Book Titles

Today wasn't the most eventful day in my drive to write.  I edited more on "Sage" and managed to get my word count down to 124,990 which is good.  I know how I'm going to rewrite the first three chapters to be more in line with the rest of the book.  This will cut my word count by another 4-5K and will make the beginning more exciting.  I don't want to overhaul the beginning though until I've let about 6 weeks go by since I gave the agent my query and what not.  The agent works for an agency that will not respond if they are not interested, so I need to not mess with the sample pages that I gave her until I'm sure my writing was rejected.

I've started to outline my next project which I was referring to as "Fairy High" until today.  Yes, it's a YA book about a 13- year- old girl that discovers she's actually a fairy.  I've been rethinking the name of the book.  I like the title "Blink".

The book's opening line is Zaza's mom talking to her when she's only two and telling her to not blink or she'll miss it.  What "it" is, I haven't decided yet.  I have an idea how the book starts and what the conflict in the book is.  I just haven't visualized how the book ends.  I have the closing line to the book already.  :) This is how I visualized "Sage" when I was writing it.  I would get visions or dreams of what goes on in the story and then I would write them down in my rough outline and eventually I had connected all the dots.  So my outline to "Blink" is growing and I've been taking notes on paper.

Other than that, I gave my 3-year-old a spa day.  lol!  I cut her bangs, trimmed all her nails, and painted her toenails.  She thought it was great!

Excerpt from Chapter 25

(Sage just finished having a heart to heart with her mom.)

I left shortly after that.  She tried to tell me everything was all right, but I felt very uneasy.  From the moment that mark developed on the back of my neck about eight months ago, everything it represented was having a snowball effect on my life.  It just kept growing and growing, but eventually I knew that that snowball would make it to the bottom of the hill and break open.  I just wasn’t sure what was inside that snowball.  Clearly a werewolf, but was there something more?

I reflected on what she told me on my drive into town.  I knew there was power in me.  I also knew my power felt stronger when I was near my partner.  Sometimes I couldn’t feel where my power ended and his began, but most of the time we were just one. The other term used instead of “partnered” is “bonded”.  That might actually be a fairer interpretation of the cohesiveness felt between partners.  Brian’s and my power were welded together, after all.  Sometimes the power was welded side by side; one could expand and overlap the other's, while other times it was a shared power.  One power.  It wasn’t a far stretch to think that our offspring would need some of that power to survive.  The werewolves gave off the most power, so it would seem that the more werewolves a clan has, the better the clan does reproductively. 

Excerpt from Chapter 30

Another small excerpt.  Just a reminder for those that don't know the story, Brian's pack can hear Sage's thoughts.

Chapter Thirty

Finally, Finally

            Ramona was only about a half hour from Julian, straight down through the mountains, but still higher elevation than the rest of San Diego County.  The town had grown since I was a little girl.  The days of one traffic light were in the distant past as the town pushed outward along its borders.  Many of our nonmarked clan members had moved away from Julian over the last two hundred years, but many didn’t go far.  Ramona was full of individuals that descended from shapeshifters.  The funny thing was that most of the citizens there didn’t know that, but occasionally a teenager would pop up on the radar who had enough genetic material to develop the mark, not often, but occasionally, and then the elders would have to step in and inform the parents that their child can run a little faster, bench press a little more, and overall is different because they themselves must have some genetic material of a werewolf. 

These rare finds of individuals that develop the mark, yet their parents are markless, are few and far in between.  The last time I heard of this happening was Keith’s father, Richard Stubbe.  But come on; with the last name Stubbe, that doesn’t surprise me.  After all, Peter Stubbe was a crazy German werewolf that went around killing villagers hundreds of years ago.  All well documented.  So of course there’s lycanthrope genes in that bloodline.  Funny how people don’t know their own history.  Keith’s father moved to Julian when he was 18 years old so he could reintegrate back into the clan.  And that he did.  He found himself a nice marked female and had himself a werewolf for a son.

Brian cleared his throat but it was Jason who spoke, “No don’t interrupt her; her mind ramblings can be very interesting.  I almost felt like Trish’s grandpa was giving me another history lesson.  It’s like turning to the History Channel and finding a soap opera on instead.”  I looked back to see the biggest smile on Jason’s face.

“Shut up, Jason.”  I blushed.  

Excerpt from Chapter 11

This is just a small excerpt from perhaps one of my favorite chapters in the book.  I wanted to turn the entire chapter over as part of my sample of writing to the literary agent but it doesn't fall in the first 50 pages.

Chapter Eleven

The World

The sky had a whitish blue hue to it as if the world’s image was being reflected in a looking glass.  Peace filled me as I looked away from the Earth up into the heavens.  My thoughts drifted far from here, but heaven couldn’t hold me. This world, my world, felt chaotic and confusing as it pulled me back down.  I was bound to this place in time and so my thoughts returned to it.

I decided to revisit the scene of the crime – the location of last night’s council meeting.  From atop of the 30 foot boulder that formed the backdrop to the stage, I could see the clearing where my people gathered to watch me make a fool of myself last night and alienate some potential friends, friends of my family, friends of Brian’s.

The day, though beautiful and sunny, had been greatly overshadowed by my angst about my inhuman behavior last night.   I was supposed to demonstrate my abilities, that was all, nothing more, but somehow I got carried away.  My instincts took control of me and I tried to hurt people, good people.  A fleeting smile crept over my face.  Well actually they were wolves – but still my people.

From on top of my perch, I could still hear the soft crunching noises of an animal below.  “Shoo, go away,” I said as I looked over the edge of the massive boulder.  My eagle eye platform was about 30 feet up and 20 feet in diameter.  My day had been getting weirder and weirder.

Still hanging my head over the edge I said out loud, “Don’t you have a rabbit to go catch or something?  Perhaps you can make someone else’s girlfriend feel bad, because you know that I feel horrible about last night.  I don’t need you circling my rock every five minutes to see if I’m still up here.  I’m not part eagle, I can’t fly away you know.  Besides, I’m not coming down until you leave.  Shoo!”

I sat there running my tongue over my newly sharpened teeth, trying to ignore the wolf that had been trailing me part of the morning.  My wolf was at work, this one, Jason, was assigned to keep me out of trouble – so Brian told me earlier going against all my protests.  He said if I wasn’t willing to go home until I felt better, than I was going to be assigned a chaperone.  I tried, but there was no arguing with the alpha male in him.

A golden tail hawk floated by overhead, I’m sure it was wondering what I was doing laying on a rock.  Probably looking to see if I were dead, thinking perhaps the wolf below fatally injured me.  I pondered if the hawk knew there weren’t supposed to be wolves in this part of the country anymore, or perhaps the hawk knew the truth that that wasn’t a real wolf, but a different species all together.  Maybe the hawk accepted the fact that there were werewolves just as there are gophers or field mice.  If so, then I too would have to come to terms with my new reality of the world.

My Other Projects

Besides "Sage: Dance of the Marked" my completed but unpublished YA book, I have other projects that I have started and then set aside.  I started a story that I affectionately named "The End of Men".  This idea came to me one day after looking around and noticing that there are more and more females being born.  Of course one might think that it is just my perception since I am a mother of two girls.  My 8 year old daughter's classes have been almost 2/3rds female since kindergarten.  My 3 year old daughter's daycare classes are over 50% female.  Heck, even my brother only has a daughter.  My dad ended up with three granddaughters and no grandsons. :)  I decided to google this local phenomena that I was witnessing and found that the sex ratio might really be shifting to more girls being born.  I'll be interested to see what the new census reports when it comes out.  Anyway, back to "The End of Men", I've never written down my thoughts for where the story is going, I just started writing it from page one.  Oh I definitely have thoughts about where the story is going but haven't bothered to outline the rest of the story.  This is very unlike how I wrote "Sage".  I wrote rough outlines or summaries of almost all the chapters for that book.
I have another project that I'm ready to start on NOW but I'm still editing on "Sage".  I might put "Sage" away for awhile just so I can get started on my new story.  My new story doesn't have a proper title yet so I refer to it as "Fairy High".  It definitely will be YA.  I've taken notes, researched and outlined where the story is going.  I just need to start writing.  It helps having the rough outline to guide me.
I have another project that I had started on and that one I can't tell you about.  LOL!  It's not YA and likely will never see the light of day. ;)
Those are the only projects in which I've actually created files and started to put something on the computer.  I do have other stories in me that are trying to crawl their way to the surface.  "The Tree Folk of Juniper Creek" and "The Rise of the Witches and the Warlords" are just two of them that might actually make their way out of me.

Kiss it Good-Bye

Well I went to work today and realized at the end of the day that the agent didn't call.  LOL!  I really had hoped my story would have swept her off her feet but the truth is that the first 44 pages are wordy and likely not as good as the rest of the story.  I've already formed a plan on how to overhaul the beginning so it is shorter and much more attention grabbing to match the rest of the book.  I might rename this blog to "Kiss it Good-Bye" and dedicate my posts to all the scenes that I am chopping out of "Sage".  I feel more positive today about having to trim my book down.  ...lol, I have to more than trim it down.  I have to chop a novella out of it!  I'm going to be the little engine that could.  ...I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.

Excerpt from "Sage: Dance of the Marked" chapter 7

This is an excerpt from my book when Sage first meets two other werewolves from her partner's pack.  Why am I posting this excerpt over so many of my other scenes?  I love my book, as most writers really love their own work - or they wouldn't write it, but I'm going to have to make some tough decisions and cut a lot of material to bring my word count down.   Likely this scene will have to be cut.  :(  I really like this scene but it's probably one of those that isn't really needed to progress the story.

Excerpt from the beginning of chapter 7.

It’s been five days since I’ve come home and in that time I have managed to undo all my hard work over the last year.  I spent my first year away at college trying to create my own destiny and escape one that was almost predestined for me here in Julian.  Well, predestined for me until my family, my clan, gave up any hope of me showing any outward signs that I was carrying any werewolf genetic material in my DNA, and thus let me go away to school.  But within five days of being home, my recently discovered new life and new destiny have become a thing of my past and now I seem to be back on track with the life that was originally predestined for me.  I was thinking about how convoluted all this seems while getting ready for work.  I was scheduled for another day of training at the hardware store.  I reminded myself, any place where Brian is, is where I wanted to be. The connection we had was growing stronger with each day that we were together.  My attraction for him was more than a physical craving, being near him was no longer a choice; it was essential as breathing.

            Yesterday was fairly uneventful with Brian compared to the previous day at Tristan Klein’s office.  Yesterday Brian taught me how to run the register at work and how to inventory the nuts and bolts aisle.  Hmm, I guess even werewolves have to work.

            But last night was interesting, to say the least.  My mom sent me to the grocery store to do some shopping.  Even from the parking lot I caught their scent.  As I walked into the store, I could tell it wasn’t my Brian that I could smell, but two other werewolves.  One of the baggers looked up at me with those tell tale eyes, grinning flashing the teeth. 

I thought to him assuming that he would hear me, “You must be Keith.”  Keith Stubbe is the youngest of the pack. He is newly 16 and yet to finish high school.  Brian said Keith turned about eight months ago at the age of 15, younger than the rest of the pack when they individually changed.  From what I understood, Brian, Tristan, and Jason practically had to babysit Keith during the first few months before and after his change because his behavior was very unstable from his young teenage hormones and everyone was afraid he would wolf out in public. 

I stood in the vestibule of the grocery store staring at him, while he stared back.  Keith was barely taller than me, but not done growing yet at his age.  He had reddish brown hair, but flawless white skin, not all freckled up like most red heads.  He seemed to lack some self-control as he held his mouth slightly ajar; his bite elongated some.  He realized this and closed his mouth.  Finally he whispered, “You can’t hear my thoughts, can you?”

“Nope, but you hear me fine don’t you?”

“Excellent.”  Much too quickly he moved to stand next to me.  “Actually I don’t think any of us will hear you unless you are thinking something directly about us or to us,” he said this while trying to stare me down.  “So you can hear Brian’s thoughts?”  This was a statement more than a question.  Keith looked absolutely fascinated by this.

“Interesting.”  This was said from right behind me about a second after I realized that the other scent had intensified.  “You can’t hear the rest of us, but you can hear your mate and your brother,” Jason Butler, age 23 and werewolf said.

I jumped as I thought, “Ambushed.”

Jason sensed my knee jerk reaction - fear - before I ever thought it.  He pulled Keith back a little.  “Sorry, we didn’t mean to, um, intimidate you,” he said as he lowered his head respectfully.  “I definitely don’t want you to get the wrong impression and sic Brian after me,” he laughed quietly.

I thought that he was showing Brian respect by showing me some.  Jason was about 6 feet tall, with shoulder length brown hair.  Fairly unremarkable looking with the boy-next-door looks until you inspected his eyes.  He had darker green to hazel eyes, but they too seemed to glow, especially around the edges.

“We’ll have to get to know each other soon, because Trish is absolutely dying to get to know you and go on a double date,” he said with a kind smile. 

I smiled back and recalled that Brian had told me already that Trish is Jason’s partner.  That term partner doesn’t do the intense life bonding between some members of our clan justice, but it sufficed and regular humans didn’t take notice at its use.  “Yes, that would be nice.  Thank you.”  It was difficult to be anything but polite to someone who was being so courteous to me.

Jason went back into the storeroom, but Keith continued to stalk me around the store for a bit.  Oh why not?  On my second trip down aisle 5 to find the baked beans that were on my grocery list, I finally decided to use my silent voice to get help.  “Keith, where are the baked beans?”  I knew I needed to direct the question to him to have any hopes of him hearing me.

Keith, now back up by the register, looked at me and held up three fingers.  I nodded and thought to myself, “Well that was useful.”

As I went up the next aisle Keith was at the end, apparently still stalking me.  Clearly he had nothing better to do, but maybe he was just curious about me.  I noticed that he had a white crescent shaped scar on his lower leg.  I didn’t mean to pry, but I formed the thought before I could stop myself.  “Your scar looks like an animal bit you.”

Again, he was suddenly standing next to me, leaning close to my ear.  “Yeah, a dog by the name of Jason bit me,” he said so quietly that I was sure no one but me, and Jason clear across the store, heard him.

“Keith, may I see you in the employee lounge, now!”  Jason didn’t sound so polite anymore.  “Sage needs to be getting home before her mother gets worried.”

YA or not to YA, that is the question?

What should I do?  After going to yesterday's workshop, I learned that my unpublished YA book is almost 37,000 words over the max.  "Sage: Dance of the Marked" is just barely over 126,600 words at the moment.  I've had some suggestions that I should make it into two books, but honestly that is the last thing I want to do.  I don't want to put the time forward to split it into two books unless I know that I'm going to get it published.
Another suggestion that I had was to make it an adult book.  I'm not sure the story and writing is of the adult caliber.
For now, I'm trying to edit out the frivolous words that I like to add when I write.  I know that there are two chapters that I could edit down significantly but I don't see how I can edit out 120 pages of my book.  Any suggestions out there?

Blogging

I guess it was time for me to join the modern era and start blogging.  We already know that I love to talk and more importantly hear myself talk.  I'll add some excerpts from my finished book soon.  I went to a literary event today up in Julian, CA and listened to an agent talk today and she recommended this site called Got YA.  I hadn't heard of it, but now that I've taken a look around, I don't know how I've went this long without it!