Things have taken a turn. I got honest with myself about my calendar (which you can read HERE) and now just isn’t the time for Sally Forth to be the number-one-priority focus of my creative efforts.
I will still be working on the project, but it’s priority status will have to wait until the book is at least mostly written. I hope you’ll understand, and promise to share any updates to the project schedule when there are any.
In case you’re wondering where I’m putting my focus for the time being, I’m working on the BETTER STORYTELLING site and generally squaring away my online presence as a writer while also handling some offline creative endeavors which are mentioned in the blogpost linked at the start of this update.
Anybody else experience a sudden burst of actual Springtime this past week? Because the cold weather is finally done here in Providence (at least, for the time being).
This past week I was able to complete a charming little PDF download of The Original Chapters and to make Tarot outlines for the three short stories I mentioned in the previous update. The Original Chapters will be removed from the project page as soon as I’ve finished writing The Short Stories, which will themselves only be available on the project page temporarily.
Speaking of The Short Stories, today I begin work on them in earnest. If you mosey on over to my Twitch channel HERE and my YouTube channel HERE, you may just find me working on them via typewriter. Why? Because sometimes I want to avoid spoilers, for your sake.
If you really want the PDF of The Original Chapters without waiting for Sally Forth to be available for pre-orders and reach funding and all that, please note that I am considering doing a soft re-launch of my Patreon page which would mean that you could also get the PDF of The Short Stories early as well. BUT, I haven’t decided to do that yet, so the Patreon page is still in need of numerous updates.
Today marks the start of 100 Days devoted to my working on Sally Forth. And things are going to be little different from the 100 days spent on the Narratemes project:
Instead if 10 days in draft mode and 90 days campaigning, I will be spending 25 days in draft mode and 75 days campaigning.
Whereas my previous project was pretty much written and just needed editing and a touch of rewriting, this project will be going right back to the tarot outline and completely re-worked.
Previous project had no additional goodies during campaign mode, this project will have two, if not three: (1) the three chapters currently up will be made into into their downloadable PDF since they’re basically going bye-bye; (2) the three main characters will have short stories written for them to help establish their footing in the fictitious world that will be temporarily available on the project’s "Read" section and then only for download by those who pre-order the book; and, (3) I’m going to be creating a detailed record of this project’s development including historical notes, creative challenges, and how I use tarot for both plotting and character development which should all be revealed in these updates over the course of the project before making it into a special edition PDF for those who pre-order the book.
So, here we are on Day 1 of 100, currently in draft mode, and totally excited to be sharing this story!
Did you know that the original title for this project was Friends Don’t Let Friends Date The Undead?
At first, I wanted it to be a tongue-in-cheek post-apocalyptic dating manual for avoiding dating vampires accidentally-on-purpose. Then, I thought it could be a paranormal re-telling of How I Met Your Mother with the focus being less-Ted and more-ensemble (#BarneyAndRobin4Eva #MarshallAndLilyEqualRelationshipGoals #FrenchHornsArentTheOnlyThingTedWantsToBeBlue).
When I first outlined the book, it immediately became much darker/grungier and followed the storyline of SnowWhite very closely. Not that I minded, everything I write is in some way a fairy tale. Look closely and you can find all the elements of fairy tale writing in the current chapters.
Then, one day, I was telling my friends stories about my family (like you do) and bragging about how we’ve been known to have whole conversations just quoting Bill Murray. I also bragged about how for her first Ghostbusters’ Day being able to sit upright on her own, my niece got to watch the movie for the first time and my sister posted a video of her cheering at the end. (I’m not crying, you’re crying!)
That’s when these first few chapters clicked into place. The challenge of a character no one can really interact with further restricted by first Ghostbuster quotes, and gradually Bill Murray quotes in general. Vampires who are well-aware of the ethical quagmire they get themselves into every time they open their goddamn mouths. Queer teen werewolves who will not be denied their right to flirt!
We were back in the fun of Friends Don’t Let Friends Date The Undead! Until, that is, I wrote the scene of Beth drinking a bottle of prosecco by herself and crying herself to sleep in her dead sister’s bed, her sister who she herself had to "put down" at the very start of the book.
While the humor of inter-phase flirting would continue to play a part in alleviating the overall mood of the book, it was no longer the focus. Now it’s on these sisters, both looking for answers as to why one of them had to die.
So, the title of the book changed to one reflecting the possibility of murder most foul. The cover — I’ll admit — looks a bit like a Harlequin mystery/romance. These two things are going to changing again ... later this year.
This book, these sisters, deserve a better title to their story, and a cover that isn’t more than a little misleading. But I won’t be working on this right away. I’ve made a schedule for myself:
100 days (10 drafting, 90 campaigning) for a guided journal I’ve created and am no editing (and which I use to put a huge dent in healing my hoarding compulsion which, surprise, is a thing), writing a memoir on the side;
100 days of drafting and then campaigning a memoir (because I’m a self-centered artist, obviously), writing a guidebook on the side;
100 days for a guidebook which will pick up where the guided journal leaves off, writing a paranormal teen sisters drama on the side; and,
100 days for The Sally Forth Intrigue under whatever the hell the new title ends up being.
This "schedule" is clearly just the amount of time allotted for each project and the order I’ll be working on them. But you’re following this book and I wanted to let you know that’s its time is literally coming.
At the start of each project, I’ll send you an updated work-slate until it’s time for us to hang out here again, getting this book funded and published (or self-published if necessary).
live-streaming my Morning Writing every day from 9:00am-11:30am on YouTube;
sharing about the project, the accountability practice, and some bonus materials in 100 Morning Writings, Part 1 and 100 Morning Writings, Part 2 on Facebook (who apparently doesn’t allow for the creation of events with more than 52 individual dates, go figure).
Pick your poison, m’dears, it’s more than Janie got in the end.
Hey Neighbors,
Things have taken a turn. I got honest with myself about my calendar (which you can read HERE) and now just isn’t the time for Sally Forth to be the number-one-priority focus of my creative efforts.
I will still be working on the project, but it’s priority status will have to wait until the book is at least mostly written. I hope you’ll understand, and promise to share any updates to the project schedule when there are any.
In case you’re wondering where I’m putting my focus for the time being, I’m working on the BETTER STORYTELLING site and generally squaring away my online presence as a writer while also handling some offline creative endeavors which are mentioned in the blogpost linked at the start of this update.
Thank you and good journey,
Rose
Hullo Neighbors!
Anybody else experience a sudden burst of actual Springtime this past week? Because the cold weather is finally done here in Providence (at least, for the time being).
This past week I was able to complete a charming little PDF download of The Original Chapters and to make Tarot outlines for the three short stories I mentioned in the previous update. The Original Chapters will be removed from the project page as soon as I’ve finished writing The Short Stories, which will themselves only be available on the project page temporarily.
Speaking of The Short Stories, today I begin work on them in earnest. If you mosey on over to my Twitch channel HERE and my YouTube channel HERE, you may just find me working on them via typewriter. Why? Because sometimes I want to avoid spoilers, for your sake.
If you really want the PDF of The Original Chapters without waiting for Sally Forth to be available for pre-orders and reach funding and all that, please note that I am considering doing a soft re-launch of my Patreon page which would mean that you could also get the PDF of The Short Stories early as well. BUT, I haven’t decided to do that yet, so the Patreon page is still in need of numerous updates.
Here’s to posting The Short Stories soon,
Rose
Hullo Neighbors!
Today marks the start of 100 Days devoted to my working on Sally Forth. And things are going to be little different from the 100 days spent on the Narratemes project:
So, here we are on Day 1 of 100, currently in draft mode, and totally excited to be sharing this story!
Good journey,
Rose
WARNING: My next 100 days of Morning Writing (livestreamed on YouTube HERE and Twitch HERE) is gonna be devoted to SALLY FORTH.
Now, those 100 days are scheduled to begin May 1st and end August 8th. But I’m getting started early to get all the things squared away:
All live-streaming is 9-11am EST daily (unless some unavoidable scheduling conflicts and I do it earlier in the morning or am forced to skip a day).
Looking forward to doing some proper fiction writing for you,
Rose
Did you know that the original title for this project was Friends Don’t Let Friends Date The Undead?
At first, I wanted it to be a tongue-in-cheek post-apocalyptic dating manual for avoiding dating vampires accidentally-on-purpose. Then, I thought it could be a paranormal re-telling of How I Met Your Mother with the focus being less-Ted and more-ensemble (#BarneyAndRobin4Eva #MarshallAndLilyEqualRelationshipGoals #FrenchHornsArentTheOnlyThingTedWantsToBeBlue).
When I first outlined the book, it immediately became much darker/grungier and followed the storyline of SnowWhite very closely. Not that I minded, everything I write is in some way a fairy tale. Look closely and you can find all the elements of fairy tale writing in the current chapters.
Then, one day, I was telling my friends stories about my family (like you do) and bragging about how we’ve been known to have whole conversations just quoting Bill Murray. I also bragged about how for her first Ghostbusters’ Day being able to sit upright on her own, my niece got to watch the movie for the first time and my sister posted a video of her cheering at the end. (I’m not crying, you’re crying!)
That’s when these first few chapters clicked into place. The challenge of a character no one can really interact with further restricted by first Ghostbuster quotes, and gradually Bill Murray quotes in general. Vampires who are well-aware of the ethical quagmire they get themselves into every time they open their goddamn mouths. Queer teen werewolves who will not be denied their right to flirt!
We were back in the fun of Friends Don’t Let Friends Date The Undead! Until, that is, I wrote the scene of Beth drinking a bottle of prosecco by herself and crying herself to sleep in her dead sister’s bed, her sister who she herself had to "put down" at the very start of the book.
While the humor of inter-phase flirting would continue to play a part in alleviating the overall mood of the book, it was no longer the focus. Now it’s on these sisters, both looking for answers as to why one of them had to die.
So, the title of the book changed to one reflecting the possibility of murder most foul. The cover — I’ll admit — looks a bit like a Harlequin mystery/romance. These two things are going to changing again ... later this year.
This book, these sisters, deserve a better title to their story, and a cover that isn’t more than a little misleading. But I won’t be working on this right away. I’ve made a schedule for myself:
This "schedule" is clearly just the amount of time allotted for each project and the order I’ll be working on them. But you’re following this book and I wanted to let you know that’s its time is literally coming.
At the start of each project, I’ll send you an updated work-slate until it’s time for us to hang out here again, getting this book funded and published (or self-published if necessary).
For now, you can find me:
Pick your poison, m’dears, it’s more than Janie got in the end.