The No News is No News Purgatory Thread, Vol. 7

[Vandal]

So, after close to twelve months of writing, re-writing, updating, overhauling and fine tuning my adult thriller, the agent gave it a no go. It seems I write "too quiet" for the adult mystery/thriller genre. A suitable rewrite would require several more months of revamping.

No guns, no murder, no mayhem, no adventure = no chance.

I guess I'll stick with kids' books, but those have been called "too quiet" on occasion, too. That's probably why they remain piled on the agency desk.

I honestly don't know how to write any other way. I wish there was a way to channel my inner Sam Kinison.

Time to step away from the keyboard for a bit.

 

[Little Red Barn]

hey purgies. repp'd.

horrid day here; i lost a sweet neighbor; mother of two, a toddler and teen. coroner ruled it pneumonia.

 

[xiaotien]

i'm so sorry, vandal. =(
*hugs*

you could sub to small press yourself
and other bigger presses that don't require
agents?? that is tough.

kris and sunna, i believe persephone
actually ate SIX pomegrante seeds. and
she was required to stay a month in hell for
each seed that she ate. it was similar to perhaps
fey and eating the food of faries. it binds you.

it's just a rule of the world.

many later adaptations i've read have
suggested that persephone liked being
with hades just fine. and A1cestis had her
seducing another woman in hades. great read.

maryn, i thought you never talked politics?
you have the donald all figured out. ha!

inkie, what do the numbers say?

i saw that the majority of PoC voters
backed obama. i was a little surprised
by asian-am vote. i know quite a few
very conservative asian-ams. and my
own family is republican--though honestly,
i don't know if they truly know what that
even means. (at least, for my parents.)

 

[xiaotien]

oh kimmi! i'm so sorry!
that is terrible!!! *hugs*
the poor family and bubbies. =(

 

[Calla Lily]

{{{kimmi}}}

{{{vandal}}} so sorry.

 

[Vespertilion]

I'm so sorry, Kimmi.



The six seeds is the version I'm most familiar with, also. For the six months Persephone is with Hades, Demeter lets the earth wither and die, and then when Persephone returns to her mother in spring, Demeter's joy is reflected in the riotous growth and color.

Though Persephone was stolen, (the original meaning of the word "rape" is to abduct and carry off, hence "The Rape of Persephone") I never had the feeling she was treated badly by Hades. Of course she was captive, and resisted his "courtship", but much in the vein of the old, rapey Romances, I think it reflects the time period. Persephone had to resist, or she wasn't a good girl, or good daughter anymore.

She eats the six seeds, but it's really Demeter's tantrum that forces her return every spring--the gods pleaded with Hades to send her back to her mother, but since she'd eaten the pomegranate, he had legal/magical claim on her. I think it's in the Orpheus tale that Persephone was so moved by his playing, that it softened Hades such that he allowed Orpheus to try and take his wife back above. Not the most beautiful playing in the world, but his wife's weeping.

I was always glad that Hades was allowed that one beautiful thing, when he never wanted the burden of the underworld, but ruled justly anyway.

 

[FruitTree]

((Vandal)) ((LRB))

 

[Vespertilion]

*Hades tangent continues. Please scroll ahead*

I mean, he's the eldest brother, right? So he's been in Kronos' belly the longest. When he finally gets free, Zeus has already licked the mortal plane like a big biscuit, and Poseidon dives into the sea, which he knows is the largest kingdom that isn't, you know, the underworld. So that leaves the biggest fricking can of worms in the universe for him to govern, and someone has to do it.

Maybe he hoped that since it was technically full of people, being the king of the underworld wouldn't suck so much, maybe he knew. In Tartarus, he has to punish the wicked, so basically it's a bunch of whining and world-class woe. The shades in the Elysian Fields have no memory, so I can't think holding a conversation with a bubble-headed, perpetually blissed-out bunny is going to be any kind of stimulating. And can you imagine the regular shades? All they have to talk about is the living, and their own spent lives--it'd be like listening to a balding, fat, former HS football hero who never gave up his letter jacket, 24-7. He goes from one bleak, isolated belly to another.

He and his brothers are gods, so culturally, this whole rapine thing is kinda their bag. But who the hell is going to go for the king of the dead, no matter what guise he wears? Zeus is bouncing around as swans and showers of gold, dropping demi-god offspring left and right in front of Hera's nose. Poseidon's off making horses and giants, surrounded by nymphs and fucking with sailors for laughs.

What does Hades want? One girl in all the universe. One beautiful, warm, living thing. And he still doesn't get to have all of her, because he gets the one MIL in all the universe who can strip the earth of life completely.

Dude.

 

[Dragonstar]

((((Vandal))))

((((Kimmi))))

Off to the store.

 

[xiaotien]

love your tangent, clovia!

and zeus did much more damage
as far as "acquiring" women than hades
ever did.

 

[lwalker]

Clovia, I love that you know all of this. I remember it, reading your account, but could not have retrieved it from my brain for money.

(((((((((Kimmi)))))))))))) that's so shitty. I'm sorry, darlin.

Did I even tell y'all that my neighbor passed away 2 weeks ago? LOVELY sweet woman. 2 kids, one 20 and one 17. SO sad. I saw her hubby yesterday at the polls. Been going over there since I heard, but haven't caught him at home. Poor guy looks like he got hit my a truck. She had a variety of issues that the doctors just lost the ability to keep up with, and he said she decided to turn off the meds, but damn. Doesn't suck any less. Her daughter got married in the hospital room 2 days before she passed, so her mom could be there. I'm going to cry just typing that.

((((((((Vandal))))))))

 

[Tasmin21]

{{Kimmi}}

{{Vandl}}

{{LWalker}}

Clovia - I think you'd like my Hades & Persephone in Muse. (Y'know, if it ever sees the light of day)

 

[SteveCordero]

{{{Vandal}}}

{{{Kimmi}}}

{{{LW}}}

 

[OL]

{{Kimmi}}

{{Vandal}}

{{LWalker}}

I think what happened last night was...

You can't demonize a majority of the electorate and get away with it any more. You can't attack women, people of color, gays, union workers, environmentalists, etc. etc. etc. and think you're going to win. Demographics worked against the GOP last night and will continue to do so unless/until they come up with a message that is more inclusive. Saying "no" to any kind of forward progress and continuing to fight old battles for the sake of obstruction is also not a winner.

 

[xiaotien]

lisa, i think the republicans would have
had a really good shot if they had a better
candidate. but things didn't play out that
way.

cuddles, you have a persephone and
hades story? wow!

clovia, from rep, i feel you. i love a layered
antagonist myself. i love writing them more
than my heroines and heroes. ha!

1140 in faux nano words today.

proud. realized weekends are so filled
that i can't write on a weekend even if
i wanted to. must make the most of week
days this month.

 

[ink wench]

(((Vandal)))

(((LRB)))

I like Clovia's interpretation of the Persephone myth.

Might have some ideas on what's wrong with my WIP. We shall see....

 

[Red-Green]

Plus, wasn't Hades handicapped? (His legs got broken when Zeus threw him from the heavens.) So you really get the wounded hero thing there. (And one of the reasons I wrote my skanky fanfic as an echo of the Persephone/Hades story. Plus, Persephone is so much more compelling once she becomes complicit. She wants to go back but she wants to stay, too.)

*hugs* for Kimmi and LWalker and Vandal

 

[dystophil]

The former Latin major that is me rejoices in this discussion. Just saying.

I'd have more to add, but I've been slacking and I have to write stuff, and...ahhhh, cue: hopeless semester-wind-down flailing. Sorry everyone.

*pets and plies all of you with booze so you don't notice how useless I am*

 

[Vespertilion]

Plus, wasn't Hades handicapped? (His legs got broken when Zeus threw him from the heavens.) So you really get the wounded hero thing there. (And one of the reasons I wrote my skanky fanfic as an echo of the Persephone/Hades story. Plus, Persephone is so much more compelling once she becomes complicit. She wants to go back but she wants to stay, too.)

*hugs* for Kimmi and LWalker and Vandal

I think that's Hephaestus/Vulcan. He got shit on, too, but was so gifted the snooty olympians had to let him back in or not have all the pretties. BURN. (not you burn, pantheon burn.)

 

[Kris]

*Hades tangent continues. Please scroll ahead*

I mean, he's the eldest brother, right? So he's been in Kronos' belly the longest. When he finally gets free, Zeus has already licked the mortal plane like a big biscuit, and Poseidon dives into the sea, which he knows is the largest kingdom that isn't, you know, the underworld. So that leaves the biggest fricking can of worms in the universe for him to govern, and someone has to do it.

Maybe he hoped that since it was technically full of people, being the king of the underworld wouldn't suck so much, maybe he knew. In Tartarus, he has to punish the wicked, so basically it's a bunch of whining and world-class woe. The shades in the Elysian Fields have no memory, so I can't think holding a conversation with a bubble-headed, perpetually blissed-out bunny is going to be any kind of stimulating. And can you imagine the regular shades? All they have to talk about is the living, and their own spent lives--it'd be like listening to a balding, fat, former HS football hero who never gave up his letter jacket, 24-7. He goes from one bleak, isolated belly to another.

He and his brothers are gods, so culturally, this whole rapine thing is kinda their bag. But who the hell is going to go for the king of the dead, no matter what guise he wears? Zeus is bouncing around as swans and showers of gold, dropping demi-god offspring left and right in front of Hera's nose. Poseidon's off making horses and giants, surrounded by nymphs and fucking with sailors for laughs.

What does Hades want? One girl in all the universe. One beautiful, warm, living thing. And he still doesn't get to have all of her, because he gets the one MIL in all the universe who can strip the earth of life completely.

Dude.

Um???? This made me CRY. Why is Clovia so AWESOME???

You can't demonize a majority of the electorate and get away with it any more. You can't attack women, people of color, gays, union workers, environmentalists, etc. etc. etc. and think you're going to win. Demographics worked against the GOP last night and will continue to do so unless/until they come up with a message that is more inclusive. Saying "no" to any kind of forward progress and continuing to fight old battles for the sake of obstruction is also not a winner.

I want to say that in the name of true progress and change and inclusiveness we should listen to the real part of the Repub agenda, and dismiss the part that is pandering to 1) fear 2) nonsense 3) and expedience. We should patiently keep calling them on the bullshit (like the birth certificate thing, come on), but in an inclusive way.

But then also I'm like, who has the patience?

 

[Kris]

I'm thinking I need to add a Hades POV to my story.

God I should have asked you guys about this WEEKS ago!!!! *cries*

 

[Red-Green]

I think that's Hephaestus/Vulcan. He got shit on, too, but was so gifted the snooty olympians had to let him back in or not have all the pretties. BURN. (not you burn, pantheon burn.)

Oh right! I got confused with the whole hell/hades/flaming/blacksmith thought. Ha! This is why I'm good at making shit up, but not always good at remembering what other people made up.

I'm thinking I need to add a Hades POV to my story.

God I should have asked you guys about this WEEKS ago!!!! *cries*

Definitely. The collective Purgy brain is an astounding source of information. (And Clovia on her own is kinda scary-amazing.)

 

[Little Red Barn]

thank you everyone for your hugs. a dr.'s misdiagnosis sent her home, instead of to the hospital yesterday. her hubs couldn't waken. i'm just devastated for the children.

take care.

xx

 

[Kris]

thank you everyone for your hugs. a dr.'s misdiagnosis sent her home, instead of to the hospital yesterday. her hubs couldn't waken. i'm just devastated for the children.

take care.

xx

my landlord's best friend for, I think, 50 or more years, was mugged in the vestibule of our building.

doctors sent him home, and he died two days later.

I'm so sorry

 

[xiaotien]

TAS! i meant didnt know u
had a mythos novel? so cool!