Announcing my newest project!

Hi everybody!  Before I get to the main content of the post, I wanted to make another quick announcement first.  On a whim, I entered a flash fiction prompt contest on Cassandra Hamm's Instagram account last week, and I actually won! (???!)  I'm still a little baffled by that because there were so many wonderful entries!  It's a short little thing, barely a scene, but you can check it out as well as the winners' entries for the other prompts HERE.  I used this prompt to try out a dystopian character that has been bugging my brain lately, so this might even be a little snippet for something coming down the line.  Thank you so much to Cassandra Hamm as well as her co-judge, Marit Edwards-Ronning.  This contest was a blast, so make sure to check them out on Instagram for more contests later on!  

Okay, I said that one was going to be quick...but there's a reason my nickname is Wordy.  Back to the schedule of events: 

Today, I'm sharing my newest project - aka my Camp NaNo project from April - with you all, including a blurb!  I'm hoping to have it published in fall, but with everything going on right now, who knows.  June could bring a resurgence of dinosaurs and we'll have to evade velociraptors to get the mail or something, causing proof copies to be late.  September could bring a meteorite that destroys all life on the planet, leaving only indestructible cockroaches and bits of glitter that you never could get off of your counter from that 3rd grade art project.  Horror of horrors, I could slip back into procrastination tomorrow.  Ya never know, it's 2020.  

Anyway, I am working on a book called The Lady of Lanaria.  For a little bit of context, this is a fairytale retelling that combines the Brothers Grimm fairytale Rapunzel with Lord Alfred Tennyson's "The Lady of Shalott" together into one novel.  I'm already working on the second draft now, and just recruited a friend for some help with the pesky introduction (by the way, said friend is having a sale for her editing services, so check that out HERE), and writing it has been surprisingly smooth sailing!  

I knew I had to write this book ever since last July, but I just got around to it in April.  In July, another friend and I were talking about the publishing industry and he mentioned that he didn't want to hear about me giving up on ideas because someone said they were stupid.  Of course, we have countless instances of that in publishing, oftentimes the greats -- J.K. Rowling and George Lucas were two he referred to.  And he's absolutely correct.  We shouldn't give up on our stuff because one or two (or even a hundred) people say it's stupid, because there might be one person in the world who needs what's in that book.  And if we have the ability, if we have the God-given inspiration and talent to do so, why not?  

I know I needed to hear that, because I'd been on a major streak of writer's block mostly thanks to the little jerk in my head that says "really?  Well that's stupid," every time I had an idea.  And since The Lady of Lanaria was the first book idea (of many, actually) to pop into my mind as soon as my friend said that, I figured it could be first. 

So if you needed a reminder to keep going on your own projects....keep going.  I don't want to hear about you giving up on an idea because someone thought it was stupid, either.  

Okay, well, I think I dragged this out long enough.  Are you aggravated or waiting with bated breath?  I probably know that answer, never mind.

You can also check out my Pinterest board for it HERE.  

BLURB

A kingdom cursed with mysterious plagues, a promise, and a kidnapped princess.  

"Mark my words, Evangeline; if you set foot outside, you will surely die."  

Evangeline has spent her entire life hidden in an ancient watchtower, gazing through a window as the world passes her by.  She heeds her mother's warning closely, the truth hidden from her - that she is the kidnapped princess of Lanaria, and her kidnapper is the most feared Witch in the land.  

When a young guard stumbles upon the old tower, Evangeline's life is flipped sideways, and she realizes that there's more to life than hiding in a tower.  As she strikes up a secret friendship with the guard, she learns more about the kingdom of Lanaria and the mysterious plagues that haunt it and all who live there.  She has spent years studying apothecary books, and her skills come in handy for helping the young guard when he needs it the most -- until she learns just what's causing the plagues.  

Nothing is as it seems, but will they figure out the Witch's plan before it's too late?

The Lady of Lanaria, arriving 2020. 

 

Soooo....what do you think?  Now, I know that magic is a really weird thing that brings up a lot of, ah, discussion  -- some people love reading about it, others hate it, so on.  I do want to add that I've thought long and hard about how I wanted to incorporate it (especially the evil side of things) and the messages I wanted to represent.  So before you automatically discard it, I want to invite you to give it a shot.  For those who dislike mentions of magic, you might be surprised by how I've written it.  Think about the witches in Chronicles of Narnia, so on.  Just a smidgen goes a long way.  

And if you liked this tentative blurb (subject to change before publication), you might just want to check out my newsletter, which I'm reviving.  I'm going to send out the next one out June 2nd, and I do think I'll be sharing a snippet of The Lady of Lanaria with all my subscribers then!  So make sure you're signed up HERE.  Also, I'll be adding another freebie to the list -- a self-editing checklist -- so if you're into that, make sure you catch the newsletter!  

Any thoughts?  Have you signed up for my newsletter yet?  Have you read "The Lady of Shalott" before?