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"Scribbles" will serve as my combination reminder page and notebook. If this page becomes too unwieldly, I may add another blog devoted just to writing, but for now I'm sticking to "Once Upon a Time...".
My Personal Writing Style:
...is, like most people's, a product of what I enjoy reading. Currently, my writing genres include fantasy/paranormal, history, romance, and mystery - all mushed together to create...um, I'm not quite sure really.
The Big Six:
This is a brief introduction to the five stories that I am currently trying to wrangle with. All of these characters and ideas have been in development for more than two years (if not longer...). This is my attempt to organize the chaos that is my writing...
Donahue
Genres: urban fantasy/alternate history, romance, mystery
Paranormal Elements: fae, banshees, vampires, werewolves, etc.... I'm pulling out all the mythological stops with this one! ;-)
Description: Donahue's story is actually planned as a series of three books - when she first popped into my head, and I began to delve deeper into her life and her world, I just knew that one book wouldn't do it justice. Now I just have to figure out all the tangled plotlines...
Nia
Genres: high fantasy, slightly militaristic fantasy, mystery, romance
Paranormal Elements: no humans, elves, fairies, and one very annoying vampire
Description: Nia began life, like most of my characters, from a piece of art that I found on the internet (and now I cannot find it again for the life of me - argh!). The character, the woman portrayed, was dark-haired, staring at the viewer as she wiped the blood from her sword. Something about that glaze drew me in, and I drew together the strands of her life, slowly at first, through scenes and interactions with other characters. She gathered a family - distant parents, adoring grandparents, and two beloved younger brothers (one of whom hero-worships his sister, despite his own rise to prominence) - and eventually, a partner.
Nia has so many stories to tell that I'm not quite sure which one to write about. Though the arrival of Mac (her partner) in her life is quite important, that's not the story her character wants to reveal (yet).
Solace
Genres: paranormal, romance
Paranormal Elements: trickster character, psychic powers
Description: The Solace storylines were conceived from the desire to try and write a Harlequin (aka: a traditional romance). I've developed the characters (there are six-ten pairings) and a history of the town; at one point, I was even flirting with the idea that it could be condensed into a book of short stories. Currently, this project is stashed away...
Kee
Genres: paranormal, romance
Paranormal Elements: Witches, werewolves, vampires, magic
Description: Kee is unusual - her story does not follow the usual romance guidelines:
"To be considered in the romance genre, a novel should adhere to the following criteria: (1) the story must contain a relationship and romantic love between two people, and (2) the story must have an emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending." [from "Romance Genre"; italics my own]While I'm no way arguing that Kee does not (and will not!) have "...an emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending" (she does; I've written half of it! ;-) she does not have one partner - she has two.
Kee's story is about her relationship with her two mates (they're werewolves) and her development from a crippled outcast who has retreated from the world into a strong, protective woman who finally accepts her life - and her heritage; it is neither erotic romance or erotica, both of which often focus on multiple partners (among other things...).
It just happened that Kee's life is with her mates - both of them.
The Dragon Lord
Genres: high fantasy, romance
Paranormal Elements: dragons, magic, sorcery, shapeshifters
Description: The dragon lord's story evolved from a Dungeon and Dragon's inspired backstory about a sorceress turned wandering scholar. Slowly, the story's focus has shifted from her to him. He is a reluctant hero; only desiring his solitude, his rescues unwillingly, only to be pulled (kicking and screaming) into the world beyond his home.
Both the dragon lord and his sorceress are (still!) unnamed.
Lucretia
Genres: steampunk, mystery, romance
Paranormal Elements: magic, undecided about other elements
Description: Lucretia was conceived out of two facets: my current fascination with streampunk (both the sub-culture and the writing style/elements), as well as my desire to create a story-blog which was written in character. Thus, Bonnets & Bolts: the Journals of Lucretia Stern was born (and while I've plotted the story - and written snippets of other scenes, I have yet to add to it beyond the first entry....
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If you have any comments, suggestions, or critiques, I would love to hear them! Please leave a comment on the blog or feel free to email me at gwnhwyfer (at) gmail (dot) com. Thanks for reading!
