24 Aug 2017

The Devil You Know - Commentary 5

Jack arrived, in The Devil You Know Chapter 5.

Again, I'm using a real location.  The Earl of Sussex is a real pub in a real city and near a real American embassy and counts as three words for NaNoWriMo.  The crowd is typical for mid-week.  In Ottawa, the Senators' away games are on many a bar's televisions.  October also means Redblacks games and baseball playoffs.  An embarrassment of sports for the sports fan.  Fortunately, the Market also has dance bars for those wanting to do more than drink and watch sports.

Meet Jack.  Jack was the first character I worked out for the story, with Ione coming after.  Yes, he was the Mountie in Chapter 3, but he gets his proper introduction here.  Jack also knows more than he tells, even to the author.  He was fun to write.

Those who pay attention may be wondering why Jack is calling Ione "Sarah".  Again, Chapter 3, which turned out to be a key chapter even if that wasn't planned.  Ione's sister used the classic "so angry I'm using your full name" approach - Sarah Ione Mackenzie.  That is also how Ione's name appears on her driver's license.  If someone only knows Ione's name from her license or other official form, they'd use the traditional first name, not the middle, until corrected.  Note that Ione hasn't corrected him.

Amy makes another appearance.  Ione's family won't be the distraction that Brenna's was in The Soul Blade.  Amy's there because she's part of Ione's normal life.  Ione's life is already getting upset; Amy's appearance is to cement that home for the readers and push Ione a little more off-balance.  There's also the issue that Ione can't really talk about work.  She works for an intelligence agency.  One does not talk about work there, for security reasons.  Instead, one gets caught up in international intrigue in foreign countries, apparently.

I'm still getting into the feel of things with the /Previously/ intro.  The details aren't in depth, but I'm just summarized the chapter.  How are readers taking it?  Yay?  Nay?  Meh?

Friday, work beckons, in The Devil You Know Chapter 6.
Also Friday, over at Psycho Drive-In, Captain Power & the Soldiers of the Future.
Saturday, over at The Seventh Sanctum, when an adaptation isn't an adaptation.

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