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Dreams and Shadows - Beta Phase?!

I finally finished the (more or less) second draft of Dreams and Shadows!

[WIP PAGE] [PINTEREST BOARD]

≽(^ ᗜ ^)≼ Still can’t believe it. Honestly I feel a little dead inside :’D This is the first version of it that I actually kinda like! Sure, there are many problems but... it’s getting there!!! ●.◉

THIS MEANS SEVERAL THINGS

One, I can finally work on Like Dragons of Old again! YAYYYY!!!!

Two, I’m searching for beta readers. Now, there are a few things to add at this point: About half a year ago, I finished the first half of Dreams. Some of you already read that and gave me great feedback. Since then I haven’t touched the first half, even though some things have changed slightly between the first and second half. Therefore, there might be some (additional?!) inconsistencies there :’D

This is only a second draft, for the most part. I’ve reworked some parts of it more often than others, but some only once or twice (after rewriting scenes, for example). Therefore, I need to find out where pacing does (not) work, which plot points (and twists) and characters work, or not... If I need to include more worldbuilding or less, if there are info dumps anywhere, if the character voices work. Stuff like that. There’s a list of beta-questions after the main text.

I’ve never actually *really* done this because this is the first story that ever got to this point. I have to say, I’m hella proud of having gotten here at all, and without you and some personal friends I probably would’ve never done it. I’ve been working on Dreams and Shadows on and off since November 2014, when I wrote Draft Zero during NaNoWriMo. I never really worked on it outside of NaNo season, until approximately March of 2018, when I suddenly started making writer friends! :’))) Honestly, I love you and your projects so much and you’re all so talented and it’s such a pleasure to see your projects grow, and to be motivated to finally get stuff done...

As to any deadlines: I myself am currently head-deep in my bachelor’s thesis, and several of my friends are, too. Since they can only start reading in March and I won’t get anywhere before that (and have Like Dragons of Old if I get bored and want to write) you’d have until the beginning of August? The more feedback I get, the better; so the more time, the more feedback? Right? :’D

Dreams and Shadows is 120K long, so about 300 pdf pages. (I’m still surprised that I managed to keep it there. There was a point where I thought it would end up being two books).

A general warning: I love being very mean to my characters.

If you’re (still) interested in finding out more about my stupid brain-child of a novel, you can check out the info below the cut! (Also, taggs are below the cut, too)

Name: Dreams and Shadows [WIP PAGE] [PINTEREST BOARD]

Genre/Setting: Fantasy with some steampunk elements set (for the most part) in another world called Aelaris. Technology is a combination of magic and steam-powered machinery. Type: Standalone, with the possibility of a sequel set 10 years later. Language: English POV: First person present. Two “main” POVs, two “less main” POVs (less often). I usually write 3rd person past tense, it just didn’t work for this one... :’D

Synopsis

Two siblings and their guardian-cat get dragged into an ancient conflict when the older has a life-threatening “accident”.

AVA’s whole life up until that point has been revolving around Ben so the fact that he's now so badly hurt that he's (more or less) in a coma comes as quite a shock. Incapable of coping with the situation, she sees everything falling apart around her since since Ben was always the one holding the more and more estranged members of his family together. BEN, meanwhile, “wakes up” as a sort of ghost days later and remembers nothing at all. Now he has to find a way to return before the living give up on him, and Ava has to help her parents reconnect and learn that pushing everyone away when they only want to help is probably not the best plan. And maybe there’s a way for her to help Ben, even if she isn’t quite sure if he’s still there at all. At least there's still the family cat, Amber, who is a lot more than she seems.

Ava is almost eight, Ben is eleven-and-a-half, in case that matters^^

Worldbuilding:

It's been roughly 500 years since an apocalypse that basically killed off most of the human population. Society before that was really advanced and had almost wrecked the planet, until a powerful entity disagreed and unleashed chaos. So nowadays society remembers only a few things from before, mostly by word of mouth, or from the sealed-off ruins they excavated once they had recovered enough. That’s why technology is mostly a mix of steam-powered technology and magic.

There are also a bunch of tiny dragons, some ancient entities, a former pirate queen, several monsters, pigeons, and a demon who may have something to do with the accident. And a lot of mean magic.

That’s the main aesthetic. I have one for Ava and Ben respectively on my wip page :)

If you’re interested or want to learn more about it, you could send me a private message on here or contact me via email [email protected] :) Anyways, thank you so much for your interest! <3

Taglist / some peeps who once professed interest in my stuff and might be maybe interested??

@romenna @asttralhell @prismalicht @authordai @madmoonink @lynnafred @fynniana @writin-maaagic @raiswanson @paper-shield-and-wooden-sword @warmbones @importance-of-being-crazy @thereisnothingwrongwithbeingmad @merigreenleaf @sincerestaffect @zekethegm @hypnocutiegypsy @writin-maaagic @random-stuff-thrown-into-a-pot @kittensartsbooks @stephrawlingwrites @annelaurant-writing @lady-redshield-writes @wolfdancer333 @bmariewinter

hope it’s ok to tag you aaAAAHHHHH

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