A Last-Minute Decision

I've been falling behind on my editing lately...I'm losing motivation...I'm not so sure I'm going to finish editing this summer...so I've decided to do Camp NaNo as a rebel!

My word goal is 13,000 - 250 words (my minimum) for each scene I have left to do. After I finish a scene, I will add 250 words to my counter thing, regardless of how many I actually added. Should be fun! I think I'll do it faster if I have a cabin to cheer me on (and that I'll try not to fail in front of.) Even though I'm going away to real summer camp for a week, I'm pretty sure I can do it.

This should be fun!

~ Sophia-Rose

I've Created a Doppelganger (Unintentionally)

This post concerns Peregrine, my favorite character that I wrote. He's a hilarious, short, naive wizard apprentice who always is getting into trouble.

His name sort of came out of my head one day, and it immediately stuck. It sounded a bit familiar but I didn't dwell on it. It just seemed like the perfect name for him.

Earlier this evening, I was watching the Fellowship of the Ring. Anyway, you know the four hobbits, Frodo, Sam, Pippin, and Merry? Turns out Pippin is short for Peregrine. *groan* At first I felt like a copycat. Especially considering that the hobbit is awfully like the apprentice, personality-wise!

I'm unsure whether this is a problem or not. I wasn't intending to steal the name. Just like I would never name a wizard Gandalf or Dumbledore, I wouldn't have named this character Peregrine had I remembered this hobbit shared the name. Besides, if it is a problem, it's too late to change it now. Peregrine has been Peregrine in my mind for over six months now, and his name is a part of him.

Lord of the Rings is a classic. Maybe I should just consider it a tribute to the best fantasy novels in the whole world, like a subtle reference for those who catch it, and leave it at that. What do you think?

(By the way, I'm leaving on a week-long vacation in three days. Don't expect any blog posts during that time.)

~ Sophia-Rose

I Briefly Return from Editing-Land

Hi. I haven't posted in a while. I'd love to say that I've been busy editing, but...I'm not even done with the third chapter yet. -.- It's slow business. However, I'm happy to say that instead of adding 250 words a scene, I'm now usually adding at least 500 and sometimes even doubling the 750 word length of a scene! :D If I keep up at this rate, my novel will come out at...
Wait for it...
Wait for it...












80,000 words! :D Hooray!
Also, adding more thoughts just makes my characters come to life. Gabby, one of my main characters, used to be quite flat. I'd thought of a personality for her...sort of...but it never quite made it to the page. Now, it's evident that she has two sides: one that wants to say anything that comes into her head, and another that tries to restrain her words with creative imaginings. It's more interesting.

I'm also working on renaming the rest of the books in the series. None of them really feel right except Legends of Light. Last night, it hit me for book #2: Ice Quest. :) I have a feeling that the name is now perfect, not to mention not taken. If these books ever get published, I don't want them getting confused with other fantasy novels. There's nothing similar to Ice Quest, and for Legends of Light the closest title is Legends of Light: A Michigan Lighthouse Portfolio. Somehow, I don't think the two will get confused at all. I'll see you around soon! (Hopefully before I go on vacation.)

~ Sophia-Rose

My First Edited Scene: Transformation and a Teaser

I just finished editing the hook and first scene of Legends of Light. The verdict? I loved it! I have a way better hook now, and it came out great! The first few sentences went from this:

Crack! A twig snapped under the black-robed man's feet as he stepped through the dense thicket of pine trees. As distasteful as it was, especially for royalty, it had to be traversed for the common good of the population.

To this:

All was quiet as the black-robed man silently flitted through the woods. To most, he was a mysterious enigma. Nobody knew who he was, but he was a man on a mission, and an urgent one, at that.

Doesn't that make you more interested? Now that the scene is done, it looks completely transformed. My prediction that it would come out looking like a complete rewrite seems to be fairly accurate. Since it's done, I've decided to give you the whole scene as a teaser. It ends in a cliffhanger. You have been warned.

All was quiet as the black-robed man silently flitted through the woods. To most, he was a mysterious enigma. Nobody knew who he was, but he was a man on a mission, and an urgent one, at that.

Upon reaching a small clearing, he halted and drew a beautifully engraved sword, holding his breath and peering through the dark thicket. To his satisfaction, there was nothing there but softly rustling pine branches and ghostly moving shadows. He let out a long, slow sigh of relief, sheathed it once more, and strode toward the clearing’s center. As dawn began creeping over the wispy clouds on the horizon, he checked his watch. Although definitely a strange contraption, it often came in handy.  Apparently those naïve earth-dwellers were good for some things. Six o’clock in the morning, he thought with a smile. Perfect.

“Audite in alio seculo magistrum,” he whispered. The foreign words seemed to hang in the air like a magical incantation. After nervously glancing at his watch once more, he gritted his teeth and began to pace. How much longer will this take? He glanced around, relieved that it was still mostly dark. I can’t wait forever. Soon, people will arrive, and I can’t risk discovery. Finally, he saw a flash of red light against a pine tree and turned around, sighing with relief. At the exact center of the clearing, a flickering window of blood-red light hung suspended in the air. He stared at it, once again enraptured by his recently acquired ability. The glowing crimson tendrils spiraled within the rectangular vortex, hypnotizing, beckoning. Although the portal window was the perfect size to jump through, he knew that to do so meant instant death.

The man was jolted out of his trance by a thundering voice, emanating out from the portal and echoing off the trees. “Back so soon, my accomplice?” He winced. Still under his black cloak and veiled in secrecy, talking so loudly would mean this little project would come to a screeching halt.

“Ssssh!” he whispered, furtively casting another glance around the surrounding pine trees. Is anyone coming? “Talk a little more quietly, please. We don’t want anyone else to overhear our discussion.”

“I was wondering why you had returned so soon. You just told me yesterday that nothing of much importance was happening.”

“That was before we launched another sprite.” He fumbled in his leather pouch, his fingers searching for something small and elusive. Those blasted little blighters never seem to cooperate. “The girl is getting suspicious. Our next launch will likely tip her over to our side. She may be unsuspecting for now, but she’s not an idiot.”

“Excellent. So you came here asking for permission to send one more and finish what we’ve begun.”

“Well…yes.” The black-cloaked stranger shivered. The fact that his accomplice always seemed to know what he was thinking was unsettling, to say the least. He wondered if his friend in the other realm had powers he had yet to reveal. Then, he shook off the idea with a silent laugh. Of course, they weren’t hiding anything from each other.

“According to your updates, you sent a sprite out only yesterday.” The being beyond the portal spoke again.

“That is correct.”

“Hmm…” The voice on the window’s other side seemed lost in thought. “Normally, that would be exceedingly hasty, but since she’s so close…Yes, I suppose it could be a good idea, just this once. The stakes will become so high that she’ll have to be insane to refuse our offer.”

“Exactly. There won’t be much room for error, though.” He finally found what he was looking for in his bag, and triumphantly pulled out the little wicker cage. Inside, a tiny golden winged figure – a sprite – was trapped. Drawing it close to his face, he whispered, “Just do exactly what we planned. Try not to have too much fun out there.” Springing the latch, he opened the tiny door, and the little sprite zoomed away with a cackle.

“What did you say?” said the voice behind the window.

“I was only repeating the plan to the sprite. I think we caught a good one this time. It didn’t make any fuss in my bag, although it did put up a good fight before I could catch it.”

“Excellent. Soon, our opportunity will be at hand.”

The man stooped and plucked a small white flower, twirling it between his fingertips. “But there may be a problem.”

The voice was silent for a minute. Then, it spoke again, this time quietly. “Go on.”

“There may be one of Rynveros’s spies posing at the school as well. If he manages to convince the girl to his side, all would be lost and we would have to start our search all over again.” He stroked the delicate, colorless petals, thinking about his plan and what the girl could mean for it. She was a lucky find, he thought. She has no idea that she could change a world.

“Perhaps not. If the girls in our home world are any indication, it is possible that we could still force her to join us. I find that most of them love their family and friends very much. If gentle persuasion does not work, a well-placed threat can work wonders.”

The man’s shadowed face betrayed no emotion, although he mentally winced. He didn’t want to do anything that might give the girl any doubt of his benevolence. “I’d rather we don’t threaten her. I want her to trust us.”

“All right, then. You know what to do instead.”

“Yes. She would be quite dangerous used against us.” He closed his fist, crushing the blossom’s delicate petals. “It would be better off if she was out of our way forever, in that case. If she won’t join us, I will ensure that she is killed.”

Dun dun dun!! Like it? If you read all that, here's a little treat: a graphic I made. Click for craziness!

~ Sophia-Rose

The Editing Slog Begins!

It's June and over 90 degrees. I'm getting cooked nicely. -.- Hot temperatures aside, I'm off of WD (Wardiloth's Dragons) break now and it's time to begin Legends of Light editing month #1. Whoopdedoo. *sigh* Somehow, I don't think I'm going to like editing.

By the way - about that blurb? You know, the one I said I was going to do more than a month ago? That's not going to happen until after I finish editing. I'm going to be making a ton of changes, and it'll probably come out looking like a complete rewrite. More thoughts, more description, less blather. Who knows? Another subplot might even weave its way into the story! I've heard tell of that happening in additional drafts. I'm also hoping to add way more words in the process. I have a sneaking suspicion that this book will look quite different once I'm through with it, so I should probably wait on the blurb.

But I'm not going to just sit down and begin making changes without a clue. Oh, no! I have a strategic plan! :) (I think I'll need it.) I hope to make two to three editing passes.

1. Add a whole ton of thoughts and description plus any other surprises, and cut dialogue rambles.
2. Optional: make a second pass for cuts or more additions.
3. Fix grammar issues and typos.

Should be fun! (Not.) Well, wish me luck! (By the way, is treehouse one word or two?)

~ Sophia-Rose