There’s no other word to describe it. It scares the hell out of me when it happens. It’s so frickin’ PERFECT. I mean, I couldn’t have planned this. I didn’t, I swear. I actually had a lot of this wrong years ago when I first began jotting down notes for where I wanted Shannari’s story to go. I still had a lot of this wrong in my head until just a few minutes ago.
I said the other day that Return to Shanhasson would be where Blood and Fire collide. Gah, even then, I didn’t know how true that statement was. I missed it. It was sitting there, staring at me, waiting for me to finally notice it and then WHAMMO, I’m sitting here at the Evil Day Job frantically working on a real deadline and now my mouth is hanging open, my mind filled images so real, so frightening, so magnificent, I can’t even put it into words.
Little clues.
- the Keldari oil isn’t “caco” scented as I wrote it. Scent is very important in this series — and this was a deliberate ploy that I missed entirely and must correct. This oil could only be sandalwood.
- A certain new character that is not yet on page is even more important than I ever thought. I had his heritage completely wrong, although I knew he was neither from the Green Lands nor Sha’Kae al’Dan. So close, but I missed it by a mile until now. Dharman is going to DESPISE him and justly so, and yet…
- The unnamed antagonist is exactly who I thought he was, but he’s not, and this is the big, big chance for me to pull off the reverse of the theme: Even the blackest Shadow can be redeemed through love.
- This is going to add a TON of suspense as the midway to end scenes play out, because even now, I’m not really sure if the antagonist can do this. Seriously. I. Do. Not. Know. How. To. Pull. This. Off. But I must. Because…
- I need to write out the original devalki that cursed the Keldari because damn it all to the Three Hells, that story is playing out now, again, and I can only make it RIGHT this time, if I know how the original story went WRONG.
- I need to know what happens in the partially-plotted Keldari novella “Given In Fire” and drop a few select hints there for where this is all going. As if I don’t have enough to do…
And none of this was in my original outline. Vulkar help me, I think I’ve got another 120K story in the works here….
Not being in the original outline is part of
the magic of writing or so I have found. 😛
It’s always the best stuff that isn’t in the outline. 😀 Congrats on the epiphany, it sounds totally wicked! 😈
Congrats! This sounds amazing. You can do it, and the story will be all the better for it.
Mykal Mykal Mykal Mykal!! Oh, I love it! *dances around, clapping like a lunatic*
I’mma shut my mouth now. Heeeeeeeehhhhh…..
I agree, DixieBelle!
Thanks, Bethanie, it IS. Wicked, wicked, wicked.
Thanks, Ann!
Sis, hope you’re not mad. Mykal is no longer a Death Rider nor a Mambian shapeshifter as I suspected; he’s a Keldari dra’gwar. I found a way to bring him on page earlier by having him interact with the antagonist, instead of merely showing up for nagging.
😯
Knight takes the Queen! Pawn takes the Queen! Gangbang!
Wooooohoooooo Joely!!!!!!!! Git ‘r done!!! You can totally make this right, and it sounds AMAZING!
Also, I hear you on the MAGIC. … I calculated at my current rate of production in proportion to my scenelist, my novel will actually be 150-180k. Yes, me, whose typical first draft is in the 60k range and needs beefing up. It’s amazing what fully plotting a story can do, now isn’t it?? Granted, I know the proportions/pacing will shift and it won’t really be that long, but easily the 90k I was hoping for!.
I agree with all the above. You can DO this! I’ve got chills, seriously. This sounds like it’s going to be freaking awesome!!!
Sis, you wanna know what’s almost as freaky-scary as that Magic of yours? I seriously was just thinking about Mykal last night. I was sniffing my sandalwood reed diffuser oil and kinda grinned and even said the name aloud. Freaky, ain’t it?
And it makes sense that he’s a dra’gwar. It just…clicks somehow. There’s no way I’ll be mad at getting him on the screen sooner!
*snickersnort* And aren’t you glad I tipped you to that little quote? It’s a riot, ain’t it? And sooooo appropriate. Mel Brooks is just so applicable to life itself.
Thanks Jess and congrats yourself!!
Sis, I found that snippet on YouTube and watched it again. Shannari is an awfully good sport. 😆
Give her some air, boys!
Hurrah! Epiphanies are great!