Writerbrain

[shadesong]

I've noticed, and had brought to my attention, a few trends among my Shayara characters over the years.

* The men tend to have long hair. I've been asked if this is a societal thing. It's not - or if it is, an explanation hasn't surfaced. I just find long hair attractive. :) (Yes, both of my partners have short hair. And lo, I pout. *pout*)

* Dasaroi don't generally smoke. Again, this is probably a me thing. I don't smoke. Most of my friends don't smoke. One of the very few exceptions to this is Lily... and she's a rebellious teenager who's trying very hard to be tough and cool. (example.)

Here are two that I really just thought of last night...

* My characters tend to be only children (Kieran, Kristian, Capri...) or one of two (Halloran, Donna...). This one, I can see a societal reason for. Shayara is a walled city. A smallish walled city. The Dasaroi who live there must be very aware of the looming possibility of overpopulation. So I can see there being a mild taboo against having lots of kids. (Note: the two characters who come from large families - Napalm and Julia - both come from outside Shayara.)

* They don't have pets. And this one perplexes me. I know it isn't a me thing, because I can't live without pets! And Capri, for instance, is the type of person who'd love a kitten. But not a single one of 'em has so much as a goldfish. Why? I don't know. It's got to be something societal. I need to ask myself that. It just hadn't occurred to me before.

Comments

[rustymarble.livejournal.com]

But not a single one of 'em has so much as a goldfish. Why? I don't know.
As you've said before, Scarce resources. Also, many pets are meat eaters and you've mentioned before that meat is very scarce.
Yes?

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

Mmm. The resources thing did poke me gently in the brainmeats. But I hadn't thought of the meat thing...

[rubian77.livejournal.com]

That's exactly what I was thinking. If overpopulation is a concern, pets would be secondary.

Also,

[avivasedai.livejournal.com]

They seem to live in stressful times. People might not want to have a dependent critter who needs love and attention around when they're uncertain of their own well-being.

[phantom_wolfboy]

Possibly animals react badly to the aura of power around the Dasaroi?

[tinhuviel.livejournal.com]

I've been meaning to ask this for a while: Is Capri's name pronounced KA-pri or ca-PREE?

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

ca-PREE. :)

[tinhuviel.livejournal.com]

Gotcha!

Some possible reasons from a fan

[rhicat.livejournal.com]

Some extreme animal rights groups equate pet ownership with slave ownership. A living being is a living being and no one should have complete domination over another soul. (tangent: Were there/are there slaves in Dasaroi society?)

Speaking of souls, some religions believe the "human" soul can return as an animal yet others don't. Maybe the Dasaroi don't want to take the chance of cross-pollution? Imagine the Lishaya being reborn as a small white lab mouse?

Re: Some possible reasons from a fan

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

Never been slavery, no...

And hee! Now I wish I could draw, so I could draw an ornery little lab-mouse with an aura of Power. :)

[melvh.livejournal.com]

Animals tend to be very short-lived. Dasaroi were once immortal.

Which means, a pet-owner would fall in love with a dependent critter only to have it waste away to nothing ---hundreds of thousands of times in a single existence.

I remember the three cats and dog that I had nurtured, raised, loved and lost. I remember all of the animals attached to my family that are also no longer with us. Sometimes I wonder why I feel the need to have an animal companion when I know I'll outlive it, and it'll take a huge piece of me when it goes. And I'm only 40. Imagine being 4,000.

There's only so much of that a person can take before they stop.

And while they may live a "normal" lifespan now, they still have memories of being immortal; sometimes clear memories with excruciating detail.

Those who get truly attached their pets would probably eventually stop having them. Those who kept pets beyond the point where the rest of the dasaroi stopped would be labeled callous or unfeeling. I expect there has arisen a social stigma against domesticating animals that the folks without distinct memories probably follow without even understanding.

I picture Alanna with a pet. Something to love her unconditionally, while at the same time thumbing her nose at the conventions. She may even adore it without being cruel to it.

I expect Jeramie probably had it killed.....

[shoepixie.livejournal.com]

you know, when I was growning up (a farm kid...) we had tonnes of animals running about. But you know, they were't really pets. They all had jobs. I mean, we got them their shots sometimes and if they got very hurt we let them go nicely, but...they all had something to do and did it, just like we did.

So then I moved to a very liveral city, and I was astounded at how people treated animals. Like little children! nicer even, because some of them pampered their ats bigtime. I'm only now realising that the concept of 'pets' the way most people think of it is rather foreign to me.

My point is, perhaps that's how they are? Perhaps there are animals, and they're liked and let be, but not really taken in. Cats to kill rodents and prevent disease, dogs to guard and haul and warn, horses to carry people and birds to carry messages - but perhaps they aren't thought ofd as pets so much as...just animals. It makes sensem, especially in a place where people have rather touch-and-go lifestyles....

[felician-logic.livejournal.com]

So I was reading ElfQuest...again...for the ump-teenth time since I first read the series in the long ago time...

Long story short...I need new stories. And I've slowly become invested in your Shayara threads.

I know Xana's in SF and you're in el Sur. But when-oh-when is Shayara going to get the cult appreication it deserves? In print? Beyond inclusion in an anthology? (which by-the-by is excellent, but MORE pleez)

Jus' sayin'

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

el Sur? Wossat?

I'm writing. :) X'ana is looking for a job that gives her the stability that she needs to draw more consistently. I don't know if I'll end up publishing some of Shayara in prose form; I might. But my ideal is comics form, which means waiting for X'ana.

Want perfect job for X'ana like NOW...

[felician-logic.livejournal.com]

el Sur = the South :)

Perfect job in San Fran? That's many a Californian's dream:)

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

(Also: Thank you. :) )

[felician-logic.livejournal.com]

Np. I know a few great printers if you ever decide to publish. I've had one of them in particular handle my personal projects. Does great work. Happy to point them in your direction if you don't already have someone to handle publication.