Meet my New WIP: A Chill Unbroken (A Novella! Whuuut)

by - June 14, 2019

I have a new WIP to introduce to y'all today! Woohoo!!!!!!

I haven't mentioned my WIP for the 100-for-100 yet this year. But that's okay--I'm going to talk about it now!!!! ^_^

I've been hoping to write some novellas based on Pentegreen Series characters for a long time, and with this Go Teen Writers challenge, I've finally found the perfect chance to do so. So far I'm loving working on this world--it's set in a very different place from the body of the Pentegreen series, but there ARE some very, very familiar characters taking the center stage. Because this novella is a backstory novella for everyone's favorite...

Rishatta Woods!

*ducks to hide from the insane level of shrieking* pwease don't hurt me

But anyway, back to about this novella...I decided to write a backstory about my smol sad bean boi. Because I needed to know it, partially...it's definitely easier to write a story that's heavy on backstory when you actually, erm, know the character's backstory. And Rishatta hasn't had an easy time of it.

This is a first for me in a lot of ways. My first time writing a novella with the same characters, but a different story. My first time doing a prequel. My first time attempting a tragedy.

This is a novella of firsts, too. First love, first heartbreak, first kisses, first rebellion, first attempts. Because nobody's story begins at the start of the Pentegreen series. Everyone's pasts are incredibly important, which I delve into in the later books of the series...but also here. Because I'm an indecisive goldfish. Anyway.


(all pictures in this post from Pinterest. All rights to the original creators. I own nothing.)


Have a blurb, some aesthetics, and a couple of snippets!


Blurb

There were only three people in the whole course of my life who ever made me feel warm. The first was my mother. The third came later.

But the second… oh, how to describe her?

She was there, and then she was gone. But while she was there, she pulled me open and she made me wonder if maybe love existed in the world.



Once, Venaria was a democratic nation. In name it still is. But the elections are a sham—everyone knows that Governor Woods reigns supreme. No one else can stand against him.

And yet a rival party dares to do so.
Within the governor’s own house, rebellion runs strong. Woods’ 16-year-old son usually obeys his father, but to keep what he has found, he will rebel. For he has fallen in love.
With the wrong girl.




Snippets



Rishatta Woods chuckled out loud, which only made the storm clouds above his sister’s brow grow darker. “Oh, Anns, Father would never really kill me. He might get close. But I don’t think he himself is actually capable of doing a deed like that.”

“Really?” Anna shook her head. “He’s killed traitors for less.”

“So I’m a traitor now?”

She stared out the window again without response. Rishatta sighed and put the book down, which was letting her win. He didn’t really care; few could best Anna Woods at her own game. She was fifteen. She was power. She was absolutely ruthless. She took that from their father.



(Note: I laughed and then I rolled my eyes and then I wanted to cry)

~

Shai folded his arms. “And she’s my lights-cursed cousin. Does that mean nothing to you?”

“You’re vaguely related? I don’t know.”

“Lights above, Rish, you’re the most lights-cursed idiotic idiot the lights have ever beheld!”
“Watch your language.”

“You’re one to talk.”

~

All he knew was no no no no no…
He slammed into the water and the water slammed into him.
Cold invaded his body. Icy water pressed into his skin, forcing him under, holding him there. He struggled up again and his head broke the surface, air filling his screaming lungs and flooding him with relief. He hadn’t even been under for more than a few seconds, but they had been seconds rife with the fear of death.
He couldn’t die of drowning, could he?

The Characters


Rishatta Woods

Remember when we couldn't take the heat//I walked out, I said I'm setting you free//Taylor Swift

His mental mask slid into place. He was here to bring honor to their father, nothing more. If he ran into his friends, that would be nice. But he was here for his father and his family’s name and their repute as the highest family of Venaria. In Lascogine, he would have been a prince. Here, he could be no less.




Anna Woods

If he drops my name then I owe him nothing//and if he spends my change then he had it comin'//Taylor Swift


Anna cupped her chin in her hands and batted her eyelashes pleadingly. “Father!” She glanced up at Rishatta. “He’s a stone wall.”
Rishatta sighed and braced himself. For her sake rather than his own he hoped Burashna would look up, pay them a bit of attention, because he didn’t want to see what Anna would say to get Burashna’s attention. She was absolutely fearless. She was brutal.
She had no tact.




Alanna

Say you'll see me again even if it's just in your wildest dreams//Taylor Swift

Melodrama Songtext Drucken Lorde Song Lyrics Sober Lorde, 
The candlelight reflected in her eyes, sparkling in the light of a thousand stars. And her aura—it was warm. Warmth radiated from her, filling him, touching his heart so that he shivered, aware of his own chill for the first time in years. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been so cold—and yet he could only feel it because of the warmth.




Shai

I'm not passive but aggressive//take note, it's not impressive//Fall Out Boy


Shai took his place on Rishatta’s right and walked beside him at an easy lope. This was his house and he could afford to be sloppy, although Rishatta had never once seen Shai be sloppy. His masks were easy and graceful, but masks nonetheless.



Burashna Woods

What kind of world do we live in, where love is divided by hate? Losing control of our feelings//we all must be dreaming this life away//in a world so cold//12 Stones

🌜lunarearth🌛

For whatever reason, Anna truly had allowed herself to hope that today, just once, Father would pay attention to them and act like he actually cared. He didn’t. That was the long and short of it. He didn’t care, and Rishatta had no idea what he could possibly do to make him care.

“Do you want to complain as well, boy?” Burashna didn’t even look at him.







This is the actual title of the main theme song for this book (the thumbnail is weird srry). Yes, it's a pun. Yes, I cried laughing when I realized it was a pun. No, I didn't do it on purpose. It just...works.


Additional lyrics:


We're sleepin' through all the days//I'm actin' like I don't see every ribbon you use to tie yourself to me//Lorde

We're going down, down in an earlier round//but sugar, we're going down swinging//Fall Out Boy

This town ain't big enough for two of us//I don't have the right name or the right looks//but I have twice the heart//Fall Out Boy

We'll be the greatest, they'll hang us in the Louvre//down the back, but who cares? Still the Louvre.//Lorde

Why didn't I just take back everything I said to you//take back everything I put you through//why didn't I tell you?//For King and Country


~

So that's it! That's my novella and I hope you liked this little glimpse at it <3

Also, I retitled book 3 of the Pentegreen series! I realized that while I liked The Winter's Chill, but it didn't fit with the rest of the series. So after some brainstorming with the amazing Nicki Chapelway, I decided to give book 3 a new title, which is:

The Soldier's Gamble

(WHICH IS 100% A REFERENCE TO MY SMOL LOVE DEREK AND BOOK 3 IS CENTERING ON HIM AND HE'S MY FAVORITE AND AGGHHHHHHH I ADORE HIM SO MUCH) 

So...make of that what you will ;) Just wanted to get that out there.

What do you think of my little novella? Would anyone else like to join the lineup of people suing me for custody of Rishatta? (Because clearly I don't deserve him.) Are you doing the Go Teen Writers 100-for-100? Let me know in the comments! 

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22 comments

  1. AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH *screams into eternity*

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  2. If you hear screaming right now, that’s me because OH MY GOODNESS RISHATTA IS GETTING HIS OWN NOVELLA AND I NEED TO READ THIS RIGHT NOW.

    See? Screaming! ;)

    But this sounds so STINKING GOOD and I LOVE THE NEW TITLE FOR PENTEGREENS 3 and this post is just FULL OF AWESOMENESS.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think I can hear very faint and vague screaming...*smirks* Hopefully it'll be done soon! Eventually! XD

      Thank you so much Nicole!!!!!!! You're so sweet! <3

      Delete
  3. What is this???? Sad? Full of firsts? Amazing, unique names that can actually be pronounce? The perfect title? A novella to boot? I'm in love!!!!

    And yeah, I'm doing the 100 for 100 and LOVING it.

    keturahskorner.blogspot.com

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    Replies
    1. OH MY WORD KETURAH THIS COMMENT MADE MY DAY *cries* *flails* You are SO SWEET OH MY WORD <33333

      Delete
  4. It is just me, or are there some "Romeo and Juliet" vibes here??

    Looks great!!! Can't wait to read your book(s) sometime and learn about all these characters!

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    Replies
    1. Not intentionally! But now that you say it...yeah, I can see that to some extent xD Although no one dies...yet...xD

      Thank you! I hope you can read them someday soon!

      Delete
  5. *Eternal screaming*

    This. ISSSSSS. Beautiful.

    ~ Lily Cat (Boots) | lilycatscountrygirlconfessions.blogspot.com

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  6. I am going to use "my smol sad bean boi" now. Thank you for the phrase! :)

    Backstory is always so sad, but I love that you are doing this. Way to go, girl!!!! And it is about "my smol sad bean boi"!!! This will answer all of my questions!!! I don't know who he is, but I like Shai already. :)

    THE NEW TITLE = PERFECTION!!! Yay!!!!! I'm so happy that it is focusing on Derek!!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Heheheheh excellent you should ;)

      It's sad for sure, but I'm pretty excited about this! It should answer at least a few questions xD Shai is pretty fun.

      YAY!!!!! I love that it focuses on Derek too. Now to just rewrite the book...*winces*

      Delete
  7. Rishatta!!!! My son, you treat him right, ya hear? Or I will come and take him to come stay with me. Ya know I'm doing the 100-for-100 ;P

    And obviously I love that title but it needs to be said again XD

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    Replies
    1. You'll probably need to come and take him away from me...I don't deserve that precious child.

      Oh yes. How's that been going, actually? XD

      GOOD xD ya better seeing as you helped come up with it...*eye roll*

      Delete
  8. *SCREAMS FOR A THOUSAND BILLION YEARS* RISHATTA BACKSTORY NOVELLA. DREAMS DO COME TRUE. (Although I'm 10000% sure this will destroy us ALL.)

    Oh my gracious that blurb, girl. DAT BLURB. It is SO well written. Even if I didn't know Rishatta, I'd be completely and utterly hooked by it!

    And all these snippets! So much Woods drama. I LOVE IT. XDD

    Alsoooo the new Book #3 title is FABULOUS!!!! I AM IN LOVE. And it's a nod to DEREK MAH BOY THIS MAKES ME SO HAPPYYYY.

    Ahem. Okay. I am done screaming now. (But Rishattaaaa.)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. *JOINS YOU IN SCREAMING* Agh I'm so happy you're excited!!!!! (Although yeah it's 10/10 going to destroy everyone once it's actually edited and I let anyone read it lolz)

      AGH THANK YOU. I was so worried about that blurb but THIS IS SUCH AN ENDORSEMENT. <3

      I know xD I enjoy writing their family dynamic waaaaay too much. Whoops. I'm probably an awful person.

      YAY! And also YES DEREK <33333333 MY LOVE.

      Thank you so much for this beautiful flaily comment! <333

      Delete
  9. OH MY GOSH I AM SO EXCITED FOR THIS YOU HAVE NO IDEA.

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  10. I NEED THIIIIIIIIIS.

    EEEEEEEEEEEK!!!!!!

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  11. This sounds absolutely amazing! And Rish is in it!!!!
    Also love your use of Taylor Swift songs.

    ReplyDelete

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