Originally published at Joely Sue Burkhart. You can comment here or there.
I’ve actually begun the second draft. I’m letting myself “warm up,” so to speak, without a lot of pressure right away. I’m slowly working back toward a Dark & Early schedule. I don’t want to overwhelm myself. Although I’ve done tons of planning, something could still go wrong. I could still find a yawning plot hole ahead, or realize I don’t know this new character at all. So I’m cautiously feeling my way ahead.
The Maya had a phrase, “he entered the Road,” or “he entered the White Road,” to describe death. The White Road led through Xibalba, the Place of Fright, to the Great Ceiba, or World Tree, “Raised-Up Sky.” At the end of every day, the Sun Lord dies and becomes the Jaguar Night Sun. He must pass through Xibalba, battle the Lords of Death as he passes through the Milky Way (the White Road), until he reigns triumphant over the day once more.
I very much feel as though the White Road stretches beneath my feet. I’ve entered the Place of Fright. You’ve seen how many characters and story lines I need to weave in this story, and although I have a good start on Jaid’s story after finishing the first draft, there’s still a considerable amount of work to accomplish. I know the Lords of Death wait for me, plotting ways to trick me into staying in Xibalba forever instead of passing through successfully.
It’s not the World Tree I aim for, exactly. This journey takes me to Kukulkan’s pyramid on the other side. (See Well of Sky, my free read at Drollerie) It looks a lot like this.
And yes, all this story asks for is my heart.