If we had to choose one theme, what would you say is the major theme in Friends of Foes?
One against the world.
I love the theme of the individual who is part of a community and plays a major role in that group that involves a lot of responsibility, yet who still wants/needs to stand as an individual and to craft his own life.
We get this theme from several characters.
That’s interesting. I don’t really see this as an individual’s story, but more of a story about how people come together as a community, especially when times are hard. But yes, I guess we get the individual having to play their part in a community.
Who were the characters you were thinking of?
I was thinking primarily of Alex. I keep comparing him to Hamlet. It seems like he carries the weight of the family and the country on his shoulders.
I think of him as facing up to his destiny: he knows he won't have an "ordinary" life, and I feel that, while he's accepted that, and he's willing to shoulder the responsibility, he also wants to make sure that he doesn't sacrifice his own personal life, his happiness. To me, that conflict is what the story is about. So he makes sure that he finds a way to have his friendship with Henry--to care for his own emotional needs--while still doing what he needs to do as the king.
I know some readers weren't so keen on Alex proposing to Henry. What are your thoughts on that?
I love it! I adore these two together, and their relationship definitely fits with the theme I mention above.
Aw thanks. I think you’re in the minority there. But yes they make a pretty good team.
What sub-plot do you think is going to be important?
Yes! Dogs! Dogs For Mayor!
I also want to seem more with Adrian--but that's my own wishes more than what I feel will be important.
I'm also interested in Henry's intellectual life, and I hope this becomes a sub-plot.
Lol! XD We will get more of Loki because we’re going to get more of Analisa.
As for Adrian, you’ll be happy to know this Saturday’s chapter will be featuring her quite a bit.
Henry’s intellectual life. I think you may be disappointed. Because of his situation with the Sweglords, he’s not going to have much of an intellectual life… necessarily. It depends whether you count his role in the war as him exercising his intellectual ability.
The chapter, Henry and the Prince features both Alex and Henry on the beach in Windenburg and Alex declares his eternal friendship for Henry. On the same beach years later, Alex proposes to Henry. What is the significance of having that scene on the same beach?
Yeah, it's awesome! It was definitely part of Alex's planning. He seems to really care about the symbolism of his actions. Place is very important to him--so I get the impression that he puts a lot of thought into what wil happen where, and he tends to seem to like to orchestrate events so that things happen where he wants them to happen!
Yesssss you noticed that. I’m so happy. Thanks. Place is sooo important to Alex. It’s also an echo of how important the rivers were in ancient history, especially in the stories of Alexander. They were important because being near a river meant there was food and water.
But to Alex, the river is also important because the river symbolizes the way home.
Yes Alex does like to orchestrate events. He likes stability because he’s quite unstable himself. Which sort of makes him like a river, because a river is unpredictable making it potentially dangerous.
Alex never talks about or mentions his dad. I'm curious to know if you've noticed this and whether this raises any questions or theories?
Oh, true! Very curious! I hadn't thought about it other than to think of Alex as having come up in a matriarchy...
Yes. He sort of has been brought up in a matriarchy. All the powerful figures around him tend to be women. Aunty, mama, grandma, great grandma. Tbh, I hadn’t thought about it until bookclub which was why I asked the question to see if anyone else had noticed.
Alex and Mama are always shot in Alex's room. In fact, even in the latest chapter the screenshots of Alex remembering his mother are still of her in his room. XD
What do you think this tells us about their relationship and does this hinder or strengthen the theory that mama is a hallucination of Alex?
Oooh! Also cool! The conversations between Mama and Alex are very nurturing and also intimate--true mother-son conversations, so it makes sense that they would occur in his room, where others wouldn't intrude.
I'm not part of the hallucination-school. I tend to believe that everything happens as it happens in here, with the exception that we hear bits and pieces from unreliable narrators, so we do need to sort that out. But I take all the events and characters pretty literally.
Oh awesome. Really? I’m glad you think so. Mama and Alex together are hard. XD
Yes. It is an intimate place, the bedroom. In fact I bet it’s not an uncommon place for parents and children to have their private conversations. Especially if they want to ensure no unwanted family members barge in. XD
Ahhh yess. Someone who believes they’re real. Oh yes, the unreliable narrators. *Cough* Paris *Cough* XD
What are your thoughts on the way the dialogue is written?
I like it! We get the characters' perspectives, their humor (or lack of), their dynamics, and their plans. I like that the characters revisit events in different conversations and I enjoy the scheming, especially.
Aw thanks. Yeah, the referring back to the events are for the reader’s benefits as well, since there’s so much going on. XD
Who do you think is the main character in this story or do you think there are more than one?
Adrian!
No, seriously, Alex. He's at the center, and most everything revolves around him. In fact, this supports the hallucination-theory, in a way. But I still don't read it as such: It also supports a classical theatrical view, where the protagonist stands at the center of the action.
Ah yes. Tbh there is no right or wrong answer for this. I think Alex and Henry are technically the main characters together. It’s more to do with personal opinion and which character you find more intriguing. I guess it’s like the Great Gatsby where there is
ongoing debate whether the narrator is the protagonist or the Great Gatsby himself.
Yeah, Alex is the centre of the action, but that doesn’t necessarily make it his story. How the centre effects the others is just as important as the centre itself.
But yes, Alex is a significant character and is getting a lot of attention in these latest chapters. XD
We’ll be moving back to Henry soon though.
Is there anything in Friends of Foes you really want to know more about?
Adrian!
I really love the politics and discovering how they unfold. I also love finding out the back-stories. So far, the way the story has unfolded (and with its particular narrative structure), I feel that I'll learn everything I need to know, and what I don't learn, I'm free to fill in. So that gives me a lot of confidence as a reader.
I would like to know if there's a parallel character to Aristotle, though!
Lol! Yes, I guess we’ll be discovering more about Adrian. XD
Yesss we will be seeing the Aristotle character soon actually, but I can’t say he’s much of a big focus. *Sorry XD* I am aware how important Aristotle is, but I do have to make priorities. I’ve made his moments worthwhile though… hopefully. XD
Awesome! I'm really excited to meet this character--and it's fine for it to be a minor character. I mean, I think that Aristotle was actually influential but minor in Alexander's life (and I also have the feeling that Alexander was a major character in Aristotle's life...)
I love it! I was going to bring this up independently. After my long reading session yesterday, that was one of two* things that stood out to me. It's a very post-modern style, it seems to me.
I was also intrigued to hear about the research you've done for this. In a lot of ways, this story unfolds the way history does for scholars--we get snippets through reading literature of the time (plays, novels, poems, nonfiction), we get pieces through researching one subject or another, we get bits as we read in one discipline that end up leading us into another discipline (especially with the Classics, since all the disciplines connected back then), and we end up piecing together things from what we read and from our imagination. We also get to sift through different versions, wondering which is most accurate, and in which way, and we get to sort through different perspectives, often from unreliable sources. The reader is very much a participant in constructing the story (or at least, in putting it together), and I love being invited to participate in this way!
Ahhh Post-modernism. Hehe I am not always a fan of reading it so I had to laugh when you said it is post-modern. XD
I think you’re right though.
I was actually trying to echo or create the impression of what scholars have to do when they’re researching ancient history. It was all part of the echoing Alexander the Great. Although, because I do give my characters a lot of freedom, I would say it’s more of an impression of Alexander the Great than an actual echoe.
I’m so glad you picked up on it though. I think I may have squealed. Yeah. I’m admitting it. *Guilty face*
The qualities that I identify as being post-modern are these:
The result is that the story feels "unpacked," and the reader is required to pack it up again. This type of reading experience feels very post-modern.
There's also a quality of intellectual buoyancy + irreverence + irony + genuine love that feels like it creates a mood of post-modern hope: that's a kind of hope that can exist even when one sees through the absurdity of it all. To me, it's a very human feeling, and I love it very much.
The recreation of the scholar's work is also very post-modern, I think--and it's my favorite aspect of the story.
(I'm kind of a geek with a few historical figures, mostly Thoreau and crew, and so I love to enjoy glimpses into another history geek's imaginations about historical figures.)
What are your thoughts on the Sweaty Shivers pandemic? How much of a threat do you think it is to the characters in the story?
I love that Sweaty Shivers is tied to over-population. Like me, @Simscognito often seems to be aware of environmental issues/threats in the background, and I really like this! I think that the pandemic will affect the overall society quite a bit (maybe leading to immigrant issues), and there may be a personal affect or two.
Oh yes. That is very insightful. The over-population is also a reference to Alexander the Great and Typhoid fever. There was an outbreak which effected his men and someone very special to him, and Alexander was possibly a carrier.
I was wondering if this chapter gives you a new perspective on Henry and The Prince?
Well, it sort of ties in with what we know already.
It does give me more insight into Alex's almost amoral attitude towards murder of relatives! Especially those who've been unpleasant.
Ohhh dear. Alex not in your goodbooks either. Poor Alex. Hehe, sorry.
Just remember what you’ve been talking about earlier. You haven’t got all the information.
Wait, wait! I adore Alex! For me, his amorality is intriguing and really fascinating. I love his glee. I'm a huge fan.
*the other element that stood out to me was the dominant effect of nature--Granite Falls and the beach, in particular, are such strong settings, very central to the story, physically and metaphorically.
Yess you noticed this too? *Cog does a dance*
Not sure if I have much else to say about that since we’ve just been discussing this but yeah. Granite Falls, nature, rivers and beaches are incredibly important to Alex and Henry and they tie into the themes of the story.
Yeah. I love how grounded in place the story is. Sims' stories, especially, feel really neat to me when the world they're set in figures in strongly.
(I think we might want to talk about this with the Vet Chronicles, since they also feel very much part of the place to me...)
@CathyTea thanks so much for your response. You should swing by my thread some time. We had a conversation a few months ago, I think, about the comparisons between Alex and Hamlet.
And you're right. I've always had the feeling that Alex needs Henry more than Henry needs Alex, but I don't think that means they love eachother any less.
Anyway, I won't comment any further because we've moved on but I love the post modernism discussion. I've never thought of this as a post modern style.
And yasss you can geek out with me anytime.
Sweet I'll stop talking now and thanks so much for this. Got me really thinking about this story in a new light.
Also @Simslover163 excited to discuss your story. I started it a while back but I noticed I hadn't finished. I think I missed the updates or something. Dangabit Wordpress. I like how you set the story around a vet.
Okay I think I've got a question for CathyTea, why this setting?
@CathyTea thanks so much for your response. You should swing by my thread some time. We had a conversation a few months ago, I think, about the comparisons between Alex and Hamlet.
And you're right. I've always had the feeling that Alex needs Henry more than Henry needs Alex, but I don't think that means they love eachother any less.
Anyway, I won't comment any further because we've moved on but I love the post modernism discussion. I've never thought of this as a post modern style.
And yasss you can geek out with me anytime.
Sweet I'll stop talking now and thanks so much for this. Got me really thinking about this story in a new light.
Also @Simslover163 excited to discuss your story. I started it a while back but I noticed I hadn't finished. I think I missed the updates or something. Dangabit Wordpress. I like how you set the story around a vet.
Okay I think I've got a question for CathyTea, why this setting?
@CathyTea thanks so much for your response. You should swing by my thread some time. We had a conversation a few months ago, I think, about the comparisons between Alex and Hamlet.
And you're right. I've always had the feeling that Alex needs Henry more than Henry needs Alex, but I don't think that means they love eachother any less.
Anyway, I won't comment any further because we've moved on but I love the post modernism discussion. I've never thought of this as a post modern style.
And yasss you can geek out with me anytime.
Sweet I'll stop talking now and thanks so much for this. Got me really thinking about this story in a new light.
Also @Simslover163 excited to discuss your story. I started it a while back but I noticed I hadn't finished. I think I missed the updates or something. Dangabit Wordpress. I like how you set the story around a vet.
Okay I think I've got a question for CathyTea, why this setting?
oh that story. the other one makes me hungry.
@friendsfan367 you made me second guess myself. I thought I got the wrong simLit for a moment.
@CathyTea thanks so much for your response. You should swing by my thread some time. We had a conversation a few months ago, I think, about the comparisons between Alex and Hamlet.
And you're right. I've always had the feeling that Alex needs Henry more than Henry needs Alex, but I don't think that means they love eachother any less.
Anyway, I won't comment any further because we've moved on but I love the post modernism discussion. I've never thought of this as a post modern style.
And yasss you can geek out with me anytime.
Sweet I'll stop talking now and thanks so much for this. Got me really thinking about this story in a new light.
Also @Simslover163 excited to discuss your story. I started it a while back but I noticed I hadn't finished. I think I missed the updates or something. Dangabit Wordpress. I like how you set the story around a vet.
Okay I think I've got a question for CathyTea, why this setting?
oh that story. the other one makes me hungry.
@friendsfan367 you made me second guess myself. I thought I got the wrong simLit for a moment.
good that means i got you for the henry thing . he aged almost as fast as real kids.
@CathyTea thanks so much for your response. You should swing by my thread some time. We had a conversation a few months ago, I think, about the comparisons between Alex and Hamlet.
And you're right. I've always had the feeling that Alex needs Henry more than Henry needs Alex, but I don't think that means they love eachother any less.
Anyway, I won't comment any further because we've moved on but I love the post modernism discussion. I've never thought of this as a post modern style.
And yasss you can geek out with me anytime.
Sweet I'll stop talking now and thanks so much for this. Got me really thinking about this story in a new light.
Also @Simslover163 excited to discuss your story. I started it a while back but I noticed I hadn't finished. I think I missed the updates or something. Dangabit Wordpress. I like how you set the story around a vet.
Okay I think I've got a question for CathyTea, why this setting?
oh that story. the other one makes me hungry.
@friendsfan367 you made me second guess myself. I thought I got the wrong simLit for a moment.
good that means i got you for the henry thing . he aged almost as fast as real kids.
You mean Henry's shift from teen hood to ya hood? XD he's got two ya hairstyles too. XD
@CathyTea, that's a great question! Yes, I thought about the settings as I planned my chapters. I wanted to give my readers a feeling they're in the world as they read.
When I was figuring out where to place my Sim's home lot for the challenge, I was going to place it in Brindleton Bay. The rules read that I can place my Sim's home lot and clinic anywhere and doesn't have to live and work in Brindleton Bay. I thought about the beautiful and European style scenery in Windenburg and decided to place her home there. Her vet was to be built in Brindleton Bay because like Windenburg, it's about the scenery and the fact that lots of cats and dogs roam around the town, which allowed Maple to make friends with them quickly.
I really love this story, and all of Simslover's stories, so I'm very much looking forward to talking about this with you!
Questions for Readers:
1) How would you describe the mood of the story? How do you feel when you read it?
2) What do you think of the "Chapter A Day" approach? Have you ever tried this?
3) Let's talk People and Pets! Who are your favorite people that Maple has met? Who are your favorite pets (strays, included)?
4) What are your thoughts about how the challenge shapes the story? Have you written any challenge-stories, and if so, how did you notice that the story being shaped by the challenge you played? What does a challenge bring to a story?
5) What questions do you have for other readers and for the writer?
---
Questions for the Writer:
1) How would you describe the mood of your story? In what ways is this mood similar or different from the moods of your other stories?
2) How do you like the "Chapter A Day" approach? What are the strengths? Does it present any specific challenges or limitations?
3) How do decide who Maple will befriend and which pets she will adopt? I love how she seems to love everyone, two and four-legged, included! Was this a conscious decision of yours, or did it just happen?
4) How do you notice the ways that the challenge shapes the story? How does the challenge shape the specific Sims (two and four-legged)?
5) Question from @LegacySims2017 : Is there going to be a love interest for Maple? Leander perhaps?
I really love this story, and all of Simslover's stories, so I'm very much looking forward to talking about this with you!
Questions for Readers:
1) How would you describe the mood of the story? How do you feel when you read it?
2) What do you think of the "Chapter A Day" approach? Have you ever tried this?
3) Let's talk People and Pets! Who are your favorite people that Maple has met? Who are your favorite pets (strays, included)?
4) What are your thoughts about how the challenge shapes the story? Have you written any challenge-stories, and if so, how did you notice that the story being shaped by the challenge you played? What does a challenge bring to a story?
5) What questions do you have for other readers and for the writer?
---
Questions for the Writer:
1) How would you describe the mood of your story? In what ways is this mood similar or different from the moods of your other stories?
2) How do you like the "Chapter A Day" approach? What are the strengths? Does it present any specific challenges or limitations?
3) How do decide who Maple will befriend and which pets she will adopt? I love how she seems to love everyone, two and four-legged, included! Was this a conscious decision of yours, or did it just happen?
4) How do you notice the ways that the challenge shapes the story? How does the challenge shape the specific Sims (two and four-legged)?
5) Question from @LegacySims2017 : Is there going to be a love interest for Maple? Leander perhaps?
bad sissy. lol. this is supposed to be the story that doesn't make me hungry. what are those anyway they look good.
Hey, everyone! I'm so excited to be discussing my vet story with you. I look forward to the answers for the reader questions!
Questions for the Writer:
1) How would you describe the mood of your story? In what ways is this mood similar or different from the moods of your other stories?
I would say that like most of my other stories, it's calm and relaxing. It's different from my teen dramedy story, Tales from Veronica L. Hopkins High, where there's drama from time to time.
2) How do you like the "Chapter A Day" approach? What are the strengths? Does it present any specific challenges or limitations?
I did the "Chapter A Day" approach so that I can tell the readers what has happened throughout the day, given a lot has happened. If not much has happened during gameplay, then I have to squeeze in two to three Sim days in one chapter.
3) How do decide who Maple will befriend and which pets she will adopt? I love how she seems to love everyone, two and four-legged, included! Was this a conscious decision of yours, or did it just happen?
As I set up the save for this challenge, I put in households that contain pets. As she travels around Brindleton Bay, whenever I see a stray or a pet from the households in put into the game, I have her introduce herself to them. For the strays, I did that so that I have options to choose from when it's time for Maple to adopt a pet. For pets that have owners, I wanted her to meet them so that she can also meet their owners and have some friends and potential lovers. When it came to which pets she'll adopt, I decided who she would adopt based on how often I see them and whether their traits are acceptable to me.
4) How do you notice the ways that the challenge shapes the story? How does the challenge shape the specific Sims (two and four-legged)?
One of the reasons I enjoy playing challenges is that I can tell stories from them. The challenge is all about building a home worth at least 50K Simoleons and a clinic and have it reach 5 stars. It allowed me to tell Maple's story from having nothing to having a beautiful home and a successful clinic. When it comes to my Sims adopting pets, I have them do it via the adoption agency. This challenge enabled me to see my Sim adopt strays. Since this story is concentrated on pets, as mentioned in the previous question, I filled up my game with households with pets, so that not only there are pets for Maple to befriend, but also have patients for her clinic.
5) Question from @LegacySims2017 : Is there going to be a love interest for Maple? Leander perhaps?
Yes, there will be a love interest for Maple. There's a side challenge that can be completed along with the main challenge called "Sim Has it All Side Challenge", where my Sim has to befriend a minimum of 5 Sims, date 5 Sims, marry the Sim with the highest friendship and relationship bar, and have a nooboo. Maple has met a lot of potential lovers and Leander might be one!
Hi! I started reading Vet Clinic Chronicles today, and I love how relaxing the writing is. Maple is living my dream life and I'm jealous! xD
1) How would you describe the mood of the story? How do you feel when you read it?
I would say the mood is friendly, like going about the day with an old friend. Dramatic events don’t occur every day, but you share little things together and talk easily with each other all through the day. I wonder if this is what married life is like?
2) What do you think of the "Chapter A Day" approach? Have you ever tried this?
I have not tried this yet. My main story skips huge chunks of time without warning! But again I think this approach adds to the charm of Vet ClinicChronicles- not every day is super exciting and high drama, but it’s full of life.
3) Let's talk People and Pets! Who are your favorite people that Maple has met? Who are your favorite pets (strays, included)?
I like Mandy and her dog, Apollo. Anyone who loves dogs and goes to GeekCon is a good person! And Apollo is so big and floofy, and has these goofy expressions… Love him
4) What are your thoughts about how the challenge shapes the story? Have you written any challenge-stories, and if so, how did you notice that the story being shaped by the challenge you played? What does a challenge bring to a story?
I’m a huge fan of challenge stories, because it’s so interesting to see how people interpret parts of the challenge and play it their own way. It’s fascinating to see how many stories are told from a common starting point! A challenge also gives a certain framework to the story that keeps it nice and streamlined, with a clear goal in mind.
In my legacy challenge story I had fun trying to explain the rules of the challenge in a way that made sense in the story (though I still haven’t decided what’s up with the knight armour xD) and it made a great starting place for writing. It was like a writing prompt, in a way.
5) What questions do you have for other readers and for the writer?
For the writer, I’d like to ask: What was your main motivation for starting this story?
1) How would you describe the mood of the story? How do you feel when you read it?
It's positive and when I went on a mini binge read this morning (I tld myself 10 chapters but ended on 40 ) it was quite happy! I was happy when Maple succeeded!
2) What do you think of the "Chapter A Day" approach? Have you ever tried this?
I think it's interesting as it's something I don't see much of as we're watching Maple develop slowly.
3) Let's talk People and Pets! Who are your favorite people that Maple has met? Who are your favorite pets (strays, included)?
Person? I can't remember his name at the moment but he has a bulldog. Favourite Stray? Brooke
4) What are your thoughts about how the challenge shapes the story? Have you written any challenge-stories, and if so, how did you notice that the story being shaped by the challenge you played? What does a challenge bring to a story?
I've not written a challenge-story that was game-driven so this is interesting to me. The challenge is there but it's unique in itself.
5) What questions do you have for other readers and for the writer?
For Simslover, how many days do you play in one gaming session?
@Simslover163 1) How would you describe the mood of the story? How do you feel when you read it?
Positive, happy, light hearted, hopeful.
2) What do you think of the "Chapter A Day" approach? Have you ever tried this?
Hmm... it's certainly impressive and allows us more time to get to know Maple on quite a personal level.
3) Let's talk People and Pets! Who are your favorite people that Maple has met? Who are your favorite pets (strays, included)?
Okay, I'm just gonna have to agree with @BlackUndecimber there. Apollo and yep, anyone who goes to GeekCon is a good person.
4) What are your thoughts about how the challenge shapes the story? Have you written any challenge-stories, and if so, how did you notice that the story being shaped by the challenge you played? What does a challenge bring to a story?
I've not done any challenges before so I'm always impressed with a simLit writer who takes up the challenge. This one certainly sounds like an interesting challenge.
5) What questions do you have for other readers and for the writer?
Hmm... What have been the challenges for writing this type of challenge?
@BlackUndecimber's question: What was your main motivation for starting this story?
I've been looking for a new challenge to play and I wanted to explore the Cats and Dogs pack deeper, especially the vet career. Seeing this challenge was posted, I decided to give it a go and I've been having so much fun with it ever since.
@Bugsie2016's question: how many days do you play in one gaming session?
It depends. On average, I play four to five days. Sometimes nothing major happens, so I speed up the game time until something comes up.
@simscognito's question: What have been the challenges for writing this type of challenge?
Challenges? To be honest, there's not much, except trying the figure out how to turn what happened each Sim day into writing.
Hi, everyone! I've been enjoying your responses and insights! Thanks for participating!
Here are my thoughts about the questions:
1) How would you describe the mood of the story? How do you feel when you read it?
I always smiled when I saw updates from this pop up in my WordPress Reader because whenever I finished reading an update I would always be in a good mood. It's cheerful and healing! I like the relaxed mood of it.
2) What do you think of the "Chapter A Day" approach? Have you ever tried this?
I love Chapter A Day stories. I've got one, Wonder, which follows a Wonder-child from conception through Grim's visit (we're at about Ch. 50-something right now...) It's a neat structure. In my story, I would write one chapter for every day, but as I told it, I often wrote it as if the events of one Sim day really stretched out over weeks and months.
I found that in reading SimsLover's story, I counted on the Chapter A Day structure to help me follow along with the game-play. I often like to imagine the game that's going on behind the story while I read. This structure helps with that!
3) Let's talk People and Pets! Who are your favorite people that Maple has met? Who are your favorite pets (strays, included)?
I think Tanner and his bulldog are my favorites, too.
One of my favorite things about reading this story was the way the Maple made friends with everyone, especially every dog or cat that she met! And then, it didn't matter if they were hers, strays, or someone elses: she always cared for all of them! That was so cool.
This inspired me to try inventing a challenge which is "Befriend All the Strays." The rules are that you can't adopt any of the cats or dogs, and you have to befriend every single one you meet, and you have to have an ample supply of wellness-treats from the vet so that you can keep the strays well.
I tried this for a little while (it was really fun), but then I ran out of much time to play. Maybe in the winter, when I have more time for playing Sims, I'll come back to it.
4) What are your thoughts about how the challenge shapes the story? Have you written any challenge-stories, and if so, how did you notice that the story being shaped by the challenge you played? What does a challenge bring to a story?
The challenge really provides a structure. I also like the gaming aspect it introduces and the way that SimsLover wrote notes about what he'd accomplished in pursuing the challenge! That was so fun.
I write a lot of challenge stories. Maybe most of my stories started out as challenges, at least the ones I wrote during the first few years. A challenge definitely provides a structure, including a beginning, middle, and end, a goal, and conflicts and obstacles. Dang! Now I want to play an ISBI or another legacy! I really love challenge stories.
5) What questions do you have for other readers and for the writer?
Ummmm.... just thanks! Thanks for writing, writer! Thanks for participating in the conversation, readers!
Some helpful notes from me for anyone who doesn't regularly read (please read it if you don't, it will save you confusion):
Melete is our main character at this point
Alexander/Xander is her fiance who she is marrying.
Alecto is Melete's mother
Archelaus is Xander's oldest brother (Xander is youngest of 6 boys) and the king of Xander's home tribe.
Some context you need to know to understand this chapter:
When Melete and Xander were teenagers, he told Melete he was gay (not with those exact words) but now he's all confused (he's actually bisexual) because he has feelings for Melete (if you want more on that, just read chapter 13) who is a female. Melete, however doesn't believe him when he says that he loves her because she still thinks he's gay so is just doing it to make her happy.
Also, about Melete. She became Queen when she was 10 because he father died. She is Queen of the Light Tribe (hence the title) and Xander was born into a different tribe, Adredos but is marrying into Mel's tribe.
I never said it was simple but that's the context you need.
@simscognito What chapter were you expecting? That one chapter where Xand takes advantage of the fact Archimedes is going deaf? I love Xand but that's not his best chapter...
@simscognito What chapter were you expecting? That one chapter where Xand takes advantage of the fact Archimedes is going deaf? I love Xand but that's not his best chapter...
@Bugsie2016 This is my favourite chapter so I'm super excited about this. XD
@simscognito What chapter were you expecting? That one chapter where Xand takes advantage of the fact Archimedes is going deaf? I love Xand but that's not his best chapter...
@Bugsie2016 This is my favourite chapter so I'm super excited about this. XD
Comments
I was thinking primarily of Alex. I keep comparing him to Hamlet. It seems like he carries the weight of the family and the country on his shoulders.
I think of him as facing up to his destiny: he knows he won't have an "ordinary" life, and I feel that, while he's accepted that, and he's willing to shoulder the responsibility, he also wants to make sure that he doesn't sacrifice his own personal life, his happiness. To me, that conflict is what the story is about. So he makes sure that he finds a way to have his friendship with Henry--to care for his own emotional needs--while still doing what he needs to do as the king.
Awesome! I'm really excited to meet this character--and it's fine for it to be a minor character. I mean, I think that Aristotle was actually influential but minor in Alexander's life (and I also have the feeling that Alexander was a major character in Aristotle's life...)
The qualities that I identify as being post-modern are these:
--unreliable narrators
--multiple perspectives
--non-linear structure
--variety of mediums (plays, dialogue, etc.)
The result is that the story feels "unpacked," and the reader is required to pack it up again. This type of reading experience feels very post-modern.
There's also a quality of intellectual buoyancy + irreverence + irony + genuine love that feels like it creates a mood of post-modern hope: that's a kind of hope that can exist even when one sees through the absurdity of it all. To me, it's a very human feeling, and I love it very much.
The recreation of the scholar's work is also very post-modern, I think--and it's my favorite aspect of the story.
(I'm kind of a geek with a few historical figures, mostly Thoreau and crew, and so I love to enjoy glimpses into another history geek's imaginations about historical figures.)
Wait, wait! I adore Alex! For me, his amorality is intriguing and really fascinating. I love his glee. I'm a huge fan.
Yeah. I love how grounded in place the story is. Sims' stories, especially, feel really neat to me when the world they're set in figures in strongly.
(I think we might want to talk about this with the Vet Chronicles, since they also feel very much part of the place to me...)
Do you also play The Elder Scrolls Online? You can find me there as CathyTea, too!
And you're right. I've always had the feeling that Alex needs Henry more than Henry needs Alex, but I don't think that means they love eachother any less.
Anyway, I won't comment any further because we've moved on but I love the post modernism discussion. I've never thought of this as a post modern style.
And yasss you can geek out with me anytime.
Sweet I'll stop talking now and thanks so much for this. Got me really thinking about this story in a new light.
Also @Simslover163 excited to discuss your story. I started it a while back but I noticed I hadn't finished. I think I missed the updates or something. Dangabit Wordpress. I like how you set the story around a vet.
Okay I think I've got a question for CathyTea, why this setting?
oh that story. the other one makes me hungry.
good that means i got you for the henry thing . he aged almost as fast as real kids.
You mean Henry's shift from teen hood to ya hood? XD he's got two ya hairstyles too. XD
Oh, let's chat about setting in Vet Chronicles!
To me, the story feels so very much a part of the place... the local lot of the clinic, the neighborhood, and then the world.
How do you feel about the role of setting in this story?
@Simslover163 Were you consciously thinking of making the setting a dominant feature when you took your screenshots and wrote this?
Do you also play The Elder Scrolls Online? You can find me there as CathyTea, too!
When I was figuring out where to place my Sim's home lot for the challenge, I was going to place it in Brindleton Bay. The rules read that I can place my Sim's home lot and clinic anywhere and doesn't have to live and work in Brindleton Bay. I thought about the beautiful and European style scenery in Windenburg and decided to place her home there. Her vet was to be built in Brindleton Bay because like Windenburg, it's about the scenery and the fact that lots of cats and dogs roam around the town, which allowed Maple to make friends with them quickly.
Question for @Simslover163
Is there going to be a love interest for Maple? Leander perhaps?
Happy Coffee Hour!
I really love this story, and all of Simslover's stories, so I'm very much looking forward to talking about this with you!
Questions for Readers:
1) How would you describe the mood of the story? How do you feel when you read it?
2) What do you think of the "Chapter A Day" approach? Have you ever tried this?
3) Let's talk People and Pets! Who are your favorite people that Maple has met? Who are your favorite pets (strays, included)?
4) What are your thoughts about how the challenge shapes the story? Have you written any challenge-stories, and if so, how did you notice that the story being shaped by the challenge you played? What does a challenge bring to a story?
5) What questions do you have for other readers and for the writer?
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Questions for the Writer:
1) How would you describe the mood of your story? In what ways is this mood similar or different from the moods of your other stories?
2) How do you like the "Chapter A Day" approach? What are the strengths? Does it present any specific challenges or limitations?
3) How do decide who Maple will befriend and which pets she will adopt? I love how she seems to love everyone, two and four-legged, included! Was this a conscious decision of yours, or did it just happen?
4) How do you notice the ways that the challenge shapes the story? How does the challenge shape the specific Sims (two and four-legged)?
5) Question from @LegacySims2017 : Is there going to be a love interest for Maple? Leander perhaps?
Do you also play The Elder Scrolls Online? You can find me there as CathyTea, too!
bad sissy. lol. this is supposed to be the story that doesn't make me hungry. what are those anyway they look good.
Questions for the Writer:
1) How would you describe the mood of your story? In what ways is this mood similar or different from the moods of your other stories?
I would say that like most of my other stories, it's calm and relaxing. It's different from my teen dramedy story, Tales from Veronica L. Hopkins High, where there's drama from time to time.
2) How do you like the "Chapter A Day" approach? What are the strengths? Does it present any specific challenges or limitations?
I did the "Chapter A Day" approach so that I can tell the readers what has happened throughout the day, given a lot has happened. If not much has happened during gameplay, then I have to squeeze in two to three Sim days in one chapter.
3) How do decide who Maple will befriend and which pets she will adopt? I love how she seems to love everyone, two and four-legged, included! Was this a conscious decision of yours, or did it just happen?
As I set up the save for this challenge, I put in households that contain pets. As she travels around Brindleton Bay, whenever I see a stray or a pet from the households in put into the game, I have her introduce herself to them. For the strays, I did that so that I have options to choose from when it's time for Maple to adopt a pet. For pets that have owners, I wanted her to meet them so that she can also meet their owners and have some friends and potential lovers. When it came to which pets she'll adopt, I decided who she would adopt based on how often I see them and whether their traits are acceptable to me.
4) How do you notice the ways that the challenge shapes the story? How does the challenge shape the specific Sims (two and four-legged)?
One of the reasons I enjoy playing challenges is that I can tell stories from them. The challenge is all about building a home worth at least 50K Simoleons and a clinic and have it reach 5 stars. It allowed me to tell Maple's story from having nothing to having a beautiful home and a successful clinic. When it comes to my Sims adopting pets, I have them do it via the adoption agency. This challenge enabled me to see my Sim adopt strays. Since this story is concentrated on pets, as mentioned in the previous question, I filled up my game with households with pets, so that not only there are pets for Maple to befriend, but also have patients for her clinic.
5) Question from @LegacySims2017 : Is there going to be a love interest for Maple? Leander perhaps?
Yes, there will be a love interest for Maple. There's a side challenge that can be completed along with the main challenge called "Sim Has it All Side Challenge", where my Sim has to befriend a minimum of 5 Sims, date 5 Sims, marry the Sim with the highest friendship and relationship bar, and have a nooboo. Maple has met a lot of potential lovers and Leander might be one!
1) How would you describe the mood of the story? How do you feel when you read it?
I would say the mood is friendly, like going about the day with an old friend. Dramatic events don’t occur every day, but you share little things together and talk easily with each other all through the day. I wonder if this is what married life is like?
2) What do you think of the "Chapter A Day" approach? Have you ever tried this?
I have not tried this yet. My main story skips huge chunks of time without warning!
3) Let's talk People and Pets! Who are your favorite people that Maple has met? Who are your favorite pets (strays, included)?
I like Mandy and her dog, Apollo. Anyone who loves dogs and goes to GeekCon is a good person! And Apollo is so big and floofy, and has these goofy expressions… Love him
4) What are your thoughts about how the challenge shapes the story? Have you written any challenge-stories, and if so, how did you notice that the story being shaped by the challenge you played? What does a challenge bring to a story?
I’m a huge fan of challenge stories, because it’s so interesting to see how people interpret parts of the challenge and play it their own way. It’s fascinating to see how many stories are told from a common starting point! A challenge also gives a certain framework to the story that keeps it nice and streamlined, with a clear goal in mind.
In my legacy challenge story I had fun trying to explain the rules of the challenge in a way that made sense in the story (though I still haven’t decided what’s up with the knight armour xD) and it made a great starting place for writing. It was like a writing prompt, in a way.
5) What questions do you have for other readers and for the writer?
For the writer, I’d like to ask: What was your main motivation for starting this story?
Winter's Alchemy | Britechester After Dark - Forum thread
It's positive and when I went on a mini binge read this morning (I tld myself 10 chapters but ended on 40
2) What do you think of the "Chapter A Day" approach? Have you ever tried this?
I think it's interesting as it's something I don't see much of as we're watching Maple develop slowly.
3) Let's talk People and Pets! Who are your favorite people that Maple has met? Who are your favorite pets (strays, included)?
Person? I can't remember his name at the moment but he has a bulldog. Favourite Stray? Brooke
4) What are your thoughts about how the challenge shapes the story? Have you written any challenge-stories, and if so, how did you notice that the story being shaped by the challenge you played? What does a challenge bring to a story?
I've not written a challenge-story that was game-driven so this is interesting to me. The challenge is there but it's unique in itself.
5) What questions do you have for other readers and for the writer?
For Simslover, how many days do you play in one gaming session?
1) How would you describe the mood of the story? How do you feel when you read it?
Positive, happy, light hearted, hopeful.
2) What do you think of the "Chapter A Day" approach? Have you ever tried this?
Hmm... it's certainly impressive and allows us more time to get to know Maple on quite a personal level.
3) Let's talk People and Pets! Who are your favorite people that Maple has met? Who are your favorite pets (strays, included)?
Okay, I'm just gonna have to agree with @BlackUndecimber there. Apollo and yep, anyone who goes to GeekCon is a good person.
4) What are your thoughts about how the challenge shapes the story? Have you written any challenge-stories, and if so, how did you notice that the story being shaped by the challenge you played? What does a challenge bring to a story?
I've not done any challenges before so I'm always impressed with a simLit writer who takes up the challenge. This one certainly sounds like an interesting challenge.
5) What questions do you have for other readers and for the writer?
Hmm... What have been the challenges for writing this type of challenge?
@BlackUndecimber's question: What was your main motivation for starting this story?
I've been looking for a new challenge to play and I wanted to explore the Cats and Dogs pack deeper, especially the vet career. Seeing this challenge was posted, I decided to give it a go and I've been having so much fun with it ever since.
@Bugsie2016's question: how many days do you play in one gaming session?
It depends. On average, I play four to five days. Sometimes nothing major happens, so I speed up the game time until something comes up.
@simscognito's question: What have been the challenges for writing this type of challenge?
Challenges? To be honest, there's not much, except trying the figure out how to turn what happened each Sim day into writing.
Here are my thoughts about the questions:
1) How would you describe the mood of the story? How do you feel when you read it?
I always smiled when I saw updates from this pop up in my WordPress Reader because whenever I finished reading an update I would always be in a good mood. It's cheerful and healing! I like the relaxed mood of it.
2) What do you think of the "Chapter A Day" approach? Have you ever tried this?
I love Chapter A Day stories. I've got one, Wonder, which follows a Wonder-child from conception through Grim's visit (we're at about Ch. 50-something right now...) It's a neat structure. In my story, I would write one chapter for every day, but as I told it, I often wrote it as if the events of one Sim day really stretched out over weeks and months.
I found that in reading SimsLover's story, I counted on the Chapter A Day structure to help me follow along with the game-play. I often like to imagine the game that's going on behind the story while I read. This structure helps with that!
3) Let's talk People and Pets! Who are your favorite people that Maple has met? Who are your favorite pets (strays, included)?
I think Tanner and his bulldog are my favorites, too.
One of my favorite things about reading this story was the way the Maple made friends with everyone, especially every dog or cat that she met! And then, it didn't matter if they were hers, strays, or someone elses: she always cared for all of them! That was so cool.
This inspired me to try inventing a challenge which is "Befriend All the Strays." The rules are that you can't adopt any of the cats or dogs, and you have to befriend every single one you meet, and you have to have an ample supply of wellness-treats from the vet so that you can keep the strays well.
I tried this for a little while (it was really fun), but then I ran out of much time to play. Maybe in the winter, when I have more time for playing Sims, I'll come back to it.
4) What are your thoughts about how the challenge shapes the story? Have you written any challenge-stories, and if so, how did you notice that the story being shaped by the challenge you played? What does a challenge bring to a story?
The challenge really provides a structure. I also like the gaming aspect it introduces and the way that SimsLover wrote notes about what he'd accomplished in pursuing the challenge! That was so fun.
I write a lot of challenge stories. Maybe most of my stories started out as challenges, at least the ones I wrote during the first few years. A challenge definitely provides a structure, including a beginning, middle, and end, a goal, and conflicts and obstacles. Dang! Now I want to play an ISBI or another legacy! I really love challenge stories.
5) What questions do you have for other readers and for the writer?
Ummmm.... just thanks! Thanks for writing, writer! Thanks for participating in the conversation, readers!
Do you also play The Elder Scrolls Online? You can find me there as CathyTea, too!
Do you also play The Elder Scrolls Online? You can find me there as CathyTea, too!
Some helpful notes from me for anyone who doesn't regularly read (please read it if you don't, it will save you confusion):
Alexander/Xander is her fiance who she is marrying.
Alecto is Melete's mother
Archelaus is Xander's oldest brother (Xander is youngest of 6 boys) and the king of Xander's home tribe.
Some context you need to know to understand this chapter:
When Melete and Xander were teenagers, he told Melete he was gay (not with those exact words) but now he's all confused (he's actually bisexual) because he has feelings for Melete (if you want more on that, just read chapter 13) who is a female. Melete, however doesn't believe him when he says that he loves her because she still thinks he's gay so is just doing it to make her happy.
Also, about Melete. She became Queen when she was 10 because he father died. She is Queen of the Light Tribe (hence the title) and Xander was born into a different tribe, Adredos but is marrying into Mel's tribe.
I never said it was simple but that's the context you need.
@simscognito What chapter were you expecting? That one chapter where Xand takes advantage of the fact Archimedes is going deaf? I love Xand but that's not his best chapter...
@Bugsie2016 This is my favourite chapter so I'm super excited about this. XD
@simscognito Same!