Looking Under the Begonia

(Dealing with both a headache and a dog who decided the household (i.e. me) had to be up and operational at 5:30am. This canine in question is now sound asleep while I am obviously NOT. So, if this post has no redeeming value whatsoever, please blame the dog. Thank you.)

Found myself a bit of an Easter egg yesterday.

No, not the gaily painted, hard-boiled variety left behind by giant bunnies. I’m talking the kind that programmers often hide in their digital wares.

For example, clicking 18 times on the eastern-most begonia in scene 343 of the DragonWars video game will get you a blooper reel from the game designer’s senior prom. We’re talking that kind of value here, folks.

So, I was busy scoping out my next project Thursday, a novel I’m thinking will stick to the same Revolutionary War-era vibe I’ve got going in The Hushing Days, when “Surprise!” I found a sparkling gem of an obscure fact that will make one of my more troublesome Hushing Days’ ladies finally pop from the page.

This is a good thing.

This is an unexpected thing.

No giant bunny could have brought anything better.

Look for Easter eggs wherever you go, dear writers. The big Programmer in the Sky has got them hidden everywhere.

Until tomorrow…

Chloe

POST NOTE: The 18-click-begonia-thing is merely a hiccup of my imagination. Again, blame the dog.

The Spider Web Plots

Beyond the silk ribbons, the heavy-duty worsted yarns and the strands of brightly colored floss, a really good novel usually has at least one more goody weaved into its tapestry.

Guesses, anyone?

(In my case with a furry, four-legged muse constantly on the job, a dog hair or two can be expected in the mix. But since most authors don’t have fuzzy-faced muses with big attitudes and bigger hearts breathing down their necks, we’ll overlook that component for today.)

While I suppose there are many correct answers to the question, my favorite answer is this…

Spider webs.

Frighteningly strong, eerily transparent threads that can disappear into the story with remarkable ease, the Spider Web Plots are the surprises waiting behind the door for your readers.

The antagonist’s storyline does not always have to be obvious. It does not need to be identifiable, nor does it need to offer contrast. Sometimes the best plotline is the one that is not seen until the end, until its spider crawls up on your pretty finished tapestry and sneers a sinister “Boo!”

Keep this in mind while you weave, dear authors.

Until tomorrow…

Chloe