Day 3 of the Seven Days of Halloween Challenge!

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

Word of the Day

[glennagirl.livejournal.com]

Write and post in the comments, using the word of the day.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22

Picaresque

[pi-kə-ˈresk]Part of speech: adjective

Origin: spanish, early 19th century

• Related to a mischievous character
• A type of fiction concerning the adventures of roguish but likeable characters

Examples of Picaresque in a sentence

• His new novel was full of picaresque characters getting into scrapes and always escaping the arm of the law.
• She wants to settle down and start a family, but she’s constantly drawn to picaresque sorts who will never give up a life of adventure. 

Napoleon and Illya sometimes questioned their picaresque characters in the fiction they inspired.

About Picaresque

Picaresque characters have been popping up in literature for hundreds of years. Beloved classics such as "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" and "Pippi Longstocking" detail the exploits of the roguish title characters. For a more modern take on the picaresque novel, add "The Goldfinch" by Donna Tartt and "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" by Hunter S. Thompson to your reading list.

Did you Know?

The Spanish novel "Don Quixote" is an excellent example of picaresque fiction. The word "quixotic," meaning impulsive or unpredictable, was coined in honor of the title character.

The Seven Deadly Sins Affair - GREED

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

Greed is an inordinate or insatiable longing for material gain, be it food, money, status, or power. As a secular psychological concept, greed is an inordinate desire to acquire or possess more than one needs. The degree of inordinance is related to the inability to control the reformulation of "wants" once desired "needs" are eliminated.

Illya just didn’t seem like himself lately; no one else might have noticed it, but Napoleon knew his partner and friend all too well.

After that head bump incident in Rome Illya had begun taking his lunches in their office. He’d refused invitations to go out to Chang’s Chinese restaurant even though it was the favorite place for the partners to dine as it was close to headquarters.

It was highly suspicious for the Russian to turn down a free meal...

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"The Cuban Crisis Affair" - a non-challenge story.

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

I wrote this quite a few years ago, but never published it, but seeing as today is the anniversary of President John F. Kennedy's shocking 1962 televised address to the nation on the Cuban missile crisis, I thought I'd post it.  Comments are appreciated!

Click on the pic to take you to the story:

The Seven Days of Hallowe'en - Day 3 - Greed

[jantojones.livejournal.com]

After opting to drive for a change, due to not being happy about Illya’s appearance, Napoleon parked the car down the street from the building they were surveilling. They were to monitor who came and went from private lunch club, thought to be frequented by Thrush. Despite the sky being quite overcast, Illya was wearing sunglasses.

“Are you feeling alright?” Napoleon asked. “I imagine you’re quite queasy after all those steaks. And what’s with the sunglasses?”

“I am fine,” Illya replied, without looking at his partner. “I merely have a headache coming on.”

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Tryst - 7 Deadly Sins: Greed

[glennagirl.livejournal.com]

“What are you doing?” 

“Why do you ask?”

The standoff between Solo and Kuryakin had been going on for a few days. It seemed, to those attempting to observe the pair, that the issue at the center of their disagreement was a young woman named Christina.

“I asked her out first.” Napoleon was smug, he felt as though he had a right to date the pretty redhead. He was smitten.

“You have squeezed her in, between Saundra and Beverly. You’re greedy Napoleon. You think you deserve every woman, not just Christina. You have an inflated sense of entitlement concerning the females here, everywhere.

Illya fairly spat out that last. In truth, he had taken his time before approaching Christina, hoping to take her to dinner and a movie; a simple date with a pretty girl.

Napoleon was shocked at the outburst. He hadn’t considered that Illya might have a serious interest in the girl. He had barged in on the two of them and without warning asked Christina out before Illya could manage his own invitation. She had accepted, not suspecting the Russian of having any interest in her. 

“I’m sorry… you called me greedy. You think I’m… am I really greedy? About women?” It was a strange way to describe his romantic excesses, but Illya rarely used language he didn’t intend to use.

The blond head ducked, Illya was avoiding eye contact with Solo. He regretted being so emotional, it was childish. Christina obviously welcomed Napoleon’s attention, although he still meant what he said.

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