Lunar madness

[nineveh_uk]

I knew when I wrote the first draft of the Great Wimsey/Potterverse Crossover Fic (with werewolves) that I was storing up trouble for myself by not bothering to put in specific dates even though as a story in which elements of the plot hinge on werewolves, I needed the various full moons to be 28 days apart. I told myself that I could always shove in a few "Several days later" as required to make things add up when I got round to revising those parts.

And so I can. It's just that I also forgot about Easter, which is quite significant when part of the story in which said full moons are taking place is in March and April, and while Peter Wimsey's Christianity is largely of the cultural variety, he is extremely observant in the noticing things sort of way and could scarcely miss that he was in a church for an Easter service or a Good Friday vigil, and life being what it is someone in fandom would be sure to spot an error. It is really quite tempting to invent something like the 1928 Easter Act actually coming into being in the Wizarding World in 1842. I have at least managed to name my villages after saints who have their saints days at times of year outwith this element of the plot.

The moral of the story: it is quicker and easier to do the hard work the first time round.

ETA: In other fic research news, Napolean's family have some amazing names. I've got to fit a Zénaïde in somewhere.

Comments

[antisoppist]

Yes but you have actually written the fic. Lots of giant fic. I would have done all the calendars and the timetables and the floorplans and the maps and then not written the fic.

[nineveh_uk]

It is true that though some of the bones are a bit wobbly, there is plenty of meat on them.

Maps, though... I know what the place looks like in my head, so which coast it is actually on will just have to be left as an exercise to the reader :-)

[azdak]

You have my heartfelt sympathy. The moral of your story is one I have yet to fully internalise. But the Easter Act seems like an excellent cop-out. Surely better than doing actual work (and work that doesn't actually contribute to the story but merely silences potential nitpickers).

[nineveh_uk]

I have definitely learned that next time doing the actual work feels too hard, I should apply the cheat's solution at the start, not the end! I am going to shove my full moons in at times that work, and if Easter gets in the way, then move it.

[castiron]

Sympathy! I've only written one fic where I needed to keep close track of dates, and I'm glad I figured out very early on that I had to keep a calendar, because it would've been a royal pain to fix after the fact.

[nineveh_uk]

I have definitely learned my lesson for the future!

[coalboy.livejournal.com]

I suspect Zenaide came from her mother Julie's reading/romanticism. Have your read Desiree, about Julie Clary's sister who married Jean-Baptiste ?

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

I hadn't, but I was reading about her on Wikipedia yesterday and thinking that clearly this was someone I need to know more about, so I may well be doing so!

[timetiger.livejournal.com]

I cannot tell you how much I’m looking forward to reading this!

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I am really hoping that I can get the damn thing finished this year at last.