Oooh you roll for your stories too? Now I'm super curious! I still have a lot of catching up to do with your stories (too many in my reading list, halp XD), but I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for that!
And Lancelot is a super good guy. I'm picturing Arthur to be friend group dad, and Lancelot to be friend group mom. XD
Unfortunately not - I edit the light out manually during editing. It takes longer than I'm comfortable with, but oh well
Final batch of answers for this week, I think. I'm beat, guys. Forgive me if I recycle some pictures!
Uther
There’s Morgana’s betrothal, unrest among your people, the threat of war and the recent plague. I’m assuming the knight’s tournament is a distraction and serves to strengthen the bond between nations and of your own people. Personally, what issue are you most concern with? (Doesn’t need to be one of these three, could be your own children) “You assume correctly. And it is not a threat of war – we ARE at war. I know Cornwall, and I know Gorlois. They will not stop until Albion falls. I do not intend to leave such a legacy to my son. Our citizens can be pacified with tournaments and shows of valour – they are not important right now. Maintaining good relations with our closest allies is. Even if I have to sacrifice a few pieces to do so.”
Morgana
What is an aspect of your own kingdom (can be people in your kingdom too) that you don’t think you know as much as you should? “Ironically… magic. We have almost no information on it. It's to be expected. The Jacoban church teaches us that it is wicked and malefic, and that it will corrupt everyone who uses it. It’s banned across Albion. Even the druids are not allowed within our borders. Because of that… I can find very little knowledge about it. There was Millicent in the past, but… she warned me to stay away from it, too. She wouldn’t teach me. Only Merlin. I understand why – it’s easier for a commoner boy to go unnoticed than a princess. But it does frustrate me.”
Thank you everyone for taking a look at my story again and answering my questions. Once again, I really learned a lot! Hopefully you'll still be entertained in six week or so, hehe
Yimi out!
Hosting D&D sessions on the side. Interested in playing through some fantasy-themed shenanigans? Send me a message 😘
I think it's my turn now. Most of you are probably caught up, but for this turn the questions will be about chapters 31 - 43. So everything up until now.
Discussion questions
General
What’s your favourite and least favourite aspect of my story (storytelling, writing, pictures, characters, …)? Why? How can I improve?
Have I improved anything throughout the story already?
Do you like the story? Why (not)? Feel free to give both reasons you like and dislike the story, if applicable.
What are your thoughts on the quality of the pictures? Are they up your alley? Or are they too bright?
In-depth (spoilery)
Do you think Max has developed positively since the last time we talked about him? Why (not)? Do you think Veronica can make a difference?
What did you think about the reveal where Hugo turned out to have a son? Do you think he’d make a good dad? Did Sofia handle the situation well? How do you think I handled that situation? Did it feel realistic? Tell me all your thoughts.
What are your thoughts on Allyson and her relationship with her mom?
Did you favourite and least favourite character change since last time? Who are they now and why?
Did your opinion on any of the characters change (in a positive or negative way)?
Did your favourite storyline stay the same or do you like another one more now?
Do you think the character you gave advice to last time around will take it to heart and do something with it?
Did any of your past predictions for the characters come to fruition?
What are your predictions for the characters’ storylines based on new developments?
Who/what do you want to see more of? Why? (More Lucy and Jacqueline coming up in the future!)
Do you have any questions for the characters and/or me?
Does someone know why my Sims keep stopping their interactions and start playing the violin/guitar/idk what else, or continuously want to act practicing?😂
I must've overlooked. Do you have Ecoliving? It might be that your neighborhood enacted the N.A.P that encourages sims to do creative arts. I didn't have that NAP, but I had the one where all sims started fiddling with future cubes.
Does someone know why my Sims keep stopping their interactions and start playing the violin/guitar/idk what else, or continuously want to act practicing?😂
I must've overlooked. Do you have Ecoliving? It might be that your neighborhood enacted the N.A.P that encourages sims to do creative arts. I didn't have that NAP, but I had the one where all sims started fiddling with future cubes.
Yeah, I made a discussion thread somewhere else to ask why this was happening, and indeed, the NAP's fault. Apparently I just have to wait until the effect wears off and I also have installed a mod to fix the eco living interactions. Thanks for replying anyways!
Speaking of Eco Living, and totally off topic, does anyone know if there's a cheat to prevent pollution in other worlds? It's driving me nuts in my other well established stories, particularly my travel adventures one where everything is supposed to be beautiful.
@_sims_Yimi I am late late late and I'm so sorry! I feel really badly about it But either way, I loved diving in for a second helping of Tales of Camelot, and I'm really loving the story. It's so good! Now for the questions~
General What do you think about Morgana’s kid chapters and the epilogue to the first “act”?
The kid chapters were really well written, I think. The thing with writing (and reading) pieces of fiction about children is that it's always hard to make it sound realistic, like the actions are seen from the point of view of children, and a lot of the time I think people don't quite succeed. I don't think this at all with your chapters that focused on the characters, especially Morgana, as children. You've done a great job at maintaining the sort of childhood innocence and (corny, but) magic that a lot of other people tend to fail to grasp. I really commend you for this! I loved every bit of the first act. Morgana was a child and she acted like one, but she also learned a lot and we could see her grow in front of our eyes. The way you wrote the moment where (this is how I see it) her innocence was shattered but literally inserting dark pictures of the image of her father shattering in her mind, that was amazing not only from a storytelling perspective, but also to place a distinct line between "innocent" and "grown up" Morgana that didn't just gradually happen with age. I love that you brought that back in the epilogue.
About the epilogue itself, it was a lovely and heartwarming way to end the childhood arc of the story. We grew to love the children in the first act and it was a beautiful and appropriate ending to that arc. There were moments when I found myself getting emotional over the way that Gawain, Arthur, and Morgana were interacting, and I really loved it. Specifically, I think Morgana showering her boys with affection was a very nice bit. You managed to wrap up their childhood storylines in a very satisfying way, while still allowing for them to look to the future with storylines that have yet to be fully explored. Well done. Also, the reveal that Morgana is the May Day child was awesome. I kind of suspected it was the case, but the way you revealed it was excellent.
What do you think about the second act so far?
Reeeeeeeeally liking it so far! It's distinct from the first act for sure. It's almost like we're watching the second part of a movie series and this is the second and exciting part that gets even darker and more exciting. I love what you've done with the characters' looks, they're looking fabulous. And even though I liked having a pretty limited cast of developed characters in the first act, I also really like the introduction of new characters and the further development of ones you've introduced already. There's quite a few characters now, but I say, bring it on! You develop them all so nicely and each one plays an important role in the story, so I like that the cast has been extended. Also really love the tone here, but I see that's the next question so I'll answer this there~
What are your thoughts on the tone of the story? It’s meant to gradually get darker as people grow older. Can you feel this? Are there enough warm/light-hearted moments to balance the darker ones?
I think you've done this well. The first act had a noticeably dark tone overall that was especially evident in several of the rougher sections, but it was lightened by the fact that the main characters were children and they brightened up the tone by just being their childlike selves. The shift to the darker tone in this second act is noticeable but not abrupt at all. You took the darker elements of the first act and heightened them to match the maturing personalities of the main characters, and it works really well. As in, you planted the seeds of the darker events and interactions happening here, and now they're growing into (shady) trees. So, yes, I think this happened pretty gradually and it's exciting to read. Especially since I can only see it getting EVEN darker from here and that's going to be thrilling because it's already pretty dark.
I think, yes, there are plenty of moments that make me giggle or sigh in contentment to balance out the darker things happening. I've said it before but I love your sense of humor, and let me add to that by saying that I think you have a nice sense of comedic timing that makes the light-hearted moments even better—say, for example, when you were introducing the Tall Tales Tavern and then throwing a little bit of shade at Gawain by implying he's telling the tall tales. Also, the gossiping and teasing with Guinevere and her crush on Arthur. It's great! And the way you write tender moments between the characters that we've grown to love. It never feels like you're pandering to things like "oh, I ship these characters together" or things like that, it's always well-placed in the story and you really make me happy to read about the sweetness.
What do you think about the druids?
We don't know too much at this point about them, but I think that what you've revealed about them has been interesting. Especially the way you chose to frame their introduction, by them being in danger. It was exciting. I liked that, because it wasn't an exposition dump, you revealed information about them while they were in peril, and that made the details you presented exciting to read (and they stick in my head more this way). I'm excited to find out more about the ways that they live. I like that you had Emrys say that they literally cannot harm others with their magic and then explained why, it's an interesting concept that I haven't quite seen anywhere else (I feel like I need to read more fantasy stories, ehehehe). I wonder what their role in the story will be from now on, especially since they owe their live to Arthur now. But so far, I'm liking them and I'm looking forward to seeing them reappear.
Characters Did the main cast grow up the way you thought they would? Do the types of people they grew into make sense?
So, I'm focusing on Morgana, Arthur, Gawain, and Richard (I won't count Emrys/Merlin because he has his own section later). I think these four have grown up to be logical older versions of their childhood selves. I'm not particularly surprised about any aspects of their current personalities because I think you did a good job of setting them up when they were children, but I love seeing them grow into more developed versions of themselves in this act. Morgana, for example, growing up to love political and social games, is awesome because you could tell from her child self that she was an expert at manipulation and seeing her hone these skills is satisfying. Gawain was a cinnamon roll and remains a cinnamon roll here, but I love that you've made him a brave and honorable cinnamon roll. I especially loved the mirroring of the kidnapping and the assassin scenes and how he no longer was afraid and succeeded this time in subduing the assailant. Arthur, man... his development has been my favorite because he was such an unlikable character to me, and this turned around toward the end of the first act and the good characteristics you started to develop in him back then are even more evident now and it's awesome. He's gone from being my least favorite main character to competing with Morgana for my affections. And Richard, well... I know that I say this A LOT on the comments on your blog, but honestly the child snot-nosed twerp he was grew up to be a teenaged snot-nosed twerp but only now he actually has power and he's SCARY. But exciting. BUT SCARY.
What do you think about the supporting knights? Elyan, Percival and Lancelot?
I'm constantly annoyed about how Elyan and Percival perceive magic and how aggressive they are about it, but it's only logical that that's the way they react given the popular opinion of magic in Albion. If I look past this, because I can forgive it for now (because they haven't actually harmed anyone so far), I think they're all right. Obviously knights in training haven't achieved their fully mature status yet, but I think they're good knights and they obviously respect Arthur enough to follow his orders even when they don't agree, and I think that's commendable. I'm looking forward to seeing them developed more, because there are moments, especially before they met the druids, where they made me laugh with their banter and I am inclined to like them. Lancelot, on the other hand, seems to have a more sensible head on his shoulders and he impressed me with the way he handles things, so I fully like him so far. I think he's the best of the three.
Is Arthur’s authority over them believable? What do you think about the dynamic there?
I think it is believable. I mentioned that I can appreciate that Elyan, Percival, and Lancelot respect and follow his orders even when they don't agree, and I think that's the sign of a good leader. Arthur has always had that sort of aura where you either follow him or you're done for, and while this manifested in his childhood years as a sort of arrogance, I think this trait has developed to the point where it's no longer an arrogant leadership, it's more of a natural leader role that he fits into perfectly given his strong personality, his strong abilities, and his fair judgment and insight. Obviously he was born into this position, but I think he's taken this role he landed into and really molded himself into it in a way that is effective. I think the other knights see that Arthur has that natural leadership ability and respect him for this, so I see why they follow his orders, even when it's done in an annoyed or not good-natured manner. I think the dynamic between Arthur and his knights is natural and exciting to see.
What do you think about Guinevere and Sarah? Is Morgana’s relationship with them believable?
You know this (I think everyone by now knows this), but I LOVE Sarah. She adds something to the story that makes me so happy, I think it's because she's a very minor character at this point but she always adds a bright ray of sunshine into each scene she's in be it by injecting some well-appreciated humor into darker chapters, or because she truly seems to be a good person with a fun personality. Guinevere is like the female Gawain and it's adorable to see her. I especially liked her introduction, because it gives a good look into her shy personality, and I loved seeing her blush when Arthur arrived at the castle. I'm really excited to see where her character goes from here! I love the dynamic between Sarah, Guinevere, and Morgana. I think it adds some nice realism into the proceedings because Morgana is young woman who, from what we've seen, loves to socialize and, in the absence of other friends, I'm not surprised she enjoys chattering away with her handmaids and socializing in a way that has no underlying purpose. I really enjoyed their section together because seeing Morgana just chatting away with some "friends" (I'll call them that even though they're her handmaids) and enjoying having some lighthearted fun teasing Guinevere is refreshing. She's young but already so tangled up in the politics of Albion, so it's nice to just see her be her young and fun self with no hidden agendas or pretenses.
What are your thoughts on Morgana’s relationship with Richard?
Eeek. I mean, when Richard was a boy we could already see he was sneaky and not a very good person, but that has just increased tenfold now that he's older. I love, love, love that Morgana can more than hold her own with him and even manipulate and flat-out coerce him into doing her bidding without sacrificing herself or her country. I think this makes their relationship even more exciting, because they're two very cunning people that both know how to play the game, and this is going to provide for such a thrilling battle of wits and cunning as the story goes along. I also like how Morgana knows that she's pushing Richard a little too far, maybe, and how she shows fear at this prospect but never shows it to Richard. She knows she has some sort of power in their little game, and Richard knows it, which makes it even more exciting when we see him doing his villainous bit with the chess set. I'm really looking forward to seeing how their relationship continues to unfold.
Side note: have I said "I'm excited" or "I'm really looking forward to" enough times yet? I feel like I say that in every single one of my answers
What do you think about Emrys?
I was wondering when we'd see Merlin again! Well, this is assuming that he is indeed Merlin and I'm not 100% sure of that yet, but still. At first I was unsure because he looks quite... old, and that beard looks really thick for someone who was a child not tooooo long ago (I'm assuming? I think I've forgotten to mention/ask this, but the main characters are indeed in their mid-to-late teens, right?), but the memories/flashback images in his chapter convinced me that this is him. Makes sense, too, given that he isn't afraid to use his magic even when it harms people. I could certainly imagine someone like Merlin not fully following the anti-violence tenets of the druids given the circumstances under which he was forced to flee from Camelot. But beyond that, and ignoring the fact that this might be Merlin, I think Emrys is a good character. He knows how to negotiate with people who are overtly against who he is and what he stands for in order to get what he wants, and isn't afraid to be sneaky, which I appreciate in a character whom the odds are stacked against. Exploring his role in the story in the future chapters is going to be really great to read. He's a mystery right now and I can't wait to delve more into it.
Is there someone you would like to see more of in future chapters? Backstories explored? Extra attention given? On the flipside, is there someone in the story that you don’t care for, and would rather see gone?
Firstly, I think you've done a wonderful job at exploring the characters that have been the most essential to the story. You are very good at providing us with information about them without it being overbearing or too much. And I especially love when you weave in flashbacks that give us backstories! We've had some for a lot of people, and they're always a joy to read.
I'm sure that you're going to explore their characters further, but it will be interesting to see the knights explored more. I'd also like to see more of Richard's story explored, since he's shaping up to be the main antagonist in Morgana's plot. Of course, Sarah and now Guinevere are always wonderful to see, so I'm looking forward to them continuing to appear. I honestly don't think I would change anything in the way you present the characters, though, because whenever I find myself thinking "oh, I'd like to see more of this person" they appear in the next chapter so I think you're telepathically in tune to what we want to see anyway.
About characters I don't like... well. I don't like several, like Uther, or Richard, or Agravaine, but I don't think I'd like to see them gone because they each have their (important) roles to play, and that's what makes the story exciting. And on top of that, I think you're good at making the unlikable characters interesting to read, and I even found myself feeling bad for Uther a couple times, so honestly I wouldn't change anything in the cast. Everyone has an essential role, and I don't hate or dislike anyone to the point where I don't want to see them at all.
Plot This one is a bit different from the rest. I’m interested to know what readers would have done, had they been in the character’s shoes during big moments. If you were the character, what would you have done:
• As Morgana, when she found out about May Day?
Oh gosh. This is a difficult question, because I think what Morgana did was correct and appropriate. My personality is NOT in any way as strong as Morgana's, but I think I would have done the exact same thing. I would have not told Arthur so as to not spoil his own relationship with Uther, and I would have not reacted in a way where it was immediately obvious that I had found out about this unsavory secret in order to continue to be in good standing in the kingdom, so honestly I think she did things in as perfect a manner as she could have. This is why it's difficult for me to answer, because truthfully I wouldn't have done things differently from her. • As Arthur, when he was faced with the druid magic dilemma?
Again, I really respect Arthur for what he decided to do here. Knowing the stance of Albion against magic and the way Arthur must have known that his father would react to the news, I think he made the best and most honorable decision. Honestly, this is when Arthur fully conquered my heart because this is where we can see that he is a good person through and through. I hate to be boring with my response, but I would have done the same, although I would have been A LOT more scared than him knowing I was going against my father, the king. I'm sorry if this isn't too interesting to read, but I truly think you had both Arthur and Morgana in these key moments make the right decisions and I fully agreed with them, so I can't think of something I would do differently.
Writing In chapter 2.3 and onward, I increased the size of the text compared to the pictures. Did you notice? Is it good that it’s bigger?
Oooh, I hadn't noticed! I'll go back to check. Honestly, the text size has never really stood out to me, it's never been too big or too small. Your chapters have plenty of text but also lots of lush images to cut it up, so I've never had a problem with the text. But if increasing the text size is a good thing for other people, then I'm happy with the change!
I try to hint at world lore here and there, for example with the dragons and the druid oath. Do you like this? Should I do it more often?
YES! I was going to mention before that I loved the low-key introduction of dragons into the story, and I would love to see more of these fantastical elements playing roles in ToC. Obviously magic has played a large part in the development of the plot, but seeing other elements of the fantasy aspect of the story like dragons and druids is a big part of why this story is so interesting to read. Please, more!
Pictures I try to show people’s varying mental states by showing or hiding the “light” in their eyes. Gawain has it all the time, Arthur has it about half the chapters, and Morgana rarely shows it. Was this noticeable for you?
AH, yes! I did notice this at points and I wondered if it was intentional, and it's SO COOL to see that it is! Honestly, it's fantastic visual storytelling. Great job!
Do you think that my pictures have improved compared to the kid chapters, or worsened? Is there anything you dislike or found jarring?
I don't think they worsened, that's for sure. They were already so good in the childhood chapters, so I don't necessarily think they improved a lot; they were already fantastic. However, I will say that you keep impressing me with the amount of detail you put into the images. Knowing what you mentioned above about the light in characters' eyes, I'm even more gobsmacked at the level of detail and care you put into crafting the visual aspects of your story. I'm truly in love with your images and I haven't found a single one of them to be unnecessary or unlikable. On top of that, your eye for lush beauty and fashion is amazing, I swoon! The characters have grown up and they're all so stunning. It's hard to choose a favorite element of your story because I truly love all of it, from the plot to the writing to the characters to the lore to the images, but the images might just be my favorite thing. They're F A N T A S T I C.
Questions I had a lot of fun having the cast answer your questions last time. So, for the people who want to – feel free to ask questions again! I’m limiting you guys to 5 questions maximum, though. Also, Richard and Emrys will not be answering any of them.
I think I'll refrain from asking questions at this point because I've reeeeeally gone over the limit of your week of discussion and I don't want to cut into Duvelina's week; I'll save some for later or maybe for our week off! Also, I loved the ones you answered from other Bunnies, so I'll content myself with those for now.
I'm mortified that I let myself be so late with the responses, but hopefully you're not too bothered at my lateness! I truly love Tales of Camelot, so catching up and answering the questions was such a joy.♥
Oh and I will give a proper full length response this week to all your questions, @Duvelina but I wanted to answer 1 question.
What are your thoughts on the quality of the pictures? Are they up your alley? Or are they too bright?
I love the bright and cheerfulness of the images, especially next to more serious subject matters. Like in an earlier chapter when Hugo wins an award... it's bright and colorful but I remember feeling sad that he was alone and didn't have someone there with him to celebrate... or the scenes where Jacqueline is bullied... or when Sofia struggled with her bubble addiction. It nicely illustrates that you never know what a person is secretly struggling with,
even when something looks beautiful and put together and bright.
Oof that sounds cynical and jaded. What I'm trying to say... okay, I'm about to get real around what seems like a straightforward question. Brace yourself.
As a person who has experienced anxiety and depression, I like the juxtaposition of character problems and struggles with bright colors. There is so much stigma around mental illness. I have literally had someone say 'you can't be depressed; you're too happy all the time." Or "you're too pretty to be this sad." Or "everything looks great in your life so you have no reason to be anxious... or sad." Sometimes you just are... for no good reason... or a reason you can't put into words. Sometimes things happen gradually so you don't realize how trapped you are or how empty you feel. I think Sofia's story illustrates this particular thought as you explained she 'sort of' fell into her addiction for no real reason without a tragic backstory or catalyst event. What I'm trying to say is I appreciate your attention to detail with color (even if this particular rabbit trail is not what you intended).
I feel like it shows real problems exist in the real world even when it's bright and sunny. It shows real things happen to real people, even when they're pretty and kind and happy. And that's ok. It's part of life and processing and growing. The colors also evoke an almost "otherworldly" feeling... like the brightness is both pretty and harsh and a little off (but in a good way... in a way that feels 'other' enough to make me think deep about uncomfortable or difficult situations and subjects like body insecurity, addiction, loneliness, unhealthy attachments, etc.).
I'm probably attaching my own meaning to your pictures that you otherwise didn't intend. Sometimes I have to turn down the brightness on my screen for my sensitive eyes but I love the color and thoughtfulness that encapsulates your images. I resonate with the images and it pulls me further into the story. I feel rooted and invested. So short answer... keep doing what you're doing.
@everyone
I have found by being a member of this reading circle, I have paid much closer attention to pictures. I have always appreciated the written word, but I mostly left illustrated stories behind in childhood. Playing the Sims and reading SimLit, particularly discussion around your stories, has given me a deeper appreciation for images and imagery, and how much it enhances the story and illustrates the character's experiences, thoughts and emotions.
@everyone I'm really sorry I wasn't very active in here for the last week. I hope you don't think I've just traipsed off on vacation and forgot about you! I apologize for being so absent. I'm still on vacation but now I have constant internet and my computer is working well again, so I'll make sure to catch up with everything including your comments on my own blog, and I'll be a lot more present!
@Duvelina, I'm so sorry I'm cutting into your week by responding to Yimi's discussion questions this late, I hope that's all right! I'm looking forward to catching up with Too Good at Goodbyes this week.
@AdamsEve1231 I love your thoughtful answer, thank you.
I completely get what you mean and although it might not have been something I've intentionally been doing, I do share that same experience with you regarding the depression and people saying you're too happy to be depressed. I've been in a similar position to Sofia (although I didn't have the happy childhood she's had) where I became depressed without any particular reason and I couldn't figure out why I was so sad all the time. It was a frustrating journey and it's one I wanted to share through Sofia. It's not about one particular event. One day you realise you're depressed and one day you might realise you're not, but the exact moment that turned it all around is unclear.
I appreciate you liking the bright, bubbly pictures. I love looking at them myself and although some of the events in them are sad, there's always the silent sign of hope in them because the colours are so saturated and associated with happy feelings.
What’s your favourite and least favourite aspect of my story (storytelling, writing, pictures, characters, …)? Why? How can I improve?
Oof, the first question is immediately a difficult one. I think what I like the most is how everyone got his or her own story and they blend together here and there. It gets me thinking that everyones life is totally different, but everyone has his or her own problems. I think that’s very strong. The less stronger part here is that some people (for example Neal) aren’t that much included in this strong story, and this way I don’t know what to think of him. Is he a side character? Will there be more of him later?
For the rest, I think you’re doing a real good job. I like the writing, I like the pictures, I like how (most of) the characters are fleshed out, I like it all.
Have I improved anything throughout the story already?
Oh yeah. I still know that I said in your first discussion that I had soms difficulties understandin everything. Your story has become easier to read (at least for me) so I don’t know if you changed some minor things or if it’s just me, but I wasn’t catched up until today and I read everything today, so that means something has improved.
Do you like the story? Why (not)? Feel free to give both reasons you like and dislike the story, if applicable.
I do like it a lot. Just when I think I know what’s going to happen, there’s a random child of Hugo coming in the story. It makes the story interesting, because if I was right about my predictions every time, things would get boring.
What are your thoughts on the quality of the pictures? Are they up your alley? Or are they too bright?
They are bright, yes, but not to the point where it’s irritating or something. I have the feeling you do this to brighten the whole story, but of course I don’t know for sure. Maybe it’s just because you like everything to be bright? xD
In-depth
Do you think Max has developed positively since the last time we talked about him? Why (not)? Do you think Veronica can make a difference?
I think he’s heading somewhere, yes. It’s still pretty vague, but I HOPE that Veronica can make a difference for sure.
What did you think about the reveal where Hugo turned out to have a son? Do you think he’d make a good dad? Did Sofia handle the situation well? How do you think I handled that situation? Did it feel realistic? Tell me all your thoughts.
I should’ve recorded my reaction, post it on YouTube and publish it here, hahahahaha. My face was freaking hilarious I think. Something like this:
I think Sofia was so nice here and Hugo was.. Less surprised than I thought he would be. If I was in his situation, I should have gone upstairs to my bed and be like ‘what on earth just happened?’ and maybe after a day or 3 I would’ve called Sofia asking the contact information. I would be too dumbfounded to accept it right away, I think.
I think Hugo will make a good dad, but he’s pretty young, so maybe it’s a little early? I have the feeling that Hugo will see his son more as a younger friend than as an actual son of his. Also because they look nothing alike.
What are your thoughts on Allyson and her relationship with her mom?
That’s a difficult one. In Allyson’s eyes, Luna can’t do anything wrong, while Luna is trying her very best but everytime she gets a virtual slap in her face from her daughter. Luchily she still has Sofia and I hope she can make herself happy from that, because if she didn’t have anyone else, I can imagine her becoming very depressed of her life and maybe even start doing wrong stuff. With a kid like Allyson in the house, that would cause even more trouble.
If Allyson becomes friends with the wrong people, I can easily see her taking the wrong path and make her mother’s life even more difficult than it’s now. I hope that doesn’t happen.
Did you favourite and least favourite character change since last time? Who are they now and why?
My favorites were Hugo and Max, and that’s still the same. My least favorites were Lucy, Neal and Jacqueline. Jacqueline can be removed from the list, but Lucy and Neal stay, with Neal on top.
Did your opinion on any of the characters change (in a positive or negative way)?
Not really.
Did your favourite storyline stay the same or do you like another one more now?
I still like Hugo and Max their storylines most.
Do you think the character you gave advice to last time around will take it to heart and do something with it?
My advise was for Max to fix his gang and fix his life. Well, Brodie got kicked out of the club so that’s a victory on itself. I also have the feeling that he’s slowly fixing his life too, so I think Max is listening to me.
Did any of your past predictions for the characters come to fruition?
Something definitely happened between Hugo, Nelson, Sofia and Luna xDDD I had the feeling that Hugo and Nelson would end up together but Sofia and Luna also ending up together came as a surprise to me, but it was a nice surprise. I was also curious how Max an Brodie would end up. I don’t know if Brodie will return some time, but I don’t think anymore that they could be friends.
What are your predictions for the characters’ storylines based on new developments?
Things could get worse between Allyson and Luna, maybe because of Sofia dropping the subject of wanting another kid? Hugo will see his son as a friend instead of a son, and maybe even hide the fact of having a son to Nelson. Jacqueline makes me think about a serie I’m watching where there’s a girl who’s sick. She’s sporting wayyyyy more than what’s good for her and constantly counting calories. I have a fear that Jacqueline will end up sick and become like that.
Who/what do you want to see more of? Why? (More Lucy and Jacqueline coming up in the future!)
Oh, I like seeing Lucy more because now she’s right at the bottom together with Neal for me.
Do you have any questions for the characters and/or me?
Nope. You’re doing a great job!
@Skeilah I won't comment on any of your 'predictions' throughout your post directly, but I think you're doing a great job at getting into the character's heads and imagining what they might do in certain situations in the future.
Oof, the first question is immediately a difficult one. I think what I like the most is how everyone got his or her own story and they blend together here and there. It gets me thinking that everyones life is totally different, but everyone has his or her own problems. I think that’s very strong. The less stronger part here is that some people (for example Neal) aren’t that much included in this strong story, and this way I don’t know what to think of him. Is he a side character? Will there be more of him later?
For the rest, I think you’re doing a real good job. I like the writing, I like the pictures, I like how (most of) the characters are fleshed out, I like it all.
Thank you. 🥰 I completely get what you're saying. Right now, Neal is supposed to be a minor side character while I'm focusing on some of the other characters. He'll get a major storyline later on but I don't want to include even more because that might get overwhelming and confusing. I'm planning on wrapping up some storylines at some point and let some characters fade into the background to make room for others (like Neal).
Oh yeah. I still know that I said in your first discussion that I had soms difficulties understandin everything. Your story has become easier to read (at least for me) so I don’t know if you changed some minor things or if it’s just me, but I wasn’t catched up until today and I read everything today, so that means something has improved.
So good to hear!
They are bright, yes, but not to the point where it’s irritating or something. I have the feeling you do this to brighten the whole story, but of course I don’t know for sure. Maybe it’s just because you like everything to be bright? xD
I should’ve recorded my reaction, post it on YouTube and publish it here, hahahahaha. My face was freaking hilarious I think. Something like this:
I think Sofia was so nice here and Hugo was.. Less surprised than I thought he would be. If I was in his situation, I should have gone upstairs to my bed and be like ‘what on earth just happened?’ and maybe after a day or 3 I would’ve called Sofia asking the contact information. I would be too dumbfounded to accept it right away, I think.
I think Hugo will make a good dad, but he’s pretty young, so maybe it’s a little early? I have the feeling that Hugo will see his son more as a younger friend than as an actual son of his. Also because they look nothing alike.
Love your reaction! 😂 Hugo took it all rather well, very true. He has the contact information, but I can already say he's not going to use it immediately and a lot of overthinking will happen. A good first reaction, but a slow spiraling of thoughts.
I now see how much writing mistakes I've made while typing that xDDD &Ohhhh, now I'm really curious to see if my predictions are heading the right way!
General What’s your favourite and least favourite aspect of my story (storytelling, writing, pictures, characters, …)? Why? How can I improve?
I love how real your characters and stories feel. I’ve mentioned this already in the past, but your characters and their struggles are incredibly believable, and that makes me relate to them more. The easiest example of this is Hugo and Sofia, but I’m also thinking of Jaqueline’s weight and self-esteem issues and Luna’s extreme conflict-avoiding behaviour.
My least favourite… hm, that one is harder. There’s a few side characters in your story (Neal and Juliana come to mind) that have had very little attention / character development compared to the “main” cast. This is fine, that’s why there are main characters and side characters after all, but I sometimes forget who they are, and to whom they are related.
Have I improved anything throughout the story already?
Yes! I feel you’ve gotten better at showing us what’s in their heads, though this might be because we’ve known them for longer at this point. And I’m ridiculously protective of Hugo. But you know that already. xD
Do you like the story? Why (not)? Feel free to give both reasons you like and dislike the story, if applicable.
I do! I enjoy watching the lives of the Villareals unfold (or unravel xD). I actually often finish your chapters going “What? It’s done already?!”
What are your thoughts on the quality of the pictures? Are they up your alley? Or are they too bright?
I love how vibrant and colourful they are. It’s a stark contrast to the (sometimes very dark) issues the cast has, and something about that just works for me.
Do you think Max has developed positively since the last time we talked about him? Why (not)? Do you think Veronica can make a difference?
I enjoy how Veronica has given him a glimpse of just being around people and having fun without power struggles and crime and one-upping each other through misdeeds. Even though she’s not exactly a model citizen herself, I think she could be a very good influence on our Max. Especially the fact that he discovered he loves games is super promising!
What did you think about the reveal where Hugo turned out to have a son? Do you think he’d make a good dad? Did Sofia handle the situation well? How do you think I handled that situation? Did it feel realistic? Tell me all your thoughts.
It was a plot twist, that’s for sure! Especially with how young he must have been when the kid was born. I’d like to think that Hugo would make for a great dad – but this kid is nearly grown-up, himself. It’s different when your child is already halfway his teen years. If the child was a newborn, Hugo might react very differently.
What are your thoughts on Allyson and her relationship with her mom?
They’re… a bit off. I understand both sides have struggles, but neither side seems to be handling it all too well. I’m more lenient on Allyson here, since she is the child, then I am on Luna. It seems she needs to brush up on her parenting techniQWAIT WHAT IF this is the thing she and Hugo need to get back into contact?! Something among the lines of, oh no, I have a son now, Luna how does being a parent work? And then he contacts her for advice, and they end up bonding/apologizing for the whole Sofia-related ghosting thing yessssssssssss –
Erm. Forgive me. I went on a bit of a tangent there. XD
Did you favourite and least favourite character change since last time? Who are they now and why?
Nope! They are still Hugo and Neal, though Max went up a few spots and Luna fell down a few places.
Did your opinion on any of the characters change (in a positive or negative way)?
Max got some brownie points by realizing there were other things to life than petty crime, and actually helping someone out of the goodness of his heart. Luna lost some by avoiding her brother like that over being scared of conflict. I’m still salty. C’mon, Luna, it’s your brother, for crying out loud.
Did your favourite storyline stay the same or do you like another one more now?
Still rooting for Hugo and Jaqueline!
Do you think the character you gave advice to last time around will take it to heart and do something with it?
I hope so… but Jaqueline seems to have gone off the deep end in terms of body image, so I have low hopes there.
Did any of your past predictions for the characters come to fruition?
Yes and no. They’re still changing and developing, so I’m waiting with great interest to see what happens in the future!
What are your predictions for the characters’ storylines based on new developments?
Okay so that entire random tangent about Hugo and Luna above. I’m also hoping for Max and Veronica to become a thing, and for him to realize what a total muppet he’s been and start treating people a little nicer. Probably not gonna happen… but a girl can dream xD
Who/what do you want to see more of? Why? (More Lucy and Jacqueline coming up in the future!)
Yesssssss Jacqueline please!
Do you have any questions for the characters and/or me?
Allyson: What’s your favourite thing in the whole world?
Hugo: I know you are/were close with your sister. What do you think about Max, Neal and Jaqueline?
Hosting D&D sessions on the side. Interested in playing through some fantasy-themed shenanigans? Send me a message 😘
@_sims_Yimi Thank you for your answers! It's very helpful to hear that you want to know more about the side characters. I'll have a think on how to include them more now instead of just in the future. I'll get back to your questions later when I've went in-game to take pictures.
They’re… a bit off. I understand both sides have struggles, but neither side seems to be handling it all too well. I’m more lenient on Allyson here, since she is the child, then I am on Luna. It seems she needs to brush up on her parenting techniQWAIT WHAT IF this is the thing she and Hugo need to get back into contact?! Something among the lines of, oh no, I have a son now, Luna how does being a parent work? And then he contacts her for advice, and they end up bonding/apologizing for the whole Sofia-related ghosting thing yessssssssssss –
Erm. Forgive me. I went on a bit of a tangent there. XD
I love your theorizing. 😂 It would be nice to be able to talk to each other about parenting. Their other siblings are in different stages of their lives (or have completely different lifestyles) so they only have each other.
General
What’s your favourite and least favourite aspect of my story (storytelling, writing, pictures, characters, …)? Why? How can I improve?
Have I improved anything throughout the story already?
Do you like the story? Why (not)? Feel free to give both reasons you like and dislike the story, if applicable.
What are your thoughts on the quality of the pictures? Are they up your alley? Or are they too bright?
I thought the questions came together and flowed with one another so I wrote it all as a huge essay. I hope you don't mind.
General
One thing I like about your story is how true to life it is and how much I can connect with the characters. Every story has a relatable aspect to it, but in yours I find that I can connect a piece of myself, past or the present, to almost all the characters. The cherry on top being the setting and themes are tied to that of everyday life so it’s interesting to follow their journey on how they would tackle situations I may/may not come across.
Another of my favourites is the portrayal of characters, not just in writing but in image representation. I like the diverse body types featured, Max’s tattoos , Sofia’s transformation in that her physical appearance is a reflection of her inner state. I also like that body image is tackled (Jacqueline’s arc) and is something I’m excited to see.
The color profile in your story is very vibrant and it’s something that I’ve come to regard as your signature. I could be browsing the WHIYGT thread and if I chance upon your pictures, I’d instantly know it to be your story I like that personalisation and the vibrancy is unique! It uplifts the mood and makes everything cheery even if the story is on a darker note, which is great! But I noticed that I sometimes get distracted by it. I.e. the story might be on a serious note, but because the pictures are bright and cheery, I find myself thinking that things won’t turn out to be that bad. They’ll be able to handle this obstacle in a jiffy, I find myself thinking. If this is what you intended, feel free to ignore it. I’m only pointing out in case this is what you didn’t intend.
Personally, I’d like to worry together with the characters and feel their pain and feel their uncertainty. I think pictures can really set the mood and deepen the reader’s connection with the character, especially for more visual readers. I think you nailed it perfectly in chapter 34! The lighting effects in chapter 34 matched Jacqueline’s emotional state perfectly. The colors became brighter as Jacqueline hopped on the threadmil and felt happy for herself (Yay endorphins!), neutral with Anita, then ended with a lot of shadows/exposure in the last picture to reflect her insecurities flaring. It made me sympathise and connect with Jacqueline so much there. I really wanted to give her a hug. The saturation level for chapters 40, 42, 43 were too strong for me. I have acute astigmatism so can barely bright lights even with correctional glasses. I largely blame the red walls and Sofia’s flaming red ladybug sweater though lol.
Oof when I read your story I wasn’t particularly focused on anything that required improvement. I enjoy your pictures, writing, storytelling and themes. When I read your story, there wasn’t any part that stood out and make me go “This recurring aspect could be done away.” So I didn’t think the story needed to improve in the first place.
I like your story! There’s the picture vibrancy, subjects tackled, variety of characters and staying true to slice of life elements. It’s the kind of story that reminds me of a Saturday afternoon with rain falling lightly, soft pitter-patter against the window, tea in one hand and instrumental music playing in the background, reading about the struggles of your character and how they overcome it, and know that at the end of this book, I’d experience warmth and peace. That’s how relaxing I find your story.
Maybe it’s because my story is centered around teenagers, but I am absolutely in love with the maturity and rationality displayed by the characters in your story. It’s so refreshing. Luna, Sofia, Hugo, Nelson, even Jacqueline (though she is insecure) and Max (who is improving in leaps and bounds). I find that I can relate to their thoughts and actions, not necessarily Max’s motivations haha. There weren’t a lot of moments in the story where I felt annoyed at anyone because they were against my own core values or were being silly.
I wouldn’t say I dislike any part of your story, but hmm… if there’s something I’d like to see, I’d like to see a bit more conflict between the characters. The story has many characters with diverse personalities and motivations. It’s a recipe for drama! I’m certain if specific characters were to cross paths, they’d be instant enemies/frenemies etc. I’d like to see them come together and have their thoughts and ethics clash with each other, I think it’ll be interesting to see that connection form.
Even as I say this though, take my perspective with a grain of salt. The worst thing to do is to follow someone else’s advice and find that your story is not yours anymore and lose the drive to write. It’s your story. I’ve been following along just fine (See my above paragraph on how your story transports me into my happy place!) so there’s no reason for you to change anything of your story unless you want to. You have a clear direction on where your story is headed whereas I don’t so your own voice must come first!
Okay... So, moving on. I have some questions from a viewer.
'Cool! Is it about my omelettes?'
Hehe, not that kind of viewer, oh well, let's run with it, what are your feelings regarding the Max situation?
'That's kind of personal.'
That's what the viewers want to know, Hugo. Don't you think you should give some insight into your life?
'If you think so... Max is my brother and he always will be. I regret how he left and especially how we haven't heard from him afterwards. He wasn't the nicest and the house was often tense with him around, but I still care about him. I hope he's doing okay and feels safe enough to contact us when he's ready.'
That was very open of you.
'You said it yourself, the viewers deserve to know more about me. They've been supporting me through my chef journey, so maybe it's time to show them another side of me.'
*sniffle* They grow up so fast. Next up: What are your thoughts on Neal?
'Neal and I didn't grow up together. In fact, I barely know him. He is my half-brother and family because of that so I will be there for him when he needs me, but I do feel like there's a generational gap between us.'
Understandable. Last but certainly not least: What do you think of Jacqueline?
'I think you know. I can't shut up about my little sister. She's my best friend in the whole world. If there is anything I would want to tell to anyone, it's Jacqueline. She's incredibly selfless and knows just what to say to me whenever I need to hear something.'
I did know, but it's nice to have it confirmed. Thank you for your time, Hugo. Enjoy your (in)famous omelettes!
@Duvelina Yay, answers!
Gah, that look again! XDDDDD @ajamkeevin 's Kyungri gave me that exact same look when I asked her my questions, haha. I can’t help it! I love to pry. Nawww but his answer about Jacqueline I wonder if Hugo is aware of what’s happening to his little sister atm…
Allyson is way too busy playing dollhouse in this virtual dollhouse to be answering silly questions
Hosting D&D sessions on the side. Interested in playing through some fantasy-themed shenanigans? Send me a message 😘
Do you think Max has developed positively since the last time we talked about him? Why (not)? Do you think Veronica can make a difference? I think Max has developed positively because I find myself surprised by his actions. The first one was his and Veronica hanging out at Geek con of course! Such an iconic moment. He was surprised too.
In his next feature, Max is reading fiction and genuinely interested in it! I've always thought that we pick up books to read about people or things we find relatable. In most cases, fiction is usually good triumphing over evil. I'd love to know what kind of books he reads. Does he think he's the 'hero of his own story'? Are the protags of his books usually misunderstood characters, hence he relates to them? To be honest, I'd expect him to read philosophy books more than fiction because he'd find an ideology that suits him far quicker than chancing upon those in fiction (especially when its geared towards the good guys). For him to follow a mystery story and 'be anxiously flipping through' to find out what happens, he cares for the protag! I want to know what he reads! (Oh gosh this entire paragraph is me projecting and reading into stuff too much )
The most telling though is his doing a good deed for Veronica by putting the house in his name. Now, I’ve been and am still VERY suspicious of him about that. My comment on your blog is me being suspicious haha. Despite the legalities, Max still has a lot of leverage over Veronica. But there’s something there that I just noticed… Max is wearing the Geekcon shirt! :O
He trashed it so much the first time he laid eyes on it. If he treated it like maybe house clothes, maybe there’s no argument there, but this time he left the house while wearing it! We know he cares about appearances to some extent since he didn’t want to be caught dead in it at first, but this display may speak a lot about what he thinks subconsciously? :x
Whether Veronica can influence him is still a grey area, they had one good moment together. If they continue to have positive moments together, I’d say there is a good chance he may regard her differently, and from there perhaps warm up to healthy interactions with others. (Pfft, as I say this though I see him in denial saying something along the lines of “No plummin way I’m becoming soft like that!” )
What did you think about the reveal where Hugo turned out to have a son? Do you think he’d make a good dad? Did Sofia handle the situation well? How do you think I handled that situation? Did it feel realistic? Tell me all your thoughts.
Tbh, I’ve no idea how to answer this question. If there was some sort of clue or the story has advanced to a stage where Hugo is playing a parent role, maybe I’ll be more comfortable forming an opinion about his parental abilities. I could simply say that with his character he’d probably be a mellow dad. But people change when they have children. Some step up, some step down, some don’t change (yeah nah). I’m going to sit out on whether he’d make a good dad. Good is relative too. I.e. Hugo was very, very delicate with Sofia’s addiction. If his son was into party drugs, and he applied the same approach, would Hugo consider himself a good dad? Too much grey area here for me, I'm not going to speculate. Who am I to judge such things, I'd probably be the worst of the lot
I thought Sofia handled it wonderfully. Her advice is pretty much telling him to take things one at a time, play by ear and be sensitive to the boy’s feelings. I think it’s a great approach to a delicate situation. Especially if both parties don’t know much about each other. They’ll have to understand each other first. My first thoughts were ooooh I think Sofia would make an awesome counselor, or a lawyer if she's driven and flourishes under pressure. Heck if she decides to pursue child psychology she'd be an awesome child therapist too, if she loves kids that is. I'm super excited to know where her passion lies.
What are your thoughts on Allyson and her relationship with her mom?
I think a heart-to-heart talk is needed. Allyson needs to see where her mom is coming from. Luna needs to know that Allyson feels smothered. They both need to put in the effort to come to an understanding. Unfortunately Luna needs to put in more since Allyson is a child and may not have developed enough logical reasoning to fully grasp where in the relationship she must take responsiblity of her actions. But its through moments like this that Allyson can grow and learn about herself. I did think Allyson could benefit from emotional coaching, from a teacher, maybe, who has such training. But it’s not that dire. At the moment, I’m thinking the best intervention would be a third-party neutral adult who validates Allyson’s needs, then gently guides her towards understanding where Luna is coming from. Like the cool aunt or admired uncle. Ok I need to stop. Sorry about that. Kids make me talk alot.
Did you favourite and least favourite character change since last time? Who are they now and why?
I think I said I liked Hugo the last time. I still do, but I'm invested in other characters now. I like Max's and Sofia's development so they're pushed to the front for me. I've a super bias to children and another super bias towards parents who try their best with their child so Allyson and Luna are . AH geez. I think I just outlined your entire cast. Oh well.
Did your opinion on any of the characters change (in a positive or negative way)?
Initially I was worried about Hugo enabling Sofia, or that Sofia would continue to be beaten by her addiction or hop onto another high too quickly without sorting herself out. Those are two huge positives that have changed for me. I'm trying to find a negative here. Am drawing up a blank except for Neal, but that's a steady unchanged negative for stealing from your own sister haha!
Did your favourite storyline stay the same or do you like another one more now?
Oof my favourite storylines are still the same: Jacqueline and Max on top. This doesn’t mean I’m not interested in the rest. I’m super invested in Allyson and Luna’s relationship. And I’m pretty excited to get to know Sofia because people that are addicted to substances are not themselves. Now that she’s got it controlled, I can get to know her. What hobbies (piano?) will she take up, what career path will she choose, how will her relationship with Luna be, will she and Allyson get along. In the latest entries she is proving to be quite the character - the way she handled Hugo’s predicament. I’m stoked for more Sofia focused chapters.
Do you think the character you gave advice to last time around will take it to heart and do something with it?
Heh! I don’t know if Sofia took the advice. But she’s doing all fine now! I’m not going to steal her thunder and try to claim that I have anything to do with her transformation. All you, queen.
Did any of your past predictions for the characters come to fruition?
Ooof.. Well, no. And yes. For the no, I predicted some drama from Nelson but he and Hugo are doing fine. (At this point I went and checked out his character profile and re-read his traits. Omg. UH did I just spoil something for myself? I’m going to say nothing here. But I’m not hopping off the drama train for Nelson.
For yes, I predicted Max to be doing well with and without Christin by his side and yay, Max is on the uptrend. The funny thing is Christin is exactly that at the moment, at times by his side and at times not haha! And then Sofia’s finding herself. Hurrah!
What are your predictions for the characters’ storylines based on new developments?
For Hugo, I’m expecting he and Duke to get along, understand each other. Go on fatherly son hangouts in the further future once they get comfortable with each other. (That being said, I wouldn’t mind if you decide to do a 180 and Duke turns out to be some crazy son who’s out to seek revenge on his dad for ‘abandoning mom and him’. Lololol I’d be so mad at him for uprooting Hugo’s life if that happens. Don’t touch Hugo. He’s the man! )
For Sofia, I’m expecting for her growth to be exponential and I’ll get to know so many different sides of her as she is invigorated with a zest for life. Omg. I can’t wait to ride that high with her. When you look at life through a fresh pair of lens and there’s nothing holding you back. The image I have of her are eagle wings on her back as she soars. OH man that’s a good image.
For Max, a new home!!! YYAYAYAYAA our favourite bad boy deserves it, doesn’t he!? He’s gone through a lot, from being some runaway, getting ousted, now he’s the head of Hounds, got 2 potential love interests and is generally respected. Time to MOVE UP that ladder! Your abode is indeed too humble, dear Max. Idk what to think about trailers but that’s cool too! There’s a certain appeal to being a nomad that I find interesting.
Who/what do you want to see more of? Why? (More Lucy and Jacqueline coming up in the future!)
YAY! Honestly I’m just going to lean back and relax with Jac on the horizon. Idk at this point I’m happy for any of your cast to be featured. Even Neal, although I anticipate my responses to him to be mixed. Like, I’ll be giving him dirty looks because he’ll probably be doing controversial stuff lol.
Do you have any questions for the characters and/or me?
I think I asked you a lot of questions the last time. This time I'll direct them to the cast instead!
Max: Hey there, bud! What you think of Veronica? And Christin?
Luna: What are your passions? Likes and dislikes. If you had a lot of downtime to be yourself (not as a single mom, no other role, just yourself) what would you do?
Oh wow sorry, I seem to be super rambly today. Half of it is probably nonsense. I apologise!
Every story has a relatable aspect to it, but in yours I find that I can connect a piece of myself, past or the present, to almost all the characters.
That's amazing. I'm so happy I manage to make all of them at least a little relatable.
I like the diverse body types featured, Max’s tattoos , Sofia’s transformation in that her physical appearance is a reflection of her inner state. I also like that body image is tackled (Jacqueline’s arc) and is something I’m excited to see.
This is something I find so important. I really try my hardest to represent real life and I'm willing to include anything that comes with that. Representation matters.
But I noticed that I sometimes get distracted by it. I.e. the story might be on a serious note, but because the pictures are bright and cheery, I find myself thinking that things won’t turn out to be that bad. They’ll be able to handle this obstacle in a jiffy, I find myself thinking. If this is what you intended, feel free to ignore it. I’m only pointing out in case this is what you didn’t intend.
I'm sorry it's distracting to you sometimes! It is something I am going for though. I want to keep up a hopeful tone and it's even something I use as a plot device. I'm trying to inject that feeling of calmness and throw the reader off when things don't turn out so cheery. Not all pictures are the same brightness either. Sofia's house pictures turned out exceptionally bright, but I believe that's a combination of the many windows in that house and the red colour of the sweater Sofia was wearing. Many of the other pictures don't turn out that bright. I'm always updating my shaders and trying to get what works best.
The saturation level for chapters 40, 42, 43 were too strong for me. I have acute astigmatism so can barely bright lights even with correctional glasses. I largely blame the red walls and Sofia’s flaming red ladybug sweater though lol.
Exactly what I meant! I'll keep an eye on it. But none of the upcoming pictures I've taken so far are this bright. So it should be all good.
It’s the kind of story that reminds me of a Saturday afternoon with rain falling lightly, soft pitter-patter against the window, tea in one hand and instrumental music playing in the background, reading about the struggles of your character and how they overcome it, and know that at the end of this book, I’d experience warmth and peace. That’s how relaxing I find your story.
Huge compliment! Thank you so much. I hope I can keep that element of relaxation, even if the story treads some darker paths and goes some sadder places.
Maybe it’s because my story is centered around teenagers, but I am absolutely in love with the maturity and rationality displayed by the characters in your story. It’s so refreshing. Luna, Sofia, Hugo, Nelson, even Jacqueline (though she is insecure) and Max (who is improving in leaps and bounds). I find that I can relate to their thoughts and actions, not necessarily Max’s motivations haha.
I'm happy you like the maturity and rationality in the story. It might not always be this way, especially with an aging Allyson but I think it's good that there are older characters to balance that out.
I wouldn’t say I dislike any part of your story, but hmm… if there’s something I’d like to see, I’d like to see a bit more conflict between the characters. The story has many characters with diverse personalities and motivations. It’s a recipe for drama! I’m certain if specific characters were to cross paths, they’d be instant enemies/frenemies etc. I’d like to see them come together and have their thoughts and ethics clash with each other, I think it’ll be interesting to see that connection form.
Thank you for the suggestion! I wonder if you had specific characters in mind? Because I think my characters see each other pretty often. I'm keeping Max from his family on purpose because that makes the most sense for his feelings right now. It won't always be like that. There is a Hugo/Luna encounter coming up soon, as well as a Hugo/Jacqueline scene. One of them is more conflict-filled than the other though. Most of my characters know each other already so instant frenemies/enemies I'm not so sure about who you mean. If you could explain more, please?
Even as I say this though, take my perspective with a grain of salt. The worst thing to do is to follow someone else’s advice and find that your story is not yours anymore and lose the drive to write. It’s your story. I’ve been following along just fine (See my above paragraph on how your story transports me into my happy place!) so there’s no reason for you to change anything of your story unless you want to. You have a clear direction on where your story is headed whereas I don’t so your own voice must come first!
I appreciate your insight and perspective regardless! It might cause me to brainstorm and think of new places to take the characters and the story. Thank you for your time. ♥
@mercuryfoam Answers to your questions for the cast will come later!
Spoilery
In his next feature, Max is reading fiction and genuinely interested in it! I've always thought that we pick up books to read about people or things we find relatable. In most cases, fiction is usually good triumphing over evil. I'd love to know what kind of books he reads. Does he think he's the 'hero of his own story'? Are the protags of his books usually misunderstood characters, hence he relates to them? To be honest, I'd expect him to read philosophy books more than fiction because he'd find an ideology that suits him far quicker than chancing upon those in fiction (especially when its geared towards the good guys). For him to follow a mystery story and 'be anxiously flipping through' to find out what happens, he cares for the protag! I want to know what he reads! (Oh gosh this entire paragraph is me projecting and reading into stuff too much )
I love your speculation about what books Max reads. 😂 He does seem to be super into the mystery stuff, veering towards it whenever he's home. I might refer to some plots of the books he's been reading while being out and about. That'd be fun.
But there’s something there that I just noticed… Max is wearing the Geekcon shirt! :O
He trashed it so much the first time he laid eyes on it. If he treated it like maybe house clothes, maybe there’s no argument there, but this time he left the house while wearing it! We know he cares about appearances to some extent since he didn’t want to be caught dead in it at first, but this display may speak a lot about what he thinks subconsciously? :x
Yes. I think he still begrudgingly wears it but Veronica likes it so it seems to be an attempt to get into her good graces, even if he committed to doing a tremendously good thing for her.
Tbh, I’ve no idea how to answer this question. If there was some sort of clue or the story has advanced to a stage where Hugo is playing a parent role, maybe I’ll be more comfortable forming an opinion about his parental abilities.
Understandable! I respect you reserving your judgment until we're farther along.
My first thoughts were ooooh I think Sofia would make an awesome counselor, or a lawyer if she's driven and flourishes under pressure. Heck if she decides to pursue child psychology she'd be an awesome child therapist too, if she loves kids that is. I'm super excited to know where her passion lies.
That is pretty cute. She's still young, she has plenty of time to figure out who she is and what she wants to do. She already has a plan in mind but hasn't put any effort into it yet. Things will be set in motion soon!
At the moment, I’m thinking the best intervention would be a third-party neutral adult who validates Allyson’s needs, then gently guides her towards understanding where Luna is coming from. Like the cool aunt or admired uncle.
A great idea! It would probably be the best idea if someone who Allyson knows and loves came to talk to her. I don't think a stranger could make her understand how to talk to and behave towards her mom. A psychologist could help her with her sensory overload and that might make things better but in terms of her behaviour towards her mom... Someone who is close might be the best solution.
I think I said I liked Hugo the last time. I still do, but I'm invested in other characters now. I like Max's and Sofia's development so they're pushed to the front for me. I've a super bias to children and another super bias towards parents who try their best with their child so Allyson and Luna are . AH geez. I think I just outlined your entire cast. Oh well.
I'm so glad you like everyone. This is why I like to ask these questions because the smallest things can change your opinion on a person. Even if your absolute favourite didn't change, the order of other characters might.
Oof my favourite storylines are still the same: Jacqueline and Max on top.
It's good to hear you still like Max' storyline. It's going to go exciting places. I'm honestly so hyped about my own story and the ideas I have for all these characters. 😂
I’m stoked for more Sofia focused chapters.
More Sofia/Luna coming up but also some different Sofia content without Luna!
(At this point I went and checked out his character profile and re-read his traits. Omg. UH did I just spoil something for myself? I’m going to say nothing here. But I’m not hopping off the drama train for Nelson.
😈
(That being said, I wouldn’t mind if you decide to do a 180 and Duke turns out to be some crazy son who’s out to seek revenge on his dad for ‘abandoning mom and him’. Lololol I’d be so mad at him for uprooting Hugo’s life if that happens. Don’t touch Hugo. He’s the man! )
Such a plot twist. 😂 That'd be crazy. I already feel bad for Hugo and it hasn't even happened.
For Max, a new home!!! YYAYAYAYAA our favourite bad boy deserves it, doesn’t he!? He’s gone through a lot, from being some runaway, getting ousted, now he’s the head of Hounds, got 2 potential love interests and is generally respected. Time to MOVE UP that ladder! Your abode is indeed too humble, dear Max. Idk what to think about trailers but that’s cool too! There’s a certain appeal to being a nomad that I find interesting.
In the meantime, in-game, he finally saved up enough money to buy something. I'm excited for him to move there and find his place, but some stuff needs to be resolved first before he can get away from this abandoned house. It will be glorious to have a working stove and fridge.
Luna, what are your passions? Your likes and dislikes? If you had a lot of downtime to be yourself (not as a single mom, no other role, just yourself) what would you do?
'Well, I'm not technically inclined.'
'Or artistically.'
'And I pretty much hate exercise. It's the worst. But don't tell Allyson I said that!'
'I tried out some different instruments but none of them were for me.'
'Until I found the violin. I love that thing! I wish I had more time to learn how to play it better.'
'But there are other things I enjoy too! I'm a fervent sports watcher.'
'And social media is my real vice. It's hard to stop scrolling. Must. Resist. Cat. Video. They're so cute, even though I'm allergic to them.'
'My brother isn't the only one in the family who likes to cook. I'm not as good as he is, but I love to zone out and make some nice recipes.'
'And when I'm all alone, I dance like nobody's watching.
'But my real dream? Go to space. There's a whole galaxy out there. It's hard to fathom. I wouldn't leave Allyson and it's much too dangerous to even try, but if I was alone on this world, I'd know what I'd do in a heartbeat.'
Comments
Too Good at Goodbyes forum thread
Too Good at Goodbyes blog
And Lancelot is a super good guy. I'm picturing Arthur to be friend group dad, and Lancelot to be friend group mom. XD
@mercuryfoam Unfortunately not - I edit the light out manually during editing. It takes longer than I'm comfortable with, but oh well
Final batch of answers for this week, I think. I'm beat, guys. Forgive me if I recycle some pictures!
Uther
“You assume correctly. And it is not a threat of war – we ARE at war. I know Cornwall, and I know Gorlois. They will not stop until Albion falls. I do not intend to leave such a legacy to my son. Our citizens can be pacified with tournaments and shows of valour – they are not important right now. Maintaining good relations with our closest allies is. Even if I have to sacrifice a few pieces to do so.”
Morgana
“Ironically… magic. We have almost no information on it. It's to be expected. The Jacoban church teaches us that it is wicked and malefic, and that it will corrupt everyone who uses it. It’s banned across Albion. Even the druids are not allowed within our borders. Because of that… I can find very little knowledge about it. There was Millicent in the past, but… she warned me to stay away from it, too. She wouldn’t teach me. Only Merlin. I understand why – it’s easier for a commoner boy to go unnoticed than a princess. But it does frustrate me.”
Thank you everyone for taking a look at my story again and answering my questions. Once again, I really learned a lot! Hopefully you'll still be entertained in six week or so, hehe
Yimi out!
Discussion questions
General
What’s your favourite and least favourite aspect of my story (storytelling, writing, pictures, characters, …)? Why? How can I improve?
Have I improved anything throughout the story already?
Do you like the story? Why (not)? Feel free to give both reasons you like and dislike the story, if applicable.
What are your thoughts on the quality of the pictures? Are they up your alley? Or are they too bright?
In-depth (spoilery)
What did you think about the reveal where Hugo turned out to have a son? Do you think he’d make a good dad? Did Sofia handle the situation well? How do you think I handled that situation? Did it feel realistic? Tell me all your thoughts.
What are your thoughts on Allyson and her relationship with her mom?
Did you favourite and least favourite character change since last time? Who are they now and why?
Did your opinion on any of the characters change (in a positive or negative way)?
Did your favourite storyline stay the same or do you like another one more now?
Do you think the character you gave advice to last time around will take it to heart and do something with it?
Did any of your past predictions for the characters come to fruition?
What are your predictions for the characters’ storylines based on new developments?
Who/what do you want to see more of? Why? (More Lucy and Jacqueline coming up in the future!)
Do you have any questions for the characters and/or me?
Too Good at Goodbyes forum thread
Too Good at Goodbyes blog
I must've overlooked. Do you have Ecoliving? It might be that your neighborhood enacted the N.A.P that encourages sims to do creative arts. I didn't have that NAP, but I had the one where all sims started fiddling with future cubes.
Yeah, I made a discussion thread somewhere else to ask why this was happening, and indeed, the NAP's fault. Apparently I just have to wait until the effect wears off and I also have installed a mod to fix the eco living interactions. Thanks for replying anyways!
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What do you think about Morgana’s kid chapters and the epilogue to the first “act”?
The kid chapters were really well written, I think. The thing with writing (and reading) pieces of fiction about children is that it's always hard to make it sound realistic, like the actions are seen from the point of view of children, and a lot of the time I think people don't quite succeed. I don't think this at all with your chapters that focused on the characters, especially Morgana, as children. You've done a great job at maintaining the sort of childhood innocence and (corny, but) magic that a lot of other people tend to fail to grasp. I really commend you for this! I loved every bit of the first act. Morgana was a child and she acted like one, but she also learned a lot and we could see her grow in front of our eyes. The way you wrote the moment where (this is how I see it) her innocence was shattered but literally inserting dark pictures of the image of her father shattering in her mind, that was amazing not only from a storytelling perspective, but also to place a distinct line between "innocent" and "grown up" Morgana that didn't just gradually happen with age. I love that you brought that back in the epilogue.
About the epilogue itself, it was a lovely and heartwarming way to end the childhood arc of the story. We grew to love the children in the first act and it was a beautiful and appropriate ending to that arc. There were moments when I found myself getting emotional over the way that Gawain, Arthur, and Morgana were interacting, and I really loved it. Specifically, I think Morgana showering her boys with affection was a very nice bit. You managed to wrap up their childhood storylines in a very satisfying way, while still allowing for them to look to the future with storylines that have yet to be fully explored. Well done. Also, the reveal that Morgana is the May Day child was awesome. I kind of suspected it was the case, but the way you revealed it was excellent.
What do you think about the second act so far?
Reeeeeeeeally liking it so far! It's distinct from the first act for sure. It's almost like we're watching the second part of a movie series and this is the second and exciting part that gets even darker and more exciting. I love what you've done with the characters' looks, they're looking fabulous. And even though I liked having a pretty limited cast of developed characters in the first act, I also really like the introduction of new characters and the further development of ones you've introduced already. There's quite a few characters now, but I say, bring it on! You develop them all so nicely and each one plays an important role in the story, so I like that the cast has been extended. Also really love the tone here, but I see that's the next question so I'll answer this there~
What are your thoughts on the tone of the story? It’s meant to gradually get darker as people grow older. Can you feel this? Are there enough warm/light-hearted moments to balance the darker ones?
I think you've done this well. The first act had a noticeably dark tone overall that was especially evident in several of the rougher sections, but it was lightened by the fact that the main characters were children and they brightened up the tone by just being their childlike selves. The shift to the darker tone in this second act is noticeable but not abrupt at all. You took the darker elements of the first act and heightened them to match the maturing personalities of the main characters, and it works really well. As in, you planted the seeds of the darker events and interactions happening here, and now they're growing into (shady) trees. So, yes, I think this happened pretty gradually and it's exciting to read. Especially since I can only see it getting EVEN darker from here and that's going to be thrilling because it's already pretty dark.
I think, yes, there are plenty of moments that make me giggle or sigh in contentment to balance out the darker things happening. I've said it before but I love your sense of humor, and let me add to that by saying that I think you have a nice sense of comedic timing that makes the light-hearted moments even better—say, for example, when you were introducing the Tall Tales Tavern and then throwing a little bit of shade at Gawain by implying he's telling the tall tales. Also, the gossiping and teasing with Guinevere and her crush on Arthur. It's great! And the way you write tender moments between the characters that we've grown to love. It never feels like you're pandering to things like "oh, I ship these characters together" or things like that, it's always well-placed in the story and you really make me happy to read about the sweetness.
What do you think about the druids?
We don't know too much at this point about them, but I think that what you've revealed about them has been interesting. Especially the way you chose to frame their introduction, by them being in danger. It was exciting. I liked that, because it wasn't an exposition dump, you revealed information about them while they were in peril, and that made the details you presented exciting to read (and they stick in my head more this way). I'm excited to find out more about the ways that they live. I like that you had Emrys say that they literally cannot harm others with their magic and then explained why, it's an interesting concept that I haven't quite seen anywhere else (I feel like I need to read more fantasy stories, ehehehe). I wonder what their role in the story will be from now on, especially since they owe their live to Arthur now. But so far, I'm liking them and I'm looking forward to seeing them reappear.
Characters
Did the main cast grow up the way you thought they would? Do the types of people they grew into make sense?
So, I'm focusing on Morgana, Arthur, Gawain, and Richard (I won't count Emrys/Merlin because he has his own section later). I think these four have grown up to be logical older versions of their childhood selves. I'm not particularly surprised about any aspects of their current personalities because I think you did a good job of setting them up when they were children, but I love seeing them grow into more developed versions of themselves in this act. Morgana, for example, growing up to love political and social games, is awesome because you could tell from her child self that she was an expert at manipulation and seeing her hone these skills is satisfying. Gawain was a cinnamon roll and remains a cinnamon roll here, but I love that you've made him a brave and honorable cinnamon roll. I especially loved the mirroring of the kidnapping and the assassin scenes and how he no longer was afraid and succeeded this time in subduing the assailant. Arthur, man... his development has been my favorite because he was such an unlikable character to me, and this turned around toward the end of the first act and the good characteristics you started to develop in him back then are even more evident now and it's awesome. He's gone from being my least favorite main character to competing with Morgana for my affections. And Richard, well... I know that I say this A LOT on the comments on your blog, but honestly the child snot-nosed twerp he was grew up to be a teenaged snot-nosed twerp but only now he actually has power and he's SCARY. But exciting. BUT SCARY.
What do you think about the supporting knights? Elyan, Percival and Lancelot?
I'm constantly annoyed about how Elyan and Percival perceive magic and how aggressive they are about it, but it's only logical that that's the way they react given the popular opinion of magic in Albion. If I look past this, because I can forgive it for now (because they haven't actually harmed anyone so far), I think they're all right. Obviously knights in training haven't achieved their fully mature status yet, but I think they're good knights and they obviously respect Arthur enough to follow his orders even when they don't agree, and I think that's commendable. I'm looking forward to seeing them developed more, because there are moments, especially before they met the druids, where they made me laugh with their banter and I am inclined to like them. Lancelot, on the other hand, seems to have a more sensible head on his shoulders and he impressed me with the way he handles things, so I fully like him so far. I think he's the best of the three.
Is Arthur’s authority over them believable? What do you think about the dynamic there?
I think it is believable. I mentioned that I can appreciate that Elyan, Percival, and Lancelot respect and follow his orders even when they don't agree, and I think that's the sign of a good leader. Arthur has always had that sort of aura where you either follow him or you're done for, and while this manifested in his childhood years as a sort of arrogance, I think this trait has developed to the point where it's no longer an arrogant leadership, it's more of a natural leader role that he fits into perfectly given his strong personality, his strong abilities, and his fair judgment and insight. Obviously he was born into this position, but I think he's taken this role he landed into and really molded himself into it in a way that is effective. I think the other knights see that Arthur has that natural leadership ability and respect him for this, so I see why they follow his orders, even when it's done in an annoyed or not good-natured manner. I think the dynamic between Arthur and his knights is natural and exciting to see.
What do you think about Guinevere and Sarah? Is Morgana’s relationship with them believable?
You know this (I think everyone by now knows this), but I LOVE Sarah. She adds something to the story that makes me so happy, I think it's because she's a very minor character at this point but she always adds a bright ray of sunshine into each scene she's in be it by injecting some well-appreciated humor into darker chapters, or because she truly seems to be a good person with a fun personality. Guinevere is like the female Gawain and it's adorable to see her. I especially liked her introduction, because it gives a good look into her shy personality, and I loved seeing her blush when Arthur arrived at the castle. I'm really excited to see where her character goes from here! I love the dynamic between Sarah, Guinevere, and Morgana. I think it adds some nice realism into the proceedings because Morgana is young woman who, from what we've seen, loves to socialize and, in the absence of other friends, I'm not surprised she enjoys chattering away with her handmaids and socializing in a way that has no underlying purpose. I really enjoyed their section together because seeing Morgana just chatting away with some "friends" (I'll call them that even though they're her handmaids) and enjoying having some lighthearted fun teasing Guinevere is refreshing. She's young but already so tangled up in the politics of Albion, so it's nice to just see her be her young and fun self with no hidden agendas or pretenses.
What are your thoughts on Morgana’s relationship with Richard?
Eeek. I mean, when Richard was a boy we could already see he was sneaky and not a very good person, but that has just increased tenfold now that he's older. I love, love, love that Morgana can more than hold her own with him and even manipulate and flat-out coerce him into doing her bidding without sacrificing herself or her country. I think this makes their relationship even more exciting, because they're two very cunning people that both know how to play the game, and this is going to provide for such a thrilling battle of wits and cunning as the story goes along. I also like how Morgana knows that she's pushing Richard a little too far, maybe, and how she shows fear at this prospect but never shows it to Richard. She knows she has some sort of power in their little game, and Richard knows it, which makes it even more exciting when we see him doing his villainous bit with the chess set. I'm really looking forward to seeing how their relationship continues to unfold.
Side note: have I said "I'm excited" or "I'm really looking forward to" enough times yet? I feel like I say that in every single one of my answers
What do you think about Emrys?
I was wondering when we'd see Merlin again! Well, this is assuming that he is indeed Merlin and I'm not 100% sure of that yet, but still. At first I was unsure because he looks quite... old, and that beard looks really thick for someone who was a child not tooooo long ago (I'm assuming? I think I've forgotten to mention/ask this, but the main characters are indeed in their mid-to-late teens, right?), but the memories/flashback images in his chapter convinced me that this is him. Makes sense, too, given that he isn't afraid to use his magic even when it harms people. I could certainly imagine someone like Merlin not fully following the anti-violence tenets of the druids given the circumstances under which he was forced to flee from Camelot. But beyond that, and ignoring the fact that this might be Merlin, I think Emrys is a good character. He knows how to negotiate with people who are overtly against who he is and what he stands for in order to get what he wants, and isn't afraid to be sneaky, which I appreciate in a character whom the odds are stacked against. Exploring his role in the story in the future chapters is going to be really great to read. He's a mystery right now and I can't wait to delve more into it.
Is there someone you would like to see more of in future chapters? Backstories explored? Extra attention given? On the flipside, is there someone in the story that you don’t care for, and would rather see gone?
Firstly, I think you've done a wonderful job at exploring the characters that have been the most essential to the story. You are very good at providing us with information about them without it being overbearing or too much. And I especially love when you weave in flashbacks that give us backstories! We've had some for a lot of people, and they're always a joy to read.
I'm sure that you're going to explore their characters further, but it will be interesting to see the knights explored more. I'd also like to see more of Richard's story explored, since he's shaping up to be the main antagonist in Morgana's plot. Of course, Sarah and now Guinevere are always wonderful to see, so I'm looking forward to them continuing to appear. I honestly don't think I would change anything in the way you present the characters, though, because whenever I find myself thinking "oh, I'd like to see more of this person" they appear in the next chapter
About characters I don't like... well. I don't like several, like Uther, or Richard, or Agravaine, but I don't think I'd like to see them gone because they each have their (important) roles to play, and that's what makes the story exciting. And on top of that, I think you're good at making the unlikable characters interesting to read, and I even found myself feeling bad for Uther a couple times, so honestly I wouldn't change anything in the cast. Everyone has an essential role, and I don't hate or dislike anyone to the point where I don't want to see them at all.
Plot
This one is a bit different from the rest. I’m interested to know what readers would have done, had they been in the character’s shoes during big moments. If you were the character, what would you have done:
• As Morgana, when she found out about May Day?
Oh gosh. This is a difficult question, because I think what Morgana did was correct and appropriate. My personality is NOT in any way as strong as Morgana's, but I think I would have done the exact same thing. I would have not told Arthur so as to not spoil his own relationship with Uther, and I would have not reacted in a way where it was immediately obvious that I had found out about this unsavory secret in order to continue to be in good standing in the kingdom, so honestly I think she did things in as perfect a manner as she could have. This is why it's difficult for me to answer, because truthfully I wouldn't have done things differently from her.
• As Arthur, when he was faced with the druid magic dilemma?
Again, I really respect Arthur for what he decided to do here. Knowing the stance of Albion against magic and the way Arthur must have known that his father would react to the news, I think he made the best and most honorable decision. Honestly, this is when Arthur fully conquered my heart because this is where we can see that he is a good person through and through. I hate to be boring with my response, but I would have done the same, although I would have been A LOT more scared than him knowing I was going against my father, the king. I'm sorry if this isn't too interesting to read, but I truly think you had both Arthur and Morgana in these key moments make the right decisions and I fully agreed with them, so I can't think of something I would do differently.
Writing
In chapter 2.3 and onward, I increased the size of the text compared to the pictures. Did you notice? Is it good that it’s bigger?
Oooh, I hadn't noticed! I'll go back to check. Honestly, the text size has never really stood out to me, it's never been too big or too small. Your chapters have plenty of text but also lots of lush images to cut it up, so I've never had a problem with the text. But if increasing the text size is a good thing for other people, then I'm happy with the change!
I try to hint at world lore here and there, for example with the dragons and the druid oath. Do you like this? Should I do it more often?
YES! I was going to mention before that I loved the low-key introduction of dragons into the story, and I would love to see more of these fantastical elements playing roles in ToC. Obviously magic has played a large part in the development of the plot, but seeing other elements of the fantasy aspect of the story like dragons and druids is a big part of why this story is so interesting to read. Please, more!
Pictures
I try to show people’s varying mental states by showing or hiding the “light” in their eyes. Gawain has it all the time, Arthur has it about half the chapters, and Morgana rarely shows it. Was this noticeable for you?
AH, yes! I did notice this at points and I wondered if it was intentional, and it's SO COOL to see that it is! Honestly, it's fantastic visual storytelling. Great job!
Do you think that my pictures have improved compared to the kid chapters, or worsened? Is there anything you dislike or found jarring?
I don't think they worsened, that's for sure. They were already so good in the childhood chapters, so I don't necessarily think they improved a lot; they were already fantastic. However, I will say that you keep impressing me with the amount of detail you put into the images. Knowing what you mentioned above about the light in characters' eyes, I'm even more gobsmacked at the level of detail and care you put into crafting the visual aspects of your story. I'm truly in love with your images and I haven't found a single one of them to be unnecessary or unlikable. On top of that, your eye for lush beauty and fashion is amazing, I swoon! The characters have grown up and they're all so stunning. It's hard to choose a favorite element of your story because I truly love all of it, from the plot to the writing to the characters to the lore to the images, but the images might just be my favorite thing. They're F A N T A S T I C.
Questions
I had a lot of fun having the cast answer your questions last time. So, for the people who want to – feel free to ask questions again! I’m limiting you guys to 5 questions maximum, though. Also, Richard and Emrys will not be answering any of them.
I think I'll refrain from asking questions at this point because I've reeeeeally gone over the limit of your week of discussion and I don't want to cut into Duvelina's week; I'll save some for later or maybe for our week off! Also, I loved the ones you answered from other Bunnies, so I'll content myself with those for now.
I'm mortified that I let myself be so late with the responses, but hopefully you're not too bothered at my lateness! I truly love Tales of Camelot, so catching up and answering the questions was such a joy.♥
Kev & Get It • Forum Thread
even when something looks beautiful and put together and bright.
Oof that sounds cynical and jaded.
As a person who has experienced anxiety and depression, I like the juxtaposition of character problems and struggles with bright colors. There is so much stigma around mental illness. I have literally had someone say 'you can't be depressed; you're too happy all the time." Or "you're too pretty to be this sad." Or "everything looks great in your life so you have no reason to be anxious... or sad." Sometimes you just are... for no good reason... or a reason you can't put into words. Sometimes things happen gradually so you don't realize how trapped you are or how empty you feel. I think Sofia's story illustrates this particular thought as you explained she 'sort of' fell into her addiction for no real reason without a tragic backstory or catalyst event. What I'm trying to say is I appreciate your attention to detail with color (even if this particular rabbit trail is not what you intended).
I feel like it shows real problems exist in the real world even when it's bright and sunny. It shows real things happen to real people, even when they're pretty and kind and happy. And that's ok. It's part of life and processing and growing. The colors also evoke an almost "otherworldly" feeling... like the brightness is both pretty and harsh and a little off (but in a good way... in a way that feels 'other' enough to make me think deep about uncomfortable or difficult situations and subjects like body insecurity, addiction, loneliness, unhealthy attachments, etc.).
I'm probably attaching my own meaning to your pictures that you otherwise didn't intend.
@everyone
I have found by being a member of this reading circle, I have paid much closer attention to pictures. I have always appreciated the written word, but I mostly left illustrated stories behind in childhood. Playing the Sims and reading SimLit, particularly discussion around your stories, has given me a deeper appreciation for images and imagery, and how much it enhances the story and illustrates the character's experiences, thoughts and emotions.
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@Duvelina, I'm so sorry I'm cutting into your week by responding to Yimi's discussion questions this late, I hope that's all right! I'm looking forward to catching up with Too Good at Goodbyes this week.
Kev & Get It • Forum Thread
Too Good at Goodbyes forum thread
Too Good at Goodbyes blog
I appreciate you liking the bright, bubbly pictures. I love looking at them myself and although some of the events in them are sad, there's always the silent sign of hope in them because the colours are so saturated and associated with happy feelings.
Too Good at Goodbyes forum thread
Too Good at Goodbyes blog
General
Oof, the first question is immediately a difficult one. I think what I like the most is how everyone got his or her own story and they blend together here and there. It gets me thinking that everyones life is totally different, but everyone has his or her own problems. I think that’s very strong. The less stronger part here is that some people (for example Neal) aren’t that much included in this strong story, and this way I don’t know what to think of him. Is he a side character? Will there be more of him later?
For the rest, I think you’re doing a real good job. I like the writing, I like the pictures, I like how (most of) the characters are fleshed out, I like it all.
Have I improved anything throughout the story already?
Oh yeah. I still know that I said in your first discussion that I had soms difficulties understandin everything. Your story has become easier to read (at least for me) so I don’t know if you changed some minor things or if it’s just me, but I wasn’t catched up until today and I read everything today, so that means something has improved.
Do you like the story? Why (not)? Feel free to give both reasons you like and dislike the story, if applicable.
I do like it a lot. Just when I think I know what’s going to happen, there’s a random child of Hugo coming in the story. It makes the story interesting, because if I was right about my predictions every time, things would get boring.
What are your thoughts on the quality of the pictures? Are they up your alley? Or are they too bright?
They are bright, yes, but not to the point where it’s irritating or something. I have the feeling you do this to brighten the whole story, but of course I don’t know for sure. Maybe it’s just because you like everything to be bright? xD
In-depth
I think he’s heading somewhere, yes. It’s still pretty vague, but I HOPE that Veronica can make a difference for sure.
What did you think about the reveal where Hugo turned out to have a son? Do you think he’d make a good dad? Did Sofia handle the situation well? How do you think I handled that situation? Did it feel realistic? Tell me all your thoughts.
I should’ve recorded my reaction, post it on YouTube and publish it here, hahahahaha. My face was freaking hilarious I think. Something like this:
I think Sofia was so nice here and Hugo was.. Less surprised than I thought he would be. If I was in his situation, I should have gone upstairs to my bed and be like ‘what on earth just happened?’ and maybe after a day or 3 I would’ve called Sofia asking the contact information. I would be too dumbfounded to accept it right away, I think.
I think Hugo will make a good dad, but he’s pretty young, so maybe it’s a little early? I have the feeling that Hugo will see his son more as a younger friend than as an actual son of his. Also because they look nothing alike.
What are your thoughts on Allyson and her relationship with her mom?
That’s a difficult one. In Allyson’s eyes, Luna can’t do anything wrong, while Luna is trying her very best but everytime she gets a virtual slap in her face from her daughter. Luchily she still has Sofia and I hope she can make herself happy from that, because if she didn’t have anyone else, I can imagine her becoming very depressed of her life and maybe even start doing wrong stuff. With a kid like Allyson in the house, that would cause even more trouble.
If Allyson becomes friends with the wrong people, I can easily see her taking the wrong path and make her mother’s life even more difficult than it’s now. I hope that doesn’t happen.
Did you favourite and least favourite character change since last time? Who are they now and why?
My favorites were Hugo and Max, and that’s still the same. My least favorites were Lucy, Neal and Jacqueline. Jacqueline can be removed from the list, but Lucy and Neal stay, with Neal on top.
Did your opinion on any of the characters change (in a positive or negative way)?
Not really.
Did your favourite storyline stay the same or do you like another one more now?
I still like Hugo and Max their storylines most.
Do you think the character you gave advice to last time around will take it to heart and do something with it?
My advise was for Max to fix his gang and fix his life. Well, Brodie got kicked out of the club so that’s a victory on itself. I also have the feeling that he’s slowly fixing his life too, so I think Max is listening to me.
Did any of your past predictions for the characters come to fruition?
Something definitely happened between Hugo, Nelson, Sofia and Luna xDDD I had the feeling that Hugo and Nelson would end up together but Sofia and Luna also ending up together came as a surprise to me, but it was a nice surprise. I was also curious how Max an Brodie would end up. I don’t know if Brodie will return some time, but I don’t think anymore that they could be friends.
What are your predictions for the characters’ storylines based on new developments?
Things could get worse between Allyson and Luna, maybe because of Sofia dropping the subject of wanting another kid? Hugo will see his son as a friend instead of a son, and maybe even hide the fact of having a son to Nelson. Jacqueline makes me think about a serie I’m watching where there’s a girl who’s sick. She’s sporting wayyyyy more than what’s good for her and constantly counting calories. I have a fear that Jacqueline will end up sick and become like that.
Who/what do you want to see more of? Why? (More Lucy and Jacqueline coming up in the future!)
Oh, I like seeing Lucy more because now she’s right at the bottom together with Neal for me.
Do you have any questions for the characters and/or me?
Nope. You’re doing a great job!
Thank you. 🥰 I completely get what you're saying. Right now, Neal is supposed to be a minor side character while I'm focusing on some of the other characters. He'll get a major storyline later on but I don't want to include even more because that might get overwhelming and confusing. I'm planning on wrapping up some storylines at some point and let some characters fade into the background to make room for others (like Neal).
So good to hear!
Love your reaction! 😂 Hugo took it all rather well, very true. He has the contact information, but I can already say he's not going to use it immediately and a lot of overthinking will happen. A good first reaction, but a slow spiraling of thoughts.
Too Good at Goodbyes forum thread
Too Good at Goodbyes blog
General
What’s your favourite and least favourite aspect of my story (storytelling, writing, pictures, characters, …)? Why? How can I improve?
I love how real your characters and stories feel. I’ve mentioned this already in the past, but your characters and their struggles are incredibly believable, and that makes me relate to them more. The easiest example of this is Hugo and Sofia, but I’m also thinking of Jaqueline’s weight and self-esteem issues and Luna’s extreme conflict-avoiding behaviour.
My least favourite… hm, that one is harder. There’s a few side characters in your story (Neal and Juliana come to mind) that have had very little attention / character development compared to the “main” cast. This is fine, that’s why there are main characters and side characters after all, but I sometimes forget who they are, and to whom they are related.
Have I improved anything throughout the story already?
Yes! I feel you’ve gotten better at showing us what’s in their heads, though this might be because we’ve known them for longer at this point. And I’m ridiculously protective of Hugo. But you know that already. xD
Do you like the story? Why (not)? Feel free to give both reasons you like and dislike the story, if applicable.
I do! I enjoy watching the lives of the Villareals unfold (or unravel xD). I actually often finish your chapters going “What? It’s done already?!”
What are your thoughts on the quality of the pictures? Are they up your alley? Or are they too bright?
I love how vibrant and colourful they are. It’s a stark contrast to the (sometimes very dark) issues the cast has, and something about that just works for me.
I enjoy how Veronica has given him a glimpse of just being around people and having fun without power struggles and crime and one-upping each other through misdeeds. Even though she’s not exactly a model citizen herself, I think she could be a very good influence on our Max. Especially the fact that he discovered he loves games is super promising!
What did you think about the reveal where Hugo turned out to have a son? Do you think he’d make a good dad? Did Sofia handle the situation well? How do you think I handled that situation? Did it feel realistic? Tell me all your thoughts.
It was a plot twist, that’s for sure! Especially with how young he must have been when the kid was born. I’d like to think that Hugo would make for a great dad – but this kid is nearly grown-up, himself. It’s different when your child is already halfway his teen years. If the child was a newborn, Hugo might react very differently.
What are your thoughts on Allyson and her relationship with her mom?
They’re… a bit off. I understand both sides have struggles, but neither side seems to be handling it all too well. I’m more lenient on Allyson here, since she is the child, then I am on Luna. It seems she needs to brush up on her parenting techniQWAIT WHAT IF this is the thing she and Hugo need to get back into contact?! Something among the lines of, oh no, I have a son now, Luna how does being a parent work? And then he contacts her for advice, and they end up bonding/apologizing for the whole Sofia-related ghosting thing yessssssssssss –
Erm. Forgive me. I went on a bit of a tangent there. XD
Did you favourite and least favourite character change since last time? Who are they now and why?
Nope! They are still Hugo and Neal, though Max went up a few spots and Luna fell down a few places.
Did your opinion on any of the characters change (in a positive or negative way)?
Max got some brownie points by realizing there were other things to life than petty crime, and actually helping someone out of the goodness of his heart. Luna lost some by avoiding her brother like that over being scared of conflict. I’m still salty. C’mon, Luna, it’s your brother, for crying out loud.
Did your favourite storyline stay the same or do you like another one more now?
Still rooting for Hugo and Jaqueline!
Do you think the character you gave advice to last time around will take it to heart and do something with it?
I hope so… but Jaqueline seems to have gone off the deep end in terms of body image, so I have low hopes there.
Did any of your past predictions for the characters come to fruition?
Yes and no. They’re still changing and developing, so I’m waiting with great interest to see what happens in the future!
What are your predictions for the characters’ storylines based on new developments?
Okay so that entire random tangent about Hugo and Luna above. I’m also hoping for Max and Veronica to become a thing, and for him to realize what a total muppet he’s been and start treating people a little nicer. Probably not gonna happen… but a girl can dream xD
Who/what do you want to see more of? Why? (More Lucy and Jacqueline coming up in the future!)
Yesssssss Jacqueline please!
Do you have any questions for the characters and/or me?
Allyson: What’s your favourite thing in the whole world?
Hugo: I know you are/were close with your sister. What do you think about Max, Neal and Jaqueline?
I love your theorizing. 😂 It would be nice to be able to talk to each other about parenting. Their other siblings are in different stages of their lives (or have completely different lifestyles) so they only have each other.
Too Good at Goodbyes forum thread
Too Good at Goodbyes blog
I thought the questions came together and flowed with one another so I wrote it all as a huge essay. I hope you don't mind.
General
Another of my favourites is the portrayal of characters, not just in writing but in image representation. I like the diverse body types featured, Max’s tattoos
The color profile in your story is very vibrant and it’s something that I’ve come to regard as your signature. I could be browsing the WHIYGT thread and if I chance upon your pictures, I’d instantly know it to be your story
Personally, I’d like to worry together with the characters and feel their pain and feel their uncertainty. I think pictures can really set the mood and deepen the reader’s connection with the character, especially for more visual readers. I think you nailed it perfectly in chapter 34! The lighting effects in chapter 34 matched Jacqueline’s emotional state perfectly. The colors became brighter as Jacqueline hopped on the threadmil and felt happy for herself (Yay endorphins!), neutral with Anita, then ended with a lot of shadows/exposure in the last picture to reflect her insecurities flaring. It made me sympathise and connect with Jacqueline so much there. I really wanted to give her a hug. The saturation level for chapters 40, 42, 43 were too strong for me. I have acute astigmatism so can barely bright lights even with correctional glasses. I largely blame the red walls and Sofia’s flaming red ladybug sweater though lol.
Oof when I read your story I wasn’t particularly focused on anything that required improvement. I enjoy your pictures, writing, storytelling and themes. When I read your story, there wasn’t any part that stood out and make me go “This recurring aspect could be done away.” So I didn’t think the story needed to improve in the first place.
I like your story! There’s the picture vibrancy, subjects tackled, variety of characters and staying true to slice of life elements. It’s the kind of story that reminds me of a Saturday afternoon with rain falling lightly, soft pitter-patter against the window, tea in one hand and instrumental music playing in the background, reading about the struggles of your character and how they overcome it, and know that at the end of this book, I’d experience warmth and peace. That’s how relaxing I find your story.
Maybe it’s because my story is centered around teenagers, but I am absolutely in love with the maturity and rationality displayed by the characters in your story. It’s so refreshing. Luna, Sofia, Hugo, Nelson, even Jacqueline (though she is insecure) and Max (who is improving in leaps and bounds). I find that I can relate to their thoughts and actions, not necessarily Max’s motivations haha. There weren’t a lot of moments in the story where I felt annoyed at anyone because they were against my own core values or were being silly.
I wouldn’t say I dislike any part of your story, but hmm… if there’s something I’d like to see, I’d like to see a bit more conflict between the characters. The story has many characters with diverse personalities and motivations. It’s a recipe for drama! I’m certain if specific characters were to cross paths, they’d be instant enemies/frenemies etc. I’d like to see them come together and have their thoughts and ethics clash with each other, I think it’ll be interesting to see that connection form.
Even as I say this though, take my perspective with a grain of salt. The worst thing to do is to follow someone else’s advice and find that your story is not yours anymore and lose the drive to write. It’s your story. I’ve been following along just fine (See my above paragraph on how your story transports me into my happy place!) so there’s no reason for you to change anything of your story unless you want to. You have a clear direction on where your story is headed whereas I don’t so your own voice must come first!
Hey Allyson... Allyson?
Hugo
Hugo, what you doin'?
'I'm making my infamous omelettes.'
Don't you mean... famous?
'No, I don't think so.'
Okay... So, moving on. I have some questions from a viewer.
'Cool! Is it about my omelettes?'
Hehe, not that kind of viewer, oh well, let's run with it, what are your feelings regarding the Max situation?
'That's kind of personal.'
That's what the viewers want to know, Hugo. Don't you think you should give some insight into your life?
'If you think so... Max is my brother and he always will be. I regret how he left and especially how we haven't heard from him afterwards. He wasn't the nicest and the house was often tense with him around, but I still care about him. I hope he's doing okay and feels safe enough to contact us when he's ready.'
That was very open of you.
'You said it yourself, the viewers deserve to know more about me. They've been supporting me through my chef journey, so maybe it's time to show them another side of me.'
*sniffle* They grow up so fast. Next up: What are your thoughts on Neal?
'Neal and I didn't grow up together. In fact, I barely know him. He is my half-brother and family because of that so I will be there for him when he needs me, but I do feel like there's a generational gap between us.'
Understandable. Last but certainly not least: What do you think of Jacqueline?
'I think you know. I can't shut up about my little sister. She's my best friend in the whole world. If there is anything I would want to tell to anyone, it's Jacqueline. She's incredibly selfless and knows just what to say to me whenever I need to hear something.'
I did know, but it's nice to have it confirmed. Thank you for your time, Hugo. Enjoy your (in)famous omelettes!
Too Good at Goodbyes forum thread
Too Good at Goodbyes blog
Gah, that look again! XDDDDD @ajamkeevin 's Kyungri gave me that exact same look when I asked her my questions, haha. I can’t help it! I love to pry.
Allyson is way too busy playing dollhouse in this virtual dollhouse to be answering silly questions
Here are the answers to the spoilery questions!
I think Max has developed positively because I find myself surprised by his actions. The first one was his and Veronica hanging out at Geek con of course! Such an iconic moment. He was surprised too.
In his next feature, Max is reading fiction and genuinely interested in it! I've always thought that we pick up books to read about people or things we find relatable. In most cases, fiction is usually good triumphing over evil. I'd love to know what kind of books he reads. Does he think he's the 'hero of his own story'? Are the protags of his books usually misunderstood characters, hence he relates to them? To be honest, I'd expect him to read philosophy books more than fiction because he'd find an ideology that suits him far quicker than chancing upon those in fiction (especially when its geared towards the good guys). For him to follow a mystery story and 'be anxiously flipping through' to find out what happens, he cares for the protag! I want to know what he reads!
The most telling though is his doing a good deed for Veronica by putting the house in his name. Now, I’ve been and am still VERY suspicious of him about that. My comment on your blog is me being suspicious haha. Despite the legalities, Max still has a lot of leverage over Veronica. But there’s something there that I just noticed… Max is wearing the Geekcon shirt! :O
He trashed it so much the first time he laid eyes on it. If he treated it like maybe house clothes, maybe there’s no argument there, but this time he left the house while wearing it! We know he cares about appearances to some extent since he didn’t want to be caught dead in it at first, but this display may speak a lot about what he thinks subconsciously? :x
Whether Veronica can influence him is still a grey area, they had one good moment together. If they continue to have positive moments together, I’d say there is a good chance he may regard her differently, and from there perhaps warm up to healthy interactions with others. (Pfft, as I say this though I see him in denial saying something along the lines of “No plummin way I’m becoming soft like that!” )
What did you think about the reveal where Hugo turned out to have a son? Do you think he’d make a good dad? Did Sofia handle the situation well? How do you think I handled that situation? Did it feel realistic? Tell me all your thoughts.
Tbh, I’ve no idea how to answer this question.
I thought Sofia handled it wonderfully. Her advice is pretty much telling him to take things one at a time, play by ear and be sensitive to the boy’s feelings. I think it’s a great approach to a delicate situation. Especially if both parties don’t know much about each other. They’ll have to understand each other first. My first thoughts were ooooh I think Sofia would make an awesome counselor, or a lawyer if she's driven and flourishes under pressure. Heck if she decides to pursue child psychology she'd be an awesome child therapist too, if she loves kids that is. I'm super excited to know where her passion lies.
What are your thoughts on Allyson and her relationship with her mom?
I think a heart-to-heart talk is needed. Allyson needs to see where her mom is coming from. Luna needs to know that Allyson feels smothered. They both need to put in the effort to come to an understanding. Unfortunately Luna needs to put in more since Allyson is a child and may not have developed enough logical reasoning to fully grasp where in the relationship she must take responsiblity of her actions. But its through moments like this that Allyson can grow and learn about herself. I did think Allyson could benefit from emotional coaching, from a teacher, maybe, who has such training. But it’s not that dire. At the moment, I’m thinking the best intervention would be a third-party neutral adult who validates Allyson’s needs, then gently guides her towards understanding where Luna is coming from. Like the cool aunt or admired uncle. Ok I need to stop. Sorry about that. Kids make me talk alot.
Did you favourite and least favourite character change since last time? Who are they now and why?
I think I said I liked Hugo the last time. I still do, but I'm invested in other characters now. I like Max's and Sofia's development so they're pushed to the front for me. I've a super bias to children and another super bias towards parents who try their best with their child so Allyson and Luna are
Did your opinion on any of the characters change (in a positive or negative way)?
Initially I was worried about Hugo enabling Sofia, or that Sofia would continue to be beaten by her addiction or hop onto another high too quickly without sorting herself out. Those are two huge positives that have changed for me. I'm trying to find a negative here. Am drawing up a blank except for Neal, but that's a steady unchanged negative for stealing from your own sister haha!
Did your favourite storyline stay the same or do you like another one more now?
Oof my favourite storylines are still the same: Jacqueline and Max on top. This doesn’t mean I’m not interested in the rest. I’m super invested in Allyson and Luna’s relationship. And I’m pretty excited to get to know Sofia because people that are addicted to substances are not themselves. Now that she’s got it controlled, I can get to know her. What hobbies (piano?) will she take up, what career path will she choose, how will her relationship with Luna be, will she and Allyson get along. In the latest entries she is proving to be quite the character - the way she handled Hugo’s predicament. I’m stoked for more Sofia focused chapters.
Do you think the character you gave advice to last time around will take it to heart and do something with it?
Heh! I don’t know if Sofia took the advice. But she’s doing all fine now! I’m not going to steal her thunder and try to claim that I have anything to do with her transformation. All you, queen.
Did any of your past predictions for the characters come to fruition?
Ooof.. Well, no. And yes. For the no, I predicted some drama from Nelson but he and Hugo are doing fine. (At this point I went and checked out his character profile and re-read his traits. Omg. UH did I just spoil something for myself? I’m going to say nothing here. But I’m not hopping off the drama train for Nelson.
For yes, I predicted Max to be doing well with and without Christin by his side and yay, Max is on the uptrend. The funny thing is Christin is exactly that at the moment, at times by his side and at times not haha! And then Sofia’s finding herself. Hurrah!
What are your predictions for the characters’ storylines based on new developments?
For Hugo, I’m expecting he and Duke to get along, understand each other. Go on fatherly son hangouts in the further future once they get comfortable with each other. (That being said, I wouldn’t mind if you decide to do a 180 and Duke turns out to be some crazy son who’s out to seek revenge on his dad for ‘abandoning mom and him’. Lololol I’d be so mad at him for uprooting Hugo’s life if that happens. Don’t touch Hugo. He’s the man!
For Sofia, I’m expecting for her growth to be exponential and I’ll get to know so many different sides of her as she is invigorated with a zest for life. Omg. I can’t wait to ride that high with her. When you look at life through a fresh pair of lens and there’s nothing holding you back. The image I have of her are eagle wings on her back as she soars. OH man that’s a good image.
For Max, a new home!!! YYAYAYAYAA our favourite bad boy deserves it, doesn’t he!? He’s gone through a lot, from being some runaway, getting ousted, now he’s the head of Hounds, got 2 potential love interests and is generally respected. Time to MOVE UP that ladder! Your abode is indeed too humble, dear Max. Idk what to think about trailers but that’s cool too! There’s a certain appeal to being a nomad that I find interesting.
Who/what do you want to see more of? Why? (More Lucy and Jacqueline coming up in the future!)
YAY! Honestly I’m just going to lean back and relax with Jac on the horizon. Idk at this point I’m happy for any of your cast to be featured. Even Neal, although I anticipate my responses to him to be mixed. Like, I’ll be giving him dirty looks because he’ll probably be doing controversial stuff lol.
Do you have any questions for the characters and/or me?
I think I asked you a lot of questions the last time. This time I'll direct them to the cast instead!
Max: Hey there, bud! What you think of Veronica? And Christin?
Luna: What are your passions? Likes and dislikes. If you had a lot of downtime to be yourself (not as a single mom, no other role, just yourself) what would you do?
Oh wow sorry, I seem to be super rambly today. Half of it is probably nonsense. I apologise!
General
That's amazing. I'm so happy I manage to make all of them at least a little relatable.
This is something I find so important. I really try my hardest to represent real life and I'm willing to include anything that comes with that. Representation matters.
I'm sorry it's distracting to you sometimes! It is something I am going for though. I want to keep up a hopeful tone and it's even something I use as a plot device. I'm trying to inject that feeling of calmness and throw the reader off when things don't turn out so cheery. Not all pictures are the same brightness either. Sofia's house pictures turned out exceptionally bright, but I believe that's a combination of the many windows in that house and the red colour of the sweater Sofia was wearing. Many of the other pictures don't turn out that bright. I'm always updating my shaders and trying to get what works best.
Exactly what I meant! I'll keep an eye on it. But none of the upcoming pictures I've taken so far are this bright. So it should be all good.
Huge compliment! Thank you so much. I hope I can keep that element of relaxation, even if the story treads some darker paths and goes some sadder places.
I'm happy you like the maturity and rationality in the story. It might not always be this way, especially with an aging Allyson but I think it's good that there are older characters to balance that out.
Thank you for the suggestion! I wonder if you had specific characters in mind? Because I think my characters see each other pretty often. I'm keeping Max from his family on purpose because that makes the most sense for his feelings right now. It won't always be like that. There is a Hugo/Luna encounter coming up soon, as well as a Hugo/Jacqueline scene. One of them is more conflict-filled than the other though. Most of my characters know each other already so instant frenemies/enemies I'm not so sure about who you mean. If you could explain more, please?
I appreciate your insight and perspective regardless! It might cause me to brainstorm and think of new places to take the characters and the story. Thank you for your time. ♥
Too Good at Goodbyes forum thread
Too Good at Goodbyes blog
Spoilery
I love your speculation about what books Max reads. 😂 He does seem to be super into the mystery stuff, veering towards it whenever he's home. I might refer to some plots of the books he's been reading while being out and about. That'd be fun.
Yes. I think he still begrudgingly wears it but Veronica likes it so it seems to be an attempt to get into her good graces, even if he committed to doing a tremendously good thing for her.
Understandable! I respect you reserving your judgment until we're farther along.
That is pretty cute. She's still young, she has plenty of time to figure out who she is and what she wants to do. She already has a plan in mind but hasn't put any effort into it yet. Things will be set in motion soon!
A great idea! It would probably be the best idea if someone who Allyson knows and loves came to talk to her. I don't think a stranger could make her understand how to talk to and behave towards her mom. A psychologist could help her with her sensory overload and that might make things better but in terms of her behaviour towards her mom... Someone who is close might be the best solution.
I'm so glad you like everyone. This is why I like to ask these questions because the smallest things can change your opinion on a person. Even if your absolute favourite didn't change, the order of other characters might.
It's good to hear you still like Max' storyline. It's going to go exciting places. I'm honestly so hyped about my own story and the ideas I have for all these characters. 😂
More Sofia/Luna coming up but also some different Sofia content without Luna!
😈
Such a plot twist. 😂 That'd be crazy. I already feel bad for Hugo and it hasn't even happened.
In the meantime, in-game, he finally saved up enough money to buy something. I'm excited for him to move there and find his place, but some stuff needs to be resolved first before he can get away from this abandoned house. It will be glorious to have a working stove and fridge.
Too Good at Goodbyes forum thread
Too Good at Goodbyes blog
Max
Max? Are you here?
Max?
There you are! Didn't you hear me? I called your name twice already.
'Ah!'
Wow, that must be some book. What were you reading?
'Nothing.'
Really? Come on, show it to me!
'No! Go away or get to the point.'
Ugh, fine, you're no fun. We'll sit down for this one. We need to talk about Veronica, more importantly about your feelings towards her.
'Why would you ask me that? I don't owe you an answer.'
... Fair enough.
'Eh, I'll go get us some coffee.'
I don't really like coffee, but whatever floats your boat. That coffee machine looks fancy!
'Yeah, I, eh, acquired it somewhere recently. It works like a charm.'
Great. So... if you don't want to talk about Veronica, what about Christin?
'Christin? What about her?'
Well, gee, I don't know. How you feel about her? Any words?
'Man, I have no idea. She's Christin. Why are you asking me all these hard questions?'
'Ah, that was a nice cup. I feel more awake now which is exactly what I need because I have to leave. See you later!
By-, oh, he's already gone. He was in a real hurry all of a sudden. Meh, no reason to stick around.
Hey, isn't that the book he dropped? 'Love in the Time of Sandwiches'? Was Max reading a romance novel?
Too Good at Goodbyes forum thread
Too Good at Goodbyes blog
'Well, I'm not technically inclined.'
'Or artistically.'
'And I pretty much hate exercise. It's the worst. But don't tell Allyson I said that!'
'I tried out some different instruments but none of them were for me.'
'Until I found the violin. I love that thing! I wish I had more time to learn how to play it better.'
'But there are other things I enjoy too! I'm a fervent sports watcher.'
'And social media is my real vice. It's hard to stop scrolling. Must. Resist. Cat. Video. They're so cute, even though I'm allergic to them.'
'My brother isn't the only one in the family who likes to cook. I'm not as good as he is, but I love to zone out and make some nice recipes.'
'And when I'm all alone, I dance like nobody's watching.
'But my real dream? Go to space. There's a whole galaxy out there. It's hard to fathom. I wouldn't leave Allyson and it's much too dangerous to even try, but if I was alone on this world, I'd know what I'd do in a heartbeat.'
Too Good at Goodbyes forum thread
Too Good at Goodbyes blog