Kay Bennson's Blog, page 6
February 15, 2020
February 15th, 2020
.Finally back with a 100 post challenge!
I've made mention of this before, but I sometimes struggle with saying what I want to say in my writing. That may seem crazy seeing as how I'm always working on something, but over the years I've worked around it. I'm not having the easiest time with this work in progress though.
While I've had romance in books previously, it has been relatively tame. I didn't necessarily need anything else. I think it's like anyone who practices anything to improve their craft. Eventually you want to push the boundaries of what you can do. This story is darker, and while I'm enjoying writing the rough draft, I'm struggling a bit with being more shall we say "R rated".
There are a couple of factors that contribute to this. One is because I am a teacher. I worry that when people find out about my books and they're not cute little books for kids they will judge me. I make it clear that they are chapter books. I don't think I would get fired or anything. Everyone in my story is of the proper age. They would just think I was deviat or something. I know I shouldn't care because I know that teaching is not my dream career and someday it won't matter, but right now it's paying the bills and you know, Catholic School.
Another thing that kind of made me worried back when Enshrine came out was that I had young kids like eleven and twelve years old reading it. I know that kids are not naive and that back when I was that age I probably already knew about sex too, but at the time I knew said kids and their families and I didn't want anyone's mom to come at me. So I stopped working on the Sequel because I was worried about corrupting children. All those kids are juniors and sophomores now so I guess I should not let it bother me anymore and even my Catholic School kids that read my books are in highschool so...
The biggest obstacle surprisingly...is my mom! I'm serious! She is not one to sugarcoat so if she will tell me what she likes or doesn't like in my books. She is currently reading Shrewdest Faction and as I'm typing this post, she texted me to tell that it's freaking her out. She used to question the type of stuff I used to do for ghost writing so when I'm writing scenes that are either super gory or super racy I'm like "Oh dear Lord what is my mother going to think about me when she reads this" It make me so FRUSTRATED (I love you, Mom).
It is 2020. I should not be ashamed to write about sex. It's something people do. But it is so clunky right now! Practice makes perfect I guess, but I feel like writing it in a way makes it cleaner takes away from the moment. Busting out the rough draft, but going to try to in my revisions to make it more natural. I don't want to regret not submitting the best story I can because people who know me might be embarrassed.
Where do you stand on Romance? Do you want it as authentic as possible? Do you hate love scenes? Let me know!
Yours in writing,
Kay
I've made mention of this before, but I sometimes struggle with saying what I want to say in my writing. That may seem crazy seeing as how I'm always working on something, but over the years I've worked around it. I'm not having the easiest time with this work in progress though.
While I've had romance in books previously, it has been relatively tame. I didn't necessarily need anything else. I think it's like anyone who practices anything to improve their craft. Eventually you want to push the boundaries of what you can do. This story is darker, and while I'm enjoying writing the rough draft, I'm struggling a bit with being more shall we say "R rated".
There are a couple of factors that contribute to this. One is because I am a teacher. I worry that when people find out about my books and they're not cute little books for kids they will judge me. I make it clear that they are chapter books. I don't think I would get fired or anything. Everyone in my story is of the proper age. They would just think I was deviat or something. I know I shouldn't care because I know that teaching is not my dream career and someday it won't matter, but right now it's paying the bills and you know, Catholic School.
Another thing that kind of made me worried back when Enshrine came out was that I had young kids like eleven and twelve years old reading it. I know that kids are not naive and that back when I was that age I probably already knew about sex too, but at the time I knew said kids and their families and I didn't want anyone's mom to come at me. So I stopped working on the Sequel because I was worried about corrupting children. All those kids are juniors and sophomores now so I guess I should not let it bother me anymore and even my Catholic School kids that read my books are in highschool so...
The biggest obstacle surprisingly...is my mom! I'm serious! She is not one to sugarcoat so if she will tell me what she likes or doesn't like in my books. She is currently reading Shrewdest Faction and as I'm typing this post, she texted me to tell that it's freaking her out. She used to question the type of stuff I used to do for ghost writing so when I'm writing scenes that are either super gory or super racy I'm like "Oh dear Lord what is my mother going to think about me when she reads this" It make me so FRUSTRATED (I love you, Mom).
It is 2020. I should not be ashamed to write about sex. It's something people do. But it is so clunky right now! Practice makes perfect I guess, but I feel like writing it in a way makes it cleaner takes away from the moment. Busting out the rough draft, but going to try to in my revisions to make it more natural. I don't want to regret not submitting the best story I can because people who know me might be embarrassed.
Where do you stand on Romance? Do you want it as authentic as possible? Do you hate love scenes? Let me know!
Yours in writing,
Kay
February 4, 2020
An Update!
It's been a while! Blame it on the day job. Blame it on starting a new hobby and blogging about it on my other blog. Blame it on writing (FINALLY GOT MY GROOVE BACK)...yeah let's go with that one.
Alright, so some housekeeping...
Alright, so some housekeeping...
January 14, 2020
Hi Blog Tour Visitors!
I've been lucky enough to get the opportunity to have LIMITED TRUTH: A SQUAD TREBLE NOVEL go on a blog tour with YA Bound Book Tours and it's been so exciting to see people interested in my book baby! I'm sure you're already aware that there is going to be a rafflecopter giveaway for a signed copy of SHREWDEST FACTION: A SQUAD TREBLE NOVEL (Book #2) and a Starbucks gift card (since Java Jones isn't an option) and you can get extra points if you comment on my blog!So let's make these comments interesting! Any questions for me about the book? My writing process? You could even tell me your favorite Instant Pot recipe (I got one for Christmas) I would love to hear from you!
I'll be posting tomorrow and Thursday as well, but in the meantime check out where the tour is headed and enter my giveaway!
Yours in writing,
Kay
https://yaboundbooktours.blogspot.com...a Rafflecopter giveaway
December 16, 2019
100 Post Challenge #6: Writing Playlists
I always forget how insane December can get. Between having report cards due, Christmas prep at school and home, and Dominik's baptism yesterday, this post is way overdue!
Also, congratulations to Chelsea for winning my holiday raffle! That's it for giveaways until January. I'll give you details soon.
Now, without further ado..
Some writers need absolute silence while others listen to relaxing music while they write. Every person has their thing that gets the juices flowing and music is such an important part of the process for me.
I'm the kind of person that cooks and bakes with music on, I used to listen to music with headphones pre-Dominik while cleaning, and sometimes I bathe previously mentioned baby with Spotify on in the background. Maybe it's because I was heavily involved in music growing up, or perhaps because I danced for a good part of my life, but music moves me.
When my husband and I talk about "great songs" he and I have different criteria. He is all about the complicated harmonies and rhythms. He plays the guitar, so if a song has a cool solo, that places it higher on his list. Me, I'm a lyrics girl. Maybe it's because I use them daily, but they make me feel things whether I'm writing or not.
I typically have playlists for each book or WIP I have going. When I was younger I used to burn them to CD's, but I love Spotify because so many songs are available and I can access it on all my devices which is super convenient (No, they are not paying me to say this). I listen to my story playlists when I drive in my car mostly. I find that time kind of like being in the shower, I'm not writing, but I'm thinking about what comes next. The only books that are slightly different are my Squad Treble ones. I have playlists for my four main characters that encompass all four books.
I thought it might be fun to share a few songs from the playlists. I know I have the playlist pages you can check out, but these are the quintessential ones. :)
Enshrine
-Riptide by Vance Joy "This cowboy's running from himself and she's been living on the highest shelf"
-Fair Game by Sia (The whole song...not going to copy the whole thing)
-Long Way Down by Robert Delong "If there's a shadow in me the dark is a tidal force inside of you."
Limited Truth and Shrewdest Faction:
I'm going to do these by character!
Cassie:
-Let Me Go by Hailee Steinfeld and Alesso (Again, just all of it)
Jared:
-Let You Down by NF
"Feels like we're on the edge right now
I wish that I could say I'm proud
I'm sorry that I let you down
L-l-let you down
All these voices in my head get loud
I wish that I could shut them out
I'm sorry that I let you down
L-l-let you down"
I know this song is about how NF felt about his parents, but I feel like the vibe still applies.
Brayden:
-Outside by Staind (Another one that the whole thing works)
Aaron:
Close to Me by Ellie Goulding and Diplo
"So don't let me down
Keep me in trouble
Born to be wild
Out in the jungle"
This was such a hard decision as Aaron is my baby and his playlist is in my heavy rotation, but this song works for not spoiling anything.
If you want to hear more, including work in progress lists for projects I haven't even talked about yet (some of them are a wild ride) and/or my jams the three years I taught Irish dance click the link below!
Writers, do you keep story playlists? Readers, do you like to listen along?
Yours in writing,
Kay Bennson
https://open.spotify.com/user/22dgtrh...
Also, congratulations to Chelsea for winning my holiday raffle! That's it for giveaways until January. I'll give you details soon.
Now, without further ado..
Some writers need absolute silence while others listen to relaxing music while they write. Every person has their thing that gets the juices flowing and music is such an important part of the process for me.I'm the kind of person that cooks and bakes with music on, I used to listen to music with headphones pre-Dominik while cleaning, and sometimes I bathe previously mentioned baby with Spotify on in the background. Maybe it's because I was heavily involved in music growing up, or perhaps because I danced for a good part of my life, but music moves me.
When my husband and I talk about "great songs" he and I have different criteria. He is all about the complicated harmonies and rhythms. He plays the guitar, so if a song has a cool solo, that places it higher on his list. Me, I'm a lyrics girl. Maybe it's because I use them daily, but they make me feel things whether I'm writing or not.
I typically have playlists for each book or WIP I have going. When I was younger I used to burn them to CD's, but I love Spotify because so many songs are available and I can access it on all my devices which is super convenient (No, they are not paying me to say this). I listen to my story playlists when I drive in my car mostly. I find that time kind of like being in the shower, I'm not writing, but I'm thinking about what comes next. The only books that are slightly different are my Squad Treble ones. I have playlists for my four main characters that encompass all four books.
I thought it might be fun to share a few songs from the playlists. I know I have the playlist pages you can check out, but these are the quintessential ones. :)
Enshrine
-Riptide by Vance Joy "This cowboy's running from himself and she's been living on the highest shelf"
-Fair Game by Sia (The whole song...not going to copy the whole thing)
-Long Way Down by Robert Delong "If there's a shadow in me the dark is a tidal force inside of you."
Limited Truth and Shrewdest Faction:
I'm going to do these by character!
Cassie:
-Let Me Go by Hailee Steinfeld and Alesso (Again, just all of it)
Jared:
-Let You Down by NF
"Feels like we're on the edge right now
I wish that I could say I'm proud
I'm sorry that I let you down
L-l-let you down
All these voices in my head get loud
I wish that I could shut them out
I'm sorry that I let you down
L-l-let you down"
I know this song is about how NF felt about his parents, but I feel like the vibe still applies.
Brayden:
-Outside by Staind (Another one that the whole thing works)
Aaron:
Close to Me by Ellie Goulding and Diplo
"So don't let me down
Keep me in trouble
Born to be wild
Out in the jungle"
This was such a hard decision as Aaron is my baby and his playlist is in my heavy rotation, but this song works for not spoiling anything.
If you want to hear more, including work in progress lists for projects I haven't even talked about yet (some of them are a wild ride) and/or my jams the three years I taught Irish dance click the link below!
Writers, do you keep story playlists? Readers, do you like to listen along?
Yours in writing,
Kay Bennson
https://open.spotify.com/user/22dgtrh...
December 4, 2019
100 Post Challenge #5: Hindsight is 2020
See what I did there? I know it's a bit early for New Years posts, but I'm feeling inspired to write one anyway.
I'm about to reach my third anniversary of getting an offer of publication for Enshrine. I have learned so much since then, and if I could do it all over again, there are many things I would do differently. Since I can't do that and can only focus on moving forward, the cliche title of this post was born.
1. Do the Query process completely over.
I feel like I was so excited at the prospect of becoming a published author that I did that thing where you throw spaghetti at the wall to see if any will stick. No, I didn't throw any pasta at any walls in my home...but I queried way too many agents without researching them. I saw that they took fantasy or romance and just went for it. I also sent out way too many at once and didn't change my approach when the rejections came pouring in. I was lucky to get a full and partial request despite all of this...but oi.
2. Tweak my letter so it was more alluring.
This is still a work of progress for me. I'm not always great at being concise, but I think I will try to pitch the manuscript first this time before all the other stuff. I'm also not above asking for help. Another set of eyes could be beneficial.
3. Don't necessarily take the first offer you get.
I'm going to be tactful about this one. I was so determined about being published by any means necessary that when an offer came up, I took it because what if it was this or nothing? So yes, I can say that I'm published and I have books on Amazon, but it's not really what I dreamed. You cannot purchase my books in a real store. I probably spend more money on promotional things than I actually make in sales. I still have to get up tomorrow and teach Kindergarten, when I'd really like to be in a cozy office writing or what have you. I would tell myself to be a bit more cautious about reputations of Indie publishing houses (LOOK AT THE COVERS OF THE
I'm about to reach my third anniversary of getting an offer of publication for Enshrine. I have learned so much since then, and if I could do it all over again, there are many things I would do differently. Since I can't do that and can only focus on moving forward, the cliche title of this post was born.
1. Do the Query process completely over.
I feel like I was so excited at the prospect of becoming a published author that I did that thing where you throw spaghetti at the wall to see if any will stick. No, I didn't throw any pasta at any walls in my home...but I queried way too many agents without researching them. I saw that they took fantasy or romance and just went for it. I also sent out way too many at once and didn't change my approach when the rejections came pouring in. I was lucky to get a full and partial request despite all of this...but oi.
2. Tweak my letter so it was more alluring.
This is still a work of progress for me. I'm not always great at being concise, but I think I will try to pitch the manuscript first this time before all the other stuff. I'm also not above asking for help. Another set of eyes could be beneficial.
3. Don't necessarily take the first offer you get.
I'm going to be tactful about this one. I was so determined about being published by any means necessary that when an offer came up, I took it because what if it was this or nothing? So yes, I can say that I'm published and I have books on Amazon, but it's not really what I dreamed. You cannot purchase my books in a real store. I probably spend more money on promotional things than I actually make in sales. I still have to get up tomorrow and teach Kindergarten, when I'd really like to be in a cozy office writing or what have you. I would tell myself to be a bit more cautious about reputations of Indie publishing houses (LOOK AT THE COVERS OF THE
December 3, 2019
Kay Bennson's Holiday Giveaway!
Alright. The big one. Just in time for Christmas and Hanukkah or whatever you like to celebrate this month. The chance for an awesome gift for you or someone you care about. Starting Thursday, December 5th, you can enter to win on Rafflecopter. You have the entire week to enter. I want there to be enough time to ship it before the various holidays begin. So if you are entering and don't live in the US, please keep this in mind!
The prize pack is valued at approximately $50 and includes:A signed copy of EnshrineA signed copy of Limited TruthA $10 Starbucks card (For on the go reading)A Ceramic Mug (For at home reading)
You can get entries very similarly to the last giveaway, though I got rid of the review and purchase options this time around. A new addition is leaving a comment on this blog because I feel like I'm talking to just myself...
You have till the clock strikes midnight on Wednesday, December 11th.
Happy Holidays!
Kay Bennson
a Rafflecopter giveaway
December 2, 2019
100 Post Challenge #4 Venerate Sneak Peak
Little bit of Housekeeping before I share today's post.
-Thank you to everyone that participated in my Thanksgiving Giveaway! There were over 120 entries and Miss Madison Howe won the big prize!
-My Holiday Giveaway goes live on Thursday, December 5th. It will get it's own post with all the details then! Until now all you need to know is TWO signed books and additional swag.
Alright! Now that we have that out of the way. Today's challenge post is a HUGE step out of my comfort zone, but I hope you will all enjoy it. I'm going to share the first chapter of Venerate which in a nutshell is Enshrine, from Jonty's point of view.
Now let me explain, this is unpublished and pretty rough. If I ever submit this (That's a WHOLE post in itself), it may be tweaked and changed, but I thought it would be fun to share it especially after my multiverse post I did a week or so ago. I'm also hoping it might kick me in the butt to write this and all my Rosementh stories I've still got cooking.
I also feel like I should say spoiler alert if you haven't read Enshrine yet, but on the other hand, this may cause you to want to go out and read the original book. ($4.99 for the Kindle version, just saying...Panera Bread costs more. Hell it costs more than my paperback version too! LOL)
Who knows...maybe if people like this we could make it a monthly series or something. Without further ado...
Jonty Ingraham scowled at his reflection. No matter how hard he played with his hair, it didn’t look good enough. Normally he let his raven colored locks do whatever they wanted, his bangs often got in his eyes, but today that just wouldn’t do. Today was important.
For his little village of Community, the spring day was celebratory. It was the Equinox festival, an ancient tradition where Jonty’s people thanked the higher power and the land for letting them survive the cold, harsh winter. Jonty’s village acknowledged the passing of seasons, births, marriages, pretty much any moment deemed important with style. There was good food, great ale, music, and dancing. The equinox festival was reason enough for him to be dressed in one of his best shirts and slacks, but today was so much more than that. He had to look his best, because the celebration was just part of the reason why he was fighting with his hair this morning.
Jonty pulled a piece of parchment out of his pocket and read the same words he’d gazed at for five years. Today more than ever, his heart raced at what they would mean.
“Oh, is that why you came home?” His father’s drol tone caused Jonty to look up from what he was reading. “Is today the day you finally make things official?” His father was watching him from the hallway, already wearing his pompous high elder robes over his finest clothing. The ceremonial robes were really only meant for conducting business inside the village meeting house, but Charles Ingraham wore them like a second skin.
Jonty heaved a sigh as refolded the parchment and put back in its hiding place. His father knew full well why he was home. He liked to do things like this, pick at Jonty and get under his skin, but Jonty was too excited and hopeful to let his father bring him down. “Today is finally the day Sage Wolfe will know she has been matched with me.”
“Do try to not make a fool of yourself.” His father warned. “You already seem to enjoy disappointing and embarrassing me more than I deserve.”
Jonty stared at his father for a long moment, deciding if he wanted to argue with him. Choosing to end the battle with his hair and ignore his father at the same time, he slid past the high elder and made his way out the door into his yard and into the woods beyond.
“Someday I want someone to tell me that I’m adopted.” He grumbled as he kicked a loose stone. Unfortunately the person who would have confirmed that for Jonty hadn’t been around since he was nine years old.
At face value, Charles Ingraham seemed like the perfect man to be in charge of a council of elders. He was heavily involved in Community and constantly looked for the approval of his people. But behind closed doors Jonty’s father was selfish and arrogant. Coming from a long line of elders, he would do whatever he could to get the same power and glory. He married Jonty’s mother, the daughter of the village mason, and treated her like a fragile porcelain doll. She was painted and dressed beautifully, but no one could touch her, she spent her days on a shelf for everyone to look at. Elder Ingraham was too busy keeping up appearances and furthering his career to know he was not making Jonty’s mother Merriam happy. He barely touched her himself, only when it was convenient to continue his family name. Once Jonty was born, he had two people to show off and continue to improve his image.
It seemed that for as long as Jonty could remember, his father had been disappointed in him. For starters, Jonty was a male version of his mother. Or at least what he remembered of her. She had olive skin and brown black hair. Jonty imagined that if he ever let his hair grow out that it would be curly like Merriam’s had been. Jonty got his height from his father’s genes, but that was where the similarities ended. Elder Ingraham had grey eyes, lighter skin and wiry hair that had been grey since Jonty’s mother had walked away from them both.
Jonty had been a typical boy, the kind that loved to play in the dirt and run until he was exhausted. Elder Ingraham seemed to have forgotten that he was once a child himself, and wanted his son to be seemingly perfect. He wanted Jonty clean, and learning to read and write when most of the other children in the village were chasing each other and kicking balls in the streets. Jonty was to to be high elder like him someday, it was in his family’s blood. He could remember his mother telling his father that Jonty was too young to worry about such things, but his father would laugh at her cruelly.
He remembered a warm summer day when he might have been no more than four, a day that all the warriors in Community had come home from a campaign. They walked home proudly, their swords on their hips. The village was jubilant over their safe return. Jonty admired the risks they took, the skills that they had to learn to stay alive and defend the empire of Rosementh. Being a warrior; wielding a sword, and defending his home seemed so attractive to him. Far more interesting than what his father did everyday at the meeting house. Jonty vowed that he would grow up and he would become a commander in King Leonard’s army. He had his mother make him a toy sword and he would spend from sun up to sun down pretending that he was a decorated war hero, like a man who lived in village center named Ezekiel Wolfe. The man had travelled all over the empire, he was strong and sinewy, but still was an average person that many admired. Jonty wanted to be just like that.
Elder Ingraham was disgusted that his young son wanted to be something as uncivilized as a fighter for King Leonard’s army. He scolded and lectured his son everyday, planning on brainwashing him to fulfil his family duty. Jonty’s father yelled at him so much that it caused the boy to despise his father, and it made him hate his given name. Jonty’s full name was Jonathan Charles Ingraham, but his father was the only person who actually called him that. Jonty made it perfectly clear that he hated what his father hurled from his lips multiple times a day. Luckily, his mother’s pet name for him was something his father never called him.
If it weren’t for his mother, Jonty probably would have become the quiet, brainwashed person his father had desired. She had fought valiantly for him to be a normal child. Well, she had for a while, Jonty supposed the burden of being a perfect wife and mother got to be too much. She left him behind in the middle of the night when he was nine years old. The perfect facade that Elder Ingraham had desperately tried to build came crumbling down. Though he was young, he still heard what the village was saying about his mother. Merriam Ingraham had run away from Community with another man. Though Jonty’s heart hurt, he couldn’t completely blame her or hate her. Jonty wished often that he had been adopted, that anyone else could possibly be his father. He wished that his mother had just taken him with her instead of leaving him behind.
After his mother left, Jonty took the full brunt of his father’s intensity. He blamed Jonty for his mother’s betrayal, telling him that it was his fault for being a disobedient child that they fought and she felt solace with someone else. He commanded that Jonty work to become an elder to bring some sort of honor back to their family name. Jonty’s fists shook in a quiet fury as remembered the way his father made him feel, how at twenty-three years old, he still felt like he wasn’t good enough, that he would never be good enough.
Jonty had always wanted to be a warrior, but he gave that dream up. It was out of necessity. He had become so angry, so resentful of his father that he couldn’t stand being around him any longer than he had to. You became an adult at eighteen in Community, but Jonty was so disgusted by his father that the minute he was sixteen and finished his exams in school, he sought out the leader of the trade caravan to see if he would take him on.
It wasn’t a warrior’s life. But it was close. He got to use a sword and a short bow to defend the goods that they delivered over Rosementh, and he got to be on the road for two weeks a month. Enough time for his father to only be slightly intolerable when he was home. Life on the road was convenient for him. He was glad that he had made the choice.
Jonty walked further into the woods and found himself smirking in spite of himself. Nothing turned out like he had thought it would, but it was really okay. He wasn’t a warrior, but in the seven years he’d been with the caravan he’d gone from complete newcomer to being in charge of the western line. He was proud of who he’d become, despite who is father was and where his mother had gone, he felt strong, he felt skilled and knowledgeable, and as he had thought previously, today was going to be important, today was his day.
It was ironic actually, if it wasn’t for his father’s awful attitude, he never would have joined the trade caravan. If he hadn’t taken that job, he never would have met Declan. Declan was a charismatic swordsman who had become Jonty’s friend quickly after he joined up. He lived in the village center and was several years older than him, so on a fateful day when Jonty was eighteen, Declan had a home of his own, a wife and two daughters. If it wasn’t for being friends with Declan, he would have never noticed Sage Wolfe, and his life would have never changed.
Jonty remembered the day like it had happened recently. Of coming home from a trade run and wanting to go anywhere but home. Declan had invited him home for a drink. Jonty had sat on his porch as Declan’s daughters played at their feet and his wife called to them saying that dinner would be ready shortly. The village center was so congested that Declan’s porch faced the back of a bakery. The business and upstairs apartment belonged to none other than Ezekiel Wolfe, his gifted wife Tehila, and their five daughters. Jonty couldn’t remember how old they were or what they looked like, just that the whole family was known more for their dancing than just the delicious food their mother made. Their father was a legend in more ways than one and he danced as passionately as he fought in battle. His daughters were equally as talented and they danced at all the village functions. But on this particular day, no one was dancing and Jonty still found himself in awe.
Sage Wolfe had come out to the back to hang laundry out to dry. Her father was in her wake and the two laughed and chatted as she balanced delicately on her toes as she hung up dresses of all sizes on the line. Jonty had been talking to Declan about a wedding that the whole village would be attending in a few days time, but had stopped cold as he took in the girl’s pretty face.
“Got a problem?” He remembered Declan’s voice breaking him from his revery.
Jonty shook his head, still watching the girl with ivory skin and cinnamon brown hair “Who is that?”
Declan followed his friend’s gaze. “Oh, that’s the oldest Wolfe girl. You know that one that’s always dancing with Ezekiel. Sage, I think.”
Jonty studied the girl, recalling a much younger child that used to dance at weddings and other events with her father and younger sisters. She was always a joy to watch. But now, he found his stomach flipping as he took in her defined cheekbones and the way she smiled as her father said something that Jonty couldn’t make out. “It must have been a while since I last saw her.” He replied, trying to hide his interest. “I thought the Wolfe children were still young.”
“Nah, she’s thirteen now.” Declan answered. “Time flies when you aren’t often home. I’m sure you’ll see her and her sisters at the wedding. They’re always dancing. It’s in their blood.”
Jonty almost felt bad for being so attracted to a girl so much younger than him, but he couldn’t stop watching her, she almost seemed to glow. He didn’t doubt that it was because she had both her parents that doted on her and her sisters. Her happiness almost made him jealous.
“Speaking of weddings,” Declan’s voice entered Jonty’s mind and brought him back to his senses. “You’re a man now, when are you going to settle down and find yourself a wife?”
Jonty watched Sage finish pinning up her final piece of laundry as he answered. “I don’t know.” He shrugged as he watched the girl pick up her basket and head inside. “I guess when I find a girl worth settling down for.”
Declan smirked devilishly. “Well then you need to stop wasting your time staring at THIRTEEN YEAR OLD GIRLS!” He said the last part of his statement so loudly that it echoed from the porch, over to the Wolfe’s yard where Ezekiel, the father of the aforementioned thirteen year old girl was still standing. Jonty turned crimson as he dropped his eyes to the floor, deciding whether he wanted to punch Declan in the face or make a break for home.
“To think I call you my friend.” Jonty grumbled embarrassed.
“Come on lad,” Declan tried to reason. “It’s all in good fun. You couldn’t wait two years to enlist in the army. How are you going to wait five years for that girl to grow up?”
“I couldn’t wait two years to enlist in the army because my father is an asshole.” He tried to think of a reason to play off in his interest in the girl but couldn’t think of a suitable excuse. In fact, he risked looking in the direction of her home one more time, just in case she had reappeared. Instead he met the eyes of her father and his heart raced with nervousness. The man studied Jonty; not in anger or annoyance, but with the sort of interest that made Jonty exhilarated and scared at the same time. It was as though he had heard far more than Declan’s outburst.
That day had certainly been the beginning of a change in him, and Jonty’s pulse quickened as he thought of how long he had waited for Sage Wolfe to be old enough to to officially be his match. He’d hardly slept as he thought of walking up to her and finally telling her that he’d thought she was beautiful for years. No, he was certain that nothing could ruin this day.
Jonty searched along the forest floor until he found exactly what he was looking for. Purple blooms grew among the trees and she chuckled as he took out his knife and cut sprig after sprig until he had enough to make a bouquet of sage for the pretty girl that made his face flush even now. He hoped that she would find the irony in the gesture, giving her a bundle of her namesake. She was the only girl named Sage in the village after all. He found a long piece of a grass and used it to keep the flowers together before he put his knife back in it’s holster, happy with his work.
“I’m not a warrior and I’m not an elder, but I’m a good man. I promise.” He said aloud. Then he wondered what he would finally say to her when he finally got his chance. It didn’t matter, he would figure it out. Jonty did know that he wanted to get down to the festivities before his father had the opportunity to make him feel inferior again, so he clutched onto the flowers with one hand and placed his other hand on his chest so that he could feel the parchment of the marriage contract underneath his shirt. He took a deep breath and began to walk out of the woods, towards the center of Community.
Today was important. Today was the first day of the rest of Jonty Ingraham’s life.
Please leave a comment, I would love to hear what you think. :)
Enshrine is available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Enshrine-Kay-Bennson/dp/1625265859/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=Kay+Bennson&qid=1575320160&sr=8-2 or click on the cover on the home page to be redirected.
Yours in Writing,
Kay Bennson
-Thank you to everyone that participated in my Thanksgiving Giveaway! There were over 120 entries and Miss Madison Howe won the big prize!
-My Holiday Giveaway goes live on Thursday, December 5th. It will get it's own post with all the details then! Until now all you need to know is TWO signed books and additional swag.
Alright! Now that we have that out of the way. Today's challenge post is a HUGE step out of my comfort zone, but I hope you will all enjoy it. I'm going to share the first chapter of Venerate which in a nutshell is Enshrine, from Jonty's point of view.
Now let me explain, this is unpublished and pretty rough. If I ever submit this (That's a WHOLE post in itself), it may be tweaked and changed, but I thought it would be fun to share it especially after my multiverse post I did a week or so ago. I'm also hoping it might kick me in the butt to write this and all my Rosementh stories I've still got cooking.
I also feel like I should say spoiler alert if you haven't read Enshrine yet, but on the other hand, this may cause you to want to go out and read the original book. ($4.99 for the Kindle version, just saying...Panera Bread costs more. Hell it costs more than my paperback version too! LOL)
Who knows...maybe if people like this we could make it a monthly series or something. Without further ado...
Jonty Ingraham scowled at his reflection. No matter how hard he played with his hair, it didn’t look good enough. Normally he let his raven colored locks do whatever they wanted, his bangs often got in his eyes, but today that just wouldn’t do. Today was important.
For his little village of Community, the spring day was celebratory. It was the Equinox festival, an ancient tradition where Jonty’s people thanked the higher power and the land for letting them survive the cold, harsh winter. Jonty’s village acknowledged the passing of seasons, births, marriages, pretty much any moment deemed important with style. There was good food, great ale, music, and dancing. The equinox festival was reason enough for him to be dressed in one of his best shirts and slacks, but today was so much more than that. He had to look his best, because the celebration was just part of the reason why he was fighting with his hair this morning.
Jonty pulled a piece of parchment out of his pocket and read the same words he’d gazed at for five years. Today more than ever, his heart raced at what they would mean.
“Oh, is that why you came home?” His father’s drol tone caused Jonty to look up from what he was reading. “Is today the day you finally make things official?” His father was watching him from the hallway, already wearing his pompous high elder robes over his finest clothing. The ceremonial robes were really only meant for conducting business inside the village meeting house, but Charles Ingraham wore them like a second skin.
Jonty heaved a sigh as refolded the parchment and put back in its hiding place. His father knew full well why he was home. He liked to do things like this, pick at Jonty and get under his skin, but Jonty was too excited and hopeful to let his father bring him down. “Today is finally the day Sage Wolfe will know she has been matched with me.”
“Do try to not make a fool of yourself.” His father warned. “You already seem to enjoy disappointing and embarrassing me more than I deserve.”
Jonty stared at his father for a long moment, deciding if he wanted to argue with him. Choosing to end the battle with his hair and ignore his father at the same time, he slid past the high elder and made his way out the door into his yard and into the woods beyond.
“Someday I want someone to tell me that I’m adopted.” He grumbled as he kicked a loose stone. Unfortunately the person who would have confirmed that for Jonty hadn’t been around since he was nine years old.
At face value, Charles Ingraham seemed like the perfect man to be in charge of a council of elders. He was heavily involved in Community and constantly looked for the approval of his people. But behind closed doors Jonty’s father was selfish and arrogant. Coming from a long line of elders, he would do whatever he could to get the same power and glory. He married Jonty’s mother, the daughter of the village mason, and treated her like a fragile porcelain doll. She was painted and dressed beautifully, but no one could touch her, she spent her days on a shelf for everyone to look at. Elder Ingraham was too busy keeping up appearances and furthering his career to know he was not making Jonty’s mother Merriam happy. He barely touched her himself, only when it was convenient to continue his family name. Once Jonty was born, he had two people to show off and continue to improve his image.
It seemed that for as long as Jonty could remember, his father had been disappointed in him. For starters, Jonty was a male version of his mother. Or at least what he remembered of her. She had olive skin and brown black hair. Jonty imagined that if he ever let his hair grow out that it would be curly like Merriam’s had been. Jonty got his height from his father’s genes, but that was where the similarities ended. Elder Ingraham had grey eyes, lighter skin and wiry hair that had been grey since Jonty’s mother had walked away from them both.
Jonty had been a typical boy, the kind that loved to play in the dirt and run until he was exhausted. Elder Ingraham seemed to have forgotten that he was once a child himself, and wanted his son to be seemingly perfect. He wanted Jonty clean, and learning to read and write when most of the other children in the village were chasing each other and kicking balls in the streets. Jonty was to to be high elder like him someday, it was in his family’s blood. He could remember his mother telling his father that Jonty was too young to worry about such things, but his father would laugh at her cruelly.
He remembered a warm summer day when he might have been no more than four, a day that all the warriors in Community had come home from a campaign. They walked home proudly, their swords on their hips. The village was jubilant over their safe return. Jonty admired the risks they took, the skills that they had to learn to stay alive and defend the empire of Rosementh. Being a warrior; wielding a sword, and defending his home seemed so attractive to him. Far more interesting than what his father did everyday at the meeting house. Jonty vowed that he would grow up and he would become a commander in King Leonard’s army. He had his mother make him a toy sword and he would spend from sun up to sun down pretending that he was a decorated war hero, like a man who lived in village center named Ezekiel Wolfe. The man had travelled all over the empire, he was strong and sinewy, but still was an average person that many admired. Jonty wanted to be just like that.
Elder Ingraham was disgusted that his young son wanted to be something as uncivilized as a fighter for King Leonard’s army. He scolded and lectured his son everyday, planning on brainwashing him to fulfil his family duty. Jonty’s father yelled at him so much that it caused the boy to despise his father, and it made him hate his given name. Jonty’s full name was Jonathan Charles Ingraham, but his father was the only person who actually called him that. Jonty made it perfectly clear that he hated what his father hurled from his lips multiple times a day. Luckily, his mother’s pet name for him was something his father never called him.
If it weren’t for his mother, Jonty probably would have become the quiet, brainwashed person his father had desired. She had fought valiantly for him to be a normal child. Well, she had for a while, Jonty supposed the burden of being a perfect wife and mother got to be too much. She left him behind in the middle of the night when he was nine years old. The perfect facade that Elder Ingraham had desperately tried to build came crumbling down. Though he was young, he still heard what the village was saying about his mother. Merriam Ingraham had run away from Community with another man. Though Jonty’s heart hurt, he couldn’t completely blame her or hate her. Jonty wished often that he had been adopted, that anyone else could possibly be his father. He wished that his mother had just taken him with her instead of leaving him behind.
After his mother left, Jonty took the full brunt of his father’s intensity. He blamed Jonty for his mother’s betrayal, telling him that it was his fault for being a disobedient child that they fought and she felt solace with someone else. He commanded that Jonty work to become an elder to bring some sort of honor back to their family name. Jonty’s fists shook in a quiet fury as remembered the way his father made him feel, how at twenty-three years old, he still felt like he wasn’t good enough, that he would never be good enough.
Jonty had always wanted to be a warrior, but he gave that dream up. It was out of necessity. He had become so angry, so resentful of his father that he couldn’t stand being around him any longer than he had to. You became an adult at eighteen in Community, but Jonty was so disgusted by his father that the minute he was sixteen and finished his exams in school, he sought out the leader of the trade caravan to see if he would take him on.
It wasn’t a warrior’s life. But it was close. He got to use a sword and a short bow to defend the goods that they delivered over Rosementh, and he got to be on the road for two weeks a month. Enough time for his father to only be slightly intolerable when he was home. Life on the road was convenient for him. He was glad that he had made the choice.
Jonty walked further into the woods and found himself smirking in spite of himself. Nothing turned out like he had thought it would, but it was really okay. He wasn’t a warrior, but in the seven years he’d been with the caravan he’d gone from complete newcomer to being in charge of the western line. He was proud of who he’d become, despite who is father was and where his mother had gone, he felt strong, he felt skilled and knowledgeable, and as he had thought previously, today was going to be important, today was his day.
It was ironic actually, if it wasn’t for his father’s awful attitude, he never would have joined the trade caravan. If he hadn’t taken that job, he never would have met Declan. Declan was a charismatic swordsman who had become Jonty’s friend quickly after he joined up. He lived in the village center and was several years older than him, so on a fateful day when Jonty was eighteen, Declan had a home of his own, a wife and two daughters. If it wasn’t for being friends with Declan, he would have never noticed Sage Wolfe, and his life would have never changed.
Jonty remembered the day like it had happened recently. Of coming home from a trade run and wanting to go anywhere but home. Declan had invited him home for a drink. Jonty had sat on his porch as Declan’s daughters played at their feet and his wife called to them saying that dinner would be ready shortly. The village center was so congested that Declan’s porch faced the back of a bakery. The business and upstairs apartment belonged to none other than Ezekiel Wolfe, his gifted wife Tehila, and their five daughters. Jonty couldn’t remember how old they were or what they looked like, just that the whole family was known more for their dancing than just the delicious food their mother made. Their father was a legend in more ways than one and he danced as passionately as he fought in battle. His daughters were equally as talented and they danced at all the village functions. But on this particular day, no one was dancing and Jonty still found himself in awe.
Sage Wolfe had come out to the back to hang laundry out to dry. Her father was in her wake and the two laughed and chatted as she balanced delicately on her toes as she hung up dresses of all sizes on the line. Jonty had been talking to Declan about a wedding that the whole village would be attending in a few days time, but had stopped cold as he took in the girl’s pretty face.
“Got a problem?” He remembered Declan’s voice breaking him from his revery.
Jonty shook his head, still watching the girl with ivory skin and cinnamon brown hair “Who is that?”
Declan followed his friend’s gaze. “Oh, that’s the oldest Wolfe girl. You know that one that’s always dancing with Ezekiel. Sage, I think.”
Jonty studied the girl, recalling a much younger child that used to dance at weddings and other events with her father and younger sisters. She was always a joy to watch. But now, he found his stomach flipping as he took in her defined cheekbones and the way she smiled as her father said something that Jonty couldn’t make out. “It must have been a while since I last saw her.” He replied, trying to hide his interest. “I thought the Wolfe children were still young.”
“Nah, she’s thirteen now.” Declan answered. “Time flies when you aren’t often home. I’m sure you’ll see her and her sisters at the wedding. They’re always dancing. It’s in their blood.”
Jonty almost felt bad for being so attracted to a girl so much younger than him, but he couldn’t stop watching her, she almost seemed to glow. He didn’t doubt that it was because she had both her parents that doted on her and her sisters. Her happiness almost made him jealous.
“Speaking of weddings,” Declan’s voice entered Jonty’s mind and brought him back to his senses. “You’re a man now, when are you going to settle down and find yourself a wife?”
Jonty watched Sage finish pinning up her final piece of laundry as he answered. “I don’t know.” He shrugged as he watched the girl pick up her basket and head inside. “I guess when I find a girl worth settling down for.”
Declan smirked devilishly. “Well then you need to stop wasting your time staring at THIRTEEN YEAR OLD GIRLS!” He said the last part of his statement so loudly that it echoed from the porch, over to the Wolfe’s yard where Ezekiel, the father of the aforementioned thirteen year old girl was still standing. Jonty turned crimson as he dropped his eyes to the floor, deciding whether he wanted to punch Declan in the face or make a break for home.
“To think I call you my friend.” Jonty grumbled embarrassed.
“Come on lad,” Declan tried to reason. “It’s all in good fun. You couldn’t wait two years to enlist in the army. How are you going to wait five years for that girl to grow up?”
“I couldn’t wait two years to enlist in the army because my father is an asshole.” He tried to think of a reason to play off in his interest in the girl but couldn’t think of a suitable excuse. In fact, he risked looking in the direction of her home one more time, just in case she had reappeared. Instead he met the eyes of her father and his heart raced with nervousness. The man studied Jonty; not in anger or annoyance, but with the sort of interest that made Jonty exhilarated and scared at the same time. It was as though he had heard far more than Declan’s outburst.
That day had certainly been the beginning of a change in him, and Jonty’s pulse quickened as he thought of how long he had waited for Sage Wolfe to be old enough to to officially be his match. He’d hardly slept as he thought of walking up to her and finally telling her that he’d thought she was beautiful for years. No, he was certain that nothing could ruin this day.
Jonty searched along the forest floor until he found exactly what he was looking for. Purple blooms grew among the trees and she chuckled as he took out his knife and cut sprig after sprig until he had enough to make a bouquet of sage for the pretty girl that made his face flush even now. He hoped that she would find the irony in the gesture, giving her a bundle of her namesake. She was the only girl named Sage in the village after all. He found a long piece of a grass and used it to keep the flowers together before he put his knife back in it’s holster, happy with his work.
“I’m not a warrior and I’m not an elder, but I’m a good man. I promise.” He said aloud. Then he wondered what he would finally say to her when he finally got his chance. It didn’t matter, he would figure it out. Jonty did know that he wanted to get down to the festivities before his father had the opportunity to make him feel inferior again, so he clutched onto the flowers with one hand and placed his other hand on his chest so that he could feel the parchment of the marriage contract underneath his shirt. He took a deep breath and began to walk out of the woods, towards the center of Community.
Today was important. Today was the first day of the rest of Jonty Ingraham’s life.
Please leave a comment, I would love to hear what you think. :)
Enshrine is available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Enshrine-Kay-Bennson/dp/1625265859/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=Kay+Bennson&qid=1575320160&sr=8-2 or click on the cover on the home page to be redirected.
Yours in Writing,
Kay Bennson
December 1, 2019
100 Post Challenge #3: PitMad
In honor of PitMad on Thursday, I thought I would dedicate one of challenge posts to this process of getting agents attention.I am kind of torn on the whole thing. Blame it on my anxiety I guess. You have a word limit, you have to use proper hashtags, your pitch has to be interesting, oh and not get lost among the thousands of other pitches on Twitter. It just seems impossible to me... thus cueing this gif I've used before:
Take this with a grain of salt because things like pumping my own gas and talking on the phone to strangers also gets me going. I do see the allure and possible benefits of doing it this way; an agent likes your post and it could be a more "hand picked" match than querying someone who takes all romance or what have you. You can research those agents you really like in hopes to tailor your pitch to their exact needs. I feel like that's a bit questionable if you wrote suspense and are making it into a western because that's what your dream agent wants, but I digress.Three years ago, when I started this venture, I had no experience. I queried whomever had fantasy and/ or romance in their interests and got LOTS of rejections. I got better about researching as I went along and got requests for fulls and partials once I made that change. Though I ended up going directly with a publisher, I still want to go the traditional route someday and I know my query needs to be stronger in addition to doing more researched. Going back to PitMad, a small part of me wants to try and see what happens, but the rules say they need to be polished complete manuscripts and murphy's law will be that someone wants it and I'll have nothing prepared. March for sure and maybe some mock tweets in the meantime. Getting an agent is a step towards becoming a career author so I should probably do this right.
If you are ready for Thursday but need a refresher on the rules click the link below to get all PitMad info you need. https://pitchwars.org/pitmad/
Special thanks to Kim (@KimTheKindaGood on Twitter) for taking the time respond to my tweet about all of this. Give her a follow and make sure to retweet her pitches on Thursday! Good luck to everyone who will be participating! I'm gonna do my best to share the love!
Kay Bennson
November 30, 2019
100 Post Challenge #2: NaNoWriMo19: A Reflection
I did not win NaNoWriMo this year. I've never won NaNoWriMo come to think of it.I'd like to find the people who decided National Novel Writing Month should be in November and kindly ask them to move it July or August. November just doesn't work for me. Firstly, I'm a teacher. Parent teacher conferences are in November, report cards are also usually out at this time (We are doing them later this year for whatever reason). My husband's birthday and our wedding anniversary fall within a week of each other during this month so typically that is two days of totally justified family time. Finally, not that it is an issue this year, but in NaNoWriMo's of the past I was busy preparing for my regional qualifier for Irish dance. Important dance classes, competitions each weekend, extra practicing, all leading up to the big weekend before Thanksgiving were dancers of all ages in New England would compete for a chance to qualify for nationals or worlds. Add Thanksgiving prep, the day itself, in years past I would go shopping on Black Friday, and you can see why I was lucky to crack 15,000 words in previous years, if I attempted it at all.
This year I was lucky to have some time off in the beginning of November as my maternity leave was coming to a close. I also had lots of ideas where some years I've had nothing planned. Honestly, I was working on something totally different for NaNoWriMo like days before November first (almost 9,000 words on that project so that makes me feel better. This year was also different in the sense that I was attempting NaNoWriMo with an infant. I knew going in that it was going to be tough, but wondered if I would have better luck because of different responsibilities. No dance but a lot of typing with one hand while I held the baby in the other, but I really don't see this year as a failure.
My final total (There is still about an hour and a half left but I'm not feeling it anymore today) was 37,243. Some days were better than others. One day I got over 8,000 words another day I got only 500. That's almost 40,000 words that I would not have gotten if I hadn't tried at all. I also knew going in that this story was going to be more than 50,000 words and was using NaNoWriMo as more of an accountability challenge, and with the exception of this week where I stopped pushing because I was getting stressed out, I wrote everyday (With a few exceptions like hubby's birthday) Add the word count from my previous project and I was almost at my goal. Not too shabby for having a baby 11 weeks ago.
I'm going to keep working on this WIP as I believe it has a home somewhere out there. It won't be ready to pitch on Thursday for PitMad, but I'm hoping by March as this is technically a new draft of an older story. I will definitely be attempting NaNoWriMo20 and trying to write everyday has truly proved to me that I'm in the wrong profession so I consider that a win in it's own way.
Did you accomplish your NaNoWriMo goals? Did you learn anything whether you finished or not?
Yours in Writing,
Kay Bennson
November 24, 2019
100 Post Challenge: #1 Book Multiverses and Spin Offs
I feel like most people see the word Multiverse and they think of this: 
Sadly, I'm not here to talk about all those guys (Though I would totally do that challenge where you watch all their movies for money, just saying).
I'm not sure if multiverse is the right word. I'm thinking more about various stories in the same universe and even the same story from a different point of view. Personally, I love them! I feel like you get to know the world the characters live in better, and maybe there is one you love and didn't get enough of in a previous book and you get more time with them because they get their own story!
In addition to writing, I am a content editor for The Parliament House, and the author I am currently working with has several books set to be published in 2020 and beyond. Though they are retellings of different fairy tales, they all exist in the same kingdom or "universe". Book one featured one particular character and the book I am currently working on has the main character from book one's younger sister as the protagonist. It's more of a spin off than a sequel but I feel like I've fallen in love with the lead in book two because she's gotten her own platform to let her personality really glow. I'm purposely keeping this as a vague as possible because I don't want to spoil anything, but I'm hoping there will be more books like this from this author!
Though so much of it is not considered canon anymore, I also think of the Star Wars Expanded universe as I write this post as well. There were new generations of characters. New worlds to be explored and it seemed like the content was limitless. Even now that Disney has rendered most of that useless, there are still books coming out all the time to fill in details and flesh out characters. I personally grew up reading the books about Pre-Phantom Menace Obi Wan and Qui Gon Jinn and I ate that junk up. Stars wars has many authors writing for them, but they are all still part of that giant world.
To shift the topic slightly, I also like alternate points of view of the same tale. There's just something special about seeing the story through another character's eyes. It's intimate and you get to really delve into the knitty gritty of their personality. Veronica Roth did this with her Divergent Series by releasing Four after she finished her previous books. Can't forget how Stephenie Meyer had started a version of Twilight from Edward's point of view. I totally read that draft back in the day...I still wonder if we'll get the full version one day or if Life and Death is the closest we're going to get (roles reversed, not a different point of view, but I digress...).
I had always had planned on Rosementh, the world from Enshrine being like this. Besides obvious linear sequels, I had Martin staring in a prequel. Plans for each of Sage's sisters to have their own adventure. Even their father Ezekiel, the war hero, having his own chance. Really there were so many characters that could have a chance to tell their tale.
A friend of my mine recently picked up Enshrine for the first time and has been telling me where she is and how much she enjoys the book (I love when people do this. It makes me feel great!) but it reminded me that I had starting writing Enshrine from Jonty's point of view and I read it last night and...MY WORD. I need to sort out what I'm doing with my titles that are coming up for renewal because I'm thinking of adding it back into my Work in Progress pile and I have WAY too many stories vying for space and not enough time to really even focus on one of them right now. LOL
What are your thoughts on "multiverses", spin offs, and different points of view? Comment below!
Please don't forget that my Shrewdest Faction Giveaway goes live tonight at Midnight and runs until December 2nd. It's going to be fun to see how many entries this thing can get!
Happy Writing,
Kay Bennson
Sadly, I'm not here to talk about all those guys (Though I would totally do that challenge where you watch all their movies for money, just saying).I'm not sure if multiverse is the right word. I'm thinking more about various stories in the same universe and even the same story from a different point of view. Personally, I love them! I feel like you get to know the world the characters live in better, and maybe there is one you love and didn't get enough of in a previous book and you get more time with them because they get their own story!
In addition to writing, I am a content editor for The Parliament House, and the author I am currently working with has several books set to be published in 2020 and beyond. Though they are retellings of different fairy tales, they all exist in the same kingdom or "universe". Book one featured one particular character and the book I am currently working on has the main character from book one's younger sister as the protagonist. It's more of a spin off than a sequel but I feel like I've fallen in love with the lead in book two because she's gotten her own platform to let her personality really glow. I'm purposely keeping this as a vague as possible because I don't want to spoil anything, but I'm hoping there will be more books like this from this author!
Though so much of it is not considered canon anymore, I also think of the Star Wars Expanded universe as I write this post as well. There were new generations of characters. New worlds to be explored and it seemed like the content was limitless. Even now that Disney has rendered most of that useless, there are still books coming out all the time to fill in details and flesh out characters. I personally grew up reading the books about Pre-Phantom Menace Obi Wan and Qui Gon Jinn and I ate that junk up. Stars wars has many authors writing for them, but they are all still part of that giant world.
To shift the topic slightly, I also like alternate points of view of the same tale. There's just something special about seeing the story through another character's eyes. It's intimate and you get to really delve into the knitty gritty of their personality. Veronica Roth did this with her Divergent Series by releasing Four after she finished her previous books. Can't forget how Stephenie Meyer had started a version of Twilight from Edward's point of view. I totally read that draft back in the day...I still wonder if we'll get the full version one day or if Life and Death is the closest we're going to get (roles reversed, not a different point of view, but I digress...).
I had always had planned on Rosementh, the world from Enshrine being like this. Besides obvious linear sequels, I had Martin staring in a prequel. Plans for each of Sage's sisters to have their own adventure. Even their father Ezekiel, the war hero, having his own chance. Really there were so many characters that could have a chance to tell their tale.
A friend of my mine recently picked up Enshrine for the first time and has been telling me where she is and how much she enjoys the book (I love when people do this. It makes me feel great!) but it reminded me that I had starting writing Enshrine from Jonty's point of view and I read it last night and...MY WORD. I need to sort out what I'm doing with my titles that are coming up for renewal because I'm thinking of adding it back into my Work in Progress pile and I have WAY too many stories vying for space and not enough time to really even focus on one of them right now. LOL
What are your thoughts on "multiverses", spin offs, and different points of view? Comment below!
Please don't forget that my Shrewdest Faction Giveaway goes live tonight at Midnight and runs until December 2nd. It's going to be fun to see how many entries this thing can get!
Happy Writing,
Kay Bennson
