Now that Vengeance is in the capable hands of a bunch of beta readers and feedback is slowly drifting in... and I'm trying to restrain myself from opening it every two minutes... I've started work on Book Two -- Memories Unforgotten.
It hasn't been easy. Every time I receive an email or a Discord bing, I fly back to the document and adjust things. Then start crying because the end is still so fresh in my mind. Need to take a breather and just wwaaaaaiiittttt until everyone is done and I can collect the feedback and sift through it. 😅
At the same time I've discovered that apparently there is a massive difference between British English and American English. I assumed it was just spelling differences but nope, turns out we have grammatical and syntax differences too! According to couch-based Google research, American writing is more simplified and the British are more extravagant.
Did you know that Harry Potter had to be re-written for an American audience?
Madness. I personally never read any of the Harry Potter books, they were too childish for me I guess? I was too busy reading the blood and gore of Shaun Hutson and the dark fantasy of Louise Cooper to waste any time reading about a child wizard. I grew up with adult books filled with blood, murder, ancient Gods and peoples third eyes being ripped open against their wills. 😬
Anyway! I've discovered there is a massive difference between Brits and Muricans when it comes to Englishing and I am most dissuaded. My British and Australian beta readers understand my style perfectly, can visualise the scenes as intended, and are brought deeper into the story according to feedback I've received. The Americans are not and are, in fact, taken out of my story. 🙁
So, I've been trying to distract myself away from Vengeance by focusing on Book Two of the series, that shall henceforth be known as Memories Unforgotten.
Some of you may have already met the characters when I was writing Skyswept here on Steem Hive, but let's reintroduce them! Since I will probably be babbling about them every so often just as I did with Lyria. 😅
VaitheA girl cursed with the ability to remember her past lives is now doubly cursed as she travels with the demon who originally brought about this mess. She's very quick to anger and very feisty, but still retains a small hint of her true self deep down.
In her own Rough Draft words:
“I was trapped in my own body, helpless as an unknown entity took me over and forced me to murder my Lord. In another I was repeatedly raped and strung naked from a tree for days, my death slow as I withered beneath the summer sun. My mother snapped my neck at the age of two. I have drowned, twice. Seven times I have managed to live to an old age and I’m always alone. I can’t bear the thought of being rebirthed with the heartbreaking memories of love and friendship, so I remain alone. Forever. I want to die. I want to forget!”
KianAn ex-horseman cursed to travel alongside a girl he had been ordered to capture and a demon he had been ordered to kill. Hunted by the Magisters each night in his dreams, he yearns to return to his masters and face his punishment for failure but instead finds himself drawn in to his new companions' impossible cause.
In his own Rough Draft words:
“Imagine, if you will, that you are a child, scared and alone in a castle you’ve been taught to fear, and have just been drained of near the entirety of your blood.” Her eyes slowly widened as he spoke. Good. That meant that she was actually listening. “My horse was imbued with every drop. Infused with my life, she took the entirety of my Gods-given blessing and encased it in her own and we were as one. When she died… it was not quick, it was not peaceful, it was, in fact, very painful. I felt every eternal second of her agony and part of me died alongside her.”
DarienCenturies ago a woman summoned a spirit from the heavens and kept it as her slave. Now all it wants is to return to where it belongs and it doesn't care who must be torn down and killed in order to reach its goal. It portrays itself as ever-cheerful, quick to humour, and willing to help, but its all a farce. There is only one thing it wants and success must be found. At any and all costs.
Darien's point-of-view isn't present in this part of the story. We won't really see from the demon's eyes until the last book, which is Book Four -- which is where everything shall be resolved and, perhaps, the 'Forgotten Prophecy' first mentioned in Book One comes true. 🙃😉
And that's it for my giant babble of today!
As always, if you made it this far I thank you so much for reading -- a giant kudos to you.
Also, for the first time in my life, today I saw a rainbow sun halo / iridescent clouds. I was so mesmerised by it. It was so pretty and gave me positive thoughts in regards to my story seeing as the sky of Fan'driel is literally a giant rainbow. I didn't manage to capture the best photo, but, tada!
❤️😊❤️
Divider image courtesy of Pixabay // Header image courtesy of Pixabay // Rainbow sun photo mine!