Year-long NaNo discussion

Hi guys! I’ll be using this topic to write in little snippets of my books that are to do with fantasy - enjoy 😊 please feel free to comment constructive criticism/encouragement, it’s much appreciated.

Here’s the blurb for my fantasy book, The Fire-Watchers (btw who thinks it looks better with/without a hyphen?):

‘You do not know where the road leads, Whin. You only know that you must reach the end of it.’

Whin (a young man in the countryside of Irythea) and his sister are thrown into a whirlwind of intrigue and magic when the village tale-spinner tells Whin he is a Fire-Watcher; a magical guardian of fire in the Order of Mystals. However, unable to cope with a truth that seems completely insane, Whin ignores him and his other apprentices only to find that meanwhile his father has been killed by his country’s greatest enemies. But try as he might, he cannot seem to get away from the Fire-Watchers; and his destiny as one of them.

This sounds super exciting Abbie!! Hope you keep on working with it! And I think The Fire-Watchers is a cool title as it is. :)

Thanks so much Elizabeth! I’m really enjoying writing it! 🥰

I agree with Elizabeth--leave it the way it is! And I'm a sucker for a elemental magic, so this looks super cool!!!

Thanks so much Oceane 🧡🧡

Here’s a marching song from The Fire Watchers 🔥 enjoy!



Over a hillside
And under a fen
Marching on
Till the lights all ta’en
Lanterns high
And steps swinging low
Listen to our battle song.

We kissed them goodbye
Our lads and lasses
Gave ourselves up
To fire fight and battle
Soldier on forth
My brave girls and boys
Let them feel our steel
And hear our noise!


Over a hillside
And under a fen
Marching on
Till life’s all ta’en
Lanterns high
And steps swinging low
Listen to our battle song.

Then when we’ve reached
The battle won
We’ll raise a flag,
Shout, ‘death you are done!’
But even though some
Have breathed their last
We shall not
We will not
Let their memory pass.

Wow. That's super neat. :) Did you write it??!

ooh this sounds neat, Abbie! That's an awesome song!

I really love it when stories have songs! *heart eyes*

And yes, did you write it?!

@Elizabeth thanks yes I did!

@Oceane I know, I always loved Tolkien for that he has an excellent style when it comes to matching songs

@Merie awww thanks girl *hugs*

I love it when books contain marching songs-- or any songs, for that matter. Tolkien was a MASTER. (And Brian Jacques too, with the Redwall series!)

Yes! Music enlightens the world building so much!!!

Abbie wrote: "@Elizabeth thanks yes I did!

@Oceane I know, I always loved Tolkien for that he has an excellent style when it comes to matching songs"

That's so impressive! Great work!

Merie wrote: "I love it when books contain marching songs-- or any songs, for that matter. Tolkien was a MASTER. (And Brian Jacques too, with the Redwall series!)"

Yeah same!

SHINE wrote: "This looks so awesome! I'm glad that I'm not the only one who writes songs for stories!"

Lol thanks Shine XD

Oceane wrote: "Abbie wrote: "@Elizabeth thanks yes I did!

@Oceane I know, I always loved Tolkien for that he has an excellent style when it comes to matching songs"

That's so impressive! Great work!"
Thanks so much!

Here is an excerpt from further on when a poultice is being produced...

‘Steady, steady.’ Magger raised his hands in peace, eyes locked on the blade. ‘That’s—that’s all Magger needed to know.’
Taggert slapped his forehead.
‘The Sword, Whin! He knows the Sword, why did you— ‘
‘SHUT UP!’
Everyone turned in surprise to Evere, who was trembling with rage.
‘My friend is dying, and all you do is stand there and argue? Magger, please, you know all you want, now help!’
The Tinker nodded.
‘Yes ma’am.’
This time he seemed genuine.
He took off his hat and began gathering a very strange and grotesque mixture in it—black and yellow beetles, red stringy moss, blackened heather roots and finally, bat guano.
‘Infection…disease…not fit for…contagious…diabolical,’ Evere sputtered incoherently, but Magger paid no attention and kept on adding things until the hat was full.

o_0 wow. pretty intense xD

Abbie wrote: "Here is an excerpt from further on when a poultice is being produced...

‘Steady, steady.’ Magger raised his hands in peace, eyes locked on the blade. ‘That’s—that’s all Magger needed to know.’
Ta..."

Ooo! 0_0

Thanks Merie! Can’t wait till it’s published I’m on chapter 17 so far

Haha thanks Oceane 😋

I like the dialogue! ^.^

Thanks I like to make sure my readers know who’s speaking 😊 it’s always interesting. what have you been writing lately? I’m not very techy and I can’t find your latest posts on your WIP

Another excerpt :)))

By this time Marlcoat, Byrksa and Evere had all somehow made it down over the slippery mud. Evere flicked some off her shoulder in disgust, but Byrksa, however, was standing stock still. Whin frowned, and shone the light in her face.
‘What’s the matter?’
Her eyes were wild and scared, and the knuckles clutching her apron had gone white; but her voice was deadly, deadly quiet.
‘Whin. There’s—there’s something on my back. It has legs; lots of them.’
She was trying to stay calm, but there was clearly panic in her voice, and Whin knew his sister too well to risk believing that this was a joke. He stepped forward slowly with the burning brand and walked around to her back, but when he saw what it was he barely saved himself from crying out.
A massive poisonous millipede, about two feet long, was crawling up Byrksa’s back, its colourless body undulating and curving over her tunic. Venomous green mandibles glistened in the darkness as it made its way towards her neck.
Whin had no idea what to do. Signal to the others? Pull it off and somehow kill it? If he plunged his sword into it he’d probably stab his sister, but if he tried to pull it off, he’d likely die aswell. He had to decide now—already the horrid creature was nearly at its mark.
Suddenly, Whin threw the torch he was holding at the mandibles of the millipede, just as it was about to strike. It gave one horrible shrieking sound and burst, splattering foul-smelling pulp in all directions. But the torch had also lit Byrksa’s cape; she gave a squeal and fell into the mud, completely soaking herself in it and extinguishing the flames.
‘Everyone, draw your weapons,’ said Marlcoat ominously as Taggert helped her up. ‘For there may be far worse enemies in these caverns than you know.’
They all obeyed with not a word.
Evere felt a shiver of excitement and fear pass through her as they began to walk through the opening into a cavernous cave whose ceiling walls were as high as a cathedral. She glanced quickly at Whin and saw him looking at her grimly. He had heard it too—the strange, ear-splitting laughter. She frowned questioningly. Had the others heard it also?
No. They haven’t.
The answer came as clear into her head as though he had spoken it, but she had watched him and he had not opened his mouth. He looked perplexed too. Her frown deepened as he spoke again.
Can…can you hear me?
Of course, you fool! And I thought things couldn’t get any worse..why can we talk in our heads?
This is really weird.
Yeah, now you’re saying it.
Should we tell Marlcoat?
What do you think, One-Eye? My mentor has enough on his plate to not have to worry about you.

Neither of them noticed Marlcoat glancing at them worriedly.

That part about the millipede was intense! Nicely done!

^^ Millipedes are scary. Giant venomous ones, at least

Thank you guys! Yeah I personally have always hated millipedes 😂 though I DID have a collection of pet pill bugs once. I let them free when I figured out they were blind, totally creeped me out!!

Haha millipedes are eVERYwhere in the fall and it's terrifying.

I know! Do you have like a worst nightmare bug?

Hmm, not bugs, actually xD unless you count mosquitoes or ticks because those are evil.

Lol I know I’d say I hate them too but if they can’t hurt you then they’re fine 😂 I tend to be the spider-catcher in our house my sisters are totally freaked out by them

I hate spiders! I wish I didn’t find them so gross, but I do XD

I know. I’m just weirdly okay with getting rid of them 😅

Abbie wrote: "I know. I’m just weirdly okay with getting rid of them 😅"

Good for you!

Oh my gosh y’all *groans* I can’t BELIEVE this is happening!

So the other day my sandisk glitched and my copy of my book, The Fire Watchers, has apparently become malware. Don’t ask how. Cause I don’t know.

The upshot is that even though I have my physical copy in my notebooks I lost almost a years worth of work and also some things that I didn’t have written out that I will have to rewrite.

So please bear with me if it’s a while before I post on here again

Oh no that's awful!! I'll be praying for you!

Thanks so much Merie I really appreciate it xx

Oh no! Abbie! I'm so sorry that happened to you! Take however long you need

Thank you Oceane, you’re all so kind I’m just a little put out by it but I’m so glad I have it all in my physical notebooks even if it’s a lot of work to lose.

It is super fortunate that you have a physical copy. I can't even imagine losing everything

Yes I’m so glad

I am so thankful y’all, so so thankful; because...I found an older copy of my book that I sent to a friend! It doesn’t contain my more recent bits but it contained some vital parts of my book.

Praise God! Thank you all so much for your support 😄😄

Abbie wrote: "I am so thankful y’all, so so thankful; because...I found an older copy of my book that I sent to a friend! It doesn’t contain my more recent bits but it contained some vital parts of my book.

Pra..."

That is amazing <3 So happy for you!

Abbie wrote: "I am so thankful y’all, so so thankful; because...I found an older copy of my book that I sent to a friend! It doesn’t contain my more recent bits but it contained some vital parts of my book.

Pra..."

That must be such a relief!

I know!! Thank you both 😊

More on Wink in this excerpt...


‘Darma, wake up!’ Wink blinked sleepily and opened her crusty eyelids to look up. Seagulls screamed and wheeled in the seashell blue sky, long, heavy ropes held up wooden tackle and blocks swinging on the salty breeze, and beneath her back rough sheets or perhaps a sack were her blanket. The world seemed to rock gently back and forth beneath her and she smiled happily —it was the best feeling in the world. Like this was home. The older Wink looked through the eyes of her younger self — this was obviously a dream, perhaps a memory. Could it really be? A memory from her forgotten past? It all seemed a little insubstantial; misty-edged and vague. Above her craned a head, that of a girl with long wavy hair the hue of liquid gold, casting a cool shadow over her as she moved in front of the sun. There was laughter in her eyes; and they were as green and changeable as the sea.

‘Come on Darma, we need you in the crow’s nest — up now, sister!’ The girl playfully yanked Wink to her feet; she was tall, dressed entirely in black leather and skins and around her neck she wore something; a large round pendant on a chain that had a case worked in lapus lazuli. Wink racked her brains — she had seen this before, she knew it. Somewhere...But then she was suddenly surprised by her own voice, saying, ‘You never told me what was in the case, Azura. Show me, and I’ll go.’

‘Fine,’ said Azura, and opened the case — in it was a compass on one side, a clock on the other. A clock...so familiar...was it merely fantasy that made her think that way? But already her younger self had turned away and said, ‘ahh yes; of course Meenal would give you something magical. Not that anyone believes in it anymore.’

‘You’ll believe one day, Darma.’ Azura’s voice was quiet. ‘I know it. It has been foreseen.’ ‘More lies!’ Wink was scoffing now. ‘But keep your myths and legend. I’m up to the crows nest.’

More nimbly than she knew how Wink found herself swinging among the ropes and rigging like a monkey, spinning and twirling, her rough sea dress shoved into her belt and her trousers tucked into knee high boots. Up on the crow’s nest felt like heaven itself — swaying and tossing tempestuously over the grey waves, her hair blowing in the gale. She gave a joyous shout and swung over the sail on a spare rope, landing amidships and leaning over the side to trail her hand in the water. Behind her more sailors fastened off ropes and sewed sails on the middle-sized Corsair ship, and when she looked for’ard she could see the name of the vessel painted beautifully in white on its blackened boards: Cage the Wind and Bring It Home. A rough hand landed on her shoulder and she spun around to see Azura smiling down at her. ‘Mama would be proud, eh? That was what she always told us when we were small, do you remember? She told us to cage the wind and bring it home.’ Wink nodded ambiguously, unsure of what to say. Thankfully, younger Wink filled in the gaps. ‘She’d be proud Azura, you know it. Proud as a buccaneers uncle of you.’ Azura shook her head sadly. ‘Sometimes I wonder...’ She trailed off and stared into the gathering mist as the waves became more and more choppy. ‘Darma...there’s something I need to tell you...’ Her whisper was cut off by rough yells and shouts; from out of nowhere pikes and grapplehooks began to seize and tear at the sides of the ship; Wink looked around in fear. Whoever it was, they were surrounded. She turned towards Azura and grabbed her arm before something caught her, tore into her stomach, and she was yanked overboard. The last thing she heard before the icy water took her consciousness was her sisters blood curdling screams.

Ooo, love these descriptions! Also, that ending... o_0

Thank you! I needed to get back into writing more..