Thank you so much to Jaidie, Kayti, and Rissy Phillips over at Sisters Three for the tag! And thank you to Katja over at Little Blossoms for Jesus for starting this!
The Rules
Thank the person who tagged you & link to their blog.
Link back to the creator, Katja @ Little Blossoms for Jesus, & add the tag graphic.
List the rules.
Answer the questions.
Feel free to add snippets!
Tag as many or as few people as you wish & let them know they’re tagged.
Add a clean copy of the questions at the end of your post for the tagged.
The Questions
Has your WIP a working title? If so, tell us! If not, have you any idea of what it might be?
Yes, I do have a title for my project. Although I have change that title many times over the past two years, I've settled on the one I like best: When the Stars Went Out.
Have you a synopsis for your WIP? If so, give it to us! If not, can you give us a blurb on what your WIP is about?
I don't have a synopsis, but I do have a blurb:
There is an island, far away from here, that sits upon a lonely sea, miles away from the mainland. This island is called Stella, and the Stars, the Kalran, once lived in that place.
But the world is broken now. The Stars have gone out, and the once beautiful island is a place of tragedy.
In the middle of that island, eight of the First-ones, the Álinmikor, are waiting for adventure. But will they be ready when it calls?
Have you a working/mock cover for your WIP? If so, show us! If not, have you an idea in mind?
Yep! Here it is:
(Although, my sister is helping me design another one—that she's drawing! It'll be finished soon...I might post it...)
How did you get the idea for this story?
I don't really remember how I got the idea for this story (perhaps a game, a book, a dream?)—only writing it. My first memory of this story is writing it on the floor of my room as late afternoon sunlight streamed in through the window.
How long do you think it will be? Is it longer or shorter than you thought it would be?
It’s definitely shorter than what I had hoped for (around 80,000 words), but thinking back to my original goal, that was really just a dream. It’s currently around 40,000 words, but I don’t have very many scenes other than the basics, so I think WtSWO will probably be around 50 or 60,000 words.
Who’s your favourite character so far?
Raven, definitely. He’s been my favorite character almost since day one. Emery might be the main character, but she manages to get on my nerves sometimes (maybe because she’s so much like me?). Jameson is nice and I really like him, but Raven is my favorite.
What’s your favourite memory related to this WIP?
It’s a whole bunch of them, actually. When I think of my favorite memory, I remember all of the times I talked to my friends and family about it.
Any special person(s) who helped create it?
All of my friends and family, and classmates (from 3 different schools) have helped with creating this story—writing isn't a loner's job!
What’s your favourite scene so far (if you can tell about it without spoilers!)?
I think my favorite scene is when two of the sisters, Emery and Kala, make up. They don't see each other for most of the series, but I think that the scene is sweet. Originally, most of the first book Emery and Kala are fighting, but I think that it's better when they're happy together.
Can you give us a snippet?
Suddenly, she remembered the anthem of the Rebels, and whispered one of the verses. They gave her hope.
The day is gone and the night is here
The dawn will never come, we fear
For our King is a silly lad
He’s now only in cruelty clad.
Our honor is a long-gone tale,
The stories of valor crumble and fail
Our love, grace, mercy are a thing of the past,
Only harsh words now will last.
The dark is here
But the dawn is near
So keep your hope,
My people
When the battle is won
And the war is done,
Your hope will be right,
My people
But—
Will we say that this will last?
Will we forget our happy past?
Will we say They have won?
Will we say our time has come?
No!
We will say, "I'll fight here,
Even if my time is near.
And if I die, so let it be.
And let the rest remember me."
"Quiet," a soldier snarled.
She bowed her head and stopped singing, but her lips moved with words. She said them like a prayer, a silent plea.
"And if I die, so let it be.
And let the rest remember me."
Yes, Emery thought, as the word strengthened her and gave her the courage to face whatever came next, They can take away our freedom, our strength. They can take our children and our children’s children.
But They can never take away our hope.
Is the story still what you thought it would be or has it thrown you a couple curveballs?
At the first, the story was very different from what it is now. But I've had most of the important plot points of the series thought out from almost the very beginning. Even the things that have changed haven't really surprised me—somehow, it seems like I know what's going to happen even if I haven't planned it.
Is there a Bible verse, poem, hymn, picture, or quote that helped shape this story?
Not this story, per se, but the series has two main Bible verses that inspire it: "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13, ESV) and "Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” (Rom. 12: 19, ESV)
When and where have you done most of the writing so far?
I've done most of the writing on weekends, in my room. Or anywhere, any time, that I've had a notebook and something to write with!
Where do you get inspiration for this story?
From pictures, from prompts, from games I play—from everything! I live in the middle of the forest, and I get a lot of my inspiration from being in the forest.
Are you a plotter or a panster?
Definitely a plotter. I’ve had a lot of the major plot points thought out since the very beginning—all I have to do is write them.
Are you thinking of publishing this story?
Yes, I do think that I will publish this story eventually. However, I do think that I will have to edit and revise this book (and series) a ton before it’s ready to see the world.
What things have you learned while writing this story?
I've learned that it's not bad to have to edit and revise a story for a long time. I also learned that sometimes, the first idea isn't the best idea.
The Snippets
Here are some of my favorite snippets from WtSW!
In a world called Alstâr, in a village called Emált, in the waving grass of a field, a girl named Emery hid, afraid for her life.
Emery pushed her long hair out of her eyes, glancing at the tall figure that lay in the grass beside her: Liam Sallow. Even though his eyes reflected her worry, he grinned at her.
She smiled back, watching intently as her brother checked if They had left by then.
They hadn’t. As she crouched, a pair of shadowed figures pranced along the country road, skirting the dark forest that bordered the road. Two embroidered badges bearing the letters SPEAR* clasped their cloaks.
Emery gritted her teeth and sank lower in the grass, knowing that a slightest movement might give her presence away, her father, Yoan Sallow, had reminded her of this many times.
*SPEAR, meaning the Secret Police of Empress Ahelis Rachel, or, as most of the citizens of the Isle call them, Spoiled Princes who Evilly Assail Righteous ones
The first thing they noticed was the smoke. The second thing they noticed were the flames, which made sense because smoke comes from fire.
The third thing they noticed was something completely different than what they had expected: a small lake was right next to the even smaller village (which was where the smoke was coming from, because it was burning).
As Jade watched (from a distance, of course, for who in their right mind would knowingly walk into a flaming village that had recently been destroyed by one’s sworn enemies) a burning timber crashed into a small house, probably the blacksmith shop, because the town was known for its blacksmith and the burning house was the biggest in the town.
Bairson walked over to her. She turned away from the horrible scene and rushed into his open arms, which didn’t seem weird because the two had been together through things in the past six months that most people hadn’t been in their whole lifetime. Bairson and Jade, in short, had been through far worse than a burning town in the past half year—together, which was most important.
The Tags
Clean Copy of the Questions
Has your WIP a working title? If so, tell us! If not, have you any idea of what it might be?
Have you a synopsis for your WIP? If so, give it to us! If not, can you give us a blurb on what your WIP is about?
Have you a working/mock cover for your WIP? If so, show us! If not, have you an idea in mind?
How did you get the idea for this story?
How long do you think it will be? Is it longer or shorter than you thought it would be?
Who’s your favourite character so far?
What’s your favourite memory related to this WIP?
Any special person(s) who helped create it?
What’s your favourite scene so far (if you can tell about it without spoilers!)?
Can you give us a snippet?
Is the story still what you thought it would be or has it thrown you a couple curveballs?
Is there a Bible verse, poem, hymn, picture, or quote that helped shape this story?
When and where have you done most of the writing so far?
Where do you get inspiration for this story?
Are you a plotter or a pantser?
Do you have a little ritual before you start writing?
Are you thinking of publishing this story?
What things have you learned while writing this story?
What do you think of my story? Does it seem interesting? Let me know in the comments!
Until next time!
