What might suggest fantasy?

[AnyaKimlin]

I'm not supposed to be writing. I promised myself two weeks without putting fingers to keyboard in an attempt to get my writing mojo back.

Anyway I said a prayer to my writing gods, if they do exist, and asked them to indicate what I should do when I started writing again. Best friend on a whim took me to a carol concert that night which contained an obscure piece of hurdy-gurdy music which I wrote about in one story that I was struggling to make work (Gus and Iris if anyone has read bits on here). By the end of the concert I'd decided how to tackle it and make it work. I was going to age their grandson (Johnny) and tell it from his POV. Needless to say my vow to not write didn't work and I came home and wrote 10,000 words. It is pretty exciting and the best thing I have ever written however I have done the usual of not having any fantasy in the first part of the book.

Gus and Johnny know nothing of each other until Iris asks Gus to take Johnny on. (She is sick and he is being a brat -- she's out of options). Gus is a wizard, Johnny has potential to be one but I want some subtle ways of suggesting it. Nothing close to hearing a snake speak or breaking glass.

At present I have a parrot who seems a bit too smart (Gus's familiar). An old Hungarian with a hurdy-gurdy and a dog. Johnny has found a frog he has as a pet but is building a bond with. Johnny bought a coat from a charity shop which turns out to have been his grandfather's and he also vandalises his grandfather's car prior to meeting him but most of them are coincidences. I've also indicated Johnny is a bit of a loner and a bit too clever.

What sort of things could a normal teen boy in a rundown seaside resort do that might get your fantasy senses a tingling? Or what might he own?

 

[alchemist]

Funny weather follows him around, particularly when he's emotional?

He's extremely lucky, such as when gambling or playing sports?

He has a party trick, such as being able to guess what people are thinking or what card they pulled out of a pack?

 

[AnyaKimlin]

Ooh I like the last one - he could be playing cards with some people as my opening scene. Hanging out with some buskers.... they won't play with him because he is just too good at it. Would that be enough for you do you think?

 

[alchemist]

Is that play cards or music? Whichever, emphasise he's so good at it ALL THE TIME, and somebody could use a word like "unnatural" or "spooky" to plant the seed. Maybe if somebody has an aversion to him they can't explain... e.g. "I dunno, Sandra. He just gives me the creeps for some reason."

 

[AnyaKimlin]

I am liking this idea loads. I was hoping just to spark something with this thread but you've inspired me to rewrite the first scene. Until he finds out his grandfather is a wizard I can't really reveal the fantasy. Maybe he always knows who is on the phone.

 

[alchemist]

That would work. Or he always wins coin tosses. or (a bit cliche, but hey) a bunch of two headed lambs have been born in the village since he arrived.

 

[AnyaKimlin]

hmm double headed lambs might not work but something similar. I do have him crossing roads without looking etc

 

[AnyaKimlin]

Wonder if I could have him with the guy with the donkeys hmm...

 

[Mouse]

I tend towards writing very vague fantasy so can't really help... I mostly came here to say 1) 10k words?! and 2) I totally love hurdy gurdy music.

 

[AnyaKimlin]

I tend towards writing very vague fantasy so can't really help... I mostly came here to say 1) 10k words?! and 2) I totally love hurdy gurdy music.

It's the first time I've been on fire with my writing since I began with the BBC thing - I've decided scripts really aren't for me.. I miss the freedom of being able to use my imagination. That night was amazing - it was the first time in so long when budgets and what could be achieved was no consideration. I just wrote for about four hours without taking a breath.

And I love it too. Going to have the story surrounding a man with a Hurdy-gurdy. I'm wondering if actually just making the title "Is My Grandad a Wizard?" would cover me.

 

[ShotokanXL]

May I ask, when is your story set? I happened to be teen growing up in a dead end seaside town during the 90's so I don't know if it would be helpful if I told you what me and my mates got up to?

Incidentally, my mum happens to be a witch/druid so I can totally realte to your kid's "supernatural" surroundings - even though he's oblivious to it. And no, I don't have magic powers (sigh).

 

[AnyaKimlin]

Yes please - the when is still unsure but I am thinking the 1980s because I'd like it to be before mobile phones. Plus that's when I visited my gran in Southport but some suggestions would be great.

 

[ShotokanXL]

Yes please - the when is still unsure but I am thinking the 1980s because I'd like it to be before mobile phones. Plus that's when I visited my gran in Southport but some suggestions would be great.

Well, depending on where in his teens your kid is... most of the time we hung around each others' houses after school. There was no internet or mobiles etc, so we either watched movies, played games, or hung out at the excuse for a town centre (Woolworths was the main hub, so that lets you know how bad it was). Weekends would be a bus ride to the arcades (where pocket money was swiftly spent - followed by a 2 hour walk back home because we'd also put our bus fares in the arcades for one more life) or an even longer bus ride to a different town if we wanted to see a movie or go bowling or ice skating.
As we got later into our teens, the focus turned to drink, girls and parties. Most of these were conducted at whoever had an empty house that weekend or, if no house was free, we'd have it on a stretch of beach... even in winter. Not the idyllic American style beach party... no, ones where the fire was built from driftwood and whatever sewage would burn and where it was a good laugh to push your drunk mate into freezing water and later play "dodge the puddle of inevitable vomit" that would always turn up.
Sounds pretty bad, huh? But there literally was NOTHING to do. It was a one horse town and the horse only had three legs.
The kid's grandfather could be a bit like my mum in how he's perceived by the people of the town? A bit of an oddity but like a flame to a moth for those that are curious about such things... and let's face it, in the deadend town they are a source of gossip and, thus, entertainment... though the grandfather may be a lot more covert about his nature. My mum was anything but...

Anyway, enough rambling. That's probably of no use whatsoever but if you have any questions, feel free to ask

 

[HareBrain]

I was more bookish, but the lives of my brother and his friends in the '80s growing up in a seaside town revolved almost wholly around playing in the arcades and doing crap jobs to fund their arcade habit.

In the end, they all got so good they could last a whole day on Gauntlet for 10p. (But they kept their Butlin's jobs so they could steal beer.)

That, and D&D.

 

[ShotokanXL]

I was more bookish, but the lives of my brother and his friends in the '80s growing up in a seaside town revolved almost wholly around playing in the arcades and doing crap jobs to fund their arcade habit.

In the end, they all got so good they could last a whole day on Gauntlet for 10p. (But they kept their Butlin's jobs so they could steal beer.)

That, and D&D.

We were exactly the same (except it was Golden Axe and Altered Beast! HAHA!)
D&D was a massive part of it too. Especially in the summer holidays.

 

[AnyaKimlin]

I will have questions I promise just since asking the questions the only time I've been online has been under the influence of a sherry or two. And I am too shattered to write but I do now have the starting scene in my mind.

 

[jastius]

When i was living on the west coast there was a tall bearded man on the wharves that played a penny whistle to the waves crashing over the the wharf.
He would bow to the sea.
He said it was so the ships came home safe.

Following that note, what if your lad has a harmonica, like was featured in much eighty's music, sits on a peir playing and the waves dance?
Or perhaps in town the leaves.
Perhaps he has a pair of those cheap bubblegum colored ray ban aviators, a LA top gun, and when he puts them on, he sees the iridescence of wings floating..
That Fae harp that is outlined in rainbows that appears to those destined to be bards, druids and mages? At the age that their apprenticeship is supposed to start?
Then if no teacher appears, then nature itself conspires to teach him, as merlin was , then Arthur. By animals and birds and plants. The earth and the sky and the water.

And he watches.
Hides that he is intelligent behind the pranks and mischief, so he doesn't get thumped by the the bully boys.
Remember it was a big punk rock and beginnings of goth then.
The scooter kids had a double life. Jobs clerking in the day and dressing like otherworldly creatures for the clubs at night.
They had that wild glam rocker hair, avaitor jacket in jean or leather.
Bandanas on the jeans.
Michael j fox in back to the future was in the thick of all that pop culture stuff.
And footloose. Kevin Bacon.
Don't forget that payphones could be called into at that time. Maybe he gets a call.

 

[Ray McCarthy]

living on the west coast

Which Country?

I think you can still call payphones. If you can find one.
(what's that ... a tumble weed shaped like a phone booth ... )

Hmm... a tin whistle and the tree branches following the music. A "Master" would do it very subtly too. People might not notice unless they knew what to look for. The tin whistle and music is a prop, a distraction. He can do it just walking down the street. Even when the leaves are brown. Just by dreaming it.



Actually my Grandfather painted strange dancing trees nearly 50 years ago. Inspired by Isaiah 52:12

You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands.

or for people that prefer 17th C

For ye shall go out with joy,
and be led forth with peace:
the mountains and the hills
shall break forth before you into singing,
and all the trees of the field
shall clap their hands.

Though I think some of the A.V. English might have been a little odd even then.
Closer to original (read right to left from right end)
כִּ֣י לֹ֤א בְחִפָּזֹון֙ תֵּצֵ֔אוּ וּבִמְנוּסָ֖ה לֹ֣א תֵלֵכ֑וּן כִּֽי־הֹלֵ֤ךְ לִפְנֵיכֶם֙ יְהוָ֔ה וּמְאַסִּפְכֶ֖ם אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

 

[AnyaKimlin]

I quite like the idea of him drawing or having musical talent - probably the latter because Hollow Earth (Carole and John Barrowman) has animares or children who bring paintings to life.

 

[Ray McCarthy]

I like the idea that the other characters might THINK the Magic Talent is via the Music, but it's just ordinary Music talent really (possibly extraordinary in the Mundane World), just helps him focus on the magic?