Staging, Tone, Pace and Character Growth

After a couple of months of chewing over a different story I'm back to my YA story (current working title "Feronia's Fire) with a personal commitment to complete the rough draft by the end of the year. I've joined the Long Beach Writer's Group that meets at Border's on Bellflower every Monday and am excited that there sci-fi and fantasy buffs in the crowd.

I haven't had the energy to write as much as I'd like to of late because I've been working on a big PR project, but I have felt particularly blessed of late with my own personal reading selections. I'd like to share four books with everyone that I have particularly enjoyed and from which I've been very conscious of great staging, tone, pace and character growth each book set forth. They are all set in the YA fantasy genre (the genre I'm writing in).

The first is "Court Duel" by Sherwood Smith (I think I've mentioned already that I tracked down the Long Beach Writer's Group because Smith mentions them in her book, "A Stranger to Command" which I enjoyed very much as well). I'm not sure I recall another book where the heroine is so headstrong and yet so introspective. I found young Countess Meliara so refreshing because she's not only bold and courageous, once she recognizes where she's ignorant, and how it's led to disasterous results, she really wants to learn and grow and change, but like most of us she finds it easier decided than done!

I'm also especially fond of the banter that takes place between the hero Vidanric, and Meliara, how the reader understands his intention better than Meliara does - and yet, Smith is so very good at showing us just how easily two people who want to do the right thing, can so very misunderstand one and other - again and again - and yet, again, the characters constantly have learning and growth. I also greatly appreciated that the hero and well as the heroine is introspective. And I love that on her own site Smith shares short stories from the hero's point of view. Very wise in this day and age. She is keeping her readers true fans by giving them more of what they want.

My second example, is D.M. Cornish's "Lamplighter" which I just finished (no one had the first book "Monster Blood Tatoo" when I checked so I'll have to go back and buy it on Amazon now). I must admit at times Cornish's world was a bit over the top for me with its complex and extensive glossary of particular vocabularly words, and after awhile I stopped flipping back and forth and just went with it (hoping I wasn't missing important plot points) because the story is just so excellent and the characters so very compelling.

I want to say amen and bravo to so many of the male fantasy writers like Cornish who write interesting, complex female characters like the young Threnody who can be a huge pill but is a crack shot with a pistol. And I adore the hero, little unfortunately named Rossamund (who is a boy), who is undersized, and awkward at many things, but oh so valient and polite and kind. I love that Rossamund loves. He has a place in my heart next to my hero Harry P.

Cornish has created a unique world as individual as the "Lord of the Rings," "Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell" and "Harry Potter." It would be fabulous if an animated movie could be created on it based on his superb drawings, but I imagine it would be easier (yet still fabulous) as live action now that CGI does so many marvelous things.

My final example are "Dream Hunter" and "Dream Quake" by Elizabeth Knox. What a compelling duo of books! Unlike the other examples, the world Knox has created is almost recognizable, almost. Set at the turn of the last century it offers an alternative world both reassuringly familiar in its old fashioned-ness and tantilizingly foreign with its magic. The mystery of it all, and the way those in power want to control the magic (even when they can't wield it themselves), and the terrific cast of characters of all ages makes for some of the most memorable reading I've had in quite some time. Indeed, all of these mentioned books are.

I also enjoyed the closeness of the cousins, Laura and Rose and the love between them (and the family as a whole), yet how they need to both go on their own individual hero's journey in the books separate of each other in order to grow up.

Feeling quite inspired I look forward to getting down to some serious writing this week, but first I need to read some writing of other's to be prepared for tonight's meeting!