That spider chapter of yours freaked me out SO much. I still feel ill when I think about it. Ugh. Ugh ugh ugh. My skin is crawling.

I remember that I creeped myself out a bit writing Garrick wakes again. Just waiting for her to turn around… and the bit in Harndall is tempted where Mella turns into a dead thing (when I read that there is a scary sound affect and her changing back is almost instantaneous. But you can’t do everything with sims pictures

I haven’t experienced that when writing violent chapters, but I don’t think the violence in any of the chapters I have written lives up to the standard of realism in yours. Sometimes I feel a little horrified that I can write the things I do and not feel disgusted. I think I distance myself somehow, I haven’t experienced much violence in my life so I think my view is very much based on stereotypes from movies and books.

Now that I think about it, the violent (well more like aftermath of violence) chapter that effected me the most was Lochan does not know what to do. It really horrified me and distressed me writing that and I still feel sick rereading it. Something about Arran just refusing to believe she was dead and shaking at her body.

So, I guess in answer to your question, I do feel a difference, but I don’t think I get the reaction you do when writing violent chapters. Maybe that is because I am a horrible person but probably more likely it is because I haven’t written anything as distressing or realistic as those chapters you mentioned before (at least I don’t think I have but maybe some people found some of my chapters distressing). Out of those chapters you mentioned I think I was more effected by what happened to Cat and also Malcom’s response (I have to say, Malcom’s responses to fear have always been totally gripping. They are always so intense and you feel afraid with him. I remember when he though Baby had drowned… the thousand frightened Malcom’s was it? echoing off the walls. It had me terrified too). The chapter with Surr and Kia really horrified me but it wasn’t because of the violence. It disturbed me in the same skin-crawly way that Osh’s behaviour to Aia did. I just can’t believe the way the Khirron treat the Kisor even though I know it is directly based on the way humans in our world behave to each other. It just sickens me so much.

I do get scared — like heart pounding, sweating scared — when I’m writing violent chapters. Like what happened to Surr and his little brother, or what happened to Kia, or what happened to Cat. The only time I can remember when I was physically affected by a non-violent chapter was Malcolm & Iylaine’s wedding night, when Malcolm began to realize she was gone. I put myself so much into his head for that one that I was sick and shaking by the time I was done. I still get sick rereading it, perhaps remembering that feeling.

Do you feel a difference between writing creepy chapters and outright violent chapters?

It’s funny Lothere, I find some of the chapters you write so incredibly creepy… like the one with Aelfden and the spiders (that still freaks me out every time I read it). Do you ever get scared writing your own story, because it is really scary sometimes? I don’t usually get freaked out writing mine but as I was saying to Sofie it is because it came out of my head and if it is in there all the time then I would be freaked out all the time so I must not find it scary.

I don’t think Harndall feels pain in his wounds stil, Mella didn’t really try to hurt him like she did with Valeriya. It is more like he just feels wrong from it. I don’t think it is pain so much as a vivid awareness of what happened to him and who it was that did it. He definitely isn’t well, I think he is still quite drained from the experience (literally and figuratively).

I always get freaked out when I go into a Catholic church too. I don’t see how anyone can get comfort from this emaciated man hanging from a cross with his face in a tortured expression. It is enough to give anyone nightmares.

Hmmm… I hadn’t thought about Noah. He is pretty busy with the castle right now so that is probably why he didn’t come along. The King and Queen are actually going to move there soon! I have built the new throne room and their private apartments just today. So exciting! Also it is harvest time so Noah has his hands completely full flitting between these things and trying to be as supportive as possible to Gena who isn’t doing quite fine with the baby (she is a lot better than before though).

It was fun writing those two Mao. Kelgar is a pretty funny character and Osras is such a stick in the mud. They do really care about each other (I think that was quite obvious from Osras freaking out about what happened to Kelgar in Noah tells it plainly. But they do have a healthy (or maybe tending towards the unhealthy side) rivalry.

I’m glad someone was a fan of the whole Harndall-Valeriya situation. Things aren’t completely resolved with that whole mess either though Valeriya is in any state to think about it at the moment. I really like Harndall too and I feel very sorry for him. He has really been thrown in the deep end with this. Although I think maybe Aelfden could be the one needing some help from him right now! I think actually Father Brandt could be what Harndall needs. He is so down to earth and sensible.

Osras and Kelgar really don’t get along well, I see. Likely because Kelgar is a big joking fool and Osras has no time for his brother’s antics. The comments about his wife–gah! Kelgar, you hound. I love it. Brotherly bickering is always fun.

Poor Harndall. He seems so exhausted and frightened.

Poor Harndall really has been devastated by the attack, hasn’t he? Does he still feel pain in his wounds? I really loved his thoughts about the Cross, the original meaning and purpose of the thing. I am sort of used to the modern, Protestant, sanitized version — the “harmless crossed sticks” as Araphel said — and when I go into Catholic churches and see the gory crucifixes with Christ still sagging from the Cross it always freaks me out. Like “Oh yeah.”

They were all kind of funny with their bumbling though. Harndall is just creaking along without saying a word, and the other men keep going off into taunts and tantrums and then suddenly remember they’re in a cemetery and turn into guilty schoolboys: “Sorry, Father.” Where’s a good steady man like Noah when you need him?