This is Avary.

I think I may have found Avary's angle.

I've been struggling to create "new" characters after my NaNo novel. Specifically, I've loved Riah so much but I don't want to copy her. That makes me think that I can't have any strong-willed characters, so I've made all my females wimps, specifically Avary and Bailey.

Well, it took my own actions to make me realize how I could do this. Avary can have a temper, but the problem is that she regrets every single outburst. Every time she loses her temper, she goes into a pity party about how horrible she is. (Okay, I need to make sure this doesn't get annoying, but you get my point.) Riah didn't really regret her actions, whereas Avary regrets them so stinking much.

And yes, she's a lot like me.

It's not that I hate people, it's that I don't trust them. Only a few people are let in once I'm sure they won't trample on the pieces of my heart. 

If I do let you in, consider yourself very lucky. I've just handed you the key to my heart. I think I can trust you. Don't prove me wrong.

Notes, Again

I can't help but laugh as Sawyer stuffs the plaid jacket around Luca.
He shoots me a look over his shoulder as he primps and preens to make sure his dog is comfortable. "What?"
I smirk. "You know what, you old softie."

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Souvenirs: Because the Crew travels all around the world and through time! Brilliance! They should pick up things along the way.

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Write the beach scene, or some of it. It'll help.

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They end up playing, splashing around in the water -- "which proves to me that we're just four big kids trying to save the universe."

Notes of a Tired Dreamer

Avary's catalyst? --

Her desktop lamp wouldn't light unless she screwed the bulb in all the way. It was kind of how Avary felt about her life.

How did she grow up to be a bitter girl? Yet wonderstruck?

LISTEN TO COLOR.

LISTEN TO RILEY.

“Can you stop running?”

“Can you stop running long enough to let me go?”

Waterfall scenes: Maybe first time in the time warp bubble? Maybe they need to put a tracker on Gesparo, and that's part of the setback?
Dr. Flan's wife: Brilliant evil genius?
Dr. Flan: GEORGE CLOONEY? ♥♥♥
Clark: Harrison Ford, Kurt Russell
Ryan and Avary meet a la Boy with the Bread? Nah, too HG-ish.

Potential dog names: Luca, Luqa

Luqa: He's just sort of Sawyer's dog. The end.

This is uncanny.

I feel like I need an entire post dedicated to this.

I've known for a while now that a golden retriever is in the story. I don't know why. He just is. So I was browsing tumblr and this picture caught my eye because of the puppy.

Then I realized.

That is Avary's green backpack. And Sawyer's plaid/flannel shirt.

I'd been browsing Pinterest a while back and found this image, which reminded me of Avary a lot. And here it is again, in this picture.

Not only that, but I also found this picture on Tumblr and decided that the Crew has to camp on the beach. It's like these two pictures were meant to go together. See the guy in the plaid? It's Sawyer.

Like I said: uncanny.

I have been really weirded out by how this novel is falling into place. Seriously.

Not only that, but I was telling Mom about how it looked like this image was taken straight from my head, and Dad overheard.

Me: "And Sawyer wears plaid."

Dad: "Uh-huh!"

Me: "Red plaid."

Dad: "Yes."

He said it like it was a fact he'd known all his life. I was kind of weirded out wondering how he knew that. Then I mentioned Avary having a green backpack, and he said he thought of green when he heard Avary too.

The weird part is, I know this novel. I know these characters. I don't know how, I just do. Their stories are already in my head. They're just waiting to get out.

Don't ask me how I know that Avary has a green backpack or Sawyer wears plaid. I just do. It's in my blood.

I think I'm realizing more and more lately that it's the story I was meant to write.

It's good to dream.

These notes were written while watching the movie Dreamer.


Avary is close to her dad. Therefore, should Bailey be close to her mom to contrast that?

Which brings up the question, is Bailey and Sawyer's mom a spy?
It could add interesting dynamics because Ryan is the one who leaves, while Bailey deals directly with the consequences of that. Ryan was the leaver, and Bailey was the one left behind. It would solidify Bailey and Ryan's relationship and give them stuff to talk about. And definitely sort through.

Ryan - sort of named after baby Ryan. Which is interesting considering this is essentially a book on death and what you leave behind.

In Dreamer, they built up to breeding Sonador so they could race her foal or sell her filly or whatever -- and after all this drama, they discovered Sonador was infertile. That was incredibly depressing, but they found a way out of it. I love it when there's no way out and then you find one. I just need to figure out how to incorporate it into this story.

Does Clark have a truck? Maybe. (I realized tonight I drew a ton of inspiration for Clark and Avary from Dreamer. O.o)

The reason they are at the waterfall/beach scene COULD be that Dr. Flan miscalculated and dropped them at a random spot, so they're lost in the wilderness. Or, are they purposefully camping? Ooh, they could be camping out on the first time, trying to get their bearings of the new world before they go find Gesparo.

There are some things you can't leave behind.

That's becoming this story's tagline. I love how things that have been dormant for a long while are now finally, finally coming together. Like the line above. I always knew it had SOME bearing on the story, but it never fit in. Until now. It's like all the pieces of a mosaic falling into place, and I love it.

I've been collecting all the pieces for a long time. Now they're finally coming together. They're my souvenirs.

Thank you, Papa.