Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Come Away! Come Away!


"And now, Peter Pan, you shall die."  "To die would be an awfully big adventure."
I have an obsession with Peter Pan.  It's one of the few things I ever fangirl about (my friend and I have memorized almost the entire 2003 version of the movie.).  I saw Peter Pan when it was performed as a ballet the first time in the country, it's one of my absolute most favorite books and I've watched the movie (2003) dozens of times. 
"Can you use it?"
"Forget them Wendy.  Forget them all."


I often ask myself, "Why Peter?  Why not Aragorn or Legolas or Hermione Granger or Percy Jackson or Holly Shorts?  Why the cocky little boy named 'Peter...Pan?'"

I don't think it's his cockiness (The reason why Hook hates him so much).  I don't even think it's Barrie's eloquent writing or Hogan's brilliant directing.

I think it's the fact that I can relate to him, and I think that's why he's lasted for so long.  People can relate to his refusal to grow up.


To me, adults have always (and still are) fuddy-duddies.  Realists.  Concerned more with the future than the now.  The what rather than the why.

They've forgotten how to dream.

They've forgotten how to live!

My little mind used to reason that if that's what happens when you 'grow up,' I don't want to grow up!

I want to dream.  I want to live in the now.  I want to be able to still ask, "Why?" 
"'Tis a powerful thing."

Now, I'm taking on responsibility myself.  I'm not near as afraid to associate with "grown-ups" as I used to be.  I worry more than I used to.

I'm growing up.

For a while, I fought it tooth and nail.  I made an effort to not see what needed to be done, so
"Or I'll cast anchor in you!"
I wouldn't do it.  I refused to answer the phone.  I refused to talk to people more than a few years older than me if I could avoid it.  I was practically praying Peter would come and take me to Neverland!

Then I started to see it was okay to grow up and take on responsibility.  I could grow up and still dream.  I could grow up and didn't have to worry.  After all, God's on my side when I'm on his, right?

It's okay to grow up, because it's still my choice as to the person I become.

"Pan!  You're...pink!"

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Tuesday, April 03, 2012

Editing of DQZ: Day One

Today I started to edit my first OYAN novel, Dyani: The Quest for Zuriel.
I've started just by reading through it and taking notes of what needs to be changed.  I'm almost through it all.

I have three (albeit small) pages of notes.

It's rather overwhelming for me, but I'm consoling myself by telling myself that at least I can see what needs to be fixed.

A few things are:
  • It moves too fast.
  • I need more hoops from the actual villain.
  • Change the villain's name.
  • More character development for Niyet, Sheol (whose name will be changed), Yevriel, Fairn, Jalem and Alistair. 
  • Setting...
  • Durn [the dog] attacking Yevriel is almost a given that Yevriel is bad.
  • Change the villain's background.
  • There are some questions that go unanswered.
 I actually have thirty-one notes, and I think I badly need to re-write chapters nine through eleven.  I have a feeling that I'll have to keep reminding myself it's only a first draft.

~Charlotte Grace, the Mind Traveler