The Book of Three

Doli might have a thyroid problem idk.

Let's hope not! I prefer to think his health is more or less permanently good. Oh, I think his actual expresssion about Gurgi is "shaggy what-is-it." Not that what you wrote isn't fine, I just always loved "what-is-it," it's one of the funny and endearing phrases from LA that has always stuck in my mind.

Yes, it is. I don’t know why I changed it except it seemed a little more condensed for the word bubble.

It’s hard to insult Fflewddur unless you’re Magg.

Funny that you're absolutely right about that.
He's classic long-suffering husband material and yet never married. That's rather a shame.

You are not the only one to think so, and it was fixed here: https://m.fanfiction.net/s/13588015/1/The-Scion

Very highly recommended. ;)

You are right, of course, on that facial hair, but chalk it up to my just resisting depicting him with a full beard by the time they get to Caer Dathyl! But I shall make an effort to progress it further. 😉

So happy you’ve enjoyed my contributions and I look forward to hearing more from you! I don’t update this as quickly as we all might wish, but if you keep poking around my accounts you should find plenty to keep you busy in the interim. ;)

1. I am currently struggling to find words to convey my delight at having an actual conversation with an author/illustrator I am a fan of! You've mentioned several times, here and in other of your works, how much you appreciate the comments and feedback. Prior to engaging in the comments sections of your work, the only fan correspondence I had ever engaged in was a letter to George Lucas shortly after Star Wars Episode I came out. I received a form letter of sorts from his secretary (?) and an unsigned photo. I share this because your short 4 sentence response to my comments were much more meaningful in comparison, thanks to the personal engagement. It's a real treat for me, so thanks! I'm going to have to take a few minutes sometime soon to register, so that you recognize me the next time I comment 😉

2. I have done, and will continue to "poke around". I'm currently in the middle of Daughter of the Sea, and thoroughly enjoying it! 😊

Just registered! Username: J. Willem

Oh, bless you, that’s too sweet. I’d say something humble here about wanting to emulate Lloyd, who faithfully answered all his fan mail in person, but the truth is I’m terribly addicted to fan engagement and the best way to keep it going is to make sure I always respond! You all should probably stop feeding my vices and let me go through the painful withdrawal, but I honestly don’t know if I’d have the heart to continue this. ;)

In seriousness, I really do appreciate so much when folks comment, because I have the stats on my own sites and I can see how many visits they get vs number of commenters, and the amount of silent lurking that goes on can be discouraging to a creator. In folks’ defense, it’s a pain in the butt to type out things on a phone, and in this instant age of clicking a “like” button and scrolling on, fan community that was so vibrant 15 years ago has all but died, which is depressing for those of us who remember it, so it makes my commenters that much more special and appreciated. I feel like we’ve got something really unique going with Prydain, a fandom disproportionately large and active for a work so small and unknown, and I’m happy and proud to be one of its driving forces.

If I were as busy as George Lucas, I probably would have a secretary answering my mail too. He probably should have had a secretary writing the romantic dialog in his films, for that matter. O.O heheheh

Zing! Hahaha! I couldn't agree more.

Was that your review over at ffnet? If so, thank you so very kindly!

Indeed, it was me. I realized after my first (anonymous) comment that you wouldn't recognize me, so I hastily responded again and signed it.

I thought it must be - but the site only allows me a response if you have an account there. It’s a lousy platform. I’m so glad you enjoyed the story! It is still the work I am proudest of.

Lousy platform or not, I am so grateful to have found your work. And you certainly should be proud of Daughter of the Sea; it has been a long time since I felt so attached to fictional characters.

I really have no idea what the legal implications are with publishing, but if ever you do publish it, let me know. I'd LOVE a signed first edition 😊

You're chowing through the entire library over there! lol I sent you a PM at the site, but its email notifications haven't worked in years, so just doubling up here to let you know you have to log into your account dashboard and check in order to see it.

Meanwhile, to reiterate here: don't worry, the muse is alive and well-fed, and I'm actively working on both the next page here and the next chapter of Black Cauldron. ;)

Or ... it could be that our royal bard is careful of slicing himself to ribbons without a mirror, and so cuts his hair using the better part of valour and a none too sharp blade a good ways away from his skin.

He just instinctively knows you don’t insult your tour guide.

I think he's just resigning himself to the fact that everyone he meets on this quest is going to act crazy!

Lol maybe!

Poor Doli realizes that he is doomed to joining the FFLaM - the Fab Five Lunatics and Melyngar.

YOU’RE A GOOD BOY GURGI!!

I think the horse is included in the livestock category.

🤣🤣🤣

Fflewddur’s harp has kept him so humble that childish name calling just slides off his back.

For real, nobody has any idea what he’s capable of. They just had a taste of what Eiddileg can do, so it’s not unreasonable for them to assume Doli could make things even more unpleasant if they aren’t nice to him. And fae are notorious for their retaliation to insult.

Taran probably doesn’t know who to be more nervous about.

That was really supposed to be there always, but I’ve been too lazy to do character models sheets.

Well, thank you, but this was really LA more than me! It’s exactly what happens with Doli - long silent treatment and then belligerent outburst. It has to be given its own page. ;)

Lol I didn’t even think about April fools and now I wish I had! I’ll have to think of some joke to throw in next year. ;)

LOL that is a great observation! It’s not really personal, he’s just insulted about having to look after humans and he’s ticked off at life. It could have been anyone and he’d have been just as annoyed.

I noticed that too. Doli seems to be really grasping for ideas here. "Yellow-haired"? "Girl with a sword"? That might have been an insult to Jane Austen but I think we are much closer here to Boadicea. "Whatsit"? Not much imagination there. It's like a three year old calling someone an "ouch" because that's the harshest word they've ever understood.

It's his tone that sells it. And we can see his tone without hearing it. Nice work.

It's the "girl" part that hits home with Eilonwy. "As if I didn't have a name", remember?

Thank you!! It’s a wonderful day for me hearing from all of you!

As with several characters, I felt a greater understanding of and affection for Doli after that writing. The necessity of figuring out how a character ticks makes them automatically sympathetic.

What is it, I wonder, about our human minds that makes us so open to pondering the complexities of a fictional character, and feeling for them and treating them almost as if they were real....
I know that in my own writing it happens often that I just ponder a character for prolonged periods of time, not even so much figuring him/her out as simply enjoying thinking about them. Kinda odd, when you think about it.

When I was writing Daughter of the Sea I just ate, slept, and breathed those characters. They were all consuming and when I was finished I missed them to the point it felt like a death in the family. I’ve read that when you read or watch an event, your respond to it physiologically as though it were happening to you. Your brain knows the difference but your body does not. So there’s a deep sympathetic connection to characters you are invested in. Imagination is powerful - the only real magic we’ve got!

Yeah I guess she knows he’s all bluster.

Lol

He’s never explained. Even the Morva trio seem to find him quite unique. “So that’s a Gurgi”, like they’ve heard of him but had no idea what he was.

I have been finding myself wondering about Gurgi and his origins lately as well! With any luck the mystery might inspire something creative :)

Ha! Well, I’ll admit the idea for this sprang from my fanfic adaptation of this story from Eilonwy’s pov, and in that, she definitely does give everyone a dressing- down. Lemme see if I can find the passage...

Ah, yes, here we are:

Everyone stared at him in astonishment at this tirade, broken forth after such a long silence. Eilonwy recoiled as if she'd been struck. "Well, I like that!" she burst out. "Anyone would think we'd forced you to come! None of us asked to be sucked down that wretched lake, or treated like thieves and criminals, or nearly enspelled a hundred years." From the corner of her eye she saw Taran and Fflewddur both making alarmed moves in her direction, and, anticipating them, took several steps forward and plowed on breathlessly. "For all the help you were getting us out of there you might as well have just pointed to the exit and stood aside. If you don't like guiding us you can just --"

Once again Fflewddur's long hand closed over her mouth, and she felt her shoulders gripped and pulled forcefully back. She glared angrily at the bard's face, but his expression was mild, his thin, wry mouth twitching. "You're about to use language," he murmured, "unbecoming for a young lady."

She threw his hands off irritably and spat, "Oh, bollocks." Taran made a noise that sounded like muffled shocked laughter, and she careened recklessly on. "I notice nobody's talking to him about unbecoming language. He just called you an idiot!"

🤣🤣🤣

Great passage. Remind me, when was the first time Fflewddur clapped his hand over her mouth??

I can’t remember!!

Wait, no, I do - in my chapter where I added the part about them almost getting charmed off the trail by the pwca, she starts to make some disparaging comment about it and Fflewddur stops her, because you don’t insult the fae even when they deserve it.

Ah yes! Thanks for the reminder. For both of us, LOL

When Taran suggested to tie her up on Melyngar's saddle and send her her way. Though, to be precise, it was Fflewddur's elbow then that gagged her.

Watch out, Fflewddur, this might become a habit! :-D

That happened too, but the one Sky was asking about came from my story, not the comic.

Either way, Fflewddur always seems to know when she’s about to get them in trouble!

Haha! I was pretty close on what was coming if there would have been one more panel! :D

I used to get out one page a week on Thursday but now it’s just as I can get to it, unfortunately. I’m trying to establish a schedule again.

Good luck with that!