"Red Apprentice"

The fire is burning again. For the past few years, the only "writing" I've been doing is blogging. MOST of my work has been editing, researching, querying, blogging, social media, screaming into the void, querying... and more researching... oh the researching... and more querying. The last few weeks, however, I've been inspired to take on another project tentatively titled "Red Apprentice." Guess what that meant...

You got it... more researching. There are dozens of sites upon which one can write and post their own original works or fan fictions (fan-made original stories involving characters from existing fictions, IE: "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" or more famously the Twilight fan-fic by Snowqueen's Icedragon titled "Master of the Universe" later known as "50 Shades of Grey." Once I narrowed the eventual homes of "Red Apprentice" down to Wattpad and Royal Road, I took a stroll onto Reddit and got a royal beatdown. The multitude of truth-bombs forced me to reconsider... but it didn't stop me.

You see, if my goal is to gain a buzz and acquire a bit of a fan base, posting chapters right now would be a bad idea. Say for instance I post "Red Apprentice" over the next few weeks... but I don't get an agent until April 2023 and "Vision of a Kingdom's Fall" hits shelves in December 2023. That means all the momentum from posting "Red Apprentice" will have long since faded. Instead, I'm going to write it and shelve it. Once I've talked it over with my future agent and know when book one is available, I'll start posting the prequel, "Red Apprentice" to multiple sites. I'll time it so that once readers finish it, the real series will start and they'll begin the story all revved and warmed up!

With this plan in mind, I've been plotting and planning this new work with a big-ole smile on my face! I sincerely miss the actual WRITING part of being a writer! Blogging is fun and editing is cool and all... but there's nothing like the challenge of creating a story. Talking about challenging, if you read my previous blog, you'll know why this is even more challenging than writing the actual series.

"Red Apprentice" takes place months before the true story begins. It stars LaTao, the spunky magic using protagonist from my upcoming series. The story takes place in the prestigious magic school of K'Laie. More Harvard than Hogwarts, K'Laie teachers prioritize theory and safety over practical application... that is until one is near graduation. Most students are fine with this, but young LaTao's thirst for grandeur requires a much higher pace. The only peer with a comparable thirst for knowledge is Meeka.

Inspired by her rival, Meeka sticks by her side, cramming as best she can. The duo longs and fights to be the strongest and most promising of all the apprentices. Their shared goal is to become the youngest to ever pass the test and be a certified Red Mage. With her friends help, can Meeka keep up with the fiery prodigy?

This story introduces readers to the magical side of Galtimer. When posted on free sites, people I would never have reached will get a taste of my writing style. Every other day or so, I'll be posting a new chapter to a growing audience. Hopefully, they'll fall in love with LaTao and find themselves rooting for her to succeed as they await each incoming chapter. As the story comes to a close, the hopefully invested readers will be notified that "Vision of a Kingdom's Fall" will soon be available for purchase. When "The Red Apprentice" ends, it will do so as a stand-alone book... simultaneously setting up LaTao's entrance into The Dreamer.

Damn, I am SO fired up right now! I can't wait to get back to work! I really do love the 'writing' part of being a writer. Have any of you ever read stories from sites like wattpad, royal road, Penana, or AO3? Please let me know in the comments! I'm still deciding what sites to use so your comments are more than welcome. Also, it would be a huge help if you hit me with any blog ideas that come to mind! The less time I spend hunting for blog topics, the more time I can spend writing!