EMERY FOGG AND PREPARE FOR PAUL BRAINSTORMING
Posted on October 14, 2020
I thought you might like to see what the initial planning of a novel looks like. Often ideas will change and evolve, but many of these initial brainstorming details will work their way into the novel. My plan is to write Emery Fogg in December and January and then publish in late summer 2021. I am loving what I have so far.
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Emery Fogg Takes to Magic, Sort Of
Overview:
Emery is fourteen and has always lived in her older sister's shadow until that fateful night where she lost both her mother and only sibling. Emery can't remember what happened that night, but she wound up in the middle of the Bracken Ruins untouched by the corrupting magic running rampant in the very ground of the cursed site. She is rescued by the Embrasparc and the whole town treats her as poisoned. Before, her sister was the only one in the family to work magic. Since that fateful night, Emery finds she can manipulate magic and that it is somehow tied to her shadow. Her magic is most potent when her shadow is the longest.
A dark mage comes to town claiming to have been sent a relic infused with Seya's magic, one way a novice magic user applies to be an apprentice. He tunes into Emery, revealing the magic is now within her. Emery eventually learns that her sister has been trapped in her shadow and the key to releasing her and finding their mom rests in Emery learning enough magic to do so. She agrees to apprentice for the mage and learns she has misjudged him, assuming he works to aid and abet dark forces when he uses the magic to trap and thwart much darker magic.
Emery learns the key to saving the day lies in tracking down the Embrasparc. Skence accompanies her along with the mage's familiar, a figmanunk.
Characters:
Skence- friend of Emery's who had a crush on Seya. Very machine and gadget oriented. Always more ambitious than his station in life.
Aunt Ora- kind woman who took in Emery and always tries to dispel Emery's gloomy thought.
Kig- the mage's familiar who speaks in rather grandiose terms despite his knowledge of the world being from books rather than actually being out and about in the world
Misc. Details:
Emery is German for industrious and that fits perfectly with the character as she always has to work twice as hard as her sister and others to accomplish anything.
Yillhavia is the magical realm where this story takes place. It is filled with magical races that are analogs to the more well-known creatures like elves, dragons, will-o'-wisps, imps, and so on.
The township of Frand is a small town only known for its proximity to one of the five spots still infected by Bracken magic.
Bracken Ruins- This race is basically the equivalent of dark elves made of vines.
Scenes to Incorporate:
Well Witch- They run off with a canteen of her water and use it to grow flowers when all she wants them to do is drink it so she can claim a fraction of their soul
Bracken History- Show how the Bracken were vanquished and how their lingering magic is still a threat
Magic Instruction- Emery learns about the different ways she could wield magic:
-spellbinders embed spells in objects like her sister did
-spellbreakers disrupt spells hurled at the victim
-spellslingers know enough magic to get in trouble
-spellcasters are the most proficient
Magical races and analogs:
Bracken- dark elves made of vines
Embrasparc- will-o'-wisps
Figmanunk- imp who can dissipate into mist
Undul or well witch- ghosts who dwell in wells and steal soulstuff from any who take a drink
Lebblarg- ghost dragons
Hylon- orcs who change in stature based on the seasons, giants in winter and dwarf-like in summer
Kepsie- merfolk that are always keen on bartering
Naggru- tiny forest sprites that reside in fungus
Een or lurk wizard- trolls that live underground and listen in on every conversation and file it away in case they want to use it to negotiate
More to come!
And here's a paragraph of initial ideas for a superhero book that is a few books down on the schedule:
Prepare For Paul
Paul Breck has just come out of a coma and returns home to a mysterious comic book in the mail from a non-existent company. It shows exactly what he was up to during his missing six months. Apparently, he spent that time alongside The Three, the ultimate superhero team in the Crown Comics universe. Paul refuses to accept this. But when he starts to exhibit the powers of Sublime, Red Raven, and Godstrike, his reality starts to unravel. Paul will need to come to grips with his powers as The Three's archvillain, Conquernaut, shows up ready to plunder a world he believes is not defended by any real heroes.