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Saturday, November 24, 2007

Starcaster Snippet

I decided to yank the opening scene in Starcaster, the one that was giving me such trouble. It is the same scene that I posted at Absolute Write a few weeks ago. I now start the novel with the next scene, which is just before all the action starts anyway. I summed up scene number 1 in two paragraphs that hopefully does not read like an infodump.

I think my new opening paragraphs does a much better job establishing the mood and the time frame. This is important because my novel does not take place in a typical time period for fantasy.

As I dressed for the evening, I reflected that there is simply no good way to hide a gun in an evening gown.

In my mother's day, yes. Back then, waistlines were at the waist, and skirts were full. Nowadays, with a high-waisted sheer skirt, any bulge looked suspicious. Oh, I had a skirt holster, and I used it quite a bit, but one needed plenty of pleats to be able to use a skirt holster. An apron helped as well. No one ever suspected a woman hustling around in a bulky apron of carrying anything other than household items such as pot-holders and pincushions.

What do you think?

Don't forget my little contest! I only have a few entrants and I'll pick a winner on Monday.

2 comments:

  1. Hi Tia,
    How do you keep track of all your blogs!
    I like the opening lines but I'm not sure what is meant by the 'time period' is important for fantasy. Can't one write a fantasy in any time period. We can make it up.

    In any case, I get the impression that the time period is rather modern times. It sounds like the character's mother maybe lived in the 50's or so. The reference to a woman having a pot holder makes me think of when woman didn't work outside of the home.
    What time period do you intend?

    How ever do you manage to run three blogs, review books, work AND have some fun?
    Do you sleep?
    my website: www.lisanevin.com
    my blog: http://lisanevin.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks, Lisa! Most of my blogging is rather sporadic, except for Fantasy Debut, which I usually post to every day.

    The time frame is equivalent to the early 1800s.

    ReplyDelete

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