Families
From Fantasy Novel
TO START WITH - The below descriptions require some knowledge of languages. Consider using the following languages or mythos of these areas to play with:
- Gaulish language - because Gauls are the basis of most of Europe and I am of French ancestry
- Norse mythology - because Norse mythology is interesting, unique and primal
- Greco-Roman mythology - because it is so prevelant and universal
For information on cousin relationships - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cousin (could be useful)
I've always liked how the Harry Potter series dealt with families - very interesting the familial relationships that are there... how we are exposed to "pureblood" families, like the Malfoys, Weasley's, Potters, etc... and then we are introduced to another one, like the Black's who are a massive, expansive, powerful clan that we hadn't known about yet - and they are intermixed with the ones we had already known about (ie malfoys).
Really explore the structure of all these families and how they are dealt with - can be very interesting.
[edit] See
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_family_tree
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nymphadora_Tonks
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andromeda_Tonks
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bellatrix_Lestrange
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissa_Malfoy
And so on and so forth.
HERE IS THE KICKER... Model the three main characters families on the families of the trio's childhood family connection... ie the Gagnon-Anderson-Madore connection... but expand it, and work in an entire allegory of the relationships faced in all our families... the Lyons, Reynolds, Palmer, Parsons families... put them all in here. This is a winning way to write. Model the families who know each other after my own life.
[edit] Main Families
- Arylon Family - Gagnon
- Gayle Family - Anderson
- Mazor Family - Madore