Question If I Had A Hammer - Discussion

So. The story I wasn't planning to work on much until I had more background hammered out poked me in the head. If I Had A Hammer picks up from Abelyn Marie Elliott's introduction in the Micro-Scenes.

Interesting start to what promises to be a great story

Thanks! At the moment, I'm stuck finding Abbie a better roommate than Kris' before going into detail why Opie was tempted to apologize for suggesting a couple of those classes.

Visual inspiration for Elve Johanna Järvinen . Magdalena Pagowska's art rocks.

Part 3 is up. Time to show a bit of Abbie's history, I think.

Enjoying this immensely however I do find it difficult to follow the main story line with the many “flashbacks” to past events. This could just be me though and it’s possible that if I read all three parts you have written in one sitting it would not be a problem for me.
In fact on reflection, for me, stories written with a lot of flashbacks are a bit irritating for me to follow whoever writes them, so it’s my problem not yours
I have a feeling this is going to be the best story you’ve written so far

Wavehead wrote: Enjoying this immensely however I do find it difficult to follow the main story line with the many “flashbacks” to past events. This could just be me though and it’s possible that if I read all three parts you have written in one sitting it would not be a problem for me.

Maybe. The cold open was to a dream instead of a true flashback, so some confusion there is warranted. The second felt like the best time to introduce a bit more of Abbie's family.

Wavehead wrote: In fact on reflection, for me, stories written with a lot of flashbacks are a bit irritating for me to follow whoever writes them, so it’s my problem not yours

Everyone has their own likes and dislikes, but I see where you're coming from. If it weren't for section headers, I could get lost at times. You'd likely hate Samuel R. Delaney's Empire Star -- it took me a couple of readings to wrap my head around the nonlinear narrative.

Wavehead wrote: I have a feeling this is going to be the best story you’ve written so far

Thanks for the vote of confidence!

From the start I felt like I was missing part of the story perhaps sticking the micro scene at the start, if it fits, would help.

It also feels choppy.

Still, I like it.

Blacksmithing at Whateley. The magic department are going to love her.

Some of my developing head-canon is that for precogs and psychometrists, magicians (but specifically the diviners, theurges, and extraplanar travellers), and the reality and probability warpers, events don't happen in the correct sequence. Throwing magic and fae and spirits into the mix only stirs the pot more.

Also, there should be a course offered along the lines of "Introduction to Magic for Innocent Bystanders and Significant Others"

Part 4 is up. For those wondering, the story overlaps Metro 1: Chewing Through The Straps (Part 3) , but we're starting with a different view of Part 6 of "There's No Place Like Poe" .

Part 5 is up.

I figure that most mystic arts students either order from a catalog and power their way through the consecration, or walk up to a Workshopper with a photocopy dodgily photoshopped wanting "this, but in silver and I need it by the end of the week. Here's fifty bucks to get started."

I just read all the parts you have up of this. First, thank you for sharing. I don't say that enough for the people who provide my entertainment for free around here! Second, though it probably could use a proofreader, over all it is hanging together very well. Therefore, keep going! I don't think I have anything substantive to add to it, except that without whatever info you're basing this on being somewhere near the beginning, (even a link to the particular parts) I was a bit lost on just how she related to any other stories you may have been writing. Other than that, this story captured my interest and held it for the entire amount you have posted, and that I think can be considered a resounding success.

Starting with the last part, the internal timeline has been overlapping " Metro 1: Chewing Through the Straps " (Part 4) and " Pictures of You ", both of which were written before Abelyn first came to mind in a Micro-Scene and before Elve was introduced in this story.

That makes the scene at the beginning of this part a flashback intended to explain why anyone should be worried over a couple of random pieces of cutlery.

Part 6 . This section is turning out a bit longer than planned, but some things needed to happen on-screen.

I like it a lot. Interesting world building. Not sure it entirely lines up with WU as the canon authors view it (then again neither does my Fan Fic! I didn't see any glaring errors in you writing, though as I noted, I do believe you could use the service of a proofreader. Nothing so egregious as to cause me to cringe or to even call it to your attention. I must say, keep up the good work!

Anne wrote: I like it a lot. Interesting world building. Not sure it entirely lines up with WU as the canon authors view it (then again neither does my Fan Fic!

I'm certain they have a different take on the Northern and Eastern Courts than mine or Insane Hiker's, but it's still a safe bet that a) they don't play nice, and b) the Western Court Sidhe probably weren't their favorite people

Now you don't think that Coyote is all sweetness and light in my view, just 'cause I have a shard of his spirit occupying Kelly's hallow now do you?
And as for Gothmag? Well if I can write half what I have plotted for his interaction with Speakeasy!?!?!!
And what sort of author writes something that looks somewhat like a land-bound sea anemone for a character? And just what sort of spirit did Jazz pick up? Western court, but probably altogether too full of herself from being worshiped as a goddess!

Anne wrote: Now you don't think that Coyote is all sweetness and light in my view, just 'cause I have a shard of his spirit occupying Kelly's hallow now do you?

Compared to most dragons, Coyote is rather warm and fuzzy.

null0trooper wrote:

Anne wrote: Now you don't think that Coyote is all sweetness and light in my view, just 'cause I have a shard of his spirit occupying Kelly's hallow now do you?

Compared to most dragons, Coyote is rather warm and fuzzy.

Coyote says: Of course I'm warm and fuzzy, you don't see any scales on me do you!?

Part 7 is up. Here's a free hint: it's not mithril.

null0trooper wrote: Part 7 is up. Here's a free hint: it's not mithril.

If I had to guess, it is blood steel. By the way, excellent forwarding of the narrative. I always look forward to reading another section of your story here! Keep going, I want to know what happens to Abbie!

Anne wrote:

null0trooper wrote: Part 7 is up. Here's a free hint: it's not mithril.

If I had to guess, it is blood steel. By the way, excellent forwarding of the narrative. I always look forward to reading another section of your story here! Keep going, I want to know what happens to Abbie!

Nah. If squeezing iron-based blood from humans gets you the makings for bloodsteel, imagine what you'd get from fae species: bloodsilver! In this case, it's as pure as his nature. ??

At this point, Smithy's possibly doing better than fine. Her roommate's easy to get along with (which is good, as I may have them in too many classes together in Winter Term!), she has a spirit she can work with...

Admittedly, Kristian is just as clueless about her interest as he is cute, but it's their freshman year after all.

Part 8 is up. The Thanksgiving micro is included, for those who remember that.

I just finished reading part 8, I have to say that altogether it is pretty good. It moves the story forward a bit, but more than that it gets the people a little more acquainted with one another. So, nothing of note that needs attention so far as corrections, so, I give the advice that I got in basic, Drive on!
Oh excellent work, keep going!

Pretty good!
RE the last part; GO OILERS!

Thanks everyone!

I did want the characters to get to know each other better over time, because in school I didn't meet all my friends at once and we didn't all start out BFF either. (Write what you know, eh?) I do want the group and their local antagonists to have different personalities/motivations/tolerances for each other's schtick, etc. With almost half the team being introverts, some of that exposition has to be "show" not "tell".

I really should go to a hockey game some day (TB Lightning being the local team and all), but I've long thought figure skating and ice dance are awesome sports in their own right.

Part 9 already?

Regarding my choice of opponents for Abbie, I figure the planning staff would see giving them a rematch against Absinthe and friends to be a little too obvious. Good opponents for a brick who hasn't yet come into her power.

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This part of the story is just so ROFLMFAO funny

Part 10 down, one to go, I think.

Elve does have a ranged attack: chuck an object along a tangent to locally-warped space to bleed off her own kinetic energy, but she wasn't ever in position. (Superchick isn't stupid!)

Excellent story section. I did notice this: Tell me [u[immediately[/u] if you start getting dizzy or light-headed,
which is a bad html tag. Other than that, no major problems to report to you and lots of good action in the piece.

Thanks for catching the bad tag! Fixed now.

I could have worked Metro's combat final in, but this is Abbie's story, and she had no intention of watching another friend get hurt -- even if she still would prefer his lab portion of their chemistry final be conducted in a different county or state.

Are you sure she wouldn't prefer it be in another dimension as well. Preferably one where Smith didn't keep her stuff, including, maybe especially her body?!

Anne wrote: Are you sure she wouldn't prefer it be in another dimension as well. Preferably one where Smith didn't keep her stuff, including, maybe especially her body?!

The trouble is that he's capable of doing it, and the last time (to Abbie's knowledge) that he had an extended stay elsewhere, Rorsmand sulked for two solid weeks, Reach interrogated her about the guy's whereabouts, and he came back somewhat wierder.

There is always that problem. You go dimension hopping and run into a few Sidhe, or you do it to escape that blood trap someone laid for you and you have all sorts of experiences that just don't mesh well with wherever you left, heck you might live a lifetime and only have moments pass, or think you have been gone an hour and return to find that your great great great grand children have passed the veil of death....

End of the Line , and I'm still not much further along with Rorsmand's story.

I must say that I enjoyed reading what you wrote. I do hope you keep on telling this fine tale!

I'm not done reading the story thread yet, but I just had to give my kudos!

Being of the Danish variety myself, I just have to give the thumbs up here!

Though it has been quite a while since I've heard anyone say "for søren" instead of "for helvede" or "for fanden"

Greatdingo wrote: I'm not done reading the story thread yet, but I just had to give my kudos!

Being of the Danish variety myself, I just have to give the thumbs up here!

Thanks!

Greatdingo wrote: Though it has been quite a while since I've heard anyone say "for søren" instead of "for helvede" or "for fanden"

What can I say? Mads 'Kid Demon' Møller-Jensen's a bad influence

Since I saw you posted some more of Mads elsewhere I was going to ask if you had written more of this? I want to see more mayhem with Smith, see how she gets acquainted with the fire elemental that she has evidently bonded with... ETC

Anne wrote: Since I saw you posted some more of Mads elsewhere I was going to ask if you had written more of this? I want to see more mayhem with Smith, see how she gets acquainted with the fire elemental that she has evidently bonded with... ETC

I haven't written much beyond part of the first Team Tactics dust-up. One of the catches is figuring out how the teams should interact, and what the kids should be getting out of an intensive Winter term. Another would be deciding what, if anything, publishable happens over the holiday break.