As I posted last week, I recently attended World Fantasy Con (WFC) and had a great time. While there in Toronto, I met with John Richard Parker from ZENO. We talked for a couple of hours over lunch and laid out a plan for moving forward with existing projects, with the goal of submitting to publishers again early next year. I’m movitated and optimistic as a result. I think the timing will be great, and the manuscripts will be ready.
Here are the goals we’ve set, and that I’m working on.
Goal: November – complete rev 3 of Set In Stone, my YA fanasty novel.
Current state: 30% complete and on target for completion at the end of November. It’s NaNoWriMo, where authors set the goal of writing 50,000 words of a new book. I’m expecting to write 50,000 new words in this existing book this month. I am thrilled with the planned revisions. I had thought Set In Stone was in good shape before, but now it’s finally coming into its own. It’s going to be awesome. The premise of the book is as follows:
All his life, Connor wanted nothing more than to quarry precious granite for the high lord, like his father. That dream is impossible, for Connor is one of the rare commoners cursed with terrible power. Tomorrow he will reveal the curse and claim patronage from the high lord, the only way to transform it into a power for good. He will become a Guardian of the Realm, serve the high lord, and protect the nation from the Grandurians.
Tomorrow is too late.
Unexpected warfare descends upon his remote village, and Connor is caught up in the growing conflict. He learns the startling truth that the granite they quarry fuels the powers of the legendary Petralists. Those mighty warriors now clash in the streets of his village and threaten to destroy everything.
As armies gather and the lives of everyone Connor loves hang in the balance, Connor unlocks incredible abilities tied to his own curse, powers not seen in generations. Even with the help of Shona, the high lord’s daughter, he can barely comprehend these new powers, and cannot hope to trust his curse. But, if he can somehow harness this newfound ability, become a Guardian in deed, he might hold the key to saving his family and friends.
Unfortunately, nothing is as it seems, and ugly truths are revealed that challenge Connor’s deepest held beliefs. His loyalties to country, to village, to family, and to friends become competing priorities that cannot coexist.
Does he claim the impossible love of Shona and ensure the nation’s victory as demanded by the duty of Guardian, at the cost of everyone he loves? Or does he cast the fate of all into a desperate attempt to use his curse for good? To do so might save his family, but would grant the enemy the victory, and seal his own doom.
The final, explosive show-down drives him to a leap of faith from which there is no return.
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December Goal 1: Beta readers for Set In Stone, followed by full edit from Joshua Essoe. Goal 2: Edits from Peter Lavery on my epic fantasy, The Sentinel’s Call, should be complete. Review, and apply to the manuscript.
January goal: Both manuscripts sent to John, ready for submission to publishers. John to submit.
February/March goals:
Polish urban fantasy novella Saving Face and e-publish for free online. Polish related short story Face Lift and make available on web site for free download. Update web site with the new content
So lots to do, with specific milestones in place. I feel like I finally have enough content to make it worth publishers’ time to invest in me as a new writer, and to make it worth readers’ time to invest in reading my works. I am looking forward to securing publishing deals next year and taking the next step forward.
I’ll keep everyone posted on progress.
