Hi guys!

A while ago, I talked a bit about this new idea of mine. I’ve been working on it during this whole year, so not that new. However, relatively speaking, it’s my new shiny baby. I’m head over heels in love with it and I have already sort of outlined it, and then I hated it because it wouldn’t behave so I started over and I just keep getting more and more excited about it because THIS IS IT PEOPLE. I’m in love with everything about it and I just…

 

 

Since I’m so in love with it, I decided to join Cait and Sky in their Beautiful Books feature, which consists of answering some questions about our works in progress so we can share the love and writing spirit!

So now, on with the lovely WIP info!

 

What inspired the idea for your novel, and how long have you had the idea?

It all started with one single prompt: What if there was a world where stories are the currency?

I mean, how awesome does that sound?! I knew it had the potential of being the BOMB. So I stored that idea away, and the fought tooth and nail to include it in my WIP from then, but it wasn’t meant to be. I was disheartened yes, but I knew that great things would come from it when the time was right.

 

 

Describe what your novel is about!

The story is about a girl, called Ariadne, who lives in a world where knowledge is the most important thing. If you’re an ignorant, you’re nothing. Education is the most prized service, and people wear their personal adchievements like badges of honor.

In this world for the sake of people’s sanity and the very progress of their society, being creative is allowed to a certain extent, but it’s heavily regulated. If it doesn’t contribute to your professional growth, odds are you’re going to get in trouble for wasting precious time you could be using on other ‘useful’ things.

Ariadne knows how things work, and she’s been making the most out of the opportunities given to her. She’s ambitious and driven, keeping her best side hidden from everyone, except from her mentor. He encourages her creative pursuits. That is, until he is arrested and sentenced to remain in custody until the day he dies – which like only month away-.

This makes Ariadne question if she’s really okay with letting things continue like they’ve always been, or if she’s willing to risk her carefully planned future in order to change the world.

 

What is your book’s aesthetic? Use words or photos or whatever you like!

 

 

Introduce us to each of your characters!

Okay! So let’s make the introductions! This is Ariadne, everyone. She’s an achitect apprentice and also currently volunteers as a teacher in a school in a lower level neighborhood.

Ariadne: Hi everyone, it’s so nice to meet you!

So, Ariadne, tell us, how does this apprenticeship/job thing work? Shouldn’t you be working in something related to your chosen career?

Ariadne: Ah, yes. That would be the idea, but actually, we’re allowed to do work in whatever we want as long as we’re doing something. I got wind that they were in some serious need of staff at some education centres so I enrolled to help. It keeps my mind busy, and I kinda enjoy it.

You’re lovely. I love you. Okay, moving on. I told people a bit about you before, and your mentor. What’s that about?

Ariadne: Oh, you mean Silas. You could say he’s my mentor. He was a friend of my mom’s and when my father died, he said I could live with him. It was that or you know… stay stuck in Ground level forever, so… yeah. He took me in, and has taught me all he knows. I’d even say I owe him my life.

Silas: *waltzes in* You’re going to make me cry.

Ariadne: *does double take and crosses her arms, refusing to look at him* Oh shut up. Who even invited you?

C’mon guys, let’s keep it nice!

Silas: *takes a seat* She’s mad because-

Ariadne: He told me he was going to come to my graduation and he didn’t!

Ouch

Ariadne: Exactly! I worked my butt off for so long, so I could- so he could… You get what I mean. And then he doesn’t even show up! How can I not be mad? I’m really disappointed he couldn’t make the effort to stop by!

Silas: It isn’t like you have never disappointed anyone…

Cormac: Did someone call my name? Oh, you two are here, I better leave.

Okaay, guys, I’ll let you sort this out yourselves. Let’s move on!

 

 

How do you prepare to write? (Outline, research, stocking up on chocolate, howling, etc.?)

I like to listen to music in order to inspire some scenes in my head. I usually need to have a couple of scenes ready in order for me to even attempt an outline.

 

 

What are you most looking forward to about this novel?

I’m so excited for people to read it! I mean, of course I want to publish it some day, but I mean people like my best friend, and some blogger friends too when the draft is ready. I so want to know what they think when this story finally starts to come alive on the screen paper.

 

 

List 3 things about your novel’s setting

• The mass of land is surrounded by an ever present inverted waterfall-like barrier. No one has ever returned from crossing it, and it eventually became forbidden to try.
• Social class is only defined by how useful you are to the society, and recognizable through where you live-or in this case, how high.
  • Levels 0 to 70: Usually people with some sort of disability, people fired from their jobs and that couldn’t find another, people don’t pass the entry Academy test
  • Levels 71 to 200: People who work and that can provide at least one field-relevant investigation at least every five years starting from their 20th year.
  • Levels 200+: People who have been extremely instrumental in the development of the society, whose work has significantly improved some aspect of life.
• The territory is small, but not that small. A Maglev circuit connects everything.

 

 

What’s your character’s goal and who (or what) stands in the way?

Ariadne’s goal is simply the bright and shiny future she’s been working towards to for years, and the main thing that prevents that from happening, at its core, is herself, because her heart obviously isn’t truly in architecture. Of course then there’s the fact that she’s arrested, an then she’s on the run, and then she basically breaks all the rules.

 

 

How does your protagonist change by the end of the novel?

Well, this story has a flat arc- which means that the main change here isn’t about the character, but the world she lives in.

However, it seemed only natural for all the obstacles and hardships to slightly shape Ariadne’s mindset by forcing her to embrace what really makes her happy, realize that family is more than just shared DNA, and that sometimes people have to make mistakes in order to do better in the future.

 

 

What are your book’s themes? How do you want readers to feel when the story is over?

It’s a story about forgiveness, family, friendship, but I think the one that has me so psyched and excited is the value of creativity.

As for readers, I want them to feel identified in some way with any of the characters. I want them to say ‘I SO get that’, about at least one of the situations. But overall, I want them to understand the power of following your passion, no matter how hard it is, no matter how underrated.

 

Thanks for reading!

 

Related Posts