I don’t do this often, but I’ve decided to post an update on the writing projects I’m currently working on. I’ll post it as a list, where the name of the MC is identifier of series.
Soren-
Of Salt and Wine finally finished. While I think this novel is now editor-worthy, I’ve spent a lot of time in the past few days thinking about how I want to move forward with this. The ending is, honestly, weak. A lot of people, I’m sure, after reading some of the ups and downs, will come to the climax and go, “Oh. What?” I don’t like that feeling. It’s a solid book, with a solid story, but the ending becomes a little too cardboard and expected. So, after serious consideration, I’ve decided it’s still not finished. It will end in the graveyard, with Soren alone, at the unmarked grave. Demons will be held at bay. Church will continue as planned, only churchgoers will observe the physical side of the battle from the windows.
Of Earth and Blood is now in the move to be the next book proofread/rewritten. I currently have it, as a second in a series, with a plot devoid of the first novel’s characters. As is true with Soren’s life, every person he gets close to ends up taking a step back. This is true for the previous novel’s characters. I’m not sure if it’s the best idea: I reinforced Soren’s second-in-command by forcing her to experience everything beside Soren. This had a twofold benefit by lending credibility that Soren wasn’t just crazy/hallucinating, and by creating a character development/bonding between the two. The second book, Soren does the loner/emo man act of telling Wren (his second) she can’t come along with him. She’s upset, so she protects him from a distance, all she can. She saves his life, at the end, in a second climax. Perhaps she should be beside him the whole time. He’s the kind of guy that doesn’t regret his decisions, so why should he regret Wren’s decision to stay around after book one?
Shane –
RedWingBlack has somewhat died. I wrote a chapter on it two days (or so) ago, and it turned into a paragraphed list of stuff he did. I could argue he’s in shock, or his humor’s unimportant in times of crisis, but the whole point of the novel was his rolling wit pushing the story forward. If not, I don’t see the point of it being first person narrative. Also, his figment has turned into a cutout. He’s gotta go through the wringer, or else I’ll be putting him to bed wet. Still undecided where I want the second half of the book to go: sociopolitical commentary or sex/survivalism a la wanted outlaws? I don’t know. I had a momentum I’ve since lost. I’ll continue to search for it while further pondering possibilities.
Nautilu –
I’ve been ramping this high fantasy back up in the past few days, mostly due to my interest in reading (or trying to read) Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series. I’m four chapters into book one, and I’m enjoying it. It’s moving me forward, mentally. Plus the wife continues to respond favorably toward this writing style/choice. I need a high fantasy in my life, I think. I haven’t pursued one since the original Acorn King, and it had too little magic to really get my thoughts flowing. Worldbuilding is both cathartic and mentally expansive. The idea of having a battle of religious beliefs frankly makes my skin tingle with anticipation. At what cost, we create our gods? At what cost, when we find them real?
Isabella –
Prisn is at a standstill. While it flew in on the wings of loneliness, Mitchell’s Erotikon, and a well-placed poem by Jane Hirshfield (The Present), said inspiration has left for less gloomy climates. American Gothic works best for those lonely souls haunted by decisions made or not, and unfortunately I’m become too busy with my job and a loving wife to linger too deeply in such a place. I also must heavily research electricity, quantum physics, metaphysics, and historical facts of the early 20th century in order to make this flow. The good news is I wrote the entire outline. Perhaps, that is the bad news as well: now that the story’s written, at least in part, I no longer have an interest in making it beautiful. I don’t know. Time will tell.
Lotus –
My time travel project is at a standstill. Chocolate Spiderbite will have to wait for a different time. Perhaps Christmas. Or when I’m poor again.
David –
David and His Shade has also stopped. It’s finished and halfway through first rewrite. I don’t have to do much with the thing. It practically wrote itself. But I also believe it won’t be published anytime soon due to the inundation and oversaturation of Harry Potter-esque writing. Nobody wants to read something moderately deeper than HP, and I understand why. I’m in danger of being to Rowling as Terry Goodkind was to Tolkien. Not happening. Perhaps this novel will never see the light of day. Perhaps it will be self-published. I only need the funds and the decision to move forward. I’ll soon have the former. I’ll be waiting on the latter until, oh, two years down the road I think…
Gives me time to pay off cars, debt, get some savings, and get settled into my new job.
Haley –
Project 1 might be dead for a real long time. Until I get my inspiration back (read: my wife quits work and is allowed to pursue her own incredibly dynamic research), I’ll be looking at this little piece of literature as a moment in time. I need mystical inspiration, not literary or cinematic, and growing up in the Midwest… there are so few truly believable mystics around, it’s sad.
The real reason for this post is I have a new computer, I’m sitting and staring at five more hours of transfer time before my old computer is emptied and the new one is full. I can’t write because my works are in limbo, and I can’t shut this bad boy down until it’s finished.
Next steps, for everything, is getting queries out for Of Salt and Wine and David and His Shade, and for me to keep pushing RedWingBlack. It’s the most marketable, but then, it’s also the least fantastic. And the most hollow.
Happy fourth, everyone. May freedom continue to ring.
Modern Fantastic 