Alright. I realize this might have been able to go under "Touchy Subjects" but I felt it was a little different.

After I give my example, you'll probably see what I mean.

In the story I am currently writing, my main character has a silver starburst just below the nape of her neck. My problem, is how is she going to find it.

I realize that sounds so odd, but it's not someplace where she's easily going to see it, and I feel really weird describing it.

Lots of shirts have necklines that are below the nape of the neck (if I am envisioning this correctly).

Probably all it'd take would be a parent, sister, or friend who is a girl to notice it appropriately...

Otherwise, if it has texture, chances are it might hurt when you brush a hairbrush over it. i.e. owwwwwww, what is that bump -- better find two mirrors so I can check.

At the same time, I don't know what a silver starburst is.

I had the same thoughts Melody had. This is your NaNo, correct? I would have said Karen could have noticed, but she was leaving...

Doesn't the girl have parents or family? Has it been there since she was born? Wouldn't she always know she's had it?

1.) I'm with Melody, I don't know what a star burst is. Would you please explain it to us. ^_^;;

*Raises hand* I know what a star burst is! It's a kind of candy! Ok, well, it's that too, but it's also a set of lines arranged radially. Kind of like what is on some of the HW's badges for blogs.

About her finding it, maybe she asks someone to help her clasp a necklace when she's young? I don't know. You'll think of something.

Have you ever seen a star of David? It's like that, only with even more points on it.

this is a starburst.:

http://www.airconditioningsmyrna.com/starburst.jpg

this girl is sixteen, and this mark only recently appeared. In the culture I'm writing any kind of low neckline is strictly looked down upon. Even modest ones. So that isn't really an option.

And she doesn't have any servants or friends anymore. and it's completely smooth.

Um, how about she pulls her hair up, and notices?

Ooo, I like that idea, Shawn!

I wrote that, and thought: "Hey, that might be helpful sometime."

Thanks for all the ideas, everyone. It's all been worked out now! Her cat told her about it when she put her hair up.

That's good, because you have people here wanting to read it!

Because this issue has been resolved, I'm going to travel slightly off-topic and note that there is something vaguely disturbing about your third sentence.

On topic, I'd like to note for posterity's sake that such "growths" and the like need to be strategically placed. For example, there is the Dragon mark in Eragon, which is, logically enough, on the hand.

I was thinking that too, Seer. Her cat can talk?

eruheran

I believe you mean Neil of Erk, Andrew. I also second that statement.

I don't sense anything disturbing about the third sentence, just humorous.

She has no friends, family, or servants, so her cat tells her about it. LOL!

I can see her cat meowing hysterically, and trying to get the point across, but she can't understand it. Either that or her cat can talk, which may be a bit odd.

her "cat" can talk. LOL! So, yes.

And maybe you'd care to explain yourself some more, Neil? I'm not sure how my third sentence is disturbing.

Well, if you'd told us she had a talking cat in the first place...



I love talking cats. I'd love to read it.

Didn't Wesley say that about the wheelbarrow? And after the Holacaust cloak Inigo says, "Where did you get that?" and then there's the whole story about how it fit and miracle max gave it to him, and then Wesley says, "Alright, Alright. Lift me up." Or something like that.

*cough* but, uh, not to derail your thread or anything, could you give us some more information about this 'cat'

Hey Elanhil, read this.

Ooh, that clears things up. Didn't exactly realize this was from the same story. Now I need to read the rest of Willow's book.

Something you need to think about is why in the world the cat would care about this mark.

Cats have fur. Their fur has markings. Markings are normal to them, so a marking on a person's skin wouldn't really even warrant noticing. Unless this cat has been looking at the girl's neck all its life, it wouldn't really care. At least if you're making your cat a cat who could talk, not a human spirit somehow trapped in a cat's body. It's so irritating when talking "insert-animal-here"s don't act like the animal they're supposedly based on, like a nice otter or a monogamous horse. What's the point of having talking animals, if they're just another human character?

I know this was a bit rant-y, but it is something to think about when you start getting into the realm of talking animals.

This isn't a cat. I'll just say that. This is not a cat, it is sentient and highly intelligent, and actually its face looks kind of like a dolphin with markings and such.

But it spends enough times with humans to know they don't just have silver starbursts randomly on them as a birthmark, or just mark. Correct?

Yes. This cat has known people since the world began. But we're going off topic here.

Sorry.

LOL! It's fine.

Moved this to Story Development (aka Forge). If you want it back, Willow, just say so.