The Spirit Girl Book Update
June 24, 2017
Hey guys!
Whew life has been busy for me lately...and it's not about to get any more quiet, so don't be surprised if I disappear for long periods. My summer is currently sand, waves, sore muscles, swimming, LOTR movies. AHHHH LOTR!!!!! *fangirl moment* Can you believe I didn't watch the movie until now? For once in the long history of book to movie adaptation I am satisfied. Legolas <3 Legolas <3 Legolas <3. I don't like the actor himself, I JUST LIKE HIS CHARACTER. XD.
Ok, I honestly think it might be time to move on...or you might be stuck with my fangirling for a while. ;)
Ok, I honestly think it might be time to move on...or you might be stuck with my fangirling for a while. ;)
What is your book about?
Well...I could give you the synopsis, but since that's already up on 'My Writings' page then I'll explain beyond that. The Spirit Girl is about voices. Voices we have all heard, the not good enough voice, the stupid voice, the loser voice, the taunting voice. The Devil's Voice. But above all that it's about a much louder voice, God's voice. His Love that roars louder. So basically to summarize it...this is a book about a girl who's lost. She knows she's been forgiven, but she can't forgive herself. She keeps taking it back on her shoulders and it gets her in trouble. She thinks she has to face her mistakes alone but she often fails to realize He's right there to help her. That's the whole underlying theme.
Tell us about your MC?
I always love talking about my main characters. :) <3 In this case...River Naomi Montgomery. Her name combined would literally mean "River of Joy". Interestingly enough, my name and hers kind of have correlation because we were both named for things we should accept but struggle to. By the way...if you put my names together, it would come down to "Heavenly Grace". River is a fun, smart, introspective kind of person. But in all ways she is an extrovert and has a really pure heart. She's the kind that would get easily hurt and uncomfortable. Basically she really feels everything she does, she puts her heart in it, even if she doesn't really feel it at the moment. I would tell you guys more concrete, fun stuff, but I'm saving that for a character questionnaire so PLEASE comment questions to "ask my character" below. :) You can ask trivial things like favorite colors or deep things like "What is your greatest fear?". You can also ask what-if questions, that would make things REALLY interesting. Well anyway...I'm sure you all get the idea :)
How many pages are you hoping to get and what genre is this book?
Currently I am at 56 pages and 14,379 pages. :) I am hoping to get to about 13 chapters that are each twenty something pages so it should be a decent length but not TOO long. I have a nice bullet list which is the best I have ever done for planning. I have never planned out my books before, but I feel like that's what was holding me back. I don't like outlining *whines guiltily* but I know that it's the best for me!
So as far as genre goes, it is Christian and I guess I didn't want it to come across as a romance but there is a romance in it. It is really clean and River is hard headed when it comes to starting a relationship so it's a lot of fun to write and think about. She is definitely not the easy type but I love what happens in the end. I surprised myself coming up with it, and guess where it came from? *cheers* PINTEREST! See? Pinterest is not THAT bad. XD Yes, yes *grumble, grumble* it wastes your time but here I miraculously end up thanking pinterest for inspiring the best plot turn ever!:P
Snippets? Pleasssseee...
YES! I would love to share snippets with you! (what shameless questions I seem to ask! XD) *slight blushes*
I'm putting in the "fancy" ones and then the simple text. It's a lot easier to read that way. (but I just couldn't resist adding in the fancy ones shhh )
I don’t speak much. I hear, I think, I see. Boy do I see, I see so much it confuses me. Words, actions, feelings, and relationships get mixed up in my brain like baking soda with vinegar. I’d like to portray seeing inside as a pleasant artistic thing, but it isn’t. It’s torture, pure torture. The more you know, the more you wonder and the more you doubt. Be careful what kind of knowledge you wish for because many of those wishes come back as curses.
_______
As we walk along I notice the changes. Desolation eats the country space, weeds and tall grasses overrun the cracked sidewalks and road signs begin to turn lopsided and broken. Houses crumble, doomed by abandonment; their glass panes shattered or fallen in, their roofs caving, their walls falling apart. The sight brings a tinge of sadness to me. The place feels desolate. Final flashes of sunlight shimmer over the atmosphere slowly dying out to the stars that begin to peek their heads out above.
_______
“When you finish your work this evening, Mike will be wanting you in the back.” She says her voice cold and smooth. The implications break my last resolve into distress and the demons inside break loose, tormenting me to a physical point where my whole body is fighting to keep it in. My eternal scream sounds inside wakening the greatest fear of all, and that’s when I realize. I’m scared of myself.
_______
How is the writing itself going?
Awesome! I usually lose motivation in writing and get discouraged but this time is quite different. I can credit that to my two AMAZING Alpha readers: Cheryl and Gray! Cheryl has a degree in English and has the best technical and literary advice ever and Gray has self published two books and has super helpful visual and content related advice, so I am covered! Please follow these two! They are dear friends and have awesome blogs <3
Visuals, Aesthetics?
*instantly rushes to get them*
That is exactly the way I imagine River except a little more raw, like in the above collage. I wish I could have gotten a smiling picture, that's more her but this is as close as it gets. As far as Eli that is exactly the way I imagine him except not so buff and his hair is more brown then blond. He looks plain when he doesn't smile, but when he does it lights up a room. The adorable husky's name is Storm. <3
Do you get me with getting realistic character pics? I love to look for them but I feel like many times expectations are unreal. :/ I want my characters to be relatable and raw and real. My guy characters are definitely not all going to be buff and handsome and perfect. My girl characters are not all perfect, gorgeous, and skinny. I want beauty and charm but I seek for realism, for simple everyday characters. I like to focus in the inside, not so much on the outside. But of course dreaming about a character is what makes writing so much fun, so I do plenty of that too :). So the above pics are...let's say the characters at their BEST. :)
Conclusion...
Well I believe I've reached the end of the update! :) There isn't much more to share for now but I will definitely keep updating and answering questions. Coming up I would love to host a cool "Short Story/Poem" contest on my blog so look for that in the future as well as a character questionnaire.
Thank you all for making it so far with my tired, choppy manner of writing and bad formatting. You guys are saints for coming this far <3. I am currently sitting at the beach library, sand still all over my back and tangled in my hair yuck and my eyes are drooping from saltwater and exhaustion from awaking at 5 and earlier each morning for a month now. So now you can understand my tiredness. XD *yawn*
So! What do you all think? Share with me! I absolutely love your comments and shares, they always make my day! Comment questions for my MC to answer too! :) What are you guys writing? How are your projects going? Let's all chat below!
But the Lord is faithful,
and he will strengthen you and protect you
from the evil one.
(2 Thessalonians 3:3)
Awesome! I usually lose motivation in writing and get discouraged but this time is quite different. I can credit that to my two AMAZING Alpha readers: Cheryl and Gray! Cheryl has a degree in English and has the best technical and literary advice ever and Gray has self published two books and has super helpful visual and content related advice, so I am covered! Please follow these two! They are dear friends and have awesome blogs <3
Visuals, Aesthetics?
*instantly rushes to get them*
That is exactly the way I imagine River except a little more raw, like in the above collage. I wish I could have gotten a smiling picture, that's more her but this is as close as it gets. As far as Eli that is exactly the way I imagine him except not so buff and his hair is more brown then blond. He looks plain when he doesn't smile, but when he does it lights up a room. The adorable husky's name is Storm. <3
Do you get me with getting realistic character pics? I love to look for them but I feel like many times expectations are unreal. :/ I want my characters to be relatable and raw and real. My guy characters are definitely not all going to be buff and handsome and perfect. My girl characters are not all perfect, gorgeous, and skinny. I want beauty and charm but I seek for realism, for simple everyday characters. I like to focus in the inside, not so much on the outside. But of course dreaming about a character is what makes writing so much fun, so I do plenty of that too :). So the above pics are...let's say the characters at their BEST. :)
Conclusion...
Well I believe I've reached the end of the update! :) There isn't much more to share for now but I will definitely keep updating and answering questions. Coming up I would love to host a cool "Short Story/Poem" contest on my blog so look for that in the future as well as a character questionnaire.
Thank you all for making it so far with my tired, choppy manner of writing and bad formatting. You guys are saints for coming this far <3. I am currently sitting at the beach library, sand still all over my back and tangled in my hair yuck and my eyes are drooping from saltwater and exhaustion from awaking at 5 and earlier each morning for a month now. So now you can understand my tiredness. XD *yawn*
So! What do you all think? Share with me! I absolutely love your comments and shares, they always make my day! Comment questions for my MC to answer too! :) What are you guys writing? How are your projects going? Let's all chat below!
But the Lord is faithful,
and he will strengthen you and protect you
from the evil one.
(2 Thessalonians 3:3)
25 comments
This was AWESOME!!!
ReplyDeleteThose snippets. *falls over in state of wonder*
Those were beautiful. I couldn't read the fancy writing, but it was still pleasing to the eye. I can't wait until this is a real book. I want to read it.
Okay, character questions. Let me think of something.
What was your most heartbreaking moment?
When was your moment of overwhelming joy?
To answer what I'm writing, I'm working on a side project that's slightly fantasy. I'm actually building the characters and the world first, which is super fun and much better than outlining. I don't really like outlining.
This was so awesome. You're very talented. I don't know why you think you have bad formatting. All of your posts are very aesthetically pleasing.
God bless. <3
AHHHH *jumps up and down* These comments are making my day! <3 I'm so glad you like it and I can't wait to answer the questions.
DeleteOh me too! I really hate outlining! I just took everything I planned for the story and wrote it down in a list and it works! It works wonderfully because it's open to change yet still holds some structure. I can weave in different plots along with the main one at my will and time. I can't wait to hear about your project!
Thank you Ivie :) <3 You really put a smile on my face :)
God bless you too <3
AHHHHHHHH! Spirit Girl is SO good!!!! I'm almost done with the second chapter and I LOVE it so far!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDelete*cheers* I'm so glad you like it! Chapter Two is like my best one so far, haha. It's so hard to get what's in your head out into paper, it's almost like a sacred work that you feel your going to mess up. But that's writing!
DeleteThat is writing! And it's really good, sorry it's taking me forever to get back to you, life has been a blur!
DeleteIt's totally fine! I get you a 100%. It's the same over here!
DeleteThat was so fun and cool! I did a post on my WIP last week :) Your pictures + snippets = YES! I get ridiculously excited over friends' stories (more than my own haha). Also LOTR <3 <3 And Legolas xD
ReplyDeleteLisa
thisinkwell.blogspot.com
THANK YOU ahhhh <3 Haha that has got to be me too!
DeleteYASS Legolas and LOTR are the best! :D
I love the name River Naomi Montgomery. It's a very unique name and it sounds so cool!
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, Pinterest is a novelist's dream, besides other things.
Catherine
catherinesrebellingmuse.blogspot.com
Thank you! I love it too!
DeleteOh yes! Pinterest is lots of fun!
Your WIP sounds really lovely! The snippets definitely hooked me, and made me want to read more! :D
ReplyDeleteHere are a couple questions I have for River:
1) When did you feel closest to God? The furthest from him?
2) What's your family like?
3) How would you describe yourself in six words? How would others describe you in six words?
Great post Anna! <3
Thank you so much Melissa! <3 *warm fuzzies*
DeleteThose are lovely question! I'll be excited to answer them :)
I like the sound of this story, I really do. :) And those quotes were good - especially the first one; I read it in the fancy font, and that kind of just made it even more. I relate to River on that point! And questions for her: what are your hobbies, and how do you see yourself in five years?
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoy your time at the beach, Anna, and catch up on some sleep soon! (Unless wait, do you live near the beach?)
Thank you so much Jessica! I feel like we have the exact same outlook on my story! :) And the questions are awesome!
DeleteThat's so sweet of you Jess, I enjoyed it very much and actually it is three hours away from my home so it's close enough for daytrips but still exhausting ones :) The beach doesn't have any indoor showers which makes the gritty sand hard to remove, but neverthless I love adventures and I'll forfeit the comfort. :) I always like to think life is a training ground. :D
Thanks again for your lovely comment Jessica <3
So cool! I love your characters name! Isn't Pinterest great? Aesthetics are the best.
ReplyDeleteLove your snippets as well! I love when writers share about their stories. Keep up the great work!
<3 Thanks Emily! AHH you flatter me XD
DeleteYou keep up the great work as well :)!
The snippets are amazing (they deserve to be written in the fancy script. They are more than just excess). I get how it is to look for photos and it's hard to find one that exactly matches what you're looking for. *le sigh...*
ReplyDeletexoxo Abigail Lennah | ups & downs
THANK YOU ABBY! <3 I thought so too!
DeleteYes! It's such a pain! I could spend hours on it somedays, and then on others its like bam, in my Pinterest feed waiting for me. Neverthless I can't help looking for them anyway *guilty grin*
Again thanks for your comment Abigail! :) <3
your novel sounds awesome!:) I love the collage by the way
ReplyDelete-Quinley
Thanks Quinley! Do you have a blog? I'd love to check it out :)
DeleteYour welcome!:) and yes I do have a blog, do you want me to give you the link?
Delete-Quinley
I would love it! :)
Deletehere is the link to my writing blog: http://adventure1359.blogspot.com/
DeleteOMW YOUR NOVEL SOUNDS AWESOME. O.O Your theme sounds SO epic too.
ReplyDelete*rubs hands together* Okay, so for your MC...
- What are her dreams usually like (nightmares, etc)?
- What is her greatest joy in life?
- If she could spend the rest of her life doing one thing, what would it be?
I hope your writing keeps going well! I love hearing about it <3
audrey caylin
ablgysdcjk Audrey THANK YOU! <3 *flails with happiness*
DeleteAnd those are awesome questions!
Thank you so much for stopping by and commenting :) <3
xox - Anna
Hi! Thank you so much for your comments, they always make my day. I allow anonymous users to comment on my blog, but any crass, profane, pointless criticism and mean comments will be deleted. Remember to check back or click notify because I reply to all of my comments!
Have a Blessed day <3