The Characters
Juliana's Speech Impairment
I know there are a few writers among my readers (after all you can all be writers!) and so maybe you all understand me when I say sometimes I don't know everything about my characters. Sometimes the characters have to tell me something. This is what happened with Juliana's speech impairment. I knew what I wanted the plot of this sequel to be the minute I finished part 1 and her muteness was not part of it.
I had made Juliana not speak at the end of UL1 a sign of purity but, then someone pointed out to me that she still doesn't talk in Rhett's oneshot (which was unintentional). When I read that comment that's when it hit me why she didn't have any written lines. She didn't have any because she couldn't talk.
However reading back in UL, Juliana is a character does not string together more than 10 words at a time until about chapter 10.
Deleted Scene
For the longest time the scene where Juliana throws up at the post office was a scene where she is at the grocery store. She gets up and the cereal is stale so she goes to the grocery store where her card (which is an EBT debit card but, it's not stated) and the card won't work and she can't ask for help and the people think she is rude. The whole point was to show that she can't talk even when she needs help. Someone commented that she depends on her Dad a lot but, if I had kept that scene it would have shown he depends on her as well.
Rhett Clark
Move over Hannah Montana and Jonas Brothers !
For the longest time I could not think of who Rhett was based off of until I did some digging and he is honestly inspired the most by Lucas Black who was in a couple of really sweet Disney movies before he started street racing in Tokyo and being an Angel.
Here he is in Flash (such a sweet little film, but it is so sad . . . they don't make them like this anymore). I like the beginnning of this domestic scene. The rest of the clip is a bit heartwrenching.
When he was actually 18 (like Rhett) he was in Disney's Hellen Keller. He shows up at 2:45. This is another sweet film and the little girl is the most adorable child I have ever seen in my entire life. Although I will warn the movie is a little heartbreaking, it makes me sad too.
Speaking of accents here is another interesting video I found entertaining
Tessa Mitchell
Tessa is based on Lesley Ann Warren, I was very surprised to learn Warren is actually 63 but, still.
The Setting
Asylum Hill
To this day I have no idea how they ended up in CT but, I did some research to pick a place to better visualize where the Reese's live. The only reason I picked Asylum Hill was beacuse that is where Harriet Beecher Stowe and Mark Twain's homes/museums are. The little writer geek in me.
Links
Polyvore
I have figured out Polyvore (still trying to figure Tumblr) and messed around with it some for this and Rose Garlands.
It has Juliana's outfits. I wanted her to look a little mismatched and that it is obvious she is hiding something.
Rhett's TL uniform
Rosa's Funeral Outfit
Moving On
Chapter 2
It's funny, I have never been this ahead in a story brainstorming wise I am really making sure I don't reveal much in this blogging. I do have so much (maybe to much ) to say. Except you may hate on me for one detail in this chapter.
Chapter 2
Playlist
Part 1 -- Just Give It Time by Jon Mclaughlin
Part 2-- Falling for you by Ronnie Day & Miss Invisible by Marie Digby
Part 3-- C.S Lewis song by Brooke Fraiser
Part 4 -- Half Way Gone by Lifehouse
Oh Honey the cliffhangers ! Lesley Ann Wareen reminds me of my Mom.
ReplyDeleteYeah, the gang is back together again ! I don't know what to make of Cortland's return.
ReplyDeleteI can't stop rocking out to the last song, I'm assuming Haley is actually Juliana's sister.
ReplyDelete"I guess I felt like I had an obligation to her, like I still had to protect her. "
ReplyDeleteYes but was he really protecting her before ? *off to forums*
Totally spoiling the Rhett/Juliana lovers here ! Great chapter I think it was a smooth transition between POVs.
ReplyDeleteFla-ah-sh Fla-ah-sh, is all I think of when I hear his name. I wonder if he really talks like that.
ReplyDeleteRhett is almost as hilarious as Elisa in this chapter, although it is interesting that one of the last sounds Juliana makes is screaming when Rhett was hurt, you know excluding yelling at Caine.
ReplyDeleteHm, I'm surprised that Rhett is failing Ethics considering his ordeal with UL, JK. I can't believe you cut us off at a reunion.
ReplyDeleteI reread this twice and didn't hate any of the details. . . except you couldn't say M&Ms ?
ReplyDeleteI had a feeling the mute thing was based on the last chapter of UL, it must be crazy hard to write.
ReplyDeleteSawlisa, Sawlisa, Sawlisa,Sawlisa
ReplyDeleteI'm mostly glad that this is going to lead to the re-introduction (hopefully) of all the other characters !
Did you choose CT as a state because that was where the Coast Guard academy was, because Juliana's parents are from the south, right ?
ReplyDeleteI can't help but to be stuck on why Juliana took Rhett's hand when they left the bakery. Does she want his protection ? To piss off Cortland or is just because they are friends?
ReplyDeleteI have a feeling that giving Cortland her dad's name is going to come back to her somehow. I'm also going to second how squee worthy the R/J is !
ReplyDeleteAsylum Hill. . . is an intersting name for a place.
ReplyDeleteand for your consideration. . . Shawna's new genre
Historical Fiction
CyberPunk
SteamPunk
Western
Military
Fantasty
it's got to be one of those.
I think Daniel should at least go with Juliana I mean I know he trust Sawyer and all but still if he really cared about his daughter.
ReplyDeleteJuliana's clothes are adorable, I'd wear them.
ReplyDeleteWTF, a Female!Caine. This is getting to good.
ReplyDeleteThe one detail that is jarring to me anways is that Julianna and her Mom go to Cleavland when I thought Julie hadn't left the commune.
ReplyDeleteHey Shawna are you an American Idol fan ? (Kimberly) Locke and (Adam) Lambert were two contestants on the show !
ReplyDelete^ IMO, the one name that gets me a little in Dr. Murray
ReplyDeletenoooooooooo ! an evil Jennifer. Come on, Uncle J's writer friend.
ReplyDelete@ Jenny - Seriously ?
ReplyDeleteI think it's cool that Juliana is independant, hate the cliffhangers.
Hey, honey I keep hearing this song called Someday by Rob Thomas. Have you used it.
ReplyDeleteSo, is speech impairment the PC term ? I'm really on the edge of my keyboard to see what happens next. These chapters are too short.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteLinda-- Hm, she kind of does. It's so funny I've always referred to her as Joel's MIL who has drinks with I forget she is your mother. Anyway, I'm sure your mom is much younger ! I kind of thought this ending was less cliff-hangery actually. Sorry.
Maylights -- Yes, they are back together. I don't know what to make of Cortland's return either. Honestly I feel like it was a bit of fanservice to myself who wanted to see him again.
Lorrie C.-- She is.
October S-- I love your name. Rhett is referencing back to UL1 when he says something along the lines of my job is to protect you Mrs. Caine or something like that.
Aym-- Yes, that is what I really wanted.
HappApple-- He does actually talk like that. But he is from Alabama.
VanillaBear-- This is intereseting and something I have not considered.
CorrieAnn-- You would think but, he is not exactly failing,
BlueBelle-- I did for a while but, it just didn't like the way it looked. I know it's odd.
Ashlyn -- It is a bit fustrating at points. I may blog on it some later.
Sawlisa-- I know !
Trichelle-- I'm not sure why I chose the CT. I imagined that is where 2 southerners (The Reeses) would go to try and reinvent themselves. The academy being in CT was just a fated coincedence.
Natalie -- She way saying "Come on we are leaving," but, she couldn't say that so she had to show it. That's why *she* *took* his hand not reached out for it.
CA_girl -- I will say that while I do a bit of foreshadowing I don't do a lot of chekov's guns or anything.
CranberriVodka -- I know, I love that name too. I think writing a historical fiction would be really interesting actually but, no sorry you didn't guess it.
Sundance_girl-- His reasoning kind of shows later.
Petite_B-- I would wear pieces too. I think the red skirt with black hearts is so adorable.
Flag_Morton-- lol but all things considered there are a lot of Caine's. Jennifer's dad was mentioned in chapter 2 or 3 of UL1
Carleigh-- She has left the commune. They go on a trip as a group of people from UL she mentions it in chapter 9.
I had been on an underground train once before on a trip into Ohio my mother had went on. We were in a large group though, it was very different when it was just you. I heard the screaming of the Violet line as it pulled into the station.
Marcia-- This is an inside joke actually. This is the name of the law firm in some John Grisham books appretnly. It's not an important detail so, I had some fun with it.
Princess -- Um . . . Hmmm. . . you mean Dr. Johanssen ? *edits*
Jenny P-- I really need to get more creative with names before I add a Joel.
Linda-- I'm pretty sure you have used this song. It is also in the Blind Side Trailer.
Wildehorses -- Yes, it is. You know I meant to add that when characters us un-PC terms it is not a relfection on me. I meant to add this in IVB about Slate.
Back to the trenches !