story research, help wanted :)

[rielle]

I've been fighting with a couple different stories lately and the one I still want to write for W3 has been dragging its heels so to speak for ... a long while now, months, in fact.

Today I had a new idea, that I need you lovely, talented, creative, imaginative, helpful and friendly people to help me with. [Was that enough 'butter' or do I need to find the butter plate from TNOT Raven?]

I will share the premise with all y'all gladly, because I still need help getting this kick-started - the newest idea is a 180 degree reversal on the 'Wonderful Life' story [the 40s Christmas movie with Jimmy Stewart] In other words, the bad guy's aim is to put James through a journey to show how the world would be much better off without the agent.

So, my question is, starting with 'canon', what would the bad guy pick as times Jim West would have regrets about already? Even if he's laid them to rest, the bad guy could still [I'm hoping for the sake of the story] make them come back and bite...

First ones I can think of are the most obvious:

1) Murderous Spring - Jim believes he's shot and killed Artie

2) Pistoleros - Jim believes Artie has been murdered

3) Bogus Bandits - Artie stops Loveless by getting up close and personal with extremely high voltage.

4) Turncoat - although I don't take this as seriously as the first three, Artie undergoes tattoo-ing while Jim is being 'a bad guy'.

5) Big Blast - in the tag , Jim interrupts and pretty much puts a stop to Artie's attempt to convince Lily to marry him - with a bottle of bubbly.

that's five and it might be enough, but I'd really like to have your input on these and other examples that would work as well if not better. Thanks much for anything you can offer. I think this could be a fair to good story...

[California gal]

I think you've hit on most of them. Only other "bad" time I can think of right now is when he thought he was going to be electrocuted in Bars of Hell. For just a moment, after the gag was put in his mouth, you can see he thought that was it, he wasn't going to be able to protest to the executioner--and then Artie arrived.

My first choice would be Pistoleros (of course ;D). I think Jim was in a great deal of agony when he truly thought Artie had been killed.

And in Murderous Spring, he thought Artie was dead--by his own hand. So it would be a very close second. I think the angst lasted just a relatively few hours compared to Pistoleros.

p.s. Keep striving with those stories. I just finished one I started in March of 09! I have to put some finishing touches on it yet.

[Paradox Eyes]

Nice story idea Rielle.

How about this little twist for your list...

Jim having huge regrets that he was never able to turn Loveless from his 'dark' endeavors. We know Jim respects Loveless to a certain degree and admires his abilities. And the two times that Jim thought Loveless was dead, you could see he felt a little bad about it.

And adding to that, how about some of the villains who died terrible deaths that he couldn't save but wanted to. Torres drowning because of all the metal on his body. The Colonel drowning in that oil pit in G. Cobra. Vautrain burning alive in Lord of Limbo. I'm sure there are others who didn't die fighting, but Jim and Artie were only able to stand by and watch them die, unable to intervene.

[Double Take]

Thouch always stoic about it, I think Jim would regret the deaths of the people he was supposed to protect:

Professor Nielson - Wizard Shook the Earth
Dr. Crane - Doomsday Formula
Professor Robey - Druid's Blood ( not that he was supposed to protect him)

Others that I can't think of off hand.

[Artiespet]

I'm sure you know my first choice without me even telling you lol. My first choice would be Bogus Bandits then Pistoleros. I'd have to watch some eps again to get the exact scene but I think you have the mains ones covered. It should be a great story!

[Silver]

I agree, rielle, that your grasp of Jim seems exquisite. I look forward very much to this story, as it should be a real gut-wrencher. I don't have any suggestions now, but I'll be putting my mind to it.

I do think Jim deeply regrets quite a few deaths he wasn't able to avert - whether they were his responsibility or not. OH! I do have a suggestion - TNOT Brain - When Jim's old commander dies with him sitting right there and knowing what is happening, but paralyzed by the drugged brandy!

And TNOT Double-Edged Knife, even though that old commander had gone bad, and American Knife killed him so Jim wouldn't have to, I'm sure it haunts him.

[Apple]

Silver I was going to mention TNOT Brain myself, but decided to keep reading to see if anyone else had thought of it. Even when Jim and Artemus were standing there watching their friend the magician perform, I think they both were sort of in shock when he was killed.

[Silver]

Hmm, you know, Apple, you make me think of the early scene in Lord of Limbo, when Jim is on the stage hunting for Artie, and can hear him calling to him but can't help him!

[rielle]

thanks everyone for your contributions! yes, including you, Ace,

but no worries about the cookies, I already make the world's best cc-cookies, you can ask my roomie, Janie if that isn't the gospel truth, LOL. How? I put in extra brown sugar, less white sugar, extra vanilla extract AND extra flour [whole wheat to be exact] This formula never fails to deliver about 3 dz very textury, very sweet, and very quickly disappearing cookies. But see, I share it with all y'all, because you're pals and besides I strongly doubt one can copywright a recipe that's based on the original recipe on the back of the Toll House morsels package LOL

I have been striving to write my way into Jim West's handsome head for some time now, and so I am delighted at the feedback here on my efforts to date, especially from this very, very gifted 'posse'. From the first or maybe second time I watched W3 in syndication I wanted to figure out and write about WHY FOR, HOW COME our boy in blue is APPARENTLY so stoic... and I'm still working on that theme now...

all your input and eventual feedback is more than welcome. Its the best fuel I know of for and from writers. I could no more write in a vacuum for myself alone and be happy doing it than I could jump the moon, and I'm over 60 now, so that's sooooo not happening

[Silver]

Dec 1, 2011 23:00:29 GMT -8 rielle said:

thanks everyone for your contributions! yes, including you, Ace,

but no worries about the cookies, I already make the world's best cc-cookies, you can ask my roomie, Janie if that isn't the gospel truth, LOL. How? I put in extra brown sugar, less white sugar, extra vanilla extract AND extra flour [whole wheat to be exact] This formula never fails to deliver about 3 dz very textury, very sweet, and very quickly disappearing cookies. But see, I share it with all y'all, because you're pals and besides I strongly doubt one can copywright a recipe that's based on the original recipe on the back of the Toll House morsels package LOL

I want a written recipe! In baking specific amounts matter!

all your input and eventual feedback is more than welcome. Its the best fuel I know of for and from writers. I could no more write in a vacuum for myself alone and be happy doing it than I could jump the moon, and I'm over 60 now, so that's sooooo not happening

Amen!

[Nydiva]

Dec 1, 2011 23:00:29 GMT -8 rielle said:

but no worries about the cookies, I already make the world's best cc-cookies,

{{{{ears perking up}}}}} Did someone say "cookies"? My dear, I have been called "The Cookie Lady" by at least half the denizens of Broadway! Heck, I was even introduced as such when I saw a show in London last year and an actor friend from NY introduced me to the crew.

I already have the "drys" measured out for my holiday baking. At least 11 batches of various types. I'm starting the rumballs tomorrow (they get better as they age).

Me want your cc recipe!! Though I have one with sour cream in the dough and raspberry flavored chocolate chips (I have to mail order for those).

[rielle]

Okay, since you asked so nicely :

First,
get a bag of Toll House Semi Sweet morsels [not the teensy ones, the regular size ones] And yes, I'm saying stick with Toll House, cause they began this whole thing about cc cookies, at least so far as I know.
Also, even if you don't use Toll House, don't go for milk chocolate morsels, use only semi-sweet or you won't get the right flavor, also semi sweet chocolate is as far as baking goes the same as dark chocolate, so its actually good for you. [seriously]

Second read the recipe on the back of the bag and for my own recipe make these changes:

2 3/4 cups whole wheat flour 2 and a quarter gives you flat, shapeless cookies, 3 cups gives you very dry dough that you end up adding water to. About 25 years ago I discovered that whole wheat flour makes a delicious difference in the recipe so that was the first change I made.

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened - I've found it much easier to mix the dough if you actually melt the butter first.

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 large eggs
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels

1 cup chopped nuts -optional

Heat your oven to 375 no higher and no lower. [butter burns easily]

put the dry ingredients: flour, salt and baking soda, together in one bowl, whisk them together.

put the sugars in another bowl, add the vanilla, the eggs and the butter, in no particular order - blend this thoroughly, a wooden spoon or metal whisk works best here.

Slowly, by watching more than by measure, add the dry ingredients to the 'wet'... beat thoroughly and taste the mixture. Look for the cookie dough to be a bit stiff here but not like a maraigne [sp?] Look for the dough to show its texture and taste it for the right sweet, rich flavor. Janie does the taste test for me, and she's always right about what might still be needed at this juncture.

Now and only now add the 'morsels' [chips] Get out your wooden spoon because you have to fold them into the dough here.

Grab a cookie sheet, don't grease it, there's already plenty butter in the dough.

Take two regular teaspoons [not measuring spoons] and scoop roughly teaspoon sized amounts of dough onto your cookie sheet. A large sheet will take a dozen, a smaller one nine or ten.

Okay, very important:
The package says bake each batch for 9 to 11 minutes. Set your timer, especially on the first batch for 9 minutes and take a look at the cookies at the ringer. Let them go for another minute or a minute and a half if they look too soft, or sink too far when you press them with a spoon or knife. Eleven minutes is often too long, or maybe that's the difference in my additional elements. don't know, not a kitchen chemist.

Lastly, repeat the grabbing and dropping and baking parts till you're out of cookie dough, unless you want to freeze some to snack on later.

And here's the only disappointing part: The package says this recipe as printed make 5 dozen cookies.
BUT
There's no way, no way at all unless you are using that measuring spoon teaspoon to make them.

Let each batch cool and store... or if you have more than one cookie sheet, grab it and get another batch baking while the first batch cools down. And there you have it: Rielle's best-in-the-whole-danged-world chocolate chip cookies.

Just wish I could bake some for Jim and Artie, for the President, for Jeremy and Frank and Richmond and Orin, and 'the good doctor', but not Bosley, sorry, he looks like he's always on a diet. LOL

[Nydiva]

Whew! Thanks for the very DETAILED instructions. I'll buy whole wheat flour on my next grocery run. And I seldom use anything BUT semi sweet.

If you're interested, here's a recipe for rumballs which always seem to be a big hit this time of year. My one "tweak" is that if they get too dry, just add a little of the maraschino juice for desired consistency.
www.recipedatabase.eu/recipe_0163486_holiday_rum_balls.php