Making good progress

Since last week I have added 12,800 words to the latest draft bringing it over 27k.

Part of that was how much I didn’t want to change. There were several scenes that I transferred with some adjustments and a couple that I copy pasted as is.

This morning I worked through a new portion of the story, where I am making adjustments to some of the character arcs and plot lines and I am feel very good about how it came out, especially since I was stumped when I sat down to write this morning and assumed I wouldn’t hit my 1k goal for the day (I flew past it).

In celebration of another good week, here are a few snippets:

Aaron’s mouth dropped open. “I’m your link? Your rider?”

Agreement.

With that, Pyre stood and pushed an image of Aaron climbing invisible stairs onto the dragon’s back.

Still in shock, Aaron stood dumbstruck a moment until he pushed the image in his mind once more.

“I, I don’t know how to do that.”

The image returned with the added detail of ripples of energy beneath his feet as he jogged up the invisible stairs.

“No, I get that it’s naim magic, I just, I don’t know how to use it like that yet. I haven’t even been here for a day, Pyre. I have no idea what I’m doing.”

Pyre huffed and reached his head toward Aaron, his lips pulling back from his teeth.

“No, no, no, no, no.” Aaron held out his hands and stepped back quickly. “Do not throw me. I’ve never been so close to literally having the crap scared out of me.”

“He needs you, Aila.”

Aila frowned. “Who?”

“Zuriel.” He turned away, looking at nothing as he continued. “You are the last daughter of Abner on Vale, at least as far as well know. You’re a light. He must face down Samael, and I must ensure he survives that, but you,” he met her eye once more. “You give us all hope for what comes after.”

This Rewrite/Revision is going well

Writing is going fantastic. I could not be happier with how the 4th draft is flowing at the moment. This draft now sits over 13k, 37 pages.

I am very happy with adding 8k in a week.

One thing I am noticing as I write this draft is how much more effective I have gotten with my POVs. I realize how to use them now to convey not only setting and plot, but character work. You get a view of Vale through the lens of the character for their POV, which can get a little confusing in the beginning while Aaron is still coming to grips with his new identity, but I think I can make it work.

Aila is getting a lot more POVs this time, so after all these years she is finally getting proper main character treatment.

There are a few early scenes I think benefit greatly from being written from a different character’s view point. A lot of it in the previous draft was from Aaron’s pov and the poor man just doesn’t know what is going on this early in the story so adding in Halvar and Aila I think has made things a lot clearer for the reader.

Two snippets in celebration of a good week:

The familiar sights and smells of the California trail fell away, and the strangely exotic trees and disconcerting sky took their place, settling in his gut like a stone.

“It’s real.”

As he stared into the strangely glowing trees, absently noting the traces of purple in the veins of the leaves, he felt more than saw Ray stand beside him.

“Are you Halvar?” He asked.

“Yeah.”

Aaron nodded and blinked as he noticed the nymph. He looked at her, really seeing her for the first time, understanding that she was an actual person and not something his mind had invented. She was beautiful with kind grey eyes and an oval face framed by light blonde hair, just a shade darker than her flawless, pale skin. She was small, several inches shorter than him, but she stood with a sort of confidence that lay claim to the space around her.

“This is Aila.”

—

Another roar drew all eyes just off to their left as the sound was accompanied by the noise of splintering wood and soon after, crashing trees.

“What’s Pyre?” Aaron whispered.

“A dragon.” Cyrus answered.

“A dragon?” Aaron repeated in shock. “Like, fire-breathing giant lizard?”

“He can do fire, ice, and lightning.” Cyrus answered as if it were a minor point, his eyes still scanning the trees. “Move!” He called and the group started forward as the sounds drew closer.

I have news

This week I had a bit of an epiphany about The Shadow of Vale. I realized where the story has a bit of a natural break that would lend it to be multiple books. I have had this idea before, but I haven’t had this clear of an idea as to how to execute it before.

I decided to print out my abandoned 3rd draft to see what I wanted to keep and was shocked to find that for the first time, I didn’t want to gut and rewrite it. The scenes themselves need work, but they don’t need to be changed completely. I could see what was wrong with them and what I need to do to make the story work better.

I don’t really know how to explain how excited I am that I might have found the version of this story that works after two decades of picking at it. This story is old enough to drink and I might finally be getting close to a version of it that I can actually publish and get in the hands of eager readers.

Wednesday I started the Fourth draft which now has just over 5k in it. My goal for this book is about 120k. Given that I hadn’t quite reached the stopping point in the last draft which I abandoned at 87K, and with some character and subplot cuts I need to make, I think that’s a workable length.

I do want to have a solid plan for the rest of the story before I do publish this one, even if I do get it to a finished state, but I don’t foresee that being an issue. I do know how the story ends.

For the first time in a while, I am happy to share a little snippet. Enjoy!

—

“Wait,” Ray grabbed Aaron’s arm as he passed. “Just tell me what happened.”

Aaron pulled his arm free and rushed out of the room. Ray was on his heels as he descended the stairs and grabbed his keys. He wasn’t going to the trail this time.

“How far down the trail where you when it happened?”

Aaron ignored the question he shouldn’t have known to ask and slipped behind the wheel of his beat-up Toyota. Was it safe to drive while you were having a mental breakdown? Probably not. He started the car.

Hello!

Just wanted to poke my head in and give the minimal update I have for The Shadow of Vale.

While I have not written anything this past month, I have had it simmering in the background as I work on other stories. I have a better idea of what themes I want to explore in the next portion of the story. Some ideas I am toying with for my Phoenix Bound story are also sparking some ideas for The Shadow of Vale as the magics and races play off each other since they exist in the same universe.

I will probably scribble out a few scene ideas for the next portion once I solidify them a little more. It’s taking some time to move from having nothing but the understanding that they will get married, and filling out what impact that has on them, the main plot, and other characters. This portion didn’t exist in any previous drafts because this is the first time I’ve had them marry before the conclusion of the main plot, so I don’t have much to build on. The things that worked with mutual pining aren’t necessarily going to work with them married. There was a plot line of them both toying with the idea of marrying other people, for example. That has obviously been nixed.

All that is to say, I am quite enjoying this new set up of working on something simpler (despite occasionally growing bored with it) and letting this simmer in the background. Takes some of the pressure off and lets me get creative with it in a new way.

Plus, I am building new writing skills as I work on a more solidified story.

Thanks for reading! Till next time.

-Michelle

Update. Writing Plans.

I have been thinking a lot lately about what I want to do with my writing and I have decided, as I mentioned in a previous post, that I want to get published.

In the interest of accomplishing that goal, I have decided to focus my attention on one of my more simplistic stories. My Vale stories (or Etherum, as I have begun to call the universe that my Vale, Cardelsiff, and Hallendrest stories exist in) are extremely complex stories with several plot lines, a massive cast of characters and deep ideas explored. In short, they are years away from being ready to publish.

I do, however, have a hand full of stories that are much more simplistic, smaller casts, less plot lines, etc. It is one of these stories I intend to focus my attention on this year. Hopefully I can get a solid draft completed and get to the point of just editing the story rather than scrapping it completely and reworking it as I am still doing with The Shadow of Vale.

There is not much I love more than world building, so these bigger stories will continue to get some work and I do plan to pop in here on occasion with updates. Depending on how often I return to The Shadow of Vale, I may drop updates to monthly rather than weekly.

If I end up dropping it entirely for several months, the updates will of course become a bit more sporadic.

For any of you who wish to follow me on my other projects, as this blog is intended to focus on The Shadow of Vale, you can follow me on X: @wordsandlore of tumblr: @Shellyscribbles

Thank you for reading and joining me on this journey.

God Bless,

Michelle

Chipping Away

I only added a few hundred words to The Shadow of Vale this week. I have been working more on the story I have set on Cardelsiff. Its been a lot of fun and I am actually writing a lot, just not in this story.

I am struggling a bit with what is happening along side Zuriel and Aila’s story. Since I cut so much of what is happening in the actual conflict of the world, I am still piecing together the events. So while I have a good idea of this first part, which I think will probably be its own book, I want to be setting up the next bit, but I just don’t now what that entails just yet. Its super clear and then really foggy and then I know how it ends.

Since I don’t have anything to share from The Shadow of Vale, here is an excerpt from my other story, Phoenix Bound. Enjoy!

Despite how close she’d gotten to the woods, she hadn’t quite reached the cover of them when arms wrapped around her and she fell, tangled up with her captor.

A hand slapped over her mouth before a scream could escape her.

I’m not going to hurt you.

Tears leaked from her eyes as she sobbed and struggled against the embrace of the naim. Another man she’d trusted foolishly.

I’m going to let go, but please don’t scream. I don’t know how strong he made that potion; he might have suspected it was for him.

For him? Mara stilled and soon after, the arm pinning her own arms to her sides loosened and then fell away along with the hand on her mouth. She rolled away and rose to a crouch and found herself face to face with the orange naim, his eyes surprisingly bright in the darkness.

They stared at one another in silence for a long moment until Keegan finally straightened and without taking his eyes off Mara, collected a bag and haphazardly folded the blanket she’d been laying on and tucked it inside.

She tore her gaze away and looked to the trees.

You don’t know this island. You’ll get lost.

Lost on an island was probably better than what they had in mind for her.

Except, he hadn’t given her the potion. He hadn’t bound her. He just stood watching her. Coiled and tense, but somehow not threatening.

Koray hadn’t seemed threatening either.

Though Keegan didn’t remind her of Koray. He reminded her of Russ.

The potion. Why did you ask for it?

Keegan flinched and lowered his eyes before he sent. I didn’t realize you heard us. I can’t make potions and the only way I could think to get you away without him following was to give him a sleeping potion. He’s a light sleeper, so sneaking off wasn’t an option. I never intended to use it on you. He turned his gaze back to her.

Again, they stood still and silent for a long time before Keegan let out a breath and started toward the trees.

Why should I trust you? She sent as he came beside her.

He looked at her, a weariness in his eyes. You shouldn’t trust me. He paused. But you do. With that, he started off into the trees.

Mara watched him and then glanced back toward the embers where the fire had been. She thought she could make out the sprawled from of the wizard in the shadows.

Coming? ‘Cause Skrok wasn’t playing a part. He meant what he said.

Mara shuddered and turned toward the dark woods where she could only just make out Keegan’s form within the shadows. Taking a breath, she started into the darkness after him.

Happy New Year!

I intentionally skipped posting after Christmas because I didn’t write anything and it just felt appropriate to take a week off.

This post is just late because of some shifting work schedule that threw off my weekend.

So, the Shadow of Vale, Draft 3 is just over 87K now. I haven’t written a lot on it this past week as I have been capturing some ideas in other stories, but a series I read this weekend actually got me in the proper head space for the scene I am working on, so I have made a bit of progress recently.

I still constantly wrestle with the urge to scrap this draft and start over. I wonder sometimes if I am ever going to write a version of this story that doesn’t make me want to scrap it and start over.

But I won’t know if I don’t try. So, onward!

Here’s some scribbles from recent efforts:

“What happened?” he rasped, his eyes still closed. All he could remember was leaving Aila to Chiron and starting outside with Halvar.

“Pyre fought for you.” She gave a weak smile. “You tried to mount him, but you got hit with an imbued stone. It blocked your magic. Your blocks stopped working and you fell. Halvar tried to catch you, but he couldn’t use his blocks either. As you fell past him, the stone blocking your magic took out his, too.”

Zuriel’s eyes opened in alarm. A grunt escaped him from the pain when he flexed his core. “Is he alright?”

“Yeah. He didn’t fall as far as you did. He’s okay.”

Zuriel looked at Aila. He noticed her somber expression and the tight line of her mouth. There was a lot more to what happened.

“What else?”

“Pyre wouldn’t let anyone near you. He just about destroyed everything in front of the palace and single-handedly repelled the attack.” Her voice was soft, and her gaze was far away as she toyed with the fabric of his shirt. “It took them a long time to get to you.”

He stayed quiet for a long moment, waiting for her to go on. Her face grew tight, and her eyes filled with tears.

Then he noticed it. The wards. One on the room and one…

“Your mind is warded.”

Aila nodded and wiped the moisture from her cheek. “A messenger told Agur you were unlikely to survive and…” she broke off, wiping more tears as they fell. “He wanted you to be alone if you died and I lost it.” She met his eyes again. “So, he told me.”

Zuriel felt a sharp pain in his chest as her nostrils flared and her chin trembled. “Oh, Aila.”

A bit derailed again

Busy week kept me from writing as much as I’d like and then my other story decided to set up camp in my head so I have been writing thousands of words a day, but none of it in The Shadow of Vale. I do have The Shadow of Vale over 86k now. 86,400 words or so. I have a pretty clear idea of the next few scenes, I just need to sit down and write them, but I am having too much fun with Keegan and Mara in Cardelsiff at the moment.

But, before I got derailed I did write a few hundred on this draft and hopefully having a clear idea of what is next will keep me chipping away at it next week.

Here’s a snippet:

Agur narrowed his gaze. “Is it wrong to send him off alone or to send him off without you saying goodbye?”

A tear spilled down her cheek. “Both. No one should face that alone, but I,” she swallowed and blinked against the tears. “I need to see him again. Even if I have just one more minute with him, I want it. Please let me go to him.”

Late update

This was kind of a rough week with a migraine and a few sleepless nights that made thinking, much less writing, difficult. I did move this draft over 85k, nearly 86k and started Aila’s second POV which I am finding a lot of fun. I adore her character, but she doesn’t get much page time in this story.

I also got to write a very anti-climatic scene that was actually pretty fun.

I might not have written much this week, but I did have fun when I got the chance.

I had so much trouble picking a snippet this week, but here we go, enjoy!

“Zuriel!”

They flew apart at the sound of Chiron’s voice. The wizard rushed into the room looking uncharacteristically frazzled. “The wards.”

“I know.” Zuriel squeezed Aila’s hand and dropped it. “I felt it. Can you take her to Agur?”

Chiron’s wide eyes landed on Aila, seeming to see her for the first time. He looked back to Zuriel and nodded, his composure returning somewhat. “Yes, of course.”

Aila turned to Zuriel, grabbing his face, forcing him to look at her. “I love you. We will figure this out, whatever it is.”

I wish that were true. He thought, but nodded and kissed her briefly, pulling back far sooner than he wanted.

“Go.” He stepped back. Aila hesitated just a moment before turning and following Chiron.

The wizard led Aila past Halvar and into the hall.

Halvar raised his brow to Zuriel who turned and started gathering his armor.

“You’re kissing again. Did you fix things?” Halvar asked as he helped Zuriel with his armor.

“There is nothing to fix and no way to fix it if there were.” Zuriel growled.

Halvar said nothing until they reached the last piece of armor. “It’s just temporary. After you deal with Samael, you and Aila can pick up where you left it.” He handed Zuriel his sword belt. “Try to leave things in a good place.”

Zuriel stared at him a moment before blinking and taking the belt. His heart dropped as he realized he had made the wrong choice. He had to sell it. The way Halvar saw it was how everyone had to see it.

Good Week

I had several good writing days this week and the draft now sits just over 84K.

I have scratched out several versions of the scene I am working on so it feels pretty smooth writing it. The previous scene included one of my favorite characters to write, Harkin and I had a lot of fun with him.

Still in a rather sad part of the story, but some how I am still having fun writing. I feel its coming out well which is satisfying.

Snippets from this week’s work:

“There must be something.” The voice was familiar though the tone was so out of place, Harkin couldn’t immediately place it. “Come on.”

Harkin slid forward slowly, peering into the room as it came into view inch by inch. He barely breathed as the man shuffled around the room. Finally, the form of the man came into view, his back was to Harkin as he hunched over, searching through the small collection of books that sat in a pile near his bed. The man stood, pushing a hand through his black hair which appeared to have been an action he’d done repeatedly through his search. He turned to the side and Harkin drew in a sharp breath as he realized who it was. Keiran.

Pulling back into the vent, Harkin berated himself silently for reacting. If he’d been heard…

“Harkin.”

With his eyes squeezed shut, Harkin remained where he was, flattened against the bottom of the vent shaft, hardly daring to breath.

“Well, that explains how you’ve been getting around then. I already know you’re there; you might as well come down.”

He made no movement. Perhaps Keiran would assume he’d imagined it and leave. The sudden warmth in his enchanted slave cuffs disabused him of the notion.

“I knew it.”

Zuriel froze. Every function of his body seemed to cease at the sound of Aila’s voice. At once it felt like both a balm and a knife. He’d missed the sound of it, but there was a bite to it that cut him to the core. She was hurt and angry and she had good reason to be.

Bracing himself, he slowly turned to face her despite a deep urge to open another bleed and run. He’d been hiding for so long. As hard as it was going to be, she deserved some kind of answer, even if it couldn’t be the truth.

As his eyes fell on her, his lungs emptied, and his heart crumbled in his chest. She stood with fire in her weary eyes, highlighted by the dark circles under them. The exhaustion and pain on her face and in her bearing broke something in him. He had done that. The hurt, lack of sleep. His choices had left her wounded physically and mentally and he hated himself for it.