Dear Dorothy

What the CRAP were you doing in my hot tub?!?

Dear Dorothy

Please help. There's all this junk at the end of the plot outline. It's part of the story. That much I know. What I don't know is if it's part of THIS story.

I really want this thing to end, ya know? As in, have an ending. Sure, it can be a cliffhanger ending and the rest of the junk that doesn't fit into this plot can go into the next one.

But I need some clues. Like soon.

Do we break it off with the kids escaping up the fjord? Do we break it off with them walking into the Temple? Do we go all the way to the Bramble Valley? What all do the kids come across? The Nuckalavee? A bailak or three? Iron ore (would they even know that if they saw it?

I suppose we could just leave it as is and if we get to the fjord and we're short on the word count we keep going.

Which is exactly what I just said I didn't want to do.

You bitch. Thanks for nothing.
-WL

Dear Eirik

The Fjord is haunted? Haunted. As in ghosts and stuff.

Are you serious? I mean, really. Who the hell haunts a fjord?

You are clearly high on something. Please come down here and explain this coherently.

Waiting and none too patiently,
-WL

Dear Eirik, Mette and the rest of you galley slaves

First, welcome aboard! This year's adventure is going to be loads of fun, I promise! All you have to do is cooperate.

Now, a note to all of you: you will listen. Each and every one of you, whether you have a speaking role or not. You will pay attention to the outline and you will each do what I tell you. Understood?

Individual notes:

Eirik,
You're cute and you're crazy. I love you already. No, I still haven't decided about whether or not you get any POV chapters in this thing. I wasn't planning on it, I can tell you that. But you have a point and I have no idea how we're going to do that Temple blessing scene if we're not in your head. Mette can't really, um, watch that...

I'll get back to you.
-Writer Lady

Mette,
Not to pressure you too much, honey, but you are IT. We're seeing most of this through your eyes, so keep 'em sharp, OK?

Now - why are you and Eirik running around that other Temple? The one in the middle of nowhere? I have this very strong feeling that y'all end up there, but I can't figure out why. Just happening by it on the way to the Bramble Valley doesn't seem quite right. Although it is on the way, isn't it...

Gat any hints for me, dearie??

Affectionately,
-WL

Dear Lars, Fenn, Ping, Master Tong, ... well, shit, EVERYONE

Thanks. This chapter is now Totally Fucked. I have no idea what to do with it or where the hell it's going.

Thanks a lot.

Wicked pissy,
-WL

Dear Lars

This is turning out to be quite the humorous chapter. Knock it off. It's not supposed to be.

(I mean, really, why do you think I'm listening to NIN??!?)

Gettin' mighty testy,
-WL

Dear Ping

You're cute and everything, but I'm pretty sure I told you to get lost.

Why won't you leave?

Perplexed,
-WL

Dear Fenn

Please stop being so goddamn happy. You're supposed to be brooding. Teasing Lars is not brooding. Get with the program please and stop enjoying yourself.

Too tired for this kind of crap from you,
-WL

Dear Ping

Sorry buddy, but you're useless. Get lost.

Sayonara (I'd say it Chinese, but can't remember how. Get over it.),
-WL

Dear Nine Inch Nails

Fuck. I should have been plugged into y'all ages ago.

Cranking it as loud as I can get away with,
-WL

Dear Dorothy

A truck, huh? In the middle of the Deep Desert, huh? And a couple of hapless Chinese dudes who have no idea what just happened, huh?

Well, OK, if you say so... At least now I know WHY Wen-Shu is headed into the middle of frikkin' nowhere...

But we really need to talk, you know, you and I. You're showing up in the weirdest places these days. I know I'm not spending near the amount of time in my car that I used to, and I know that's your favorite place to hang, but it was more than a little eerie to find you perched on the toilet seat when I got out of the shower this morning. Really, really eerie.

But hey, whatever works, right?

Thanks for the tip, Dot,

-WL

Dear Lars and Fenn

Hi boys. We seem to be here again. Up against a deadline and dead in the water, so I'll assume you know why we're here.

Let's get your shit together. Like now.

Thx,
-WL

Dear Luci

Same goes for you, toots.

-WL

Dear Arcangelo Corelli

Thank you for finding Dorothy.

Ever in your debt,
-WL

Dear Dorothy

Thanks for showing up. Better late than never.

-WL

Dear Lars (and/or Fenn)

Help me out here.

I'm really not liking the Fenn-viewed-through-Lars'-head aspect of this chapter. It's not interesting unless something happens to the person whose head we are in. Lars, buddy, that would be you.

So what's the point of this chapter?

1) To show how close to the edge Fenn really is (that's why he loses it in the Harbormaster's office).

2) To lay some of the Han rebellion groundwork/backstory.

3) To get the landing party from the Wren on their way up the hill to the Keep.

My question, gentlemen, is this: What the flying fuck does any of this have to do with Lars??

Pulling my freaking hair out,
-Writer Lady

Dear Lars

Get your arse off the Wren and into the Harbormaster's office so we can get this party started. Like, now.

Thx,
-WL

Dear Dorothy

OK, I see. Part of the problem with Luci is lack of backstory. (Why do I always have an easy time with backstory for the boys? Why are the girls always such a damn pain in my ass?).

Right. Luci. Backstory. Gat it.

Thanks (and why did you wait until the middle of a sea shanty to tell me that, anyway? That was downright weird.),

-WL

Dear Dorothy

You bitch.

You could have told me this thing about Luci months ago and saved me hours and days and weeks of staring at that blasted chapter - the one that goes nowhere, since (duh) it's supposed to stay right where it is - wondering what the bloody, blasted hell to do with it.

Do you really need to keep this shit to yourself for quite so long?

Really. Quite. Pissy.
-WL

Dear Dorothy

I'm very worried about the info dump in the second half of the Prologue.

Really.

I'm starting to feel like I'm trying to cram a mountain of information into a molehill. Like I'm trying to tell the whole damn story in the space of 500 words. Which, of course, ain't even gonna happen.

Is it necessary to the tale?

Well, of course, it's "necessary". I'm just not sure it's necessary right exactly there.

Shit. I don't know what to do.

'Fraid of Failing,
-WL