|
|
Post by waldenwriter on Sept 2, 2009 21:47:32 GMT -5
I've been working on "design" for a novel for most of the summer, though I've been playing with the basic plot idea for a couple years or so, and so I thought I'd post about it.
The novel, whose working title is Darkly Bound, is science-fiction, but has some fantasy elements, so I guess it could be called a "science fantasy." Anyway, it's set in London in 2345 and tells the story of Avalon Jacobs, a young theater stage manager who has been plagued for six years by a curse that turns her into the ruthless thief and murderer Nightshade on the nights of the crescent moon. Finally, with her father (who her mother treated as dead after he became a Christian, which offended her polytheistic background) coming home from fighting as a reservist in a Moon-Deimos war, and with the theater she's working for on the rocks financially, she's decided she must do something to break the curse.
I won't go too much into the rest of the details so as not to spoil the story, but the story from there involves her catching and questioning the demon monitoring her curse, her learning about God from a resident actor at the theatre and becoming a Christian, and her journey to the dangerous planet Charmia, home of the equally dangerous witch-sirens, to face her younger sister Shea, who cast the curse, and get her curse removed.
So...what do you think?
|
|
|
|
Post by JenLenaMom on Sept 2, 2009 22:06:43 GMT -5
Sounds fascinating.
I'd read it.
|
|
|
|
Post by Christian Soldier on Sept 2, 2009 23:14:26 GMT -5
Ooooo! Sounds neat!
|
|
|
|
Post by beckyminor on Sept 3, 2009 8:12:14 GMT -5
Very original concepts! Sounds like a great read.
|
|
|
|
Post by tonylavoie on Sept 3, 2009 16:15:11 GMT -5
You certainly have a lot of seed for conflict there, Walden! I can see the multiple plot lines weaving themselves into a rich tapestry of tale.  It'll be interesting to see how you handle putting the sci-fi fantasy elements together. Keep us posted! |
|
|
|
Post by waldenwriter on Sept 5, 2009 23:17:57 GMT -5
Thank you everyone for your input!
Tonylavoie: Yes, there are many plot lines, as I realized when I did my character synopses, which is basically telling the story from a certain character's POV. Shea's ended being the longest, since I was still working out how the spell would've been cast and so on. I ended up writing a LOT about witch-siren culture in the process. I also had humorous moments in these synopses. I wrote Jago's (the demon's) synopsis as a series of letters he sends to his king and queen, and the first related an incident where Jago had to keep his apartment very warm and his human next-door neighbor complained. That probably won't make it into the book, but it was funny to write. Writing about the theater's troubles from the resident actor's POV was interesting too. I managed to determine what their last-ditch play would be from that synopsis.
Overall, it's moving along. I need to come up with some sort of pitch or proposal though to take with me for faculty consultation at the San Diego Christian Writers Guild fall conference I'm going to Sept. 25-26 (my first writing conference ever!). I'm nervous about that. I'll keep you all posted on the novel, though.
|
|
|
|
Post by Andy on Sept 8, 2009 11:40:07 GMT -5
I think it's a great idea, waldenwriter. It seems to have a Jekyl and Hyde flair with this monster roaming London. Sounds like a great read. You have a theater background perhaps?
Hope that your first conference is productive and an encouragement to you!
|
|
|
|
Post by waldenwriter on Sept 9, 2009 2:02:55 GMT -5
I think it's a great idea, waldenwriter. It seems to have a Jekyl and Hyde flair with this monster roaming London. I never thought of the Jekyll/Hyde motif there. Interesting point. Sounds like a great read. You have a theater background perhaps? I don't have any background on the technical side of theater, but I took drama classes in junior high, high school, and junior college. My parents were also ushers for Lambs' Players for some time, and a few times I ushered myself when they needed a replacement for someone on the team. So I know some stuff. I will use research to fill in the gaps in my knowledge. I already know of a couple good books on the subject in my school's library. Hope that your first conference is productive and an encouragement to you! Thanks! I hope it is too. |
|
|
|
Post by waldenwriter on Oct 15, 2009 11:50:54 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by SciFiGal777 on Oct 20, 2009 22:29:30 GMT -5
I like the idea of doing both sci-fi and fantasy together. I'm not sure how I could pull that off.
|
|
|
|
Post by waldenwriter on Oct 21, 2009 2:27:47 GMT -5
I like the idea of doing both sci-fi and fantasy together. I'm not sure how I could pull that off. It really depends on the story. Some sci-fi stories can do without the fantasy elements. My copy of Novel and Short Story Writer's Market defines a science fantasy (what I consider my story to be) as "a blend of traditional fantasy elements with scientific or pseudo-scientific support (genetic engineering, for example, to 'explain' a traditional fantasy creature like the dragon). These stories are traditionally more character driven than hard science fiction." Wikipedia defines it as a "mixed genre of stories which contain some science fiction and some fantasy elements." For me, the sci-fi elements are mainly for background; the main plot point is the protagonist's curse, which is a fantasy element. |
|
|
|
Post by raregem on Oct 28, 2009 16:21:23 GMT -5
Well whatever the genre...I'd read it! I may have to go take a peek at the first chapter.
|
|
|
|
Post by waldenwriter on Nov 28, 2009 23:30:35 GMT -5
Well whatever the genre...I'd read it! I may have to go take a peek at the first chapter. Thanks, raregem! The second chapter is up there now too. |
|
It'll be interesting to see how you handle putting the sci-fi fantasy elements together. Keep us posted!
