In which I participate in the Pinterest Storyboard Party

Hello, dear people!

As some of you may know, I rarely write creatively.  At least, not fiction.  I LURVE writing analytically about fiction, and I like writing devotionally, but making up stories hasn't really been on my radar for a while.  When I was younger, I wrote short stories a LOT, and I enjoyed it.  But, due to various circumstances (and also just loss of interest/time, I suppose), my authorial inspiration sort of fizzled out as I got older.  

However.  

I think it may be coming back, which makes me excited.  :D  I've had a few vague ideas for potential stories to write "someday when I have time" (haha) for a while, but recently two have really been taking more shape and sticking in my mind more often.  

So, not wanting to be behind the times, I decided to go out on a limb and make some Pinterest storyboards for The Ideas.  And soon after, having actually loved that process, I saw a post of Hamlette's talking about the 2017 Pinterest Storyboard Party, initiated by Elisabeth Grace Foley.  And, dearies, as the title of this post may or may not have informed you, I have decided to participate.  Of course, by the time most of you read this, it will probably already be the last day of the party, but better late than never, right?


As I said, I'm quite new to this, so we'll see how this goes.

The first idea I'll share with you all is one I've mentioned previously:  a continuation of Susan Pevensie's story.  (If any of you don't know who Susan Pevensie is, I shall swallow my horror and tell you that she is a character from C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia.  Hopefully nobody needed that clarification :-P)  This will take place several years after The Last Battle, but will be full of flashbacks and memories, etc. 

// Once a King or Queen //




Now for some snippet ideas!  I haven't really begun writing anything, but these are just some ideas I have so far.

On a drizzly, rather miserable evening in London, Susan Pevensie walked slowly into her apartment. She looked profoundly dejected, but those who knew her often felt that it must have been many years now since Susan Pevensie had looked anything but profoundly dejected.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Of all the siblings, Edmund had always seemed to understand Susan the best.  In point of fact, though, Susan reflected, he had always seemed to understand each of the siblings better than the others did.  After their first foray into Narnia, Edmund had become quieter, but he had also become kinder and more sympathetic.  While Lucy and Peter both found it difficult to tolerate Susan's tendencies towards skepticism and pessimism, Edmund never upbraided her for it.  He said he had often felt the same way before -- and then he would get that reflective look in his eyes which meant that he was thinking of Aslan.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Look here, Su," Edmund had replied. "I know all this new rot about agnosticism and existentialism and all the other isms sound nice and convenient, and they seem to provide a tidy explanation of things. But the difficulty is that I know all too well what Aslan saved me from in Narnia, and how he taught me to look for another Savior in this world, to be able to doubt the truth of the old ways -- that is, the things Mum and Dad brought us up to believe -- anymore.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 Memories began flooding Susan's consciousness -- memories of crystalline streams and vibrant woods, of magnificent parties held for days in rooms flickering with firelight and comradely laughter, of a wardrobe and a lamppost, of music that seemed to sound like silver itself, of her three siblings, of long talks with the naiads and dryads, of happiness, of a time when fear seemed very far away, and of a great and glorious Lion. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The other idea I'm chewing on is a novel about a woman who was requested to kill herself by every single person on the planet.  (I know, I know, but stay with me.)  It's difficult to summarize the idea, since most of the key elements are still coming together in my mind, but basically:  there's a boy who finds this woman one day, a generation or two later.  She lives as a hermit, since the antipathy against her is still very much alive.  And it'll be about how he gets to know her and what he learns from her about self-worth, God, forgiveness, etc.  It also may or may not be set in a dystopian time/place -- I don't quite know yet.  Like I said, I really can't provide a synopsis at present, but here's the board.  :-P

 // The Hated //




And zee snippets:

The world was slanted that day.  

Why that particular detail is the one that stands out so prominently in my mind among the multitude that made that day extraordinary, I couldn't say, but I do know that as I climbed Edda's Knoll that afternoon, I happened to glance up and subsequently noticed that the world was unprecedentedly askew.  

That is to say, the world itself was not actually slanted, of course, but the sky definitely was, and since I was climbing a hill, the sensation that immediately presented itself to me was that the ground and the trees and the birds were, as well.  The profusion of cumulonimbus clouds were tilted at a sharply diagonal angle, and their murky gray and blue tint seemed to threaten malevolence rather than intend to dole it out, given the fact that though it smelled like rain there was not the sign of a single drop forthcoming.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The hut left much to be desired in the way of appearance, I ruminated as I crouched behind my boulder.  It was neither neat enough to be picturesque nor squalid enough to be penurious; it was merely rather disheveled and weatherbeaten, with a clothesline strung in no very aesthetic manner about its face and assorted odds and ends stacked along its exterior walls.  It was, to be ruthlessly frank, slovenly.  I didn't like to be critical of an adventure so early on, but really, this middle ground was rather disappointing for a solitary cabin mysteriously hidden away in the mountains.  One expects a hermit's hideout to be either impossibly dainty or unspeakably ominous, not bourgeois.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

"Of course," she added calmly, "I haven't exactly been 'in the loop' for quite a while.  You see, many years ago I found out that the world, in perfect cordiality but total sincerity, had high hopes for my suicide.  Naturally, this led to some social difficulties."

I stared at her for a moment.  "The world?  As in, the whole world?"  Then, naturally, I began to laugh at such a preposterous notion.  "That's ridiculous and impossible -- how on earth could you know with certainty that the entire human population personally wanted you to kill yourself?  Every single human being on the planet?"

For the first time, I saw a brief glint of what could have been hardness or cynicism in her eyes, but it was gone as quickly as it came, and she gave a rueful chuckle.  "Never underestimate the capacity of the human race to find ways and means of facilitating its cruelty, dear boy.  I could know with certainty because they all signed a document making the request -- a petition, if you will.  It was rather a lengthy document.  You must keep in mind, though, that the planet's population was significantly smaller at that time than you might think, what with the unfortunate crater incident."


~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"I like the way good books echo," I remarked as she poured our hot chocolate.

She looked at me, clearly amused but interested.  "Explain."

"I mean, the the way that stories echo through the years -- not to be too cheesy," I replied.  "The cultures and people and even the civilizations vanish, but the thoughts of the authors are always there.  And more often than not, they're influencing the formation of new cultures and people and civilizations.  It's like they contribute to the music of history -- complex and varied, but always swelling into unity and beauty.  And don't laugh at me," I continued, as I saw her grinning.  "I know you've thought the same thing before.  Why, one of your own favorite authors likened God's creation to music, didn't he?"

"You're getting too cheesy," she laughed.  "But you're right."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~


When I stopped to consider our acquaintance, I often realized that, in spite of every rational expectation, she was more full of  love and joy and peace than anybody I had ever met before.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"I find the fact of death to be the most thoroughly unacceptable institution there is," I muttered, fists clenched and tears, despite my best efforts, beginning to escape my eyelids.  

"So does He," she responded quietly. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ta-ta for now!  I hope you all enjoyed that, and do be sure to check out the fun over at Elisabeth Grace Foley's blog!

Comments

  1. Okay, "the Hated" sounds (AND LOOKS) excellent and I would totally read it.
    Oh and what am I saying, I would read the Susan Pevensie one too. :-P

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  2. Lovely snippets! I like how you captured Edmund's voice and way of talking: "Look here, Su..." :) Quite excellent. If you ever write your book about Susan, I would love to read it!

    ~Lizzy

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    1. Thanks muchly, Lizzy! I really appreciate that :)

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  3. Oh. My. Word. Both of these are brilliant and glorious and amazing and why are you not a published author because you are crazy-talented my friend!!!

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    1. *blushes* Awww, stahp it! YOU GUYS ARE SO KIND.

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  4. Very nice! I like your idea to share snippets too. I've always felt rather sorry for Susan, so a happier ending for her would be cool! "The Hated" sounds interesting, though my mind is spinning questions about how every person on the planet could all want the same person dead and so on.

    But either way, very cool that your desire to write fiction is returning!

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    1. Hamlette, thank you! Yes, I want her story to end in a better way than TLB left it, so :P Haha! Honestly -- *whispers* -- mine is, too. So we'll see.

      Thanks! It's fun :)

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  5. Ohmygoodness!! I can't believe I almost passed over this post without reading it!! I saw "Pinterest" in the title and thought, "Oh, well I don't do Pinterest so this won't really be a post for me." WHAAAT?!! I couldn't have been more wrong. This is JUST the sort of post for me. ;)

    Seriously, Olivia, these stories sound SO wonderful. I'm getting really, really excited about your Susan Pevensie story. Those snippets, though. Eeeek! "Of all the siblings, Edmund had always seemed to understand Susan the best. In point of fact, though, Susan reflected, he had always seemed to understand each of the siblings better than the others did." Aww. *Melt my heart* I LOVE Edmund!! And what he says to Susan about the "isms". Oh! Well done, Ed! :D And that last paragraph. It's so beautiful and sad and...oh! poor Susan. *sob*

    WRITE THIS STORY, OLVIA!! PLEEEASE! I really want to read it. (And I'm not just saying that. I mean it!) I love your storyboard. The pictures and quotes are excellent. This quote in particular really gets to me: "Because we never stop loving silently those we once loved out loud." Oooooh. This book is going to make me cry! (Which is okay, actually, because I like books that make me cry. :)) I love how you're planning on having lots of flashbacks and memories because...then you can get the other kids into the story, too! And that's just splendid! :D

    Okay. *deep breath* Your other story. Goodness me, girl. It sounds SO good. Wistful and sad, and yet hopeful, too. "When I stopped to consider our acquaintance, I often realized that, in spite of every rational expectation, she was more full of love and joy and peace than anybody I had ever met before." Ach! That's beautiful!! And I love the last bit, too. --"So does He," she responded quietly.-- SO. GOOD. <3

    God has definitely given you a gift for writing, Olivia. And it's going to be so neat to see how He uses that gift to bless people and further His kingdom. Love you, friend! *hugs*

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    1. Whew! Glad you decided to read it and that you liked it, Miss March :D

      Gaaaahhhhh, thank you!! I'm excited about it, too; I do hope I'll buckle down and start to actually write it sometime in the not-too-distant future.

      The storyboards do make me happy, yes -- there are so many awesome quotes out there that were really applicable! Yeah, that "never stop loving silently" one is quite thought-provoking, I agree! Haha, yep, it might make both of us cry xD

      *blushes and smiles sillily* (Whoa . . . that's a word?!) Seriously, girl, your support and enthusiasm about these "brainchildren" mean SO much to me -- thank you!! And your last paragraph -- wowza, thank you <3

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  6. You need to write these stories. I am serious. You need to write them.

    They're both going to be amazing and the world NEEDs them.

    Also, can I just say, I LOVED what you brought out about Edmund there--that he's the most truly empathetic of any of the Pevensie siblings? Because he IS. He totally is; and yet we never really notice it somehow . . . ? But yeah; as much as I adore Lucy, she doesn't exactly have the capacity for understanding *why* Susan, or anybody else, would have trouble believing in and accepting joy. Because Lucy's so much the opposite of that, just the way she naturally is. But Edmund WOULD understand, and he wouldn't judge, either . . . *wipes tear* Gosh, I'm getting all emotional just thinking about it. <3

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    1. Daaaaaawwww, THANKS GIRL! (Right back at you about Breaking Glass and Scarlet Ribbons. Like seriously finish them. Pronto. That is, uh, as soon as you can ;))

      Eeeeeekk, Edmund, though<3 Pinterest has this thing that matches up each of the Pevensie children with a Myers-Briggs type, and according thereunto, Edmund is the INFJ of the family. Needless to say, that made me happy :D I haven't studied MB (or, I suppose, the Pevensies) thoroughly enough to be able to say whether that assessment is right or wrong, but I sure appreciated it.

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    2. *hugs* I WILL. I'm allllllllllllllllmost at 40000 words for Breaking Glass, which is like halfway through (I just wrote 800 words over the past two days and It. Was. So. Exciting.) I can't wait to work on it more!!

      He's definitely the one who's best at reaching out to those who feel lost <3 That's why he's so SPESHUL, as our friend A.A. Milne would say :-)

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    3. Dang, girl! You go! I know it's gonna be epic :D

      Yaaaaaassssss. (I highly approve of your referencing A.A. Milne just sayin'.)

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  7. THESE ARE EXELENT! They really bring you in! Your story snipets are JUST SO GOOD!!!! I love these so much and want to know more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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    1. Thank you so much, MovieCritic!!! 'Tis so kind of you :D

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  8. I would SOOO read your Susan story! Please write it!!

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    1. Thanks!! That's really encouraging; I hope I do write it! :D

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  9. Hey, you've taken this blog party idea to the next level—storyboards with snippets! It's neat to see how the excerpts match the atmosphere you've created with the board, especially with the second one there. Intriguing.

    Thanks so much for joining the party!

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    1. Haha, I suppose I have!

      Thank YOU for hosting the party :)

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  10. I seriously am brain dead from my college workload right now but I HAD TO TELL YOU, I love both these story ideas and would LOVE to see them written. They're so epic-ly soothing and surreal.

    Told you I was brain dead.

    But seriously. Your writing is aaaaamazing.

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    1. Awwwww, heck, your comment didn't read as brain-dead to me, Rosie ;) Thank you so much!! (How's college goin', by the by?)

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    2. You're welcome! It's kind of stressful for quite a lot of reasons but at the same time my friends are so awesome. I feel like they'll be able to see me through anything!

      Also I have the most amazing job that I am loving so much. I get to take photos for my school newspaper. It is so much harder than it looks, getting all the right angles and writing cutlines and such. But I'm learning so much and am getting really good at it! It's a student-run newspaper, so my bosses are students as well. They're really awesome people to work with. And so are the other people I work with as well!

      Things are so good :)

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    3. Aaahhh, I'm so happy to hear that things are going well, despite the craziness -- and hopefully I'll respond to your email soon (thank you ever so much for it, btw!). :) That newspaper job sounds SOOOOOO cool.

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  11. So I've been watching you post things to these boards, (not in a stalker way I promise, it's just these pins kept popping up on my dash 'cause I follow you and all.) and I've been soooo excited about what you might be cooking up! I seriously love both ideas,and I would read both of them in a heartbeat. Especially the Susan one. GAH THE FEELS. So please keep writing these, really. The snippets seem intriguing, and your writing is lovely.

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    1. Haha, yeeeaaaahhhh . . . I may or may not have spent a lot of time pinning. xD Gaaaaahhh, THANK YOU! *hugs* I really really appreciate that!!

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  12. NOOOO no no no no. GRRR. Blogger just ate my really long comment. :P *pouts*

    If there was ever a time when you didn't think you were one to write stories, then I am here to tell you that you're wrong. Dead wrong. Because what I read here could only be written by someone who is a writer at heart.

    You know I've always been keen for a backstory on Susan, and wow, what I just read is exactly what I was hoping for... especially when you started mentioning that part about Edmund. *sniffles* Yes - I am here to support you with writing that story, because it NEEDS to be written. <3

    Also, wow! A dystopian novel! You've got to have guts to take on something like that. I know I wouldn't, merely because I'm not that creative nor bold, but if you are keen, then GO FOR IT! What I just read here makes me feel sure it will turn into something great. :)

    ~Miss Meg

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    1. Miss Meg, somehow I didn't respond to this?! *sigh* I'm sorry about that.

      Anyway, oh dear! Bad Blogger. *gives it the scolding look*

      "If there was ever a time when you didn't think you were one to write stories, then I am here to tell you that you're wrong. Dead wrong. Because what I read here could only be written by someone who is a writer at heart." AWWWWW. <3 <3 Oh my gosh, you are SO sweet. Thank you ever so much, my dear -- I needed that today. :) *hugs you*

      And yaysies! Oh, it makes me so happy that you're all on board for that!!! <3

      Haha! I'm still not sure how 85% of the plot would even work, but maybe we'll get there. :) Awww, THANK YOU SO MUCH, again! <3

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