The first 3 chapters
Thanks so much to Lydia, Yvonne, Ted and his better half for coming to my book talk! Can't make it through these things without you guys! (Hugs). I will repay you guys for every bit of your time spent on me, you'll see.
Right now, I'm frantic. The Frankfurt book fair is coming up next month and my agent is rushing me on my next book.
Apparently, he wrote to a UK children's publisher: "Can I contact someone in your submissions division as to whom I can send a manuscript to. I have an exciting Childrens
book story which has been written along the similar kind of theme published by you."
And the publisher wrote back: "Can you make a meeting 10 or 3.30 on the Wednesday? If you want to send the manuscript to me I handle all our publishing and would be interested to see it."
Oh darn, darn, darn, and I'm not ready!! I have only written 12 chapters and I'm not even halfway through the book, and I haven't even written the ending. And I can't write the first chapter unless I have written the last chapter. What to do, what to do?
Does it seem like your entire life is being compressed at times?
Okay, I've got the title: BILLY LANG CAN PUNCH HOLES THROUGH MOUNTAINS
Remember, this is a children's book, the first in a series.
And how about this for a sypnosis? (I suck at writing sypnoses.)
"It all begins when Billy Lang sees a face at the window. Suddenly, he is whisked away from the orphanage to a whole new world where boys grow knives from their limbs, tattooed girls can summon demons and where everyone who is anyone has a power beyond his wildest imagining.
But all is not well in this world. As warring forces struggle to kidnap Billy, he finds a key to his past, a secret so terrible it will unleash his own hidden powers and eclipse the world. And before Billy can unlock the secrets, he must first solve the puzzles and undergo three tasks....."
Does this sound remotely interesting to you and make you kinda want to read some more? (Just remember, it's a children's book!)
10 comments:
If only you had the talk a little later in the day then perhaps I'll be able to make it. The time clashed with my extra classes. :(
It's definitely the kind of stuff my nephew would like to read. He likes to imagine himself with al sorts of powers that will protect his family - a different power every other day!
I must kowtow to you. I finally made it through Chapter 2 of my own young adult fiction...it's not much geared towards children due to the dark themes I'll be exploring. Mine is more in the lines of Charmed meets The Secret Seven meets The Chronicles of Narnia.
Actually, I'm actually gonna be quite looking forward to your book, even if it's a children's book because you could be Malaysia's own Stephen King! From stories of horror and the macabre to writing children's fiction! That's really something!
Gee, Eternal Wanderer, wish you could have been there :) You know these book talks, if your friends don't ask questions, nobody else will!
Don't worry about exploring dark themes, the darker the better. Remember Lemony Snicket and Roald Dahl? And Darren Shan is actually quite dark. And people really go for Charmed and Narnia.
Actually my children's book is pretty dark too.
If you would like to read the first 3 chapters, I can send them to you for your opinion. Just send me your email. Just keep in mind it's a work in progress, has not been edited yet but the first 3 chapters has to be hastily assembled for a publisher.
glad it went well!
don't say "only" a children's book ... and it sounds like fun. i do wish you all the best with it
Xeus, sounds interesting. It kinda reminds me of X-men, that bit about knives growing out of limbs, like Wolverine. If you can write the 1st draft of Dark City in two months, you can write 3 chapters in 3 days. No problemo.
I know Eva would want to get your book....Look, a book for children and she's my mom's friend! Kids can be crazy over authors, y'know. Was there for the queue when the 'dark and stout' Russell Lee gave book signing.
Please give other children's book authors a run for their money, ok?
The title's a bit of a mouthful, isn't it? hehe
The story sounds intriguing. Sounds like a Narnia-meets-BFG-meets-Harry Potter thing...
Good luck with the writing.
Thanks Sharon :)
Lydia, actually I patterned the character after Edward Scissorhands :) only with knives. I'll send you the first 3 chapters for your opinion.
Yvonne, I'll them to you too and you can get Eva's opinion. Ted, ditto.
Xeus, you're my personal inspiration scratch pole! You're one of the few folk who can get me off my rear end to start-kick my writing for the 'dozenth' time -- without you nagging me.
All the best in your first 3 chapters. Will email you personally with comments as soon as I can. (Internet fixture just got fixed!)
Argus, if you can be ready with your first 3 chapters too and a sypnosis for Jerry before he goes to Frankfurt, you'll be right there too.
Aaarrrggghh! Schplttzzz, arp-arp!
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