(no subject)

[bironic]

Two stories posted on synn's lovely fic archive at nostatement.com --

A Survey of Contemporary Muggle Habits, by Arthur Weasley. (Honorable mention in Fiction Alley's Witching Hour essay contest.)

That story I still haven't found a title for, which is variously about the anxieties of college graduation, failed attempts at compensation through voyeurism, and, naturally, English professors.

Praise and criticism alike are welcome.

Comments

[catilinarian.livejournal.com]

Okay, you already know I love the story and the essay, but I thought I'd tell you once again:

I LOVE YOUR WRITING.

Particularly The Story That Must Be Been Named. It's a bit difficult to describe, but there's an almost palpable texture to your prose in that one. It's sort of like dark velvet, warm and rich with a soft bite. *Sigh* This kind of criticism is why you're an English major and I'm not.

On a more logical note, I really like your unnamed protagonist; I think her wry, slightly removed perspective, the jadedness that has both anxiety and sensuality just underneath it, really makes the story.

For titles - how about some Tale of Two Cities reference? (Not having read it, I can't offer one myself.)

[bironic.livejournal.com]

Good idea on the Tale of Two Cities title. At work on Friday I re-read (well, skimmed) the Sydney bits on a virtual texts site and copied down the most relevant quotes. None are perfect, but some might work. At the very least I may have Thompson quote one at her on the couch.

Of course, I left the document with all the quotes at work, but I'll add them here for you tomorrow.

[bironic.livejournal.com]

Right, okay, the quotes I promised:

"I hardly seem yet," returned Charles Darnay, "to belong to this world
again."
[... Sydney replied:] "As to me, the greatest desire I have, is to forget that I belong to it. It has no good in it for me- except wine like this- nor
I for it. So we are not much alike in that particular. "

"A last word, Mr. Darnay: you think I am drunk?"
"I think you have been drinking, Mr. Carton."
"Think? You know I have been drinking."
"Since I must say so, I know it."
"Then you shall likewise know why. I am a disappointed drudge, sir. I care
for no man on earth, and no man on earth cares for me."

"I shall never be better than I am. I shall sink lower, and be worse."

"I am like one who died young. All my life might have been."

"A dream that ends in nothing."

"And yet I have had the weakness, and have still the weakness, to wish you
to know with what a sudden mastery you kindled me, heap of ashes that I am,
into fire- a fire, however, inseparable in its nature from myself,
quickening nothing, lighting nothing, doing no service, idly burning away."

[Lucie to Charles:] "I would ask you, dearest, to be very generous with him always, and very lenient on his faults when he is not by. I would ask you to believe that he has a heart he very, very seldom reveals, and that there are deep wounds in it. My dear, I have seen it bleeding."

"Keep your eyes upon me, dear child, and mind no other object."


I am thinking about having Thompson say the "I would ask you to believe" sentence and replace "he" with "she," while she's leaning on him on the couch...