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Since we’ve got so many new people on here, I thought it might be fun if we all got to know each other a little better by chatting about our WIPs (works in progress)!
To get us started, I have three novels I’m planning on drafting and I’m just trying to decide which one I write for NaNoWriMo. I don’t want to give too much away about them, but I’ll give you a little sentence summary of each.
1) Fantastical pirate botanist story. About a young woman who disguises herself as her botanist brother’s assistant and joins a voyage of exploration in order to make a scientific name for herself.
2) YA fantasy with lots of ice and snow involved. About another young woman who has a ring which holds the soul of the elven king, stolen during the human/elf war centuries ago. Unfortunately, the elves are planning on getting the soul of the king back, which is awkward for our main character. The setting here is based heavily on Antarctica and the Arctic.
3) Dark YA fantasy thriller. About two brothers and a mysterious old guy who should have been dead decades ago, who uncover sprouting evil in their supposedly utopia society. However, no one believes them, so they are forced to confront the growing darkness on their own.
What about you guys? What are your WIPs about?
INFP Queen of the Kingdom commander of an army of origami cranes and a sabre from Babylon.
@seekjustice All of those sound super cool! I especially like the idea of the first one, but that might be influenced by some of my recent reads that fall along similar lines, lol. Very cool!
I have two primary projects at the moment:
1) My editing project, which I’ll be setting aside shortly, is about a group of calligraphers whose responsibility is to protect time through use of magic ink that allows you to either rewrite time or make it permanent. When one of them breaks the rules and rewrites time, they have to figure out who’s responsible before the guardian dragons destroy the entire guild.
2) The one I’ll be focusing on through October and November is a rewrite of a story I first wrote between the ages of 7 and 11 about a set of siblings who find out that they’re actually royalty from a fantasy world and a neighboring king wants control of their kingdom. Which sounds like a generic MG book premise, but I’m hoping that the detail of the subplots will redeem it and make it more unique and YA-viable, lol.
Speculative fiction author. Mythology nerd. Singer. Worldbuilding enthusiast.
You already know about my WIP, but I’ll share here with everyone too. For your story ideas, I think I like (1) best, simply because I have a bias for stories about discovery/creation. 😛
My WIP is a romance parody/political satire/historical fantasy. In brief, it is Elizabethan theatre meets historical Korea. About a queen who is deposed and starts a new life as an actress.
Other projects on my back burner:
– A more straightforward romantic comedy in a modern democracy (also a political satire). Romeo and Juliet from opposing political parties.
– An adventure/fantasy inspired by the legend of the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac and the fairy tale of the Frog Prince. About an emperor that wakes up one day as a rat.
– A dark historical fantasy set in late 19th century Russia. About a mother that becomes a ghoul hunter to save her sons, who are from a cursed bloodline.@seekjustice I don’t remember if I’ve ever talked with you about my WIPs, but I’ve got two going for now:
1) My way-too-long thing about Magic Users and different worlds and stuff like that. Don’t really want to sum it up right now, but the arc I’m about to go into is about one summer by the ocean, including a strange cafe, mysterious disappearances, and a lot of weird people showing up in town.
2) A story about nine people trapped in a time loop in the fictional city of Ukiyo, and the different things they do every time. Each of them corresponds to one of the squares on the dnd alignment chart, so there’s a lot of conflict.
Lately, it's been on my brain
Would you mind letting me know
If hours don't turn into days@seekjustice Cool idea!
Here are my current projects:
1) Superhero duology; the first is in the editing stage and the second in the outlining stage.
2) Sci-fi novel with futuristic racing; in first draft stage. Protagonist is a girl trying to show the world what she can do, and learns about true identity and Who created her.
3) Futuristic Red Riding Hood retelling short story. In the editing stage.
I have blurbs for my stories here. 🙂
I'm a Kapeefer 'TIL WE'RE OLD AND GREY!
www.jennaterese.com@seekjustice This is an amazing idea! I absolutely love the sound of your WIPs! (Especially the first one! 😉)
@valtmy Whoa! Your ideas sound so unique and intriguing!
@jenwriter17 I just read the blurbs for your stories–they sound awesome! Plus, I love your covers! (Did you design them yourself?) And your website–you have a really nice website!About my WIPs…
#1 Bound and Determined is the third in my historical romance series (of, currently, six books; that’s liable to change) Daughters of the Seven Seas. It picks up two years after where the second left off, so in a way it’s a direct continuation. I’m 83,000 words in, but my blurb still needs work. This is what I’ve got for now:
They had all thought it past. Yet now the storm has returned.
Atlantic Ocean
1686
A wicked twist of fate—or perhaps the hand of God—has landed Captain Rina Bennet in the most precarious situation yet. When her husband and the father of her twin boys leaves at the behest of a family friend, she is left to take charge of the ship she has not sailed on in two years, accepting the responsibility of a dwindling crew, half of which don’t even know her as captain. Saddled with two toddlers, she struggles in vain to erect some form of normalcy and order upon her ship…
Then the past suddenly appears to haunt both her and her quartermaster Keaton, in the forms of an old friend and an old life.
Rina has to make a judgment call when the ghosts come knocking, a call that could mean either life or death—for both an innocent girl and herself. The storm has returned.
That’s probably the fifth attempt at a summary I’ve come up with–I dislike all of them–and I’ve been taking my precious time writing this thing. Not that I’m complaining–it could be worse.
#2 I’m also working on Tell Me No Lies, which is a Civil War era murder mystery/historical drama/romance (it’s really not a definable anything at this point). I’m about 28,000 words in so far, but I haven’t done much work on it in recent months–I’m saving it for once I finish Bound and Determined. Here’s my best attempt at a blurb:
Private detective Forrest Billingham has solved many a murder mystery, but when he is hired by Rhys Sterling, a notorious playboy and gambler, to uncover the truth behind his half-brother’s death, Forrest finds himself tangled up in a web of lies, deceit, and treachery that he can’t get out of. All the evidence left behind from Marcus Cannon’s murder points in all the wrong directions: killed by his brother, murdered by his wife, suicide. Except Mr. Sterling says he was on the other side of town at the time of Cannon’s death, and he has multiple alibis. Mrs. Cannon, feisty though she may be, is certainly not the kind of woman to murder her husband–and she has a houseful of alibis. The victim himself, as all his employees and colleagues say, had a mission that urged him onward in the world. It’s that “mission” Forrest knows play a part in this case. But with lies and misleading clues popping up left and right, this detective doesn’t know what to think. Well, except that he needs to steer clear of Kerri-Leigh Cannon.
Yeah, it needs some work. 😆 One of my favorite parts about this story is that it’s more of a political/Yankee perspective of the Civil War rather than a Confederate’s or a soldier’s. I get to dive more into the KGC and the political side of the war instead of focusing on the fighting.
the resident romance ghost; last seen within the pages of a gothic novel
@gracie-j Thank you so much! 😀 Yes, I designed them on canva.com.
I'm a Kapeefer 'TIL WE'RE OLD AND GREY!
www.jennaterese.com@jenwriter17 You’re so welcome! 😊 Cool! I’ma have to check that out!
the resident romance ghost; last seen within the pages of a gothic novel
@seekjustice Thank you so much for starting this topic! I love hearing about everyone’s WIPs so much. Yours sound so intriguing! I absolutely love the concept of a pirate botanist. Is this going to be a fantasy or “real life” novel? I’m getting steampunk vibes, but that’s probably just me reading too much between the lines XD And a fantasy thriller? Yes please.
As for my WIP… *clears throat*
1). The Drakesbanes
Horace has a problem. His half-brother Rand was on schedule to marry Lady–er, Queen Tinumali in a week and forge the strongest political alliance of the decade, but Rand is nowhere to be found. Now Horace has to find Rand, make sure his vassal doesn’t run away again, and keep Tinumali from letting her newfound power slip through her fingers.
Arvi has a problem. It’s bad enough that he has ten years of vassal-ship left, or that he’s a vassal to Horace of all people. But now he has two months missing from his memory, magic that won’t act right, and one last chance to earn his freedom before he spends the next decade a slave. All he has to do? Pretend to be Rand until Horace finds the missing prince.
Tinumali is the problem. Or, at least, that’s how she feels. Her grandfather is dead, her family is in hiding halfway across the world, her sister hates her guts, and she’s getting married to someone she barely knows. Oh, and she’s the queen of Rumir now, and her powerful neighbors have given her a year to prove her worth before they annex what’s left of her kingdom.
2) A Beginner’s Guide to Villainy
I’m still somewhat of the planning stages of this one, but basically it’s a portal fantasy wherein a tired college student’s solution to saving his GPA is to become the greatest villain of all time. It’s extra. It’s dramatic. He breaks up love triangles with fire extinguishers. You know how it is.
“Seven seconds till the end. Time enough for you. Perhaps. But what will you do with it?”
@jenwriter17 Thank you for sharing the link to your blog! I particularly enjoyed reading the synopsis for Ignite. Your settings all sound so unique and interesting, plus I love how you’re dealing with themes of identity–it’s quite a relatable one for writers, I think. *nod* Plus the covers are beautiful 😀 What drew you to writing sci-fi/superhero stories?
@valtmy Ooh, political satire and historical fantasy? That’s so interesting! I love how you’re mash up different genres and legends in your works. 😀 How long have you been working on the first one?
@r-m-archer Your second one sounds like it will be totally unique! I can definitely see potential for lots of interesting subplots and side characters. Also, wow, I love the idea of magic time-rewriting ink! Are you planning on trying to publish it? Because I would buy it based on that description alone. 🙂
@gracie-j I’ve wanted to read Tell Me No Lies ever since it was featured on KP critiques. Your prose is just…so interesting; I have to know more about these characters. Bound and Determined sounds very intriguing as well! I love reading about married characters; there doesn’t seem to be enough of those in fiction. But then again, I’m rather biased. 😛 How long have you been working on the series?“Seven seconds till the end. Time enough for you. Perhaps. But what will you do with it?”
@lewilliams Your second one sounds fantastic. If it ever comes out tell me. I’ll gladly read it.
Lately, it's been on my brain
Would you mind letting me know
If hours don't turn into daysThanks, @lewilliams ! 😀
I'm a Kapeefer 'TIL WE'RE OLD AND GREY!
www.jennaterese.com@lewilliams Your stories sound so interesting–particularly the second one. How did you come up with that idea? Plus, I mean, what a title!
Aw–thanks! I’ll admit, I want to read Tell Me No Lies too! Er, write it, I mean. I have to focus on BAD or else that one (which is looking like a daunting task of 160,000 words and 50-ish chapters at the moment) will never be finished. TMNL is definitely a different idea for me, since I’ve never tried a mystery (and haven’t read any aside from Nancy Drew 😆) and because the romantic aspect is on the very back burner for once.
If you’d like, I’ll put you on the list for betas for TMNL. I mean, I can’t promise that Jesus won’t have come back by the time I finish it (😆), but if we’re still alive, then I would be glad to have you read it! (That didn’t sound too morbid, did it?)
I’ve been writing DotSS for roughly two years now. The long process (which took three blog posts to divulge, if you know what I mean) all began in August of 2017, but it wasn’t until June-July of 2018 that I started writing what is now the first in the series, Held Captive. HC was released in March of last year, and the sequel in October (I celebrate its one-year anniversary in a month from yesterday!). I’ve been working on BAD, off and on, since last October, but I didn’t really buckle down until March (with the quarantine and all that).
Although I’m sure I’m not as biased as you, I do agree–there aren’t enough married couples. Probably because they only appeal to readers of women’s fiction and, more often than not, those are about divorcees, widows, or ladies-whose-marriages-are-falling-apart. (So, I guess healthy marriages are boring??? 🤨) Since I’m not liable to let go of Rina and her arc for a good, long while, I’ll be expanding the horizons of historical fiction with hers and husband’s POVs! (I do have this one idea, though, about a lady in Regency England who gets into all kinds of mischief–like Lucy in I Love Lucy, just more dignified and with fewer wigs…and Cubans…and Ethels…and set in Regency England…yeah, it’s nothing like I Love Lucy 😋–throughout her marriage, like a historical romcom, that I can’t wait to get started on. Eventually. I’m still in the outlining stage at present, along with 75+ other novels!)
How long have you been working on The Drakesbanes and how did you come up with that idea?
the resident romance ghost; last seen within the pages of a gothic novel
[quote quote=85294]2) A Beginner’s Guide to Villainy I’m still somewhat of the planning stages of this one, but basically it’s a portal fantasy wherein a tired college student’s solution to saving his GPA is to become the greatest villain of all time. It’s extra. It’s dramatic. He breaks up love triangles with fire extinguishers. You know how it is.[/quote]
This sounds amazing. XD
[quote quote=85298]Also, wow, I love the idea of magic time-rewriting ink! Are you planning on trying to publish it? Because I would buy it based on that description alone. 🙂[/quote]
Yes! I’m actually super, super, super excited to publish it; I absolutely adore it and I can’t wait to share it. XD But I have to get through editing first… Which hasn’t actually been miserable–I enjoy editing, particularly when I love the project–it just takes too long. XD But I’m already daydreaming about marketing and release day and reviews, lol.
[quote quote=85303]I do agree–there aren’t enough married couples.[/quote]
I also agree. One of the side characters in Calligraphy Guild (editing project) is married, but she’s unfortunately minor. She’s not crucial enough to the plot to get much screen time, but she’s super cool and I love her and I have considered writing a short story with her as a primary character. XD
Speculative fiction author. Mythology nerd. Singer. Worldbuilding enthusiast.
Wow! I’m glad people have been really enjoying this thread 🙂 Makes me happy!
@r-m-archer I’ve read about your Calligraphy Guild novel on your website, it honestly looks so awesome and I’m intrigued by the whole “magic ink rewriting the past” concept. I hope it goes well! And I’m sure there’s heaps you can do to revitalise your old novel, best of luck with that![quote quote=85276]About an emperor that wakes up one day as a rat.[/quote] @valtmy
I love the sound of this! incredibly quirky 😀 And of course you know that I’m desperately interested in QOD and can’t wait to read the rest of it when it’s done 😀
[quote quote=85277]Don’t really want to sum it up right now, but the arc I’m about to go into is about one summer by the ocean, including a strange cafe, mysterious disappearances, and a lot of weird people showing up in town.[/quote]
@devestate-lasting I love the whole aesthetic this is conjuring up in my mind. Mysterious disappearances and seaside cafes…perfect. Best of luck with working on it!
I especially love the sound of your second one! It sounds like it has a lot of potential to be very thrilling and I like the themes you’re exploring with that one. Be sure to let me know when you need betas 😉
And you’ve mentioned your Red Riding Hood retelling a few times now and I’m utterly fascinated by it, mostly trying to imagine what a futuristic Little Red, Wolf and Grandma would look like.
@gracie-j Bound and Determined sounds awesome, with much potential for angst and humour. Rina sounds like exactly my favourite sort of female characters, tough but also feminine 🙂INFP Queen of the Kingdom commander of an army of origami cranes and a sabre from Babylon.
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