Welcome, Claire! This is a delight and thank you for sharing. This method of communication is fine -- I respect the anonymity that folks prefer. Some have ended up creating Livejournal accounts or gmail or hotmail accounts with fake names to make it easier to communicate. I know that sounds silly, but really, folks have done that. You do have my sympathies regarding the hardships of your family. Becoming caregiver to our parents is one of those signs of middle age -- been there, done that, got the t shirt. And, as reflected in the chapter of AW that went up today, I am of an age where I am very cognizant of both elder care and the burden that falls usually on women to nurse a husband. We take succor wherever it comes and I'm glad you found some distraction in the books and the community we have going here.
I'll answer more later, but two short ones:
1) Peter's rank in Maenad of the Maquis vs. where I'm going in AW. Maenad is not fully compliant with AW. Maenad was written for a challenge in response to a prompt and I jiggered Peter and Susan's ages, the rank, and the service to make the story work; the characterization is a little more angry and melancholy too. Peter reflects in Chapter 1 of AW that he cannot see himself in a bomber killing remotely and that's what I'm running with. Riding in gliders and jumping out of airplanes, yes, that is more in keeping with the Peter of this characterization.
2)Are you by any chance a fan of Lois McMaster Bujold's Miles Vorkosigan books? I will explain this question if the answer is "yes." Oh gawd yes. I fear that my Edmund characterization of By Royal Decree is heavily influenced by Miles though without the hyperactivity. And the staff of Vorkosigan House, Ma Kosti, Roic, the Armsmen, Pym... oh my gosh PYM, yes, they all very much are reflected in the Royal Guards and the Cair Paravel staff who in turn are reflected in members of Russell House.
Re: All your Narnia fiction
I'll answer more later, but two short ones:
1) Peter's rank in Maenad of the Maquis vs. where I'm going in AW. Maenad is not fully compliant with AW. Maenad was written for a challenge in response to a prompt and I jiggered Peter and Susan's ages, the rank, and the service to make the story work; the characterization is a little more angry and melancholy too. Peter reflects in Chapter 1 of AW that he cannot see himself in a bomber killing remotely and that's what I'm running with. Riding in gliders and jumping out of airplanes, yes, that is more in keeping with the Peter of this characterization.
2)Are you by any chance a fan of Lois McMaster Bujold's Miles Vorkosigan books? I will explain this question if the answer is "yes." Oh gawd yes. I fear that my Edmund characterization of By Royal Decree is heavily influenced by Miles though without the hyperactivity. And the staff of Vorkosigan House, Ma Kosti, Roic, the Armsmen, Pym... oh my gosh PYM, yes, they all very much are reflected in the Royal Guards and the Cair Paravel staff who in turn are reflected in members of Russell House.