Emmeran: Blog

That's how I feel about character descriptions in literature. Tread lightly here for this is a sacred space, this is the place of the readers imagination.

So if you find yourself wondering what Matilda or Mr. Narrater actually looks like I'm going to ask you to look inside of your own mind and draw your own picture. I'll do everything I can not to tread on that image you have created.

If I write that someone is "buxom" or "tall" the actual picture of that remains up to you, after all "tall" is a relative term. I'm inclined to provide a generality with maybe a few side hints as to background. I prefer to focus on traits rather than give you a detailed set of measurements or description. You can provide that yourself and have the characters look however you like, I encourage it.

I've always hated that about the movies or tv series made from a good book; suddenly everything I built up in my mind is wiped out with someone else's image. Usually even the voices are miles away from what I'd imagined when I read and reread the story. I've stopped watching TV and going to the movies.

So if you find my descriptions to be lacking it's because I intend them to be, I want you to be able to decide for yourself what the characters look and sound like.

I have plenty of images of tech and equipment over on Patreon, but that's not the same as characters. To me characters are the true meat of a story and how they look, talk and walk should be left up to the readers imagination.

And for the love of all that's holy please don't ever post an image or description of what you think Matilda looks like; that's Holy Ground Highlander.

-Emmeran

(This is all just my opinion and a diatribe on how I personally do things. Other authors do things a different way and that is the very thing that keeps reading interesting.)

I'm writing a story as a cereal story, pun completely intended and admittedly awful.

My story is being published for free here at SoL as a short chapter everyday, one thousand to two thousand words usually and occasionally a steamy side chapter.

Free publishing is good, free reading is also good.

There is a new chapter released every day. Not released most days, but every single day seven days a week. I also publish my research and maps over on Patreon.

I publish every morning as early as the web site will allow me; here I publish at 8am EST and after processing you see it around 8:30am, again EST. The story is timed and sized for your morning bowl of cereal or cup of coffee. Which is why I call it my Cereal Story.

But that's not why I'm writing like this or even why I'm writing at all.

There is a background story and it revolves around trying to help my sons.

My woman and her young adult son's all write and write well. The boys are off to college and struggling to pull together every single penny they can. I reflected on their writing talents and very good stories and then suggested they should try putting aside the video games and publishing their stories.

Well that suggestion was thrown back in my face so I became determined that I, as Dad, would lead the way. I knew enough about writing to understand that attempting to write a "Finnegan's Wake" as my first work was stupid. So I decided to publish everyday even if it was a short chapter, I needed small successes to keep my momentum.

So here I am, writing a Cereal Story and publishing a chapter each day. I'm getting strong support here and over on Patreon and some kind people are buying me the coffee I consume while I write.

I get awesome comments on here and folks seem to like the story so far. I, myself, am eager to see where the story goes.

One thing is for sure, this story will find it's way to the end and it will do so one short chapter at a time each and every day. Feel free to only read it one day a week and catch up, I'm writing like this to keep my momentum up and improve my skills.

-Thanks for reading and commenting,
Emmeran

***Spoiler Alert - Do not read before you get to chapter 29***

An epoch, for the purposes of chronology and periodization, is an instant in time chosen as the origin of a particular calendar era. The "epoch" serves as a reference point from which time is measured.

The moment of epoch is usually decided by congruity, or by following conventions understood from the epoch in question. The epoch moment or date is usually defined from a specific, clear event of change, an epoch event. In a more gradual change, a deciding moment is chosen when the epoch criterion was reached.

-Wikipedia

Our intrepid group just had a moment that redefines their lives from that point on; it creates a new beginning and relegates everything before that moment to simply memories.

Everything about them will now be defined from that moment in time.

The scope of an epoch event is relational to the individual affected; the birth of my first child was a defining moment for me. There was life before kids and then life with kids. That epoch moment was more impactful to me than anything short of the invention of rolled toilet paper.

This event created a definitive "Before" and "After" in the characters lives, they would now time all future events to the Epoch event itself. Two weeks later or ten years later regardless it all would measure back to that Epoch event.

-Emmeran

Yes, I named the stallion "Lunch", it's a fine name with great personal family tradition behind it. Well tradition if my younger self playing video games with his young kids names his in game horse Lunch to antagonize his kids counts as tradition. The joke has stuck over the years and it still gets them to laugh now.

I know the story line at this point is slightly predictable but that will change. This is my first story (ever) and I know better to try to write a "Finnegan's Wake" with my first venture.

Have a great day,

-Emmeran

I updated the chapter to specify that he purchased a "Replica M16A2". That had always been my intention I simply failed to put it in the story when I was writing that moment. The story line would in no way be improved by the 3 round burst mode, the rate of fire of the single shot mode is more than impressive enough for the job.

The reason he wanted the A2 variant is much the same as why I the author have one. I didn't like the A1s, the accuracy by the time I was issued one was crap (probably from overuse) and the base M16 was, well, if you served with one you know.

I made it clear that I like my weapons to be beautiful and functional, I like to be able to display them as well as shoot them.

I spent a career in the Corps walking around dressed like a shrub or a pile of rocks, I don't do that anymore. I've hunted most of my life in my winter work coat and never had problem, that old coat is just plain brown. I get my limit every year that I go out.

This is the first story I've ever written so I'm making mistakes, I think and hope that I'm improving as the story progresses. To be honest I'm just trying to write on a consistent schedule and get the story out. I may hurry a few of the chapters because I, myself, get anxious to see what comes next. I know how it all ends but there is a lot that is going to happen along the way that I don't know yet.

Thanks for reading and thanks for commenting or PM'ing me, I appreciate the input.

Best

-Emmeran