"Chasing away the Demons" discussion

[Kotik]

I'm doing the egoistical bit and open a thread about my own story, because I don't want to use the comment section as a discussion board.

Transwarp just smothered my ego with a very nice review, which I both want to say a big ol' thank-you for and I want to say a few things to the points raised by TW

Kotik,

Your portrayal of Trip's and T'pol's grief is EXTREMELY well done. In fact, it reminded me in some way's of Dinah's work (which you should consider to be a HUGE compliment, coming from me). I seem to recall that you found the first part of her "The Thorn and the Rose" to be too intense to read, which I find interesting given how intense *this* chapter is.

I would take being compared to Dinah as a huge compliment coming from anybody. Yes, the first chapters of TTaTR are still too intense for me, but I think the intensity in my work comes from a different source, which is why I was able to write it. I could never write extremely angsty stuff, like the early chapters of TTaTR, but even being named in the same sentence as the brilliant Dinah is really like being knighted as an author
This whole story is not only a test of having my writers block cured, it is an attempt at writing an emotionally intense piece, as so far I've mostly been writing fluffy and sappy stories. Looks like I didn't do too badly in my endeavour.

Regarding 'Reverend' v. 'Father', I could detect a little unfamiliarity with religion in the text, but (for me) it did not distract me from the story. You handled the Tucker's religious beliefs with dignity and respect. I can overlook a trivial thing like getting a title wrong.

As I said, I'm an atheist, so except for a few scientific details, I know very little about religion. Reverend Garret's most important role here is that of a councelor. Priests are sometimes called Seelsorger (lit.: soul carers) in German. For instance police squads and the military have priests in that capacity.

My only issue? I think Trip would have let his parents know a little more about the problem, rather than just alluding to horrible nightmares and trotting off to bed. That was uncharacteristically thoughtless of him. A very minor issue, though. I am certainly looking forward to the next chapter!

This 'thoughtlessness' was actually intended, but with military accuracy you found the only passage that I'm not completely happy with. It was intended to show that Trip was completely falling apart and wanted to get away to an empty room in hope to be drawn to T'Pol's whitespace, but I sadly was not able to find the right words for it.

cheers, Kotik

[Distracted]

I'm pretty sure that I'm the site's token observant Catholic, so feel free to pick my brains for future installments. It surprised me that you made Trip's family Catholic, actually. In most other stuff I've read they're Southern Baptist if they're anything at all.

Catholic priests are called "Father", never "Reverend" or "Mister". "Reverend" is a Protestant clerical honorific. Catholic deacons, who I guess could be thought of as the rank below priests, are called "Reverend Mister", though. Catholic deacons are different from Catholic priests in that they can be married as long as they take their vows after they are already wed, since once they take vows they aren't permitted to marry again. They perform counseling, weddings, funerals, baptisms, and anointing of the sick but they can't consecrate the Eucharist. So maybe your guy is a deacon. Or maybe the church has changed and he's a different sort of priest. Or maybe there have been changes in the church and the terminology has changed. *shrug*

And, although the manner of dress could certainly change in the future, modern priests rarely wear their cassocks outside of mass. Most priests I know wear black pants, a black shirt, and a Roman collar for daily wear. Although I do know a priest who has the habit of wearing a floor-length black cassock when he attends events at his high school alma mater. I'm thinking it's because he wants to make sure everyone knows he's a priest. The man has a masters degree in theology and was ordained last summer but he looks about 18. Without the cassock I'm guessing he's afraid people might mistake him for one of the students.

[Asso]

I think it's hard to doubt that Italy is the home of Catholicism (though perhaps the true Catholics - truly "orthodox" - are now elsewhere.
A very usual manner, here, to address the priests, especially if they are truly worthy of respect, is: Reverend Father.

[Distracted]

It could be that the reason you don't hear that title in the US is that the Protestant denominations have laid claim to the title "Reverend" and the Catholic church wants to preserve the distinction. All I know is that here in south Louisiana, which is a very Catholic part of the US, a "Reverend" is Protestant and a "Father" is Catholic.

[Asso]

Oh well, it's indeed true that people love the distinctions.
Maybe, who knows, a little less of "distinction" and a little more of "un-distinction" might foster "communion."

[Kotik]

Dis, Asso,

Thanks for the info on catholic and protestant distinction. I think this whole distinction thing is going to mellow in the future anyways as - at least here in Germany - Catholics and Protestants are working towards a closer coexistance. There's quite a few joint masses and things like that, so it makes even sense that in a distant future (as 2155 obviously is) the distinction may well be far less pronounced than these days

[Asso]

No doubt about that. And then, Kotik.. I don't think a name - just a name - can be the source of a debate for a story as wondrous as it's yours.

[WarpGirl]

My mother's father was a Catholic deacon. Dis just reminded me of that! He died when I was 11. I'm still kicking myself that somehow it got lost in translation during my beta reading.

Kotik, I hate to break it to you... You're writing angst! Now don't panic this is a good development! There are many different types of angst just like there are many tpes of happiness. I have to say because I've been beta'ing for you since almost day 1, this is the first story you've written where it feels real. Don't get me wrong, I love all of your work. But the other ones are like watching a cool movie. There's an element of fantasy in them.

I read this one and I'm like... "Okay this happened after Terra Prime." It feels completely real. And I think it's that way because you're not fighting the angst.

[Asso]

... There are many different types of angst ...

Certainly. There is the angst that comes from a story in itself, from its development, from the objective situation that is described in it. This angst is good, real, even desirable, so to speak (I mean: to give vigor to the writing).

And then there's the gratuitous angst, conceived and developed only in the idea that: the more tears, the more readers.
And this angst is horrible.. And false.