The Magic Between Us – An Exploration
Let's chat about what makes up each character that inhabits my Fae-infused version of Baltimore, why they do what they do, and what they represent to me. We get started on June 1st!
https://www.christianeknight.com/the-magic-between-us-an-exploration/
Up to chapter 9 in revisions! Looks like I've got my schedule for getting this thing edited, then all the other steps to make it into a book.
Won't be out until next year, but I've got plenty to keep me busy until then!
First Draft DONE! Hello, Revisions.
I can now happily announce the the first draft of A Third Kind of Madness is finished! *throws confetti*
If you're unfamiliar with the writing process, you may not know what this means.
https://www.christianeknight.com/first-draft-done-hello-revisions/
#AThirdKindOfMadness #Events #NovelUpdates #ATKOM #interview #Writing
#WritingWonders 7/15 - Are there any kissing and/or intimacy scenes in your story?
If you enjoy the occasional awkward and unsure kissing scene mixed in with some pining and uncertainty, this book could be your jam.
Awww dang I only have the epilogue to write.
And days of revision, yes yes. Let me wallow in my relief at wrapping this up right now, brain.
#WritingWonders 7/4: Would your MC ever work with one of their enemies?
Considering that when we start #ATKOM Denny lives with and is in an art collective with Joolie... yes. And Joolie tries her best to use that to her advantage, because of course she does.
#WritingWonders July 2: Do you think readers will find your MC likeable?
Denny's pretty much a cinnamon roll, so probably? Though their constant undercurrent of cutting themself down wears thin sometimes. But I think they are pretty huggable, generally.
#WritingWonders 7/1: Your MC shows up on your doorstep, what do you say and or do?
Try to figure out why this nervous, slightly scruffy stranger is standing there with a camera in their hand. Then I'd probably invite them in and give them coffee and a snack, because they look hungry, harmless, and in need of someone to care for them.
#WritingWonders 6/30: Do you have a playlist for your book or MCs that you’d like to share?
My books come with a playlist! I use music to build mood and add to the story. The current WIP's playlist isn't finished/finalized, but you can take a listen here:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0VBkfgew8Gp3VXRVE8NOCd?si=63ba5b36e1e14ece
#WritingWonders 6/25: are any of your characters over 50?
...some of them are well over 100. But we're talking Fae and other magical beings, so it's to be expected, right?
#WritingWonders 06/23: Would your MC/hero stand out in our world?
Absolutely not, as they live in a version of this world and they would tell you that they're basically invisible. Some of the other characters have to work a little harder to blend, but not Denny.
#WritingWonders 6/21: How does your day job or life affect what you write?
My day job is writing and not much else right now, thanks to being ill. But I'm an artist and musician and that has strongly affected what I write - my characters are often also artists, musicians, writers, and other types of creative people who don't fit the norm. Their lifestyles reflect mine and other people like me that I've known.
#WritingWonders 6/20: Do you have any LGBTQA+ characters in your story?
Yes! Main and supporting characters
Denny and Karsten are both non-binary, although Denny struggles with labels and discusses that briefly in the story. Denny is pansexual and is in a relationship with Peri.
Peri is bisexual, as is Joolie and Xan. It's unclear if Elise is lesbian or bi but she definitely has been involved with Joolie at some point.
#WritingWonders 6/19: Who was your MC's first friend/how did they meet?
Denny has always been an awkward loner and didn't really have anyone that resembled a friend until art school. That's when they fell in with the Ants - Joolie, Xan, Elise, and Pod. Out of that group, Denny feels closest to Pod, and he's really the only one they trust. Joolie's the one who brought them all together, though.
#WritingWonders 6/5: What is the meaning of your MC's name? Does it fit their personality?
One of the meanings of the name Denny is "follower/devotee of Dionysus" which has some interesting implications for them in their story.
Most people think of wine when they think of Dionysus but he is also the god of fruitfulness and passion - and ritual madness.
And their story *is* called A Third Kind of Madness, so...
#WritingWonders 6/3: Share art, pics, and/or mood boards of your WIP world.
I put this moodboard together last night - representations of some of the places in A Third Kind of Madness. I included the building I used as a model for The Compound - where Denny's art collective lives, as well as the park where Denny encounters the Nyxen. There's also the pier in Fells Point where a tragedy happens. It's a great tour of where things in the story happen!
#WritingWonders 6/2: Were any of your fictional settings inspired by real world locations?
The Eleriannan books are set in a more magical version of present-day Baltimore, so YES!
There are a bunch of notable analogues but probably the most important one would be The Maithe, the huge house with a mind of its own. It is modeled after a building in the Mt. Vernon neighborhood that has had many interesting lives, from residential hotel to flophouse apartments, to hotel again.
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#ATKOM
#WritingWonders 6/1: You’re transported into your WIP world, where is the 1st place you’re going?
If I'm hanging out in the Eleriannan version of Baltimore, I can't think of a better place to go first than The Maithe. Hopefully I'll be there at the right time to catch one of their house parties where The Drawback is playing.
I'll have faerie food and drink some of Sheridan's amazing beer and not even worry about the consequences, because there's no place I'd rather be anyway.
21% left to write on this first draft.
Why is it that the last chapters always take the longest, and feel the weakest while I'm writing them? It's like that every time.
Which is at least comforting in that I know this is the norm for me. Sure, sure. But right now I see some heavy revising in my future.
Lucky for me, I enjoy the revising process!
Getting Close Now: progress check-in
It's time for an update on my writing progress, and it's great news - I am SO CLOSE to getting the first draft of this book finished!
As of this blog post, I've got about 21,000 words to hit my word goal!
That's about five chapters, to put it into perspective. I know, right?
https://www.christianeknight.com/getting-close-now/
#AThirdKindOfMadness #NovelUpdates #OnCreating #ATKOM #WritingCommunity
