Making the deadline? (2117 words)

[ritaxis]

I didn't write much yesterday. I researched landmines and suddenly felt utterly exhausted, like I couldn't keep my eyes open. Anyway my opening was purely compost. Today, I have most of a story in mind, and a little less than half, probably, written -- but it lacks a couple of steps. I'm going to bull my way through. Needs to be in email tomorrow.

But I know somethings about the protagonist that just aren't working their way into the story. He's another funny-talking guy: in this case, it's the lingering effects of what was once a crippling aphasia brought on by massive neural damage during the war. About a third of his mass has been replaced by regrown parts. I can't decide whether, since this is a robot anthology, he should be a cyborg, or if I should leave the robotness to the landmines and the self-propelling tractors.

Bad moment: the guidelines almost specify humanoid robots, though they seem to back off a little in the same sentence. My robots are not humanoid. Or maybe one or two of them are?

Oh yes. I think I have just found the missing steps.

I wonder: is "Flinders Fields" a silly title for a demining story?

Comments

[lisajulie.livejournal.com]

re: "Flinders Fields"

I would find it off-putting. Seeing it in a TOC, I doubt that I would read it. But then, I have a particular emotional resonance to that poem.

More about that here (http://www.livejournal.com/users/lisajulie/20693.html) when I posted it as my favorite piece of poetry.

[ritaxis.livejournal.com]

Okay. That's too bad. The protagonist's name insists on being Flinders, and the story takes place in a minefield. But if it's the wrong title, it's the wrong title. I'm not that good at titles. I can think of good titles, just not often for the things I'm writing.

I just found out that there's a mine clearing robot called Dervish. Because it whirls. But I don't think Dervish is a good name for the story. I'd like to reference Gunga Din, maybe.

[lisajulie.livejournal.com]

Well, that was just _my_ response to the title, I wouldn't say it would generalize.

As for robot mine clearers and Gunga Din, there's a filk song based on Asimov's Lije Bailey mysteries and it ends "you're a better man than I am, hunk'a tin".

[ritaxis.livejournal.com]

If Flinders Fields is too silly, "hunk a tin" is even sillier. I think I may just call it Clearing.