I swiped this nameless tag from Jaidie over at Sisters Three, partly because I loved the questions but also partly because of the Wingfeather Saga reference she brilliantly made. Let me know if you caught it. XD
That being said, I have no idea where it came from. (Supposedly Bree @ Laughs & Literature? But then when you click the link to the creator's website you come up with Lucy Peterson. *blinkblink* Hopefully that's not super important. XD) And I don't have a graphic either, so sorry about that. Heh.
But graphics and citing your sources and stuff isn't the point! The point is to give y'all some insight into my WIP. I have several going right now, but since one is top secret and another is just barely in the developmental stages, I'll go back to my classic, ATOTB. Yep, another post about ATOTB, one right after the other. Apparently editing a book makes it stick in your head. XP
The Rules:
Thank the person who tagged you, and link back to their post and the creator of this tag: Bree @ Laughs and Literature
Link back to the creator of the tag: luluslibrary.com
Add the tag graphic somewhere in your post.
Answer each question while successfully dodging spoilers.
Include a clean set of the rules and questions at the bottom of your post.
Tag as many people as you want!
The Questions:
What’s a basic idea of the WIP’s plot (without spoilers)?
Ooh, a chance to practice my elevator pitch... XP
A girl who can read the memory of rocks stumbles across a secret murder that will make or break her country - and her family.
Hm... it could use some work, but I'll go with that for now. XD
What genre is this story written in?
I had to dig deep for this one. XD I'd say middle grade heroic fantasy, maybe middle grade high fantasy if you go with the "high fantasy is just set in another world" definition. Surprisingly ATOTB doesn't actually fit very well with common fantasy genres. Go figure. XD
What is the WIP’s estimated word count?
Take this with a grain of salt, since I'm in the middle of some serious developmental edits (I cut 3 pages the other day... guys, the pain XD), but right now it's sitting at 111,333 words. Yes, I know I was supposed to estimate. But that was a cool number so I kept it. XD
What is the beautiful, complex, or intriguing land this story is set in? When is it set?
Back in the days when this story was young, I named the world. But as the story has aged, I've forgotten what I named it. XD So I'll just go with describing the country: Shilon, a rugged northern land of long winters and fleeting summers known for its jagged mountains, harsh climate, and ithran ore (which is important, but I'm avoiding spoilers here, so you can just wonder ;)).
Where do you find inspiration for the WIP?
Oh, all over. The problem with being a writer is that you find inspiration at least 10 times a day and have to sort through it all objectively so you don't end up with 10 new projects every day. XD For ATOTB I'd say I get a lot of my inspiration from music, pictures, and of course dreams. A dream was how it all started, anyway, so I may as well include it. XD
What is the theme of this story, and how does it impact the characters?
There are several little themes scattered throughout it, but the main one is that family is worth fighting for. And since the answer to the second question is a spoiler, I'll skip it. :P
Who are the main characters? Why is this story about them?
Myra Nisan is my POV MC. She's the one who sets everything in motion and, aside from the villain, keeps the ball rolling. I would say my next closest to a POV MC is Irad Arisai. He's so much fun to write, poor boy. XD And yes, he does have a chapter from his POV. Just one, but it's a long one, so hey. Let him have his claim to fame.
Who is the ultimate evil, and what is he/she doing?
I would argue that the ultimate evil in here isn't necessarily a "who", but a what. Namely, Myra's selfishness. That being said, Amalek (the villain) definitely is a bit of a foil for her in that he also struggles with that to the point of performing all the shady things that make him the villain. (I would say more, but SPOILERS XD).
Where are the side characters, who are they, and why will they become my favorite?
Ooh I have lots. Myra is in a family of *counts* 8, and you meet all of those characters enough that they're basically side charries. Then there's Irad and Amalek, Gilead, the Amors... yeah. There's a lot. XD I'll pick three though as the main side characters: Irad, Gilead, and Anah. You'll like Irad because he's one of those snarky-but-traumatized characters that are both funny and sad at the same time. You know the type. XD Gilead is definitely undergoing character development right now, but in the end I hope people will like him because of how easy easy it would be to find a person like him in the grocery store. And I think Anah will end up being one of those side characters who you either really like or really don't like. XD
Who’s your favorite character to write?
Anyone but Gilead.
Seriously though, I really enjoy writing both Irad and Anah - especially together. Their dynamic is so natural it's fantastic. *chef's kiss*
What’s a quote that describes each MC?
Myra:
“Of all the idiots in the Empire, Myra Nisan, you are the worst,” I scolded myself beneath my breath. “What are you doing?”
And another one because I can't help myself:
It felt like my curiosity was eating me alive.
Irad:
I shook my head. “One minute you’re ignoring me completely and letting me walk straight into a trap, and the next you’re giving me your only blanket. Why?” A crooked smirk flashed across his lips. “Guess I’ll always be a mystery to you, Firefly.”
Gilead:
Only Gilead remained calm, still staring sightlessly at the ceiling, quietly drumming his fingers on the table until the noise subsided.
(I told you he was the problem child XD)
Anah:
It was like she didn’t know the meaning of the word stranger - if someone interested her, she’d point them out to the rest of us, then bound over and start the most natural conversation as if she’d been friends with them her whole life. A few were stiff, polite, and distant, but many responded to her warmth in like manner, and she left them with smiles all over their faces.
What’s your favorite thing about the WIP?
That it never gets old. I've written stories where I got bored reading them, much less my poor betas. But this one... I don't know. It grabs me every time I open the document. Hopefully someday I'll get it to the place where it does that to readers too. :P
What is the first sentence of the first paragraph of the first page of the first chapter?
"Why are you so stupid?"
Yep. Gotta love it. XD And in case you wanted something more random, here's the second sentence from the fifth paragraph of the sixteenth chapter: "The tide rises."
You're welcome. ^_^
Now, to end the post, share a short scene from the WIP of some character saying goodbye. (If you have such a scene.)
*huffs* My favorite goodbye scene has so many spoilers it's not even funny. So I guess I'll give you another one.
Ma hesitated, then enveloped me in another warm embrace. “Be careful,” she ordered. “I don’t like this one bit. If that man –”
“Amalek,” I murmured.
“-shows up or tries anythin’, I want ye to use this blade of yers, understand?”
I nodded and took her curved shortsword from her, strapping it to my hip.
She nodded back and handed me our bag of snacks before turning to Irad, a soft smile playing around her lips. “Ye make sure to do the best ye can, lad,” she said, closing the distance between them with a few steps. “If ye can stop any wars, I’d be grateful. But ultimately, ye need to learn to follow Shaddai. He’ll guide you in every step.”
Irad swallowed but didn’t reply.
Abruptly, my mother drew him into a tight, gentle hug. He stiffened, eyes widening in fear, and seemed ready to struggle - and then his muscles relaxed. He squeezed his eyelids shut. I furrowed my eyebrows. He was so… vulnerable, all of a sudden. Like the boy he was.
And then he pulled away and his face dropped back into its almost grouchy look. Ma wiped her eyes and squeezed his hand and then he was walking away and I was scrambling to catch up, tossing a hurried wave goodbye to Ma. In silence, we hopped the fence and climbed the trail to the ruins with my house behind us, hidden behind the towering evergreen trees except for the faint puff of smoke against the chalky gray sky.
Your Clean Copy:
The Questions:
What’s a basic idea of the WIP’s plot? (Without spoilers.)
What genre is this story written in?
What is the WIP’s estimated word count?
What is the beautiful, complex, or intriguing land this story is set in? When is it set?
Where do you find inspiration for the WIP?
What is the theme of this story, and how does it impact the characters?
Who are the main characters? Why is this story about them?
Who is the ultimate evil, and what is he/she doing?
Where are the side characters, who are they, and why will they become my favorite?
Who’s your favorite character to write?
What’s a quote that describes each MC?
What’s your favorite thing about the WIP?
What is the first sentence of the first paragraph of the first page of the first chapter?
Now, to end the post, share a short scene from the WIP of some character saying goodbye. (If you have such a scene.)
The Rules:
Thank the person who tagged you, and link back to their post and the creator of this tag: Bree @ Laughs and Literature
Link back to the creator of the tag: luluslibrary.com
Add the tag graphic somewhere in your post.
Answer each question while successfully dodging spoilers.
Include a clean set of the rules and questions at the bottom of your post.
Tag as many people as you want!
The Tags
Goodness, it's been so long since I actually tagged people for stuff. XD Um... I'll go with Emily Waldorf, Grace Johnson, Saraina Whitney, and Daniel Amador. Of course, feel free to steal the tag if you want to do it, though. ;) Good luck, guys!
*dusts hands off* Maybe I should shut up about this project before you guys decide you hate it. XD
Until next time,
Take courage, pursue God, and smile while you still have teeth!!
Psh, I will never decide I hate this story! :P I love hearing about it every time!!! Like, YOUR CHARACTERS! THEY'RE AMAZING! Those excerpts you shared were incredible!! So excited to read this one day, if you decide to publish it 😉