Women Writing Fiction Challenge

April 26, 2019

Women Writing Fiction Challenge - April 2019

@l.c.maxwell is the host of the last challenge I'm working on. I was tagged by C.H. Knyght who I'm interviewing this month. :D

Day 1 - April Fool's Day: A Foolish Character - Ka Shi Malaki is the most foolish character in my story, I think. It's because he believes revenge and holding grudges are the right way to live. He doesn't see how these things tear him down in the eyes of others and in his spirit.
Day 2 - April Goals - Revised OLUS and get those blanks filled in; create more freebies for newsletter subscribers; get chapters of OLUS loaded to Wattpad for feedback on content
Day 3 - Selfie Author Bio: Go live and say hi to your followers! - I tried to link the photo with the IGTV video. If the link doesn't work, you'll be able to see it soon. Stay tuned for the edited and stitched update to my new AuthorTube channel!

Day 4 - Your Family - My family is harder to explain than this short post will allow. You know how they say 'Friends: The Family You Choose'? Well, there's a small group of people I feel that way about. There's no way I'd name them all here, but the one I've given my heart to and the very few who share our genes and are @frmrtacp of JD Kittles Creative Digital website (y'all check out his photography, videos, and graphics!) and who also posts vlogs on YouTube as JD Kittles, @_gingers_r_us who writes occasionally at Wattpad, @lil-tee-rouge who is also on YouTube as Lil-Tee Rouge (y'all check out her ukulele and documentary videos!), as well as @kenpachizeraki268 who is also on YouTube as Kenpachi .Zeraki (y'all check out his 360 farm videos!) Shameless plugs for the family's IG/blog/writing/YouTube accounts all around! LOL Seriously, though, if one of them posts things you enjoy, then don't hesitate to give them a follow, like, and subscribe.

Day 5 - What are some names you thought of giving your MC but didn't? - My MC was Zek from the beginning, though if you see it spelled Zec, that's because I originally spelled it that way. Old habits die hard, as they say. Most of my MC's come to me as a name that I fill in with traits. I do make name lists, though, because secondary characters usually don't come to me the same way.
Day 6 - The Furthest Away From Home You've Ever Been - I think that would be Belize. When my husband achieved his first associates degree, his dad treated us to a cruise. I enjoyed getting to see places I never would have been able to see otherwise. But to be honest, I was sad because I couldn't share it with our kids. The water was gorgeous and I felt a connection with the population there. Of the different places we visited, this one seemed most like home. And up until then, I'd never had a fresh banana ripened on a tree. So tasty!!
Day 7 - What does your MC do as a hobby? - Zek enjoys carving precious stones. He trains as an apprentice for a while before moving on to the next thing Andurdrao (the God he serves) moves him along to the next point in his journey.
Day 8 - If your MC was sorted into a Hogwart's House, what would they be? - I think Zek would be a Ravenclaw. He's definitely a thinker. But he might relate to the Hufflepuff House better. I think he exhibits more of the Hufflepuff traits than those of Ravenclaw.
Day 9 - #bookstagram pic - I chose to share a bookstagram photo of my own book and do a little marketing while I was taking part in this challenge. :)

Day 10 - A Romance Scene - I don't usually write with romance as the main focus of my story. It seems to happen within the tale, but I don't usually plan it. Also, I don't go into much detail. I prefer (both in reading romance and writing it) to allow lots of room for the imagination. Mine works just fine and I don't need any help. Whether reading, writing, or watching on screen, intimacy belongs between those involved in it and no one else should be invited. That's just my own opinion. So you won't see graphic sex scenes in my work. Romance to me means forming that bond between two people with the view of sticking with that person for a lifetime. So that's where I'm coming from when I write romance. With Zek and Liha, the romance is different. With the age gap, it's harder for them to really get that time needed to form the bond, but not impossible. I was reluctant to share this scene because it's still so rough. :/
Day 11 - What would break your MC?
Day 12 - Your MC's vice
Day 13 - Write a review for your own book. - Just an FYI, I hated doing this. :( I feel like such a downer and I'm always critical of my own work. I feel like four stars was super generous because I know the flaws that are still in there. I love the story, but technically, I'm not sure it will hold up.

Ripples - Children of Y'Dahnndrya Book 1 by Robin McElveen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I never had any intention to write a review for my own book. But the #wwfchallenge2019 challenges the participants to do just that. So here it is. Ready for some honesty? Here goes...

Overall Content: I'm giving myself an extra star for the hard work I put in. But if I'm honest about the overall content, I think it's probably closer to four stars.

Characters: My favorite character is Tsadok. He doesn't speak unnecessary words and he's careful when he does speak. He's a quiet, faithful companion who isn't afraid of hard work. And he's a man of integrity. One of the side characters who I find fun is Bazhbet Mehya. You'll find him in the seaside village of Chefvna. He's like across between Santa Clause and an uncle who's strange in the best of ways. You don't always know what he's thinking or how he's going to answer your questions, but you know he'll do his best for you.

Plot: I'm not sure how I feel about the plot. It works well enough as a lead-in, which is what the story is - an introduction to the world of Y'Dahnndrya. I think there are probably ways this could be improved. Ok. For real, there are definitely ways this plot could improve. (I am so hard on myself, I guess. ) It did create a good base for the rest of the stories to branch off from. Since it's a stand-alone that will be connected later in the series, I'm wondering how the whole story arc is going to look once it's all in print.

Scenes: Since I'm biased, I love the scenes. But I can see them already in my head. I'd love to hear what others think about them. I see a rich world full of epic views and varied landscapes. I love how Yetsye's (the MC's) journey takes me to different places in my mind. My favorite part is the perilous mountain trail where Yetsye wakes up to find herself being carried carefully by Tsadok. It's a subdued romantic scene and I love the tension I sense when I read it. It's the same as when I was writing it, which makes me feel I did a good job there.

And...this is why I don't want to write reviews on my own books. LOL Overall, I love what I ended up with in print. There's room for improvement in my work, I know. But I like this story. It still makes me thrill and cry and tense up when I read it. I still get to visit new places that fill out more and more every time I open the cover. Those things, to me, make a good book. I hope fantasy-lovers and those who enjoy clean reads will give this book a try.

View all my reviews

Day 14 - Any scary scenes in your WIP? - There is at least one big one. But it's more tense than scary, I think. I don't do horror. At all. Don't watch it on screen. Don't read it. Can barely read local ghost legend stories. I just don't deal well with it. But without tension, a story will not fly. So I try to include what I can write and that ends up being more like suspense.
Day 15 - Pic of you with a book your MC would read.
Day 16 - Stand alone or series? - I have done my best to write a series of stand alone books which will have some loose connection to each other. I know a couple of them will likely leave some readers wondering and wanting more. The story is writing itself at that point and if I like what's showing up on the page, it stays as long as it fits the rest of the action/plot.
Day 17 - Do you plan to have, or already have, merch for your book(s)? - Yes. You can buy Children of Y'Dahnndrya merch at my Zazzle store.
Day 18 - Your WIP Blurb -
Zec Inessi sees dreams. Who doesn't, right? But these are prophetic dreams. Zec's gift could mean exile for him if the Divini'I discover his secret. When confronted by the nosy law-keeper, Shi Malaki, Zec's parents decide he must travel to Gild'n Shrine to secretly complete his m'sa'filam (pilgrimage). Such a treacherous path to the far north requires a trustworthy guide. They seek the help of Master Tor Gervell, sending Zec off with the traditional blessing: “Walk well the path which lies before you.” But have they made their move in time?

The darkness growing in Genzet threatens to destroy more than Zec's life. Two factions war within Genzet while two religions tear these factions apart from within. Their striving stirs the legendary Menterria, the stone protectors of Genzet, to wakefulness.

Why has Andurdrao given Zec this gift? Can the Children of Y'Dahnndrya rediscover their purpose? Or will zealots and heretics create a chasm not even the Menterria can bridge?
Day 19 - What kind of culture do you incorporate in your world? - When I built Y'Dahnndrya, it was from the solar system to the inside. The planet orbits a double sun and has five moons. There are two known continents so far and several scattered islands. The islands comprise one clan. Two clans occupy the western continent and three, the eastern. One clan is set apart in outer appearance. No one knows why they are built differently, not even me! The clans are pretty diverse in mannerisms, fashion styles, and products/skills they are famous for. So far, I've created two drastically different religious beliefs and one that is more atheistic, or at least agnostic. And each clan has their own way of running things, though in some ways they overlap. Each clan also has both a leader or group of leaders who are more politically minded and/or religiously minded, as well as one Guardian who is strictly a religious leader and guide. If you want to know more, you can always visit my Pinterest boards to see what kinds of things inspired the building of Y'Dahnndrya.
Day 20 - Go Live! -
Day 21 - When Disaster Strikes... - I haven't really ironed any details out on this yet. But I do know there are safe rooms for those running for their lives. There are escape tunnels. But for some disasters in Genzet, there may not be an escape. In the case of a cave-in, those in the most central locations would probably lose their lives while those on the outskirts of the danger zone might live. In the case of a volcanic eruption, I think they'd probably have enough warning to vacate their cities being so in tune with their surroundings. Flooding is very rare in Genzet but if that should occur, then I would imagine it might claim the most lives. After all, it's pretty hard to stop molten lava but it can be outrun in certain circumstances. Water, however, goes where it will at pretty high speeds.
Day 22 - Is your MC rich or poor? - Zek starts out in a family that's well off, then loses almost everything. But by the end, he's working his way back up again, though amassing wealth is not something he dedicates his all to. Liha has always lived on the charity of others, but in such a way that it isn't so obvious, since she's still not old enough or trained enough to get a job and provide for herself.
Day 23 - Are there animals in your WIP? - Yes, but there are more in Ripples than in the other books I've written for the series.
Day 24 - What's your greatest challenge as an author? - Time management and learning how to moderate projects and tasks I take on.
Day 25 - Website Link - If you want to find me anywhere online, you can check out my landing page. (It may not be live, yet. If that happens, give it a few more days and then check back.)
Day 26 - A Poem About Your MC - Now, I may not have mentioned it before but poetry isn't my thing. I do song lyrics, though, and this is a chant from my current WIP that is about my MC and some of the ancient beings he has yet to meet.
- Deep in the heart of Genzet we sleep
- Waiting. Waiting.
- The dreamer will come. Many will weep.
- Wailing. Wailing.
- Emissary's sorrow stirs the deep.
- Waking. Waking.
- The fire of his heart warms the steep.
- Burning. Burning.
- Ancient hearts with hope, leap.
- Beating. Beating.
- Creator's way, the path to keep.
- Keep. Keep.
Day 27 - MC's Favorite Flower or Plant - Zek likes liilum because they remind him of Liha's bright and cheery personality.
Day 28 - MC's Greatest Fear - Failing as a vaal'ith, one of those chosen by the Creator for certain special tasks, is Zek's greatest fear. Liha's greatest fear is never being able to see Zek again, who is her first Genzetti friend.
Day 29 - Fellow Author Shout-out - For the fellow author shout-out, I tagged Natasja Eby.
Day 30 - Writing Prompt: A boat, a lover, a map - I wasn't going to do this prompt challenge for day 30 until I saw this photo/illustration on Pixabay. I don't know how, but the image just clicked for the prompt.
Oh, what shall I do now?
My lover is gone.
A'seeking his fortune
First hither, then yon.
He's boarded a ship
With a map and a gun.
And on top of all that,
he's stolen the sun.