Monday, October 29, 2018

Know the Novel Part 1: Introducing Kings Bleed Gold



Look at me actually joining in on my own linkup and telling you guys about my NaNoWriMo novel. And only 3 days before NaNo. I’m always so on top of things!


Okay, in my defense I didn’t really know all that much about my novel until now. But I’ve been feverishly outlining it and digging into my characters and doing tons of worldbuilding and I ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON NOW. Woot, woot! Or, well, we’ll pretend I do. Ahem.


ANYWAYS.


Today I’m going to be answering the questions for my Know the Novel linkup, which you can find info for HERE if you missed it. But basically, it’s a 3-part linkup that asks questions about your novel and writing that you can answer on your blog (or anywhere on social media!). Part 1 runs through October, so there’s still a couple of days left to join in if you haven’t yet!



SO. I am fiiinally properly introducing my NaNo novel, Kings Bleed Gold, which is a King Midas retelling WITH DRAGONS. But also creepy fairies and an underground city-type place and weird magical technology and so. much. pain. It’s gonna be great!


HERE WE GO.

(Note: All the following pictures were found on Pinterest and do not belong to me. If you click on them, they’ll take you to their Pintrest pages.)

 


KINGS BLEED GOLD



1.) What first sparked the idea for this novel?


That’s a funny story actually!


Back in last October, my awesome friend Jenelle Schmidt created a twitter challenge called #Drachtober, in which she gave us 31 dragonish questions to answer on twitter for each day of October. (And she’s running it again this year, so if you follow me on Twitter and have been wondering why basically all my posts have been about dragons, that’s why! Of course, most of my posts are about dragons anyway. *cough*) One day, the prompt was “Best Friend for a Dragon”. I spontaneously said King Midas, because I thought, what dragon wouldn’t want a best friend who can TURN EVERYTHING TO GOLD HE TOUCHES? I mean, gold, dragons. It just makes sense!

Buuut then, being the plot bunny plagued writer I am, my brain ran with the idea and was like, “But what if the dragons weren’t friends with Midas, but enslaved him because of his ability???” Annnd here we are.


This is the original tweet:



So I’ve had a year to mull over the idea. Though it wasn’t until September that some fun plans for it attacked my brain. It was at that moment I knew it had to be my NaNo novel. But it’s been fun plotting it literally exactly a year after the first idea for it came!


But yep, you can blame Jenelle for this story. I don’t even know if she knows this is her fault… If you’re reading, THANK YOU, JENELLE! <3

 


2.) Share a blurb!


Ugh, who created such hard questions? Oh wait…


Okay, so I kind of hate this blurb with a deep, burning passion. It’s so terribly written UGH. But I just have not had time to spend perfecting a blurb, so…this is what you’re getting. Sorry.


Midas has gold running through his veins—literally.

One day, when young Prince Midas and his little brother were out on one of Midas’ crazy adventures, they stumbled upon a da nerai—one of the secret homes of fairies. It was there they found the golden pool, and there Midas nearly drowned. With the help of his brother, he managed to escape the strange waters, but when he emerged, he quickly discovered anything he touched turned to gold, including his brother. After that terrible accident, Midas chose to assure his new ability would be a gift and never a curse again. He would use it make his kingdom the richest and greatest in all of Ellador. And his little brother, forever encased in gold, would be placed in the throne room and be honored for his sacrifice.

Now nearly eighteen, Midas is almost of age to take his place on the throne and truly enact his plans. But someone else has other ideas for this boy with the golden touch.

Life of pleasures and luxury quickly turns to tragedy when Midas’ kingdom is ravaged by a beast he barely even knew existed—a dragon. Next thing Midas knows, he’s being swept away by the terrible monster into an underground world full of dragons, strange, magical devices, and enslaved humans. The dragons have one goal: to live on the surface world. The problem? The sun is poison to them.

With the aid of fairies and their magic, the dragons are creating a way to block the sun’s poisonous rays. But to use this magic, they need gold. Now with Midas in their clutches, they have an infinite supply.

As Midas goes from crown prince to slave and forced into helping the very creatures that destroyed everything, he begins to fear that his ability is actually a curse after all. For if the dragons’ plan succeeds, a reign of terror and darkness awaits not just his kingdom, but all of Ellador.

 

3.) Where does the story take place? What are some of your favorite aspects about the setting?


I am super pumped about the setting!


It takes place in a fantasy continent called Ellador. Midas’ kingdom, Chrysafel (name subject to change), is based off ancient Greece, since the original King Midas myth is Greek. Plus I really like ancient Greek culture. It’ll be fun to attempt to write it for the first time! So some of the story takes place there.


Then there’s where the dragons live, which is underground because the sun is poisonous to them. FUN STUFF. And their homes basically hang from the ceiling and there’s weird glowing creatures and all sorts of crazy fantasy thiiings.


I’ll also be incorporating African culture. THEN there’s the places where the fairies live which are basically these secret forests dotted around the world that you can only get through by special means and they thrive off this special kind of magic (that involves gold hehehe). And all the fairy stuff is based a lot off Celtic culture. I’m even incorporating the “fairy ring” myth for something fun. I’M EXCITED.



So yeah, it’s probably my most diverse, wild world yet, and it makes me really happy.


But what’s probably my favorite aspect is it’s not going to be fully medieval-type fantasy like I usually do. Yes, a lot of the world has that flavor, but I’m also adding technology that runs on magic. There will be these special machines and weapons that are kinda futuristic, kinda medieval, kinda fantasy-esque all at the same time. Plus a lot of other stuff, like strings of light made with gold magic and yeah. Pretty much all the magic needs gold or blood or both to work. It’s gonna be interesting! And I really hope I can pull it all off. Eheheh…

 


4.) Tell us about your protagonist.


I sort of have three. Midas is my main, main protagonist, but two of the other characters play key roles. So I’m gonna cheat and give a brief description of all three!


MIDAS

ESTP, almost 18, extremely ambitious, bit of a lady’s man, really good at rationalizing his questionable behavior as a cause for the “greater good”, charismatic and fun but not always very sympathetic.


On the surface, Midas is actually a really fun guy. He’s always good for a laugh, has great conversational skills, and can charm the wall if he smiles at it hard enough. But that’s the problem, all his relationships never go past the surface. He’s far too caught up in his goals and ambitions to truly care and think of others at an emotional level. It doesn’t help that anyone who touches him turns to gold, so he has to be very guarded with his human interaction. He’s convinced himself he doesn’t need any deep relationships, that being able to use his ability to make his kingdom the greatest in Ellador is worth the sacrifices, buuut well. He still has a heart. *smile, smile* It’s gonna be so fun to completely and utterly break him of his selfish, cocky, warped-thinking self. Bwahahaha! (Also, that picture of him isn’t exactly how I imagined him (plus the guy is too old lolz), but it’s close!)
(If you want to know more, you can check out my Language of Worlds post I did for him HERE.)


KORINNA

ISFJ, softhearted, kind, broken, extremely smart but far more of a feeler than a thinker, lets her own fear constantly drive her, probably could use a hug or 12.


Korinna is a warmhearted soul, though her fear, depression, and determination to keep everyone safe is her ever-driving force and can often hinder her relationships. She would do anything to assure no one gets hurt, even if that means putting herself in harm’s way. She is organized, efficient, and focused—all around having a good head on her shoulders. Her sharp wits mixed with diplomacy helps keep her alive, though she won’t shy away from a debate if she sees an injustice that needs to be put right. Her want to keep others safe and happy very often hinders in her own happiness, as she’s not quick to share her own fears and worries, despite always having time to listen to other’s needs. She carries her own emotional baggage, making her a highly sensitive being. But, if you can find her in the right mood, you will see there is a fun-loving, mischievous person behind that shroud of emotion and fear.
(I also did a Language of Worlds post for her HERE.)


SYRAM

INFP (I think), spacey, somehow both wise and childish at the same time, surprisingly intelligent, rather quiet and private, relaxed and very sympathetic to others.


OKAY GUYS. This guy may be what makes me the most excited about my novel. I know I’m not supposed to choose favorites but… *GRIIINS* Syram kinda popped out of nowhere while I was outlining (and also wouldn’t tell me his name for like TWO WEEKS) and I fell in love. Some of my favorite types of characters EVER are those off-their-rocker, not really all there types, ya know? The…well, the crazies. Such as Winter from The Lunar Chronicles. I LOVE THOSE. And here Syram bebopped into my brain and pronounced himself such a character and I was all WELCOME!

As I said, Syram is a not always there. He’s known for his vague looks and off-the-wall remarks and sometimes childish behavior. But then, every once in a while, he’ll say something so wise it sounds like he’s 100 years old or something. Despite his strangeness, he’s the nicest person you’ll ever meet. He’s a harmony maker, and his calming presence can be very comforting. His shortcoming is the fact that he very rarely reveals anything about himself, being private and too concerned about other’s wellbeing. As a result, he carries a huge emotional load. But he’s also hardworking, creative, and very fun-loving. And he has a mysterious past and everyone but Midas and Korinna hate him because of reasons and he’s kinda broken inside because I always torture my favorite characters the most. SO YAY. FUN STUFF. ButseriouslyIlovehim.


So those are the three I shall be spending all of November with. I AM EXCITED. And don’t worry, there is not a love triangle between them. I’m actually super, super pumped about some purely platonic but deep friendships I’ll be exploring in this novel, including an awesome bromance between Midas and Syram. MY FAVORITE.

 


5.) Who (or what) is the antagonist?


Well, basically all the dragons for one. They are capturing people and dragging (and I just typed that as “dragoning at first, which I guess is also accurate?) them underground and enslaving them. So nice. This’ll be my first book where dragons are evil. It’ll be interesting.


But then there’s also a certain group of fairies that end up being a huge part of the plot and make things even messier.


And I guess sometimes Midas is his own antagonist because despite being really smart he’s just so, so dumb ugh.


So yeah, there are antagonists everywhere. I basically never have just one main villain. Because why do that when you can make your readers scratch their heads and go, “Um WHO are we rooting for and who are we hating again???” *smile, smile*

 


6.) What excites you the most about this novel?


SYRAM!!!


Oookay, lots of things!


I am excited about the setting, I think it’s gonna be a lot of fun. I’m also looking forward to trying my hand at mixing an old world setting with magic and some technology.


I also really like the concept of the fairies. They’re not your average little people with wings. In fact…the don’t even have wings, and are normal human height. But they do have magic and wildly colored hair and grayish skin and golden eyes and antlers growing from their heads and live in these areas that are kinda sort of in alternate dimensions and they’re all bound to each other and yeah. I really like my fairies!

 

Basically how I imagine my fairies.


And this is weird, but I’m excited about how emotional it’s going to be. I KNOW. I have a problem! But like, my favorite scenes to write are always the ultra feelsy, painful ones, and this whole novel will basically be one giant ball of pain with some pretty heavy themes and IT’S GONNA BE FUN. I’m really not making this sound any less weird. Should I be worried about myself? Probably.


Also DRAGONS. Last year was the first NaNo novel I ever wrote that didn’t have dragons. IT WAS CRAZY. It’ll be nice to be writing about dragons again. My happy place. Except this time they’re not-very-nice dragon which is kinda new for me but it’s gonna be fun!

 


7.) Is this going to be a series? Standalone? Something else?


Ehehehe. Funny story about that.


When I decided to write this book, I had every intention of making it a standalone. Right now, standalones are more popular than series, and as much as I enjoy series, it’d be nice to write some standalones. That was my goal for this book. A pure standalone, no exceptions.


……….


Well. Then I started plotting, and more characters appeared and the plot got bigger and more convoluted and ideas kept coming and I may have wailed because HOW WAS I GONNA FIT THIS ALL IN ONE BOOK? And I had an existential crisis or two and questioned everything and got really stressed because I did not want this to be like a 200k beast NO.


Then I took a deep breath, prayed about it, mulled it over and…I decided to make it more than one book. *LE SIGH* I’m hopeless, I really am. But, honestly, the second I decided it, all the stress was gone. It just felt…right.


So yep, Kings Bleed Gold is no longer a standalone. BUT, I am determined it will not, not, NOT go past a trilogy. Although, I’m actually hoping to make it a duology, but obviously my hopes and plans mean NOTHING. >.> But yeah, no longer than three books. I REFUSE.

 


8.) Are you plotting? Pantsing? Plansting?


So much plotting. Like, detailed character bios, a list of reminders for important bits about the world and such, and, um, a 16k chapter-by-chapter outline type of plotting


Do I over plot? Probably. But at least I won’t get writers block during NaNo! Woot, woot! (Unless my outline decides to jump off the deep end but we’re gonna pretend everything goes as planned. I really, really hope everything goes as planned.)

 


9.) Name a few things that make this story unique.


Well, I guess the entire concept of King Midas and dragons is kinda unique??? Maybe? I literally have no idea. I’ve never actually read any King Midas retellings. Eheh. It’s honestly not even a story I’ve ever paid much attention to and yet here I am writing a retelling of it. Lolololol someone help me.


I also think my whole magic system and how it’s tied into gold and blood (and the sun is actually also involved) is a little different. And the way the magic is mixed with technology to make everything work. Plus the fact that there is some technology in an ancient Greek-esque setting.


I don’t even know! I’m just throwing a bunch of random stuff into one story and hoping it works. XD

 


10.) Share a fun “extra” of the story.


Firstly, here is my Pinterest board, which I love and adore. All the gold mixed with a touch of other colors is so aesthetically pleasing to meh eyeballs.



Secondly, here's a link to my playlist on YouTube. Because I’m a weirdo and still haven’t made a Spotify account. I DON’T KNOW WHY. But yeah, I’ve been compiling songs on YouTube and it’s seriously the most emotional playlist I have ever made. It’s basically all epic instrumental pieces and I LOVE IT. It totally makes me pumped to write! (And also gives you a hint of how feelsy this story is eheheh.) This song and this one are probably my favorites if you just want to listen to a couple and not all 30+ that are on there. XD



And there we have it! Waaay more information than you ever needed about Kings Bleed Gold. Sheesh, I wonder why I keep having to write series and not standalones??? #foreverlongwinded


Needless to say (except I’ve already said it like 29 times in this post), I AM EXCITED FOR THIS STORY!!! I don’t think it’s going to be the easiest to write between the heavy themes, complex storyline, and crazy world, but I’m totally up for the challenge!


And don’t forget there’s still a couple of days to join in this linkup! All the details HERE!


Next time you guys hear from me we’ll be a few days into NaNo! O____O


 

TALK WITH ME!

What’da think of my dragonish King Midas story? Can you believe NaNo starts in THREE DAYS???? *hides under shock blanket* WHO’S PUMPED?! (My NaNo profile is HERE if you want to be buddies! *hint, hint*) HAPPY NANOING, GUYS!!! *throws motivational cookies at everyone*

 

P.S. For all of those who asked to join my NaNo Google Hangouts, it’s up and running! I think I’ve added everyone who asked to join, but if I missed you, do send me an email and let me know! (Also, I discovered you DO NOT have to have a gmail account to join so yay!) And if I’ve added you but you haven’t seen it yet, go to https://hangouts.google.com/ and there should be a chat box titled “The Pen Dragons” there, which is what we’ve decided to call ourselves for now. *grins*

If you have no clue what I’m talking about (but are interested in joining a Hangouts chat full of enthused writers), you can check out last week's post. Scroll to near the bottom where it says “A Special Invitation” and you’ll find all the info!

55 comments:

  1. AHAHA YES THE INFP CHARACTERS ARE ALWAYS THE BEST!!! (totally not saying that because I am one....definitely not.) But seriously, all my favorite characters are INFP and it's kind of creepy that they all type like that. XD

    Good luck during NaNo! Your story sounds AMAZING, and I wish you the best of luck!

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    1. You're an INFP? SO FUNNN!!! That is so funny all your favorites are INFPs! It was hard to pinpoint Syram since he's, er, not exactly NORMAL. XD But I do think he very much has INFP traits.

      THANK YOU SO MUCH, NICOLE!!! Best wishes to you as well! <3

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  2. Oh my goooooosh Christine this sounds incredible. Like, I love EVERYTHING about this.

    The whole dragons can't be in the sun thing is pure genius. I'm all for crazy magic systems with loads of unconventionality and stuff like that so this is right up my alley. :D And blood vs. gold and the fact that Midas sounds like he's kind of both...argh I NEEDS THIS BOOK LIKE ALREADY. XD

    SYRAM SOUNDS AMAZING. Like, you compare your character to Winter and I am there for it. <3 And I think I already told you I like Korrina...she just sounds so wonderful. ALSO YOU HAVE AN EXTROVERT PROTAGONIST. I'M NOT SURE WHY I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS BUT I AM. LOL.

    AFRICAN CULTURE! I loooooove mixed culture type fairy tales, and so this excites me no end. And for some reason my all-time favorite combo of everything is African-Celtic? I don't know if you've heard of Keith and Kristyn Getty, but they're Christian musicians from Ireland who write very Celtic-inspired music and also mix it occasionally with African influences...the first song that comes to mind for that is "O Children Come" (it probably won't fit with your story, but the SOUND is incredible and one of my favorite things. Lol.)

    I need to start outlining! *shrieks in terror* I might end up just totally pantsing this thing, even though that terrifies me no end. I think I'm probably going to die this November, but at least it will be a good death xD Watched is going to be awesome and I'm super excited to start writing it.

    (Also, I'm taking Greek mythology right now, and I can assure you that Midas is actually one of the more normal stories in there. Hee hee.)

    I apologize for the all-caps monster comment, lol. THIS POST JUST MADE ME SO HAPPY. I can't wait to hear more about Kings Bleed Gold as November progresses!!!! :D

    ~Faith
    thefloridsword.blogspot.com

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    1. Can I just hug your comment? Or better yet YOU? Because this just MADE. MY. DAY.

      It makes me so happy that you think the concept is unique! I was trying really hard with this one to make it pretty original, because I too often fall into cliche plots and worlds. :-/ SO YAY!

      *beams* I'm SO excited about Syram! Winter and characters like that are my faaave. I think he's gonna be a blast! I'm excited about ALL the characters, really. Even the not-so-nice ones. Hehehe.
      LOL. That's funny you're excited about an extroverted protagonist. Honestly, I write a lot of those. I guess being an extrovert myself, it just comes natural.

      I'm excited tooo! It'll be a very new thing for me to mix a bunch of cultures like this, but I'm up for the challenge. And I've got allll sorts of super fun plans for the African-like area. That's one of the sections of the book I'm most looking forward to!
      I have not heard of Keith and Kristyn Getty, no, but oooooh. That sounds SO COOL. *dashes over to YouTube to give it a listen* Um. Okay. THIS IS EPIC. Like REALLY epic. I would have never thought of putting an African and Celtic sound together in a song but it works SO WELL. I am loving this! Thank you for the recommendation! :D

      Ya know, I had one crazy, fleeting thought of pantsing this novel just to do something wild and different this NaNo buuut I chickened out. XD Still though, pantsing a NaNo novel could be a lot of fun! Just writing like crazy and seeing what happens. I'd really like to do that one year. So if you do pants it, you'll have to tell me how it goes. AND DON'T DIE, FAITH! You're gonna rock it. I believe in you!

      (There is SO much messed up stuff in Greek myth. XD But that's fun you're taking Greek mythology!)

      Do not apologize! This comment seriously made me even MORE excited for my story. I'm thrilled you like the idea so much! THANK YOU, FAITH!!! <333

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  3. I guessed (and was hoping!!) you'd post your Know the Novel link-up for your NaNo story today! And hey, better late than never! :-)

    Okay, that collage for the story is absolutely beautiful! I love the gold in every picture, but it's not too overwhelming, either.

    Now that is a really interesting story spark! (And how fun that it started with a Twitter prompt!)

    Hehe, I smiled at your initial answer to #2. :-) Blurbs are hard, though. Like, how do you deliver a short description of a long and complicated story WITHOUT giving away spoilers! Ugh. But you've done a good job writing a description that makes me wonder how the characters will handle that problem. So, good job! (Also, that's a pretty unique backstory/origin story for Midas!!)

    That setting sounds FANTASTIC! A great (and logical) blend of cultures/cultural inspirations!!

    You've done a really good job creating protagonists. Midas sounds like just the right mix of a spoiled brat who does mean well. He has a complex character. But I think Korinna is going to be my favorite.

    HAHAHA I also refused to write a trilogy because literally every writing I knew was writing one! So I understand that impulse! (Or is it non-impulse? :-))

    This story sounds fantastic, and I hope NaNo goes well for you!! *sends motivational cookies and coffee*

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    1. LOLZ. You always know! That or I'm way too predictable. XD

      Thank you! I have so much fun making collages for my stories.

      Isn't it crazy where ideas come from? The simplest thing can turn into one ginormous story. Inspiration really IS everywhere! Lol.

      Blurbs are seriously the bane of my existence. Ugh. I mean, yeah, I can't explain my ENTIRE story in like 200 words with no spoilers! HOW? But thank you so much! I'm glad it piqued your interest. As long as it did that, I guess I accomplished my goal! ^_^

      Thank you! I'm really excited about the setting. I just hope I can pull it all off...

      "...spoiled brat who does mean well." That's exactly Midas! It makes me happy that he comes off that way, because yep. That's him. XD Honestly, he was initially going to be waaay more of a jerk, but as I was outlining he kept coming off as a bit nicer so... *shrugs* We'll see how it goes on paper. My characters always take things over for themselves. XD ANYWAYS. I'm glad you like Korinna! She's my sweet bby girl. <3

      I do actually like trilogies, I was just hoping for once to write a standalone that STAYED a standalone but nooope. MAYBE it'll end up being a duology, but I have a sneaking suspicion it's going to force itself into a trilogy. >.>

      Thank you so much, girl!!! <333

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  4. Excuse me while I excitedly scream, but…THIS SOUNDS SO INCREDIBLY AMAZING!!!!!! Like oh my goodness, if I only I could keep updates on this story because #want! Everything sounds so cool and I just NEED THIS STORY RIGHT NOW!! *makes note to bother Christine next month and afterwards to make sure this bad boy gets published so I can read it ASAP*

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    1. And I just bookmarked this page so I can comment with all the questions! Muahahaha!

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    2. Can I join your screaming? Because AAAAHHHH!!! That makes me SO happy you like the sound of it! Day = MADE! I just keep reading your words and grinning to myself. You're making me all the more excited to write it. Just EEEE! THANK YOU, SWEET LAURA! <333

      Oh yay! :D

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  5. *screams*

    OH MY GOODNESS THIS SOUNDS SO INCREDIBLY AWEEEESOMEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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    1. *ALSO SCREAMS*

      THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!! I AM BEYOND THRILLED YOU THINK SO! :D :D :D

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    2. You're welcome! *sigh* I still can't get over how AMAZING Burning Thorns is. O-O

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    3. Oh my goodness. You're just gonna make me explode with happiness today. THANK YOU! <3

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  6. SPLAGHHHHHHH THIS SOUNDS /SO/ GOOD I WANT TO EAT IT NOW.

    *cough*

    But like that is such a genius idea to have a Midas + dragony stuff in a book!!!!!!!!!! If you decide to publish it I NEED TO BETA READ IT OR GET AN ARC COPY OR BETTER YET GET A REAL COPY. But let's not get ahead of us. ;P ahhhhhhhhhh!

    Lilian
    (listening to A Hero Within Us :D)

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    1. Oh my goodness, Lilian. XDDD That made me laugh so hard. But also made me happy. I'M SO THRILLED YOU LIKE THE IDEA!!! Thank you so very much! Now I'm even more excited about it! :D

      (And isn't A Hero Within us SO GOOD??? It just makes me want to go snag a sword and charge into battle myself. Lol)

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  7. Your setting sound AMAZING!!! I love that you're mixing all those ideas and cultures together!

    And just the concept is so unique and cool too! *shrieks*

    I CAN'T BELIEVE NANO IS ALMOST HERE.

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    1. THANK YOU, JANE!!! Getting the world how I want is gonna be challenging I fear... But hopefully it'll be fun! I'm so happy you like the idea of it! :D

      BUT YES. HOW IS IT ALMOST NANO??? I NEED TIME TO SLOW DOOOWN!

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  8. Ahh I love this story so much! And I'm so excited for NaNo. I get paid tomorrow and I may or not be planning on stocking up on chocolate and coffee. xD

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    1. Thank you, Emily! :D I'M EXCITED TOOOO. And that sounds like the best plan I've ever heard. XDD

      We're gonna have so much fun! *dances*

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  9. Well, ouch!! Don't worry. I'm fine. My jaw just dropped to the floor a few times, that's all...

    Seriously, though. Christine. Are you even aware that you possess THE most awesome brain a writer could wish for? You always seem to come up with the most unique and wonderful story ideas. Your world is, like, what even? Could it possibly get more amazing?? Your characters sound like the kind of babies one gets super attached to and never wants to stop reading about. (Thank goodness it's not a standalone now, right? ;) Everything about this novel is just beyond...it's just beyond. That's all I can say.

    No wait, I can say this, too: I want to read this book.

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    1. ELANOR. WHAT EVEN IS THIS NICENESS??? How can I possibly properly respond to this? SERIOUSLY, GIRL. My day...year...LIFE is made! It makes me so unbelievably happy you think the idea is unique and characters interesting. Aaaahhhhh!!! It's comments like these that keep me going.

      Thank you so much, your precious bean! <333

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  10. And once again, Christine makes the world stop as she describes an indescribable story that she is somehow sooooo humble about!

    You literally had me at King Midas retelling and, obviously, dragons. I mean.... What could go wrong?
    Also, ANCIENT GREECE FOREVER! Cause, yes, this story is awesome to the max

    I really like the idea of this story, I love reading retellings and pretty much anything with dragons, so I'm on board with this!

    Good luck during NaNO you're gonna do great! And just remember though you might be totally, irreversibly, dead tired.... It WILL be worth it, cause the world ( and me ) NEEDS this story :)

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    1. VARVARE! You always encourage me SO. MUCH. What am I gonna do with you and your precious self? <3

      EEP. Thanks! I'm really excited about putting it all together. King Midas and dragons (YESSS!!!) and Greece. I think it's gonna be fun! :D

      Awwww! Your words are gonna keep me going! It helps so much to keep writing when I know people are actually interested in my story. THANK YOU, M'DEAR! <333

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    2. If someone isn't interested in your story ( or any of them really ) there may actually be something seriously wrong with them. Just saying

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    3. YOU ARE A GEM AND I CAN'T WITH YOUR NICENESS. <333

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  11. Wow!
    So this is amazing, and I am super excited for this! It seems like you have your story all together. I'm impressed! This sounds like the most brilliant and magical thing.
    Best of luck with Nano!

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    1. D'awwww! This is just making me sit here and squeak happily to myself. I HOPE I have the story together. I'm scared once I start writing all my plans and vision of it will fall apart buuut we'll pretend that's not gonna happen. XD

      THANKS SO MUCH, SKYE!!! You as well! <3

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  12. Whoa, this sounds even cooler than it did when you first mentioned it!
    I have to say, the idea of Midas' brother being turned to gold and now being a statue on public display is rather original but also slightly disturbing.
    I LOVE the inclusion of African culture too. It sounds really awesome. I'm using a lot of different culture inspirations in my novel but African is not actually one of them!
    I wrote a standalone for NaNo last year...and then wrote the sequel in April this year...and plan to write the final book next April. Like you, I'm hoping this standalone remains a standalone.
    Your aesthetics are SO pretty! I love the gold layout and the way all the colours work together. *sighs* so pretty.
    And your characters sound awesome! I sound a lot like Syram...kinda crazy, INFP...and Midas sounds delightfully extroverted and arrogant, though I hope he becomes a little more humble :)
    And Korinna, of course, just sounds awesome.
    And I think your blurb is awesome. ;)

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    1. Oh yay! That makes me happy to hear! :D

      Hehehe. The statue thing IS rather messed up. Though that's kind of the idea... *cackles*

      Thank you! I've never incorporated African culture in a story before myself, so I'm really excited to give it a try in this one. It's gonna be fun! And that's so cool you're doing a lot of different cultures too! This new trend of diverse fantasy worlds is really great!

      LOL. Sounds like your books do what mine do. They're just way too stubborn to stay standalones. *shakes head* But here's hoping this time yours will for your sake! *fingers crossed*

      THANK YOU! :D I'm totally loving the gold mixed together with everything else myself. It makes me happy!

      Ooooh, you're an INFP? SO FUN! Sounds like you and Syram would get along great, yes! And you totally nailed Midas. XD He's definitely in for some humbling. Bwahahaha.

      Oh goodness, thank you! The blurb could...use some work, but I'm glad you like it! ^_^

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  13. Your worldbuilding sounds awesome! I like a classic Medieval fantasy world, but the cultural diversity of new worlds authors are creating nowadays is great.

    MIDAS SOUNDS AWESOME. And Syram, ahhh!

    Best of luck writing!

    Eleanor | On the Other Side of Reality

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    1. Thank you!!! And I'm totally with you. I'll NEVER get tired of a good ol' Medieval, Europe-style fantasy. But it is a ton of fun having different cultures in fantasy these days!

      *BEAMS* Thank you! I think (hope) they're gonna be fun to write!

      Thanks so much! <333

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  14. Wow. Just...WOW. The plot, the characters, the storyworld, the fairies, everything about it just is EPIC AND AMAZING AND BRILLIANT. (Not to mention that after reading Burning Thorns, I have a slight idea of your writing voice/ability and so I KNOW that Kings Bleed Gold is going to just be FANTASTIC.)

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    1. AWWWWW!!! Brb while I go squeal happily to myself over this comment. THANK YOU SO MUCH, JULIAN! <3

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  15. AHHHH!!! This sounds sooooo cooolll!!! I'm so excited to hear more about it!! Just so amaze.

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    1. *HAPPY FLAILING* Thank you so very mush, Sarah!!! <333

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  16. Okay but CHRISTINE. THIS LOOKS AMAZING AND FANTASTIC AND ALL SORTS OF WONDERFUL. CAN I HAVE IT? PLEASE?? XD I don't think I've ever seen a King Midas retelling, so that just makes it all the more AWESOME. I mean AFRICAN CULTURE. FAERIES. DRAGONS. GIMME. *grabby hands* ^_^

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    1. *SQUEALS* EEEEEE!!! MADELINE. YOU'RE MAKING ME GRIN SO BIG! It thrills me you think it sounds fun! THANK YOU SO MUCH! :D

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  17. This sounds so awesome!!
    I've followed your blog for a while, but never actually commented before. *ahem* But I just wanted to say your posts are awesome and hilarious, and YASSS to Midas and dragons! Also, your Hangout group sounds great. I'm not participating in NaNo, but I am editing a seafaring fantasy WIP, so I might request to join, lol.
    I can't wait to hear more once NaNo starts! :D

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    1. First of all, hiiii! I'm so glad you decided to comment! And oh my goodness, that means so much to me that you enjoy my posts. Thank you!

      You are absolutely welcome to join our Hangouts group! We'd all love to have you! Do send me an email if you decide you want to join. ^_^

      Thanks so much, Sierra! Your whole comment made my day!

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  18. ALL THE GOOD GRAVY. I LOOOOOOOOOOVE this whole entire concept! Wow!!! I can't wait to hear even more of what you're willing to share as this amazing story progresses. You definitely get points for it being unique! I've never read ANYTHING in regards to King Midas. Actually, I probably wouldn't even know/remember him if it wasn't for Disney's Aladdin: King of Thieves... And your dragons are EVILLLL??? Oh my, can't wait!!!

    You have an incredible talent for weaving stories, dear girl! I KNOW you're gonna ace this one (right up there with Burning Thorns!) Happy writing!!!

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    1. *BEAMS* Awwwww! Thank you, sweet Sarah! It makes me SO happy you think it's unique! That was the goal, because sooo many of my stories are way to cliche. Ugh. I wanted to try something new with this one so just...THANK YOU! And, honestly, I've never read anything to do with King Midas either! XDDD I had no intentions of ever writing a King Midas retelling but, well, when inspiration strikes we might as well roll with it!

      Your confidence in me means SO MUCH! THANK YOU AGAIN! I seriously can't stop smiling! <33333

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  19. This sounds absolutely amazing!!! Can't wait to see how it comes along! Midas is pretty low on retellings, you're right. I don't think I've ever come across one, now that I'm thinking about it. Definitely, the world needs this story. That's just that. The dragons are just the cherry on top.

    Haha! I understand the refusal to go beyond the trilogy. Don't you love it when stories do that? You keep them on such a strict diet and then, lo and behold, they've been sneaking Miracle-Gro and expanded into a series that rivals the Wheel of Time in length. #whyohwhy

    Also, huzzah for INFPs! I used to be an INTP, but after college, every test has come back positively, affirmatively INFP. Go figure. I never realized school would change me that much, but I'm not complaining. ;)

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    1. Thank you so much!!! :D And yeah, I never really see much buzz on King Midas stuff. Although, there IS a Midas book that came out just a few months ago, right when I decided to write this one and I was just like WUT. I can't remember the title of it right now...but it had a lot of hype during the release. So I guess I'm not the only one getting this random bout of Midas inspiration. XD

      LOLZ. Miracle-Gro. You're so right. My stories seem to LOVE the stuff. I don't know what to do with them. >.>

      Whoa. You went from a T to an F? That is a big switch! That's fascinating! Goes to show just how beautifully complex we humans are!

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  20. Oh man, I LOVE this idea. King Midas and dragons is such an amazing pairing that doesn't come immediately to mind (because you're right-there aren't many King Midas stories) but once you think about it seems ridiculously perfect??? Plus, the combination of Ancient Greek + African + Celtic culture inspirations sound awesome. Your plots always sound fab to me, but I think this one might be my favorite :D

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    1. HAYDENNNN. This whole comment is making me smile so big!!! <333 It really makes me happy everyone thinks the idea is unique! Because too often my stories can get way too cliche. Eheh. And my worlds DEFINITELY can, so I'm super excited to try to incorporate all these different cultures and fantasy fun and YES. It's gonna be fun I think! :D

      Thank you so much, girl! I seriously can't stop smiling! <333

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  21. Oh yeah, this sounds like it's going to be awesome! I'm really excited to be able to watch as you go through the journey of writing this!

    There's just one thing. You don't have Gold by Imagine Dragons on your playlist! I don't know about you, but that song would make a pretty great theme song for Kings Bleed Gold... :)

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    1. Thank you, Hannah! That makes me so happy to hear! :D

      *LE GASP* You're right! That'd be pretty perfect, wouldn't it? XD Except I never really write to lyrical music. It distracts me, unfortunately. But you're totally right. It's the perfect theme song!

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  22. This idea sounds really cool!! Good luck in NaNo--I'm nervous! Eesh.

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    1. Thank you so much!!!

      Awwww, you're gonna rock it! What matters it that you allow yourself to have FUN. It's not about the wordcount, but just enjoying the journey and getting some words on the page. It's going to be great! <3

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  23. Well, then. This sounds BRILLIANT. *already flailing*

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  24. This story sounds so fun! Midas and dragon is a great idea and your setting sounds awesome too! I love story worlds that are a mix of magic and technology. Best wishes with NaNo!

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    1. Thank you!!! :D And I'm with you, magic + technology is SUCH a fun combination! I'm really excited to incorporate it into this one.

      Best wishes to you as well! Cheering you on! <3

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  25. WE GET TO HEAR ABOUT CHRISTINE'S NANO NOVEL. *pounces on post like a starving person on cupcakes* (Wow, I make so much sense...)

    DAT COLLAGE. O.O

    Oh my gracious, I forgot about that Drachtober question, but that's SO EPIIIIIC. Yay for Jenelle and for plot bunnies!

    Excuse me, missy, but I rather LIKE that blurb! It definitely filled me in on the gist of the story and now I amevenmoreexcitedhalp. <3 Just--dragons! And fairies! And Midas isn't an old man like I always pictured him! XD

    Also wow. I love this smorgasbord of cultural influences too! I'm kind of getting a "City of Ember" (except 100x cooler) + dragons + fantasy tech vibe. o.o It also made me think of Black Panther because of the African/fantasy tech part... I'm probably waaaay off, but suffice it to say, this is all a really cool combo.

    *pulls Midas, Korinna, and Syram into a group hug* I LOVETH THEM ALREADY. Super pumped about Syram especially, now that you say he's not quite /there./ Heh. Those are my favorites too, and I absolutely adore his name!

    Dragoning is totally a verb. I do it all the time. *nods sagely* I was literally just thinking "This must be the first time Christine has written BAD dragons," and then that's exactly what you said. Fun stuff!

    Ooooh my gosh, I'm in love with your fairies now too. LKAJSDFLKASJLSJ THEY HAVE ANTLERS. WHY DOES THAT MAKE ME EXCITED.

    A duology or trilogy would be so cooool! Except yeah, I feel ya about the explosive nature of story ideas. >.>

    OKAY, SO I AM BASICALLY A BALL OF FANGIRL FEELS ALREADY AHHHHH. <3333 I've been so eager to hear more about your story, and here we are with NaNo almost over already before I finally get to reading about it! D': But seriously girl, this is so incredibly creative and I hope you've had an amazing month being immersed in this storyworld. <3

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    1. LOLOLOL. I love your analogy. XDD And I'm so honored you're excited to hear about my novel! ^_^

      I totally don't make collages just as an excuse to scroll on pinterest. Nooo.

      Isn't it crazy how we can get story ideas from ANYWHERE? I love it! XD

      Oh goodness, thank you! It...could use some work. Okay, a lot of work, but I'm really glad to hear it excites you and gave you a good idea of the story! And yes, Midas is young in this one. XD I kind of love taking older people from myths and imagining them young. That's probably weird but I don't know, it's fun! Probably why I love the show Merlin so much. A teenage Merlin is such a cool concept! #rabbittrail

      Oh my word. GIRL. How did you get that from my rambles? Because YES, it DOES have a Black Panther vibe. Which was purely accidental. Because I was plotting and having a blast worldbuilding, and when it was all said and done I looked at it and was like, "Wait...this is Wakanda." o.o Oooops. I mean, obviously it's different, because it's more medieval fantasy-like than futuristic sci-fi stuff BUT STILL. The similarities are heavy and it's kinda funny. XD So no, you are not way off! And there IS a smidge of a City of Ember thing going on too. I hadn't thought of that one but you're totally right! But hey, now I have some comp titles, so thank you! :D Because I'm the WORST at coming up with comp titles. Haha.

      You know I love the crazies myself. ;D I'm thrilled you like the sound of my charries! They've been so much fun to write. And that makes me happy that you like Syram's name! I stressed over it FOREVER.

      Bwahaha! We need to make a petition to put dragoning in the dictionary. And that's so funny! Yep, my first time where basically ALL the dragons are bad. I've definitely had SOME not-so-nice dragons in my stories, but having them as the actual antagonists is very new. I like writing nice dragons better but it's been something new and interesting to work with.

      I'M GLAD YOU'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE FAIRIES HAVING ANTLERS BECAUSE I AM TOO. I don't know why but it's just FUN! :D

      Hahahaha! Yep. These stories just cannot restrain themselves. *shakes head*

      YOUR ENTHUSIASM IS MAKING ME FALL IN LOVE WITH MY STORY ALL OVER AGAIN. Just AAAHHHH! I'M SO HAPPY YOU LIKE MY IDEA. Thank you so very much, Tracey! <333

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