My First 'Tag'--Summer Vacation With Your Characters!

Well, today is the first day of what some call the holidays. If it had fallen on a Wednesday, I would likely have posted a special song, but that was yesterday. Anyway, you all know what I mean, even without that song: today marks the first day of summer!

Most people are stopping school for the summer. Some will be wondering how on earth to spend all this time. And a very few will be plotting out rollercoasters and discovering long-lost secrets (but those are most rare). Then there are some people who will be planning their vacations. And that’s the reason for this post. At least, part of it.

Now, I’ve seen a few different bloggers doing these things called Tags—it usually includes a few questions for them to answer, and a command to tag someone else to answer the same questions. Some of them are actually quite interesting. So I decided to make one myself.

I must confess, the idea for this tag isn’t original to me. I got it from a post by Mary Horton, about a year ago. The idea was quite fun, and was carried out in amusing style. Here’s the link to her original post:

http://sunshineandscribblings.blogspot.com/2017/06/summer-road-trip-with-my-characters.html

In short (and in case you didn’t click the link), this is sort of a fun way to tell a bit about your characters, by sticking them all in a car for a while and sending them on vacation together!

Now, on to the Tag!



RULES:

1.     Pick 3 to 5 characters from your writings. These can be from any of your works—long or short, work-in-progress or finished, in any form—and the characters can be of any kind, but they must be your own characters.

2.     Each answer must be written as if you are interviewing all of the characters together, in real life. (See my own example later in the post). They don't have to be very elaborate, and can be as simple as each character just saying his answer—in his own voice, of course. But remember, they are all together in the same place.

3.     You must link back to the person who tagged you.

4.     You must tag at least one other person to do the tag.


Because of time and technology restraints, I have not been able to get together an image or graphic for this Tag. If I am able to get it and edit it into the post, you can use it if you want to. It’s not necessary, though.

Speaking of editing, that is what I’m doing right now. Editing something in. Because I, silly person that I am, forgot to tell you what these characters were from! The characters, in order of appearance, are from my series Hanesion House, my finished novella Princess of the Seventh Star, a radio script (tentatively) titled There and Back in Time, and a project that will be only known as GB3.

Question time! To give you an example of how this works, I’ll write my own answers to the questions. Yours don’t have to be as crazy as mine, or as long. I just wanted to have a little bit of fun with this.

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Introduce your characters (or rather, let them introduce themselves)!



Red-Haired Girl: Let me handle this. [points at each person as she talks] Uptight Robot, Historic Geek, Ghost Girl, and—


‘Uptight Robot’: [deep voice, an accent that sounds British] Pardon me, but those are not our names.


‘Historic Geek’: [also British, but younger] No, no, she’s nicknaming us! It’s quite common on Earth, you’ll see. Though not always very kind or accurate.


‘Ghost Girl’: Well, I don’t think I like it very much.


Red-Haired Girl: Oh, fine. That guy, with the green clothes and grey beard, he’s Theron. This guy over here, with the old-fashioned clothes and little ponytail, is Ben. And the blonde girl is Taylor.


Theron: To be precise, I am Theron, former Captain of the Serlene Military, and Regent of Serlen.


Ben: [enthusiastic] He is quite incredible! He’s—er, well, I’m not allowed to say. [clears throat] And, not only is he from nearly six hundred years in the future, but he’s also from an entirely different planet! He lives on an actual star!


Theron: It is 299 years ahead of the current time, and 593 ahead of your own. Please attempt precision in your calculations.


Ben: Oh, precision—quite right.


Red-Haired Girl: Introducing Historic Geek and Uptight Robot.


Taylor: [shy, and a bit nervous] I’m called Taylor, T-Taylor Holtzmann. I’m from New York. In the country. Not the city. I have one sister—her name’s Jillian. [distant, thinking] I think she calls herself something else now, though. She never liked that name.


Red-Haired Girl: [aside] Their mom called Taylor a bell-chime or something when she was little.


Taylor: [snaps back to the present] No, it’s chime-child, and—


Red-Haired Girl: See, she called her that because she can actually see—


Taylor: Can we please not talk about this?


Red-Haired Girl: Like I said—Ghost Girl.


Ben: [considering] Now we come to it, your nicknames do fit… to an extent.


Red-Haired Girl: Oh yeah, and there’s also me—Triss Smith. I’m thirteen. I’m also the oldest girl in the Smith Family. And get this: I’ve got five brothers and sisters, all together.


Taylor: Five? I’ve just got the one sister.


Ben: I suppose you must be the head of them, then?


Red-Haired Girl/Triss: [scoffs] I wish.



Who drives on the trip?



Taylor: As long as I’m not driving, I’ll be fine.


Triss: Huh, yeah. You’d think of something scary, and swerve to avoid it. Then we’d all be ghosts, wouldn’t we?


Taylor: [grimaces]


Theron: I believe I would be most qualified to navigate this vehicle.


Triss: Oh yeah? And why should you be?


Theron: You forget my previous occupation and situation for several past cycles—amounting to seven years by your time. I would elaborate, yet I am not permitted to do so. I believe, based on my past experience, that I can discern how to properly maneuver this Tellurian vehicle.


Triss: [a little sulkily] Oh, sure, if you wanna get technical about it.


Ben: I do beg your pardon—what vehicle is this that we’re talking about?


Triss: Um, a car?


Ben: A car… oh yes, Glory had one of those! I think.


Triss: Well, that settles it. Ben’s definitely not driving.



What is your most essential item to bring on the trip?



Ben: My equipment, of course, and my notes. One never knows what might happen on a journey like this—there could be some sort of anomaly or—


Triss: Yeah, yeah, that’s nice. I’m bringing this old tape-player of my dad’s and some Redwall audiobooks. If my body’s gonna be stuck in here, my mind’s gonna be somewhere else completely.


Taylor: [shudders] Please don’t say things like that!


Ben: [clears throat] Audiobooks? Books written in sound?


Triss: Uh, something like that. Except these were written on paper first, then sound.


Ben: Incredible!


Taylor: But, uh, why wouldn’t you bring the books themselves?


Triss: I get carsick.


Theron: I do not believe I require anything. Unless… [reconsiders] perhaps a communication device capable of reaching the Septimon System. The Princess may have need of me.


Triss: [under her breath] Well, wouldn’t that be a joy.



Pick one song for your travel playlist.



Theron: …


Ben: …


Taylor: …


Triss: Seriously? I mean, I know you boys aren’t from this time, but Taylor? Really?


Taylor: Nothing’s coming to my mind. Well… [pause, thinking, then suddenly snaps back to the present] I’m sorry, what was the question again?


Triss: Ugh, fine. Just put on some Peter Hollens covers or something. Mainly the Misty Mountains one, but it’s all pretty cool.



What movie would you watch in the car?



Triss: Why we had time for this and not music, I’m sure I don’t know. But remember, boys? I briefed you on movies in general, plus the more famous ones of, uh, this day and galaxy?


Theron: I will have no time to engage in such activities. I will be preoccupied with the navigation of this vehicle.


Triss: [rolls eyes during the first word] Buuuuttt if you did…?


Theron: [pauses] If time permitted, I believe I would choose Star Wars.


Triss: Figures.


Theron: I have heard that it is a tale about a knight who saves a princess from a wicked empire on distant worlds.


Taylor: Hmm. I guess you would know about that.


Ben: I believe it has droids too—not quite as advanced as some of the ones in the… what was it, the Septimon System? Not quite as some of those, but others—


Triss: Stick to the questions, people!


Ben: Yes, well, I think I might like to try that one called Back to the Future. It sounds quite intriguing—this Doctor Brown person creates a machine that can actually travel through time? Of its own accord? The only instances I’ve ever experienced were almost completely accidental. The science involved in such a—


Triss: Yeah, yeah, we get it—it has to do with science, science is awesome. Moving on.


Ben: [arms crossed, frowning] Well, that was rather rude.


Triss: Yep. [smirks]


Taylor: I [clears throat] I don’t really have a favourite movie. As long as it’s not some horror movie, I’ll probably be fine.


Triss: What about that one from the ‘80s, that—oh, no wait, you’d probably consider that too scary. [realization setting in] Hey, isn’t your sister one of th—


Taylor: I know exactly what you’re going to say, and yes, she is. And—oh, what was the title? [pauses, thinking] It was an old movie, and pretty obscure. [sighs] I don’t remember.


Triss: That means it’s my turn. [rubs hands together] Ha-ha! We gotta watch the Hobbit movies! Or Lord of the Rings. They are so epic: I don’t know why Alfred doesn’t like watching those movies. Especially since he’s such a huge fan of the books. I love the movies.


Ben: Erm, what’s a hobbit?


Triss: You, sir, will find out, soon enough.



What snacks would you bring?

  

Triss: I don’t know, chips, I guess? Granola bars? Snack planning is not my thing. I’d rather be, you know, doing things.


Taylor: We’ll need something to drink—I like lemonade. I really like lemonade. I think that’s what we should bring, for drinks. [pause] Lemonade, I mean.


Triss: [a little weirded out] Oookay, I guess you’re in charge of drinks, then.


Theron: I do not require ‘snacks’.


Ben: You don’t? Oh, right. Well, as for myself, I seem to recall that pistachios are a good, er, snack food in this time.



What is your destination?



Theron: I personally would prefer to visit this planet’s capitol. I should be very interested to discover some of its history and political systems.


Triss: Bo-ring! If we can go anywhere, we should go somewhere cool, exciting, where we can do more than just walk around listening to a tour guide!


Taylor: [having been thinking, gets an idea] Oh! I think we should go to New York City! We can visit my sister! She’d be so happy to see me again, and I know she’d love meeting you all.


Triss: New York sounds fun… but I meant a fictional place. Like Redwall!


Ben: [confused] I simply don’t understand. What is it you find so interesting about this red wall? One could visit a blue wall or purple wall, with little change in the results. A blue or purple wall is probably rarer, too.


Triss: [stunned silence, then she scowls] Ben, you do not want to start this conversation.


Ben: [still confused, arches an eyebrow] Er… very well… [clears throat] If we were to visit New York, at which time would we be visiting? Your time, I hope. I’ve been to it in my own several times, and I should like a change.



How long will the vacation last?



Theron: Depending on our starting point, the number of stops and/or hindrances on the way, and our destination, I would estimate our arrival at approximate—


Triss: Ugh, all I can say is, I hope we’re not stuck in a car with him for long.


Ben: Now, now, don't be rude, Miss Smith.


Triss: Better get used to it, or you’ll be saying it about me before long.


Ben: If I was going to say it at all, I rather think I’d have done it already.


Triss: Well, I’m s— [catches on] hey!


Taylor: You know, I don’t think I’d mind it being a long trip. If I can get some sleep, anyway.


Triss: If you can. But then again, with a walking GPS, and a newbie at all things modern—or, well, technically, an oldbie—pointing out everything, it’ll probably be a hard trip to sleep on.


Theron: [enunciating each syllable] G-P-S. What does this word mean?


Triss: Believe me, it won’t matter how many hours or days or weeks we take. Either way, this is going to be a very long trip.


Ben: Hold on, I think those are letters. A code for something, perhaps!



How would you pass the time along the way (aside from the things already mentioned)?



Taylor: I think I would just sit and look out the window at the things going past. I’d do some thinking, or maybe sleeping, depending on how long it is.


Ben: Well, Miss Holtzmann, I’ll try to keep things quiet in such a case.


Taylor: [pleasantly surprised] Well... thank you! That’s very nice.


Ben: You’re welcome. Otherwise, I’ll likely be taken up with looking out the window myself—I don’t want to miss anything. I’m very interested to see what else there is in this time.


Triss: Yes, we get that loud and clear. Besides those ‘things already mentioned’, I don’t know what I’ll do. Talk, if there’s anybody to talk to that’s not busy. Sleep, maybe.


Theron: I will pass the time by driving.


Triss: Ugh, but that’s so BORING!


Ben: I wonder—can he get bored?


Triss: Know what? Change of plans. I’m gonna try to get El Capitan here to lighten up. Honestly, he’s as bad as Reginald.


Theron: I beg your pardon?


Triss: Oh, just start driving already.


Theron: Complying.



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Well, there is my Tag! Hopefully, they won’t drive each other too crazy. Ha-ha. [clears throat] Once again, thanks to Mary Horton for the inspiration! Now, whom shall I tag? I think I’ll do two to start it off:


Savannah // scatteredscribblings.blogspot.com
Clara // claramurphyqueenofandoms.blogspot.com


If any of you are too busy, you don’t have to do the tag. I would appreciate it if you could, though. There’s no deadline: you can take all the time you need.

And to clarify, you can do the answers in any form—you could do it like this, in script form, or you could do it as if writing a part in a book. The characters might know that they’re from stories, or they might not. You could even insert yourself as the interviewer, if you like.

I’m only giving you some ideas, though. Just follow the rules, and anything that’s not specified, you can do however you like.

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Here, for your convenience, are the rules—


1.     Pick 3 to 5 characters from your writings. These can be from any of your works—long or short, work-in-progress or finished, in any form—and the characters can be of any kind, but they must be your own characters.

2.     Each answer must be written as if you are interviewing all of the characters together, in real life. (See my own example later in the post). They don't have to be very elaborate, and can be as simple as each character just saying his answer—in his own voice, of course. But remember, they are all together in the same place.

3.     You must link back to the person who tagged you.

4.     You must tag at least one other person to do the tag.


—And all the questions together.


Introduce your characters (or rather, let them introduce themselves)!
Who drives on the trip?
What is your most essential item to bring on the trip?
Pick one song for your travel playlist.
What movie would you watch in the car?
What snacks would you bring?
What is your destination?
How long will the vacation last?
How would you pass the time along the way (aside from the things already mentioned)?

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Just a brief word for more frequent readers of my blog—yes, this is one of the special posts I mentioned. And yes, there’s another one coming. Look for it right around the end of the month.

So here’s to a great summer, y’all! See you soon!