Eh he, happy not New Years

I made a bargain.

{A horrible decision really.}

And now my hands are tied.

{With 70 feet of blonde magic hair.}

So, I have a BIG surprise for you!!

{Uh... I do too!}

Ooh, but I bet my surprise is bigger!

{I seriously doubt it.}

Would you shut up?

{Go find a dream.}

Gah. Just a second, guys.

*sound of frying pan hitting skull*

Ok!!

So...

I have several New Years {I am trying to figure out how that is really supposed to go grammatically...New Year? New Year's? New Years'?} resolutions. Honestly, this is the first year I have ever made real resolutions. Normally, I just watch the day come and watch the day go and smile and wave at all the people who create these fantastic lists and goals. Then I go to bed. And wake up a happier Caitria.

{Are you hungry? Cause I know of a great place to eat.}

.......................................

So, this year is a bit of a change. But that's fitting, because I changed so much this year. From head to toe, figuratively and literally speaking {with maybe a pun intended}. First things off, my list. It's short. To the point. And 100% realistic.


1. {Find a dream.}

Ummm....I thought that dude was gone.

The real 1. Lose the mask.

I wear a mask. Did you know that? Maybe that's a part of being a writer. But I rarely show my true feelings. This year, I want to dig down to me, the real me, and let it go without fear. {Maybe inspired by Frozen...}

2. Get In the Shadow or Imitation published

Aaaaah! I've dreamed of this for so many years. To actually have TWO books so close gives me shivers!

3. {Get married.}

Come on!!?? Seriously?

The real 3. Stop wasting so much time on devices and spend more time with my family.

Over the last few months, I've seen a degeneration in my life of migrating more and more toward my computer and social networks {such as facebook, snapchat, and instagram} and less time with my lovely, wonderful family. We have so few years here in this home {especially since I'm getting married, right?!}. I don't want to waste them.

4. Complete a 364 day photo challenge.

A GREAT friend of mine is doing this and I asked to join her. I had another friend do it last year, and it just looks like so much fun. I am excited to do it. Eh he, I started a day late... But you can track it through my instagram account (myunicornhaswings).

5. Bond even more with my amazing friends.

God has blessed me immeasurably this year, with wonderful, Godly friends. I pray that they can be strengthened throughout this year even more!!

6. {Rule the World and ban chocolate}

The real 6. Get rid of this dude....^^



Ok. So, the bargain....

{Really, really a bad idea.}

I have been writing my tail end off the last month, getting In the Shadow ready to be published. But, along the side, I've been also working on a few other books.

{Pfft. A few?}

And so now I owe you {blame Cait} an explanation of my 2014 writing list and story-lines.

{Death plots.}

Nuance.



In the Shadow

This is the big one of year. Well, more like 8 years. Yes, I've been writing/editing this book for 8 years.  BUT. It is done. I mean, as done as you can get... The last thing I am doing is a little bit of reformatting on the chapter sequences and then it's on to querying {which I'm totally freaked out about, just so you know}!! So, history is epic. Especially ancient history, the stuff we don't know very much about, because you can play with it so much. I definitely qualify as a history nerd and In the Shadow sort of exploded with my enthusiasm. It has 2 protagonists, both slaves in Ancient Rome. They are total opposites. While Merrie just wants to be loved by her mistress and enjoy a peaceful life, Ionez's favorite thing to do is throw her master's orders back in their faces. If her own weren't so infuriatingly gorgeous, Ionez would have the one thing she longs for - freedom. So instead, she schemes up an idea as bold as it is dangerous in an attempt to get it. There may be a bit of intrigue, turncoat step-mothers, and a very unique dagger involved...{but we're not saying}. Merrie's simple world is destroyed by one small necklace. Her mistress's favorite - stolen - and she was the last one seen with it. From favorite companion to despised scum, she rallies everything inside her to earning back all the love and dreams she based her life upon. Yeah...Cait, go ahead and say it. Vague. ;)


Imitation

This is the one Cait really wants to hear about. I'll be nice. Sort of. I was going to explain, but there is too much. So I'm summing up. This is a huge WIP, a Dystopian sci-fi, and utter chaos. Nicole, the 17 year old protagonist, is special. Born with a technologically advanced brain, she has been the object of study for years - and she didn't even know it. When the time comes that the Director, who leads her city, can use her power, she is ready to give herself wholly for the government's use. Then she discovers just what they want her to do. Questionably ethic, the project introduces her to Tyler. Who stands against everything she has ever believed and been taught is right. But she's spent her life listening to the statutes of the city. She knows they have to be right - and so she turns Tyler in as a traitor just as she completes the project and allows the Director to introduce it to the entire city. To change everything they - or any person ever alive - has ever been. Just add a city in the sky. And lots of spaceships and a broken outside world and WAR.


My Unicorn Has Wings

Familiar with this one? My blog title was totally inspiration. This story is loosely related to my own life. Ok, mostly just the dorky protagonist. It's going to be fun. Have lots of puns, silly jokes, and craziness in it. Set in Kat's first year of college, it's more your traditional growing-up, finding yourself story {shouldn't she have done that already?}, with a mystery twist, including an ancient box in her attic, unicorns, and a grandfather she never knew. There will also be a singing competition {or musical theater, not sure which yet}, a library fight scene, a debate of the century, and a horse named Stargate.


Royal

This is actually the title of the sequel for this series, but the first book's name is under wraps. Another Dystopian. World War 3 has destroyed the earth. The people have come to the conclusion that half the problems of the world stem from their rulers and leaders. So they ditch every form of government, throw all the Royal families, Presidents, Prime Ministers, Governors, you-name-it types into a very special prison. {Wouldn't you love to know.} The new World Government runs smoothly for 10 years until Liv, daughter of the King of England, accidentally destroys her cell and finds herself free of the prison's influence.


Unbroken

I AM SO EXCITD ABOUT THIS BOOK! First of all, because it's not mine. It's my sister Brisa's. She's writing it. I am her editor. I'm excited because she has been reading over my shoulder and giving me ideas and thoughts for the last 3 years for my books. And she's AMAZING! I've been trying to get her to write a book for a while. Imitation actually started as a possible idea for her, but it didn't go anywhere and I kind of took over {eh, bad me}. Basically, I have no license to say anything about Unbroken {though I'm 100% positive I could}. But I just had to tell you about it because it's going to be fantastic!!


Astroid

No. Not asteroid. Astroid. Although stars and asteroids and huge ice glaciers and starving Siberian Tigers play a huge roll in the fantasy plotline {only partially constructed}. There's also a journey across an impossible desert where dragons play with fire and hoard fallen sky-gems. Two rival nations have been at war for a millennia. At long last, the {people group which I cannot disclose but start with an O so we'll call them the O's} O's have conquered the K's. With their victory, the O's hope to claim the prosperity of much smaller K through a small asteroid {yes, really an asteroid this time}. The King thinks the charm of his enemy controls the revolution of the planet through gravitational magnetics. But there's danger lurking in the asteroid and only Sam {pseudo identity}, the King's illegitimate son, suspects it. When he's sent on a mission and forced to team up with the crown prince of the kingdom they just destroyed, Sam discovers there's more to fear than just the asteroid.


The Last Scribe
I got this book half written before I sort of burnt out. Not of ideas. I knew where it was going {sort of}, but I burnt up my time. I decided to get In the Shadow done. Then began Imitation. My Unicorn Has Wings came along next. And so on... So, really, I just need to sit down and finish it. Another fantasy like Astroid {actually conceived first}, prophecy is the internal drive for my protagonist, Breem. Confused, timid, shy...he's not really the hero type. But he's been thrust into an adventure he cannot abandon. Finding the true king of the dissolved Messeran kingdom is probably the only thing that will give him what he wants. Escape. But where do you look for a king who doesn't want to be found? Yeah, this sounds pretty lame. So we'll ignore it for a while. It really needs a rework/rewrite of what I already have done.


And so {temporarily} ends my list of books. I'm spending most of my time trying to {unsuccessfully} block out the million other story ideas clambering inside my skull for freedom.

What about you, writing buds? Any great and glorious plans {of domination} for 2014? Which idea do you like the most?

{Ah ha! You expect them to have a favorite from that threadbare lot?}

Ummmm....