#WritersCoffeeClub How satisfied are you with your current writerly โvoiceโ?
Very, seeing as it nails Rarkin's voice, and he's the main character narrating #SytheSeries. His voice is coloured by his experiences, including trauma, his worries, goals and hopes.
He shares the insights of his ever restless mind, in detecting danger, looking for patterns and piecing together clues, when narrating the actions of and speculation about an ever changing enemy.
#WritersCoffeeClub December 28. How does your prose create and maintain tension?
Well, with an MC narrating in first person who;
-has CPTSD
-has a screwed up relationship with his screwed up father
-is determined to keep everyone at arm's length
-has major trust issues
-must trust his Monster Containment Team to keep him alive
While Organised Crime is flirting with terrorism and ideological opposition to the institution Rarkin works for... it comes organically in #SytheSeries ๐
#WritersCoffeeClub 1. From where did the inspiration for your current WIP come?
#SytheSeries book 1, in which organised Crime begin to move directly against Sythe (international law enforcement, emergency services, army etc). In book 2 they GO TO TOWN.
And the 'evil' villain, with quirks that look like he cares about some people when you squint, has a FIELD DAY.
(Basically I had fun taking B1's ideas the whole 9 yards ๐)
Meanwhile, Rarkin continues to GROW & works on letting new friends in.
โจCover Revealโจ
Art by Lawrence Mann
Rarkin dreams of working for Monster Containment, but training at Sythe School puts him on the front line of Organised Crime's bold new tactics. Tactics which stir repressed memories & unresolved feelings. To succeed, Rarkin must confront his trauma head on, & break the cycle of violence in his family.
#FinalFantasy VIII (& Squall) X The Outsiders + #autism, CPTSD & #asexual rep
#WritersCoffeeClub 10. How much of world-building extends beyond what's shown in the text?
Given that the world building of #SytheSeries includes 3,000 years of political, technological & societal psychological development & history from where Ruarnon Trilogy left off, I'd say A LOT.
Some things, like why monsters roam the Wild Zone and why everyone can theoretically wield magic but not everyone does, come up when Rarkin wants to understand his world. Other's aren't relevant enough.
#WritersCoffeeClub 29. How happy or bittersweet are your endings?
For Ruarnon Trilogy... one book ends on an 'Oh shit! THAT'S coming!?' note. One is happy, one very much so. (Put them through hell, it comes good style.)
#SytheSeries; early books are kind of happy. Rarkin's made progress, but still has some serious issues, so his happiness comes with big reservations. And as he recovers from trauma, shit is going down in the world, and he & friends are on the front line, so there's tension too.
#WritersCoffeeClub 23: Share a description you're proud of
"I realised that the solidly built, dark haired girl in front of me wasnโt writing notes. Sheโd sketched the empress and labelled her, but that was all.
I kept watching as the Trainer lectured. The girl drew, writing hardly anything, with poor spelling. It dawned on me that while I had no hope of remembering my notes during exams; this girl couldnโt take notes. How would she remember anything?"
#SytheSeries 1, Walking The Knife's Edge
#WritersCoffeeClub: Do you write characters' thoughts, or let actions speak for themselves?
In #SytheSeries, Rarkin is autistic, logical, cynical, & has CPTSD. He's untrusting, reserved & emotionally repressed. If you don't know what he's thinking; you don't know 80% of what's going on for him (like Murderbot ๐).
Similarly, Ruarnon of #RuarnonTrilogy is AuDHD & regent. Their doubts & fears are largely internal; their exterior presentation aiming for calm & control.
Thoughts are NEEDED here.
#WritersCoffeeClub March 14: What new themes are you currently exploring?
Toxic Masculinity as destruction not only of others, but Self Destruction.
How Autism can lean into, but also Effectively Combat Toxic Masculinity.
Learning to Trust and Let People In.
Facing Your Fears/ PTSD.
Deliberate, conscious, determined, stubborn personal growth.
Yes, this is all the teenage MC of #SytheSeries. Poor Rarkin goes through A LOT. But he's awesome, so the personal growth across the series is huge.
Hi Folks. I'm looking for beta readers for book 1 in #SytheSeries: Walking the Knife's Edge, 73k YA SciFi #Fantasy
Blurb
Brock Heights is rundown, crap & Rarkin wants OUT. He's a teen with a temper, a soft spot for his mum & an abusive father looming over his life
Rarkin's escape plan: get qualified at Sythe School and work for Monster Containment. But with Organised Crime entering a bold new era, & PTSD stalking him, that's a baptism of fire.
Please let me know if you're interested!
Elise (they/ them)๐ฆ๐บ๐ณ๏ธโ๐