Deby Fredericks's Blog, page 14

Willow Lake, Part 2

I did it! I completed the first draft revision of Willow Lake, the finale of Cleodora’s story. It came in at 42,600 words, a good length for middle grades.

There is still a part of the ending I’m not happy with. The antagonist faces a reckoning there, and I feel it lacks drama. I could re-write it, bringing it more to a climactic moment, like in movies, where the bad gal screams and their head blows up. Very dramatic! However, both of the novels have been very much NOT heads-exploding content. So it might be sort of the expected thing, but it wouldn’t match the story as a whole.

We’re planning a short trip this week. Perhaps I’ll print out those pages and take them with me. The drive time should give me a chance to ponder some possibilities.

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my website, Bluesky, Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram.

Lonely

Next weekend is the local author event I was supposed to be part of, but wasn’t accepted. I’m feeling a little down about that. There have been a few local local things, like the library had a series about local authors. However, I never seem to be invited to them. It’s frustrating and also makes me feel lonely.

Maybe I’ve been too focused on actually writing, and not involved with local author groups. To remedy that, I have been trying to participate more this summer. I’ve been in a webinar or two, and joined some Facebook groups. Unfortunately, the information there has been pretty basic. I’m far beyond that point — or at least, I’d like to think so — and the sessions aren’t very useful for me.

It’s a conundrum. I do want to be known and present in the community. Guess I’ll have to keep trying things until I find the right fit.

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my website, Bluesky, Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram.

Willow Lake

Well, my husband gave his feedback on Acorn Canyon. It’s all positive, except I think he does not prefer cozy fantasy. He likes a darker plot with faster pacing. Even so, he asked when will the second one be ready to read? So I guess I’d better get on that!

That second book is Willow Lake. I am about 3/4 through the revisions on it. This book needs significantly more work. Currently I’m at a key scene that begins the race to the end. Two characters had to be taken out, and the scene is happening in a different place. It’s been tricky to make all the adjustments as I go along. I want to take my time and do it right, though.

I’m hoping to get through it before next week, when we’re going on a short trip. Don’t know if I’ll make it, but let’s find out!

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my website, Bluesky, Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram.

The First Read

The second draft of Acorn Canyon was finished in the middle of last month. I passed it over to my husband, who always gets to do the first read. Not only is he widely read in SF and Fantasy, with a valuable perspective. He’s also very supportive and encourages me, rather than, say, suggesting that I might do the dusting more often.

It’s been interesting to get his reactions. He is one of those readers who always wants to predict what will happen, who the bad guys are, and so forth. His predictions are often quite accurate. That helps me know when I need more layers or a twist of some kind.

But with Acorn Canyon, he’s way off and it’s hilarious. Partly, I think, it’s because this is a middle grade book and he hardly ever reads in that age group. It’s also a cozy fantasy, which he doesn’t read as much, either. So he’s generally looking for more adult plot turns. He’s labeled a character as “evil” when nobody in a cozy fantasy is evil.

In addition, I moved a lot of boundaries in the world building. This is the story where there are no kings/nobility, no permanent warrior class, most of the locations don’t use money, and so forth. The plot structure also is quite different, since it is part 1 of 2. He can tell something is different, but I don’t think he’s sussed it all out yet.

It’s been really interesting to get his reactions. When he finishes, I look forward to hashing it all out with him.

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my website, Bluesky, Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram.

Well, Darn

You know that local author event I said I was planning to be in later this month? I went out and bought the things I thought I would need, but hadn’t heard back from the organizers. So I emailed them to confirm, and guess what? I didn’t make the cut.

Well, darn. I didn’t need to spend that money, and I won’t be able to return things — I got them at a thrift store. Nor will I be early in beating my goal of three personal appearances this year.

So it goes in the writer’s life.

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my website, Bluesky, Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram.

Woman at Work, August 2024

What’s Happening? In the last few weeks of my summer break, I’m focused a lot on home improvements. With the mortgage paid off, I’m now realizing how dingy out bathroom and kitchen are. We’ll see what comes of this.

What I’m Working On. I completed the first draft revision of Acorn Canyon, the first book of my Cleodora duet. It’s with my husband, who is always the first reader. That lets me work on first draft of the second book, Willow Lake.

What’s Next? I’m currently focused on prepping Cleodora, so right now I don’t have another writing project lined up.

Where I’ll be. A nearby bookshop is having a Local Author Day, and I’m getting my display ready for that. It’s August, so I’m especially concerned about having enough shade.

Fun and Games. In Dragon Age: Inquisition, I finished the main plot and am noodling around with side quests. Also continue to build my town in Animal Crossing. And there’s a jigsaw puzzle here and there.

I hope you are all staying cool enough through this long, hot summer!

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my website, Bluesky, Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram.

Onward

The cover artist has been chosen, and another artist will do me a fancy title/logo. Their deposits went out, and now I wait. This is something no one tells you about the writing profession. You send things in and then you wait.

Or, in my case, you don’t wait. You get working on your next project. That means I’m working on the second draft of Willow Lake, which is the second book in Cleodora’s adventure. The beginning needs the most work. Since I wrote it as the opener of Part 3 in a longer book, there now has to be more of a recap and refresh.

That will be easy enough. The main text doesn’t need nearly as much work, although I mean for one of the antagonists to show up much earlier, to create additional tension. My goal is to revise 10 pages a day. Currently the text is 179 pages, so I should easily be able to complete that draft before school starts up again.

By then perhaps the art will have been approved and I can assemble the cover. Then I’ll turn to the third and final draft of Acorn Canyon. That’s the plan, anyhow. Let’s see how well I stick to it!

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my website, Bluesky, Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram.

IRL Excitement

We are about to pay off our mortgage!

What does this have to do with my writing? Well, it frees up a bit of our household budget. That means, for the first time, I seriously have the option to commission original cover art rather than using stock art. I am excited, and somewhat nervous.

I’ve never gone through this part of the publishing process before. I know it will be fine. I was nervous before I self-published my first short story collection, Aunt Ursula’s Attic. I went through it step by step. I can do that again. I’ll find a good artist, and they’ll make me a fabulous cover.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to sketch out a few bits of Cleodora’s wardrobe, what her spirit friend looks like, and so forth.

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my website, Bluesky, Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram.

Chosen

Now that I took out the problematic subplot from Acorn Canyon, I need to reconfigure the ending. What was an important point to the over all plot, but then went into the subplot’s ending, now is the end point. Surprise!

But in a good way, though. As I go through this revision, one thing I’ve wondered about is whether Cleodora could be considered a Chosen One. You know the trope — a young man is “chosen by fate” or some other divine force, to carry out a dangerous mission. Often the youth is also given some sort of powers or abilities to help with said mission.

Early in the book, Cleodora saves one of the nature spirits that’s been injured. It becomes bonded to her, and in her culture they are now considered one being, a “druet.” Her mother and mentor were discussing whether this made her a “chosen one,” and they talked about what that meant for her future.

Chosen One isn’t a trope I’m really fond of. They’re over-done, and also often used in a sexist and ageist way. Other characters will ignore all sorts of qualified women and older people to follow the chosen one. However, I’m enjoying a chance to explore this trope a bit. Was Cleodora chosen, or did she choose? Will people allow a 13-year-old girl to lead, or tell her to sit and be quiet?

As I’ve mentioned before, this draft has been a lot about deepening character relationships. This is especially true with Navaire, her mentor and step-father, who is trying to protect her in a parental role. Where I’m revising now, Navaire told Cleodora to wait for the adults to lay a trap, but she used herself as bait instead. He’s upset. Yet he himself is a druet. When he was younger, would he have let anyone tell him not to follow his path?

It’s been fun to reflect on this and work through it toward the conclusion. For those of you who are writers, I hope you’re having fun challenges in your craft, too.

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my website, Bluesky, Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram.

Write On

There isn’t much to say this time. The weather is brutally hot and I’m just staying inside as much as possible. Since I’m on summer break until August, I don’t have to go anywhere except for occasional groceries. I can stay inside, keep cool, and focus on my writing.

That’s what I’ve been doing. Cleodora’s tale was 340 pages originally. I planned to revise 10 pages a day and finish it up in 34 days, before the new school year. So far I’ve been meeting the 10 pages. Now that it’s been split into two books, each +/- 160 pages, the first volume (Acorn Canyon) is looking like a breeze. I may continue on through the second (Willow Lake) in order to keep my focus on continuity. That will be tighter, but still possible.

With this revision I’ve been able to deepen relationships among the small cast and foreshadow some of the second book. I am taking out the subplot, however. A short novel doesn’t have much room for subplots, and the content is possibly problematic anyway. That really should be an easy fix.

My side project is more political: I’m writing post cards to urge people to vote in November. I have 200 of them. If I handle a few a day, it shouldn’t even give me hand cramps.

I hope you’re all able to stay cool and safe. Keep on writing!

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my website, Bluesky, Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram.