Quotes

(Originally written 21 June, 2010 - the occasion of my 47th birthday.)

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Coming up in Before The Dawn are points where I want to use quotes from other science fiction/fantasy works.  I'm just not sure how to do it.

For example:  There's going to be a scene coming up centering on Scott and Lily.  They're searching and are confronted by a Hunter.  The Hunter shoots Lily (since they don't know yet that Lily's immortal) then gets the upper hand on Scott.  With his back to Lily, the Hunter begins babbling about how the Hunters will soon cleanse the Earth.  While he's doing that, Lily regenerates, gets to her feet, picks up a dropped gun and comes up behind the Hunter.  With the gun aimed at him, she says, "Do Sebaceans have a word for chutzpah?"

Caught by surprise, the Hunter says, "It's impossible!  You're dead!"

Lily:  "I was.  I'm better now.  Are you all right, Scott?"

Scott:  "John Crichton and John Sheridan."

Lily:  "Always had a soft spot in my heart for an astronaut and a man in uniform."

(ETA:  In a scene I've just written, Brynna references The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy/The Restaurant at the End of the Universe.  A Hunter asks if she knows who he is.  Her reply:  "The second coming of the great prophet Zarquon?")

What I'm thinking of doing is using the quotes then making sure I let everyone know where they're used and who I'm quoting.  For example:  "Do Sebaceans have a word for chutzpah?" is from the Farscape episode "Mind The Baby".  "I was.  I'm better now" is from the Babylon 5 episode "The Summoning."  After that, I'll let the agent and editor make the decision about whether or not the quotes can be used.

It's not the end of the world if it turns out I can't use them.  I just think it makes the characters sound a bit more real.