WRITING UPDATE: Pentegreens Book 4
Hey, y'all. It's been a month (what the heck?) College ate me at the end, and then I was busy trying to find my sleep schedule and energy again, and then I went back to work...all this to say that I haven't had a chance to blog before now. But here I am xD
Today's update is on what I've been writing: Namely, Draft 2 of Pentegreens Book 4, the title of which is still somewhat confidential.
This book has been painful to edit. It's been like ripping out a part of me and reshaping it--but it's been a part of me that HAS to come out, a part of me that I don't want anymore. I want to heal from some of the darkness that made its way into that story, and pulling all of that out has been a process.
But I'm starting to make it. And it's almost done as I write this. The hope is to finish it when this blog post is done.
Here are some stats to show that you can, in fact, write the book that's so hard to edit. You can do it.
- 10 months
- 122,550 words on this draft (up from 119,000 on the last one!)
- So. Many. Stabbings
- Less kissing than last time (thank EVERYTHING)
- Soft, soft moments
- Also more stabbing
- Several deaths RIP to those unfortunate souls
- Some kids being kids
The BLURB
The king’s city has fallen. The army is scattered, the allies of Misue stand far off, and while the famine has ended, everyone remembers what it was like to starve. Their queen is gone, too—or so they believe.
Esma Pentegreen has returned to Misue, brought against her will by Lord Dauthang. Held within the walls of her own castle, she schemes for some way to save herself and her city—knowing that if she fails, the boy she loves will pay the price.
It is the time for heroes—but only a few are willing to stand up. Wielding a power she has kept secret until now, Kariana Winslet fights to free Misue. When everyone else is crushed by despair, however, what can two girls do against all the forces of darkness?
Lord Dauthang refuses to stand down.
The time to hide has ended. The time to fight has come.
and now...THE AESTHETICS
All pictures are from Pinterest. I own nothing. All rights to the original owners.
Esma: The girl whose heart burned
I can't see the ending//there are people who know my every secret//Ellie Goulding
Got my fingers laced together and I made a little prison and I'm locking up everyone who ever laid a finger on me//Lorde
I'm heading straight for the castle//they wanna make me the queen//and there's an old man sitting on a throne there saying I probably shouldn't be so mean//Halsey
losing//never giving up//sass at the most unexpected times//a soft, soft heart//brokenness but strength in the pieces//unwavering faith//she'd die for him
Rishatta: The boy who loved
I won't break you, I won't let you down//open up again, I believe in second chances//Imagine Dragons
I can't control myself when I'm around you//absolutely hypnotized//drawn into the light that surrounds you//Walking on Cars
I'm not leaving here without you now//no matter what they say//SVRCINA
fight to the end//will punch you in the face if you even try to get in his way//didn't come all this way for nothing//others first, always//a heart of ice but it's SO soft
Kariana: the girl who bled
I'm faking glory//lick my lips toss my hair and turn a smile on//and the story's brand new//Lorde
You can't run from who you are//the light peels back the dark//Sam Tinnesz
You're a natural//a beating heart of stone//you gotta be so cold to make it in this world//Imagine Dragons
spit blood//go down fighting//fight for friends//romance is disgusting//oh no not my childhood phobias back from the dead//secrets//darkness
Derek: the boy who failed
Why won't you let me go?//Do I threaten all your plans?//I'm insignificant//Twenty One Pilots
All that is left is the change//selfish fate//I think you made me this//STARSET
We rise, standing tall//steady hands for the draw//swing the sword, see them fall//duty calls, it calls//Tommee Profitt, Fleurie
it hurts to see you like this//fall so far//a tool//prisoner of darkness//what happens when you have to save the warrior
Anna: The girl who laughed at death
My road of good intentions led where such roads always lead//no good deed goes unpunished//Stephen Schwartz
I've got a list of names and yours is in red underlined//I check it once, then I check it twice//OH look what you made me do//Taylor Swift
Lay your heart into my perfect machine//I will show you what I want you to see//STARSET
SNIPPETS
Esma rushed to Cilla and threw her arms around her. Maybe it wasn’t the right thing to do, maybe it wasn’t culturally acceptable, but she could find no better way to express her gratitude and her thankfulness to the girl for saving her. “Thank you,” she whispered and prayed that somehow those two little words would communicate everything she was feeling. “Thank you.”
Cilla hugged her back after a moment, gentle, and whispered, “We are here for you, princess. No matter how dark it has been, even when you had no idea, we were there, praying for you, watching and waiting for the moment we could go to you. You have never been alone.”
Anna turned back to her, feeling that fire flash inside herself, the heat she had never felt before. “I’m my father’s daughter,” she growled. “And I do not wish to share power, not now, and not ever.”
She turned and marched to the door. She’d leave this house and leave Clark and go straight to her father’s old house if she had to, because she wasn’t staying here, not with her broken heart, not in this weakened state. Drowning her sorrows in some coffee and food—her father’s staff would likely still be in the house and they could cook for her. That didn’t sound like such a bad idea.
She opened the door again without waiting for the guard to release her.
Esma caressed the cover of the book. Tears sprang to her eyes and she swallowed to shove them back down because it all hurt so very much. Everything hurt. She’d wanted to come home, and now, here she was and she would rather be anywhere but here, surrounded by the ghosts of the past.
What do you think of my WIP??? or the aesthetics? or anything like that? Did you do NaNo? What are you working on? Chat with me in the comments!!!!
19 comments
my preciiiiiiiiiious. I love them all. So much. Beautiful, beautiful, and frankly gorgeous story, girl! <3 <3 <3
ReplyDeleteThank you *sobs*
DeleteAAAAAHHHHHH BOOOO!!!! I LOVE IT SO MUCH!!!!!! BOOOOOO!!!!!!! *is screaming like I didn't know any of this stuff even though we spent all afternoon picking songs*
ReplyDeleteMy boo, I am so so proud of you for making this story look like yours again. For fighting the darkness that took it over. For making it 10000% YOU.
It has been an absolute blessing to watch this journey and see you grow and change and make this book bleed light and love and hope. I'm proud of you. Thank you for letting me walk along side you as you did this. For letting me brainstorm all the time with you and helping you when I could. This book is so you now and it makes me so happy.
all right I'll stop being sappy now xD
love you boo <3 <3 <3
*also screams* *forever*
DeleteThank you *sobs*
That's all I've ever wanted *sobs forever*
<3 <3 Love you tooooooo
EEEEEEE THE PENTEGREENS! I have MISSED these babies!
ReplyDeleteGirl, I am SO proud of you for pushing through with this entire series and working so, so hard with it, even during the hard scenes and just the insanity of life in general. It's utterly admirable!
But oh my gracious goodness, I can tell this one is going to be an endless feels fest! Why is Derek called the boy who failed??? D: D: D: And that first snippet!!! It is just OOZING with emotions! GAH. Esma's people are standing by her and just YES. :')
This was all a TREAT! Absolutely cheering you on girl as you keep pushing through with this beautiful series! <333
AGHHHH CHRISTINE YOU'RE SO SWEET
DeletetHANK YOU!!!!!! It's been SO much to deal with sometimes, but I just...I love this story *shrugs* *sniffles*
He's the boy who failed for...reasons ;) and arghhhhh I'm glad you liked it!!!!!!!
THANK YOU!!!
Wow, Faith, this looks amazing! I LOVE the aesthetics, and the snippets, too. And congratulations on your perseverance, as well--editing ANYTHING for 10 months would be a slog, let alone something that is painful to edit. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you SO much! <3 It was hard, but SO worth it.
DeleteAhhh Rishatta, my boi! You better be treating him nice!!
ReplyDeleteI have a feeling I won't like the answer. Love seeing all these characters again.
The aesthetics and snippets are awesome!
*halo* I'm nicer to him in this book than in most xD
DeleteThank you!!!!
CVNDSLKGJIJRILHJEADVJEK THIS BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOK. MY HEART. THE FEELS. THE EMOTIONS. THE CHARACTERS. THEIR AETHESTICS. EVERY PAINFUL, DARK, VICTORIOUS, HOPEFUL MOMENT. THIS SERIES HAS DESTROYED MEEEEEEEE.
ReplyDelete*cough* What I mean to say is... excellent blog post and congratulations on doing NaNo, you crazy amazing woman!!!
ARGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH THANK YOUUUUUU *SOBS* *FOREVER*
DeleteThank you *smirks*
Oh my gosh this is wonderful, the aesthetics, the snippets *dies* these kids (also I notice you didn't have a little description of Anna what's with that?)
ReplyDeleteThank youuuuuu ;)
DeleteArgh I really don't know how I missed that :P Let me think...
vendetta//won't get her hands dirty but yet watch out//have you met the wall? your face is about to meet the wall//stolen kisses//darkness but it laughs//I killed once time to embrace it
*cries forever* THIS SERIES OF COURSE SOUNDS FANTASTIC. And RISHATTA MY BOY *hugs*
ReplyDeleteAlso, the little titles you gave each character were perfect and chilling and I am very concerned. XD
THANK YOUUUUUU *sobs with you*
DeleteMwahahahaaaaaaaa...
AHHHHH, THIS SOUNDS SO AMAZING. I LOVE the snippets, and the aesthetics, and all of these characters!
ReplyDeleteAnd spending ten months editing it in addition to doing college is super impressive! *nods* So it's totally understandable that you haven't had the time to blog although I do miss your posts.
THANK YOU! :D
DeleteOkay, I'm new here and this is my first time reading about your story. IT SOUNDS SO GOOD AND I LOVE ALL OF IT!!! I love the aesthetics and the snippets and just asdhkdkladah!!! And wow! You've been editing it for 10 months? I greatly admire your dedication to your story! It also gives me hope for one of mine, whenever I get back to editing it. XD Your characters sound amazing! I NEED this series NOW! ^_^
ReplyDeleteHello, friends! Do make yourselves comfortable and stay for a while--I'd love to chat with you! I simply ask that you keep it clean. :)