I'm up to over 62K words into my rewrite and hitting a definite stride. Connections are being made, characters are suffering the consequences of their actions, an even the antagonists are gaining more depth (one even got a new name and a family business). All of which should solve a bunch of the issues my lovely developmental editor pointed out to me.
In order to stay on track, I invested in an AutoCrit account, which lets me see if I'm not forgetting anything. You might find what a bot might have to say with only 22 chapters of input interesting. The following synopsis is just a summery, but is pretty accurate.
The premise centers on intertwining fates marked by personal growth amidst societal constraints—Dearal’s struggle for self-acceptance against gender norms; Selandra’s balancing act between duty and autonomy; Tharon’s relentless pursuit juxtaposed against Ilyra’s plight—all set within a rich tapestry where magic both empowers individuals but also subjects them to control by higher powers like the Spirit Council.
I still take breaks to tweak the cover, and am really happy with where it has come to in this latest round of edits. I decided to explore a dark version, and finally found a way to make it work. Also, in the interest of eventually having a hard-cover version with a dust jacket, I extended the cover to include the inner flaps. I've not added the text to those yet, but, am excited to be able to use the new art in social media.
If you read my last post, you should recognize the POV characters. On the left we see a pensive Selandra. On the right, Tharon searches for answers. And, captured in the crystal in several forms, we see our titular character, Dearal.
But, wait, you might be wondering, who is that man gazing at the crystal?
I think I will save that for another post.
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