I got up from my chair again and paced the room.Just because Mark looks like Tyton doesn’t mean that he is based on Tyton.I snorted as I thought about his comment that Mark was too polished to be an authentic Nman.
You did the research, now use ithad been his exact words.
What he failed to understand was that I couldn’t curse in a book or readers would have a heart attack. Sure, there were antique books with awful language in them, but few people read them and by now most of the sayings and slang used from back then were so outdated that they didn’t offend anyone. The last book I’d read had used the strangest expressions. Chillax I figured was slang for chill and relax, but others I’d had to look up on Wise-Share. Unfortunately, Wise-Share didn’t offer an explanation for weird words like wankface and douche canoe.
I put down the pages with Tyton’s notes and picked up the other set of papers with Wilma’s comments on them. The fact that they had made a copy of my writing was both flattering and surprising.
Wilma had drawn a heart and written that she loved it. As always with that type of general feedback, it left me unsatisfied. Tyton was ruthless but at least he was concrete. I wished Wilma had told me what it was that she liked specifically. Her last words looked like a hurried message.
If you’re writing about a tournament, you really need to come and see mine. We’ll disguise you as a boy. Think of it as research and come to the beach at six a.m. on Saturday. Tyton will pick you up. It’ll be a great adventure and you’ll get to see what husband I pick.
I can’t wait!
Wilma
The first time I’d read her words, I’d laughed at the absurdity, but it had been more than an hour since I picked up the letters and the idea had taken root in my mind.
I’d always been drawn to fantasy novels and the idea of getting to experience a world different from mine spoke to me.
This isn’t a book. She’s asking you to go to a real tournament and see fighting.
I’d never seen a fight in real life. There were movies of course, but no good parents would allow their children to see them. Growing up it had been ingrained in me that violence was primitive and toxic. Hundreds of years ago it had poisoned the minds of people and caused the Toxic War, which almost annihilated the entire human race and most other species on the planet.
No part of me thought that I’d enjoy seeing large warriors fight for Wilma. Except that she was right when she said that it would be an adventure. If I could sneak in like I did the last time and be a silent observer to the strange culture of the Northlands, I would be able to describe it in detail to my readers.
I wouldn’t just see fighting, I would see hundreds of Nmen and hear them talk. I would see what they eat, wear, and how they interact.
My hands were shaking a little when I found a pen and wrote my answer.
My dearest Wilma,
How could I say no to being at your wedding? I’m terrified and yet I don’t want to miss it. If you’re sure that I’ll be safe, I’ll come.
May you experience only love and tranquility in your life,
Devina
I put my letter in one bottle and found another one to answer Tyton’s letter.
Dear Tyton,
I scratched out dear and crumbled the paper up.
Hello Tyton,
No, that sounded too informal.
Hi Tyton,
Thank you for your feedback but let me make it perfectly clear that Mark is not you and Deidra is not me!
I might be able to spice up Mark’s vocabulary but having him say fuck is not an option. If I used curse words, the book would never get published.
Also, I wasn’t talking about your green eyes, but his. And the fact that Deidra likes them doesn’t mean I would like them because as I already said, I am not Deidra!
If you think I should change so much of my story, then why don’t you write your own book and let me critique it? It would be interesting to see if you take criticism as well as you like to give it.
Devina
