Projects

I’m still celebrating finishing my draft of my book, but that doesn’t mean I’m resting on my laurels. There’s still plenty of work to be done, and not just on that book. I’m letting it rest right now and working on other projects, some of which I’ve posted samples of on this blog. Here’s what other projects I have in the works.

Untitled Fantasy/Young Adult Trilogy

I started this project back in college, and goodness has it changed. The problem is that I don’t have much written for it, but I have a ton of lore. I’m also really conscious about using tropes, and while I understand it’s fantasy and everyone has done everything possible for this genre, I still want to try to stay away from the tropes, because I’m afraid of criticism. I can hear it now–I’m in the wrong industry! The criticism I’m afraid of is not that what I’m writing is bad, but that it’s overdone and tired. It’s going to be a challenge, but I think I can do it!

Untitled General Fiction Novel

This project was inspired by nerds. Yes, that’s right, nerds. I’ll admit it, every Saturday I meet up with a group of guys and play an RPG called Pathfinder. For those who don’t know, Pathfinder is a game similar to Dungeons and Dragons. This book is going to be a story inspired by the people who play these games, the importance of family, and love conquering all. And, of course, a dirty-minded bard!

Untitled Sci-Fi Novel

I first got the idea for this story and it was a completely different direction–shocker! Originally, it was going to be a story where a prison psychologist ended up going crazy herself due to the inmate patient she was working with, but now I think it’s a much more solid story about ableism and representation. It’s something that is near and dear to my heart, and it’s a story I feel is important and needs to be told.

Short Story Anthology

Short story anthologies are a hard sell, but I really want to do this. It all started because I entered a short story contest back in January, but didn’t win. I’m now up to six short stories, and have at least four more to develop. The six I have need to have more written, of course, but overall this is going to be a great work. I’m considering titling it “Bells, and Other Stories of the Human Condition,” but that’s up in the air and definitely not final. I’ve posted the short stories on here in their very preliminary forms, so if you want to enjoy them until I get this anthology done, feel free to do so!

Retelling of “Tristan and Isolde”/”Romeo and Juliet”

Ok, so I don’t have much on this one, just that I have a vague idea of what I want to do, and maybe a couple scenes. This story was inspired by two songs by the German power metal band Blind Guardian: “Another Holy War” and “The Maiden and the Minstrel Knight.” Two very different songs from each other, but in terms of this story they work well together. I have a ton of research to do on this, and also some other decisions to make, like when to set the story. It can work either in the time of the Crusades, or in the modern world.

Untitled Paranormal Story about Werewolves

This is one of my oldest works, and the one that really taught me I shouldn’t write things by hand. I would write it on a steno pad up at the front desk at my first job I had out of college for when I didn’t have any work to do. It’s set in the time of WWI and involves the battle of Gallipoli, when the 1/5 Norfolk Battalion allegedly “disappeared,” though recent research shows they didn’t disappear, they were later found dead. However, who let facts get in the way of a good story? Not me!

Untitled Chick Lit/Women’s Literature novel

This was a really recent project and is still in the brainstorming stage. It may be a sign I’ve been watching too many Hallmark original movies, or it could just be a story I thought up and want to write. Either way, it’s definitely different from what I normally write and I look forward to the challenge.

Arthurian Legends book(s)

This is still very much in the research stages. In college, I found the TV show “Merlin,” and I was hooked. I thought about how the only exposure I ever had to the Arthurian legends was the Disney animated movie based off T.H. White’s The Once and Future King as well as a play at a local children’s theater that was also an adaptation of the same book. I also vaguely remember a choose your own adventure book, where a kid was given an opportunity to either go back in time to Mayday with the Anglo-Saxons (spoiler: the kid IS FREAKING SACRIFICED TO THE GODS) or to go to the Age of Heroes and meets King Arthur (and the kid gets Arthur killed?! This kid is terrible to be around, I am not getting remotely close to him). Then I found the Merlin TV show (as I said), and I had to read “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” for my British literature class. It’s sad to me we aren’t really taught the Arthurian legends, so I want to change that. I want to write something that makes kids want to go and read the original, to learn more about it. This will probably be my most expansive project over my career, so I have to get it right–we’re talking charts, outlines, drawing up family trees, the whole nine yards. I’m currently in the research phase, and I’ll likely be in the research phase for a long time. If you know of any great resources, please let me know! I’m looking forward to reading all I can for this.

Follow-Up Horror Novel to First Book

Yep, that’s right! There’s going to be a follow-up, and I need to hurry with my research and plotting on this one. The good news is that a lot of research can just be done here in my hometown, because it’s going to take place in Dallas! Lots of research needs to be made, one bowl of chips and salsa and plate of tacos at a time. It’s going to involve our favorite hometown ghost, The Lady of White Rock Lake, and I’m really excited for it. This will probably be my NaNoWriMo work this year.

Well, that’s it–NINE different projects. I’m a busy bee, but it’s all worth it. I can’t wait to finish these things for you to read them!

What projects are you currently working on? Let me know in the comments! Have any great ideas for my blog? Let me know by clicking Contact Me up at the top! You can always follow me on social media by clicking the buttons for the various sites up at the top, too. If you like what I wrote and want to support my writing, you can subscribe to my blog. Feeling really generous? I’d love if you’d buy me a cup of tea by clicking the donate button!