surprise, then, when I see that someone else has joined the ranks of the Followers on my blog. All of you inspire me to keep going when times get tough.
Thank you all very much!
The day job has been stealing away some of my prime writing time, but don't worry. The next big post is coming soon!
Monday, June 28, 2010
Thursday, June 24, 2010
The Everyday Divinities Project and My Trilogy
What's the scoop on the novels? When's the next EDP short story going to be posted? How are the two connected? Are they connected? Time for a real update.
The short stories are great fun and have helped me figure out some elements of backstory and "rules of the setting" that had been missing from my novel in its present form. Now that I have a better idea of what needs to be added and changed, I'm going to be dedicating more of my time to making sure Book One is ready for publication.
That being said, The Everyday Divinities Project is not going anywhere! Short stories will still be written, when I need to take a break from the novel to let other aspects of my creativity out to play. And while it's waaaaay too early to set anything in stone, I will allude to the concept of my novels existing under the umbrella of the EDP, in addition to any future ideas I might come up with that present the everyday divinities of the world in a new and fun way.
You'll get more updates on the progress of my novels on this blog, as well as the usual quotes, writing help and Hero's Journey posts. Stay tuned, exciting things are on the horizon!
The short stories are great fun and have helped me figure out some elements of backstory and "rules of the setting" that had been missing from my novel in its present form. Now that I have a better idea of what needs to be added and changed, I'm going to be dedicating more of my time to making sure Book One is ready for publication.
That being said, The Everyday Divinities Project is not going anywhere! Short stories will still be written, when I need to take a break from the novel to let other aspects of my creativity out to play. And while it's waaaaay too early to set anything in stone, I will allude to the concept of my novels existing under the umbrella of the EDP, in addition to any future ideas I might come up with that present the everyday divinities of the world in a new and fun way.
You'll get more updates on the progress of my novels on this blog, as well as the usual quotes, writing help and Hero's Journey posts. Stay tuned, exciting things are on the horizon!
Sunday, June 20, 2010
The Hero's Journey - Tests, Allies and Enemies
Thanks to the previous entries of the Hero’s Journey, the beginning is told – the foundation established, the stakes set, the rules established – now we jump into the middle of the story, where the adventure kicks into high gear and we learn the new rules of this strange, unknown world of adventure that awaits us. A new adventure means new friends, new adversaries, and new trials to overcome. Sometimes these are obvious to us on the Journey and are easily prepared for along the way. Sometimes they come out of nowhere to blindside us. However they present themselves, the bulk of the journey ahead brings with it Tests, Allies and Enemies.
The three elements of Tests, Allies and Enemies combine to introduce the reader to a new mode of thinking and being through the Hero. Cut off from what he’s known to be true in The Ordinary World, our Hero now needs to learn all new lessons, to grow and evolve as the story grows and evolves. This is made evident in stories like the Harry Potter books, where Hogwarts is nothing if not year after year of Tests, Allies and Enemies. Harry makes friends within the school, encounters antagonists among the student body and staff, and is constantly tested both by school work and evil wizards. Robert Langdon and Harry Dresden are always running a gamut of Tests, Allies and Enemies in the course of their investigations. Because of the huge amount of potential that these three elements present, this phase more than any other represents the bulk of the story being told. In movie terms, every stage of the Hero’s Journey up to this one takes place in Act One. This single stage takes up the vast majority of Act Two.
Because of its importance within the structure of the story, it’s crucial that these three elements aren’t wasted. Tests should not be meaningless encounters, they should impart important lessons that will figure prominently in the climax of the story, which we’ll discuss much later. Allies should not be arbitrary, either. Each one should serve an important story function, whether it’s as simple as comedy relief or as complex as a love interest. Enemies as well should not be random bad guys who have no reason to give the Hero trouble. Every manifestation of an element here should serve a function to move the story forward, to challenge the Hero’s previous way of thinking and being so he’ll be prepared for the big finish. This is key – it’s a poor storyteller indeed who will introduce a character just for the sake of working some personal friend or enemy of his into the narrative, or who loves a particular scenario so much that he’ll shoehorn it into the course of events, even though it serves no real dramatic function. Don’t fall into the trap of letting your ego dictate what works or not! The story is everything, and at the end of the day, every facet of the narrative should go toward building the best story possible.
Let’s check in on Rob’s Journey to see this phase at work. When last we left off, he had just gained a new job in the course of working with his Mentor. There’s no time for him to grow complacent, however. The office that he works in is much busier than his previous work, and he needs to learn a new way of operating so he can keep ahead of the curve. Organizing the office is easy – his boss teaches him how to keep their charts and files organized, and he sets right to it. Once he’s got that down, however, he’s taught more challenging tasks, such as checking insurance for patients, keeping patients informed on tests and services, requesting records from hospitals and other doctor’s offices, and all manner of administrative responsibilities to keep the office running. He makes new friends on the job, even earning a friendship with the office curmudgeon, but doesn’t seem to earn himself any enemies… or so it seems. In actuality, his greatest enemy is time itself, as the demands of the office and the demands of spending time with his friends means he has little time to himself for what he really wants to do – writing. He’ll have to deal with that enemy sooner or later, and it might be sooner than he thinks.
Every Journey leads somewhere, and all the Tests, Allies and Enemies will play a part in the following phases. More than half of our story is told, but the climax is yet to come. Strap yourselves in, because next time we delve into the Hero’s Journey, we’ll be making our Approach!
The three elements of Tests, Allies and Enemies combine to introduce the reader to a new mode of thinking and being through the Hero. Cut off from what he’s known to be true in The Ordinary World, our Hero now needs to learn all new lessons, to grow and evolve as the story grows and evolves. This is made evident in stories like the Harry Potter books, where Hogwarts is nothing if not year after year of Tests, Allies and Enemies. Harry makes friends within the school, encounters antagonists among the student body and staff, and is constantly tested both by school work and evil wizards. Robert Langdon and Harry Dresden are always running a gamut of Tests, Allies and Enemies in the course of their investigations. Because of the huge amount of potential that these three elements present, this phase more than any other represents the bulk of the story being told. In movie terms, every stage of the Hero’s Journey up to this one takes place in Act One. This single stage takes up the vast majority of Act Two.
Because of its importance within the structure of the story, it’s crucial that these three elements aren’t wasted. Tests should not be meaningless encounters, they should impart important lessons that will figure prominently in the climax of the story, which we’ll discuss much later. Allies should not be arbitrary, either. Each one should serve an important story function, whether it’s as simple as comedy relief or as complex as a love interest. Enemies as well should not be random bad guys who have no reason to give the Hero trouble. Every manifestation of an element here should serve a function to move the story forward, to challenge the Hero’s previous way of thinking and being so he’ll be prepared for the big finish. This is key – it’s a poor storyteller indeed who will introduce a character just for the sake of working some personal friend or enemy of his into the narrative, or who loves a particular scenario so much that he’ll shoehorn it into the course of events, even though it serves no real dramatic function. Don’t fall into the trap of letting your ego dictate what works or not! The story is everything, and at the end of the day, every facet of the narrative should go toward building the best story possible.
Let’s check in on Rob’s Journey to see this phase at work. When last we left off, he had just gained a new job in the course of working with his Mentor. There’s no time for him to grow complacent, however. The office that he works in is much busier than his previous work, and he needs to learn a new way of operating so he can keep ahead of the curve. Organizing the office is easy – his boss teaches him how to keep their charts and files organized, and he sets right to it. Once he’s got that down, however, he’s taught more challenging tasks, such as checking insurance for patients, keeping patients informed on tests and services, requesting records from hospitals and other doctor’s offices, and all manner of administrative responsibilities to keep the office running. He makes new friends on the job, even earning a friendship with the office curmudgeon, but doesn’t seem to earn himself any enemies… or so it seems. In actuality, his greatest enemy is time itself, as the demands of the office and the demands of spending time with his friends means he has little time to himself for what he really wants to do – writing. He’ll have to deal with that enemy sooner or later, and it might be sooner than he thinks.
Every Journey leads somewhere, and all the Tests, Allies and Enemies will play a part in the following phases. More than half of our story is told, but the climax is yet to come. Strap yourselves in, because next time we delve into the Hero’s Journey, we’ll be making our Approach!
Saturday, June 19, 2010
New Layout!
No, you didn't click on the wrong link. Yes, my blog has a new layout!
I have to admit, when I first set up R. B. LeMoyne's Blog, I didn't know what I was doing. I've kept personal blogs before, but none that were designed specifically to highlight my writing like this one. As such, I didn't have my mind focused on a clean, professional appearance for a writer's blog. I just wanted something that looked good. Instead, I got that "old-time wallpaper" look that my blog started with, and I was never pleased with it or any of Blogger's other blog templates.
That all changed with their new Template Designer. Now, I'm not insanely knowledgeable about HTML. I know the basics, I can cut and paste code to format my stories online, but I much prefer having options presented to me that I can mix and match to get what I want out of them. After exploring the new options they presented for blog appearance, I was finally able to come up with a new blog design that is much closer to what I originally envisioned this blog to be. If my old blog was the first draft, this is the edited and polished second draft.
On that note, I'd like to welcome you all to the new R. B. LeMoyne's Blog, now with a much cleaner and more professional appearance! I'll be adding a couple more features in the near future to help people find all of my Hero's Journey posts and The Everyday Divinities Project short stories, so keep your eyes peeled for new additions!
I have to admit, when I first set up R. B. LeMoyne's Blog, I didn't know what I was doing. I've kept personal blogs before, but none that were designed specifically to highlight my writing like this one. As such, I didn't have my mind focused on a clean, professional appearance for a writer's blog. I just wanted something that looked good. Instead, I got that "old-time wallpaper" look that my blog started with, and I was never pleased with it or any of Blogger's other blog templates.
That all changed with their new Template Designer. Now, I'm not insanely knowledgeable about HTML. I know the basics, I can cut and paste code to format my stories online, but I much prefer having options presented to me that I can mix and match to get what I want out of them. After exploring the new options they presented for blog appearance, I was finally able to come up with a new blog design that is much closer to what I originally envisioned this blog to be. If my old blog was the first draft, this is the edited and polished second draft.
On that note, I'd like to welcome you all to the new R. B. LeMoyne's Blog, now with a much cleaner and more professional appearance! I'll be adding a couple more features in the near future to help people find all of my Hero's Journey posts and The Everyday Divinities Project short stories, so keep your eyes peeled for new additions!
Friday, June 18, 2010
Gamer Geek
Yes, In addition to being a writer, I'm a gamer geek. It's how I landed a Geek Consultant title on a web series about LARP, and it's why I was running a tabletop roleplaying game last night for my friends instead of watching whatever major sports game was on TV. I'm a gamer geek, and I'm proud of it!
This was a big week for my fellow gamer geeks, because it marked the 15th Electronic Entertainment Expo, or E3. Yes indeed, all the major game companies (with a few exceptions) come out for E3 to show off their upcoming releases in games and gaming technology. Unfortunately, the convention is largely closed to the public, so guys like me can only get in if they somehow arrange temporary employment with one of the companies within to demo their games (like I did back in 2005). Fortunately, the press is all over this convention, and they faithfully report on the amazing announcements made within the convention halls so we can all drool in rabid anticipation of our favorite upcoming games.
I'm not going to go into detail on every little thing that was announced at E3. This isn't that kind of blog, and you can find plenty of websites that will happily note every little detail of every game revealed, with video footage of new game trailers and live game play demos. No, instead I'll be gleefully noting a handful of games that I'm looking forward to, discussed from a writer's perspective. That means the game is likely full of story - good story, at that - and not sports or random explosions. For example...
Epic Mickey: The first thing that grabs you about this game is the steampunk-ish art. Then there's the unique "combat" mechanic of using paint and paint thinner to affect the game world and the enemies within it. THEN there's the creamy center of an incredible story that brings in obscure elements of Disney's early animation and ties them together in new and interesting ways. The end result is a sort of retro feel to the game, re-imagining Mickey Mouse for a new audience who may not be familiar with his early work while remaining faithful to his origins. Do you want to play the mischievous Mickey of old who always gets into trouble? You can do that! Do you want to play the squeaky clean hero that Mickey has become in recent years? You can do that, too! It looks like the story is built around how Mickey interacts with his environment, and I'm most curious to see how the choices you make in the game affect the plot as it leads to the inevitable confrontation with Disney's forgotten creations.
Portal 2: GLaDOS is Still Alive and ready to begin testing once more! With the amazing success of what was originally a short and sweet puzzle game filled with quirky dialogue and portal projecting madness, this sequel is set up to give fans even more of what they loved from the first game, along with all-new mechanics to challenge Chell. That's right, the silent hero of the first Portal is back, released once again from stasis to jump through the mind-bending hoops set up by the sinister AI, GLaDOS. While the controls stay largely unchanged, there are new features in the environment that will challenge how you think with portals. But what about the story? Rather than reinventing the wheel with a new protagonist, they're keeping the Chell/GLaDOS dynamic in place to explore that continued relationship in the wake of the first Portal's ending. Add in a few other quirky AIs and you have even more characters to interact with in the course of the game. Of course, the question on my mind is this - will Chell ever free herself from the Enrichment Center? I guess we'll find out next year!
DC Universe Online: Okay, so a lot of people have given Sony flack for how they've mistreated their previous MMOS. I'm ready to give them the benefit of the doubt, though, considering how closely they've worked with DC Comics to bring the DCU to life in an online game. As a big fan of comics, I've been sadly disappointed with the superhero MMOs thus far, mostly because I want to play alongside recognizable heroes, not cheap knock-offs, and this game will finally deliver on that. Story-wise, I'm excited because they've been bringing on DC Comics writers to build their in-game quests and storylines while recruiting legendary artist Jim Lee to build the visual component of the game. This means we'll see less of the ol' "kill these creatures and bring me their toenails" quests and more along the lines of their Doomsday adventure, where you can either work with the good guys to thwart Superman's nemesis or work with the bad guys to recruit the big brute to the forces of evil. Story aside, however, I confess that there are two things that really make me want to play this game - running with the Flash using my own tricked-out speedster, and targeting Wonder Woman with a flirt emote. If I can do both of those things later this year, I'll be a happy geek.
Star Wars - The Old Republic: This is it, the Star Wars MMO I've been waiting for! If there's one thing I've learned about Bioware, it's that they rock at RPG games. They have great stories, great characters, and great dialogue... and we'll get all that and more in The Old Republic. Not only will this be the first MMO that has full voice-over for every character - yes, even yours! - it's also the first that has put a solid emphasis on story. There are cutscenes that propel your character's adventure forward in-between the action, and your choices in how to reply will affect how the story plays out. Make enough bad decisions that cost people lives, and you'll start to slip into the Dark Side. Choose to do the right thing, and you'll become a shining beacon of the Light Side. Anyone who has played their Knights of the Old Republic game is familiar with this mechanic, which means it's absolutely possible to have dark Jedi serving the Republic and Light Side Sith working within the Sith Empire. Plus, customizable characters! Player-owned starships! Companion characters you can banter with! This game is going to ROCK.
Okay, the geekgasm is over. Time for me to get back to writing the next short story. But first, maybe a quick round of Portal...
This was a big week for my fellow gamer geeks, because it marked the 15th Electronic Entertainment Expo, or E3. Yes indeed, all the major game companies (with a few exceptions) come out for E3 to show off their upcoming releases in games and gaming technology. Unfortunately, the convention is largely closed to the public, so guys like me can only get in if they somehow arrange temporary employment with one of the companies within to demo their games (like I did back in 2005). Fortunately, the press is all over this convention, and they faithfully report on the amazing announcements made within the convention halls so we can all drool in rabid anticipation of our favorite upcoming games.
I'm not going to go into detail on every little thing that was announced at E3. This isn't that kind of blog, and you can find plenty of websites that will happily note every little detail of every game revealed, with video footage of new game trailers and live game play demos. No, instead I'll be gleefully noting a handful of games that I'm looking forward to, discussed from a writer's perspective. That means the game is likely full of story - good story, at that - and not sports or random explosions. For example...
Epic Mickey: The first thing that grabs you about this game is the steampunk-ish art. Then there's the unique "combat" mechanic of using paint and paint thinner to affect the game world and the enemies within it. THEN there's the creamy center of an incredible story that brings in obscure elements of Disney's early animation and ties them together in new and interesting ways. The end result is a sort of retro feel to the game, re-imagining Mickey Mouse for a new audience who may not be familiar with his early work while remaining faithful to his origins. Do you want to play the mischievous Mickey of old who always gets into trouble? You can do that! Do you want to play the squeaky clean hero that Mickey has become in recent years? You can do that, too! It looks like the story is built around how Mickey interacts with his environment, and I'm most curious to see how the choices you make in the game affect the plot as it leads to the inevitable confrontation with Disney's forgotten creations.
Portal 2: GLaDOS is Still Alive and ready to begin testing once more! With the amazing success of what was originally a short and sweet puzzle game filled with quirky dialogue and portal projecting madness, this sequel is set up to give fans even more of what they loved from the first game, along with all-new mechanics to challenge Chell. That's right, the silent hero of the first Portal is back, released once again from stasis to jump through the mind-bending hoops set up by the sinister AI, GLaDOS. While the controls stay largely unchanged, there are new features in the environment that will challenge how you think with portals. But what about the story? Rather than reinventing the wheel with a new protagonist, they're keeping the Chell/GLaDOS dynamic in place to explore that continued relationship in the wake of the first Portal's ending. Add in a few other quirky AIs and you have even more characters to interact with in the course of the game. Of course, the question on my mind is this - will Chell ever free herself from the Enrichment Center? I guess we'll find out next year!
DC Universe Online: Okay, so a lot of people have given Sony flack for how they've mistreated their previous MMOS. I'm ready to give them the benefit of the doubt, though, considering how closely they've worked with DC Comics to bring the DCU to life in an online game. As a big fan of comics, I've been sadly disappointed with the superhero MMOs thus far, mostly because I want to play alongside recognizable heroes, not cheap knock-offs, and this game will finally deliver on that. Story-wise, I'm excited because they've been bringing on DC Comics writers to build their in-game quests and storylines while recruiting legendary artist Jim Lee to build the visual component of the game. This means we'll see less of the ol' "kill these creatures and bring me their toenails" quests and more along the lines of their Doomsday adventure, where you can either work with the good guys to thwart Superman's nemesis or work with the bad guys to recruit the big brute to the forces of evil. Story aside, however, I confess that there are two things that really make me want to play this game - running with the Flash using my own tricked-out speedster, and targeting Wonder Woman with a flirt emote. If I can do both of those things later this year, I'll be a happy geek.
Star Wars - The Old Republic: This is it, the Star Wars MMO I've been waiting for! If there's one thing I've learned about Bioware, it's that they rock at RPG games. They have great stories, great characters, and great dialogue... and we'll get all that and more in The Old Republic. Not only will this be the first MMO that has full voice-over for every character - yes, even yours! - it's also the first that has put a solid emphasis on story. There are cutscenes that propel your character's adventure forward in-between the action, and your choices in how to reply will affect how the story plays out. Make enough bad decisions that cost people lives, and you'll start to slip into the Dark Side. Choose to do the right thing, and you'll become a shining beacon of the Light Side. Anyone who has played their Knights of the Old Republic game is familiar with this mechanic, which means it's absolutely possible to have dark Jedi serving the Republic and Light Side Sith working within the Sith Empire. Plus, customizable characters! Player-owned starships! Companion characters you can banter with! This game is going to ROCK.
Okay, the geekgasm is over. Time for me to get back to writing the next short story. But first, maybe a quick round of Portal...
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Writing and Audience Participation
Now that The Everyday Divinities Project is underway, it might be a good time to mention a unique feature of this writing project, and that's the audience participation element.
"Audience participation? I thought writing was pretty much a solitary, non-audience thing?"
Usually, yes, but not always. The creative process is something I absolutely love - there are few things that bring me as much joy as creating new worlds, new characters to populate them, and new scenarios to put them through. I also love helping others with their creative process and seeing my contributions in the finished product. No one else may realize that the dialogue that character says was inspired by me, but I do, and it makes me smile every time I read it. I mean, really, how often do you get to contribute to someone else's work in such a way?
I want to give that joy to others, too. More often than not, I inquire on my Facebook account when I'm looking for inspiration for my latest story. (My fan page also has a discussion section for this, and sometimes I send out inspiration requests on Twitter, too.) For The Coffee Machines, I specifically asked for people's coffee maker quirks to add into the narrative, and one reply even made it in as a quote in the story itself. This sort of audience participation is what I love - fans being able to feel as though they're a part of the creation process and seeing the tangible results of that input - and something that I'd like to see more of as The Everyday Divinities Project continues.
Do you have a favorite inanimate object you'd like to see in a story? Put it in the comments section below and give me at least one quirk, if not more, that makes it stand out in your mind. Who knows, it may end up as the next short story on this blog! And don't forget to join my Facebook profile and fan page to keep track of the latest creative developments of this unique writing project!
"Audience participation? I thought writing was pretty much a solitary, non-audience thing?"
Usually, yes, but not always. The creative process is something I absolutely love - there are few things that bring me as much joy as creating new worlds, new characters to populate them, and new scenarios to put them through. I also love helping others with their creative process and seeing my contributions in the finished product. No one else may realize that the dialogue that character says was inspired by me, but I do, and it makes me smile every time I read it. I mean, really, how often do you get to contribute to someone else's work in such a way?
I want to give that joy to others, too. More often than not, I inquire on my Facebook account when I'm looking for inspiration for my latest story. (My fan page also has a discussion section for this, and sometimes I send out inspiration requests on Twitter, too.) For The Coffee Machines, I specifically asked for people's coffee maker quirks to add into the narrative, and one reply even made it in as a quote in the story itself. This sort of audience participation is what I love - fans being able to feel as though they're a part of the creation process and seeing the tangible results of that input - and something that I'd like to see more of as The Everyday Divinities Project continues.
Do you have a favorite inanimate object you'd like to see in a story? Put it in the comments section below and give me at least one quirk, if not more, that makes it stand out in your mind. Who knows, it may end up as the next short story on this blog! And don't forget to join my Facebook profile and fan page to keep track of the latest creative developments of this unique writing project!
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
The Everyday Divinities Project - The Coffee Machines
The Coffee Machines - by R. B. LeMoyne
© June 15, 2010 * robertlemoyne@gmail.com
“You wanted to see me, boss?”
Taryn looked up from her desk at the young god standing in her doorway and smiled pleasantly. She was a vision of professional beauty, dressed in a classy cream-colored blouse and matching tan skirt suit, her honey-blonde hair pulled up in a bun. “Ah, Mister Caulfie. Please, come in, and shut the door behind you.”
“Sure,” he said, stepping into the office after closing the door quietly. “Also, you can call me Mr. C, if you like. Everyone else does.” He glanced around her room, noting the accolades on her wall and the pictures of her with coworkers and very important divinities. He only had one other opportunity to view the interior of this office before, back when he was hired, but that was in 1972. The number of framed commendations had increased dramatically since then, as well as the number of pictures. Mr. C doubted he would ever see half the gods Taryn had posed with, let alone appear as casual with them as she appeared to be in each image. Such is a divinity’s life that, even if he had centuries of service under his belt, he was simply one small part of the Inanimate Pantheon.
“All right, Mr. C,” she began, gesturing to one of the chairs across from her before closing the file she had been reading upon his arrival. “Have a seat, and we’ll begin.” At her request, he sat down, smoothing down his black tie and tugging on the cuffs of his white long-sleeve shirt nervously while trying to guess why he had been called in to see her.
Finally, Taryn folded her hands on top of her desk and regarded him evenly. “Do you know why I called you in here, Mr. C?
“No, ma’am,” he answered, shaking his head in the negative. “Should I?”
“Not necessarily. You may or may not know that I’ve been conducting evaluations of my employees over the past few years, gauging job performance with an eye toward the future of our business. As the goddess of coffee machines, I want to make sure our relationship with the goddess of coffee herself stays on very good terms,” she explained, idly tapping the file centered squarely on her desk.
“Of course,” Mr. C nodded.
Taryn nodded in return and continued, “To that end, I wanted to go over your file with you. For the most part, you’ve been an exceptional employee, filing your paperwork on time, keeping your domain in excellent working condition, performing your duties as the god of home coffee machines with enthusiasm and devotion.”
Mr. C smiled modestly and said, “Well, I do my best.”
“Your best,” she echoed, opening the file on her desk again and scanning the first page of the collected documents with a scrutinizing frown. “I have a few recorded events of ‘your best’ here that I wanted to get your take on. See if you can help me understand some of these… unique claims.”
The god blinked, stunned, unsure of where Taryn was going with this. “Uh, okay. What sort of claims?”
“The first one I have here,” she began, taking up a fountain pen before peering into the file, “is a report that you brew tea. Now, correct me if I’m wrong, but you are the god of home coffee machines, are you not?”
“Yes, I am, but-“
“And is there not also a goddess of home tea machines to take up that task?” she asked, quirking an eyebrow at him critically.
Mr. C answered, “Yes, there is, but to be fair, Mrs. Tee’s domain wasn’t fully realized until I had been in my position for twenty-three years. In that time, mortals had already misused my domain to brew tea, a bad habit that I have no control over, unfortunately.”
“Hm. Then there’s this report,” Taryn continued, turning back to the chart again to make a note before flipping to the next page. “It says here that your domain, and I quote, ‘would seem like it was finished brewing - until I pulled the carafe out. Then a stream of coffee would suddenly pour down,’ end quote.” She looked up at Mr. C with a questioning frown. “We’re in the business of wasting another god’s domain now, are we?”
The god sitting across from her shifted his position uncomfortably in the seat. This was not going well. “No, we’re not, and I’m terribly sorry about that, really I am. But like the previous issue, mortals can only be influenced so far. It’s up to them to clean my physical domain, not me. I can only do so much without revealing my presence to the mortal realm, as I’m sure you’re well aware.”
“I see.” Mr. C was not reassured by her neutral tone that she did see, but that didn’t stop her from making another note and continuing with the evaluation. As she turned to the next page, Taryn went on, “Then there’s this report here that you leaked water all over a counter instead of using it to brew coffee.”
Aha! The god smiled and respectfully replied, “Actually, those instances are exceedingly rare and usually account for an error by the mortal using my domain. I’ve done some looking in to that report as it’s been brought to my attention previously, and I’ve found that they’re actually attributed primarily to office coffee machines, not home coffee machines.”
“Which means you’re accusing your co-worker of negligence when it comes to his domain?” she countered quietly.
“Uh, no, not precisely,” Mr. C responded, his smile faltering in the wake of her accusation. “Only that it’s possible the paperwork had been misfiled, or otherwise labeled incorrectly, to attach it to my domain, ma’am.”
“Possible,” Taryn echoed, making a quick note before setting her pen down and closing the file once more. “There are several more claims in there, following along the same lines as those three. Am I to gather, then, that they are no fault of your own and easily chalked up to either mortal incompetence or the carelessness of file clerks?”
Mr. C tugged nervously on his sleeve cuffs again. “Well, it’s hard to say without hearing the claims themselves. I will say, however, that if I’m at fault for anything when it comes to my domain, it’s in not exercising as much influence on the mortals as I could. I try to walk the fine line between influencing them in the care and upkeep of my physical domain, and allowing them the benefit of the doubt, but I tend to err on the side of withholding my influence so as not to draw undue attention to myself. If you’d rather I push that line more than I have, I can easily do that, but my concern is – and always has been – the Rule of Prime.”
Taryn stared at him for a moment in silence, the two divinities simply watching each other over the immaculate desk – the goddess with a critical eye and the god with a wary gaze. Before Mr. C could shatter the quiet with an anxious remark, however, his boss smiled pleasantly and spoke. “No, I don’t think that will be necessary, Mister Caulfie. It’s my professional opinion that you have a strong grasp of your duties and a remarkable intuition when it comes to how much pull to exert over the physical realm. And as you’ve noted, mortals don’t always allow us the luxury of performing our duties flawlessly. You’ve done some excellent work over the years, I must say, and I’m recommending you to fill my position when I’m promoted this year.”
It took Mr. C a moment to process what she had said, and even then, he wasn’t sure he had heard her correctly. “Wait, you’re… promoting me?”
“Indeed I am. The goddess of coffee herself is taking me on as her personal assistant, which leaves me in need of a responsible and trustworthy god to take my place when that happens. We’ll work up the details later, after you’ve had time to come to terms with this revelation,” she commented with a mildly teasing tone, “but be prepared to pull double duty as you’ll be carrying out your normal tasks while I train you to take on my own.
“I… I don’t even know what to say!” he stammered, rising from his seat as Taryn did, and thrust his hand out to her. “Congratulations to you, boss!”
“And to you, Mr. C,” she replied with a more casual smile, taking his hand briefly before sitting back down. “I’ll see you tomorrow, bright and early, so we can go over the finer points of your promotion.”
Mr. C grinned, nodding, as he opened the door. “Absolutely! I’ll see you then, boss!” He closed the door behind him and walked down the hallway with a spring in his step and a song in his heart, eager to find out all that his new role in the pantheon entailed.
© June 15, 2010 * robertlemoyne@gmail.com
“You wanted to see me, boss?”
Taryn looked up from her desk at the young god standing in her doorway and smiled pleasantly. She was a vision of professional beauty, dressed in a classy cream-colored blouse and matching tan skirt suit, her honey-blonde hair pulled up in a bun. “Ah, Mister Caulfie. Please, come in, and shut the door behind you.”
“Sure,” he said, stepping into the office after closing the door quietly. “Also, you can call me Mr. C, if you like. Everyone else does.” He glanced around her room, noting the accolades on her wall and the pictures of her with coworkers and very important divinities. He only had one other opportunity to view the interior of this office before, back when he was hired, but that was in 1972. The number of framed commendations had increased dramatically since then, as well as the number of pictures. Mr. C doubted he would ever see half the gods Taryn had posed with, let alone appear as casual with them as she appeared to be in each image. Such is a divinity’s life that, even if he had centuries of service under his belt, he was simply one small part of the Inanimate Pantheon.
“All right, Mr. C,” she began, gesturing to one of the chairs across from her before closing the file she had been reading upon his arrival. “Have a seat, and we’ll begin.” At her request, he sat down, smoothing down his black tie and tugging on the cuffs of his white long-sleeve shirt nervously while trying to guess why he had been called in to see her.
Finally, Taryn folded her hands on top of her desk and regarded him evenly. “Do you know why I called you in here, Mr. C?
“No, ma’am,” he answered, shaking his head in the negative. “Should I?”
“Not necessarily. You may or may not know that I’ve been conducting evaluations of my employees over the past few years, gauging job performance with an eye toward the future of our business. As the goddess of coffee machines, I want to make sure our relationship with the goddess of coffee herself stays on very good terms,” she explained, idly tapping the file centered squarely on her desk.
“Of course,” Mr. C nodded.
Taryn nodded in return and continued, “To that end, I wanted to go over your file with you. For the most part, you’ve been an exceptional employee, filing your paperwork on time, keeping your domain in excellent working condition, performing your duties as the god of home coffee machines with enthusiasm and devotion.”
Mr. C smiled modestly and said, “Well, I do my best.”
“Your best,” she echoed, opening the file on her desk again and scanning the first page of the collected documents with a scrutinizing frown. “I have a few recorded events of ‘your best’ here that I wanted to get your take on. See if you can help me understand some of these… unique claims.”
The god blinked, stunned, unsure of where Taryn was going with this. “Uh, okay. What sort of claims?”
“The first one I have here,” she began, taking up a fountain pen before peering into the file, “is a report that you brew tea. Now, correct me if I’m wrong, but you are the god of home coffee machines, are you not?”
“Yes, I am, but-“
“And is there not also a goddess of home tea machines to take up that task?” she asked, quirking an eyebrow at him critically.
Mr. C answered, “Yes, there is, but to be fair, Mrs. Tee’s domain wasn’t fully realized until I had been in my position for twenty-three years. In that time, mortals had already misused my domain to brew tea, a bad habit that I have no control over, unfortunately.”
“Hm. Then there’s this report,” Taryn continued, turning back to the chart again to make a note before flipping to the next page. “It says here that your domain, and I quote, ‘would seem like it was finished brewing - until I pulled the carafe out. Then a stream of coffee would suddenly pour down,’ end quote.” She looked up at Mr. C with a questioning frown. “We’re in the business of wasting another god’s domain now, are we?”
The god sitting across from her shifted his position uncomfortably in the seat. This was not going well. “No, we’re not, and I’m terribly sorry about that, really I am. But like the previous issue, mortals can only be influenced so far. It’s up to them to clean my physical domain, not me. I can only do so much without revealing my presence to the mortal realm, as I’m sure you’re well aware.”
“I see.” Mr. C was not reassured by her neutral tone that she did see, but that didn’t stop her from making another note and continuing with the evaluation. As she turned to the next page, Taryn went on, “Then there’s this report here that you leaked water all over a counter instead of using it to brew coffee.”
Aha! The god smiled and respectfully replied, “Actually, those instances are exceedingly rare and usually account for an error by the mortal using my domain. I’ve done some looking in to that report as it’s been brought to my attention previously, and I’ve found that they’re actually attributed primarily to office coffee machines, not home coffee machines.”
“Which means you’re accusing your co-worker of negligence when it comes to his domain?” she countered quietly.
“Uh, no, not precisely,” Mr. C responded, his smile faltering in the wake of her accusation. “Only that it’s possible the paperwork had been misfiled, or otherwise labeled incorrectly, to attach it to my domain, ma’am.”
“Possible,” Taryn echoed, making a quick note before setting her pen down and closing the file once more. “There are several more claims in there, following along the same lines as those three. Am I to gather, then, that they are no fault of your own and easily chalked up to either mortal incompetence or the carelessness of file clerks?”
Mr. C tugged nervously on his sleeve cuffs again. “Well, it’s hard to say without hearing the claims themselves. I will say, however, that if I’m at fault for anything when it comes to my domain, it’s in not exercising as much influence on the mortals as I could. I try to walk the fine line between influencing them in the care and upkeep of my physical domain, and allowing them the benefit of the doubt, but I tend to err on the side of withholding my influence so as not to draw undue attention to myself. If you’d rather I push that line more than I have, I can easily do that, but my concern is – and always has been – the Rule of Prime.”
Taryn stared at him for a moment in silence, the two divinities simply watching each other over the immaculate desk – the goddess with a critical eye and the god with a wary gaze. Before Mr. C could shatter the quiet with an anxious remark, however, his boss smiled pleasantly and spoke. “No, I don’t think that will be necessary, Mister Caulfie. It’s my professional opinion that you have a strong grasp of your duties and a remarkable intuition when it comes to how much pull to exert over the physical realm. And as you’ve noted, mortals don’t always allow us the luxury of performing our duties flawlessly. You’ve done some excellent work over the years, I must say, and I’m recommending you to fill my position when I’m promoted this year.”
It took Mr. C a moment to process what she had said, and even then, he wasn’t sure he had heard her correctly. “Wait, you’re… promoting me?”
“Indeed I am. The goddess of coffee herself is taking me on as her personal assistant, which leaves me in need of a responsible and trustworthy god to take my place when that happens. We’ll work up the details later, after you’ve had time to come to terms with this revelation,” she commented with a mildly teasing tone, “but be prepared to pull double duty as you’ll be carrying out your normal tasks while I train you to take on my own.
“I… I don’t even know what to say!” he stammered, rising from his seat as Taryn did, and thrust his hand out to her. “Congratulations to you, boss!”
“And to you, Mr. C,” she replied with a more casual smile, taking his hand briefly before sitting back down. “I’ll see you tomorrow, bright and early, so we can go over the finer points of your promotion.”
Mr. C grinned, nodding, as he opened the door. “Absolutely! I’ll see you then, boss!” He closed the door behind him and walked down the hallway with a spring in his step and a song in his heart, eager to find out all that his new role in the pantheon entailed.
Friday, June 11, 2010
The Hero's Journey - Crossing the Threshold
This is it, the moment of truth, the point of no return. There were plenty of opportunities to turn your back on this great adventure before now, but you made the choice to forge ahead, even knowing that the road ahead is a long and scary one. It’s too late for second thoughts now, though. There’s no turning back. You’re Crossing the Threshold.
The stage of The Hero’s Journey known as Crossing the Threshold marks that part of the story where the adventure truly begins. The main characters cross the city limits to begin their road trip, or enter the haunted house, or otherwise venture into unknown territory. There’s a boundary between the world that is known and that which is a mystery, a threshold, and crossing it means the Journey has truly begun. Harry Potter embarks on that Journey every year when he takes the Hogwarts Express to school. Robert Langdon Crosses his Threshold when he’s brought to the scene of whichever crime he’s to give his opinion on by the authorities.
This doesn’t necessarily need to be an actual journey going from one city to another. The main character might not even step outside the city limits. This could be as simple as beginning a task, one that will be carried through to the climax of the story. It might be an investigation, or a new year of school, or a new job. It might even be an emotional journey, as the Hero embarks on a new romance or tries to reconnect with someone from his past. The main thing to keep in mind during the Crossing the Threshold part of the Hero’s Journey is that the main character leaves the old behind to start something new, even if there are elements of familiarity to it. As long as you’re charting some form of new territory – physical, emotional or otherwise – there’s a Threshold marking the end of the old mode of being and the beginning of something new and exciting.
Where there’s a Threshold, however, there’s bound to be a Threshold Guardian. This Archetype, much like the Hero, Messenger and Mentor, serves a function in the story, usually to keep the Hero from progressing on his Journey. The Hero must them find a way to defeat this guardian to progress, much like video games require you to beat a boss before advancing to the next level. This doesn’t have to be outright combat, though. Outwitting the Threshold Guardian works just as well, even befriending him or her. In all cases, the guardian is there to test the Hero’s resolve once committed to the adventure.
Going back to the example of Rob’s Journey, he’s devoted himself to working through this dark time in his life with Betty’s guidance. However, the true test of that commitment is following through on her instructions, one of which is to get out there and find a new job. He knows he can do it, and she knows that having a new job will free up his creativity so he can write without worry. Unfortunately, there’s a world of Threshold Guardians out there that he needs to get past so he can score that first interview. Over and over he tries, putting his name and resume out there, but nothing seems to be working. Finally, he discovers an “in” with a dentist’s office – one of Betty’s other clients knows that his friend who runs the office needs a new assistant. The first interview is scored, and his natural charm and wit – as well as common ground with this Guardian through the friend – lands him the job.
Now that the Ordinary World is well behind us, the Hero’s Journey can truly begin, with all the pitfalls and possibilities that such a Journey entails. Once the Threshold is Crossed, there’s all manner of new people, new situations and new mistakes to make, both good and bad. We’ll get into that in more detail next time, when I discuss Tests, Allies and Enemies.
The stage of The Hero’s Journey known as Crossing the Threshold marks that part of the story where the adventure truly begins. The main characters cross the city limits to begin their road trip, or enter the haunted house, or otherwise venture into unknown territory. There’s a boundary between the world that is known and that which is a mystery, a threshold, and crossing it means the Journey has truly begun. Harry Potter embarks on that Journey every year when he takes the Hogwarts Express to school. Robert Langdon Crosses his Threshold when he’s brought to the scene of whichever crime he’s to give his opinion on by the authorities.
This doesn’t necessarily need to be an actual journey going from one city to another. The main character might not even step outside the city limits. This could be as simple as beginning a task, one that will be carried through to the climax of the story. It might be an investigation, or a new year of school, or a new job. It might even be an emotional journey, as the Hero embarks on a new romance or tries to reconnect with someone from his past. The main thing to keep in mind during the Crossing the Threshold part of the Hero’s Journey is that the main character leaves the old behind to start something new, even if there are elements of familiarity to it. As long as you’re charting some form of new territory – physical, emotional or otherwise – there’s a Threshold marking the end of the old mode of being and the beginning of something new and exciting.
Where there’s a Threshold, however, there’s bound to be a Threshold Guardian. This Archetype, much like the Hero, Messenger and Mentor, serves a function in the story, usually to keep the Hero from progressing on his Journey. The Hero must them find a way to defeat this guardian to progress, much like video games require you to beat a boss before advancing to the next level. This doesn’t have to be outright combat, though. Outwitting the Threshold Guardian works just as well, even befriending him or her. In all cases, the guardian is there to test the Hero’s resolve once committed to the adventure.
Going back to the example of Rob’s Journey, he’s devoted himself to working through this dark time in his life with Betty’s guidance. However, the true test of that commitment is following through on her instructions, one of which is to get out there and find a new job. He knows he can do it, and she knows that having a new job will free up his creativity so he can write without worry. Unfortunately, there’s a world of Threshold Guardians out there that he needs to get past so he can score that first interview. Over and over he tries, putting his name and resume out there, but nothing seems to be working. Finally, he discovers an “in” with a dentist’s office – one of Betty’s other clients knows that his friend who runs the office needs a new assistant. The first interview is scored, and his natural charm and wit – as well as common ground with this Guardian through the friend – lands him the job.
Now that the Ordinary World is well behind us, the Hero’s Journey can truly begin, with all the pitfalls and possibilities that such a Journey entails. Once the Threshold is Crossed, there’s all manner of new people, new situations and new mistakes to make, both good and bad. We’ll get into that in more detail next time, when I discuss Tests, Allies and Enemies.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Quotables
"Read, read, read. Everything. I don't mean just comics or graphic novels. Read about the world, about things that don't interest you, about people and places you are unfamiliar with. Broaden your horizon. You will discover worlds you never knew existed."
— Chris Claremont, Writer, X-Men: Days of Future Past
— Chris Claremont, Writer, X-Men: Days of Future Past
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Five Movies
I got bitten by the meme bug. Blame the whole crazy blogosphere that I've become part of these days. These are my five favorite movies, the ones I could watch over and over again:
Iron Man - Yes, I'm a geek. Yes, I love comics. I've never really been a huge Iron Man fan, though. I don't collect his comics at all, but I love the portrayal of his character in The Ultimates. Not surprisingly, I saw a lot of that come through in this movie. It was funny, well written, well cast (I didn't even realize that was Jeff Bridges until halfway through the film), and portrayed the perfect "secret origins" movie to set up the franchise. I can watch it from beginning to end, even now, and still love it. Well done, Jon Favreau!
Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl - Who knew that a movie based on a Disney ride would be such a hit? This movie has everything I love: Awesome swordplay, great humor, Easter eggs for the die-hard fans (Can you count how many pieces of the ride ended up on film?) and compelling characters that bend the usual pirate archetypes... and one who exemplifies every pirate archetype. And while everyone goes on about Johnny Depp, my initial draw to the film was Will's Hero's Journey as he steps out of his Ordinary World and grows into Captain Jack's world of adventure.
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade - I may get some flack for choosing this Indy movie instead of Raiders of the Lost Ark, but I'll defend this choice until I'm blue in the face. Raiders was a great movie, no argument there, but Last Crusade has the more compelling story where Indy is active instead of reactive. Plus, you get a glimpse at Indy's first adventure in "archeology" and Sean Connery tags along as his dad! All of this, and the usual action/adventure staples that make the Indiana Jones franchise, all combine to make for an awesome movie experience.
The Princess Bride - My mom first introduced me to this movie when I was a kid, and we watched it so much, we could recite the whole film quote for quote from memory. In addition to being so insanely quotable, it's also the best film adaptation of a book I've ever seen. Not surprising, since the author of the novel also wrote the screenplay. It also has a wonderful Hero's Journey in it as well, as the title character embarks on an amazing adventure thanks to Prince Humperdinck's search for a bride. Amazing cast, awesome story, and the greatest swashbuckling swordfight ever filmed.
Dream for an Insomniac - No, I don't have a secret romantic side, and I'll keep denying it until the day I die. That said, this movie has a special place in my heart. During a time in my life when I was a writer who couldn't write, I came across this movie that featured a writer who couldn't write, and the woman who takes it upon herself to become his muse. Damned if I didn't wish I could take David Schrader's place and have a Frankie of my very own to inspire and fall in love with me... Er, I mean, uh... Hey, Jennifer Aniston is in here, too, pretty early on in her career.
So, what are your five?
Iron Man - Yes, I'm a geek. Yes, I love comics. I've never really been a huge Iron Man fan, though. I don't collect his comics at all, but I love the portrayal of his character in The Ultimates. Not surprisingly, I saw a lot of that come through in this movie. It was funny, well written, well cast (I didn't even realize that was Jeff Bridges until halfway through the film), and portrayed the perfect "secret origins" movie to set up the franchise. I can watch it from beginning to end, even now, and still love it. Well done, Jon Favreau!
Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl - Who knew that a movie based on a Disney ride would be such a hit? This movie has everything I love: Awesome swordplay, great humor, Easter eggs for the die-hard fans (Can you count how many pieces of the ride ended up on film?) and compelling characters that bend the usual pirate archetypes... and one who exemplifies every pirate archetype. And while everyone goes on about Johnny Depp, my initial draw to the film was Will's Hero's Journey as he steps out of his Ordinary World and grows into Captain Jack's world of adventure.
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade - I may get some flack for choosing this Indy movie instead of Raiders of the Lost Ark, but I'll defend this choice until I'm blue in the face. Raiders was a great movie, no argument there, but Last Crusade has the more compelling story where Indy is active instead of reactive. Plus, you get a glimpse at Indy's first adventure in "archeology" and Sean Connery tags along as his dad! All of this, and the usual action/adventure staples that make the Indiana Jones franchise, all combine to make for an awesome movie experience.
The Princess Bride - My mom first introduced me to this movie when I was a kid, and we watched it so much, we could recite the whole film quote for quote from memory. In addition to being so insanely quotable, it's also the best film adaptation of a book I've ever seen. Not surprising, since the author of the novel also wrote the screenplay. It also has a wonderful Hero's Journey in it as well, as the title character embarks on an amazing adventure thanks to Prince Humperdinck's search for a bride. Amazing cast, awesome story, and the greatest swashbuckling swordfight ever filmed.
Dream for an Insomniac - No, I don't have a secret romantic side, and I'll keep denying it until the day I die. That said, this movie has a special place in my heart. During a time in my life when I was a writer who couldn't write, I came across this movie that featured a writer who couldn't write, and the woman who takes it upon herself to become his muse. Damned if I didn't wish I could take David Schrader's place and have a Frankie of my very own to inspire and fall in love with me... Er, I mean, uh... Hey, Jennifer Aniston is in here, too, pretty early on in her career.
So, what are your five?
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
My Blog Is Now Networked
It's true - R. B. LeMoyne's Blog is now a part of NetworkedBlogs on Facebook. What does that mean, exactly? It means that, if you're on my Facebook fan page, you'll get instant updates through their news feed when there's a new entry to read. You can also Like, Rate and Share my blog easily with just a click. More than that, you can Follow my blog directly on Facebook by going to the page here!
So what are you waiting for? Spread the joy of my blog to your Facebook account today!
So what are you waiting for? Spread the joy of my blog to your Facebook account today!
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