Stellar Hidden Sunlight

[Daddydavek]

In a review, I wrote:
Daddydavek
Today, 11:13 AM

(Chapter 4 Review)

So many questions and so few answers.


Reply from Stellar (author)

The way you phrase that, I'm not sure whether you think it's a good thing or a bad thing! xD The phase the story is entering now will begin to see *some* answered.
____________________________________________________________________________________


It wasn't a comment that was meant to be negative or positive, just informative.

I do think you've set enough hooks, to keep us all coming back! Dave

Edited July 21, 2015 by Renee Stevens

[ryan jo]

I'm wondering if this thread was made for discussion of Stellar's story. We were trying to make a thread and realized one existed, but now I'm a little confused if we can actually discuss the story on here.

[Stellar]

May as well use it for that.

In a review, I wrote:

Daddydavek

Today, 11:13 AM

 

(Chapter 4 Review)

 

So many questions and so few answers.

 

 

Reply from Stellar (author)

 

The way you phrase that, I'm not sure whether you think it's a good thing or a bad thing! xD The phase the story is entering now will begin to see *some* answered.

____________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

It wasn't a comment that was meant to be negative or positive, just informative.

 

I do think you've set enough hooks, to keep us all coming back! Dave

 

I didn't realise this thread was here! Awesome. Yeah, I am balancing my propensity for being a mysterious bastard against the audience's desire for knowing the bigger picture. It's especially relevant when it's a science fiction theme and a lot of the interest revolves around what is really happening.

 

A big concern is that I'm going to mess that up and people will be frustrated. I hope that's not the case.

 

I'm wondering if this thread was made for discussion of Stellar's story. We were trying to make a thread and realized one existed, but now I'm a little confused if we can actually discuss the story on here.

 

Yeah, may as well use it for that since it's already here and all Better forum to use than the review section of the story since that's not a very good way of making dialogue.

Edited July 17, 2012 by Stellar

[Daddydavek]

May as well use it for that.

 

 

I didn't realise this thread was here! Awesome. Yeah, I am balancing my propensity for being a mysterious bastard against the audience's desire for knowing the bigger picture. It's especially relevant when it's a science fiction theme and a lot of the interest revolves around what is really happening.

 

A big concern is that I'm going to mess that up and people will be frustrated. I hope that's not the case.

 

 

 

Yeah, may as well use it for that since it's already here and all Better forum to use than the review section of the story since that's not a very good way of making dialogue.

 

I guess I should of PM'd you that I started the forum about your story but figured you'd stumble across it eventually!

 

Your story is just getting started so I don't think you have to worry about frustrating your audience just yet. So far the story has just raised several interesting questions. Hopefully, some of them get answered along the way!

[Daddydavek]

Chapter 5 does indeed answer some questions and provides the basis for a lot more answers. I still have several questions as to how Shay actually defended himself against the juvenile lizard and actually created Miro and what other powers he may have.

[Stellar]

Chapter 5 does indeed answer some questions and provides the basis for a lot more answers. I still have several questions as to how Shay actually defended himself against the juvenile lizard and actually created Miro and what other powers he may have.

 

*snip!*

 

(Chapter 5 Review)

 

Some questions answered, but not the one that I consider paramount. Shay is bright and he knew that he was in stasis, just not exactly how long. While he doesn't yet want to disclose that fact, he could very easily have told Konstantin and Lily that he lost track of time in their chaotic world and asked for the full date. Somehow, I think he will be surprised that much more than 7 months have passed......

 

The real important answers will come bit by bit. It is also a matter of the readers thinking a certain piece of information may be critical when in fact it is not, or the wrong emphasis had been placed on it by their perceptions. For me, good science fiction does contain some degree of misdirection, perhaps analogous to a puzzle with a trail of clues. The joy comes when it unravels and you realise just how right (or wrong) you were about the Big Things that were going on. Assumptions are then vindicated (or debunked!) The author in these situations should, I think, not be *too* obtuse about what they're trying to show, or then it becomes a farce because the audience doesn't see the connection.

 

Shay has been fearful from the start of giving out information about himself and you have rightly noted that he still doesn't want to tell anyone about the stasis part of his experience, simply because he believes it is going to cause more trouble for him and lead to danger. A belief that is based in his story being far fetched to begin with, and that no one will accept that in a world gone mad. Hence the compulsion to lie about it for the sake of self-preservation. As another reader aptly described it, maybe he is being a bit too clever, "in some ways too much for his own good as he continues to mask his reality to fit his presuppositions."

 

Indulge me on a tangent here ... if you have ever seen The Walking Dead (told you I loved apocalyptic fiction, didn't I?) there is a scene in Season 1 where the father figure of the survivors group, Dale, is asked by Morales why he winds his watch every day, "like a village priest saying Mass." Jacqui adds to this: "Unless I've misread the signs, the world seems to have come to an end. At least hit a speed bump for a good long while." The importance of such 'civilised' things has gone away with more pressing concerns of survival being all that matters. His behaviour isn't something that makes sense to the group because it seems out of place to them, unnecessary and irrelevant. "Time," responds Dale. "It's important to keep track, isn't it? The days at least." He then goes on to philosophise, quoting Faulkner to imply that he keeps winding his watch not because he is obsessed, but the opposite; so he can forget about it. Dale's situation isn't the same as Shay's, of course, but they share the same thing: they both represent the way things used to be - the old state of reality versus the new, and both have a very different perception of events because of this. The people that surround them don't have that view - not any more - and it most definitely shows.

 

After he awakes, Shay quickly places importance upon that idea of 'time' - after all, clearly more than the 5-7 days he intended to sleep for have passed. However, how much time has passed is NOT something that's important to the other characters on Lucere, and that's where Shay's presupposition leaps into action. He knows this. I must not talk about it because I'm just going to draw attention to myself. I will wait for a chance where I can find this out on my own.

 

That's what he does.

 

Also .. exactly how Mira was created and so forth? I can't really talk about that at all without some major spoilers. Though I am assuming here you are meaning the act of 'transformation' and what it entailed; not just his physical actions in fighting it, which were fairly well described.

[Daddydavek]

Thanks you have provided additional fodder for me to "chew" on for a bit. I hope the next installment is up quickly! Dave

[Myr]

Interesting. I look forward to seeing where you are going.

[NaperVic]

I'm really enjoying this story, thanks!

[Stellar]

Interesting. I look forward to seeing where you are going.

 

I'm really enjoying this story, thanks!

 

Thanks Vic and Myr for the comments and reviews It's a work in progress, as you can see, but I'd like to think I'm on the right track.

[Myr]

Just to note, you have some serious formatting issues. It looks 'okay' but the code is a nightmare. Two things you need to correct: 1) double spacing between paragraphs. 2) The font resizing tools on top "A-" and "A+" do not work because you are some how setting font.

[Dr. John NYC]

I agree with you, Stellar, that there is a fine balance that needs to be maintained between too obtuse and too explicit in science fiction -- and also in the expressions of romantic love (to your question at the end of the last chapter). Personally, I find your balance quite good. Not that I would not occasionally like more details especially in the science fiction dimension, but mostly it just encourages me to re-read sections to try to extract as much insight as possible and to be patient for the next chapters. I am glad to see Shay and Mira finally connected physically. The fact that Mira also spoke and let Shay know that he understands him was very interesting to connect to the physical connection that has been created. Thanks again for a very intriguing story and some special characters!

 

PS: I am curious to see how Carlos turns out: is this Carlos the real one or is he acting, too. He seems too raw to be acting, but then you suprised us with Sofie.

[Stellar]

Just to note, you have some serious formatting issues. It looks 'okay' but the code is a nightmare. Two things you need to correct: 1) double spacing between paragraphs. 2) The font resizing tools on top "A-" and "A+" do not work because you are some how setting font.

 

Thanks for the heads up. In the process of fixing that now, should hopefully be sorted soon.

 

I agree with you, Stellar, that there is a fine balance that needs to be maintained between too obtuse and too explicit in science fiction -- and also in the expressions of romantic love (to your question at the end of the last chapter). Personally, I find your balance quite good. Not that I would not occasionally like more details especially in the science fiction dimension, but mostly it just encourages me to re-read sections to try to extract as much insight as possible and to be patient for the next chapters. I am glad to see Shay and Mira finally connected physically. The fact that Mira also spoke and let Shay know that he understands him was very interesting to connect to the physical connection that has been created. Thanks again for a very intriguing story and some special characters!

 

PS: I am curious to see how Carlos turns out: is this Carlos the real one or is he acting, too. He seems too raw to be acting, but then you suprised us with Sofie.

 

The best praise for me from anyone is that my characterisation is believable, that they actually seem like real people. If I've achieved that, then I feel very happy with what I've done, since the rest of it feels simple by comparison.

 

Ah, Carlos. Makes you wonder about everyone's motives, huh?

[Former Member]

I found this story the other day and I have to say that I'm hooked. I'm a sucker for good sci-fi, which seems to be fairly rare these days--especially with gay (or any alternative sexuality) characters. I look forward to reading more!

[Stellar]

I found this story the other day and I have to say that I'm hooked. I'm a sucker for good sci-fi, which seems to be fairly rare these days--especially with gay (or any alternative sexuality) characters. I look forward to reading more!

 

Hey Karcist, thanks for checking it out. Glad you found it to your liking. Your comment about the lack of scifi with plausible gay characterisation is interesting (and I think true, to a large degree). I know the tags for the story description include 'gay' and the genre says 'Romance' (amongst other things) .. but honestly? I don't really think of my protagonist and his partner-in-crime as having a very developed sense of sexual identity. It's all sort of .. incidental and not really front-and-centre to their lives, though naturally falling in love with someone of the same gender does tend to make one question quite a few things that were previously just assumed. But I do know what you mean. There needs to be more quality writing in the genre. Here's hoping.

 

Anyhow, Chapter 7 is under construction, though I couldn't give you a timeframe on when it would be done.

Edited July 29, 2012 by Stellar

[Former Member]

Hey Karcist, thanks for checking it out. Glad you found it to your liking. Your comment about the lack of scifi with plausible gay characterisation is interesting (and I think true, to a large degree). I know the tags for the story description include 'gay' and the genre says 'Romance' (amongst other things) .. but honestly? I don't really think of my protagonist and his partner-in-crime as having a very developed sense of sexual identity. It's all sort of .. incidental and not really front-and-centre to their lives, though naturally falling in love with someone of the same gender does tend to make one question quite a few things that were previously just assumed. But I do know what you mean. There needs to be more quality writing in the genre. Here's hoping.

 

Anyhow, Chapter 7 is under construction, though I couldn't give you a timeframe on when it would be done.

 

Ah! I very much dig your response. The story is the essential part, and I love the story! I totally understand what you mean about the 'incidental' part. In my view I write stories and sometimes the characters fall in love with someone of the same gender and sometimes the opposite. It could change at any time--I don't really have a say I guess. But the thing I find appealing is the freedom from the constraining labels of heterosexuality (and really at the same time, homosexuality). People are people and life is fluid, so are characters! I very much admire your approach. Hopefully I'm not coming across as a confusing mess.

 

I'm looking forward to the next installment! Eager waiting is the best seasoning for a new chapter.

[Daddydavek]

Over 200 hundred years in stasis! I was figuring maybe 10. Wow that rocked me.

 

Miro! Just keeps getting more and more interesting.

[Stellar]

Over 200 hundred years in stasis! I was figuring maybe 10. Wow that rocked me.

 

Miro! Just keeps getting more and more interesting.

 

That was the intention. There is more where that came from too!

 

I feel compelled here to note: it's Mira not Miro .. someone else was spelling it that way as well, I have no idea why. Maybe it's from a phonetic pronunciation or something He is, however, a very unique character, with a lot going on inside him.

[Daddydavek]

That was the intention. There is more where that came from too!

 

I feel compelled here to note: it's Mira not Miro .. someone else was spelling it that way as well, I have no idea why. Maybe it's from a phonetic pronunciation or something He is, however, a very unique character, with a lot going on inside him.

 

Miro rhymes with hero, and that's how I kind of view him from Shay's perspective. Besides, my main defense is that I am bad with names!

[RobV]

This story keeps getting more and more awesome. It's one of those stories that is so well written and plotted that you can imagine it as a TV series or movie. I've become very engrossed and am always excited when a new chapter is posted. Keep up the great work!

[Bleu]

This is a fantastic and extremely well-written story. I was hooked from the first chapter.

 

Thanks so much for it. I look forward to the next chapters.

[Stellar]

Miro rhymes with hero, and that's how I kind of view him from Shay's perspective. Besides, my main defense is that I am bad with names!

 

That's a good defence! I use it in real life all the time; conversely my memory for fictional characters is far more impressive. Yep, a brain that cares more about Imagination-Land than Real-World .. that's me!

 

This story keeps getting more and more awesome. It's one of those stories that is so well written and plotted that you can imagine it as a TV series or movie. I've become very engrossed and am always excited when a new chapter is posted. Keep up the great work!

 

Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying it. The 'TV series or movie' analogy has been used before to describe my writing, so there must be something to it. I think in part because though it's constructed as a book format, in my mind, I often feel I am writing a screenplay for a TV serial, both in terms of how the 'camera', the eye of perspective, shifts (even if it is first person) all the way through to dialogue and dramatic moments. It's not even an intentional thing really, I guess I just consider it how I best interpret my creative energy. Noted, traditionally I have been a third-person writer, so this does feel like more of a challenge to do in first POV.

 

This is a fantastic and extremely well-written story. I was hooked from the first chapter.

 

Thanks so much for it. I look forward to the next chapters.

 

Thank you much! More is under production.

Edited August 13, 2012 by Stellar

[khasidi]

In response to the "Oh snap!" question, I figured out that hundreds (maybe thousands) of years of years would go by while Shay was in the machine the minute I read, "suspended animation," in the first chapter. It was just a question of how long it would take Shay to figure it out.

 

Also, it was pretty clear, after Mira appeared, that the sharplings were post-viral humans. My big question is, how long do the sharplings live? Is it possible that Shay's parents are still living as sharpllings?

 

Also, what was the emmination of warmth that got rid of the virus in Mira?

Edited August 31, 2012 by khasidi

[Stellar]

In response to the "Oh snap!" question, I figured out that hundreds (maybe thousands) of years of years would go by while Shay was in the machine the minute I read, "suspended animation," in the first chapter. It was just a question of how long it would take Shay to figure it out.

 

Also, it was pretty clear, after Mira appeared, that the sharplings were post-viral humans. My big question is, how long do the sharplings live? Is it possible that Shay's parents are still living as sharpllings?

 

Also, what was the emmination of warmth that got rid of the virus in Mira?

 

The wording around that "suspended animation" need not have warranted anything, simply because the suspended animation Shay was to endure was already described as temporary. The amazing part is the length, and no, centuries isn't the natural human expectation; not to mention the more important fact that it is impossible.to stay in stasis indefinitely. So ... *how*?

 

Your assertion about the sharpelings was made implicitly (or explicitly? I don't remember) obvious quite early on. About their lifespan, no comment on that. I will say though that no, there is no chance his parents are alive. This is a fact. They are dead.

 

Lastly: the *emanated warmth .. indeed, what is that!? It's a rather important thing! Information connecting that part of the story will come in the next couple chapters

[Bleu]

Just 'checking in' to say that your story continues to be immensely enjoyable. It's excellent stuff (plot, writing, character development...)