John Sheppard/Teyla Emmagan Appreciation/Ship/Discussion Thread

[CazzBlade]

I sorry

[CazzBlade]

Some info on Death Game (minor spoilers):

Spoiler:

A reader says, "You wrote a while ago about how important it was to ground a story in the real world. I see how you do that with some kinds of things, but how do you do that with something that's set in a fantasy universe or on an alien planet?"

Excellent question! Everybody has their own techniques, but here's mine for

Death Game is a good example of this. The entire book takes place on an alien planet, except for one brief scene in Atlantis, which is itself a fantastic setting. So I can't ground the reader with real places or settings they can recognize immediately. (eg, our characters are in a police station, in a hospital emergency room, on an airplane.)

So I've done it with the characters instead. They are very specific people, and they have to be very carefully observed, because it's costumes and props that have to carry the realism rather than setting. At one point early in being stranded on this world, John and Teyla go through their pockets and inventory their gear. Every single item is very carefully selected for two reasons.

One is to establish that they have certain things for later in the book. Nothing drives me as nuts as when suddenly gear pops out of nowhere! "Oh yes! I just happen to have fifty feet of rope right here!" And the reader goes, "Bzuh? Where has that rope been all this time?" If it's important that Teyla has a flashlight later, then she has a flashlight now.

Another thing is to establish character. John has a pair of sunglasses, and the movements of the sunglasses are a characterization point for the rest of the book. On or off. When he puts them on, when he takes them off. When Teyla tells him to put them on. What he says when he's wearing them and when he's not.

The third thing is to ground the reader. These are real items, easily imaginable and easy to place in the real world. We all know what a flashlight or a pair of sunglasses look like. I may be describing alien whatsamajiggers, and you may or may not buy that such a thing exists, but you know what a flashlight looks like. If it's all alien whatsamajiggers, it starts to slip. You stop being able to see it. You're thrown out of the story, reminded that it's just you, reading a book.

Very specific. Specific is your friend. Specific makes it real.

And this is where your touch of research comes in. And also imagining specific details that you may or may not use. The flashlight is a small LED one, with a black grippy plastic handle. The sunglasses are Ray Ban Wayfarers, the same kind John has worn since he decided they were the ultimate in cool when he saw them in a Belinda Carlisle video in 1986.

Details sell it. At least, that's my technique.

http://jo-graham.livejournal.com/49124.html#cutid1

[gater101]

[]http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg194/CazzBlade/Smileys/hug-2.gif[]

*hugs ye back*

I can now officially book my train down to yours... Three months

[Artie]

Some info on Death Game (minor spoilers):

http://jo-graham.livejournal.com/49124.html#cutid1

Belinda Carlisle, Wayfarers -- this video came out when John was eighteen.

If I was a decent vidder, I would totally vid John/Teyla to this! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKyEo-P4zik

[Princess Awinita]

there is a song I've had in my head for a freakishly long time titled "I had to much to Dream (last Night)" and I keep thinknig that it would make the PERFECT John+Teyla video with John having dreams about Teyla and such

[bluealien]

Belinda Carlisle, Wayfarers -- this video came out when John was eighteen.

If I was a decent vidder, I would totally vid John/Teyla to this! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKyEo-P4zik

Oh I agree... that would be perfect.... I could imagine John and Teyla whist watching the entire vid..

[CazzBlade]

*hugs ye back*

I can now officially book my train down to yours... Three months

[asgard30]

Hiya !!!
Ok I don't know if some people remember me, it was a long time ago, in a galaxy far far away I crashed in there I'm ashamed it was so long but things happened and I started school again far from my house, even if I kept on going in here I wasn't really in chat mood (? sorry I fear my english didn't progressed at all :s) but Stargate and JT were so much in my life for several years so I had to come back LOL.

I don't even know if some of you were in Paris recently but there was a convention and I had the opportunity to meet David Hewlett and David Nikl, Robert Picardo and Cliff Simon and I'm really I understand now what you meant about them they're really great.
All of this to say I haven't given up and I keep on reading fanfics but seriously girls I needed to come back to say that there isn't a lot it's time to make your muse works I need my dose (my humour hasn't progressed either sorry lol)
So I hope you want me back lol it's great to see the thread keeps on going

[CazzBlade]

Of course we remember you asgard! Welcome back

[asgard30]

thanks lol it's great to speak to you even if I kept tracks it's nice to see you're still there

[Everlovin]

Flo! Great to see you back! You went to a con? Lucky you! I've heard that David Nykl is absolutely funny!

[asgard30]

hey nice to see you too ! I really missed you all you made me feel better yet

Yeah I was lucky to go to one and it's one the few things I was lucky with living in Paris LOL it was awesome and yeah David Nikl is so funny and more so nice you see it it seems he was happy or he plays like if he was happy to see us and it was really nice it made me love him even more, even if David Hewleth stole sometimes the light. Both of them were hilarious and a lot of people stay only to see them but they're really a show I don't know how they do it they're pure fun and it was really great. But in fact they're all really fun hey Robert Picardo acts all serious and all but I laugh so hard.
But what I really loved was to see Cliff Simon I thought the man was a show but I don't know why I feared he was pretentious, not at all he's really great I loved this week end even if I think it was a little small but for one of the first in France I suppose it was great. I wasn't deceived at all

[CazzBlade]

First con in France? Cool! I hope they do more Sounds great!

[asgard30]

yeah I hope too but it wasn't the first one there was one last year but it was just an animation I think and I remember reading in french forum that they've met Amanda Tapping but it was a long time ago and since I first came in this forum and before even subscribing I haven't found french events. So yeah I hope there'll be more

[bluealien]

WELCOME BACK ASGARD

Great to see you again..... wow a con in Paris... David Nykl is awesome.. he's a truely nice guy and I'm sure him and David together were a riot... I like Robert as well.... he's very entertaining on stage....