It took some time, but I’m finally in the mental frame of mind needed to write from the perspective of sunny and cheerful Vivi Wei. I’ve got two scenes done, which isn’t much — long scenes though they are — but it’s better than zero scenes done. Things are looking good for having more next week, too.
Another thing I need to do soon is get 004 and 005 out of “draft” status. I don’t wanna get stuck in the usual situation of having half my story in draft because I perpetually loathe looking at old work. So, expect that soon-ish.
Gah, I didn’t realize Marcy was such a downer. And I’d think the “borners” would feel more real than the echoed, not less… of course, this is all from Vivi’s perspective…
I like her description of dancing. When I was in college, on summer nights we’d dance on the brick plaza in front of the Student Union, known as Red Square. You didn’t have to be “with” anyone, and the contact high from being among all the dancers was just that amazing.
Well, the previous story was told from Marcy’s perspective — she doesn’t think she’s a downer. But even in that story she’s antisocial, suspicious of people, believes she’s not really real, and is a moodily driven artist. Naturally Vivi’s worried because from Vivi’s point of view, that’s an awful way to live.
I used to go to school dances in Junior High, when I was a kid and didn’t give two craps, but eventually the embarrassment kicked in. But I can appreciate the mentality.
I expect it can go both ways. I mean, if you’re born there, that means that you may not necessarily be an “echo” of anything in the real world, which makes you less real, or maybe it makes you feel less real?
However, if you’re an echo from the real world, you’ve come from the “real world” so at least you KNOW that you’re real somewhere, right? But then again, you’re just an echo.
I geuss it all has to do with attitude. But I can see how both sides might feel less real than the other. It just depends on how you carry yourself?
There’s really three perspectives to have:
1. People born on Earth have a real counterpart out there, so they’re more real than the imaginary people who only exist in this city.
2. People born in this city have their own lives with true individualism, no dopplegangers. Therefore they’re more real than imports from Earth.
3. People are people and everybody is real and the whole “I’m more real than you” thing is bad juju to be avoided.
Marcy subscribes to #1. That’s why she sees Vivi as more important and more real than her. Vivi herself sees things from a #3 perspective, since she loves life and loves people and doesn’t evaluate them that way.
Curiously #1 is also the viewpoint of the Echo Chamber, the organization who made the propaganda flyer in 002. That flyer reads:
“Those who are “born” in this city are figments of the City’s diseased imagination — they never existed on Earth, they were never real in the first place. These things occupy government seats, they rule over your tortured life in their streets. The Department of Orientation isn’t run by refugees, it’s run by natives, and the nightmares want you to suffer.”
…so it’s pretty clear what side they fall on.
Speaking of looking at old work, how about that last Anachronauts book?
I’m so sorry about the delay on this. I was waiting for the cover art to be finished but the story has been done for months. Far too long.
So, tune into the blog in a few days and I’ll have details up on how you can get a free copy of the bonus story in advance of the book’s release (which I still can’t do anything about until the artist is finished).
This will NOT be a problem with the forthcoming City of Angles book.
“while when” — remove while
“section of the populace makes their move.” — should be “its move.”
Vivi is coming across really well as a unique character of purpose here. Nice opening.
You don’t say it directly, but Marcy must feel weird about her failure/success at the Defined Tower. The reality-bending and reappearance of her ruined work must feel like a reinforcement of Echo on some levels even though the message is not.
“somehow thinks she’s less “real” than I am.” — oh yowch!
“scenester thing” — heh.
“nights like those” — should be “these” eh?
“Vividly: What happened?” — the space after this line looked like an accident to me, but now i see you’re using it between typists. Also, Vividly is a great handle. And even though Ghostwriter predates this story, it’s very appropriate for Marcy.
I wonder if Gee Bee is presented as too old for his age. I know people differ but for comparison, Dad is 70. Gee Bee has arthritis, hip probs, dentures, and low vision (big print labels.)
I could probably have him be in his eighties, but then I wouldn’t get the cool line “opened the club in the seventies, and now he’s in his seventies.” Also, he clearly was into the hard rocking scene with sex and drugs that permeated that decade; having health problems down the line is reasonable, I’d think. I can emphasize that if it helps.
Ghostwriter is Marcy’s street name as a graffiti writer; was established in 003. As for the Defined Tower, I think enough time has passed since the last story that it’s a bit out of sight, out of mind, but I might be able to fit in something later. This is kind of a focused story so it’s hard to do callbacks.
You can get arthritis and hip problems at any age, if that helps. Can easily just leave it as-is.
Similarly, I wasn’t suggesting that you _mention_ the Defined Tower. I was just pondering it myself, and threw it in there since you might like to hear it.