Know Your Novel, Pt. 2

Know the Novel, Pt. 2 -  Within The Third Coming

  Hello everybody! Here's part two to the Know the Novel series. If you missed part one, just go here. Enjoy!

1. How's the writing going?

   Well, I started my third draft of it, so I'm only a couple paragraphs in, buuuutt good? I guess? The picture pretty much sums it up. Though, it has been the best of my life, I know that much

2. What's the most exciting aspect about writing this novel so far?

   Writing about things that I want to write about. I learned quickly not to force myself to write anything else than the story I need to hear. So, I write what makes me happy, what makes my soul soar. That's what this has become for me, and that's the best part, sneaking in little things that make it all the worth while and making it my own. 

3. Has your novel surprised you in any way?

   Yes. A definite yes. At one point, before I knew it, my main character, Cas, was on trial, and another was a convicted criminal, and a subplot was born. A conspiracy popped up, and, well, guess I have to run with that now. On the bright side, things actually make more sense now because of it. 

4. What do you think of your characters at this point? Who's your favorite to write about?

  What I've learned about them so far is that they are stubbornly developing on their own. Which, actually, saves me some work. Each and every one has their own dynamic, which I have to work through. Cas is my favorite to wrote about, but a very close second is my side character Rocco. He's very eccentric and a bit crazy, and just very fun all around.

5. If you were transported into your novel and became one of the characters, which one do you'd be? Would you take any different actions then they have?

  While Lyxandria may be a very dangerous place, I'd rather love to visit it. I would definitely be Cas, as I've found out that we are very much alike, like being timid and dedicated to family, but with key differences (for one, he's a hero and I'm not, and he can fight, and I can't, but anyway). At the start of the story, Cas is put through a grueling trial, one I don't think I'd live through, to be honest. So, the story would never take place if I was Cas. 

6. Give us the first sentence or paragraph, then 2 (or 3!) favorite snippets!

  Wow. OK. Here goes. Only my best friend has ever read anything I've written, so here it is...

  Fire. It was everywhere. Licking at the walls, flaring from the support beams, causing the roof above to groan dangerously. Distant screams told Cas that it was taking more than the building with it. 

That's the first paragraph. Here's one of my favorite snippets so far...

The masked leader, or at least who Cas assumed was the leader, approached. If Cas had any breath to spare, it would have caught in his throat. The mask resembled a crow, black, with a long, pointed beak. His eyes were covered by seemingly empty glass goggles.

   “Don’t you touch him!” John screamed from his position on the ground. His gaze found Cas’s. “Get up, Cas! You need to run!” One of the men kicked him, but John continued to hurl his warnings.

   The masked man, without looking away from Cas, hissed, “Muzzle him.” The sound rasped out, as if he were dying. Cas flinched back.

   He watched, helplessly immobile, as a black iron muzzle was fitted around John’s face.

  “I’ll kill, you! Cardinal, I’ll-“ John’s threats were muted.

  “No,” Cas choked, trying to skirt around the masked man, Cardinal.

  Cardinal seized him by his forearm, grip impossibly tight. Cas released a strangled, quiet cry. Some of the men broke into grins, as if this was all very amusing to them. Cas threw a feeble punch, but it fell dead halfway.

   Cardinal held out his free hand expectantly. “Staff,” he ordered.

   Without hesitation, one of the men stepped forward, handing over a thick wooden staff. It couldn’t have been more than a few feet long. Cardinal accepted it.

   “Please,” Cas begged, even as his stomach squirmed, tightening in new fear. John writhed and wriggled, but to no avail.

    “Please,” Cas repeated, even as Cardinal drew back his arm, “let him go. If you want to take someone, take me. Please, he’s-“

   Cardinal swung.

   Pain erupted, white- hot, as the sturdy staff connected with Cas’s right knee. He shrieked, every part burning. He could no longer see or think straight. His vision warbled. His body tried to fall. Cardinal, however, kept his grip, holding Cas up.

   He began to walk, dragging Cas with him. Cas couldn’t stop whimpering. His right leg could hardly move. It must be broken.

  Somehow, he saw their destination.

  Back into the fire.

  No longer did he have the strength to fight back. Every instinct thrashed, telling him he was hurt, that he needed to run, fight back, get away from this certain death trap.

   Cardinal halted, right before the entrance of the blaze. Cas heard the crackle and roar of it all. Feed us, it seemed to say.

   Cas could only cry as he stared into the face of his death. There was no escape with his newly broken limb.

   Cardinal’s beak inched closer to Cas’s ear. He saw himself mirrored in the goggles, from the sheen of sweat on his temple to the grit on his skin. And his eyes, nothing more than a frightened child’s.

   “Let’s see what you’re made of,” Cardinal whispered. His grip tightened like a vice.

   And then, it was gone.

   Cas hurled forward, headfirst into the fire. His head smacked the ground painfully. In his last moments, he looked up. Cracks and fissures appeared in the wood.

   Like red and orange lightning.

   And the building came down in a hail of glowing rain.

7. Have you come across any problem areas?

  Yes. Mostly with trying to completely flesh out Lyxandria and its details, the way it works, etc. So far, I'm just faking it really, really well. Even bigger than that is the exact powers of the main characters. While I've got a vague idea and know how magic works, the question keeps arising of what they are truly capable of and their limits.

8. What's your biggest victory with writing this novel at this point?

   Actually finishing it. Never before have I actually finished a full- fledged work before. It's a HUGE  victory for me, as I've always burned out with everything else. 

9. Be honest, have you killed any characters off yet?

Story of my life

   OK, OK. My story is basically about survival and life and death, soooo, yeah, there are a lot of casualties. Not any main characters...... yet (evil laughing intensifies). I'm trying to be realistic, but don't plan on going overboard, though my characters can't garuantee that. 

10. Take us on a tour of a what a normal writing day for this particular novel has looked like. 

  Well, I first make sure I have plenty of time before opening my laptop, as I'm definitely going to be couple hours or more working on it. From there, I pull up Youtube, waste some time on there, then plug in my headphones and get to work. I don't eat or drink anything (in fact, sometimes I even forget those things exist when I'm in "the zone"). It doesn't matter if it's morning or night, so I consider myself lucky in that regard. 

Thank for reading! Have a great day!