#super short first chapter but it's been ROTTING in my docs for so long i just wanted it out

[feuillmort]

(n.) a nostalgic longing to be near again to something or someone that is distant, or that has been loved and then lost; "the love that remains."

“No mortal is exempt from fate.”

“No god either, it seems.”

Shamura almost laughed. Such zeal. This mortal wielded blasphemy with suicidal ease, even as their heart screamed fear. They obviously did not care that Shamura could strike them down in a second. Shamura wouldn’t either, had they been hunted to the farthest corners of the world. But they were right. What could a weakened god do when their last followers lost faith?

Die. They could only die.

Shamura does not strike them down. “Might I ask the name of the great one who felled a Great One?”

“Narinder.”

[typeaadventures]

10 Question Tag

Tagged by @raiswanson

Rules: always post the rules, answer the questions given to you, write 10 questions of your own, tag 10 people

My Ten Questions:

1. How long ago did you make your oldest character (yes, that cringy one you don’t like to talk about)? If they still exist, how have they changed?

Technically, the first character I can remember writing was a little girl named Josie. She was the third youngest of like twelve siblings I think? Basically it was gonna be a story about the adventures of this absurdly large homeschooling family (based on the absurdly large homeschooling families I knew). That was the first time I can remember sitting down and saying “Okay, I’m going to write a whole story” and I remember asking my mom for some lined paper and her giving me a typewriter instead :) 

I never got passed the first chapter. 

2. How long have you been writing?

Since I was eleven at the very least. I’m basing it on when I started writing the above nonsense, although I can remember being a part of “story clubs” with my friends at like age seven and eight. 

3. Do you have a character type that always works its way into your writing? What are they like?

Yes. Actually I have two. There is USUALLY one headstrong girl who is erudite but reckless in that she doesn’t usually see the consequences of her actions until they’re too late and lacks a certain amount of emotional maturity (DEFINITELY not a self-insert, no, not at all). 

And then usually she has a male sidekick who is eternally frustrated at her denseness and constantly freaking out about her safety and is generally hilarious. They are almost always platonically in love. 

4. What about themes? Is there always that one theme that crops up all the time in your work?

Justice. What actions we should be taking on behalf of those who are being abused by the powers that be. Often this translates directly into some kind of twisted family structure, but it is ALWAYS about standing up for and giving a voice to those who otherwise are silenced. 

5. Long or short chapters? Or varied throughout?

At the moment, my chapters tend to be shorter, typically between about 3,000 and 6,000 words. A few of them have gone on much, much longer (I think there’s like a 10,000 word jaunt with a witch on a moor who was NEVER supposed to be in the story in the first place. Most of those words are her bawdy drinking songs. 

6. Stand-alone novel or long-running series? (assume quality of long running series does not diminish over time)

Often, I have running series of shorts stories, but my novels tend to be stand-alone. Do I have ideas for sequels? Hell yes, but I kind of need to finish the first ones first, you know?

7. How do you record your notes/ideas? Sticky note? App on your phone? Write it right into the writing document? A little bit of each?

Oh my gosh, my notes are so disorganized. Sometimes I’ll throw them in [square brackets] within the story. I have a bunch of sticky notes on my desktop of quotes and lines that got cut that I want to keep around. I have several google docs of notes on stories that I’m not supposed to be writing yet on my phone. . . the list goes on and on. 

8. Which of your characters will you defend to your grave no matter what they do? (If N/A, which would you turn over to the authorities in a heartbeat?)

Well, Earnest can go rot in a pit for being an abusive asshole. 

I’m so torn, because I want to say I’d defend most of my heroines, but then I realize I’m single-handedly responsible for all the terrible things that have happened to them and those they love, so. . . conflicted and guilty on that note. 

9. Who do you typically share your work with? Friends? Family? Strangers on the internet? Do you accost passerby on the street?

My baby sister gets a running commentary on any and all of my projects. She’s the only one who got to read my super cringy fanfiction when we were little,and has proven herself to be totes non-judgemental. 

Otherwise it’s usually friends. I know a married couple who are both writers as well, and we often spend long car-rides or phone calls mutually helping one another mash out menial plot details. It’s really useful because the three of use write drastically different genres, so we can often look at each other’s problems from new perspectives. 

@notmargaretchan is also a gem for reading my horrible first draft of Ghost and Spectre and giving A+ feedback. 

10. What are your favorite story settings to write/read about? Ancient Egypt? Secluded mountains? The ocean? The seaside? The streets of Victorian London? Feudal Japan?

I gotta admit, I’m pretty much a steampunk/fantasy setting person. Urban fantasy has been sneaking it’s way into my preferences lately, and after reading both The Blue Sword and Frank Herbert’s Dune, I’m slowly becoming obsessed with desserts, but there will always be swords and dragons. 

I feel like at this point, MOST people I know have already been tagged in this (because it took my 10,000 years to reply) but what the hey. I’ll throw out ten questions and if one or two of them strike your fancy, maybe just reply or reblog with the question of your choice :)

My Ten Questions

1. What is a character/trope that everyone loves but you detest?

2. What kind of media are you most inspired by? Other books? TV Shows? Movies? 

3. What book(s) would you go back and unread if you could (and why)? 

4. Do you have any characters floating in your head without a story attached to them? What are they like? What do you think they’ll end up doing?

5. Do you have any projects you’ve abandoned that you’d like to go back and finish one day? Did you give it up because of time or because you felt you weren’t ready to write it?

6. What is objectively the best writing snack of all time? 

7. What is one thing that never fails to inspire you? Going for a walk? A particular song or artist? Baking? 

8. What is a genre you don’t think you’ll EVER write in? Why not?

9. Which OC is most like you? 

10. What is the worst writing advice you’ve ever been given? 

[angstandhappiness]

YES, YES

(n.) a nostalgic longing to be near again to something or someone that is distant, or that has been loved and then lost; "the love that remains."

“No mortal is exempt from fate.”

“No god either, it seems.”

Shamura almost laughed. Such zeal. This mortal wielded blasphemy with suicidal ease, even as their heart screamed fear. They obviously did not care that Shamura could strike them down in a second. Shamura wouldn’t either, had they been hunted to the farthest corners of the world. But they were right. What could a weakened god do when their last followers lost faith?

Die. They could only die.

Shamura does not strike them down. “Might I ask the name of the great one who felled a Great One?”

“Narinder.”