Friday, September 15, 2006
The Plot Thickens
Okay, so I'm going along merrily in Kleopatra's POV, adding all sorts of new layers and ideas and such. I'm just about finished with her sections, but I've still got a lot of play in word count yet. Plenty of room to expand the worldbuilding of New Olympia.
In particular, Wanda asked "Why don't they drive cars?"
Now Hades did mention in a discussion to Isabella on the road to Delphi that he's working with inventors to convert our cars into something that runs on his power like Erebus. I thought I'd expand that idea, especially since I've been thinking more like a Macedonian lately (as Kleopatra). Why not go ahead and have a tweaked car? Why not let them drive to Delphi instead of walk?
I don't lose any action scene there. It's all conversation. Oh, there is an emotional power play between Hades and Isabella, so maybe he shouldn't be driving this super car himself. He's Lord of the Underworld anyway, so someone should drive him.
Hmmmm. Who could drive him? It can't be Charon -- he's busy betraying. How about Cerberus? He was in the original draft as a triwolf but I lost him in the major rewrite. That would be cool. Not a normal everyday werewolf, but one with three heads. *g* So who should I base him on? What's his story? Even though he only plays a minor part right now, who knows what the future holds?
So I thought some more. I had a feeling, suddenly, that Cerberus was *big.* He's a main player, hiding out, biding his time. Why? How did he come to House Aegae on Macedon? Why would he follow Philip to Earth? He's not exactly a betrayer, at least I don't think so. Not like Charon. But he needed to be something big, special, unique to justify just "throwing" him in.
I also realized that the ending of BD eliminates my main antagonist. Actually, both of them. Xerxes is still going to be a threat, but historically, Alexander conquered Persia, so who cares. Expanding Cerberus could give me the big piece I needed to suddenly have a very major player, a major antagonist who could drive the following books in the series (assuming I have reason to write them).
So take all this together. Big bad enemy. Someone who has a reason to hide out, loosely based on mythology/history/legend. Wolves. Contemporary or at least close to Philip II of Macedonia and Alexander the Great.
The name Cerberus was known as before he ever came to Earth? REMUS.
In particular, Wanda asked "Why don't they drive cars?"
Now Hades did mention in a discussion to Isabella on the road to Delphi that he's working with inventors to convert our cars into something that runs on his power like Erebus. I thought I'd expand that idea, especially since I've been thinking more like a Macedonian lately (as Kleopatra). Why not go ahead and have a tweaked car? Why not let them drive to Delphi instead of walk?
I don't lose any action scene there. It's all conversation. Oh, there is an emotional power play between Hades and Isabella, so maybe he shouldn't be driving this super car himself. He's Lord of the Underworld anyway, so someone should drive him.
Hmmmm. Who could drive him? It can't be Charon -- he's busy betraying. How about Cerberus? He was in the original draft as a triwolf but I lost him in the major rewrite. That would be cool. Not a normal everyday werewolf, but one with three heads. *g* So who should I base him on? What's his story? Even though he only plays a minor part right now, who knows what the future holds?
So I thought some more. I had a feeling, suddenly, that Cerberus was *big.* He's a main player, hiding out, biding his time. Why? How did he come to House Aegae on Macedon? Why would he follow Philip to Earth? He's not exactly a betrayer, at least I don't think so. Not like Charon. But he needed to be something big, special, unique to justify just "throwing" him in.
I also realized that the ending of BD eliminates my main antagonist. Actually, both of them. Xerxes is still going to be a threat, but historically, Alexander conquered Persia, so who cares. Expanding Cerberus could give me the big piece I needed to suddenly have a very major player, a major antagonist who could drive the following books in the series (assuming I have reason to write them).
So take all this together. Big bad enemy. Someone who has a reason to hide out, loosely based on mythology/history/legend. Wolves. Contemporary or at least close to Philip II of Macedonia and Alexander the Great.
The name Cerberus was known as before he ever came to Earth? REMUS.
Blog contents copyright © 2005 Joely Sue Burkhart
