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CHRIS RICE COOPER is a newspaper/fiction writer, poet, photographer, painter. CRC Blog is an INCLUSIVE & NON-PROFIT BLOG acknowledging ALL voices, ALL individuals, ALL political views, ALL philosophies, ALL religions including Islamism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Catholicism, Protestantism, Judaism, Agnosticism, Atheism. She has a B.S. in Criminal Justice & completed her workshops required for her Master’s in Creative Writing. She lives in St. Louis. CRC website http://chrisricecooper.com/

Friday, February 8, 2019

#017 INSIDE THE EMOTION OF FICTION: "My Quest Begins" by Paula Shene

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****Paula Shene’s My Quest Begins (The Alaisdair Peyton Diaries, Book 1) is the seventeenth in a never-ending series called INSIDE THE EMOTION OF FICTION where the Chris Rice Cooper Blog (CRC) focuses on one specific excerpt from a fiction genre and how that fiction writer wrote that specific excerpt. All INSIDE THE EMOTION OF FICTION links are at the end of this piece.

Name of fiction work? And were there other names you

considered that you would like to share with us?

The names were merge My Quest Begins (The Alaisdair Peyton Diaries, Book 1)

Current WIP with this series is The Pegasi

Found under the blog post at this site, The Alaisdair Peyton Diaries

Fiction genre? Ex science fiction, short story, fantasy novella, romance, drama, crime, plays, flash fiction, historical, comedy, etc. And how many pages long? This started as an adventure story and morphed into other genres as readers saw different parts as paramount. Currently it is dubbed a YA scifi/fantasy/adventure romance short story

Has this been published? And it is totally fine if the answer is no. If yes, what publisher and what publication date? Crypto & Company 2013. The right have reverted back to me and will be republished in 2019

What is the date you began writing this piece of fiction and the date when you completely finished the piece of fiction? 2012 -2013. I recently got my rights back on this book. It was originally written to dovetail into another writer’s series. For now, he has hung up his writer’s pen and wished me well on continuing the series of the young Scot.

Where did you do most of your writing for this fiction work? And please describe in detail. And can you please include a photo? My backdrop is my sitting/artist room.

What were your writing habits while writing this work- did you drink something as you wrote, listen to music, write in pen and paper, directly on laptop; specific time of day? I did copious notes on the state of that area in prehistoric times. However, what has so far made it into the story is tiny snippets. I write directly onto a computer. Music is always playing. I go through phases so picking out a particular artist or type of music is not a given. Thinking back to the time, I listened to a mixture of Classic R&R, R&B,Instrumental.
I also wrote a children’s story during this time as well as articles which usually ended up being either a lifestyle or a psychological study. This was the hardest and the longest running short story I ever wrote. I am a pantser at heart, but I had to follow a loose outline, and even loose - the word outline threw me into a panic.

The opening section and the ending is written by Ken Polson and if I keep it when I republish, I will need to speak to the author on how he wants this to continue. I know how I would interpose the Jesse character with the Alaisdair but I cannot because that portion of the tale is Polson’s to tell.

I always have a coffee (now down

from 18 cups to 2), tea 5-10 cups ( while the weather is cold), or hot filtered water with lemon or lime; in warm weather, 3 to 4 16 ounces glass bottles of lemon or lime filtered water.

Food is whatever I am handed or when I get so hungry I must do it for myself - no processed foods, all veggies and some chicken or pork, white meat only. I was bitten by a lone star tick and was injected with some sort of mutant gene and get violently ill from red meat or dark meat. From the first bout with breast cancer, I get gout, so even some of my vegetables are limited and of course, they are my favorites. I have learned to shut my mouth to cravings to stay pain free.

What is the summary of your fiction work? It is time for a young man to make his mark in the world. The world is young and civilization is in its violent stage. Adaisdair of Clan Peyton must go on a hunt to prove his manhood. He must be bold, courageous, smart and a fast runner. The world will prove to be a much more complicated place than the young Scot could have ever imagined.

Can you give the reader just enough information for them to understand what is going on in the excerpt? This is a rite of passage into manhood but Alaisdair has no disposition for killing, yet he cannot let the tribe know or he will be considered less than a man for harboring these feelings. If he can survive on his own, he will return a man and nothing will be said even if it should be revealed.

Please include excerpt and include page numbers as reference. The excerpt can be as short or as long as you prefer. I found this excerpt recently online. It starts with the beginning of Alaisdair’s story ~ This was taken from Jerry Hines/Colleen Connally website of Romanic picks

Translation of Old Scot Dialect into the present-day English:

Alaisdair sitting in the dark thinks back to the previous morning, trying to determine where he had missed stepped putting him in his present predicament.

‘Yes, yes, I did, Alai. I knew you needed help to get to the ceremony on time,” Duncan replied.

“I’ve told you often you are not to touch my stuff – especially, my fighting gear. Did you play around with my bow?” Alaisdair asks his six-year-old brother in a stern voice.

“No, no. I know all the work you did with the bow, and it’s too large for me to carry.” Contrite, Duncan murmurs, a tear slipping unchecked down his cheek.

Since the attack, on their village several weeks past, when their father was taken for ransom, and Duncan’s own imminent death experience – any upset allowed tears easily to flood. Duncan had been his father’s shadow – learning the ways of a warrior started at a young age in the fierce clans of the Scot’s land.

With their father in the hands of a rival clan and held for premium plus Alaisdair facing his solo trial, the possibility of being left as the only male in the house was daunting to the youngster.

“Don’t worry yourself, young one. I’m a bit on edge myself. This ceremony marks my life and is a powerful honor, but a much bigger task rides my thoughts. It is my time, yet I want to stay home with you and Mother. It’s true too, I’m worried. I have no belly for killing but that’s only for your ears not for anyone else.”

“I understand you, Alai. I’ll keep my mouth shut…. Not a word to anybody.”

“That’s a smart lad you are, Brother. One other thing you must do. I know this is difficult, but I must leave you with the task. Our mother is a strong woman but without Dad, she needs our help. You must do what she needs to be done. No trouble. You are old enough to help – you must pick up my chores while I am at the tall mountains.”

With trepidation Duncan asks, “You are going to the tall mountains and not the short mountains? They are too large for you to climb. The short mountains are large and dangerous enough, don’t you think?”

Not wanting to upset his brother with his plans, Alaisdair replies, “No brother, just a figure of speech. A mountain is a large mountain to me, whether it’s called a tall mountain or short mountain. Come with me to say my goodbye to our mother. Not a word on what we talked about, you understand?”

After a quiet, but loving leave taking, the young warrior straps the quiver on the back of his six-foot, four-inch, frame. His raven with copper streaked hair is braided for ease of care. He pats the holster on his left hip ensuring his dagger is in place, slings his pack over hiss left shoulder and finally, takes his bow and strides out to the gathering of the village warriors for his formal debut solo hunt send off.

He’ll suspend his bow over his head after he leaves the sight of the Clan Peyton, but for now the two-pound curve is confidence in hand, He had handcrafted the arc from a fine piece of yew, finishing up with the runes of the tribe engraved on it. A good curve for killing or for presentation.

He recently had a spurt in growth from five-feet, three to his muscular six-foot, four stature. While it seemed long overdue at his age of nineteen, he still felt slightly uncomfortable in his new size…. But soon he would show them all his worth. Of course, he needed to prevent tripping and falling, especially while in the presence of the other, older, much more seasoned, - “And, don’t you forget it, youngster” warriors, of his clan.

They solo hunt was to prove he could survive in the wilderness. If he brought a corpse back, he’d have more points in the ranks. No use thinking about that. He had no intention of killing anything – well, not intentionally, anyway.

Oh great – Colin and Jock are with the elders. Just got to remember they are just jealous because I am so much taller than they are now. Maybe, they’ll have a spurt, and it will close their mouths. Smile. You don’t want them to know you’re worried.

“Didn’t know you’d be on time to leave,” Colin mutters.

Jock whispers in Colin’s ear, “Careful, or before long you’ll be family with the fool.”

Laird Peyton roared, “Jock shut your mouth! You understand me? The only fool in the enclosure is you.”

Alaisdair’s honey brown eyes sparkled in delight. He also had heard Jock call him a fool but knowing he could not take his displeasure without appearing to be as much a hot head as were the two of them. He was glad the Laird heard and stopped it.

Laird Peyton turned to Alaisdair saying, “Young man, your own fault is many times to blame for their attitudes. You never do anything to stop them. A small punch is after all it takes to have the troubles gone.”

Alaisdair realized that the Laird was giving him permission to challenge his bullies to stop the nastiness they seemed to live for. Maybe he would punch them and knock them back from their self-importance after he returned. But now more serious things needed to be attended.

“Thank you, Laird Peyton for allowing me to challenge them to a fight. Right now, I must go while there is still daylight and before all the Deer and Bear are not to be found. I know you and the other elders will be going to take my father back from our enemies, and I pray for all of you to have a safe journey.”

“To you also, Alaisdair. Here is your spear, young man. Your father finished the runes on the shaft the night he was kidnapped. Use if for it was made to do. Make us satisfactorily proud of you. Live up to your boasting and come back to where you belong.

Why is this excerpt so emotional for you? And can you describe your own emotional experience of writing this specific excerpt? Several reasons, the physical attributes are my late husband (Left) and several of his brothers. The short temper suppressed was me as a young person.

My husband at the time of the writing was manifesting dementia from a blood bleed in his brain incurred in a car accident but was misdiagnosed and given medicine that put him into a Parkinson like state which eventually lead to an untimely death. So, Alaisdair was written into a character I knew and loved and no longer had.

Were there any deletions from this excerpt that you can share with us? And can you please include a photo of your marked up rough drafts of this excerpt. There were no deletions but the first scene (the bear in the cave was moved further into the story) I did everything virtually so there is no hard copy.

Other works you have published? I have a series of talking cartoon dogs with published and unpublished stories in The Chronicles of the K-9 Boys and Girls on Locus Street

I was one of the founders of The Peacock Writers - a charity for Children - over the years several of our members, writers in the troupe have managed to raise several thousand dollars for specific charities in their hometowns for children.

http://thepeacockwriters.weebly.com/

I have written stories for other

charity groups

I write articles for Angie’s Diary and short stories which usually fall into a lifestyle or psychology venue.

https://angiesdiary.com/

I have written several ‘ghost’ stories and stories I consider odds and ends which will be released in the Spring of 2019 or sooner if I am able pull the stories together faster than anticipated.

I do interviews and reviews for established and new authors

Anything you would like to add? My commercial writing career started shortly after a second bout with breast cancer and prior to becoming a full 24/7 caregiver to a misdiagnosed spouse who eventually died in April of 2017. In the latter portion of caregiving and grieving, I was unable to continue writing.

I am now back on track and attempting to recover the losses in my career.

A former college administrator and business owner whose hours are now filled writing children’s stories under Paula Shene where she also writes under the banner of The Peacock Writers, a group dedicated to charity.

PC Shene is her name for YA scifi/fantasy/adventure/romance.

Paula Louise Shene for short story compilations

This link has all my other links on it: Paula Louise Shene

INSIDE THE EMOTION OF FICTION links

001 11 15 2018 Nathaniel Kaine’s

Thriller Novel

John Hunter – The Veteran

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/11/001-inside-emotion-of-fiction-nathaniel.html

002 11 18 2018 Ed Protzzel’s

Futuristic/Mystery/Thriller

The Antiquities Dealer

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/11/002-inside-emotion-of-fiction-ed.html