Works in Progress
Further to the stuff you can read right now, here’s a guide to what I have in varying stages of progress. This is a collection of projects that have been floating around for the past few years, roughly in order of completeness / what has my attention right now.
Vampire Electric
A librarian finds herself caught between two electrical vampires, both competing to complete a machine that promises great power to the possessor. She might be the key to unlocking the machine, but will she let revenge, loyalty, or what’s right drive her?
Genre: steampunk novel
Current Status: second draft underway; 100,000 words and counting
Yes, it has the worst tagline ever. What can I say? It’s not done yet.
This one is in novel format, with two main viewpoint characters: Diza, the squishy human librarian; and Nikola, the electrical vampire hell-bent on building this machine to get revenge on his rival.
This is an on-again/off-again project, and the first one that I plug away at if I have time around other commitments.
What’s Next:
- Firstly, finish the second draft. My main aim is to get all the way to the end of the story, and not leave any holes on the way.
- Then, edit and redraft, etc. It’s possible that this third draft will be serialised on its own site through this process. (I already have the domain. How’s that for forward/hopeful thinking?)
- Also some plans around revamping (pun intended) the structure of the story to add some more meat to the first section… lots of work still to do here!
Vampire Victim Support Group
It’s no fun being someone’s chew toy or random om-nommable. Except sometimes it is. Either way, it’s good to get together and support each other.
Genre: paranormal shorts
Current Status: serialised through Inkspired; on hiatus
This one started off as a bit of fun, but nothing wrong with that! It’s a mix of ‘will no-one think of the poor, bewildered souls that the undead leave in their wake’ and an ‘addicts anonymous’/’trauma group counselling’ kind of meeting. The idea is to have a set of vignettes, as if the members of the VVSG are sharing their stories. I have a rough plan to put them all in a collection/book with a frame of a meeting joining them all together.
The first story for this came really easily, and I recently returned to it. I’ve got a list of support group members and ideas for each of their stories. The stories look like they may come in two phases: the initial ‘omg I’ve been nommed on by a vampire’ tales and the follow-up impact on their lives. I’m still working a lot of this out, though!
What’s Next: write the initial story for each group member and post them on Inkspired.
Boomflowers
When they asked a scientist to create a new kind of ammunition, they got a lot more than they bargained for: bombs that cause literal explosions of flowers.
Genre: post-apocalyptic short/novella
Current Status: serialised through Inkspired; in progress
This is an idea that has been churning in the background for a little while, inspired by a (real-life!) story about a fella who decided to do his gardening by putting seeds into shotgun pellets and literally blasting them into the ground. This is that idea, taken to the max ‘what if’ terrifying scenario. This is bombs that explode seeds, which grow at exponential rates, far more out of control than anyone had planned.
This is planned to be a short story, roughly 10,000 words when it’s complete.
What’s Next: write it, post it, rake in the feedback!
Tales from the Screw Loose
Jobs for mechanics skilled with robotics are scarce on Panispila Mundi, so Grace is grateful when a position comes up at the Screw Loose. No-one told her it was a robot brothel, though.
Genre: science fiction serial/novel
Current Status: ready to start; holding
This story is set in the Starwalker universe, about 20-30 years after the events in the web serial. It deals with life on a tidally-locked planet, the fallout of some of the events in Starwalker (specifically, the impact on the colonies of the Fall of Earth), and is set in a robot brothel. What more could you ask for?
Most of the details have been worked out now and it’s pretty much ready to start writing. The things that still need work are:
- I’m not sure yet whether this one will be written as a serial or in novel form and potentially serialised later.
- It might have a second viewpoint character (the primary one I have in mind is Grace, the mechanic responsible for making sure the robot whores are all in full working order).
- Need a site set up for this one (have the domain already, of course).
What’s Next: other than getting those things listed above sorted out, time is the biggest factor here. A lot will depend on whether I write this as a serial or not.
Starwalker Shorts
The crew of the Starwalker, before they stepped on her decks.
Genre: science fiction shorts
Current Status: some are done; more on the list
We all love the Starwalker‘s crew; this is a collection of the key moments that made them who they are, before they came together on her decks. The tragedy that drove her captain into the bottle. Why Rosie started upgrading herself with cybernetics. The scandal that forced Dr Valdimir to accept the position on her crew. Why the Chief of Security left the military. The battle that Starry’s creator fought to start the project. And so many more!
Done:
- Security Officer Rosie Brasco
- Captain John Warwick
- Danika Devon
- Dr Lorena Cirilli
To do:
- Chief Engineer Elliott Monaghan
- Dr Argyle Valdimir
- Navigator Lang Lang Cartier
- Chief of Security Gail Cameron
- Lieutenant Laurence
- Security Officer Tyler Pashtuhov
What’s Next: keep working away at them!
Shuriken
Lexi is an assassin and someone is framing her for a series of murders. She wouldn’t care – she has enough blood on her hands to take on a little more – but the victims are getting more and more personal. This isn’t just someone trying to hide their tracks; they’re trying to take her life apart. The question is: should she stop them, or is it time someone stopped her?
Genre: science fiction/noir/thriller novel
Current Status: second draft written, awaiting next re-draft
This one has been hanging around for a few years and has gone through one major reworking already. It needs another fairly radical rewrite: it was originally written as contemporary, but I think it would fit better in a more futuristic setting (more like noir science fiction; think Blade Runner but with a touch of ninja). I think that I have the core of it sorted out, though.
What’s Next: full rewrite. Then it might be in the correct form to polish and submit for publication.
Carapace
A small exploration scout ship is found adrift in a hazardous area, bleating for help. The salvage crew that boards the Carapace finds blood-strewn decks, and soon must choose between profit and their own safety.
Genre: space horror (that is totally a genre) novel/novella
Current Status: needs a bit more prep; otherwise ready to write
I pondered this one while writing Starwalker. At one point, she takes on the ident of a ship called the Carapace, and I got to thinking about what might have happened to her. What might have led to only having her ident left. Wind in a couple of ideas about genetic manipulation vs cybernetic enhancements, and there’s the story of the final days of the Carapace. May all who bled on her rest in peace.
What’s Next: write it. Time would be a nice thing.
Splinter Soul
A world split into pieces, its people split into fragments. Will healing the rifts make things better or worse?
Genre: fantasy (possibly urban fantasy), potentially post-apocalyptic
Current Status: concept / design phase
This project is new and still in the forming stages. It’s partially inspired by the soulmate theory (everyone was once a complete soul, was split into two, now everyone is seeking the other half of their soul), expanded to encompass a whole world and splitting souls into more than just two pieces. There will be magic and reincarnation and soul slaves and dragons and probably familiars.
Currently still pulling together the details of this one. Plot and characters are still very much up in the air, though I have plenty of options.
What’s Next: keep noodling at it until a plan emerges. Very much a background activity.
A slow start : : Adventures in Text says:
[…] it to the list of all the projects I have that I want to progress. Oh wait, it’s already on there! […]
November 25th, 2015 at 6:07 pm