Yes, yes, I am back, and Kennedy WILL be finished! Today I have something different for you though.
So I was inspired to do this post thanks to Jessica Dawn over at Whimsical Writings, who got the idea from Cait from Paper Fury. This year I am participating in my first NaNoWriMo (national novel writing month!) I know, I know. You may be thinking, she is in college and has not kept up with her blog. How can she have time for NaNo? Let's just say I am a Senior in college now, and writing for fun is actually working to help me get my homework done.
So without further ado, here are some answers to some questions to describe my novel to you guys!
1. What inspired the idea for your novel, and how long have you had the idea?
This idea was inspired off a country accapella group I have grown to love called Home Free. The story surrounds five christian siblings (and the eventual wife of one of the siblings) who form their own country acapella group.
2. Introduce us to each of your characters!
I will only be describing my protagonists as I have not quite worked out my antagonists.
The Ross Siblings:
Firstborn in this family is Nathan. Nate is the most responsible one of the group, around 24 years old at the start of the story. He is not one who wears his emotions on his sleeve, preferring to work his problems out with logic. Nate was the one who had the original idea to start an acapella group with his siblings. His four younger siblings remember him being more connected and emotional with them before their parents died, but after their deaths he withdrew as he had to shoulder the responsibility to take care of his family. That being said, deep down he still loves his siblings, and would do anything to keep them safe.
Next are the first set of fraternal twins, Benjamin and Chase. Ben and Chase are 21 when the story begins. Both brothers are extroverts, yet have different ways of showing it. Ben loves to dream up new ideas and music arrangements for the acapella band. He is respectful, yet at times does not have much of a filter and can say the most random things that come to his mind. Despite his outgoing personality, Ben also happens to be a deep thinker, and loves to have meaningful conversations with those he cares for. Chase is outgoing in a different way.He is a big tease, and is the main instigater of the pratical jokes. Yet, if anyone else tries to mess with his family, he gets extremly defensive.
Finally, you have the youngest set of twins, Sadie and Sam. They both are 19 at the beginning of this story. Sadie loves to pur herself out there, talk, ad make new people. She wants to make sure her sibilings are happy, and tries to much at times to fix things after there has been a fight or disagreement of any kind. Sam is quiet and reserved. He is somewhat obsessed with science fiction, and loves it when others indulge him and his fantasies. For being the youngest in the family, his siblings see him as a "Master Yoda" of some sort, due to his ability to listen and offer advice that seemingly goes beyond his years. If someone starts to prod at areas in his life that are more sensitive, he tends to lash out, but feels bad for it afterword.
Last but not least, we have the outsider of the family named Chloe Wedge. Chloe is an elite gymnast who takes a break after the London olympics to finish college (she was able to skip seventh and eighth grade, making her a junior in college at 18). Chloe is quiet and thoughtful, always quick to discern when other people need help but never quite quick enough to see when she needs help herself. It is Ben who begins to draw her out of her shell, drawing them closer as he slowly becomes one of the few people who truly reads and understands her.
3. Describe what your novel is about!
Well, my novel is more of four, short stories lets say, that will be put into a novel.
The first story is how Chloe meets the sibilings in college. It then goes through Chloe and Ben's budding relationship and eventual engagement. Her return to elite gymnastics and the relationship and injury struggles are also pictured.
The second story is about how Ben gets shot by someone who is jealous about the sibling's success in the music industry. He almost dies, and the story chronicles how Chloe (who is married to Ben by now) and the other sibilings deal with this crisis.
The third story connects directly to the second. Ben's shooter still has not been found, and the case goes cold until it is discovered that Chloe has a stalker. Chloe sort of pushes her husband and sibilings-in-law away thinking she can deal with it herself, but things take a turn for the worst and she realizes she can't.
The last story takes place in Finland. Chloe, Ben, Chase, and Chase's finnish girlfriend travel to finland to meet her parents. Meanwhile, Chloe has to learn to accept some harsh realities about her and Ben's potential to start a family.
There you go :) It was not too terribly long.
4. What is your book's aesthetic? Use words or photos or whatever you would like.
Sorry in advance for the loads of pictures and quotes ;)
5. How do you prepare to write?
Well first, comes a bit of research. For this story for example, I had to research a lot of medical stuff for the second part. I cannot plot or outline though. If I do, and start writing, I will get discouraged that a story is not going how I want it too and start to ignore it. I have a general sense of the plot in my head when I sit down and write, but other than that, there is not a lot of planning done beforehand.
6. What are you most looking forward to about this novel?
Getting it written so I can get to one of the two (possibly three) other novel ideas I have that are more fully fleshed out in my brain.
7. List three things about your novel's setting.
* forgiveness
* family
* selflessness
* unconditional love
* music (Yes, yes, I know that is five!)
8. What's your character's goal and who (or what) stands in the way?
Two goals of my character is to draw closer to God no matter what the life circumstances may be, as well as learning to be more selfless by getting out of her own head and realizing some circumstances are not her fault. Things that stand in her way are other sibilings who accuse her of doing wrong when she has not, outside forces jealous of the families success, as well as herself.
9. How does your protagonist change by the end of the novel?
By the end of this story, Chloe learns that she has to roll with the punches in life, giving the things to God that she really does not have any control over herself. She also learns the true meaning of unconditional love and forgiveness, that it is ultimately better to forgive and forget since life is too short to stay angry.
10. What are your book's themes? How do you want your reader's to feel once the story is over?
I want readers to feel that they can trust and put their faith in God no matter what their circumstances may be.
So there you have it. My NaNo project! Hope it was not too long to read. I challenge anyone who has not done this to do it. It does not even have to be a NaNo project!
