Three questions

[threemonkeys]

1. How do you describe the taste of snails to somebody who has never tasted them before? I was asked this and couldn't come up with any sort of answer other than saying "wait until we have them at Mange-Tout". However after we had all eaten them, we still couldnt come up with an answer. (Don't say "it tastes like chicken" - it doesn't but 'gator does as I found out last night).

2. How do you cope with the "I want to be at the con" blues? I have a craving for Russian fudge at the moment which may be a response to that. I am trying to resist but I can feel a trip to the corner store coming.

3. What makes a really good really bad guy? I have to run a meeting at Phoenix on that this coming Wednesday. I have a few ideas relating to looking at the fundamental characteristics that a black hat needs. Stuff like image, a plan, intent, flaws but I need to flesh out the details a bit.

Comments

[stephen-dedman.livejournal.com]

fundamental characteristics that a black hat needs. Stuff like image, a plan, intent, flaws but I need to flesh out the details a bit.

Interesting question. I'm not sure a plan is essential, unless you're letting the villain largely control the plot (which is not necessarily a bad idea). I think it's more a matter of an intent to do something the reader will regard as evil, and the ability to do so. A bad guy who was malevolent and utterly opportunistic but with no set plan would be more difficult to predict, and therefore even more frightening.

A bad guy should also have a reason for being a bad guy. Not necessarily a reason that readers will sympathize with to any degree, but one that makes sense to him (or her) - greed, ambition, paranoia, loyalty to his family or the Empire, sexual obsession, religious fanaticism, or simply that he really enjoys killing people in a particular way.

[threemonkeys.livejournal.com]

Cool, thanks for that. A reason or motivation is something that I didn't have on my list.

[cat-i-th-adage.livejournal.com]

My favourite bad guys are the ones with some kind of likable quality.

Maybe it's a sense of honour, or kindness to small animals, or a sharp and biting wit, or indomitability.

Basically, by the end of the movie or book or whatever, when he or she meets his end, I want to be thinking: No! But I liked him! If only things could have been different, somehow...

[threemonkeys.livejournal.com]

I have been working up a model of bad guys where we can dissect the various components that make up the threat that they pose on the basis that threat is what a bad guy is fundamentally about. But you are quite right, a potential for likability is something to think about at least in some cases. Damn - I wonder if I can work this in with "charisma" somehow. :-) Thanks - good thought.

[lauriefleming.livejournal.com]

Snails taste like, and have the texture, of paua.

What I hate is when they're presented in huge amounts of garlic butter, when they taste like ... garlic.

Best ever snails: a perfect pear in the middle of large white plate, with a light creamy sauce around it. Cutting into the pear showed that it had been hollowed out and stuff with snails. They tasteed like ... pear-flavoured paua.

[threemonkeys.livejournal.com]

Gosh its been ages since I had paua. I barely remember how they taste, but you are certainly right about the texture.

[callistra.livejournal.com]

2. How do you cope with the "I want to be at the con" blues?

Well, if you're me, you spend a lot of time trawling friends lists looking for con reports and photos. And moping.

:-)

And telling your best friends all your secrets.

[threemonkeys.livejournal.com]

Well, if you're me, you spend a lot of time trawling friends lists looking for con reports and photos. And moping.

Yep, I have been doing all that too. Con reports seem conspicuous by their absense, but I may be looking in the wrong places.

[callistra.livejournal.com]

No no, you're quite right, they are remarkable absent. I haven't written mine yet, for a start!

Amarillion has written hers here:

http://amarillion.livejournal.com/

and that's about it!

[threemonkeys.livejournal.com]

Thanks - I'll go pay amarillion a visit.

Looking forward to yours. ;-)

[callistra.livejournal.com]

There will be many words.
:-)

I'm waiting for my friend to finish my soapy monkey of fandom icon.
:-)

[threemonkeys.livejournal.com]

Cool. I saw Danny's icon - makes me wish I was at the discussion that inspired it.

[callistra.livejournal.com]

*exhausted*

It is done. 2462 words.