Okay, let's wrap this up

I'm sure we all need to take one

 * I lost this post and copied and pasted the information from the preview so that's why the formatting is a bit off.

Seraphina, Bellum III

I know this chapter didn’t bring on the good kind of feels and I knew it was headed here and have been working on this chapter on and off for a while.

I always knew there was something unsaid about Isobel wanting to move into a house full of men, and Sera's placement in SGI said it all. Sera spends so much time looking out for Ariel that she forgets to look out for herself.

The writer in me wants to let Sera and Ariel runaway somewhere far away, instead of exploring her character in a place she is never going to feel comfortable. Furthermore a place she doesn't want to be, she never chose to go to St. Lilth's and Sera is all about free wil. She is only staying becuase Helios won't look for her there again

We get a tiny peak of Seraphina’s POV and that's probably going to be it. The issue with Seraphina’s POV is that she is a very unreliable narrator. She’s very detached from herself.

As you all predicted she does undergo a bit of a physical makeover after section two .  Her new look is similar in style to models Ruby Rose and Elliot Sailors.


Elliot Sailors is my new ideal picspiration for Seraphina. I wish I found her earlier if only because she is the right age and has that very strong jaw line. Sailor's does double duty and models menswear to get more work.. These first few pics aren't  from a catalog these are her wedding photos.




Ruby Rose
The first picspiration I stumbled across was Australian Maybelline model Ruby Rose. Rose got some internet fame for her Break Free video. Yes, I also stole the music from her video. Of course Rose is going to be famous as she will be on OITNB, but I found her first !

Lysander

 found myself getting really interested in Lysander. In this chapter he was the “loyal” friend. He really backs Paris up. As you know I do things out of order, so when I was working on this section , I realized that I’d killed Lysander off in chapter 5's draft  (In the explosion at the shops). I immediately changed it so he is injured , because I liked him so much in this chapter. 

Obligatory .GIF post

How you guys think I treat my characters

Really, I like happy endings and you are probably all

So allow me to cheer you up with a .Gif of a Kardashian taking a selfie with a Koala Bear

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As you know there is a final (and shorter) part to Bellum. Part III. I'm really feeling the first chapter in Bellum III and you all know how when I'm working I'm all

Bellum III

There is a lot going on here and I went back and forth on ending this on such a dark note. The reason I made Bellum in three parts was because I knew each part would be focused on the status of Sera and Paris’ relationship. Part 1 was the attraction, Part 2 Pariphina as a couple, Part 3 is focusing on the aftermath of their break up.

One comment pinged one something that happens in Bellum III, we are going to explore Paris and Seraphina with the absence of a physical relationship.

I know how this serial ends and what the fates of the character are  I just don’t know how  to steer the boat. I’m excited because I get to write a little freer but scared that I may go off the rails. Yes I know I changed metaphors.

Ariel is going to begin interacting with the daemons so I’m excited to write teen characters !

Between Isobel’s return, Sera’s rape, Ariel/Sera being exiled, Helio’s killing people and Jona defecting and  I have quite the feat in Bellum III. I wish I could say it’s as. . .finished as I want it. It will be much shorter around 10 chapters.


Into to the trenches . . . I also need to work on. .  . that . . . other thing. snippet. (;

Outtakes and Music Notes

Double Chapter Post and Picspirations

Alexander McQueen's runway inspires my inner fantasy costume nerd. This dress design is the picspration for the Angel's second dress.

The Game Is The Game

So when I first wrote Lux I wrote it knowing that Seraphina and Paris were destined for one another. . . and that Sera wanted to stop it.

Remember in Lux when Isobel is about to get shot and Seraphina takes the bullet for her

“Demon”, her voice a fading whisper, “You know why I threw myself on Isobel Charter ?”

I held onto to her final words to Isobel.

“I told the Prince, Angels have a good sense for things like this. He needs you”

Love.

Angels have a good sense for love.

What Sera really mean is she wants to die because Paris needs Isobel, not someone as messed up as her.

Sera's Backstory

Sera's backstroy was supposed to be in Lux. Her backstory being she killed a Demon who took quarters in her house as a child. I wanted it to go in Chapter 12 of LA but she was supposed to be dying and it seemed unrealistic for her to have time to say all that, talk about her wings and for Paris to figure out she was the one who blinded Ashe.

Seraphina/Paris' Dream

There is a slight kind of abstract hint that Seraphina knew about Paris' dream

Sera says this in Chapter 2 of Bellum I

. . .I remember being a girl and hiding by a stream that seemed alive with music and nymphs ?”, She brushes back her hair.

Then in Paris' Dream

The Angel looks in awe at the stream, closing its eyes to hear the sound of nymphs whispering and laughing in the grove.

I thought someone would remember this because. . . I don't mention nymphs very often.

Picspirations

I found some more picspiration including one for Titus. Those arms.

This photoset featuring a Sports Illustrated model and Footballer/Model illustrated the power  shows the struggle between Sera and Paris to me. Interesting to note the guy is the nude one in this photoset.

Chapter 11 Recap

Seraphina breaks up with Paris. . . but will he let her go ? And why does she know about his dream ?

Chapter 12 and 13

 

Playlist
Chapter 12
+1+ Fly - Nikki Minaj
+2+ Battlefield - Jordin Sparks
+3+ No Ordinary Love - The Civil Wars
+4+ We Might Be Dead Tomorrow - Soko

Chapter 13
The Leaving Song - Chris Garneau

Chapter 12 and 13

Fun With Maps

Location Location Location

I've always been a bit obsessed with the idea that Manhattan is an island. I mean it's like a floating city that is only connected to the continental US via bridges. It's not in the middle of the ocean like Hawaii or far away like Alaska. It's just interesting and  Helios clearly shares my vision. But here are some things to consider/Author Did Not Do Research

The Angels and Demons don't live on the island of  Manhattan
The Angels live in Brooklyn which is only connected to the Island of Manhattan via the Brooklyn Bridge.   Riverdale where The Demons live id in the Bronx. which is connected to Manhattan The Bronx is connected via the Broadway Bridge. Just some geography pointers. The groups are on two different sides of New York-metro.


Recap

Helios' plan to take over Manhattan is finally revealed and he is working with Isaiah, who wants revenge on Paris. With the help of Baby Tessa's stem cell's Helios is ready to create his army . . . but at what cost ?

Also this section from Bellum I is going to come back. This is an exchange between Helios and Paris

“Well. . . even if  she is a whore’s daughter. Probably why she is senselessly frigid. Interesting childhood that one--”

I had choked on the tiny sip of wine I’d tasted at his comment.

“You know --er--knew her from back . . . home”, I feign disinterest.

“Infamous that one. Her father died in the war back home. Days later a set of Demons soldiers overtook her village and she and her mother became slaves in their own house. Seraphina couldn’t stand how the Demons treated them .  . .one day and rumors abound why…. Seraphina killed the Demon

and this after Sera almost drowns Paris.

“Why ?”, I ask, “Why did you try to kill me ?”
She lifts her neck higher and I grasp it tighter, letting my anger over that day take over. The anger of seeing Isobel cry.
“Because of my mother”, she breathes.
“I didn’t know your mother.”
“I know.”
“Do we have some sort of history ?”
“No”

Meanwhile in The Angel & Demon storyline . . .

While escaping The Tempest- a monstrous elemental creature-- the The Angel and Demon discover the creatures weakness. They have a plan to destroy it before it can destroy the Demon's home, the Citadel.

Playlist

+1+ My Love - VSQ
+2+  First Night, First day - Mychael Danna and 528491 - Hans Zimmer
+3+Let Me Lie - Hayley Westerna
+4+ Burn - Alexi Blue

Chapter 11

Mini .GIF post & Chapter 10

In Closing . . .

As far as PLT I'm pretty much all

 I was bummed I wasn't able to do Pretty Little Things on my terms

It was tempting to burn the entire thing and forget about it. . .

 But the excitement around PLT was. . . comforting.

So I'll just keep going. . . because the playlist will be epic

I'm also aware the ending of Bellum II might have been leaked but let's carry on because . . .

 Let's just be excited

Also I've placed a progress bar until I finish 10 chapters of PLT.

P.S What cool things do  I have to do to be invited to SHV's blog ?

Chapter 8 and 9

I went back and forth about putting these chapters together because they are so similar. I think about Seraphina and Paris being in the same city during different time periods so when he finds the WWII-era photo of her that was my call to that.

One point I do want to make is  about Seraphina/Helios is that Sera doesn't want a physical relationship with Helios anymore, which is why she mentions to Paris that she has been drugging him.

Also this

EV October 21, 2014 at 6:08 PM

No Lils, it is never dirty enough for them

ReplyDelete

Replies

AshlynOctober 21, 2014 at 6:09 PM
Lol, he's not wrong (;
Because I may or may not be curious to know if Sera would ever go down on Paris.
Delete

 Asked and answered.

Playlist

I've been rummaging around my old S&A playlist, so you will see some older songs. I must admit ut's so odd how dated some of the songs sound. I'd also like to think I have a bit more variety now, genre wise

Chapter 10

Chapter 10 Playlist

+1+ I Walk The Line - Los Lonely Boys (Bar song #1)
+2+ Lady Luck - (Oh, magic Spotify Radio) 
+3+ Slow Dancing In A Burning Room - John Mayer (Oldie)
+4+ Florence + The Machine - Seven Devils (An American Fairytale Song)

Recap
With amends tied, Paris is ready to move on to the the next step with his Brothers in getting rid of Helios, with Seraphina by his side. When Helios interrupts their night together, Helios promises to tell Seraphina everything.

CHAPTER 10

A Short Interlude

 

So, this probably should be posted on April Fool's day because I'm not sure if I'm fooling myself or not.

It probably comes at no surprise that I've been working on a secret project. I'd gone back and forth on how I wanted to do this serial and in the end I decided that I was going to complete the entire story, may be 20-32 chapters and then put it out there.

I was unsure about doing it this way, but I'd decided it would be a challenge.

This project was also going to challenge me in that I had to find an image or picture to inspire each chapter. Sometimes I'd tell a chapter and look for an image  . . . other times I'd find an image and make something from there.

However, I'm also aware that this project has been leaked.

This project being the following



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That's right. I decided to finally see what I could come up with as a follow up for JNRR. As I say in my drafts, I always knew what happened to the characters afterward. I always had some vague idea of how they ended up in Harper's Hollow in the epilogue of JNRR. I'd picked and prodded at two shorts that take place in this PLT world for years and I'd been hoarding a version of chapter since last year.

I'd sort of been looking for a challenge with this and now it seems my ultimate challenge is figuring out how to make it work. I'm all about plot reveals and misdirection and with it already revealed I"m not convinced the characters, romance and world building *hides* can stand alone.

 I could do like I did with ABWG and declaire it DOA and share my snippets and thoughts or I could write a new story but it wouldn't be  the story I've always known.


I'm not sure where I'm going with this. One of the reasons I decided to really go for it  after all this time was because I found this picture online.



This girl looks just how I'd pictured a twelve year old Rose and when I saw it I knew there was something there, as the second storyline is about what happens when Clarence DeLune visits his estrange sister and her daughter for the summer, an idea I grabbed this idea from the comments and was surprised how well it worked.


In the meantime here is a sampler, (chapter one)  of   Pretty Little Things 

I've found my groove getting back into this world, so I may carry on.

*hops in trenches*

Double Chapter Post !

Chapter 7 

Chapter 7 was supposed to be two chapters, with the cliffhanger being Ashe hearing Sera and Paris exchange when Sera and Ariel drive to Riverdale in the rain, But It picked up at an awkward place so I decided to keep together.

Chapter 8 & 9
 Chapter 8 is a bit of a transitioning chapter and Chapter 9 is the return of The Angel and The Demon Chapters. You can read them here but I have a recap below.

Chapter 7 Recap

 After returning from Boston, Paris learns that Isobel tried to contact him in Boston, soon after he is ambushed by Callum and Jona who have decided to turn against him and attack Helios head on.

Paris manages to get free just in time for Seraphina to warn him that Helios knows about the plan and is planning to stop them before they can start.

In a surprise ambush Helios and his men take all of the Callum's ammuniton along with a few hostages. In the melee Seraphina gets shot and shortly after confesses her love to Paris. Just when the longest night is about to be over Aria goes into Labor

Meanwhile in the Angel & Demon storyline . . .

Paris is having strange dreams about a Demon and Angel that takes place in Homeland. Here a Demon Prince finds an Angel with a burned wing wandering in his land far from home.

The willowy  figure is as whispy and tall as a young tree, nearly 7 feet. It has long straight colorless hair covered by a thin off white lace veil . . . wise eyes are small and whitish-blue, lips a warm pink. I don’t think I’ve ever seen skin that clear and porcelain.

The air shifts as a pair of large white wings open behind the tall willowy woman.

An Angel

She reveals that her entire village has been attacked by a monster and the monster is coming this way. The prince, wanting to protect his people convinces the Angel to go with him to kill the creature, also hoping working together might bring their warring people together.

During a storm they take refugee in an abandoned Angel village located on top of a mountain, only to find the villages deserted.  It turns out the creature has attacked and eaten everyone. The creature however is still there. A creature made of storms and lighting that has a weakness for fire and light.

I look up and see a  decorative torch glows above me. It's a marble cup with a flame encased in a glass orb. I look to see the the other decorative torches lining the street had been destroys by the wind and rain. My mouth breaks into a smile.

“The light”, I realize, “It can’t stand the light.”

They escape by flying through the creature while holding a globe of light, but in the onslaught of rain and wind they are separated and the Demon is plunging to earth.

Playlist

Chapter 8

+1+ Home - Gabrielle Aplin ( I have no idea where this song came from . . .)

Chapter 9
+1+ Mercy - Duffy
+2+ Death Is The Road to Awe - Clint Mansell
+3+ Drunken Love - Beyonce