Geetha Krishnan's Blog, page 12

Another week of quarantine

My boss tested positive with Covid on Sunday, and everyone of us had to be in quarantine. Anxiety is no longer a fuel to my creativity, mostly because I’m so fucking tired all the time now. It’s like I’m brain dead, and nothing gives me the same kind of joy any more.

For all that I got in a lot of words in the three days I was in quarantine. Wednesday we all got tested, and 5 of my colleagues tested positive, but fortunately, I tested negative.

I also finished another WIP, a very short novella with vampires and werewolves and magic, and of course, gay MCs. It’s been a good year for finishing books. I think I must have finished at least 15, if not more. including short stories and novellas.

Nano is going on, not as well as I expected, but well enough. I’m at 41k words, and hoping I’ll be able to finish this weekend so I can relax the rest of the month. Okay, maybe not relax, but you know, maybe don’t push myself to exhaustion?

I finished the first round of edits of Flame of the Dragon’s Oath as well as Set in Stone, both of which needed less work than I’d expected. Set in Stone still gives me misgivings now that I’m away from it again, lol. Both are ready for betas, but I really want to get betas for Fractured Alliances and Changes in the Wind first.

I started a new WIP again, but frankly, I don’t feel any of my WIPs right now. I hope I’ll muster up the words to finish nano, but after that I’ll be focusing on applying the beta notes to Stolen from a Dream, and editing Rage of the Gods so it can be made beta ready,

 

Of Nanowrimo and other things

Unlike in previous years, I had a project all lined up for Nanowrimo this year. I had decided on it as early as July. I was finally going to start writing the second book of my Jaya! series, which is a retelling of the Hindu epic of Mahabharata with a twist. I was encouraged to do this by the response received for Prdayutita, the first book of the series in SPFBO 2020 where it was selected as one of the semi finalists.

I hadn’t read the Mahabharata in forever, and despite my love of the epic, and for Karna who is the central character of most of my mythology based books including Jaya!, I haven’t been feeling the same enthusiasm for the epic as I once did. Yet, I was excited to write it. The first draft of Prajwalita was going to be churned out during nano, and I started off well, writing the first 1k words in less than an hour.

And then I hit a snag, or rather my brain did. I am so used to working on multiple projects by now, that it seems my brain can’t really focus on one project alone. So, now I have Prajwalita, another WIP about aliens and magic that I started on Nov 1st, my vampire werewolf WIP as well as Clouds from the Past, a paranormal fantasy.

Let’s not forget that I also thought I should get around to doing the first edits of Flame of the Dragon’s Oath as well as Set in Stone, and they are both looking way better than I thought at the time of finishing them. The writing is good and engaging, and there are a few plot and world building issues that I’m fixing as I edit.

I have also been obsessively following news on the US elections. For a non American who lives in India, I have really been way too invested in those results, but I have friends over there whose well being and very lives depend on these results and I desperately need to find a reason to have faith in humanity.

I lost most of it today after the latest Supernatural episode, of course. I really want to yell at the showrunners, but anxiety brain is far too depressed for the effort.

I’m still on top of my nano goals and have crossed 15k words in five days. I’m planning to get to 20k this weekend.

Supernatural better do something before I start writing fanfictions, though.

Here’s the cool badge I got for Pradyutita which can be puchased here

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Rev Pit 10 Queries

I’ve been on twitter all evening, biting my nails and trying to figure out which of the 10 queries is mine. Pretty sure it’s every adult fantasy that needs the most work.

I submitted Changes in the Wind for the 10 queries. I’m beginning to wish I had submitted something else now, but I’m certain I would feel the same way, no matter what I submitted.

Everything seems to be moving too fast right now, and it’s almost Nanowrimo, and I’m nowhere ready. I’m going to try, however.

I finished Shades of Spring, and it ends in a cliffhanger. The second book is going to be a joy to write, but I have a fat lot of editing to do before I can start thinking of writing any more.

I’m currently working on the sequel to Blue, and I love how the world and the characters are shaping up. Provided it stays as short as the first one, I’ll have it finished by December.

I’m still not able to figure out which of the 10 queries is mine. It could well be over, I may be losing sleep on twitter for nothing, but I can’t seem to tear myself away.

Here’s an excerpt from Changes in the Wind

The spell ended so suddenly, it nearly left Gavril disoriented. He was aware he was gaping, but he could not help it. The face was familiar, and yet there were subtle differences from the portraits. In every portrait he had seen, the emperor Zathrian had been smiling, his eyes warm, his features soft. The man who stood before him had harsh features, and eyes that were as cold as a winter night, though right now with a true smile in them, and a warmth there. They were a steely grey, unlike the brown the spell had turned them into. His hair was black and grew in waves from a widow’s peak.

“Your majesty,” he scrambled to stand and bow.

The emperor inclined his head. “Please. In here, I’m just another scholar.”

Gavril doubted that. The emperor’s eyes flickered to the desk and to the butterflies that danced on it. His expression changed for a moment, but it was gone so quickly Gavril wondered if he had imagined it.

“Do you have nature magic, Gavril?”

The question was innocuous, and yet Gavril felt something behind it. He wasn’t surprised the emperor knew his name, and he shook his head. At least he wasn’t lying about this one. He still had the feeling that there was something he was not seeing here.

“No, your majesty.”

“Zathrian,” the emperor said calmly as he stepped towards the desk and held out his hand. Gavril watched as the butterflies hopped on to his palm. The emperor turned to look at him, a small smile gracing his lips. “You do know my name, don’t you?”

“I… yes, of course, your.. I mean, Za.-Zathrian,”

Gavril hadn’t meant to stammer or stumble over the name, and he was aware of his face burning. The emperor didn’t seem upset though, nodding at him pleasantly.

“It is unusual for someone without nature magic to attract them as you seemed to have done.”

“Does that mean you have nature magic?” Gavril gestured towards the way the butterflies were positively swarming around Zathrian’s wrist.

Zathrian shrugged, “You could say that.”

“I thought it was some spell that kept them in the garden,” Gavril said. “And they must have come in because the window was open and it was warmer inside.”

Zathrian merely looked curious. “There’s no spell on the gardens as far as I know,” he leaned back against the desk, looking at him contemplatively. “You intrigue me, Gavril.”

Gavril felt something stir inside at the softly spoken words. Zathrian’s eyes were speculative, and his words matter of fact and it shouldn’t have had warning bells ringing in his head. He wasn’t feeling uncomfortable, though. Zathrian’s gaze was magnetic, and Gavril couldn’t keep his eyes away from his.

“Why?” he whispered. “I’m nobody,”

“I very much doubt that,” Zathrian hadn’t moved, and neither had Gavril, but it suddenly seemed to Gavril that they were too close. The room didn’t seem to have enough air to breathe and his heart was pounding within his chest.

“Zathrian,” Keres said from behind Gavril, causing him to whip around. He could breathe again, and he was surprised at how clammy his skin was now. She stood with her arms crossed across her chest, a frown on her face and sounding a bit acerbic. “Is there a reason you’re here, scaring my scholars?”

Gavril couldn’t believe someone would actually talk to the emperor like this, but Zathrian didn’t seem offended.

“Ah, Keres,” Zathrian smiled, though it didn’t reach his eyes, which held wariness. “As charming as ever, I see.” Gavril half turned to see him straighten away from the desk and move towards the door, pausing when he reached Gavril’s side. “Am I scaring you, Gavril?”

Keres huffed in annoyance, but Gavril’s gaze was caught in the steel trap of the emperor’s eyes, and he again felt that strange sense of breathlessness.

“No, your majesty,” he said, reluctant to call the man by name now that they had an audience.

A smile rose to the eyes, and the lips, as if Zathrian could tell why he had reverted to formality. He looked at Keres.

“See, Keres? Your scholar isn’t scared of me.”

Keres said nothing, just lifted an eyebrow and Zathrian laughed.

“Oh, don’t worry, I’m going.” He smiled at Gavril again, holding out his hand. “It’s been a pleasure meeting you, Gavril.”

Gavril took the outstretched arm without thinking.

“It’s been my honour, your majesty.”

A trip down the memory lane

Work has been hectic for the past couple of weeks, and as I tend to do whenever work threatens to turn me into a zombie, I start watching some show that once I enjoyed and which I know will recharge me somewhat. This time it is Teen Wolf that I decided to rewatch.

It’s a bittersweet experience in many ways, because the first time I watched it, my children started peeking in, and soon got as invested as I was. My son especially loved it, and even after almost a year of being without him, every memory of him is still like a knife twisting in my gut. I don’t know how people live with this, I don’t know for how long I can.

Writing has not been going badly, but zombie brain has been depressed as fuck, and sometimes it’s all I can not to just throw in the towel and call it a day with my writing and everything. My writing groups have been amazing, though, and they keep me going when I can’t. There are no words I can use for how much they mean to me or what they have done for me, ever since the day I woke to the news that my son was no more.

Spaces of Silence is back from the editor and the paperback cover (So pretty!) is also ready. I had chosen November 27, the day I lost my son, as the release date, not just as a tribute, but also because I wanted something good to mark that day. This is a story about friendship, and trust that is very close to my heart, and I hope Sky and Declan will find a place in your heart as they do in mine.

Shades of Spring is almost done, and I can literally smell the ending, but the ending I smell seems to indicate there may be more than one book, and when I started on this journey, I had not anticipated it. Joys of pantser life!!

I’m at the fourth season of Teen Wolf now, and it is one of my favourite seasons. The fifth and second are my least favourites, with sixth and third being the most favourites. Fourth and first fit in somewhere in between.

Since my brain kept trying to convince me I’m useless, I took stock of everything I’ve finished, and I’ve finished more than a hundred stories and poems since 2012. Now my brain is ruing the wasted hours. There’s no pleasing this thing!

I’m saying fuck it, and moving on.

Ramblings

I know I said I was planning to take things easy, but when have I ever done that? Lol. Now, I’ve finished Banished Secret as well, and I think it has turned out better than I thought.

Spaces of Silence is with my editor, and she is loving it so far. She said it has been a breeze so far, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed that my readers would feel the same. It is due to release on November 27th, but pre-order is already open.  Paperback is also available for pre-order.

Blue somehow made it to the third round of the cover competition. Goodness, I never thought Cover of the Month meant it was going to take the entire month!! Still, I’m happy it made it this far. The competition is getting tougher with only the top 24 covers making it through to the next round. Blue is at No.21 now, so every vote counts.

My depression has been pretty bad this week, and work has been more hectic than usual. I’ve even been avoiding my writing group for the last two days because I feel like I’m just depressing them all the time, and leaning on them all a bit too much.

Anyway, please vote for Blue.  The link is here

I’ve started a new WIP in the meantime because obviously I can’t be content with 18! So, now I’ve 19 again.

Shades of Spring is again taking interesting turns that I never expected, and I just want to finish the goddamn thing so I can find out how it will end. Joys of a pantser life!!

Updates

Set in Stone is finally finished, and while I know it needs a lot of work before it is fit to be read by anyone, I’m just so glad it is finally done. Shades of Spring is progressing nicely, and I can smell the ending of Banished Secret as well. OH, did I tell you I finished the Manikanta book I have been working on since 2013? Yes, that is also finally finished. I’m allowing myself to relax for this month while I wait for Nano and the second book of Jaya.

 

In other news, Blue made it to the second round of the All Author’s cover contest, and I really need a lot of votes to keep me in the running. Only the top fifty covers make it to the third round, so there’s a lot of competition.

 

Here’s the voting link for Blue.

Cover Contest

After a week of Covid scare, I am back relieved that I was tested negative. That isn’t all the good news. Blue has been nominated for the Cover of the Month contest on All Author.

They say not to judge a book by its cover but I need you to do just that. If you liked the cover of my book, Blue, please vote for it for the Cover of the Month contest on AllAuthor.com!

I’m getting closer to clinch the “Cover of the Month” contest on AllAuthor! I’d need as much support from you guys. Please take a short moment to vote for my book cover here:

Click to Vote!

Having fun

Being stuck in quarantine is no fun, but having to go to work every day is sometimes even worse, especially when your employer isn’t really bothered with maintaining any of the Covid 19 protocols. Whatever instructions the government may have given, big organisations take joy in flaunting them and violating them as blatantly as possible.

 

Writing has been the only reprieve and joy in these times, but even that is hard to do some days. Most of my work days range from eight to ten hours, and pretty sure I had a eleven year day the last week. After a day like that, all I want to do is crash, and words seem like strangers.

 

Set in Stone is still progressing nicely, and so is Shades of Spring. Banished Secret seemed to have hit a bit of a block at the moment, but I’m still hopeful of finishing at least one this month.

Random Rants

I’ve been attempting to keep myself busy with writing mostly, but also been setting up books due to release in 2021 for pre-order.

Good news for those who loved The Elitist Supremacy. The second book of the series is due to come out in less than a year!!

If you love vampires, There’s Always a Morning is due to release in March 2021. I have two more vampire books I will be releasing next year, not to speak of one more fantasy novella.

Work has been really wearing me down, and I’m amazed at how insensitive people can be at times. Writing provides an escape, thankfully, and I don’t think I would have survived if not for that and the people who have stood by me, and refused to give up even when I was ready to.

Staying safe and busy for now.

 

Random Stuff

Set in Stone is chugging along well, and Spaces of Silence is with the editor, and is due to release on November 27th.

Spaces is one of those dream projects which turned out entirely different from how I envisaged it, but I’m still happy with how it turned out. As novellas go, it is definitely worth a read!!

You can pre-order your e book here