8 Oct 2019, 04:55
The Sun & The Moon
SETTING [WIP]
Note that this book has two primary settings, so both are discribed
EATONTON, GEORGIA, 1885
In 1885, a large house in the Eatonton, Georgia held a total of five residents. The Walsh family had old money, and they used it well. Their lives were the exact definition of lavish. A dream. Even the garden, towards the left side of the house, was magical and enchanting. The family had owned this house for a number years, outliving the Civil War, though it had been rebuilt during the Revolution, and once again after. No matter how many times it was rebuilt, however, it always felt the same. As if this were a staple that would defy the movement of time. You couldn't move this part of Eatonton, because it was meant to be there.
The house in question is two stories, complete with a balcony and a wrap-around porch. You will find it to be laid out as most southern dream homes are; spacey, warm, a fireplace in almost every room. The home had been fixed internally to meet the Victorian-era aesthetic. The chairs, wardrobes, cabinets- all of them would catch the eye with their sheer elegance.
That was, of course, before the men went off to war. The money decreased, going towards the war effort and towards the basic living necessities. There was no room for taking more than they could. Not for the Walsh family, and not for any family. Being a family that supported the Union, especially located in Georgia, was not an easy task. The upkeep of the home itself fell rather sparse as the members of the family secluded themselves indoors, where the people who were once their friends and allies would not have to face them.
After the war, however, it picked back up again. Though their losses in family members during this time period meant that there was a delay in which this money could be obtained once more, and the families of America would have to rebuild, especially after President Lincoln was assassinated and the nation felt lost, each family in Eatonton decided that they would survive. They would make it through, and continue forth. Slowly, in the 1860s and 1870s, Eatonton would see the garden of the Walsh residence begin to bloom again. All of the weeds would be pulled. New flowers would be planted. Even the house itself would get repainted.
As for Eatonton itself, it was an old town. Never did it have a big population, and most everyone knew one another. Before Eatonton was Eatonton, it was just a place. During the Revolution, it was pretty easy to be just a place. And the Walsh family was lucky. The earliest known community was a Creek Indian town by the name of Cusseta, which it is assumed that the Walsh family started there and branched into what they were in 1885, hence the rebuilding of the house not long after the Revolution when William Eaton incorporated the official town of Eatonton in 1809.
The town itself possesses modern 1800s architecture. It's not very large, and there are only a few staples to the town itself, such as the Civil War hospital. Many gorgeous estates, such as the one owned by the Walsh family, are sprinkled throughout the town. For the most part, Eatonton is a farming community, and is a large producer of dairy. Quite naturally, most of the wealthier families have made their money off of farming.
There were a few shops that had sprung up over the years in the downtown era. Large buildings, small buildings. Eatonton wouldn't soon see the industrial-aged inspired architecture that bigger towns such as New York City were acquiring. Instead, they would find things like the famed Eagle Tavern. The largest buildings in Eatonton could be cited as being things like the school or the library.
Most things were within walking distance, but if you had a horse, you'd likely ride it into town. For a number of years, cities such as Atlanta were finding themselves using streetcars. But there was no need for those in Eatonton. There was, however, a locomotive station that was located not far from the center of town. Seldom did they get people coming in, but they would find their businessmen, entrepreneurs, politicians, and dreamers going out. They'd head to the north-east, seeking out New York City, or to the west, looking for California or New Mexico. Never did they relocate to another town in Georgia. Never would they want to do that.
The locomotive station woke most residents up in the morning. The town was so small, and locomotives weren't known for chugging at a pianissimo dynamic. However, the day it was brought to the city was a day of rejoicing. Finally, thought the people, Finally, a way out.
But the southern charm of such a spot on the map was all an illusion. Those sunny days and friendly folk that populated the town were a mask. If a visitor were to stroll into town, they would see nothing special about the Georgia city. There were no glittering generalities that made this seem anything more than normal. To the people within the town, there was a homely charm to it. To those that weren't in the town, however, it lacked any and all potential significance.
Southern states always found themselves struggling with the corruptness of their politicians. Why? Simple. The greed of men. Men who were power-hungry, after taking their first bite of authority and recognition, they would fight tooth and nail for what they believed was theirs, even if they had to drag down every man, woman, and child with them. This effort plagued the town of Eatonton just as much as any other. The secrets that lied beneath the noses of the citizens, those charming, genuine, and normal folk whose eyes did not peer over at the falling of the American Dream. Every form of propaganda was used to lure them in and then spit them back out, and nothing was given in return.
ARIZONA TERRITORY, 1885
While the U.S. Army occupied Mexico City during the Mexican-American War, this sparked the idea of Arizona. While Arizona would not become an official U.S. State until 1912, many people began to inhabit it after the southern part of New Mexico seceded from the Union during the Civil War, Before that, it was considered the property of New Mexico.
This half of our story begins at the locomotive station in Tucson. Tucson is the oldest incorporated city in Arizona, and had only recently stopped being the capital of the Territory altogether.
The Palace Hotel is quite lovely. It houses visitors all year round, and it sees many faces come and go. When looking from the top story, you can see for miles down the Tucson planes, those sandy dirt roads seeming as if they could go on forever. This was a town that did not care for Victorian-era architecture, nor did most of the western territories at that time. Instead, their styles felt more Mexican, and ironically, given the deadly temperatures of the desert, had a cold feel to them. One that visitors would not soon shake.
It was every man for himself here in the west. Mining was a popular trade, and the arrival of railroads in the 1880s made this all the more profitable. Throughout almost every city, what could typically be found were saloons, housing for the traveling minors, and locomotive stations. They were staples. Necessities to life in Arizona.
But it was the wilds that spoke. The open lands that were occupied by no one and nothing. The mountains that rose up past all the sand and cacti, peering down at those who rode past it.
The house of Anthony Pickett was a small two-bedroom sitting on the outside of Phoenix. There were stables fit for three horses (because at the time, there were three, but now there was only one). There was a kitchen that felt far too small, and a long table that could seat eight if they all squeezed together was sitting in the middle of it. Behind that, there were two chairs facing a fireplace, a bookshelf leaning against the left wall, just before the frame that led into the hall. Anthony had built this house himself and was quite proud of it, modeling it after the hotels that miners slept in.
On the outside, the house itself could resemble a shack, in a sense. It was mostly wood, and it looked as big as it felt. Small. Cramped. This home was not built with any intention of raising a family. This home was built with practicality in mind- no more than needed. And it suited one person just fine, thank you very much. Despite there being no architectural effort being put into it, considering the era that modern culture was in, it wasn't poorly constructed, nor was it ugly. Though it resembled a shack, it was a nice shack. One that could be called a home.
Outback, there was a makeshift shooting range that was never taken down after it stopped being used, and there was a barrel of molasses that sat next to the backdoor. Anthony, being a writer for the Weekly Phoenix Herald, did not own any considerable amount of land, as he was not a farmer by any means.
Jefferson's Saloon was in the middle of Phoenix. Right in town, where business was heavy. The saloon was quite large, complete with a piano located near the door, and an entire upstairs with rooms. The bar was equipped with what felt like every drink under the sun, and those who paid a visit to Jefferson's Saloon had worn down the padding on the bar stools from many late nights, laughs, fights, and times that went the way that they shouldn't. But Jefferson never minded, and he could always be found cleaning a glass.
It had a very true and authentic Mexican feel to it, which attracted the wide-eyes of those who had just moved out west in search of a do-over. The light and laughter that continued long past the town curfew were enough to get any visitor riled up for a night of fun.
One thing that found itself in the cities of Arizona was crime. Gangs of men who were thirsty for blood and gold. They simply couldn't get their share of that in the mines, so they took to the streets. While towns didn't necessarily live in fear, it was all too easy to get away with a crime. Any crime, at that. Theft was common, but there were men who wanted more. Taking the lives of those who did them wrong felt like a good way to balance the scale. And while the law would hang up wanted posters, while they listened for anything that went 'bump' in the night, it seemed as if these men always escaped them.
WC: 1828
chill babe. we're all bad in someone's story.
9 Oct 2019, 05:15
The Sun & The Moon
MAIN CHARACTERS
Note that there are two main characters, both are described
JENNIE WALSH
Jennie Walsh was born in 1859 in Eatonton, Georgia to Lavinia and Morgan Walsh. Raised as a true southern girl on a farm, she was also prim and proper. And, above all else, expected to marry rich. It wasn't until Jennie met Scott Barnes that she ever thought about leaving behind Georgia and venturing to unknown lands. She was rather content with life at home, but the day that the crooked politician walked into her life was the day that she knew her options. Leave or never again feel the feeling of freedom.
A true southern belle, Jennie has long, brown hair that comes down to hid mid-back. Small freckles top her tanned skin, looking much like stars in the night. She stands at around 5'5", and keeps a skinny figure. Her eyes are a sparkling green, and it makes the shadows of her petite nose and softly pointed chin draw in nicely.
Many people in the town of Eatonton view Jennie as the prettiest girl around. It isn't hard to be thought of like that in such a small town, especially one flooding with young men, but she was never one who wanted the attention. While she adored the limelight, that wasn't the admiration that she was speaking. For her, it was all about the drama. Jennie dreamed of joining the theatre, and she seemingly lived her life as if it were a play. However, her mother had other plans. You marry a tich man, you keep the family legacy.
Jennie is the middle child of three. She lives with both her mother and father, of course, and then her two sisters, Mary, being the oldest, and then Katrina, being the youngest. One thing that Jennie has always struggled with is living in the shadow of Mary, who is a darling little genius. Meanwhile, there is Katrina, who gets spoiled at any chance that Lavinia and Morgan get. And then there was Jennie. The leftover. The forgotten.
However, Jennie was spoiled. Not by her parents, but instead by her grandmother. Her grandmother was a harsh woman, and had a very demanding presence. Jennie always feared her, but she had at least a little bit of respect for her.
One thing that Jennie struggles with is not getting enough attention. She will, therefore, do anything for anyone in order to be heard or seen (with the exception of marriage, of course). This often leads to rule-breaking, impulsive decisions, and all-around bad situations. Jennie is also quite stubborn, and even a little bit of a brat, which does come in hand when she meets Theo (the other main protagonist). But in her day-to-day life, people find it hard to stand Jennie as a person. She is loud, obnoxious, yet sure of her own mind. She won't back down from an opinion, even if the situation is going south on her behalf. She could almost be considered a psychopath, as she will do things over and over again expecting a different outcome than the last.
However, Jennie's stubbornness can also prove to be her greatest ally. She never backs down from a fight. She is also quite loyal in that sense as well, as she sticks by her friend's side no matter what the consequences. But one of her best traits is her analytical point of view on life. She can devise a plan in a matter of seconds, and she always knows exactly what to do. Jennie is the type of person to believe that everything has a solution, and nothing is a simple "act of God" or "happening for a reason".
She firmly believes that anything can be changed if you simply know how to act upon it. This is where her stubborn attitude helps her the most, because she will see a plan out until the very end. Jennie is a fighter in a time where women, young women especially, weren't expected to be. She makes it a personal mission of hers to defy gender norms and break stereotypes, proving to people that she isn't some floozy.
Eventually, Jennie takes up journalism. The 1800s is a time where females didn't exactly work for the press. A lot of people considered them to have biased perspectives on things, or to be completely arrogant to things such as politics. Jennie, however, is a clever girl, and is very quick to form her own opinions. With the help of Anthony, Jennie begins writing for the Weekly Phoenix Herald under a pseudonym, and she uses this chance to do something that changes everything: she argues on behalf of criminals.
For Jennie, this story is all about maturing. She grows up a criminal after leaving Georgia on a train as an impulsive decision. However, she also finds happiness and friendship, things that she never exactly had at home. She got what she wanted and made the entire world a stage. I want to see Jennie grow up; to live and learn from her mistakes. She's sixteen, so she's got a lot of room for growth. In a way, this story can be considered one that is in the "coming of age" genre.
Jennie is designed the way that she is because she is meant to depict the way young girls have always appeared throughout history; naive. Stubborn and in over their heads. It seems right to put Jennie in a situation where she might not always know what to do, and to question if a life on the run was better than a safe one in a marriage. However, without giving away too much of the plot, Jennie also begins to see the world for what it is. The difference here is not making her cold. Not making her turn against life as she knows it. This also works with Theo, because he stops her from doing just that. Her attitude and decision-making as that of someone who would do these things. While it may not be realistic, this is fiction, so they are allowed to have wild adventures
Jennie's tale does end in tragedy. She dies rather young, fallen to an illness. But the point of killing her off at the end of the book is so that she believes that she has fulfilled her life. That despite it all, she wouldn't be happier dying around the friends that she has made, and she feels safe and loved where she is at. By then, things have wrapped up, and she has completed her personal mission. It is peaceful closure for her, and it is then when she will realize that staying in Eatonton would not have made her feel this fulfilled. That all of the decisions that she had made thus far were for the better, and she is so lucky and grateful for everything.
THEODORE PICKETT
Theodore "Theo" Pickett is a gold miner turned cowboy turned gunslinger. He's in his early twenties for sure, but his exact age is never confirmed. He ran away from home at a fairly early age, though he does have a brother, Anthony, who sits on the other side of the law. For this reason, up until meeting Jennie, he and his brother are seemingly our of contact, and in fact, Anthony is constantly writing reports about Theo.
He was still living at home when he became a gold miner. He lived with his mother and brother. One of his biggest regrets is deciding to leave his family behind without saying goodbye to his mother, who is assumed (though never actually confirmed) dead. When the mining got rough and there was little money to be found in it, he turned to being a cowboy, where he knew that he would at least get paid for a hard day's work. Unlike Anthony, Theo is illiterate, so getting a job as a journalist wouldn't have worked out for him.
Theodore stands close to 6", if not exactly at it. He's rather muscular from his years in the mines as well as riding horses and driving a stagecoach (he prefers the stagecoach, he's afraid of horses). He's got wavey brown hair and emerald green eyes. Beneath all of the dirt that is dusted over his face, he has a nice set of freckles, though those are being washed out with age and sun. Theo seemingly always has a crooked grin, cocked up into a smirk, followed by a chuckle. His nose appears to be a little big, but it ties into his face, and works well with his defined chin and jawline. He can always be seen wearing a long, red trench coat (which he is always getting caught in doors or sleeping under) and a Stetson that has a small hole in the side where he was shot at.
Despite everything that makes him appear to be a villain, Theo is very clumsy. He's rather dysfunctional, and is probably one of the dumbest people one will ever meet. He's over very awkward and aloof at that. As stated previously, Theo often does things like getting his coat caught on doors (or even on pieces of wood that aren't sanded very well, on stools or chairs, getting his pistols stuck in his coat, so on and so forth, the man is a mess). While other criminals are smooth, sometimes even charming, and know how to survive, Theodore Pickett is absolutely clueless. He is a walking disaster.
So, it is safe to say that one of his biggest flaws is not being that smart. He's a really bad villain. But what makes it worse is that this man is an absolute paradox. On one hand, he couldn't care less. He's nearly apathetic, and he is cold to the world, hating life and everything in it. He has seen far too much for his own good, and he swears that he will never do anything for anyone ever again. He believes that love gets you hurt. Showing emotions gets you hurt. He's far too guarded, and even a little bit logical. However, he has a good heart. He still manages to want what's best for people. Though he is a gunslinger, he only takes the lives of people who have done terrible things to others. He doesn't kill without a just cause.
That's his best feature. His honest intentions and a good heart. While he may refuse to get close to people, he can't help it. And it works out better for him than he always expects (like Jennie, though that was an accident), so it isn't inherently bad, it just goes against his personal morals. That being said, Theo is also a fierce protector, and through his character development, he begins to find a willingness to sacrifice himself for the safety of others.
Theo's story is all about accepting himself. Melting his cold heart and learning to trust people again. After many years and being alone, he realizes how addicting it is to be around other people. He finds it in him to strengthen his bond with allies, love his family (be it blood or chosen), and find his purpose in life. He begins to realize that he secretly has always wanted to be the good guy, but he's done it in a bad way. While there isn't much room for redemption, he finds comfort in it. This can be very similar to Jennie at this time, but sort of a reversed situation. He learns how to be younger, in a sense.
As far as being a protagonist though, this is a good example of how the main character can actually be a villain. Everyone is the protagonist in their own story, but that doesn't make them good. Theodore Pickett is a villain with structure and dynamics. He isn't at all one-sided, and defies the idea the villains are just inherently bad. He's only really the villain in the sense that he commits crimes, and not so much that he is a bad person. While he is cold, he simultaneously is good. This makes it easy for him to adapt to Jennie, all while giving her the attention that she craves, given that there isn't anyone to compete with.
Seeing the world through the eyes of Theo (The Sun & The Moon is dual-perspective), you get a glimpse into the mind of someone who knowingly breaks the law. Someone who makes decisions despite being told that they are the wrong ones. You get to hear his thoughts and pay witness to his feelings, confirming that, yes, even the heart of a gunslinger is one that still beats. Heartless men still have fears, worries, doubts, and lives. He is very real and he's here to tell people that in his own way, and the growth as the plot progresses makes it all the more interesting as you might try to understand where he is coming from.
WC = 2158
1828 + 2158 = 3986
chill babe. we're all bad in someone's story.