Thursday, January 6, 2011

TMI Post (becasue it is taking up space)

Coffee Break











Bonus Playlist

Alternate Ending Songs

One Thing - Finger Eleven
Keep Holding On - Boyce Ave.

Alternate Songs When Rose Tries to kill Clara

I Write Sins Not Tragedies - Panic At The Disco
Thanks For The Memories - Falloutboy

Vida La Vida Meet Love Story - Jon Schmidt.

I've had this song since I started HOF, . The orignal ending had the characters parting and then meeting up again at the end of the chapter.



Get a playlist! Standalone player Get Ringtones


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Inspiration

When writing the sequels to Litany Lane I was always inspired by other facets mentioned in the previous work. For example August was written after a commenter mentioned I should put Mr. Fierro and Martin in the same room. As a result House of Fierro was inspired by one of the “shorts” in August.
The idea from DSI came from a lot of sources. The first being when someone asked me If Clara could have kids in LL and also when another commenter pointed out that Clara should warn the Bordeaux’s about the curse

The biggest inspiration came in chapter six of HOF when Mr. Fierro realizes that how “pretty” everything and everyone is in the DeLune family. He says

. . . I studied the generations of the family posted along the wall. How easily Mr. Thorpe would fit into such a prominent family legacy. I imagined his picture along the wall, proudly displayed.
Roger had taken a son and wife from me all those years ago, perhaps I should take a[great] grandchild from him. I almost laughed at the thought.
I considered making this part of the plot however I realized that Clara would not sleep with anyone unless they told her they loved her (which he does) but if Mr. Fierro did love her he wouldn’t deceive her. . . so I scraped the idea.

The other inspiration was the quotes from Chapter 7 and 10 of HOF when Clara talks to Mr. Fierro about traveling together and deep down inside I liked the idea of them planning a future and then one of them “dying” .

Horror Movies ?

This story was inspired by Horror movies mostly the original Japanese Grudge Film . In which murder plays a central part. It is also slightly  inspired by a very creepy Adult (?)Snow White inspired tale by Neil Gaiman called Snow, Glass, Apples.



Rosalie is the Red Herring 

All of the misdirection in this was Rosalie. I wanted readers to think that Rosalie was a reincarnation of Lucie based on this conversation between Mr. Fierro and Emile

"Philosophy, to be more exact, let's consider the idea of rebirth. Not entirely impossible, no ?"

"No", Emile agreed his eyes trained on his dinner.

"Maybe that's all Lucie needs. A second chance at life to be human again."

"Do you think she deserves it ?", he said begrudgingly
Here it is referring to Lucie gaining her humanity to back.  The second misdirection was obviously


Rosalie’s Father

Because Rosalie is abused by her grandfather she is afraid her father will be like that too which is why she does not ask about him.

Also in House Of Fierro there is this, which is similar to the “birth” of snow white. Where the mother cuts herself in the snow.

“ I dragged myself over to where he lay, the fresh wounds on my face still dripped on to the clean white snow.”
I didn’t think anyone would catcth the insinuation that Victor’s Spectre raped Clara when she was out-cold in the last few chapters of HOF. Originally this conversation between Clara and Addison got a bit graphic and I felt the characters were to mean to each other.

I wanted to run with this idea. . . but no.

I mostly wanted to run with the above idea because I didn’t realize that Clara had gotten pregnant her first time until someone mentioned it and I felt kind of bad.

Daddy Issues

In chapter 15 where Rosalie calls Addison "Mr. Fierro" she original said "Daddy" but I took it out at the last minute because it made it seem like she was talking to Victor.

Said and Donne

This would be more “smart” if I had some Edward Said in here. Donne’s poem No Man is An Island was a skeletal for this project. The poem reflects the idea that we can’t isolate ourselves from the world and I felt that it played into Mr. Fierro’s character.



Nirvana

I (and someone asked me ) began to wonder myself what would happen if Clara or Mr. Fierro died again. According to Essexs Nightfall was the afterlife and not heaven and that if they were to die again they would go some place else. This idea of being reborn over and over again till your reach Nirvana ties into Eastern Philosphy which is why part of the story took place in an Ashram, where people (The serious die-hard ones) train their mind and body for Nirvana, so they won’t be reborn again. However I like to think that they will return to Nightfall. I just do.

This ties in with S&A because I was going to have Tomas convert to Buddhism but it was way to complex. (btw this is how I got the idea of LL, but I mentioned that already)

Visions

Mr. Fierro’s vision in Georgia is that of Rosalie, Victor is showing him the future he has planned for him. The dress Rosalie is wearing is that of Lucie’s Raggedy Ann doll that Mr. Fierro would have seen when Lucie was alive.

Framed

The frame that Mr. Fierro bought in chapter 4 was meant for Rosalie because Clara thought she was having a son. (am I saying women are soulless men, no. . . but I wanted Clara to feel something was off about her pregnancy but sometimes doctors get it wrong). So when Mrs. Romano tells Mr. Fierro that it is for her “grandson” she is talking about Rosalie and that is why Rose’s picture was in a sliver frame.

Alternate Endings

An alternate section that I wrote out had the bracelet Roaslie wears in chapter 1 to be a bracelet that Malika gave Mr. Fierro and that he sent to Emile. Another alternate idea had Emile send Mr. Fierro a letter with Rosalie’s name on it and not tell him what it meant and for some reason he would hold on to this paper because he felt it meant something . . . but then the tension would be gone.
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I actually wrote the ending quite a few times so another one had Clara and Rosalie seeing Mr. Fierro leave from the dock with Rosalie knowing but not really understanding. however at the last minute he decides to spend the day with them and catch a later boat. 2 years later Martin finds out that Mr. Fierro is Rosalie’s father because he finds a birthday card he sent her. This frightens him so he drowns Rosalie. Therefore the irony is that they gave up their souls so she could die and she does. . .just to soon.
The minute I wrote it I deleted it.

Marriage ?

I’m sure some of you are also mad that Clara and Mr. Fierro did not get married but I already stated that he wouldn’t marry her. Mostly because he would have to lie about who he is to do it and he doesn’t want another marriage based on a lie.

There is a lot unsaid about their relationship. It just never fit for them to admit that they were still in love with each other. It’s been 3 years so you know.

Any questions ?


What’s next ?

I am outlining a possible final sequel to Litany Lane. I want to do this for two reasons. One, I want to write a linear story and two, I really want to write a story about a family (SH and I are having a competition)and third I got pretty dark in DSI but apart of me wants to push the characters a little farther, I did some serious re-reading and the potential is there but it may be a long while if ever.

The Sofia/Clara item I'm thinking of writing (for fun) would be in the canon of this.

19 comments:

  1. I am loving Boyce Avenue so much right now. I even had an offhand comment in my blog about you and I going to Florida and kidnapping them and picking up Robin Thicke and Secondhand Serenade along the way.

    I took it out because it was a stupid joke.

    I love seeing your process even if we have to wait to the very end to get it.

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  2. I love the picture thing. Are you going to keep that up ? Seriously where do you find these inspirations ?

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  3. Love a TMI post. Speaking of TMI, is there a copy of the Snow White story online or can you give us a synopsis ?

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  4. OMG Lile, I love you but, I hate hate hate that god damn Fall Out Boy Song. Sorry.

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  5. Wait, why would Fierro and Clara's marriage be based on a lie ?

    In your head will Clara tell Fierro about what her father did to Rosalie so, he knows to be sensitive around her ? I can just imagine her not telling him.

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  6. Hm, so your stories are based on comments well,, okay

    scissoring . . . I am just saying.

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  7. ^^^^
    Um, yea Dad who exactly did you think this "Lori" was short for ?

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  8. "There is a lot unsaid about their relationship. It just never fit for them to admit that they were still in love with each other. It’s been 3 years so you know."

    Sounds familiar . . .

    No, I am just playing with you.

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  9. Is it weird I think S&A would have been better if her did convert to Bhuddism, I mean that would be a complete 180 turn from what he was.

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  10. Sorry, to repeat a questin but, did you ever answer where Fierro is taking Rosalie in the end of DSI ?

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  11. That John Schmidt song is so cool !

    Can you tell plot points by chapter or do you have to refer ? Like if I said LL chapter 7 do you automatically know what happened in that chapter.

    I ask because I often get confused.

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  12. Doesn't Neil Gamman have a rep for being out there a bit. If he is involved isn't it impled to be creepy or somethng

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  13. Okay, so it appears Rose and Clara can just hang out with ghosts like her dead granparents. Is that going to make a reappearance ?

    I can't get over that part, it was crazy.

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  14. Wait, what does the coffee have to do with this post ?

    Also if you are taking commenter suggestions, an Octology would be way better than a Pentalogoy. I can't get enough of this series, I have no idea why.

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  15. Donne is credited with saying "For Whom The Bell's Toll"

    Which Hemingway latter titles his novel. It's just another book title from a phrase or previous work that I love. I really hope I find one to use.

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  16. One more comment--

    You said we were in a competition over writing about families. Well, actually we are in a bit more.

    Although I have to say I think part of the challenge of CTE and Hidden and Sundays was writing a linear story. I can't do it with anything else.

    Now by linear do you mean on narrator or one storyline no flashbacks ?

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  17. I learned so much from this post. Yay ! I hope we inspire you further.

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  18. @ Shawna - Lol, and Sara Barellies

    @ July - I'll try

    @ Yes, it is bascially told from the stepmother's POV, I just skimmed it. I came across it on TV tropes. hint. Snow white is a child vampire. This might be the orginal http://www.holycow.com/dreaming/stories/snow-glass-apples/

    @ Topaz - Well, (IMHO) He lies about his age, his past and his family all the time. As for your second inquiry I don't think they would talk about it because he heard victor say "hand of your father" and he saw the bruises on her.

    @ Erik - Not happening, sorry

    @ Jason - haha

    @ Heidi - Yeah, but considering Sofia's religous conversions they would have clashed.

    @ Hpgirl - Let me try. Chapter 7 is before chapter 8 and chapter 8 is the chapter were Addison hits on Clara (?) so Chapter 7 is the one where . . . No chapter seven is the one with the titanic song. . . wait let me look... okay I was right but chapter 6 is the titanic song... chapter 7 is when Victor hits on Clara. . .lol !

    @ Marleigh - No idea

    @ Harper - Yes and No. I would love to write about a teenage Rose but I'm afraid of overkill

    @ Illia I wanted an excuse

    @ Shawna - Yes, the end of the Donne poem is "the bell tolls for you"(the one Clara quotes). I liked the quote.

    Also when I say linear I mean the events will have happened but we won't visit them. It will be a much simpler story. It will probably feature 3 narrators . . . I don't know it' slow moving.

    @ Rei - me too.




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Let me know what you think !