Melanie Nilles

I’ve had such a busy weekend selling and welcoming horses that I haven’t had time to write up the interview with the next character from Legend of the White Dragon. Due to the full weekend, I will delay that interview until tomorrow and apologize for any inconvenience to those waiting.

In the meantime, here’s a pic of Beau, my new horse (shipped all the way from Kentucky):

And here:

Btw, he’s only a yearling, so no riding for about a year and a half.

Well, actually it wasn’t a dream so much as an image. It fascinated me and I wanted to do more with it. I was half asleep. You tend to not sleep soundly with a 7 month old in bed with you waking up three times a night. (She’s been hit and miss since discovering her mobility–she’s crawling and pulling herself up to stand already too.)

Anyway, I kind of dozed off and saw another character and some other images. In that half-awake mode, your mind is free but still lucid. These people I saw stole my imagination, but I knew my logical and semi-tired mind would never give me the kind of story I thought they belonged to while I was awake. Besides, I needed a nap and it was a saturday. Allen could watch the kids while I rested.

Hah! Rest? Just long enough to reach that state of almost asleep. With my mind hoping to grasp something totally irrational for this place I saw and these people in that strange land, I didn’t rest. Instead, I let my mind free itself. I discovered a world I totally could not have thought of. It had to come from my unconscious mind, where logic and reason are thrown to the wind in favor of anything goes possibilities.

I started writing the next day, after making the illogical pieces fit in a reasonable way. They had to at least have some connection to each other, even if not always explainable. My mind always wants probable ideas, which is why I tend to favor science fiction over fantasy. However, fantasy is fun because anything can happen and it doesn’t have to scientifically possible, only logical as far as the rules of the world established.

I’m still working out some finer points but keep looking for the next illogical twist in plotting. It’s fun and I wish I’d done something like this sooner, but at least everything to this point in my writing has aided my skills in one way or another. Now I can let go of focusing on the technical side, because it is all ingrained deeply into my mind, and let loose with a story for pure enjoyment, not that I haven’t enjoyed any other stories I’ve written. With this, I have practiced the skills to write well. Now it’s just getting the story down. I have over 3K words to start, but it’s just a start. There’s so much more to come!

I hate forcing a story–it’s no fun. I love when I can find something, or it finds me, and run with it. It’s as pleasant as reading the finished product because there’s so much to discover along the way.

Ah, lucky seven! Welcome back, friends! Today we have two young men you would never guess to be brothers by the looks of them.

So, tell me, which on of you is older?

Ellead: I am, by almost two years.

Siannon, you look more like your father, Eldred; but Ellead, you look like you work in the fields more. What is it boys? Who works harder?

Ellead: I do, of course. Siannon’s always too busy exploring.

Siannon: But I tend the livestock–feedin’ and groomin’ and all. You said you’d rather be out in the field and leave me home.

Ellead: At least my feet stay on solid ground. He’s always findin’ somethin’ to be distracted from work.

Excuse me, but we have an audience. I’d rather keep the fighting for later, if you must. Let’s move onto something else. Tell us about your lives. Do you have any other brothers or sisters?

Ellead: A younger sister, Tara. That’s it. Ma had troubles after her.

Siannon: She had trouble with her. *chuckles* Not a wonder she causes problems.

Ellead: Not by her fault. Ma lost three pregnancies before her. She’s only nine years. I’ve memories of a younger brother no better…not yet to this day.

What about your father? Tell us about him.

Siannon: He’s a tough work horse, he is.

Ellead: Aye! A tough old man not afraid to knock some sense into sons who speak wrong o’ what he believes or his family.

Siannon: *giving his brother a dirty look* Either son. He stands firm to his morals, but he’s not one to look for a fight. Pa’s more about supportin’ those who fight wrong, but he lets us know our place.

Do the two of you usually argue so much?

Siannon: Only when he treats me like a child.

Ellead: Aye! Because you act like one, always runnin’ off when there’s work to be done or teasin’ Tara about likin’ the Byrne boy.

Siannon: I work! And Tara makes like she’s all in love–deserves to be teased.

Ellead: One little object and you’re no good for gettin’ nothin’ done. Any questions why I treat you like a child? You act no better than Tara at times.

Boys! Enough, please! If I must call in your father, I will, but I hoped to keep the discussion civil. Save the arguments for later. I hate to think what your parents deal with every day.

Ellead: They make it clear–no fightin’. But Siannon’s usually more agreeable. I’ve no idea why he’s all of arguing tonight.

Siannon: You telling these folks lies is why. I do my share of work and I love my sister. Remember that time Ryan showed her that dead goat? Scared poor Tara into waking up screaming. None of us knew why, until she told me and said not to tell you because Ryan said later to her alone the wolves killed the goat–I’d guess truth to that–and he said he could make them attack us. I told her they’d turn on him when they saw Pa with his axe. She slept with me for a week.

Ellead: I…That explains what happened. I wondered why he put his fingers pointing out from his head and she’d scream; goat’s horns. I thought she was upset at the carcass.

Siannon: Say nothing to her.

Ellead: A bit late for that.

Siannon: Hmm…But you believe me now?

Ellead: Now I understand. No more accusations. There’d be hope for you yet.

Siannon: That I’d say about you.

All settled?

*heads nodding*

Good. I think I’ve heard enough. It’s late and you both have chores, I’d bet. Thanks for joining us.

Mark your calendars for next week, when one of the dragons will join us! That’s right, one of the elder drakes has agreed to chat with us. We’ll welcome Jêrafînas, one of the five oldest of those known as the “dragons of light”, and one who remembers the white dragon’s birth and death (and everything in between!). I must warn you, however, that she, like others of her kind, can be difficult to understand. You’ll find out why next week!

Okay, for those who want to know what my mare is like, here’s a video I made.

Enjoy!

And don’t forget to check back tomorrow night for the next character interview!