Chapter 2 of The Heart's Landscape

[tocryabout]

Chapter 2, The Seat Is Empty, His Place Does Not Know Him, is up. [Read from the beginning]

Note that there's a glossary, if the French snippets give you any difficulty. (I often read books by Americans that are plumped full of Spanish phrases that I am apparently supposed to understand, and it bugs me, so I am trying to Help the Reader.)

Reminder to my secret undercover non-LJ readers that anonymous comments are allowed on this journal now, so even if you don't have an account you can leave feedback or ask a question.

Comments

[youngest-one.livejournal.com]

Madame DuPont reminded me, in a lot of ways, of Amanda Kilborne in Apanes. Not a raving, frothing lunatic, but just someone firmly set in their bigotry and unable to even concieve of the concept of change. I liked the idea of an apparition at Orloo, and how it was denied by the Church hierearchy but still embraced by some Catholics. It showed a broad range of responses to mutants amongst the religious, instead of a less realistic monolitic viewpoint.

And we hear about the mysterious government program for the first time. I'm eager to see were this goes, and how it will affect life at the St.John of God house.

Paul and Joel's interactions continue to be painful and very, very true. The way they stubbornly look out for each other in spite of everything, their dodging and ducking around the central issues of their relationship, the way they can hurt each other so easily...you did a great job with them. Speaking of Paul, I liked the way his empathy was developed, nice and subtely.

Good stuff, as usaul.

[to-cry-about.livejournal.com]

There's definitely a connection with Amanda, thematically. A lot (not all) of traditionalist Catholics don't believe in evolution, so I thought they might have some interesting problems dealing with the fact of mutants--are they natural or supernatural? Without a hierarchy on top of them to stomp out the crazies, sedevacantist and conclavist groups can come up with some interesting stuff.

Joel and Paul are fun to write, in spite of the painfulness of a relationship like that.

Glad you're enjoying.

[to-cry-about.livejournal.com]

Outside pressure is the best motivator for me to write regularly. I suck at discipline. :'(

But I don't need my arm twisted at this point, since it's the beautiful early stage before I write myself into a dozen corners and have to break out the jaws of life to save the plot.

[waterstrider.livejournal.com]

I'm writing a short New X-Men piece at the moment, just to prove to myself I can write in-canon shorts (and because I think I have a handle on the character), and will resume writing Ch 3 on Sunday or Monday (it's 1/3 done).

Grail has me hopping from one foot to the other too. I will cry if she kills off Charles, but I think she might. She's done it before.

[brownbetty]

I tend to save yours, rather than read them right away. I love the centrality of religion in Joel's life, the way he loves the Church even though she's got a lot of warts, and the way everyone in his life thinks he's sort of odd about that.

[to-cry-about.livejournal.com]

I'm glad that's working for you. Just to defend myself ahead of time from any charges of "authorial insert", Joel's issues with the Church aren't the same as mine; I have problems with authority and the sexual teachings, and that's not really what's concerning him. But that'll come up in future chapters.

I'm in one of those moods where I'm constantly defending myself against the academic critic in my head. "I am not Othering my non-white characters! Shut up!"

[brownbetty]

I didn't mean to sound like I was accusing you of anything. I don't think it's possible to write a Mary Sue in this story.

[to-cry-about.livejournal.com]

Oh no, it's just one of the things I worry about, so I thought I would throw it out there. Me = insecure. I think I'm safe from writing silver-eyed lovechildren of Magneto, but I do try to keep from writing thinly disguised versions of myself.