Shard Knight - First Draft Complete!

After 119,440 words, I've finished the the first draft of Shard Knight: Echoes Across Time (Book 1 of 3) . This is the first draft of my first ever novel and I'm a little beside myself at the moment.

I started the planning process in April and began putting digital ink to digital paper in early May of this year. Four months later I've given virtual birth to a book that I've really enjoyed writing.

I've learned a great deal during the process and plan to include many of my own insights in a separate blog spot, but for now it's time to put Shard Knight aside and start planning out book two in the series.

I'd like to release Shard Knight in October, but that will largely depend on how long the editing process takes. I don't know how bad the damage is in the early chapters as I've re-read only enough to help me with earlier names, plot points, etc. I'm a rookie here so, we'll see I guess.

I do know that I'll be throwing out chapters 1 and 2 and replacing them with a slimmed down chapter 1. As I went through the writing process I discovered what I thought was the start of the book really wasn't. It starts somewhere else and the book will be much better for it.

I hereby vow to hack and slash without mercy about a month from now at which point I'll try to look at the manuscript with "fresh eyes".

I'll post sample chapters here when I feel comfortable releasing them for general feedback during the edits.

For now, I pop the virtual cork off my virtual champagne bottle and take a sip of sweet victory.

Review: The Emotion Thesaurus

I want to offer a short review of a great book I've used to help prompt me with emotional cues while writing my first novel.

The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writers Guide To Character Expression by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi has been such a fantastic tool for me. It's helped me time and time again with prompts for all sorts of emotions as well as a reference guide for emotions themselves.

For example, I might find myself thinking "my character is feeling a sort of longing". I'll flip open their handy guide and voila, there it is.

For each emotional response they breakdown the definition, physical signals ("Feverish, over-bright eyes"), internal sensations ("racing heartbeat"), mental responses, ("a willingness to do anything"), cues of acute or long term response ("crying, sobbing, wailing"), may escalate to (listing of other emotions), cues of suppressed emotion and writers tips.

This has been instrumental for both writing tips as well as building correct emotional responses to a given situation and I highly recommend it for any writer.

5/5 stars

The blurb for Shard Knight

I'm 101,000 words into Shard Knight and closing in on my final 20,000 words. I've spent the last couple of days working on a blurb and I'd love to have some feedback on it. Would it compel you to read a sample?

I realize the cover is just as or more important than the blurb but I don't have it yet. I'd also like to hear some feedback regarding the title. I realize it's somewhat nonsensical, but it's central to the premise of the book.

The title:

Shard Knight
Echoes Across Time (Book 1 of 3)

Blurb:

At just fifteen seasons, Prince Ronan Latimer emerges from the Tournament of Knights as its youngest champion in 500 years. A champion who’s earned the right to absorb ancient Meranthian battle magic. Battle magic that places him among the ranks of an elite group of men and women dedicated to preserving Meranthian culture and upholding its law.

But what should be a time of celebration ends in horror as Ronan’s mother, Queen Arianne, falls victim to a murder plot designed to put a new king in power.

Meranthia’s beloved archbishop, Merric Pride, commands the throne in the wake of the queen’s assassination and vows to bring her killer to justice. Instead, the mad cleric leads the hunt for the one boy who could ruin all his plans.

With his life turned inside out, Ronan’s thirst for revenge threatens to destroy the life of his only friend and leave the kingdom in shambles.