Penny Plain or Tuppence Coloured

[desperance]

I can often be heard, at gigs and such, opining that the great themes of literature are the great themes of life, which are love and death; and that the great themes of fantasy literature are also love and death - but that we get to play with dragons and magic on top. It's all gravy, sez I.

But then last month I posted about how I was working on a slew of stories, all of which were indisputably fantasies, secondary worlds and all - and there really wasn't a hint of magic in any of them, they were just stories about people, only not in this world, quite.

Which I was having so much fun with, when it came to writing a story for a specific antho, yes indeed. I wrote a fantasy story with no magic in it. My subject is war, and the provisions of war. Oh, and Shere Khanage at the end. (I'm sorry, I had to say that, only that no one out there right now is going to get it. It's a pun in waiting, 'k?)

And of course it came back from the editor yesterday, with a rewrite request: please could I put some magic in?

So, because I am a complaisant kind of guy, I put some magic in. Hell-cattle and firewhips and such. And, y'know? I think it works really, really well. I still love the first version, which is pensive and quietly vengeful; but once I'd spotted it, the magic slotted straight in there as if the slots had been pre-cut ready for it. It's not so much a remake, it's the same artwork in a colour print. I don't think I've ever had a story before that existed in two such complementary versions. It's cool.

Unless the editor doesn't like the rewrite, of course, because then I wouldn't know which version to take back to the marketplace.

[ETA: I guess she liked it. See deborahjross, below...]

Comments

[gauroth.livejournal.com]

'Shere Khanage' sounds very exciting! There should be more Shere Khanage in fantasy. I have a guilty love for Shere Khan, who went down in a heroic, Beowulf-type way. He was a baddie, but he was a magnificent baddie.

Though something to get the blud out of the carpet might also be necesary.

[gauroth.livejournal.com]

*necessary. Eee, this keyboard has a mind of its own. It's not that I can't spell, it's that these keys are stiff. Honest!

[fidelioscabinet.livejournal.com]

Ha! Thanks to having something of a southern (US values of southern) accent, that one was pretty transparent, although with elegant and deadly stripes.

*wishes rebuilt story with hell-cattle luck*

The Dread Pirate Roberts has consented to be petted, if we distract him with a feather-onna-stick in the other hand. Not that he likes it, oh no, in spite of stretching out under the wicked Monkey's hand as it slides down his back and flanks. He is Too Proud, though, to lean into a hand scritching his neck and jaw and ears.

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Ha! Thanks to having something of a southern (US values of southern) accent, that one was pretty transparent, although with elegant and deadly stripes.

Ah, but you don't know how well it fits. Despite the story's lack of tigers...

*wishes rebuilt story with hell-cattle luck*

Thank you; that will have made all the difference. [See comment below, from Dread Editor]

The Dread Pirate Roberts has consented to be petted, if we distract him with a feather-onna-stick in the other hand. Not that he likes it, oh no, in spite of stretching out under the wicked Monkey's hand as it slides down his back and flanks. He is Too Proud, though, to lean into a hand scritching his neck and jaw and ears.

Hee. Any hint of, y'know, purring at all, or is that 'way beneath him?

[fidelioscabinet.livejournal.com]

No purring. We'll keep working on that. Having him hold still to be touched is such a big deal at this point, though, that I can wait for the purr.

[drasecretcampus.livejournal.com]

Shere Khanage

Tyger Tyger Burning bright
Watch out you'll set the Jungle Book alight?

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Much along those lines, except for a conspicuous lack of tygers, and/or jungle. I'm saying nothing...

[deborahjross.livejournal.com]

Editor is not about to let such deliciousness as dark vengeance, Shere Khanage, omighosh hell-breathing demon-cattle, not to mention a soupcon of erotic flavorishness, out of her measly grasp.

Email to that effect should have reached you... yes?

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Yes, thank you. First letter out of the bag this morning; sets me up nicely for the day...

*bounces*

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

Oh, good - I'm glad that worked. I liked the original very much, but I suspected you'd make the rewrite work.