That Is A Very Good Start!

That is a very good start!

Okay NaNoWriMo day 1 complete! Word Count :2630

Life comes in clusters, clusters of solitude, then a cluster when there is hardly time to breathe.

– May Sarton

ANDREW GARFIELD

spotted out shopping with a friend in soho, London.

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Thanks to the lovely @sincericida we have a panorama of thespian talent on display. Hats off to those who provide us with stage and screen professional insight and delight us with their range of human emotions and portrayals of characters. What a year it's been and so much to look forward to in 2024.

ANDREW GARFIELD

moderating a screening of "All of Us Strangers" tonight in the UK with Claire Foy, Andrew Scott, and Andrew Haigh.

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Thank you so much for answering my questions on The Angel In The Garden Of Evil! I enjoy getting into a character's past as it often informs their present and, for me, enhances the enjoyment of the story. I appreciate the time it took to answer my long list!

Okay, questions. I have questions. Some are neither here nor there, others are plot related, and none of them are in any way meant to imply that your story is anything but wonderful; truly it was a pleasure to read. I just like getting into the deets.

Beginning at the beginning. Angel, being the daughter of Wilson, mentions she doesn’t necessarily want to know (as it keeps her safe) but is ultimately aware that her father operates outside of the law. She is also aware that the ‘system’ is broken. What or who instilled this moral compass in her? Was it her late mother, with whom we discover later she had a close relationship? How much did school play a part? If one chooses to learn in school (especially later HS and university), then one can often delve much deeper into the many gray areas of governments/legal systems, people, cultures, histories, and behaviors/motivations that underpin events.

By the time readers meet Angel in the Prologue, she possesses compassion and yet a willingness to ‘bend’ the rules (if it accomplishes a necessary goal). Thoughts?

Random question: Peter comes home to the house he and Angel shared prior to her exile to Italy. What is Peter’s favorite dinner? What is Angel’s? What did she make for him on her first night back at the house before chaos erupted? Can I have their car collection?

Part of the plot incorporates other familiar characters from the Spider-man universe. Peter hired Felicia after Angel had left, but Harry and Peter had a much longer relationship, one that turns out to be central to the plot. In an early chapter when we meet Toomes, Harry plays that he doesn’t know him, but when you were building your world, how did you picture Angel and Harry from the early days until they meet again? Angel mentioned that it was Harry's funds from his inheritance that provided the initial startup costs for the organization, can you provide some backstory to how you pictured that? Where did Gwen fit in? (Apologies if I'm messing up the timeline, I didn't go back and reread the entire series, I likely will in the future). Angel and Peter's relationship started out (it seemed) as rather like a friends with benefits situation. If you have the time, will you elaborate a little more on how they met? (I may have missed that somewhere, they knew each other at college for sure it seems?).

One chapter was called 'There's No Remedy For Memory" which I thought was brilliant. I could get way deep into a discussion on that concept with several of the characters or just in general. But for brevity's sake and apart from the main plot of Peter/Angel, I'm thinking about Angel's mother and I suspect she may be somewhat central to my very first question. So tell me about her and who was responsible for the explosion that Angel dreamed about? (I assumed the nightmare was somewhat based in reality with respect to Angel's mother and not only foreshadowing.) What was running through your mind as you were picturing Angel's mother?

Speaking of mothers (and fathers), what are Peter and Angel going to name the baby.... Boy? Girl?

Didn't even get to Fisk and Angel's relationship, which I have to wonder--although she didn't seem to 'like' her father, he taught her (as did her mother) so what other things did she learn from the relationship with him? Even in less than umm ideal families, there are things children and adult children (when the blinders come off) learn. Regardless of whether it is functional or dysfunctional, family dynamics shape us. Thoughts on that? (So happy Angel and Peter got counseling; they had/have a lot of issues to work through)

Whew! That's a start right? Thoroughly enjoyed all of it. Take care and thanks for asking for questions, I love getting the opportunity to understand a writer's perspective regarding the world they've shared with us readers.

Okay *stretches and clicks fingers ready for typing*, lets do this.

Angel's issues with her Dad and greater awareness for the world comes post her Mother's death. She didn't think twice about her Father or what he did for work until it got her Mum blown up, at which point she distanced herself from her Dad (with his own encouragement too) in order to stay safe. This also coincided with her going to college and getting a higher education. That time at school gave her opportunities to meet new people, pretend to be someone she wasn't and over all develop into a much well rounded human. Her encounter with Spiderman at the time of the explosion also sent her spiralling down a rabbit whole of thought about his role in the city and why which also helped to develop her later mind set.

I think that leads us nicely onto who she still is at her core though which is Wilson Fisk' daughter meaning the rules have never really applied to her family. She has always had that first hand eye witness account of how the system and rules can be bent for the right amount of money. It's just her Dad isn't a good guy, but it doesn't mean someone can't bend the rules for good, which is something she goes on to instil in Peter when thinking about and setting up their business.

I honestly don't have answers for these collections of questions. I think it's something left intentionally vague so people can picture themselves as Angel if they so wish. As for the cars, I really was just making it up as I went along but I imagined around 6 inside that double garage (it really is a big garage).

So it's easier if we start with how Peter and Angel met. So they obviously had their initial meeting when he saved her from the building when it was blown up. He was still in his teens at this point and dating Gwen. In the couple months between, Norman Osborn took umbrage with our favourite web slinger and decided to teach him a lesson by taking his girl which resulted in Gwen's death. Harry, Peter and Gwen had a similar friendship to that of Peter, Harry and MJ in the original SR Spiderman however Gwen and Peter were always a couple but the three were inseparable. When Gwen died, she was buried at the same cemetery as Angel's mom so they would run into each other and sit with each other when they would visit and helped each other through their grief. Peter of course knew who she was and that he'd saved her, but she didn't know he was Spider-Man. It wasn't until they ended up at the same college though they actually became proper friends which eventually turned into friends with benefits. The whole he was Spider-man and saved her thing came about when they were both drinking, having their own little afterparty for 2 at 3am one night. Peter eventually also introduced Angel to Harry and they tolerated each other but never had a closer friendship like Harry had done with Gwen. It was after the discussion in the prologue that Peter planted the poisoned whisky in Norman's home office. It was his own secret plan when working out where to get the money from to set up the business.

Although integral to who Angel is I never really thought deeply about her Mother seeing as she was already dead. The dream worked at being both a memory but also some backwards kind of heads up. There's definitely an argument to be made that her mother was very spiritual, she brought whimsy to Wilson's life and that's why he married her. She also had a good business head which was why she was often in charge of the books. As for the "no remedy for memory" title, I think it also worked well with Angel and Peter's more recent past and at that point although they had slept together and wanted to move on, they had had a nice night prior etc, they still couldn't forget or outrun their recent history and separation and everything that sat in that space.

I think that's up to them and is something they are allowed to keep just for themselves.

I'm hoping the info under section one covers this a bit more but she definitely learnt to be guarded despite her need to be compassionate due to her father. I think there's also an element of if you do bad things, expect bad things kind of energy which is why she has tried to factor in so much good in her life, but also has no remorse for causing bad guys some well needed pain from time to time. Over all though, despite everything she did learn how to love from her father through the way he grieved for her mother and tried his best to protect her his whole life and she'll always be grateful for that.

And that's it. Hope I covered and answered everything. If you ever had more Q's don't hesitate to shoot them my way.

*Hugs* It was perfect and I can picture Jake having just those types of images run through his mind and Venus lightening the worries each and every day.

Thanks Abby!

I've circled the block, switched to a different mask and am strolling back by your place to see if the candy bowl's empty and the lights off. If not and I can do round 2 of trick or treat...

Jake Hangdog Hangfire Hangup Hangnail Hangman Seresin may have a pearly white smile, but I suspect that occasionally he uses that smile to buy time so no one can see that he's rattled about something. So, my trick or treat ask is can you name a fear of Jake's, one that he keeps hidden pretty deep? (WIP snip, short explanation, pick your poison, etc)

He should be happy. The sight of those two pink lines should be a source of joy.

Instead, Jake feels dread.

It has formed a knot in the pit of his stomach, creeping up to his throat, like bile ready to spill at any moment.

He feels like he's eight again, in his bedroom as a pathetic attempt to hide himself from the argument taking place downstairs. He quickly learned the best way to block the yelling was in the closet. He'd take books, his Gameboy, a flashlight to pass the time.

Jake spent a lot of time in that closet. It was better than seeing the arguments in person. Better than watching a marriage self destruct. Not that it would ever be buried. In his small town, divorce still received eyebrow raises and snarky comments.

In his small town, it would take a death for two people to part.

And now, those damn pink lines were bringing it all back, clawing their way up from underground. What should have been one of the happiest moments of his life felt like a scene from a horror film.

"Jake?" He looked up to see his wife, his Venus, staring at him, waiting for a response.

He couldn't ruin this, couldn't let on that this was bringing more dread than happiness.

"Are you-is this okay?"

So he swallows the dread, the fear, the memories that shaped him. That famous smile appears on his face.

"Of course it is! This is amazing," he stands up to hug her. She wraps her arms around his waist, resting her head against his chest.

For a moment, it's quiet, the only sounds in the kitchen are their breathing.

"You're not going to be like him. You're nothing like him."

Jake can feel the air in his throat restrict. All he can do is nod his head, too busy trying to will the tears away.

"I-I know," his voice is shaky, confidence gone. She tightens the grip on his waist, trying to steady her husband.

"You're not a thing like him. You're going to be a great Dad."