Yep. I'm still updating my Author's Notes. Today I finished my remarks on the 3rd installment in the Devilsgate Saga. If you haven't read it, go here first (
http://denisefelt.weebly.com/3-never-enough-time.html) and read it before reading these remarks. Feedback is appreciated!
Behind the Scenes of
Never Enough Time by Denise Felt 2012
Title – This story gets its title from something Straker thinks to himself later in the tale. At SHADO, he’d ‘never had enough time’ to really live and it had taken spending time in the past with Louise for him to realize that. And to know that returning to HQ would be the end of him now that he’d fully come alive. Other meanings for the title come from Paul’s anger at not having enough time under his belt to be considered for commander. Also seeing how much at odds Jake and Ginny still are even after their night together, it’s easy to tell that they need a lot more time to get things straight between them. Can you think of even more tie-ins?
Chapter 1 – This story begins with a line similar to the one Col. Lake says in “Psychobombs” when she finds out that Paul is bringing Linda Simmons to HQ. I loved that glimpse of fire in her nature that we see in that scene, and this opening scene gives her the opportunity to show us again. I’m not always kind to Foster. He behaved so rashly several times in the series that I wondered why they kept him. But I’m not totally against him in this saga, as you will see as the stories develop. Paul gets the chance to grow. Ginny’s line to Alec about how Straker let Paul get away with too much echoes my own feelings in the matter.
Alec’s grief gets some air time in this story, and in this scene he asks himself a hard question: “How did you mourn for a man who wasn’t dead?” This line speaks to my heart. I have loved many people – family and friends – who are dead now or at least no longer in my life. The grief is the same as if they had died. And so is the process for healing.
Jake is all smooth and businesslike when he asks Ginny to accompany him to the States, but hopefully the reader knows better.
Paul’s treatment of Ginny in the car park ended up a little harsher than I expected it to, but reading over his words later I couldn’t bring myself to change them. Paul does lose his temper in the series and say unwise things. He’s just not mature enough to curb his tongue. It was very much in keeping with his arrogance to have him belittle her – not because he believed it, because he probably didn’t – but because he was angry at her for what he saw as a betrayal.
And Ginny was bound to find herself feeling emotionally distressed. None of them have really had the chance to mourn their lost commander. Things have been too busy for that. And a big change like getting a new boss would be hard to take at the best of times. The more I thought about what she’d be going through, the more I realized that she would see it as a splintering of their team. And that would be very frightening for her to experience.
We switch to the past, where Straker deals with the men at the local garrison in typical Straker fashion. In other words, he cows them into following his orders. But with the colonel he is at ease, one leader to another, which is not lost on Burgess. It’s always fun for me to describe Straker through the eyes of another character, especially one who doesn’t know him. And he leaves the colonel with the helmet – and a lot of uneasy questions about what is really going on at Devilsgate. I’d really like to someday address Col. Burgess’ findings when he gets back with Straker, but so far I haven’t figured out a way to handle such a story in the arc I have. So it’ll have to wait until I do.
Back at HQ, Jake handles Foster with a firm hand. It’s difficult to see our actions through someone else’s eyes, especially when we’re sure we’re right and then have our eyes opened to the bigger picture. The line Paul says here about loving his commander rings so true. The reader knows that most of his impetuosity was his way of showing loyalty to Straker. Even though it left Moonbase in a dangerous position without a commanding officer. Jake’s clearer viewpoint will give Foster a lot to think about for the next little while. And hopefully he’ll learn to look before he leaps in the future.
Chapter 2 – Straker tells Louise about his visit to the garrison but also confesses his fears that he might have changed time by doing so. The greatest joy of writing time travel stories is to see history in the light of the importance of each major occurrence. If such-and-such had not happened then, this important occurrence wouldn’t have happened later, and so forth. It’s like dominoes really and a fun game to play by seeing just how little you have to alter to create massive change in the future. Straker, being a deep thinker, can’t help but go there, and Louise, who hasn’t a clue who Napoleon is (or rather, will be), gets a bit overwhelmed by the discussion. However, one thing she is sure about: if it comes to a choice, the future is more important than their lives now. Such a clear head on her shoulders! No wonder Straker adores her!
And Jake has to face the dragon! I have always seen Miss Ealand as a highly efficient secretary, completely devoted to her job. So in this saga she has to handle trying to keep the studio running smoothly while its head is missing and presumed dead and his second-in-command is so overcome with grief that he’s ineffectual. Oh, and to top it all off, the boss’ replacement entirely ignores the needs of the studio! I had a lot of fun pitting these two against each other, even if it was for just this scene. They’re both intelligent far-sighted people. Once each knew where the other one was coming from, they were bound to work better together. But it’s the unveiling of that knowledge that is so much fun to write about. This is a short scene, but one of my favorites for this story.
We return to Claringbold Hall where Louise is teasing Straker about joining her in her bed. A note about that. Some historical stories stretch the boundaries of credence by giving their characters attitudes (and often even phrases) that are from the present. It’s important when writing of the past to try to immerse yourself into their ways of thinking. It requires a bit of research, but is ultimately rewarding when your story just sounds right. In the Georgian era, widows were allowed to take a lover as long as they were discreet about it. Louise knows how Straker feels about her, so she would not have any problem teasing him about where their relationship might end up going. That’s not modern thinking; it’s just the way a woman has always thought. Straker in turn appreciates her teasing in his own way, but has no difficulty turning the tables on her with a little directness of his own. *sigh* He’s so romantic!
I really liked their discussion in this scene about Straker returning to the inn. In his own time, the commander was a man who no one but Alec actively sought out for company. His job left him far too stressed for normal everyday interactions so the only ones who saw that side of him were those in the studio. Consequently, when Louise prefers his companionship, it has to be a wonderful change for him. But in truth this time period has had an inevitable effect on him by removing his overly stressful job and replacing it with another, much easier one.
But it would seem that even Devilsgate has its dragons!
Chapter 3 – Ginny and Jake discuss a few things during their flight to the States. I had so much fun writing this scene! Jake sneakily finding out what he wanted to know about her relationship with Paul, and Ginny doing her best to persuade herself that she felt nothing for the scruffy commander. In this saga I have Ginny being very much a modern woman, engaging in one night stands and affairs whenever she wishes. Unlike Louise who waited until she knew the man she cared about wanted her too before becoming bold, Ginny has no such restrictions. In the 1980's women neither have to be widowed nor discreet to conduct their lives however they wish.
Louise avoids Straker so that she doesn’t have to explain about the dragon, but later realizes that she has to tell him the truth even if he hates her for it. Most of the time in my stories I enjoy giving the reader knowledge that the characters lack, making them aware of things before the characters learn them. But in this story, the reader is just as much in the dark as Straker is about the dragon in the pond. Did it make you continue reading in order to find out? Good.
Chapter 4 – I liked the character of Col. Grey in the episode that must not be named (TMWCB). He’s a bit anal, but he’s smart and a little sarcastic – two traits I tend to enjoy in a man. In this chapter he’s not quite himself, having lost a man just before the new commander shows up. He’s frazzled and worried, but still manages to retain his sarcasm. You gotta love that!
Back at HQ Ford talks to Foster and we see how Paul thinks things
should have gone down after Straker disappeared. He’s still immature enough to show it to Ford as he gripes, but the lieutenant knows the new commander and tells Paul just why Straker chose him over the mercurial colonel. I know colonels aren’t promoted that young, but I really wanted to make Jake a
wunderkind – someone so special Paul had no hope of competing with him. So I took the license. Sue me. *grin*
In the States, Ginny has a late night visitor. Her heart understands a lot more about this relationship than her mind will admit, so the outcome is – of course – inevitable.
At Claringbold Hall, Louise takes her courage in both hands and tells Straker about the dragon she saw as a child and the horrific consequences that followed. In this scene the commander divulges how devastating guilt can be as he comforts her, and we get a glimpse into his own private hell as he does so. But the story doesn’t dwell on it, nor is the topic of John brought up again. However, I’ve always wanted to write a scene where Straker finally talks to Louise about his son. Maybe if I ever write another episode from Devilsgate, I’ll have the chance to write that scene. The chapter ends with them plotting ways to keep the aliens from returning to their village. I wonder what that note to Mr. Daughtry said? *grin*
Chapter 5 – And we meet Jake’s cousin Del! I can’t tell you how hard I worked to keep any mention of Del’s gender out of this scene! I wanted the additional shock later, of course, when she meets Alec.
And once more we find Ginny and Jake on a plane, this time heading back to England. Getting inside their heads and seeing how each of them deals with their night together was so much fun! (My son often tells me that I have way too much fun with these stories – and he’s right! I do!)
Straker has an epiphany as he and Louise ride to the pond. He realizes how empty his life was back at HQ and how full Louise has made it since he’s been in Devilsgate. He makes a decision – hopefully one the reader has been waiting for him to make! – to stay in the past. And that decision propels him to declare himself to the woman he loves. Even though he knows he’s not her equal. Even though he knows it would cause a scandal for her to marry a penniless nobody. He has to ask. Was there ever any doubt in the reader’s mind what her answer would be?
I didn’t think so.
It’s a great place for the story to end, although there were enough new beginnings to give me fodder for the next installment. Stay tuned!
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FDK 3. Never Enough Time (Read 1209 times)
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