Side blog. WiPs include 6 short stories and 1 novel. Current named projects are Heavy Lies the Crown and Witches of Bellwicke. Open to tags and ask games. Main blog: Red-Pen-Ally.
As the fog on their morning walk lifted, they froze in place. Instead of the steel towers and blazing lights of the city, a different scene greeted them. The dirt road underfoot and the sleepy little town ahead looked like it was out of a fantasy novel, and it was completely unrecognizable...
Every year, a superstitious village abandons a human child in a nearby forest in exchange for divine protection. In actuality, an old hermit adopts the children and teaches them to ward off intruders. This year, the hermit’s best apprentice happens to locate and escort the abandoned child.
I've been back for a few months now, but I've yet to make a proper introductory post I was happy with. So let's try again!
About Me: Ally. Mid-30s. Writer. Professional editor. Currently working on 1 full-length novel and planning/outlining 6 short stories.
About the Blog: This blog is nearly a decade old. It laid dormant for a lil while, but now I'm back. Most posts will be about thoughts on writing and editing. Sometimes I'll share snippets of whatever I'm currently working on, though most of those will also be shared on my WiP side blog, Emmeraude Collective.
Other topics that may appear include queerness, neurodivergence, and disability. I tend to shy away from news posts, as that's not what I'm on Tumblr for. Mostly I'm just here to chill. Good vibes only.
About the WiPs: The project as a whole is known as the Emmeraude Collective. I have one novel and 6 short stories in the works. Well, "in the works" is a bit generous - I'm currently working on the novel and one short, and have vague ideas for two others. The rest are TBD.
The (wip) World at Large:
The Emmeraude Collective is a collection of 6 kingdoms: Arksea, Altenridge, Bellwicke, Falkyr, Evamtae, and Glenmoor. They're overseen by the Lockwood Empire.
The lands of Emmeraude have lain dormant for centuries. No one knows what happened to the previous residents; the kingdoms were largely self-governed, and all records have reportedly been lost.
Abandoned towns and travel routes remain, though nature has largely reclaimed them. Undeterred by the lack of information, the Empire threw resources into claiming the land. And thus, the Collective was born.
The following stories all take place within the Collective. Events in the shorts happen prior to events in the novel, but often at different points along the timeline.
Heavy Lies the Crown:
[Novel]
Emmeraude has always known peace. As the empire's latest expansion project, it was manufactured that way. The borders between kingdoms are neutral territory, and every major capital has an imperial embassy.
Raine and Alec have always said they'll stop at nothing to protect their people, and they've proven that time and again. But when rumors of war reach them, and their own family is implicated, the stakes are higher than ever.
Melodi always seems to be in the right place at the right time, and Raine can't put her finger on exactly why that's so unsettling. But with the threat of war on the horizon and their list of allies dwindling, she can't afford to be choosy.
Can the three work together to stop a war?
Witches of Bellwicke:
[Short story, takes place approx. 20-30 years before HLtC]
“There’s been a prophecy.”
A prophecy? That was big news indeed. There hadn’t been a prophecy in Morganna’s lifetime.
When Morganna left her life as a court witch behind, she thought that'd be the end of it. She could live her days in relative peace. So why was there a messenger sitting in her garden?
Willow would rather be anywhere other than a witch's garden. Especially this witch's garden. But her queen commanded it, and she must obey.
Fulfilling a prophecy is no simple matter. Can Morganna and Willow accomplish a task so great, it could change the future of Bellwicke?
Other Projects:
As previously mentioned, there are 6 planned shorts. At present I only have vague ideas for two of them (not counting WoB). Neither have proper titles.
The Arksea Project follows Tyler Devorak in his quest to save his daughter who's dying from an unknown disease. Unsatisfied with the level of information and testing currently available within the medical and science communities of the Collective, he gathers a group of trusted allies and forms Archangel, a medical facility/library where he can study and test without limits, catalogue his findings, and hopefully save his daughter. [This story takes place approximately 50-100 years before HLtC.]
The Glenmoor Project plot thus far is quite vague. It involves the founding of the Guardians, protectors of ancient and powerful places, and secrets tied to the old world. [This story takes place approximately 20-30 years before HLtC.]
In Conclusion:
More worldbuilding, snippets, and general thoughts will be coming soon. I'm always happy to talk about writing, and while I may sometimes be slow to answer, I'm open to asks and tag games.
For centuries, the clocktower overlooking a small village has been silent, despite the best efforts of officials to have it repaired. Tonight, as a mysterious stranger arrives at the village, the clock begins to toll.
"It's too late. I tried to warn them, but it's too late."
Every morning, at dawn, the princess let a message in the form of a paper crane fly out of her tower. Every evening, she received a new reply from some illustrious, magnificent adventurer, regaling her with tales of unknown places and bringing something special to her isolated life. Little did she know that, every morning, it was a weary groundskeeper that found her messages. One who wished to do more for the girl, but simply didn't know how to...
Reincarnation was a wonderful thing. There was just one small problem with yours. You were supposed to get a new blank slate with your new life, but you had remembered everything. Including the last face you saw before everything went dark…
“Arrest you,” replied her ally. Cool and calm and collected, as though they weren’t tearing her life–and their relationship–down around her ears. “With your mind control powers revealed…the public can’t trust you. We as heroes can’t trust you. You have to see that. Don’t make this any harder than it has to be.”
Her resolve hardened like diamond. “Come one step closer and I will peel your mind like a grape. Don’t test me. If you’re not willing to play nice, neither am I.”
“I can’t let you do this. I can’t- it’s torture. We’re the heroes: we don’t torture people. We can’t.”
“We can. We have to! If we don’t find out what [villain’s] plan is, the whole city could die. It’s one life versus thousands, and I’ve made my choice. I’m doing this. Are you going to stop me?”
“Yes,” she replied, eyes beginning to glow as she reached for his mind, “yes I am.”
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