Paksworld

I am deep in chronology now, maybe halfway through, and discovering that I have duplicated some events (though the way the scenes are written varies a lot) and completely left out some very important ones.  Last night’s work session was on one such scene (a plot-mover for sure.)    Getting the others into even rough order helps a lot in seeing overlaps, duplicates, and gaps.

For instance, if A discovers or knows something that A really should tell B…but A has reasons for not telling B (good or bad as the case may be)….then at some point there MUST be a scene in which A tells B, or someone else who knows what A knows tells B, or B finds out on B’s own…and then there will be a scene between A and B in which A is going to have to justify (or try to) not having told B back in the beginning of the whole thing.   Because the real suspense here is “What will B do when B finds out what A knows and that A didn’t tell B?”

How long the gap can be depends on what the secret knowledge  is and the circumstances.   Obviously, “I’m pregnant” will become obvious in months and is likely to be noticed by others who might tell.    Can’t hide that one forever unless there’s an unobtrusive way to ditch the child.    “I found this obscure document proving that you are the real heir to the throne” might not ever become obvious unless someone else finds the obscure document.   So it could run for years (if, in a story, it runs “forever,” it’s unlikely to be plot relevant unless you’re telling the story of A who is haunted by knowledge A feels must not be told.)    Story logic dictates that the length of time A is allowed to hold that secret and brood over it must make sense to readers, given the circumstances.   Pregnant princess surrounded by observant older women who’ve seen lots of pregnant girls…it’s unbelievable that someone wouldn’t tumble to it.  But  if locked in a room and being fattened up by a wicked villain with a taste for eating princesses…somewhat longer.

Every culture has people it “sees” more closely than others–and specific things it (or individuals within it) look for.    Homophobes eye everyone for signs of gayness.    The Inquisition eyed conversos for signs that they hadn’t abandoned Judaism.   Cultures valuing female virginity at marriage eye pubertal girls for signs of sexual activity and pregnancy.  Consider what people in Paks’s world worry about or consider especially valuable…what they look for with fear or with hope.

Guilty secrets make good Story.

Today was mostly a bust, as I had a big eye examination thing (checking on the progress of my cataracts) this morning that left me with blurred vision and a headache for some time after.  Still a little blurry and headachy, but at least I CAN see words on the computer screen now.   I have out-of-state guests coming Friday and should be cleaning the kitchen (and at least straightening the whole house) but instead I’m deep in timelines and guilty secrets.   I know you alpha readers are poised on your toes, and I’m sorry to be several weeks later than I said…but I’m getting to the point where the draft might make sense (instead of having all of you say “What DOES B do to A when B finds out what A didn’t tell?”)

Oh—Orbit UK has Echoes listed as  January release (I think–trying to look at the Orbit release catalog I found it difficult to navigate and confusing, but that may just be me.)   Also has cover image, which I’d not seen before, and a blurb which unfortunately makes it seem this is the conclusion, not the middle book.    I found this via James Long’s SpecHorisons on Twitter.   (My follow list on Twitter has bulged again as I’m finding following people at my publishers on Twitter an easy way to figure out what’s going on.  And yet…when the sum of all the lists (LJ, SFFnet, Twitter, blogs) gets large enough, I could spend 48 of every 24 hours just keeping up.)