Know the Novel, Pt. 3

Know the Novel, Part 3: Writing and Beyond

  Created, once again, by Christine over at Musings of an Elf, this is the third and final part of the Know the Novel series. This series is just so exciting for me, as it's become a way to express my novel and ideas to everyone out there. Here's the last ten questions for The Third Coming. 

1. Firstly, how did writing this novel go all around?

  Very well. I did it for NaNo, so it was done in a month. It was great that I had a schedule to keep to, that kept pushing me to finish. I should probably stick to that! I also felt as if everything flowed together pretty well, even if there were several rough patches. 

2. Did it turn out like you expected, or completely different? And how do you feel about the outcome?

  There were a few surprises along the way. I changed the beginning right off the bat, and it was a pleasant surprise, but I guess the descriptions could have been better. I already had the ending in mind when I started, and am pleased to say that it didn't change, and it was as good as I hoped. I ended up adding a prologue, which I'm still not sure I want to keep. It seems to take away from the ending. 

3. What aspect of the story did you love writing about the most (Characters, plot, setting, prose, etc.)?

  The characters and their interactions with each other. With myself, personally, I return to a story for the characters and their journey. Seriously, I've been faithful to TV shows even when the episodes went downhill solely because I cared about the characters. Maybe it's no surprise that it's my favorite part to write about and explore. 

4. How about your least favorite part?

   Fight scenes and battles. That stuff is hard, at least for me. It's hard to block those type of scenes, remember where the characters are, and the might of the opposing force. Those were some of the last things I wrote simply because I dreaded it so much. Some turned out better than others, granted, but that doesn't make it any less stressful. And I'm not the one fighting the battle!

5. What do you feel like needs the most work?

  Getting the flow of things. I feel like I tend to jump from one scene to the next with not a lot of explanation. Another is descriptions. As a friend has let me know, I could work on that. I'm trying to stick to the whole "show don't tell" thing, but maybe I could stand a little more showing, if just to smooth things out. 

6. How do you feel about your characters now that the novel is done? Who's your favorite? Least favorite? Anyone surprise you? Give us all the details!

   I made some cuts at the beginning of the novel. I cut out three characters, but couldn't resist adding one. The dynamic works 100% better. I feel great about them, and that they can accomplish a lot together. My favorite one to write about is a tough one. My MC, Cas, is definitely one, as I relate a lot to him. Another is the eccentric Rocco, whose sarcasm I enjoy deeply. 

  The hardest to writ about is Cas's older brother, John. I think that might be my problem, though, because he seems to fall a bit flat in comparison to everyone else. He's a bit boring, to be perfectly honest. 

  There were a couple surprises along the way. Cas did, as I loved him all the more by the time I was finished. Another was the queen, Heaven. Turns out she's as cunning as she is beautiful. 

7. What's the next plan of action with this novel?

  Rewrite! I loved it so much, I want the world to read it, and I'm actually excited to get started on it again.

8. If you could have your greatest dream realized for this novel, what would it be?

  First, I would get it published. It would become a best seller, and form a large fanbase. It would get great reviews. Maybe years down the road, it could get a movie adaption, though those can be really scary if not done right. If done right, I would see all my work come beautifully to life. 

9. Share a snippet of one of your most favorite scenes!

  Oooooh, this is a good one. Here's one the most emotional scenes I've written yet. 

A sharp scream pierced the quiet of the night. Cas jerked into wakefulness, shooting up so fast he feared he broke his leg even further. It was pitch dark, the fire having burned out hours ago. He groped around for his crutch which had become his one weapon.

   His heart galloped.

   The entire camp shifted and rustled.

   “What’s going on?” Timaeus bellowed. There was a slight hiss, and then his weathered face appeared in lantern light. Soon, everyone was up, lighting their own lanterns. Jaden was on his feet in an instant, katana sheath in hand.

   Cas struggled to his feet. The yellow glow illuminated the problem.

   One of the women from earlier, a mother, Cas noted, sat in a shaking heap, clutching her arm. Blood ran between her fingers as she held her hand over a wound. Her frightened eyes pooled with tears, staring at a little boy.

  Cas’s blood ran cold.

  They had sat together when he arrived, mother and son. Somehow, that seemed nothing more than a lie.

   Everyone seemed frozen, though Rocco was nowhere to be found.

   The little boy crouched opposite the woman, shaking harder than a leaf in the wind. He emitted loud sobs that echoed eerily in the stillness.

   “He- he bit me!” The woman shrieked.

   “I d-didn’t me- mean to,” the boy wailed. “I’m so- sorry mother.” He reached out to her for comfort, but she slapped his hands away.

  “Get away from me, demon!” She cried. Timaeus advanced, though the look on his face was stricken with grief.

   “But- but,” the boy began, before an alien glint entered his eyes. He no longer sobbed or hiccuped, but became quiet, unsettled. There was a hunger now, untamed and primal. Pulling back his lips and baring his teeth, he launched himself at the woman.

   A thousand screams rose into the air, including Cas’s own. The boy latched himself onto the woman’s arm, biting down. No, not biting. Chewing. He was eating.

  Jaden reached them in one leap, unsheathing his katana as he went. With a quick stroke, he sliced it across the woman’s neck, and then sent it plunging into the boy’s chest.

  He met Cas’s eyes. The haunted look was red, and tears streaked down Jaden’s cheeks, even as he pulled out the blade and flicked the blood off. The bodies hit the ground, the boy landing on the woman’s chest, as if he were being embraced for the last time.

  “Forgive me,” he said, looking at each horrified face in turn, finally settling back on Cas. He stared down at his boots. “It’s a mercy.”

   “He must have been bitten in the last Wendigo attack,” Timaeus whispered. “And he hid it in fear.”

  “Why now?” Cas choked out. He’d heard the storied of Wendigo turnings, but had never seen one.

   The brutality drove a knife into his heart.

   “Bites can heal,” Jaden explained, re- sheathing his katana. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed hard, presumably to keep from crying. “It leads people into thinking they will be OK, that they won’t turn. But, in time, their appetite changes, craving live meat over dead, and therefore into human flesh. That poor, poor boy was a Wendigo, even if his horns hadn’t come in yet. That woman would have turned, too, in time.”

   “Trust me, it’s a mercy,” Jaden finished.

   Cas clutched at his stomach, suddenly dizzy. “I think I’m going to be sick,” he said. He bent double, sucking in great gulps of air.

  “We must bury them,” Timaeus spoke up, driving a stake through the thickened air. “Before dawn. They’re going to draw other animals if we leave them.” Jaden nodded in approval.

  “I’m afraid that’s the least of our problems.” Rocco’s voice sounded uncomfortably close to Cas, who stumbled back as Rocco stepped into the scene. He seemed unfazed by the bloodshed before him.

   With a heavy thump! Rocco dropped a Wendigo at Cas’s feet. He jumped back, nearly tripping over himself.

   Blood oozed from the skull where Rocco had killed it. It was a full- grown beast with massive antlers and dead eyes. Cas heaved up the stew from supper.

   “I believe we have a pack on our trail,” Rocco said, ignoring Cas entirely.

   Timaeus went white as a cloud. “Glory. Please, not again.”

  Out of context, this is a very brutal scene, but I wrote it simply for that reason. Cas needs a reality check into the world he's exploring. This is how the people live, in fear and paranoia. Jaden and Rocco are veterans who know what needs to done, but still feel remorse for their actions. This was present in another draft, and packed a punch. 

10. Did you glean any new writing and/or life lessons from writing this novel? 

  I learned I can finish something and that it can turn out good. That's been my number one struggle, and it's great to finally realize that I can do it. One hard thing, that I'm still learning, is the balance of my faith and writing a fictional world. The last thing I want to do is stray from my Christian faith in the process of fulfilling my own ambitions. 

 Guess that's all there is to it! Thank you for reading, and have a great day!