Meet my New WIP: A Chill Unbroken (A Novella! Whuuut)
by
R.F. Gammon
- 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.
Have a blurb, some aesthetics, and a couple of snippets!
(Note: I laughed and then I rolled my eyes and then I wanted to cry)
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:
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.
~
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
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
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.
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
~
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!
