(I haven't touched Tumblr in ages but I popped on for a minute. Now I'm seeing everyone doing this thing and I can't resist)
I'm gonna include some older wips in this that are still always on my mind and a newer one I'm working on with a friend that I haven't talked about here
Choose amongst my poorly described wips - written from the pov of each main character
I drugged my friends with magic dust now birds say we have to save the world
my autistic swagger's so strong I overthrow the gods
if I'd paid attention when uncle taught chess we could survive this magical BS
we're teenagers, you're gods; end your own war
woke up in a field with no memories, got attacked by robots, now I'm a rebel spy
my brother's a dick, our lives are a lie, but hey this anarchist girl is pretty
I was fiddling around with chapter two of Cypress Ascending during my breaks at camp this week, and I actually really love how this turned out, so I figured I'd share an excerpt.
Warning for the death of a parent and fictional funeral rites, please don't read if that's likely to upset you!
When she knelt beside her father's deathbed, Cypress seemed to stare through the candle's light to see only the old man. No, she stared through the old shepherd to see the brilliant young scholar he once was. Scholar turned heretic turned shepherd… Perhaps she stared through even that to simply see Acacia Schyley as he was, in every way that mattered. A caring man and a loving father. Father of Cypress Schyley.
Acacia Schyley opened his eyes one final time to gaze upon his daughter's soft face. She did not cry, and neither did he. He took her hand gently in his own. Cypress handed the lighting candle back to Pax without looking. Her small hands wrapped around her fathers' as he shook. He laid her hands on his chest and sighed.
"I go gladly into Death's warm light," said the old shepherd.
Pax stepped forward, sprinkling ground mushroom dust around the bed, commencing the ritual to usher the old man peacefully into Yarham's realm.
"I have embraced the four Stages of my life," said the heretic.
"Infancy, Taphla, god of beginnings." Pax's soft voice filled the small shack as they lit the first candle. "Adolescence, Hedaph, god of freedom." The wax from the lighting candle dripped a small trail of wax between the first candle and the second. "Adulthood, Raishadin, god of fortitude." The third candle was the largest. "Old age, Eadim, god of resolutions." The fourth and final candle lit, Pax stepped back again.
"I forgive Life for her darkness and thank her for her lessons," said the scholar.
"Haia, god of life, the foundation of all, thanks you for your contributions to the world." Pax's words rang out with an air of finality. "Yarham's light embraces you now."
"One last thing before I go," said Acacia Schyley. "Cypress, my darling daughter, know that I go in peace. I have only ever felt peace and wonder with you by my side. Whatever the gods have in store for you, you will blow them all away." He wrapped her small fingers around his wooden pendant. "Take this, as a reminder of all that I've taught you, and all that you've taught me." He took a shaking breath. "Cypress, you're named for the reaching trees and their deep roots. Don't you ever forget that."
"Don't leave me," Cypress said, her voice feather soft. He placed a shaking hand on her cheek.
"I love you," said a father to his daughter as he closed his eyes. "I love you more than words could describe."
Taglist:
@ratracechronicler@lunewell@lady-redshield-writes
If you’d like to be tagged in (admittedly infrequent) updates about this WIP - including mood boards, excerpts, and worldbuilding - please let me know, and I’ll add you to the list!
Long ago, this world was ruled by many gods. There was a god for each thing, no matter how insignificant. And the people worshipped whichever god they pleased. But a god of songbirds does not help humanity. And a god of rainbows should not be more beloved than a god of youth.
So, the Sphaera formed - six gods united under a common goal, worshipped by those who sought the progress of humankind.
At the foundation, in shadow and soil, is Life - the ever-present Haia. The mortal plane consists of the Stages: Infancy, Adolescence, Adulthood, and Old Age - or Taphla, Hedaph, Raishadin, and Eadim, respectively. Above it all, watching with light and clarity, is Death - Yarham - a benevolent god rarely seen by mortals.
It was not hard to make the mortals believe that the Sphaera were the only true gods. After all, what is there that cannot be associated with Life, Death, or one of the Stages? Their sphere is enough to encompass the whole world.
(These images were all made using this picrew, which is intended for creating feminine characters, so these are depictions of the Gods in their more feminine forms).
Haia - God of Life
pronounced hi-uh
Colours: black, silver, brown
Imagery: night time, the moon, shadows, agriculture (especially soil)
Haia - Life - is the foundation of the Sphaera. Their chosen heroes are champions of tough love. One cannot appreciate the day without the night; one cannot reap a harvest without getting dirty. Life requires balance and challenge. People pray to Haia for bountiful harvests; for courage through tough times; and for reassurance that all suffering has its place.
Taphla - God of Infancy
pronounced TAFF-luh
Colours: light grey, teal and pale blue
Imagery: winter, clear blue skies with white clouds, gentle rain, small animals, children's toys
The First Stage, Taphla is a guardian for infants and toddlers. People pray to the playful god of beginnings for matters of parenthood and family; curiosity and discovery; peace; sleep; and prophecy. Taphla's God-Touched heroes offer guidance and support during big decisions and life changes, and many serve in the mission to care for and educate the young.
Hedaph - God of Adolescence
pronounced he-DAFF
Colours: green, vibrant shades of blue, pink, and yellow
Imagery: spring, gemstones and jewelry, streams and fountains, the foothills, meadows
The Second Stage, Hedaph represents late childhood and adolescence. The heroes touched by the temperamental god of youth are associated with music, revelry, freedom, and play, but also violence, righteous anger, and mood swings. Youth-touched heroes serve diverse missions of justice, liberty, or entertainment. People often pray to the Second Stage to seek blessings for their celebrations and help with their children, or simply when they feel overcome by emotion.
Raishadin - God of Adulthood
pronounced raysh-din
Colours: all shades of red, dark grey
Imagery: summer, carpentry tools, machinery, cities and buildings, tall sturdy trees
The Third Stage, Raishadin presents the ideals of adulthood. The god of fortitude and rationality chooses heroes who can lead with a firm and steady hand. People pray to Raishadin for matters of business, finances, trades and crafts, or to ask for mental and physical strength. As the god of stability, Raishadin also receives prayers for help with romance, marriage, and other relationships.
Eadim - God of Old Age
pronounced AY-dim
Colours: orange, soft pinks and purples
Imagery: autumn, herbs, birds, mountains and cliffs
The Fourth and Final Stage, Eadim is a protector for the elderly, served by heroes who seek to bring peace, comfort, and calming advice. Those touched by Eadim are often doctors or healers. People pray to the sage god of resolution for wisdom and hindsight, as well as protection, warmth, and security.
Yarham - God of Death
pronounced YAR-im
Colours: white, yellow and gold, the colours of flames
Imagery: daytime; the sun, especially sunset; candles and the hearth; mirrors; paths and roadways
Yarham - Death - reigns at the top of the Sphaera, a quiet, benevolent leader. Few heroes are chosen by Yarham, and even fewer have actually seen the god of death. The rare death-touched heroes have gone down in history as revolutionary leaders who ushered in new ages of prosperity. People pray to the leader of the Sphaera for clarity or hope, and, of course, to honour the dead on their journey beyond.
Bonus: Cypress Schyley - ascending? - a mystery
Long ago, the world was not ruled by humanity. It was ruled by neither money nor progress. Nor even by dreams. The world was ruled by cycles - time looping in and out in spiraling waves. Nothing was destroyed and nothing was created. Everything that once was could be again.
But that was long ago.
The age of cycles was gone. The Sphaera and their God-touched eradicated the old gods, so they say. They freed humanity of the chains of worship for gods whose domains were all the insignificant things of this world. The past and future had been tamed by the Sphaera and their god-touched servants.
Within a few generations, the old gods have become unknown to mortals - living or dead, it does not matter. All that remains is the Sphaera.
But at the edges of society, there are those who protest the cruelty of the God-touched. There are those who believe knowledge should not be caged, only seen by the few the gods deem worthy. There are those who believe that the progress of humanity should not leave behind songbirds, rainbows, or any "insignificant" thing that shares the natural world. These resilient, dangerous few whisper of the Forgotten. They dare suggest that, perhaps, it is time for old gods to be remembered. The time that was could begin again - after all these years, the cycle could start anew.
Maybe, they whisper, the Forgotten Gods never disappeared entirely. And maybe, just maybe, they did not die without a plan.
There, at the edges of society, high in the mountain fields, is a girl. Named for trees that never stop reaching. Raised by a man with ink and dreams and revolution in his veins. She is a lost thing that has been found, a forgotten thing remembered.
She is Cypress. And it is time for her to ascend.
Cypress Ascending introduction post here
and you can read more about the Sphaera here
Taglist:
@ratracechronicler @lunewell @lady-redshield-writes
If you’d like to be tagged in (likely infrequent) updates about this WIP - including mood boards, excerpts, and worldbuilding - please let me know and I’ll add you to the list!
Thanks @tc-doherty for tagging me to find the words: worry, permanent, fold, chase, and request.
I checked for all of these words in Cypress Ascending, but only one was in there. So once again, I'm posting excerpts from The Corvine book one, Essence of Stars.
Worry
Cambridge watched Lennox as he walked with his head down. He kicked at stones and hummed softly to himself. The shop was clearly important to him, and he’d had to leave it behind. She couldn’t get the raven’s warning out of her mind. It said they weren’t safe. She should’ve told the others, but she didn’t want them to worry. Everyone was so worried. Water coursed under the bridge and the morning light showed the filth inside. She sighed and pulled at the uncomfortable bonnet. They just had to make it onto the canal boat and then they’d be free. They’d go to the country where everything was clean, and there was no one to bother them. Everything would work itself out. That’s why Lennox had done this after all, to get them to freedom. She looked at her gloved hands. Having to hide herself didn’t feel like freedom.
Permanent
“Whether or not you realize it, every time you use your power, some part of you crosses that barrier. Whether or not you realize it, every time, some part of you doesn’t cross back.”
Silence reigned. All that was left was the crackling fire and [Avenir's] ragged breath.
“Every time, some part of you dies. Maybe, it’s your brain, and you slowly lose your mind.” She looked at Lennox. “Maybe, it’s your body, and you slowly lose the ability to move, to feel anything.” She turned to Ivory. “Maybe, it’s your voice, and one day you’ll have used your power so much that you can’t speak at all. Or maybe, like Cambridge, it’s something new and impossible, and we can’t know what will happen.”
“But the effects fade…?” Lennox’s fingers dug into his thighs.
Good, he should be uncomfortable.
Helio spoke up, voice and face solemn, "in extreme circumstances, the damage will become permanent. But under normal use, it is only a mild inconvenience."
Fold
Settling down with rough blankets on the hard floor, the others had already changed into nightclothes. Cambridge stood in the closet, gloved hands wrapped in the folds of her skirt. She pulled at the fabric, dreaming of a world where it was more than a costume. To take it off would be to break the illusion. To take it off would mean seeing what’s underneath. She shivered.
Chase
“Lennox.” Cambridge’s voice and the cold air together chased the stars out of his vision.
He snapped back to reality and took stock of the crowd in front of him. Supervisors, workers, and children alike stared up at the factory. Flames danced in their eyes. A cry passed through the crowd as a window shattered, throwing glass over their heads.
And, funny enough, I couldn't find request in Essence of Stars/The Corvine in general, but it was the one I found in Cypress Ascending!
God-touched fulfilled the missions given to them by the god they served. Simple as that. When Eadim had appeared before her, Solace hadn’t expected to spend the rest of her days travelling between small towns and smaller towns to ease the pain of the sick and dying. All in all, it was not a bad mission. She served a purpose. And people adored her. As the name she chose for herself suggested, the god of Old Age had granted her the power to give solace to those who needed it. She was happy to serve any of the Sphaera, let alone a god as well-respected as the Fourth Stage. But after years of doing it, her mission had become dreadfully boring. At times, she considered requesting an audience with Eadim just to ask him to give her a new one.
I think I will tag @muddshadow @emilyoracle and @leonajasmin-writeblr to find the words: world, land, ocean/sea, and city/town! Only if you want to, no pressure at all.
Also, anyone else who sees this, consider it an open tag! I'd love to see excerpts of everyone's wips ☺
I was tagged by @sleepyowlwrites to find the words read, rest, return, and run in my wips, with bonus words: retribution and revolve! This is my favourite tag game, thank you!
For the first set of words, I found them all in draft three of Essence of Stars (The Corvine book one)
read (appears 50 times in Essence of Stars)
Aurelie pulled out a sheet of paper. “This is a copy of the Word of the Raven,” she said.
Mevrou Geheim nodded. “It was given to me by the Keepers.”
“The barrier protects us from the other realm,” Aurelie read, “it protects us from ourselves and from others. It was created with great sacrifice, the loss of the Raven and four of the five who attended its creation. Their sacrifice made it what it is today.”
His heartbeat quickened. This was why they travelled all this way. This was what they had been waiting for. Their chance to save the realm.
“With great sacrifice,” Avenir echoed.
His stomach dropped.
rest (appears 25 times)
Between cults that hurt kids like Helio and Avenir, and grandparents who sold their little boy… There was a fire sparking deep inside her. Cambridge had been born again in Stardust. She had stood in a garden and watched the world end. She had felt herself end with it. But she was still alive. Her heart pumped stars through her veins. The universe rested inside her chest, pressure building. Building to what she didn’t know. How much longer would she last when the broken world was trying to ignite her kindling heart with rage?
return (appears 36 times)
"What is that, exactly? The Word of the Raven?" Ivory asked. “In the legends-” he cut himself off, instead saying, “Lennox told us it’s essentially the last commands of the Raven as they died.”
“Precisely. Though some believe they did not die that day on the mountain.”
“It’s just a story, they didn’t actually turn into a bird and disappear,” Ivory protested. “That’s absurd.”
They laughed, somewhat unkindly. “Just a story?” they said. “The Raven returned to their true form as they parted our realm; I suppose it is less absurd that you can command others to enact your will or that I can communicate with plants?”
run (appears 67 times)
Starlight reflected in the stranger’s eyes as tears welled up. She looked so young and uncertain. And hopeful. Cambridge had seen Lennox look the same way.
“This kingdom, Zondereck, has a monarchy like we used to ages ago. But it’s not the Corvine who run it, it’s just… people. Normal, non magical people. They trust me. They don’t know I’m using magic to watch them through the Astrifer. They just think I’m good with people. Even the Queen herself trusts me.” The woman paused, laughing slightly. “I’m friends with the Queen.”
Imagining the stranger older, hardened by time and rage, Cambridge’s breath caught. Her other dream screamed in the back of her mind. But this woman was young, her sadness wasn’t distilled starlight and her teeth weren’t sharp.
I couldn't find retribution nor revolve in The Corvine, but they do appear in another wip, Cypress Ascending! Those bonus words and tags are below the cut!
retribution (once in Cypress Ascending)
“Acacia Schyley,” Solace said.
Pax scoffed. “The infamous mortal scholar?”
Solace nodded.
Looking at his pitiful figure, they added under their breath, “a very gentle fate for one who tried to defy the gods.”
“The Sphaera are merciful,” Solace agreed, though she knew it often wasn’t true. The Gods could be cruel in their retribution. She stepped away from the desk, still watching Cypress from the corner of her eye.
revolve (again, just once in Cypress Ascending)
“See?” Solace gestured towards Cypress, nearly smacking Pax with the back of her hand. “Did you see?”
“Indeed.”
“It’s not the only thing either,” she continued in a hushed voice. Mysteries revolved around that girl like she was the star at the centre of an unknown universe. “There are so many small things that don’t add up.”
“You think she’s God-touched?”
“She must be.”
I'll tag some folks from my notes: @smp-writes @deewritessometimes @writing-with-melon and I'll tag you back @sleepyowlwrites! Plus, anyone else who sees this and wants to hop on, I encourage you, I love checking out others' work.
No pressure, of course, but if you're interested, I'd love to see snippets of your writing with the following words: lonely, layer, loss, and longing. BONUS: leer and luscious
Writing goals for 2022... is it really already 2022?
@erinnharper tagged me in her writing goals, reminding me that I've been working on this post and really should try to get it out during these first few days of January while it's still relevant haha
A quick summary of my goals for this coming year:
write a short play for my university's theatre festival
continue with the next drafts of The Corvine and the first draft of Cypress Ascending
start the first draft of The Corvine book two
edit and ~do things~ with some already written pieces
write some short stories, poetry, etc for fun!
most importantly, be kind to myself
Before I go into more detail on those, let's start by responding to my goals from last January and see how I did in 2021.
Review of 2021:
-SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED!- 2021 writing goal one: do a final round of editing on my play for the 2021 theatre festival before directing it in February
This virtual play went really well! It's even available on YouTube now and forever :)
Unfortunately, due to the so many other things happening in my life (and everyone else's), I realized pretty quickly this one just wasn't gonna happen. If the stars align again someday, maybe I'll give it another shot, I miss the murder mystery parties I did before.
I had mixed success on my other various goals (write more short stories & flash fiction, use haikus as writing warmup, effectively use my free time to actually write, update and interact here more often). Life loves to throw all it's got at us, huh? Sure makes finding the time to write difficult.
- PLANS CHANGED - Now. The Big Goal from 2021 was to get The Corvine ready and out for beta reading - I kind of succeeded? I changed my plan and decided that instead of doing public beta reading after draft two, I wanted to do a private round of alpha reading with some close friends & fellow writers. So they're finishing up with that as I'm starting to get ready for draft three!
This brings us to this year's goals!
Goal one: write a short play for my university's theatre festival
I have the idea already (playing around with the ideas of deus ex machine/god from the machine and fate). It'll be good fun, just gotta get it written and edited before February.
Goal two: edit and ~do things~ with some already written pieces
I want to edit through the jukebox musical I wrote for funsies and because I really like it, I am considering actually sending it to Cosmo Sheldrake himself and seeing what he thinks of what I did with his songs. Who knows what will come from that lmao.
I'm also looking at editing some of my favourite short stories and maybe submitting to lit mags for publication, so that's something that might happen this year.
The Big Goal(s): continue with the next drafts of The Corvine and the first draft of Cypress Ascending & start the first draft of The Corvine book two
As I mentioned above, I have some alpha readers looking at The Corvine - they all told me they'd be done and fill out the questionnaire I sent them by mid-January. Soon, I'll be working on the third draft (I already have some ideas on how to fix the most pressing issues). Hopefully, after the third draft, I will actually be offering it up to a broader public for beta reading!
In an ideal world, I would also finish the first draft of Cypress Ascending this year, but the BEd program owns my ass, so who knows what will happen.
I'd also like to finish up the outlining and start drafting on the second book of The Corvine (current working title is The Vulpsin, idk if I've mentioned that here)
Otherwise, I also have informal goals to write some more short stories, poetry, etc and post more here for fun!
But, most importantly, my ultimate goal for 2022 is to be kind to myself.
Life is hard. I'm a student in teachers' college. I've got acting projects and other extra-curricular things. I've got a job. I want to read and do other art things. I've got a girlfriend and roommates to make time for. However much writing I can fit in is a good amount of writing.
I need to remember all that I'm facing and realize that. Writing is my passion. But so are so many other things as well. Any writing is a good amount of writing. It's okay, whatever I get done or don't.
---
I'll tag some people who I'm curious to hear what they have planned! If you've already made a post, feel free to tag me in a reblog. Also, of course, no pressure at all to do it, I'm just curious! @radley-writes @ratracechronicler @drowsy-quill @cwritesfiction and @yvesdot
We'll start with a bit of a TL;DR of the following little expositional prose about the Gods in the world of Cypress Ascending
Basically:
There used to be many gods, but they were eradicated for the sake of "progress" by the Sphaera and their God-touched worshippers
The Sphaera are the 6 gods who are currently worshipped - Life, Death, and the Stages (the Stages being Infancy, Adolescence, Adulthood, and Old Age)
The God-touched are mortals they give powers and missions
Mortals who still know of the old gods call them the Forgotten, and they believe the Forgotten Gods are not truly gone
The Sphaera are so-called because they are usually represented as a sphere, or more metaphorically, the globe. Life below, Death above, and the Stages on the middle plane. Something like this (a simplistic armillary sphere with stars of different colours labelling the 6 gods):
The easiest way I can think of to explain the Sphaera is with a bit of prose, so the other day on the bus to work, I wrote this. It continues under the cut (about 450 words total)
The Story of the Sphaera
Long ago, the world was ruled by many gods. There was a god for each thing, no matter how insignificant. And the people worshipped whichever god they pleased.
But a god of songbirds does not help humanity. And a god of rainbows should not be more beloved than a god of youth.
So, the Sphaera was formed - six gods united under a common goal, worshipped by those who sought the progress of humankind.
At the foundation, in shadow and soil, is Life - a goddess named Haia. The mortal plane consists of the Stages: Infancy, Adolescence, Adulthood, and Old Age - or Taphla, Hedaph, Raishadin, and Eadim, respectively. Above it all, watching with light and clarity, is Death - Yarham - a benevolent god rarely seen by mortals.
It was not hard to make the mortals believe that the Sphaera were the only true gods. After all, what is there that cannot be associated with Life, Death, or one of the Stages? Their sphere is enough to encompass the whole world.
And so the Sphaera chose their heroes; they granted them powers, gave them missions. Select few mortals were deemed worthy of meeting the gods, of becoming God-touched. And these God-touched worshippers would do anything for their gods.
Thus began the Eradication. The God-touched faithfully followed their missions and systematically destroyed all who would not submit to the true power of the Sphaera, all who would not renounce their feeble "gods" of unimportant affairs. Humankind could only progress in a world with organized rule, dictated by the chosen and most powerful few. Worship of other gods would only hold humanity back. The Sphaera said so, and the God-touched believed.
Centers of worship were destroyed, replaced by temples to the Sphaera. And soon enough, the many gods became few. The Sphaera were proud of the blood on their hands and the weapons of their God-touched warriors.
Within a few generations, the old gods were unknown to mortals - living or dead, it did not matter. All that remained was the Sphaera.
But at the edges of society, there are those who protest the cruelty of the God-touched. There are those who believe knowledge should not be caged, should not only be seen by the few the gods deem worthy. There are those who believe that the progress of humanity should not leave behind songbirds, rainbows, or any "insignificant" thing that shares the natural world. These resilient, dangerous few whisper of the Forgotten. They dare suggest that perhaps, it is time for old gods to be remembered.
Maybe, they whisper, the Forgotten Gods never disappeared entirely. And maybe, just maybe, they did not die without a plan.
Taglist:
If you’d like to be tagged in (likely infrequent) updates about this WIP - including mood boards, excerpts, and worldbuilding - please let me know and I’ll add you to the list!
(@lady-redshield-writes I know you didn't ask to be tagged, but you seemed so interested in that other Cypress Ascending post, I thought I'd tag you here - this is the only time I'll do this without your express permission, so if you'd like to be tagged in the future, let me know! But if you don't like being tagged, don't worry! It won't happen again unless you say~~)
After doing this for Lennox from The Corvine in this post, I decided I enjoyed it enough and just had to do it for Cypress from my new wip, Cypress Ascending.
Point of the game is to use this picrew to represent your protagonist before and after the events of their story! If you decide to do this too, please tag me! I'd love to see!
For Cypress this was really fun. She changes quite a lot - going from sad and lonely daughter of a recently dead scholar-turned-shepherd to Actual Nature Goddess (what's this? me having a character actually happier at the end? how odd)
Image ID: two images of a girl in a simple cartoon style. In the first, Cypress has a slight frown, green eyes with some green eyeshadow, and flat straight black hair in a shoulder length bob with straight bangs high on her forehead. She is wearing a dark green cloak over a cream shirt. In the second image, her hair is wavy and her bangs are parted, her eyes are wider and she has a slight smile on golden coloured lips. She is blushing a warm colour and there are lines of white dots across each cheek. Her ears are now pointed and inhuman. She wears a flowy, formal dark green shirt that exposes her shoulders, a golden necklace, dangly earrings that look like suns, and a golden crown with many spokes like sun rays with a smaller crown of leaves in front.
