Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Picture This!

Yesterday, I said I was gonna come up with another contest to run soon. Many of you, had lame, self-serving suggestions about what kind of contest to run. Shawn, for instance suggested the "who can look like Shawn, dress like Shawn, have dinner with Shawn's family and do Shawn's job Contest". (Not really, but that's the level of competition that was prevalent.)

Jeri, however, had an actual idea! An idea that ultimately benefits me. And if I'm gonna give something away, then what the hell...I should get something out of the deal too. (Yeah, I know. Lots of bloggers do altruistic crap just for the entertainment value. I'm not lots of bloggers. Get over it.)

Anyway, here's the contest:

It's the "Make Nathan a new Avatar Contest"!

Here's the rules.

  • Entries will be accepted any time between now and 11:59 p.m. (EST) on Monday, June 30th. All entries should be posted as a link to a JPEG in the comments to this thread.
  • You may use any image or photo from anywhere as long as it's not copyrighted and might subject me to legal problems for using it.
  • You may send me an email requesting a photo of me in a specific pose. I'll only honor the requests that stand a chance in hell of me choosing them as an avatar, so asking for a picture of me in drag isn't gonna get you that picture, nor would it be likely to be the winner even if it did.
  • LOL Nathans are just fine, but watch your language. I comment on blogs where folks talk nice, so keep it PG-13 at most.
  • Don't worry about the size of the Avatar...I can always reduce it for sites that will only accept smaller sizes.
Why should I bother with this, you may be asking. Because there will be a frabulous prize. Downstairs, I've got a pile of ball caps, T-shirts and other loot I've received as wrap gifts from a bunch of movies over the years. Most of them have just sat on a shelf since I got 'em. The winner will be provided a list of what's available and will get to choose which piece of movie memorabilia they get.

Hey, that's not bad.

And another thing

Since we started writing Charlotte Misner, I've traded emails with each author who's been up next. I'm hereby declaring that it is permissible, and in fact, you are encouraged to pick the brains of any and all previous contributers when you're writing your chapter.

Based on questions I've received, I realize in hindsight that I may not have been clear about certain things which might cause subsequent authors to take things in unintended directions. With that in mind, I'm going to clear up a couple of things that might not be obvious and/or might be misinterpreted.

1. Charlotte does not have a problem with or dislike men (military or otherwise). She's just got too many other things to worry about at the moment and doesn't have time to bother with them. It is entirely possible that some wonderful specimen of manhood will show up and change her mind about that. It's also possible that Charlotte likes women. I have no idea. That's up to you guys...I just don't want to have influenced that decision because of something I didn't mean to say.

2. Charlotte doesn't dislike children. She is extremely flustered and frustrated with the sudden responsibility she has for three very young children, but she goes to pains to keep her frustration from showing. You'll note that in my chapter, she may be screaming in her own mind, but outwardly, all she does is try to comfort Lucy. She's trying very hard to live up to her new responsibilities.

3. I neglected to specifically state it anywhere in my chapter, but the story started in the late spring/early summer of 1942. Historically, this is a moment of massive upheaval in America. We're just a few months into the war. Because of Lend Lease, war production is already somewhat in gear, but America has just done a 180º U-turn from its isolationist attitudes. Rationing is still new and while most people are willing, they're not accustomed to the shortages. And most of the war news isn't great yet, especially in the Pacific. It was not a period of great confidence.

So, anyway, you are all encouraged to consult with each other when your turn comes. It's perfectly legitimate to ask a previous author to elaborate on what they meant to say if it's not clear. On the other hand, don't take this as some kind of edict that you shouldn't take things in an unexpected or unintended direction...that's your choice and half the fun of collaborating on something like this.

7 comments:

kimby said...

Nathan, could you remind me once again what order we are writing in?
I do not want to suddenly find out that i have a chapter due....and with all that is going on here...lets just say that POST IT note stock is going to go up!

Random Michelle K said...

Can we have a thread somewhere to discuss Charlotte? Because I have all kinds of questions.

1)Where are Charlotte's parents from/what did they do?

Charlotte speaks very well and with no discernible accent. This means most likely that she was educated through high school (less than 40% of women her age graduated from high school).

It also mean that her parents were not from that area, or took care to make sure she did not speak with a regional accent, which would also be unusual at a time when radio was a luxury, and tended to be local/regional.

We've been told she held her dad work on a tractor before, but she doesn't speak as if she were raised by local farmers.

So. Where was Charlotte raised? What did her parents do? How much education does Charlotte have?

I'm just trying to relate her speech with her background.

Nathan said...

Kimby,

Here's the writing order:


Me
Kate
Jeri
Michelle
Matt
Tom
Kimby
Tania
Saqib
Jim.
Shawn

I don't think anyone else has signed on since Shawn. If I missed anyone, let me know.

Michelle,

I'll set up a thread and put a link in the sidebar so it's always easy to get there. I don't want to put it on the 'Write' site cause that's already getting a little crowded. I've got a couple of issues with your questions, but I'll respond in the new thread.

I've got a couple of work things to get done first, but I'll put it up soon(ish).

Anonymous said...

I posted the writing order on the Write blog, actually, since I had to search for the writing order. And - I think a character sketch for Charlotte is probably in order, although it will probably be an evolving thing. She doesn't have to have had to come from a farm - I just wanted to give her some background w/ tools, I can adapt that to something else.

Nathan said...

The new thread is posted with a suggestion on how to fix the tractor issue.

Also, linked at the top of the sidebar where it will stay until we don't need it anymore.

Anonymous said...

Hmmm... pictures. A pair of mug shot type pics would help - a full on face shot, and a profile shot, with relatively simple backgrounds. I've tried playing with those you've in the blog, but the angles are a bit odd and there's a doggone kitten paw across your face in one of 'em. Silly kitten, thinking the pictures are all about him (?) and stuff.

Nathan said...

ask and ye shall receive...but not til the weekend.