Drafting and deadlines

News

Hello readers! It’s been a busy 2024 so far, and most of it I can’t talk about yet. I am sitting on so many secrets right now, and I can’t wait to be able to yell about them.

Things I can talk about:

In March and April, I did several query critique donations—a few for the Trans Rights Readathon, and one as a donation to the KidLit4Palestine auction. I’m pleased to be able to say that between those two events I raised over $100 for good causes!

I currently have availability for regular query letter and other editing services on my website as well.

On the personal side, I’ve started trying out bouldering. I’ve been going with my spouse once per week and having a lot of fun! I feel like I’m still in recovery mode from too many years of full time work, stress, querying and writing and being on sub while working overtime, and steadily creeping health issues, so it’s wonderful to feel like I actually have energy to do more than survive for a change (thanks in part to various nutrient deficiencies being diagnosed and treated—yay celiac disease).

Writing updates

I’m currently on deadline (!!) for my adult fantasy rom com, doing a round of developmental edits (for those who don’t know, this means big picture plot and character stuff). It’s a lot of work, but it’s going well and I’m very pleased by how the book is turning out.

Also: I wrote another book! This is the 12th first draft I’ve completed, which means I’ve written enough manuscripts that I need a spreadsheet to keep track. In February and March, I wrote the first draft of a YA fantasy heist, completing an idea that’s been kicking around in my head since sometime last summer. While I’ve revised some of my crossover manuscripts to feel more solidly YA before, and my first ever novel (the one I started at age nine) was technically YA, this is the first time I’ve deliberately set out to write YA from the start, so it feels extra special. I’m in love with my feral found family crew of magical teens and can’t wait to get this book into shape for beta readers once I’m no longer on deadline!

Crafty Corner

Today’s topic is about one of my favorite plot devices: adding a ticking clock.

In your novel, a ticking clock is any sort of countdown device. I really love adding these because the time limit imposes a sense of urgency—it’s a built-in source of tension. Tie the characters’ goals to a measurable plot device, and bam, the level of stress just went up by a factor of ten (good for readers, though your characters won’t thank you).

A few examples of a ticking clock used well:

In the classic (animated) Beauty & the Beast, the ticking clock is the magical rose. Belle must fall in love with the Beast before the last petal falls, and whenever it’s looking bad for the two of them, another petal drops… until we’re left with just one petal at the climax.

In Little Thieves, Vanja’s curse has an explicit time limit. She’s turning into jewels, and she has only two weeks to break the curse… and each time she acts in the wrong direction, more of her body turns into gemstones. (If you haven’t read Little Thieves, I can’t recommend it enough!)

Other types of ticking clocks I’ve seen used well include a countdown to an important event (often used in contemporary novels—this isn’t just for fantasy!), phases of the moon, or the end of a journey.

Keep in mind that if you do use a ticking clock, make sure to keep referencing it so the reader can keep track of how much time is left—and also, very importantly, make sure your characters don’t succeed until the eleventh hour! Run that clock out to the last few seconds before you let them win!

Book recommendations

This month I have two fantastic books to yell about! These are both out now, so you don’t even have to wait to pick them up.

Voyage of the Damned by Frances White is a queer fantasy murder mystery set on a magical ship. It has a fantastic crew of characters and is very twisty—and also very funny! It’s not available in the US yet, but if you’re impatient like me, you can order it from Blackwells—they have free international shipping.

The Last Phi Hunter by Salinee Goldberg is an adventurous fantasy featuring a snarky demon hunter who gets roped into helping a runaway pregnant royal consort. It has Thai demons, a badass female character, and a rich, fully developed world. It’s one of the more unique fantasies I’ve read and I highly recommend it!

That’s all for now! Stick with me, and I’ll be able to share a lot of exciting news… one day soon.

~Marina