I’m writing this post on an airplane on my way back from
SFWA’s annual conference and Nebula Awards.
The gathering this year shone for
so many reasons—excellent programming, exciting new initiatives on the Board (I’m
a Director at Large, for SFWA), and wonderful camaraderie. We really connected
with each other this year and I’m revved for next year’s conference in Los
Angeles.
Because of all this I’m posting on Tuesday instead of my
usual Sunday SFF Seven blog. Kristine Krantz switched days with me, which I truly
appreciate. She wrote about her new urban fantasy series, so check that out!
We’re talking this week about our favorite things about our
current WIPs. That stands for Work in Progress, for those not in the know. It’s
a standard writer catch-all term for whatever we’re working on, regardless of
length or medium.
(Medium is an important factor, I’m becoming more aware, as
I spent a substantial amount of time meeting with folks this last week how to set
the rules for the Game-Writing Nebula Award. Parsing how narrative arcs in
games of all types as compared to in novels and shorter works has me thinking
about how we tell stories.)
At any rate, I’m working on THE ORCHID THRONE, which is the
first book in my new trilogy for St. Martin’s Press, The Forgotten Empires. The
above images are ones I used for inspiration and to encapsulate the feel of the
story.
And they summarize the contrasting worlds of the heroine and
hero. She is the Queen of Flowers and he is the King of Slaves.
Really, these two characters are my favorite parts of this
WIP. They are the ones driving it, especially as—the way my process works—I’m discovering
the world, secondary characters and myriad other conflicts as I live with them.
They’re both very interesting, complex people, each fighting
to hold themselves and their “kingdoms” together in different ways. She is young,
very intelligent, fascinated by science—and holding onto her virgin status to preserve
the sovereignty of her throne, in possibly the last somewhat free kingdom left.
He is an escaped slave, king of nothing and with a voice roughened and strained
from laboring in volcanic mines. He’s entirely focused on revenge—and willing
to do whatever that takes.
They’re alike in their determination and iron wills. And
also in what lies beneath all that.
So it’s fun to write these people and see what happens when
I bring them together, both immovable objects. Or both irresistible forces. I’m
not sure yet.
Explosions to ensue.
