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Underground > Creation >

The Thing From Beyond Time

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22:07 / 26.05.02

The thing that doesn't sit well with me is the whole butterfly collector idea. I'm not against it it's just that it might seem pointless in the end. I mean it's perfectly okay if him being a buttefly collector has no effect on the story but we must come up with a bit more detail for his background.

All we know so far is that he lives in boston, works in a possibly private library and likes to collect butterflies. Well, what else is there to him?

Btw, I'll be starting my own version of this.

22:12 / 26.05.02

Hmm... what I say sounds like criticism. Well, it's not meant to be criticism. I'm just throwing ideas around... but what I'd really appreciate if somebody could make a quick list of the characters and their respective blogs.

00:58 / 27.05.02

The characters so far:

Arthur Blake, librarian, butterfly collector and future discoverer of things beyond the ken of mortals. Lives in Boston. His weblog , run by Captain Zoom.

Minty, additional names unknown, his future love interest? Witty, acerbic, works with spreadsheets at unknown company in Boston area. Went on quasi-date with Nobles, the "guy who cleans up our offices", friends with Jeremy, friends with Dana from college, enemies with R., "the Dumb Bastard". Her weblog, run by grant.

Stephen Peterson, Arthur's ex-dormmate from college. His weblog, run by Elijah D MixMasta.

02:07 / 27.05.02

Lionheart, I hear you about the butterflies. Especially with them both being butterfly people. I don't think it's at the heart of the mystery though. I think Zoom just saw it as a possible way for the two of them to have met.

13:21 / 27.05.02

So when is Arthur's journal going to go live then?

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

22:15 / 27.05.02

Gimme a couple of days to sort out my real life shit, then they'll have a new friend. I like this "multiple journals" idea- in some ways it could hinder consistency, but if handled right, could make consistency easier- different writing styles etc. makes a lot more sense if it's different people...

22:20 / 27.05.02

I'm putting Arthur up tomorrow (as long as I'm not Mr. Prcrastination tomorrow), though I don't want to claim exclusivity with Art. If anyone else wants to post in his journal it's all good. Or if we'd like to keep a consistent voice, give me suggestions, that way I can ghost write everyone's ideas under one voice.

Zoom.

14:51 / 28.05.02

- in some ways it could hinder consistency, but if handled right, could make consistency easier-

It could get pretty messy if - as seems to be happening to a certain extent - everyone starts their own journal..

14:59 / 28.05.02

Zoom, I mean, you *know* that Arthur will be an early Pink Floyd enthusiastic, right?? ;D

15:21 / 28.05.02

Hey, I see him as more of a HP Lovecraft (the psychedelic band) fan. Nobody will ever catch o .. nah, actually maybe not..

15:40 / 28.05.02

(pssssst. s´just a joke.)

18:50 / 28.05.02

At some point in the future, we could ask Tom if we can register Arthur here, and he can come across this thread and start freaking out because it sounds like someone's writing his life.

That'd be funny. And completely unworkable. But funny.

Zoom.

20:22 / 28.05.02

Some more random thoughts.

Okay, so Art's 23 or 24. Let's say 24, just out of college with Communications and History. Works in a library. Does have a social life, just not a very active one. (Will be introducing a character named "Adam" who is a friend of his shortly) (If that's cool with y'all). Collects butterflies. Is Boston a particularly good place to do this, or is he frustrated with the lack of places to pursue his hobby?

I think he's into all kinds of music. I am trying to keep away from autobiography, but it's just the way the character is feeling to me. Mildly anit-social, but fairly open-minded.

As far as Jade's question about the horror to come, I think we need to keep it as ambiguous as possible. While Lovecraft's protagonists always fell victim to some slobbering horror, I think a more modern approach shows the victim slowly unbalancing to the point where you're not sure if he just went insane or was actually eaten or something. Have him hear noises, see odd things out of the corner of his eyes, but never describe what they are. If he were to come out and say it was a big, bug-eyed beastie of some sort, we lose credibility. In the end, I am firmly convinced that Arthur will be taken or killed or what have you by something not of this earth, but we don't want the reader to be so sure.

How do we get Arthur and Minty together? What is their connection? There've been a few suggestions, but I think I like the old home-town friend one best. Let's decide where they both grew up, or have we already. I'll have to beg off this one as my American geography is absolutely terrible.

Anyway, just some thoughts.

Zoom.

20:25 / 28.05.02

Also, do Stephen and Arthur keep in touch, live in the same city? ARe they still friends, or is Stephen going to be someone who comes in a bit later?

Zoom.

Elijah, Freelance Rabbi

22:40 / 28.05.02

i see stephen as the post university dead end job geek that nothing interesting ever happens to until his old pal arthur from school phones him up with some odd happening back at the old school, and perhaps they shared a strange exp while at the oh so lovecraftian uni. MIT offers "underground" tours of the underground areas of the campus, someone mentioned urban exploration earlier, perhaps we could combine urban exp into thier school years, a reason for arthur to call stephen when he starts finding strange crap beneath the streets...

22:52 / 28.05.02

Even though the idea was mine ... I agree with Lionheart that something does sound fishy, unlikely, about Art and Minty both having an interest in butterflies.

Zoom, I still like the idea of the two just bumping into each other and things happenin'.

01:00 / 29.05.02

Try this:

Since Minty's been out to a couple of clubs, let's have them meet there, or at a party thrown by a neighbor.

Art's hanging out in back nursing a beer in a plastic cup. Minty flirts w/ him because he's the anti-StupidHead ex-boyfriend mentioned in her 1st post.

For one of them (your pick) the encounter's a big deal, gets big write up. For the other one, it's total nonchalance.

Later, they keep running into each other at (laundry, diner, the inside of a monument in one of Boston's public parks, the Nature Store, etc.). A week or so later, their roles have reversed--the initially nonchalant one is now really fascinated, the one who was really knocked out starts being coy...

19:20 / 29.05.02

ahahahahahahaha.

I was going to say something but then I read the reply to Art's first livejournal post and I can't stop laughing.

This is why Zoom will have to reply that he works in somebody's private library. Let's say... an Albert Schmidt. Rare book collector.

19:48 / 29.05.02

It ain't nice to laugh, lionheart

.

Private library? Does that make sense? Help here people, 'cause I have no knowledge of the Boston area. Do you think there's any private libraries large enough to warrant a full/part-time employee?

Zoom.

19:52 / 29.05.02

What about the Atheneum in Boston? It's a members only library. You've got to pay fees and all that.

Here's the website for the library.

Unless the person who posted in Arthur's journal has a membership, you should be ok.

20:14 / 29.05.02

Gotta be careful there. What if someone in Boston who's a member has a livejournal? Slim chance, I know, but a chance nonetheless. Perhaps a completely private library is the best idea.

Zoom.

20:23 / 29.05.02

Yeah, there is that problem. I've looked around for a listing of privately owned collections that aren't on display somewhere and I'm coming up empty.

So I suppose you're going to have to come up with some crotchety old recluse with an unlisted phone number that simply tolerates Arthur's being there because the poor old guy can't take care of his books himself. You know, dusting, making sure the bindings are still secure, rebinding the books if necessary.

20:53 / 29.05.02

I like that idea, Trijhaos. Although, it's one of those ideas that is almost too good. It sounds more like fun fiction than mundane life.

He could also be a law librarian or a medical librarian or a corporate librarian. Every law firm, hospital, and corporation has at least one if not twenty.

I know a lot of librarians, and many of them keep blogs. There's kind of a network of them.

20:57 / 29.05.02

oh, and about the "complete waste of his education part." Librarians have masters degrees (in library science) and usually make between $40,000-100,000 per year. What I'm saying is, no librarian would say that being a librarian is a waste of his education, unless he had some really advanced degrees in something more esoteric. Being a librarian doesn't just mean shelving books and checking them out (in fact that work is usually done by library assistants).

20:59 / 29.05.02

I noticed that after I posted. I had just finished watching Finding Forrester, thus the recluse idea.

The private individual could be a friend of the family. It'd give Arthur a good reason to be in this individual's private library. I mean, how many people are just going to hire somebody off the street and let them touch their beautiful books with their germy little hands.

Arthur's supposed to be kind of shy and introverted, right? Well shy introverted folk kind of have trouble getting work. I think the chance to work at this person's house without going through the whole fill out an application, do follow-ups, and go through an interview deal would appeal to arthur.

21:42 / 29.05.02

I think we established his education as being in Communications and History.
zoom.

01:02 / 30.05.02

Uhm. Why would private libraries be listed in the phonebook? I mean, they're private libraries. It's some rich guy, probably a rare book collector, (if a name is needed then check previous post) who hired Art to take care of it. A friend of the family is a good idea. Or maybe somebody whom Art met at some museum.

01:14 / 30.05.02

By the way, I just checked out all the blogs and livejournals. Very cool. Nobody suspects a thing. Woo-hoo!!!

Elijah, Freelance Rabbi

11:52 / 30.05.02

ok, yestereday set stephen up with a history of urban exploration, today so far made hints that his roomate at univ wasnt much of the ladies man, which sets up a neat role reversal if things go well for art and minty

17:05 / 30.05.02

Can I just for a moment tell you how guilty I felt completely lying to that person who left the comment on Art's lj.

Okay, I'm over it now, it just felt a bit odd, that's all.

Zoom.

17:14 / 30.05.02

Lying? It's not lying, its creative writing. If someone happens to believe that Arthur's real; so be it. It's not hurting anybody.

The thing you might want to be careful of is somebody inviting Arthur out for drinks or something.

"Hey, you seem like an interesting guy, how 'bout we meet up somewhere. I know this great club...."

It could happen.

17:19 / 30.05.02

Yeah, I've been crafting responses to such questions. I don't want to set anyone up to go out and not have our fictional character meet up with them. That's just mean. We'll just have to make sure Art is kinda cool and icy. And once he starts going loopy, no one's going to invite him out anyway.

So, I've got a couple of mundane things up. Anyone want to add anything?

Zoom.

17:24 / 30.05.02

Don't make him cool and icy! Then people won't read his journal!

Instead make him busy. And later on in the story make him get very involved in investigating whatever Lovecraftian things which have been thrown his way.

17:26 / 30.05.02

Actually, is there anybody in the Boston area willing to play Arthur or would that be taking this thing a bit too far?

I can kind of see somebody actually getting attached to Arthur and when something bad happens the cops investigating the disappearance and all that.

That probably wouldn't be very good.

18:07 / 30.05.02

Okay, no icy and cool.

Trijhaos, not to worry. At the very end of the story, assuming it ever does, we reveal it's all been a fiction all along, thank everyone for playing and disappear.

Zoom.

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