#nanowrimo introduction

[surroundedbypearls]

NANOWRIMO 2023 PROJECT

~ The Seal and the Ravens

Genre: High Fantasy, Fairytale Features: Magic, curses, witches, thorns, poison, princesses, family problems POV: Third person (multiple) Books: Standalone Content Warning: Violence of the fairytale variety  Status: Ready to draft! Synopsis: Based on a few fairytales by the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen, mainly Snow White, Rapunzel, The Twelve Brothers, Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid, and The Travelling Companion. While the princess of Iarannor sets out to find her lost brothers, cursed by a wicked enchantress, her childhood friend is rescued from a storm by a selkie who's dreamed of the human world all her life. All fates are intertwined by the mysterious woman who sleeps in a tower in the centre of the Sleeping Lake. Where do you think it got its name?

It's my nanowrimo project for 2023!! I've had this idea in the works for ages but only committed to outlining it properly recently, as I decided I'd give drafting it a go!

Let me know if you're interested in being tagged in future posts about this project!

Main Characters:

Astra, princess of Iarannor

Daiyu, the fairest of them all

Orion, the huntsman

Tarni, the little selkie

Jeric, a lost brother

Thia, locked in a tower

Dala, the enchantress

Chessa, the sleeping beauty

[saphira-approves]

Okay so I finished Murtagh last night and I think I’m just going to put a lot of my slightly more coherent general thoughts here under a readmore. Spoilers ahead! Beware!

Right off the bat I want to bring us back to The Fork, The Witch, and The Worm. Not to Essie (although reliving that encounter from Murtagh’s perspective was EXQUISITE), but to Eragon, because the thing I love most about that story is that Eragon is glad to see his brother, even from afar, and is glad to see he’s alright, and hopes that Murtagh will one day join him at Mt. Arngor. We’ve talked recently on the blog about ill feelings and condemnation towards Murtagh during the war, especially on Eragon’s part, but the ending of The Fork makes it clear that—while I would love to see Eragon acknowledge and work through them—Eragon no longer holds those feelings, and in fact really wants the chance to reconnect with his brother and his friend, because he loved him like a brother before he even knew they were related, and after everything that’s happened, he loves him still—even if Murtagh is going to have some trouble believing or internalizing it.

And so I present the theme of this initial reading response: Murtagh is so, so loved, to an extent that he does not fully realize. He knows that Thorn loves him, obviously, but I believe it’s significant that—even though he has some Complicated™️ thoughts about Selena and harbors resentment towards her for, in his mind, choosing Eragon over himself—the memories of her that we actually get to see/“hear” (page 90 my beloved) are fully memories of Selena’s love for him. “…beautiful boy” anyone? “My strong boy?” That is her BABY and she LOVES HIM. Also, again, DESPITE HIS RESENTMENT, Selena’s love is the REASON HE KEEPS HIS SCAR! Scar lore alert! Scar lore alert! SELENA WAS THERE AND SHE’S THE ONE WHO HEALED HIM! (though I am still partial to thinking Brom was involved. I’ll write about that later it doesn’t matter right now)

(Also, on a bit of a lighter note, HIS HORSE TOY?????? Horse girl Murtagh CONFIRMED!!!! Little me would have been so jealous. …on a completely different note, I have woodworking connections and access to real horse hair. Hm. The Ideas.)

And then Tornac, son of Tereth, may your name live on forever. THE FIRST MEMORY WE GET OF TORNAC IS A HUG. THE FIRST TIME HE HUGS MURTAGH. MURTAGH HE LOVES YOU SO MUCH DO YOU KNOW??? I KNOW YOU KNOW A LITTLE BIT BUT DO YOU KNOW????? And the way he LEAPS to Murtagh’s defense when he falls in their escape, he REFUSES to let Murtagh languish in Urû’baen, that’s his BOY, his BEAUTIFUL STRONG BOY, that’s HIS SON, NO TAKE BACKSIES, MORZAN! He sees Murtagh’s darkness, yes, but more importantly he sees Murtagh’s goodness, and he knows Galbatorix will do everything in his power to destroy it, and that is something that Tornac simply cannot abide. You remember how I posted about Brom saying it’s easy to die for what you believe in, and then like ten pages later he dies for Eragon? Yeah. Yeah that one. That post. Do you see the point I’m making?

Tornac died for Murtagh. Selena did too, I’m pretty sure—it’s never been explicitly stated, in this book or the rest of the Cycle, but we know Selena was anxious to leave Carvahall as soon as Eragon was born, and that she died shortly after returning to Murtagh. I think Murtagh knows, on some level, but I also think that actually acknowledging it is going to break him just a little bit. Selena left Eragon and returned to him, presumably to spirit Murtagh to Carvahall as well, but she left too early. She wasn’t recovered. The real tragedy of this is that, if she’d left any later, she might truly have been too late—Morzan had been killed, and Murtagh would have been collected to Urû’baen before she reached him. Depending on how much she was coordinating with Brom, she might have known this, and made the choice to return to Murtagh anyway, because it was the easiest choice in the world. Eragon and Murtagh both believe that Selena left them. As Murtagh believes Selena chose Eragon over him, I’m pretty sure Eragon believes the inverse. In truth, Selena was trying to choose both of them, to save both of them. It’s a tragedy that she failed, but the most important thing about such a tragedy is that the love is there. It didn’t save them, not at first, not until much later, but the love is there and it matters because those are her babies, those are her sons, and she would gladly die for them. She did die for them. It was easy; she believed in them.

So yeah, I think eventually Eragon and Murtagh are gonna have a talk, and some revelations are going to be made, and a good long cry is going to be had all around. Catharsis! They need it!

But that’s not all! Murtagh is loved not only by the dead and the distant, but by the living and the near, too. Up to this point, the werecats we’ve met have been aloof, proud, intentionally distant. I always got the sense that Solembum likes Eragon and Saphira, but I don’t know that he would call them friends, even if Eragon and Saphira would, and he’s the most in-depth werecat we’ve met. But now we also have Carabel.

Carabel, who, from her position within Gil'ead, watches the people around them, and discerns their character: this is a skill I would say she has honed to near-perfection. When we meet her, she is desperate, though she hides it well. She sees Murtagh, and she measures his character, and what she sees is enough to make her take a chance on him, and she's right. Murtagh saves Silna, compromising his own principles to do so—swearing an oath he knows he'll have to break—and is so clearly relieved to see Silna safe with Carabel, despite the deceptions. We know, also, that Selena had been liked enough by Solembum for him to speak with her, and I wouldn't be surprised to discover that Selena was at least respected by werecats, if not outright known as a friend; it's possible that this, too, helped push Carabel to take a chance on Murtagh, though she makes no comment about it. Whatever the case, ultimately it is Murtagh's character that she gambles on, and Murtagh being simply who he is fulfills her hopes—not only in saving Silna, but his kindness towards her even when she was difficult, carrying her only when it was necessary and setting her on her own paws when he deemed it safe. Just in being himself, he earns love from two strangers, and the respect of an entire race.

(This echoes throughout the book, in all of Murtagh's interactions with children—he cares so much about kids. Not just as an abstract moral stance: he truly, genuinely cares for children on a deeply personal level. Essie in Ceunon; the two boys in Gil'ead he gives coins to, twice, and reprimanding their father for using them to pick marks; Silna; the children in Nal Gorgoth. In telling his story to Nasuada, he broke when he reached the children he slaughtered under Bachel's control.)

And Alín! Alín, who was raised to revere dragons, who cannot help but idolize Thorn. She is terrified of Murtagh, as a stranger and a strange man, but his connection to a dragon allows her to view him in another light. I can write so many essays about Alín, I'm probably going to, but here I'll just say this: despite her circumstances, despite how she was taught, despite how thoroughly she has been programmed by the cult of the Dreamers, the simple truth of Murtagh's compassion gave her the room to question, to think for herself, to ask herself if what she has been taught and raised to believe is truly right. Murtagh doesn't make the decision for her, he physically can't—it is Alín herself who finds the strength to break herself free, inspired by Murtagh, but not wholly because of him.

And in the dungeons of Nal Gorgoth, Murtagh meets Uvek, an Urgal shaman, and can I just say: I would kill and die for Uvek. He's got similarities to Murtagh that aren't discussed in plaintext, but are easy to draw: they both tried to be alone in the wild, thinking it would be better for them—different reasons, but they came to the same conclusion—but both have come to discover that they are better off in a pack. With friends. With brothers. With family. (As an aside, I really hope Uvek becomes one of the first Urgal riders.) I love the metaphor they share, about trust being a knife with a blade for a handle; and I love that once they decide to trust each other, they both jump in, feet first, 100% on board. That's always been Murtagh's method anyway (Eragon-era Murtagh my beloved, looking after this stupid dumb kid with his whole ass), and it is incredibly refreshing to see someone else with the exact same mindset throw their whole lot in with Murtagh. The gentle forehead bump! Uvek loves this crazy squishy Murtagh-man.

And finally, finally, Nasuada. The Guinevere to his Lancelot, and there's not even an Arthur for them to dance around, except for the Arthur of Public Opinion that would prefer to view Murtagh as dread Mordred. I couldn't keep from laughing, just a little bit, every time Murtagh was encouraged to/shown visions of taking the throne, because lol! Nah, you dumbasses, that's the love of his life for whom he broke his own shackles and turned on his tormentor and slave-master. The day he turns against her of his own volition is the day he is No Longer Murtagh. He keeps the newly-minted gold crown so that he can keep a piece of her with him—a coin!! A tiny little portrait!! An accurate tiny little portrait, to be sure, but one he'll soon be able to find in any decently full purse!! He may not want to admit it to himself, he may try to distance himself for her own good and the good of her rule, but he cannot truly deny his heart. As for Nasuada himself, she doesn't even hesitate to take him in—and she would have no reason to, having heard about Gil'ead, except that she knows him, she has seen his true being in a way only Thorn can relate to, and even in uncertainty she cannot believe evil of him. She's the one who reaches out to comfort him when he crumbles in telling his story, she supports him without a word when he struggles to stand, and she wants so badly for him to stay, Public Opinion be damned. She won't destroy what she's built, but she will move heaven and earth to be able to keep him near, for as long as he wishes to remain.

This whole book, really, was just a chorus screaming to Murtagh, "YOU ARE LOVED!! YOU ARE WORTHY OF LOVE AND YOU ARE LOVED!! IT IS THE LOVE THAT ENDS WARS, THAT DEFEATS FEAR, THAT PERSISTS IN THE FACE OF DEATH AND RUIN!! YOU ARE LOVED!!" And maybe he can't hear it yet, not with his ears, but his heart, eventually, might start to catch him up. And I absolutely cannot wait to see it.

[intwrimo]

Introduction

IntWriMo is a queer run server dedicated to the pursuit of writing. Upon hearing all of the issues going on with Nano, our moderators sought out a replacement for the site, that would still give most if not all of the benefits from using the site, and yet turned up nothing. And so they created IntWriMo. This server has bots dedicated to character help, word counts, project creation and more! Our friendly staff is always willing to answer questions, reports and suggestions. ............................................................................................................

Helpful links !

Server : Click Here ! Spotify : Click Here! Ban / Strike Appeal Form : Click Here! Links will be updated as needed

............................................................................................................

If you can not get a hold of our staff for questions or anything else you may need through this blog, please visit Robyn's tumblr @saltwatertealeaves

[ink-fireplace-coffee]

2023 Nano WIP Intro: Ecliptic Mirrors.

When everything you thought you knew is not there anymore, how do you define yourself?

Genre: New Adult, Technological Magic, Fiction.

POV: dual POV, first person.

Status: drafting

Summary:

Orion works for The New Moon, the government of his country. He is an Agent, one of the few people who managed to escalate higher up enough to be the executioner hand at the service of the State. He thinks he is doing a good job. Protecting his city. Protecting his friends. Protecting his way of living. He just has one thought, one task to accomplish in life: track, chase and eliminate Subject 1807, also known as Vega, a rebel who works solo, which should make her an easy target, but it doesn't. And, as much as Orion enjoys the chase, he is getting tired of 1807. The government needs to extract Order - the only resource that powers up not only the whole country but also makes everyone's well-being increase- soon and Orion always gets sick when it happens, his sensitivity higher than average to the imbalance of power. When he finally manages to corner 1807, the procedure is clear: elimination for the good of society.

---

Vega has a happy life, living under The Full Moon government. Her boyfriend Orion and her enjoy the sustainable life, the green growing everywhere, the fresh air... Order is extracted from living things thriving, and The Full Moon knows this.

The problems start the morning after Orion is gone missing. He is an ethical hacker working for the State, so it wouldn't be a problem that he leaves in the middle of the night to take care of some kind of system problem, Vega knows, but usually, Orion leaves her a message. Some words scribbled on the pad of their apartment. Or sends her a Holo of a dancing dog... Or something. Anything.

And worst of all, Vega is left all alone days before The Full Moon is going to extract Order again. Vega, who is highly sensitive to Order changes.

Her path of thought is clear: finding Orion ASAP for her own well-being.

---

Both Orion from New Moon and Vega from Full Moon suddenly find themselves in a place that is not here nor there, and where nobody else but them seem to realize they are clearly not meant to be.

The Order seems to be the only logical explanation.

How do you find a way out with a person who is supposed to be your enemy? How do you love someone who, according to him, killed you? And how do you realize what is different and what it's not when you don't even know where you are?

Taglist: @rose-bookblood

Tags: #wip:em; #wip: ecliptic mirrors

[vandijkwrites]

Of Art & Augury: An Interactive Fiction WIP

Genre: Historical Fantasy Format: Text-based interactive fiction Tags: Text-based, historical fiction, romance, fantasy/magic, art and artists, late 19th century Paris Current Status: Drafting (NaNoWriMo 2023 Project)

Synopsis

As a writer for one of the top Parisian society gazettes, you've advised many readers about the up-and-coming artists of the Paris Salon. The best painters there know how to weave subtle enchantments into the likeness of their subject to make the image come to life but, recently, something had been going wrong with the magic. It's up to you to head to the academy and figure out to truth for yourself.

Setting

Set in Paris at the end of the 19th century, you will explore the city and the art exhibitions of the academy. This version of Paris has an undercurrent of magical power which artists use to create enchanted artwork for society.

ROs

Odette [F]

Occupation: Commercial Lithographer Artistic Inspiration: Alphonse Mucha Odette is an Austrian artist who moved to Paris to start her career as an artist. She has little formal training and started her career by taking any artistic work she could get her hands on. Now she does mostly lithography for product advertisements and theater posters.

Sainte [M]

Occupation: Journalist Artistic Inspiration: Édouard Manet Sainte was born in Paris and studied under a successful portrait artist from a young age, but left his studies to pursue journalism for reasons he doesn't like to talk about. Now, he works as an art critic for a Parisian newspaper, covering the Salon and other exhibitions.

Armand [M]

Occupation: Portrait Artist Artistic Inspiration: John Singer Sargent Armand has been passionate about art for most of his life and moved to Paris from New Orleans to start his studies when he was still young. He has been studying portraiture ever since and has already painted portraits for some very influential young socialites.

Helene [F]

Occupation: Socialite Artistic Inspiration: Berthe Morisot Helene is a Parisian socialite who fell in love with painting during her private art education growing up. Although her family encouraged her to keep painting, they refused to let her receive any education in enchantment, a requirement for being taken seriously in artistic society. Ever since, she has been trying to teach herself magic in secret.

[helvelloides]

WIP INTRO · UNSEEN

GENRE: Horror, Supernatural, Mystery

STATUS: First Draft

· BLURB ·

THE HARPER BROTHERS Didn’t believe in the paranormal. Ghosts and spirits were nothing more than a figment of the imagination to them. However, young and opportunistic, they were willing to do just about anything to make a quick buck. Even if it meant lying. ELEANOR MARIE PARKER Is at her wit’s end. A curse passed down from first-born daughter to first-born daughter landed in her lap, and no matter what she did, she couldn’t quite shake it. So, despite her reservations about paranormal investigators and their methods, she found herself sending out letters to every crew she could. Only one crew responded. Faced now with an increasingly real threat, the three find themselves inexplicably tied together as they work to untangle a web of lies and secrecy. All the while something grows ever closer, lurking within the shadows, waiting for its chance to strike.

(Ask to be added/removed from the taglist)

[mxxnlightwriting]

Not Another Cinderella Story — A WIP Masterlist by mxxnlingwriting

— Logline —

When the King gives the Crown Prince an ultimatum to find a wife before he abdicates the throne, he has no choice but to throw a ball in the hopes of finding his future wife. In the hours of the event, he strikes up a conversation with a mysterious woman. Finding her after the ball is only half of the battle as convincing her to change her ways to suit the royal life proves to be a much harder task than he initially anticipated.

— Details —

age group/genre: new adult contemporary romance type: novel pov: dual, third person, past tense status: brainstorming | outlining | drafting | editing | proofreading started: october 2023 | finished: — | released/published: —

— Features —

small fictional european country (think parisian architecture with monaco geography/lifestyle), modern-day royalty, socialities, high society, bakeries and lots of baked goods, strangers (to friends) to lovers, family dynamics, the power of friendship, lots of parallels to cinderella (hence the name of this WIP) and more!

— Index —

All Posts

About

Character Profiles

Inspiration

Excerpts

Moodboards

Playlist

© mxxnlightwriting 2023 All rights reserved. Copying, reposting, translating and/or modifications of my work are strictly prohibited.

Tari's Note: This is going to be my NaNoWriMo 2023 Project! It came to me while I was trying to come up with some sort of story to help me fall asleep, and I ended up mentally plotting this entire thing in my head in the hours it took me to fall asleep. Now, it's almost time to write it down, and I couldn't be more excited!

[supersymmetrys]

QUE LOS MUERTOS AQUÍ ES DONDE TIENEN QUE ESTAR . . .

An introduction post for my Camp Nano WIP!

Title: Neon Bible

Genre: Horror

Status: First drafting

Setting: Mexico, 1950s

POV: Third Person

Warnings: swearing, alcohol use, violence, and mild sexual content.

Synopsis:

A small town in Mexico is divided when the child of the Ríos family, one of the most important families in town, starts claiming to hear voices and see things that aren't there: half the town believes it must be the devil's work while the other tries to find a medical solution. The situation escalates with the arrival of a foreign guest, who clashes immediately with one of the most beloved and respected men in town.

Tag: # wip ; neon bible

Pinterest Board: Here

Spotify Playlist: Here

Characters: (will add the links for their introduction posts in the future)

Felipe Ávila Reyes: (27, he/him) An agoraphobic and devout catholic, Felipe is a school teacher who spends most of his free time at the town's church, either praying or helping Father Posada with the mass. Father Posada is the one who asks for his help with the Mabel Ríos case. Dr. Sebástian de la Torre: (25, he/him) A young Spanish doctor asked by the Ríos family to take a look at their child, Sebastián likes to do things his way, trusting only logic and science. Cassandra "Sandra" Ávila Reyes: (29, she/her) Félipe's older sister, unlike her brother, Sandra isn't catholic and instead practices santería, much to her brother's dislike. Maribel "Mabel" Ríos Juárez: (17, she/her)The youngest child in the Ríos family, Mabel scares the whole town with a sudden and strange behavior, claiming to hear voices in the dark and screaming for no apparent reason. Lucía Juárez de la Cruz: The matriarch of the Ríos-Juárez family and the one who's most concerned for the daughter, Lucía is the one who calls for Sebastián to help her family. Alejandro Juárez de la Cruz: Brother of Lucía and uncle of Mabel, he lives with her sister's family in the Ríos family house and is the one in charge of Mabel most of the time. Alba Gracián Ríos: Felipe's fiancée, and a relative to the Ríos family.

Taglist (ask to be added!) ; under the cut

@ofgoldenfools

[hemlucks]

―; a writeblr [re]introduction 

previous url ; latrantem

long time, no see! it's been over a year since i was last active on this lonely little writeblr. but with a newfound fire under me to complete these wips that have been loitering in my brain for years, i've decided to come back!

―; about the author/blogger

name ; dylan

age ; 25

from ; chicago, usa

blog type ; writeblr, personal

mbti ; isfp-t (turbulent mediator)

what i write ; dark academia + campus thriller, romance, contemporary, literary fiction

―; works in progress

i have quite a few wips (will be posting more intros for those soon!), but here are loglines for my three main wips that i’ve been working on every day:

the last twist of the knife (campus thriller)

in rainy portsmith, rainier academy students unearth a dark conspiracy tied to town and school leaders. guided by a found journal, they strive to expose the truth and thwart a malevolent ritual.

those who tempt fate (dark academia)

amidst the intoxicating atmosphere of a secluded campus, brilliant students unite in their pursuit of immortality, delving into the eerie legacy of an ancient cult.

treacherous (campus thriller/mystery)

within the seemingly tranquil halls of echelon academy, a sudden tragedy drives everett and hudson to uncover a conspiracy surrounding the school's rowing team.

the man i am (contemporary romance, coming of age)

after his supposedly straight childhood friend is outed to the entire school and ostracized from their entire community, river williams decides to re-kindle a friendship he once lost.

i thank you for reading this horrifically long introduction and look forward to sharing your edits and reading all of your wips !

[grimmunreality]

writeblr introduction — thelivingdeceased

hi !! here’s an introduction because i haven’t done one :D

about me // October, he/she, aro/ace !!

genres/tropes // sci-fi, horror, found family, dystopia, supernatural elements, morally grey characters, etc :D

hobbies/likes // minecraft, cats, d&d, photography, ice skating, music, and writing (of course) !!

fun facts // i have six cats !! one of them (olivia newton john) is my writing buddy !! (she likes to “help” by stepping on my keyboard)

socials // @//teafrog_literature on insta !!

other // my dms and asks are very much open !! :D

my wips !!

i have two main series’ at the moment (though i do have a few standalone projects) :D

The Unreality

The Unreality is a big big series that I’ve been working on for just under a year. It has stupid teenagers, world bending powers, cosmic horror, what more could you ask for. | Book One | Book Two

genre: sci-fi horror

status: working on the second book :3

summary: It’s the 1970s and a group of teenagers have accidentally ostracised themselves from the general public by joining the Unreality, an entity that allows them to bend reality. With no control over it and the constant weight of everything on their minds, they get into more trouble than it’s worth, and find they have no idea how to get themselves out.

retellings

idk i like retellings and i’m writing a lot of novellas and maybe some novels that are retellings :3

genre: retellings (if that’s a genre) and most times horror :3

status: currently plotting a novel and novella

summary: Hugo Adler has been cursed for most of his life to watch the world from a bird’s eye view, literally. Only able to be human for a few hours at a time and with all eternity to wander, he takes up documenting the lives of interesting people. Watching and transcribing everything live, he learns just how individual the world can be, and how many struggles a human can have.

yippee !!

[buffythevampirelover]

NaNoWriMo: Red Ring of Fate

Hi! I’m Buffy and this is my NaNoWriMo project :) *NOTE FROM FUTURE BUFFY: I did not complete this lol, she is still in progress!

wlw romance, duel POV, chinese mythology elements

“Jingyi is a manager at a cafe, saving up for flight attendant school. Renée is a student at the University of Saskatchewan, months away from getting her bachelor's degree in kinesiology. The two don't recall ever crossing paths, nor seemingly have anything in common. Except they have the same tattoo; a red ring on their pinky finger symbolizing the red string of fate. An ancient Chinese myth about soulmates. The two meet. They suddenly see each other everywhere. They befriend one another. They fall in love. But is love enough when you're both about to head off into the world in different directions? Will the string connecting them snap, when tested by thousands of miles of distance? In this romance story that centres around the Chinese myths that subtly take over two Chinese-Canadians lives, soulmates seem to be more of a choice, than a fate.”

The story has two main characters: Jingyi and Renée

My NaNoWriMo goal is 50,000 though idk how likely that is but I really am just hoping to get this story into motion and break my writer's block that has been bugging me for a few months now!

[urlocalwitch555]

painting be rand burns

WIP INTRODUCTION ๋࣭ ⭑⚝

because camp nanowrimo is starting tomorrow, i decided to do an intro for the novella i'll be writing this camp! (which is also my first camp nano)

✧┊ title: veil of shadow

✮⋆˙┊ genre: high fantasy

✧┊ literary genre: novella

✦┊ current word count: 1,241

✶┊ goal word count: 30,000

๋࣭⭑┊ setting: land of the moon; enchanted forests and mountains

★┊ tropes and themes (i'm so bad at this): werewolves, vampires, monsters, witches, dragons, dragon riders, lost heritage, finding one's identity, feminism, equality, slavic folklore, dictatorship

☆┊ playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6GM91iRqdFluI1pAyCJZPi?si=5oFyf8B7QjOyoVR8Xq7f8Q&pi=e-9aGJpn3MR_K9

🌙 plot summary

when alesya has been found by druids as a kid, all she had was a golden medallion of an unknown coat of arms. soon the full moon came and the druids found that the girl was in fact a werewolf. for years they've held her closed off from villagers, hiding her during full moons, and times when wolven features showed on her human form. behind closed doors, they took care of her and teached her all magic and knowledge they had. alesya was a quick learner and soon enough became a proper witch.

one day, when alesya was already an adult and got sick of being held back by the druids, she decided to run away. what made her make that decision was meeting of a spirit guide familiar, and the fact that villagers wanted to hunt her down. alone with her horse and wolf familiar, she went on a quest to find out where her medallion came from, and find her biological family. along the way she met new people and creatures, helping them, taking down regimes, and learning about the world after not seeing it for her whole life.

₊ ⊹ ┊ inspiration (aka the playlist that made me write this story): https://youtu.be/BaFuOrwIAK8?si=Kjr0OwKwVXZqZl84

✪┊ an excerpt:

The sun was low on the horizon. Night was approaching, and with it the full moon, ominous in its silken light. Children were returning home, running away from what hid in the shadows, and Alesya was what they were running from.

painting by dennis sheehan

[rowanwriting]

— REVENANCE nanowrimo 2023 accountability thread

genre. paranormal romance // lgbt+ audience. adult // 18 pov. third person summary.

Ten years ago, Malcolm was turned into a vampire. On accident. An outcast from his Maker, Malcolm only knows life as a servant. That is, until Kazimir, the mortal enemy of his Maker, offers him something he cannot refuse.

goal. 50,000 words

[cospinol]

50k clear!! (*ˊᗜˋ*)و

[ghostblazewrites]

Children of the Forest Intro

BASIC

genre: fantasy, adventure,

status: finished first draft, editing

key themes: found family, exploration, fantasy, nature, mythology, magical realism, siblings, childhood friends, nostalgia, parasites, at this point i'm just listing things in my book i'll stop

𖡼 𖤣 𖥧 𖡼 𓋼 𖤣 𖥧 𓋼 𓍊 𖡼 𖤣 𖥧 𖡼 𓋼 𖤣 𖥧 𓋼 𓍊 𖡼 𖤣 𖥧 𖡼 𓋼 𖤣 𖥧 𓋼 𓍊 𖡼 𖤣 𖥧 𖡼 𓋼

STORY

Two boys are born in a willow tree inside a forest brimming with magic. They become obsessed with uncovering the secrets of this forest, exploring and researching the wilderness along with their childhood friends. When the forest suddenly vanishes and then reappears in struggling condition, the boys are left wondering what happened to their home, and if they can save it.

CHARACTERS

Theo Winter (he/him)

Impulsive, always-smiling, and just a tad bit reckless. He's the class clown, never one to take things seriously and it backfires. a lot. Theo's just having fun ok? Not his fault the god of the forest decided his body would be perfect as its puppet!

age: 17

quote: “I highly doubt any of what you said is gonna be a problem,” Theo said distractedly, then grabbed onto Kian’s backpack urgently as another thought struck him. He was always active, and always filled with energy. Kian didn’t think he ever saw Theo without a grin on his face or his blue bandanna off his head.

quick facts

he's trans (ftm)

adhd king

playboy (don't worry, he learns very quickly this isn't good)

inspired by oliver queen and lance mcclain

heart of the forest

Kian Winter (he/him)

Intelligent, oblivious, and always locked in his own world, he's always operating at 100% and extremely determined/stubborn. the inventor of the group, his tech assists his research on the forest.

age: 17

quote: John’s veins bulged from his neck, his eyes slitted. He turned slowly to look at him and his voice was low. “You’re dead.” “I’m very much alive. It’s Mothsong who is dead. I think.” Kian rushed to pick up his robotic insect’s limp body from inside the mess. “I’m sure I can fix this–”

quick facts

autism king

inspired by zane (ninjago) and gansey from the raven boys!!

always wearing his goggles and his jacket with a million pockets in them- with almost any gadget you can think of

gayyy

always known as the younger brother of theo even though they're technically twins and no one knows who's older

brains of the forest

Rue Ezeani (she/her)

Quiet, sarcastic, and always willing to stand up for what she believes is right, she's a punk who got kicked out of her home, and she's brutally protective of her friends. also, flowers grow on her quite a lot.

age: 16

quote: “Poverly, you don’t know shit about me,” Rue growled, taking a step towards them. “I’ve been to this forest longer than you, it’s more important to me than you’ll ever know. Of course I was working to get it back.”

quick facts

has freckles

trans lesbian

first friend kian and theo made

inspired by blue sargent (wow who could've guessed) and killer frost

eyes of the forest

can play electric guitar

i love her

Becca Hill (she/her)

Smart, cold, and competent, she is known as the 'normal' one of the group, although she has her issues, don't worry. Gets skeptical and annoyed easily, but connects with nature and animals very well. Natural-born leader.

age: 17

quote: “Oh my god, you guys can’t just break ceilings and destroy classrooms. Do you have any idea how much those cost?” Becca pressed her lips together, concerned.

quick facts

'token straight friend' (sure...)

inspired by laurel lance and pip fitz amobi!!

has a pet dog, turtle, and bird

complicated relationship with theo

ears of the forest

Cove Poverly (they/them)

If you thought Theo was impulsive, think again. They're a fighter, with a short temper and witty humour. Chews gum, tobacco, straw, lollipops...they like to keep busy. Mastered the 90's + 2020 aesthetic at the same time? A reaaal southern kid.

age: 16

quote: “Trouble in hetero relationships. Can't relate," Cove casually chewed on a piece of gum. They brushed past Theo, picked up a twig, and began drawing something on a nearby rock.

quick facts

heterochromia! (one eye is blue, one eye is hazel)

inspired by... tbh i have no idea where cove came from they just popped up

very blunt/no filter

nonbinary

m e n

likes arguing with rue (affectionately, they hate each other)

fists of the forest

Amora (she/her)

Mysterious, sassy and flirtatious imp, lives deep within the forest and a master of manipulation. Is she truly evil? Who knows? Some hate her, some love her, but no one trusts her.

age: ?

quote: Amora grinned, her eyes a deep mauve in this lighting. “No games, Thorny. I’m just here to help you save the forest. It’s my job.” She stretched the last part, singing it with a tilt of her head.

quick facts

wears a red cloak

inspired by darcy wu and parisa kamali

seduces like half of the characters

she has elfish ears

twig horns and long black nails

also has ties to a god/spirit...

Miiba (it/its)

no picrew for this mf but basically this is the god of the forest, it's a big pain in the ass for our main characters because there's...occasional possessions and flora growing everywhere on their clothes/body. it has questionable morals due to being immortal and its sole purpose is to preserve the forest. it doesn't have a corporeal form, instead bouncing its consciousness around any creature/living thing in the forest (plants, trees, animals)

AESTHETIC

FACTS

𖡼 i wrote this entire book during nanowrimo!! i won, but i added 13k after november so it's only 63k right now, but i am editing to make it longer. it took me two months to finish draft 1

𖡼 i came up with the idea during summer of 2022, based on a playlist that a close friend gave me - they said boom, make a story, and i did!!

𖡼 the story is set in the fictional town of pinevale, canada, and i do not have a name for the forest yet (i should probably get on that so it's less vague when i talk about the forest

𖡼 it's third person and the POV switches between kian, theo, rue and miiba, and amora for like one pov (i'll probably make it more consistent in the 2nd draft)

LINKS

spotify playlist

pinboard

𖡼 𖤣 𖥧 𖡼 𓋼 𖤣 𖥧 𓋼 𓍊 𖡼 𖤣 𖥧 𖡼 𓋼 𖤣 𖥧 𓋼 𓍊 𖡼 𖤣 𖥧 𖡼 𓋼 𖤣 𖥧 𓋼 𓍊 𖡼 𖤣 𖥧 𖡼 𓋼

if you want to know more, please tell me! this took SO LONG but i loved doing it. i'll probably do it for my other wips!!

[nrivanwrites]

wip (re)introduction; the last lorinean

In the summer that my dreams began, I spent most of my time mourning the loss of Adaline. In an empire cursed with dreamless sleep, a woman who craves nothing but a peaceful life begins to dream. Lilli Karington discovers that she is host to a Lorinean, a being made of pure magic that was eradicated by the empire generations ago. When soldiers track her down for the act of treason that is sheltering a Lorinean, she is forced to leave behind her quiet life and venture into a world of deserter Faeries, pirate half-Elves, and a royal conspiracy spanning two centuries.

In all the years of writing this story, I have gotten no better at writing a blurb... anyways, this is my NaNoWriMo project! I am once against starting a brand new draft and hoping to chug through it all. For the first time in a decade of working on this story, I am going to try writing it in first person! So far I think it is going okay, though my passive voice is going to be the death of me.

The prologue is beneath the cut! Taglist in the reblogs, let me know if you would like to be added/removed.

The kiss burned on her lips as she raced through the catacombs. Every bone in her body urged her to turn around, to go back to her lover’s arms, to die with her. But she would never be forgiven if she did.

The flames of the ever-burning torches barely flickered as she ran past them. She counted them in twos. Her lover’s voice echoing in the back of her mind. Directions that would carry her out of the catacombs, through the Imperial Gardens, and down the cliffs into the harbor. Her purse held enough gold to convince a common trader to take her back to the Isles. If not to the Isles—she remembered the embargo, and did not know if her gold carried that much weight—then anywhere beyond the reach of the Aronian Empire.

Her legs began to ache. Her strength was in her arms, her magic. She had never ran this hard in her long life. For a moment, she slowed, bringing her hands near her legs and praying that willpower was enough for a healing spell. The voices of soldiers came down a nearby tunnel. It spurred her on more than the healing spell could have.

She made a sharp right turn. Moonlight crept down the tunnel from an archway at the end of it, half obscured by vines. Through the gardens, down the cliffs, into the sea. Each step took her farther away from her lover, that dying woman who gave her this second chance at life.

She felt the moonlight on her face before she registered the bolt of magic shot between her collarbones. Her knees gave out. She fell to the ground hard enough that it broke her nose. She heard the crack and felt the blood beginning to drip down her face.

“Wait a minute,” a voice said. She struggled to focus on it through the pain. Someone’s magic kept her paralyzed, suffocated, anchored by the spot on her back. “That’s a royal uniform.”

She hoped they would have the grace to bring her back for an execution. Maybe then she could see her lover one more time. A selfish hope. She knew the pain it would bring.

“Mystics protect the poor fool who tells the general we incapacitated one of his favorites.” A different voice. Closer to her. How had she missed their footsteps? Had the panic drowned it all out?

“A stupid favorite, to be running through the catacombs tonight.”

A hand grabbed her by the shoulder and rolled her over. The full moon peered down at her, the wide eye of a goddess bearing witness. She didn’t recognize the faces of the soldiers. Their faces, their voices, they blended together.

“No, I recognize her. She’s royal guard, but still a Lor.”

“Why’s she running? I thought the Emperor gave her a pardon.”

“That was before the princess got poisoned. It happened on her watch. She’s as good as the rest of them.”

“Whoever put a Lor on the royal guard must be cursing the Mystics now.”

“Should we bring her to the cells?”

“No. Running is as good as guilty.”

One of the soldiers lifted their hand. The magic pinning her in place tore through her chest. She screamed. Her chest grew warm with blood, and so did her back, and her mouth began to taste of iron, and she couldn’t remember the last thing her lover said to her. All she could hear were footsteps

“Don’t worry,” the last soldier said with something like sympathy. She fought to keep her eyes open, locked onto the moon. She did not waste her thoughts praying. How long did dying take? How long did dying take when one’s heart still beat? “Wherever you Lorineans end up—you won’t be lonely. Maybe you’ll become a star.”

The soldier ducked back into the tunnel. She could no longer see their figure, but she felt them. She felt the magic that made up their soul, and she felt the empty places within that magic.

Her fingers twitched. She pulled magic from the plants, from the dirt, from the memories of her parents, from the distant Isles. She pulled magic from her body, until she was no longer her body, until she was nothing but magic, nothing but magic and a wound. Her consciousness faded fast. She pushed herself into the crevices of the departing soldier’s soul.

And then she slept.