I Shall Wear Midnight, Take Two

Okay, I really, really was not happy with the last post; It was...not as inspiring as it should have been. I should have started
TERRY PRATCHETT IS SOME SORT OF GOD! 
Because that would have been much more interesting. I would have paused and read that post. As it was, the introduction was interesting enough, and the rest of it seemed fine, but I was rushed, so i didn't give Pratchett the over all ovation he deserves for writing it. So, please re-read the sentence above this paragraph before I continue.
I Shall Wear Midnight is action-packed, full of humor, a touch of romance, and with the ever amazing grasp on human nature the Terry Pratchett always seems to have. Tiffany Aching, a witch, see the previous post for more information on that, is faced with one of the deadliest things to face a witch; The Witch Hunter. Which is the title I have given him. Because it kinda sounds awesome. Just a bit.
The Witch Hunter has no body unless he steal one, no desire except for his ever present wish to kill people, and happens to pop up every hundred years or so.
If a witch draws his attention.
Which Tiffany did when she kissed the anthropomorphic personification of winter. After kind of becoming the personification of Summer. A bit.
Trust me, it's no fun being a goddess.
Through out her adventures in this novel, we feel Tiffany's dislike for Roland's Bride to be changing to liking her, her affection for the Feegles (who Drink, Fight, and Drink and Fight), and how her practicallity would never lend itself to  a gothic novel.
We see how she sees her self, and how others see her through how she sees them-Pratchett's a master who I do no justice to.
I dare you to read a Pratchett novel and not wander away a little wise and a little smart, with just a few questions about the world. Maybe not as odd as my watercolor people question, but a question that make you really wonder. A question that may or may not have a direct answer. 
I hope I've impressed upon you how much I adored this book, and to how many people I would recommend it to. IE, everybody.

I Shall Wear Midnight

The one thing I always think when I'm reading Terry Pratchett is about how much I'm thinking. I think more than I do when I'm doing most things, and reading most novels. He doesn't ask the questions-he get you to. Questions like, "Would I fight for my little bit of ground?" "What use are kings if they're not controlled by their people?" and "How many people do I know that look like a water color painting?"
Actually, I may be the only one who asked that. Maybe not, but still. Terry Pratchett's way of describing people is brilliant.
Tiffany Aching is the heroine of this latest story. It's a series of YA books, and the last one of the series. And it is brilliant. Tiffany Aching is a witch. But not the sort that conjure up a lot of images...pins, rituals, dancing around naked. Discworld Witches won't hold with that. The witches of the Disc don't waste their time like that. Witches, while they do have magic, do the things that everyone else won't. They care for the people who no one else cares for. They take care of the sick, help the old who can't help themselves, and watch over the dead (it's an old tradition, and it's what witches do). Witches are powerful. But Tiffany is a new, young witch, in a steading (area) that has never had a witch. Her grandmother was too smart to be a witch.
The trouble is, in the last book, Tiffany kissed the winter. The anthropomorphic personification, but still. And somehow that woke up this really powerful witch hunter, who has this really cool, interesting history that basically end in the fact that 1.) He hates every witch there ever was and will be, 2.) He doesn't even have a body anymore, is just kinda 'witch hunter' personified. 3.) he really hates witches and wants them all dead.
And the Baron(the old Baron) dies, so she has to go find the new Baron, Roland, who she used to have a romantic relationship with, and is now getting married, in the big city.
So, to help her find him, she brings along her good friends, the Nac Mac Feegles...who do three things really well...drink, fight and Drinking and Fighting.
To a big city.
Yeah...trouble.
Anyway, the basic plot line is about Tiffany and her attempt to destroy this bad person.
And how awesome it is to be a witch.
I've been thinking, and I realized, that if I were in Discworld, I would probably end up as a witch. Witches are nothing if not practical, and I'm extremely practical. I can be extremely silly, but at heart, I'm practical.
I also see what's there.
Not what people want to see, but what's really there.
It comes with being practical.
Witches are curious, and nosy. They have to be, to do what witches have to do. Actually, one of my favorite quotes in that book is, "Who cares for those who takes care of everyone else?" Which is said by a new character named Preston, who's this really smart 17 year old guy, who is currently a palace guard, because he's too smart. He's also the current love interest (who is ten times better than Roland- I never liked him.)
"If you can sew up a chicken giblet, you can mend a broken heart."

Wednesday Blog

I seem to post every Wednesday-so I think I'll make this a regular update day.
In my fanfiction writing life, I posted the next chapters in my two on going stories Angels of the Disc and A Blue TARDIS at Red Sunset. I also posted a new one shot called What Do You Do? It's about Amy without Rory, and her being sad...and lonely. It's a better read than my attempt at summarizing. But if you do go click on these, would you mind dropping a review? Thank you!
On the original writing front, I'm kinda freaking out a bit over whether or not my play will make it in-there are so many people writing plays. My original thinking had exactly 6 playwrights...and then a few other people showed up who hadn't gone to ANY of the meetings, pro-offering plays. I mean, if you went to a meeting, I'm glad that you have something! There were bloody brilliant ideas wandering around.
There were a couple brilliant monologues-my hat goes off to one EGE for his version on the end of the world, and I'm extremely glad my best friend showed up with something! It was cool to listen to.
It's only the play though that's got me worrying-i really, really want mine to make it in...but if we have more than 6 plays, I won't be surprised if mine is the one that gets cut. I really won't. I loved (most) of the plays that I heard yesterday. The most is because there was this one that was freaky, and, well, I didn't get it. But many of the ones I heard yesterday were either perfectly funny or amazingly dramatic. I think mine is just really...conceptual. And I'm not sure how that works with the other ones. It's deep, and I liked it, but...
I'm going to stop while I'm behind. Freaking out won't help any. I need to take a deep breath. And switch topics.
So I'll switch on to a rant about how I don't think I've written enough original pieces lately. Now, writing plays and fanfiction is fun (and to be honest, I don't ever want to stop) but when i sit down and write something that is mine it's fantastic. And I don't know what has stopped me from continuing. Head's too full of stuff, maybe.  Last original work I started was something called Electricity...and it was nice and interesting. But I stopped writing it. And I've only just figured out why. It's because, as i was writing it (I only have two full pages) I realized...the girl who I had thought was going to be main character was going to have to die.
And I've never killed off a character before. Not a real character. I mean, killing off a plot point is easy. But a character is a person.
But I've promised myself I would work on it, whenever I had the chance.
AND!
There has been a switch in the plan for this week! Austen, you have been forgotten! Enter Terry Pratchett, Stage Right!
I was hoping to get into Pratchett later, because he's very prolific, but I just got his latest book, I Shall Wear Midnight. And i couldn't resist. So if you're really pushing for Austen, tell me. Yell at me.
Can't guarantee  it'll do any good, but say something.

Stephanie Myer:Part One: Plot

To start with, I have read the Twilight series. I'm not one to get annoyed at something I haven't read. I read it just once, at my sister's instance. But to make certain I'm not yelled at by anyone claiming I don't know what I'm talking about, I do.
And the main idea of this post is this: Twilight and it's creator suck.
Not the most elegant way to phrase it, I know, but that's the honest to god truth. This is just part one of my rant on the series, and that is because I could discuss and rant for about ten typed pages on why I hate Twilight. This post will be about the plot and how I consider Stephanie Myer a thief. A dirty rotten no good, down-right thief.
Let's start with a basic overview of the series.
TWILIGHT: Isabella Swan is a teenager who goes to live with her dad and not with her newly-wedded mom. And so her story begins; and she moves to a town smaller than can be imagined. When she arrives, she meets all sorts of wonderful people; Jessica, Tyler(his van...one of my favorite characters...), Jacob Black, and Edward Cullen. Edward Cullen turns out to be be a vampire-and her basic reaction is, "Oh! You're a vampire who could end up killing me! That is so HOT! Let's get married!" And then, cue the evil vampires, Bella dumbly walks into trouble, and almost dies-but enter hot vampire hero, stage left! Bella gets saved, and we poor readers are in for the next novel.
NEW MOON: In which Edward decides to leave because of how dangerous for Bella to be near him, and Bella takes up extreme sports. She grows closer to Jacob Black, who turns into a werewolf every now and then, and also happens to have a crush on her. Well, Bella starts having visions of Edward when almost killing herself, so decides to keep upping the danger level. Well, Alice(another vampire) sees Bella jump off a cliff, and tells Edward that Bella killed herself, so, rashly deciding he cannot live with out her(Did I mention that she's 17 and he's 119? You'd think he'd have practice...) he decides to go the head honchos of the vampires to get himself killed. Well, enter heroine stage right, and Edward gets saved. But wait, there's more...
ECLIPSE: NEWSFLASH! Vampires and werewolves don't get along! Bella is torn between her best friend and her one true love. Until the evil vampire's mate comes back, intent on killing Bella. This new danger requires the two to work together. Well, when preparing for the battle, Bella decides to be selfish and begs Edward to stay with her...and how can you say no to those big puppy dog eyes? Well, it's a good thing he does, because evil vampire two runs across them, and where would we be with out a big battle scene? Well, long story short, Bella lives for one more book...
BREAKING DAWN: Bella and Edward get marry...and Bella get pregnant. Bet you thought that couldn't happen, huh? Well, usually the human mom doesn't survive because Baby Vampire rips it's way out of the mom's stomach! Well, unfortunately, Bella lives and gets turned into a vampire herself. But someone sees baby Vampire, Nessie, and thinks that it's not gonna grow up-and that's BAD~ Cause she goes and tells Head Vampire Honchos, who decide to kill Nessie and everyone else...So to save the baby, the Cullens decide to get every vampire friend they have! This results in a stand off, the appearance of another Vampire Baby, and once again, Bella doesn't die. Good news, though, Jacob is in love with vampire baby and quits mooning (pun intended) over Bella. And they all live happily ever after.

And when I put it that way, the entire plot sounds like a really bad harlequin romance novel...oh, wait... sorry, it is. The problem with Stephanie Myer is that these aren't even original plot lines...which with harlequin novels that are advertised as that sort of novel, it's okay. But I should hope that writers who are writing for Young adults would attempt to advance the reading minds-not bore them into oblivion. To make the matter worse these aren't even HER unoriginal plot lines-she was 'inspired' by another's works-Shakespeare, Austen and Bronte should all be turning in their graves.
She claims Shakespeare using Romeo and Juliet and A Mid-Summer Night's dream. And I've also read both of those-wonderful, and interesting. However, Myers does not only take inspiration from them, but goes as far as quoting Romeo and Juliet. In the same novel. That I just can't sanction. The division between her best friend and love, is so obviously like Tybalt and Romeo...Gah. I can't stand it.
And please, couldn't she have let Pride and Prejudice alone? I mean, just saying that she used it as inspiration is insulting to Jane Austen. If you couldn't tell before, I'm a big fan. But when a girl who doesn't fit one society first rejects, then gets rejected, then becomes friends with the love's sister, and then the heroine and the love interest end up together, that's just stealing! And a point of pride for an author is having an original plot line. I mean, I'm not a big fan of Emily Bronte, but her works should be left alone too...
These authors, in their after-life, must be joining up against Stephanie Myer in the after life. There will be a reckoning.

Introduction of the Author Rant

I can't read Emma this week, not fully. I have to read Book Three of Gulliver's Travels this week, and am taking it upon myself to write out notes for everyone in my group per chapter. I hope to get it finished so I can have something for you the next week. This week, instead, I'll take the chance to rant about an author I'm not particularly fond of. The obvious choice: Stephanie Myer. To be honest, it could just be "Stephanie Myer Rant: Part 1", because there is so much I don't like. I've probably just really annoyed someone, but, oh well. I'm not a fan of her's-her novels are just harlequin novels for teens. And rather dull, without any real point. But I'll get into that on Sunday.
But, on the upside, I did get my stories up on time, and am having fun working on a new idea for my school's drama production that is run by students. I've gotten one monologue and one play written and approved, and this monologue in the works. I'm really working on concepts, instead of saying right out what I want people to think about. It's fun.
Once again, sorry about the delay on Emma; but I promise to make my rant entertaining!

Northanger Abbey

Dearest Readers,
This entire week I've been wondering how to present this post, and after some experimentation, I have decided, in honor of Jane Austen, to write a letter.
As you know, I have dedicated this week to reading and forming an opinion on Northanger Abbey; a novel which I most heartily recommend. The style is conversational, and easy to read. Austen's wit is easily seen (Her father was at best a proverb), and readily understood. Our heroine, Catherine starts out as unlike a heroine as can be; as a young girl she ran around more than she read. However, by the age of fifteen she has discovered the Gothic novels of the period, and is growing into a young lady. A few short years later, a rich couple who has taken a liking to Catherine, propose to take her to Bath. This is when her adventure starts. In Bath, Catherine meets the Tilneys and the Thorpes, and becomes the romantic interest of both Mr. Thorpe and Mr. Tilney and a dear friend of Miss Tilney and Miss Thorpe. And, not to ruin the novel, that is where I shall leave you.
More to the point, I strongly recommend you read it. I'm no literary critic, but I do know that Northanger is very entertaining.
Now, mulling over what to comment on during the week, I came up with a list of lessons I learned from Austen's novel. One, she strongly believed that to write well you must be well read; and that any novel writer who looks down on other novels is useless. Two, not knowing something is perfectly alright; being ignorant on something is not stupidity. In fact, it provides interesting conversation. Three, people who talk about only themselves amuse only themselves. Four, only false people change their minds on important topics; and sooner or later are sure to offend. Keep those who prove to be constant. Five, Austen's style is witty and has meaning. Six, sometimes, people are different around other people. And finally, there is a real world, and then there is the dream world of novels and fantasy. It is okay to believe in that dream world sometimes, but it is important not to confuse the two. Don't jump to conclusions.
Many of these are common sense; and in fact, the point of Northanger Abbey is less to discuss human nature (although, of course, it does) and more to poke fun at the Gothic novels of the time. Austen would have read quite a few herself before and as she wrote Northanger Abbey, and obviously formed an opinion upon the entirely impossible and unlikely circumstances that fill the novels.
And on that note, I shall leave it to you, dear reader, to ponder over whether or not to pick up the book. It is easily read and understood, and the main character exceedingly likable.
All my best &ect.,
ReaderExtraordinaire

Really Ought To Have Done This Yesterday

That is because my fanfiction story update day was yesterday. That is the day that stories in progress are updated. Currently that means two stories. A Blue TARDIS at Red Sunset is a cross over between The Mentalist and Doctor Who. I currently have the second chapter posted and the third chapter is waiting in the wings for next Tuesday. All that I'm willing to reveal at this moment about the story is that Lisbon calls the Doctor because something is off at the crime scene. In chapter two, The Doctor, who has decided that he and Amy will go undercover as Torchwood, and Rory would pretend to be U.N.I.T. Hightower, however wants to talk to their supervisor...So in comes Captain Jack.
The other story is Angels of the Disc, a crossover between Doctor Who and Discworld. Nine, Rose and Captain Jack land in Discworld, ready to explore. The only problem is that in Ankh Morpork, people are disappearing, and the trouble seems to be originating from the Royal Art Museum.
Actually, I updated later than I usually would because yesterday was the last chapter of my Good Omens fanfiction, Being You. It's about Crowley and Aziraphale, and, yes is slash. Not over much, but slash. I had a lot of fun writing it and was sad to see it was over.
As a side note, the book I've chosen for this Sunday is Northanger Abbey, and I have decided that for the next six or so weeks will be Jane Austen. Which means that next week may have me re-reading Emma or Sense and Sensibility. I'll pick by Sunday!