That's a Wrap! (okay, not really...)

So, it's 3:00 in the morning. I'm lying in bed. Wide. Awake. And thinking relentlessly about my sequel to my latest novel. I'm excited to say that after 8 months of heavy copy editing. And I mean heavy. I have wrapped up my second draft of my novel! I swear it doesn't even look like the same first draft. It took me 60 days exactly to both write and research that book. Word count to-date: 149,635. Or 509 pages. Dang. I was seriously a girl on fire when I wrote this. Oh, my poor tendonitis! By the last chapter, I was literally writing with ace bandages on both wrists. Tim said I looked like a burn victim.

So, since I wrapped up my edits for my final chapter you'd think I'd be like, oh praise... now I get a break! Wrong. Like I said, I'm sitting here thinking about my next book when I should be sleeping. This is my plague as a writer. My mind literally comes alive at night with all my story ideas when it should be shutting down for some serious shut-eye. And for this reason, I have the worst sleep hygiene and as a result, the worst sleep patterns. I mean, a full Ambien doesn't take me down these days.

I digress. What's next for this novel? Well, a lot before it gets into the hands of my readers. Sorry gals, if you were looking to pick it up anytime soon. I've got my beta readers in line first. And then I will consider their critique and criticism for my third draft. And in the meantime, I'm going to get going on my queries (which I swear are double the work of writing the actual book) and get started on that sequel. The rolling stone gathers no moss... right?

Currently, my work is untitled. I had one that I had mostly decided on until I Goodreads-searched it and found A) over 20 other works under the same title, and B) most of those works were erotica. Now, I'm not saying there's anything wrong with the erotica genre... if it's your slice of pie, happy reading! You're reading, and that's all that matters to me. BUT, it's not my genre. And I don't want my work lumped in with it. So the beautiful title Phoenix Rising has been nixed. Next to queries, I might hate titling my work the most. I mean, apparently, if I can't say it in less than 100,00 words, I can't say it at all. 

So I've got my work cut out for me. But as of right now, I can at least say... that's a wrap! On this round anyway, ha!

Don't remember my synopsis from ages ago? Here you go!

Tala Alexander is a woman raised in privilege, the granddaughter of a founder of the Republic of Columbia, a powerful and formidable country built on the remains of the former United States. Kane Ryan is a man from a meager upbringing who has suffered greatly at the hands of the Republic and now lives his life in hiding, with a skillset no man should have. During a brutal attack one night, Tala's and Kane’s lives unexpectantly converge. As they dig into the unprovoked attack, they uncover secrets they never expected to find… secrets that will change everything Tala’s known, everything she’s believed, and everyone she’s trusted. Tala must discern the truth from the lies, her real allies from her enemies. She must decide where her allegiances lie and just how far she’s willing to go to protect what matters most. 

But will the price be worth the cost? In finding Tala, Kane will learn to move beyond his dark past. In finding Kane, Tala will uncover the strength to step out of her family’s legacy and discover her true self. Tala’s strength of character will be tested as she fights for her people, for humanity, for love. And she will learn that not everyone can be saved.

First Draft: Completed!

Well, I am excited to announce that my first draft of my manuscript has been finished. Yes, that means my whole story is on paper. In exactly 60 days, I researched, designed, and wrote 130,645 words, 448 pages, and 22 chapters.

This story planted itself in my mind and in my heart nearly three years ago. But I found myself in a hole only three chapters in and I didn't know how to write myself out of it. Eventually, I threw in the towel and it got pushed to the back of my mind, its file metaphorically collecting dust in a folder on my computer. I opened that file three other times since then, worked from the beginning, changing and editing, yet I still found myself in that hole. That hole was like a black abyss.

Then, this past New Years Eve weekend, it came to me- my vision was clear. I had no idea this story was even on my mind anymore. I thought I had given up on it for the last time. But suddenly I knew how to get out of the hole. I sat down at my computer and completely reconstructed everything, starting from scratch, using the previous pieces as a framework. I worked for days just building the setting, a world of my own imagination. I made maps, and flow charts, and character profiles - creating details as minuscule as each character's favorite movie, or most embarrassing memory, not because those details were necessarily going to be in the story, but because those details shaped my characters into who they were. When I understood the foundation of each of them, they were all able to take the reigns in my story, their personalities and behaviors coming out so naturally and onto the page. Because I mapped out every detail, I was able to write past that hole. And as soon as I got going, I couldn't stop. I just bled onto the page.

I've never written anything like this story, and yet it came out so naturally. There's drama, action, a little sci-fi and dystopia, conspiracies, friendship, betrayal, love - both familial and romantic, and my schtick in all my writing, a strong heroine. It's written from two points of view, both female and male. And there are so many characters, but not so many the story gets lost in all of them (at least, I hope). If anyone would've told me that I had something like this in me, with all those genres included, I would've told them to shut the front door. No way. And yet, here it is. And I love it. And that's the only thing that truly matters.

What's next? A ton of copy editing. Then I'll recruit some beta readers - readers who are good at literary analysis and critique and are willing to be brutally honest with me (if that sounds like you, drop me a line), then more editing, after which I will reach out to my editor connections, and send out some queries. And we'll see what happens after that. But I do promise that it will make it to print.

Enough rambling... the part you really read this whole post for... the synopsis. There is no title yet, and this synopsis is also a first draft. But I hope it piques some interest in you.

The Republic of Columbia is a powerful nation that was created after the Great War on the ideals of protection, safety, and freedom. But decades after its borders were drawn, are those still the principles that make up the foundation of the country? And how far will it go to protect its power?

The Republic is all she’s ever known. She has lived a life of comfort and has both a duty to protect her country and a responsibility to maintain the honor of her family name.

He is a man with a dark past, betrayed by both his family and his country. He lives in the shadows, capable of things no human should be able to do.

During a brutal attack, Tala and Kane’s lives unexpectedly converge. As they dig into the motivation of the unprovoked attack, they uncover secrets they never expected to find… secrets that will challenge everything she’s known, everything she’s believed, and everyone she’s trusted. With her brother standing in the core of it all, Tala must discern the truth from the lies, her real allies from her enemies. She must decide where her allegiances lie and just how far she will go to protect those who matter most. But will the price be worth the cost?

In finding Kane, Tala will discover herself. The strength of her character will be tested as she fights for her people, for humanity, for love, and she will learn that not everyone can be saved.  

What Makes This One Different?

So wow... let me begin by sharing my exciting news... over the weekend I passed up 82,000 words in my manuscript, which is roughly 290 pages. And my story is just on fire in my heart and definitely in my head! I seriously think about it all day and often dream about it at night. It has been all-consuming but in a great, fun way! I love getting lost in the lives of my characters. As they develop, they become like best friends to me. I know everything about them. And after their initial development, they kind of naturally just flow on the page... I get into a groove with them and it's second nature to write from their perspective- What would they do? How would they respond to certain situations? How do they feel? etc...

This new story of mine is SO very much outside my comfort zone. And at first, it scared me to write it because it's not something I've ever done. Could I really do this? But there is a quote that lingered in my head, pushing me to write this story anyway:

Be courageous and try to write in a way that scares you a little.

I took the leap.

So what, you may be thinking, makes this one different?

1) It's set in the future (not some flying spaceships and hoverboards future, just a time ahead of our current one). Why is this a big difference? Because I get to create everything in this world. There's no existing framework to start with. That is both exhilarating and terrifying. It's easy to fall into a hole and hard to find a way out.

2) I have two protagonists- female and male. Adult and child. I keep writing my scenes from the male character's point of view and then have to have Tim read them and tell me if I'm on point- does this actually sound like a man/child, or just a woman trying to sound like a man/child?

3) Along the lines of #2, I am really trying to diversify my character personalities and traits. People are a mixture of good and bad. We're paradoxes. We have flaws despite good intentions. And even our antagonists can have goals that align with the protagonist, just a different motivation (or the same) and paths to reaching those goals. Even antagonists can have redeeming qualities. So, who really is the antagonist? Does the good guy win in the end?

4) There are so many characters! I have two protagonists and two antagonists that play pivotal roles. And several secondary characters that we become close enough with to still either love or hate. And then even more minor characters. I've got lots of people to think about, to differentiate from one another, and to connect my readers with.

5) There is action in this story. Action and secrets and conspiracies. Writing plot twists! Twists that I want the reader to pick up on when the characters don't- involving them in the story, and plot twists they don't see coming at all, but in hindsight see the bread crumbs that were missed all along.

I was scared in the beginning. I'm still scared. But I love it. And once I got started I haven't been able to stop. I am bleeding onto these pages. Everything in me is coming out. And as a writer (an artist of any kind), when you expose and share your deepest passions, it's scary because you just don't know how people will respond. But...

Better to write for yourself and have no public than to write for the public and have no self.

So I guess we'll just have to see what happens when it's finally time to let my baby leave the nest.

Ever thought of writing a book but either have no idea where to begin and feel overwhelmed, or just doubt you a have a story worth telling? The same story has been written a thousand times, but never in the way that only you can tell it, so share your version. Here are some tips to get you started:

1) Write 50 words. That's a paragraph.
2) Write 325 words. That's a page.
3) Write 300 pages. That's a manuscript.
4) Write every day. That's a habit.
5) Edit and rewrite. That's how you get better.
6) Spread your writing so people can comment. That's called feedback.
7) Don't worry about rejection or publication. That's a writer.
8) When not writing, read. Read from writers better than you. Read and perceive.

First Glimpse

All right ya'll (I've always wanted to say that even though I'm from Minnesota so I really should be saying Hay der - really draw out the haaaaay, it's a long 'a' sound), but it's Sunday! Which means you're either bummed because it's the end of the weekend, or you're living it up before another Monday knocks on our doors. Either way, happy Sunday!

I've been updating my word count for everyone, just to keep you, and myself, on track with my new manuscript, but I've yet to release any details of my story. I've been asked a lot... when are you going to share??? So since I've passed 200 pages, today I'm giving you a brief preview of what's to come.

*I do have proprietary rights to this, and it cannot be copied or shared without author permission.

ENJOY!

Tala’s eyes opened slowly. She felt lightheaded, her mind covered in a thick fog. Her eyes struggled to focus on anything around her and something strong was pulling her back to sleep. She closed her eyes again, feeling a warmth around her and she began to drift off.

            Tala was woken with a start. She was moving quickly, faster than she ever had before. Fire burned all around her. The large flames licked the walls, higher and higher, reaching for the ceiling. She tried to take a breath, but the air was too hot, too thick with smoke, and she coughed instead. Her lungs began to burn in her chest. But before she could try for another breath of air, she burst through the back door, her small body flung onto the concrete patio. She skinned her knees, elbows, and palms, but didn’t notice. She turned just in time to make out the shape of a person, a man, going into the burning house.

            Taking in the fresh air in gulps, Tala crawled, bleeding, across the patio to the grassy lawn. It was damp when her skin reached it and she collapsed into a heap. Her surroundings began to slip away from her. She tried to fight it, but the darkness was strong and overtaking her. She blinked erratically but couldn’t keep it from consuming her. It was so strong.

            Tala woke a few moments later as Thias was laid beside her in the grass. She reached out for his lifeless hand, feeling it warm in her palm as she gripped it tightly. And then there was a boom, so loud that all that was left in Tala’s ears afterward was a loud, high pitched ringing. Debris began falling all around them, but neither she nor Thias could move. She lay in the wet grass and clasped her brother’s hand hoping it wasn’t the end.

            From somewhere in the distance, she picked up the faint sound of a new ringing. It started to grow, louder and louder and she realized they were sirens. She covered her mouth with her spare hand, shielding herself from the falling ash as she took in deep breaths, coughing in between. The pull of the darkness was dissipating, and she glanced around, and in a moment so brief, she made out the dilapidated figure of a young man, a boy, about her age. She tried to call out to him and then, just like that, he was gone.