i’m in love

So are you in love . . . with my blog? Then go ahead and hit the “subscribe” button at the bottom of the page. It’s quick and easy, and any time I post it will go straight to your inbox!

So why am I in love? Well, I started a new WIP that I am just tickled to death about. It is so different from anything I’ve written, and I’d actually be friends with this new main character (see this post for more on that). I’m only five chapters in, but my goal is one chapter a week. I think next week I’ll aim for a chapter a day, but I am trying to focus on another writing project at the moment, so I feel a bit selfish.

The working title is WAIFE, but I know that will change once I get further into it. While it is a prequel to THE LAST ONSET, I’d always planned on working on it. The books just came out in the wrong order, go figure. This book goes into depth into the backstory of THE LAST ONSET to cover the Revolution that happened over a hundred years before. The main character is Lisabeth, who is a war hero much like George Washington, and who implemented the Divide. The point where the upper class chooses to go to the skies by living in tall Skyrisers, while the destitute lower class is left to fend for themselves.

So what’s to love?

[1] The setting is like a futuristic Victorian period. Think Charles Dickens: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. The rich class is richer than ever and has the best of everything, including flying motorcycle type bikes. And the poor class? Well, they are destitute beyond what you can even imagine. Want a glimpse, see this video.

[2] Lisabeth is such a fun character. While she is your typical socialite teen who loves fashion, she also has a reckless streak where she’ll do something just for the adrenaline rush.And on top of that, this seventeen-year-old ACTUALLY declares war on the government for their crimes against the poor class.

[3] The tone is different than anything I’ve worked on. It’s fun and I get to use big words. Finally my English degree is coming into play.

[4] The plot twists surprise even me. I have to say that I’ve been watching a little too much Joss Whedon, so that I had just HAD to play on reader expectations so they are constantly surprised. For anyone who has read GONE WITH THE WIND, Margaret Mitchell does an amazing job in her narrative. Almost every chapters starts with the public’s POV and goes on about how scandalous Scarlet O’Hara is (she is ACTUALLY taking interest in the business she owns). And you totally buy it — you think Scarlet is horrible. Then you go to Scarlet’s POV, and you realize that the whole town is full of idiots. So I tried to go for a bit of that in this book, where you make assumptions about the character and then later find a hidden depth that blows you away.

[5] In my other books, I’ve always done an older sister/younger sibling relationship. I am the oldest in my family, and so that is a role I am very familiar with. In this book, Lisabeth is the youngest, with five older brothers. Only one is home, and he is quite frivolous and silly. And despite how different they are, they are both good friends. This relationship is fun as well as complex, and grows as the characters grow.

[6] I get to find out the truth of what happens. You see, in THE LAST ONSET you learn about history. But like with any history, it is tainted. The winners have decided how history will be presented, and one key player is missing from the story altogether. In this book, I get to discover this key player, Kanddace, and flesh her out for the audience. It’s so fun to share what I’ve known so well all along. Right now, Kanddace seems a little flat to me, but she hasn’t had much to flesh her out yet. If that ends up being a problem, I’ll flesh her out in the next draft.

So like any of my first drafts, I have been so bad about adding the descriptions of the setting. My critique group has put up with it, though, and I will definite fix that in revisions because the setting is so critical in this story.

So what about you? What are your projects or the things that you are in love with right now?