Actually finishing Something In July 2.1

One year ago, I put Sew, It's a Quest on for free. Later, when I checked it's goodreads paged, I discovered that Rhoswen Faerie Wrose had added it to her to-read list. Being the naturally curious person I am, I clicked though to her profile and discovered that she had a blog. I clicked over to her blog, and discovered that she was a writer ... and that she was participating in something called "Actually Finishing Something in July," via Whisperings of the Pen. Since I was looking for motivation to get Take edited, I decided to participate. Through this I discovered a whole slew of other writers, such as Anne-Girl, Amy Dashwood, Miss Melody, and Jenny Frietag, and suddenly Kiri Liz appeared on my followers box.

Through these authors I discovered more, such as Jessica Grayson,  Rachel Heffington, Miss Jack Lewis Baillot, Abby, and so many more.


But why am I reminiscing today, you ask? Well, not only has it been one year since I began to collect blogger followers, but Katie Salbeko has decided to do "Actually Finishing Something this July" again!

And of course, I'm going to participate ... if only out of fond memories.

Week One Questions:

1) What is your writing goal? 

Run The Ankulen though at least two or three editors and apply their edits. Format the print version, prepare a cover art. (I know exactly what I want, and I have all of the tools, I believe, so it's only a matter of getting it put together.) Hopefully, put together a book trailer. (Again, I know what I want, though I'm not sure I have all of the tools. It'll be cool, though!) And I'd like to order a proof copy. (The Ankulen is a much more cooperative book than Take was, so I'm pretty sure I'll have it ready by it's target release day of September 5th. And it doesn't hurt to be on the ball about such matters)

2) Give us a short synopsis of your project. What makes it unique?

I'm really struggling to put together a good synopsis for this book  ... but here goes.

Fifteen-year-old Jen can't remember having an imagination, but she knows she had one once, and she wants it back. But it's been eight years. 

One day she finds a young boy, who claims to be one of her imaginary friends, and that her imaginary world is being eaten by a monster called the Polystoikhedron. He helps her to find the Ankulen, a special bracelet that had given her the ability to bring her imagination to life, and they embark on a quest to find friendship, healing, and perhaps some family.

How's that ... would that make you want to read this if you've never read this before. (crosses fingers)

3) How long have you been working on this project? 

The earliest writing I have about Jen and Chris (the young boy) is about three years old and is sitting in a notebook at my feet. (Where I won't lose it.) I didn't start writing seriously on it until about a year and a half ago, though.

4)  How often do you intend to write in order to reach your goal by August 1st? 

Whenever an editor sends me edits. (And I plan to do some line editing of my own, via my kindle. I love my kindle.) I also intend to do a lot of running around with a camera, some drawing ... and even a bit of gluing and pasting.

5) Introduce us to three of your favorite characters in this project.

This is so not fair ... every character is special to me in some way or another.

However, I shall give you the three characters who aren't Jen's imagination.

Jen: Of all my characters, I have never been able to slip into anyone's mind as well as I do hers. She's a fellow writer (once she gets rid of the Polystoikhedron, of course!), and she can very mischievous! (And malicious, when she's in a bad mood.)

Megan: This girl is a dear, I won't hesitate to say. Even though she's fifteen, she seems so much younger. Yet she doesn't seem immature. Innocent's a much better word for her.

Derek: This guy's backstory is heartbreaking ... but you are only going to get tidbits of it, since he's so closed-mouthed about his past. During the first draft, he really got on my nerves, but towards the end, he decided that maybe he did care, and in the second draft ... well, I do believe that he might be my favorite male character that I have written so far.

6)  Go to page 16 (or 6, 26, or 66!) of your writing project. Share your favorite line or snippet on the page.

I threw a walnut at him. “There's only one person who bears the title 'Lady' here, and she doesn't take kindly to being called 'hideous' either.”

(Page 66.)

7) Tea or coffee? 

Last year, I told you neither ... but I have since discovered that if the tea is REALLY strong, and it's cold outside, I can stand it. Coffee is still smell-only.