First off, most of you haven't even missed me because my wonderful co-writer Leanne (Alex Moore.) has been posting all of my updates because she is the most supportive co-writer on the planet. Thank you, Leanne!
Second: I can't remember if I announced it or not, but I am officially working on getting my Master's Degree in Creative Writing (Young Adult Fiction). It has been insanely hectic. I started on Dec. 30, 2016 and I turned in my first packet on Saturday (it was due today). Since the residency (I lived at the Marriott Hotel for 9 days with 30 students & Faculty), it feels like only a week has passed. There is so much to do and so little time.
I've read (because I have to read 12 dystopian novels for the semester since my dumb self went into the program with And There Was One) The Road by Cormac McCarthy and Ema The Captive by Cesar Aira. Neither are for the faint of heart (which I am), but I managed to write two craft papers (one on each book) and get over 5000 words written on And There Was One.
This program has completely changed how I'm looking at certain things. Before I'd bang my head against a wall until I gave up or made it work, but now I'm learning different styles and techniques that make things easier to manipulate.
If I haven't told you guys about my story (it used to be a trilogy now it's just a novel) And There Was One this is the plot in a nutshell: (Remember this is mine and I will hunt you down like a rabid dog if you steal it):
Aurora Garret is the first child to be born as a single birth in five hundred years. No one knows why she is a single birth, and one knows who her father is. A cure for cancer has the side effect of causing women to concieve twins each time they get pregnant. This new world (after cancer) has been burned one two many times by corruption, so it has built a wall surrounding the utopian city (this is way before Trump's Mexican Wall speech, FYI) and they choose to kick out the twins that are Deemed evil. Deeming is the process at which once a year all children that are aged sixteen are judged by the High Council and (if found evil) forced to leave their families and the safety of the city to venture beyond the wall.
Aurora's POV was not working for me since the story starts two years prior to her deeming with a boy named Kole Wells. So, I switched POVs and made the decision to make this a two part novel, Kole's POV first, and then lead into Aurora's issues for the second. I'm excited to see how it turns out, Although I think I moved the first three chapters along way too fast. We'll see what my mentor says.
Also FYI, look up Far Bright Star by Robert Olmstead. That's my mentor this semester.
And this my Mibbians is why I have to take a hiatus. I'll be writing, just not as much for you guys as I want. Leanne and I have talked some about this, and I'll write chapters when I get the chance, but I have to keep up with my day job (Project Coordinator over consumer marketing with a Vitamin company) and this MFA program.
I'll miss you guys, but I will be back! :)
~ Nikki Richardson