If you missed it, June has been Beauty and the Beast month over at Fairy Tale Central! And, being as how this is my ultimate, ultimate favorite fairy tale, I have been soaking. it. up. It also made me realize how woefully long it’s been since I’ve talked about my own B&B retelling: Burning Thorns. And that, dear friends, is what I’ve come to do today.
Burning Thorns has been a work-in-progress for many, many years, and is easily the story of my heart. But I realize a lot of you may not even know what it is, being as how it’s been such a long time since I’ve mentioned it. In the past couple of years, I’ve been querying it here and there whilst working on other stories, but it is still the one I always come back to. The one that never seems to leave me. It is the culmination of all my favorite things, as well as themes rooted deep within me, and the story that developed my writing more than any other. We’ve been through a lot, BT and I, and I’m not sure I could abandon it even if I tried.
So I do hope you won’t mind if I reminisce for a while about my journey with this dear story of mine.
(DISCLAIMER: No, this is not by any means a publishing announcement post. XD It’s just been a while since I’ve talked about this story, and I couldn’t let Beauty and the Beast month pass by without doing so!)
BURNING THORNS ORIGINS
This story originates all the way back to 2014. YES. 2 0 1 4. I’m telling you, it’s been a while.
Anne Elisabeth Stengl was running the Rooglewood Press fairy tale anthology contests at the time, in which each year she would pick a fairy tale and run a contest to publish 5 novella retellings of that fairy tale in one gorgeous anthology. Five Glass Slippers was the first one, and though I wasn’t fully aware of it until the contest was pretty much over, I was immediately intrigued and highly considering giving it a try for the next anthology. Imagine my excitement when they announced the next fairy tale would be Beauty and the Beast. Only MY FAVORITE OF EVER.
Now. I had wanted to write a B&B retelling since…forever? At least since preteen days. It has been my most beloved fairy tale for all my life, and I also LOVED fairy tales in general (surprise, surprise), so the fact that I had gone this long without writing a retelling was, honestly, quite shocking.
But here was the push I needed.
Except…I didn’t have a plot. Yeah, I wanted to write a B&B retelling for years and years and years but having an actual solid plot for one? Pffft. Whoever heard of such nonsense? #pantser BUT there was this random story opening that had been in my head for a good long while. You know, just one of those random scenes we get sometimes, that aren’t connected to anything, they’re just…there. This scene was not for a B&B retelling. But as I was mulling over writing one for the Rooglewood contest, this random scene came back to me. It shifted and changed a lot but the core idea was there—a young man celebrating his birthday in a humble home, only for a guard to pound on his door and claim he was to be drafted into some awful war. Very vague and ambiguous, but it was there, and it came back to me, and it clicked.
THEN the Maleficent movie came out. I will never forget that one summer evening we went to see it in theaters. It was a life changing experience. Here was everything I had ever loved in a fairy tale, a mix of beautiful and eerie, full of redemption arcs and gray lines of good and evil and otherworldly creatures (not to mention one of my favorite soundtracks to this day). This was MY aesthetic—a dark and beautiful fairy tale. And I knew that was what I wanted to capture with my own fairy tale retelling. Literally the second we got home from the theater, I YouTubed the soundtrack, put in headphones, and just laid in bed thinking about what would soon become Burning Thorns.
At the time I was currently first drafting another book, and I don’t like to start a new book until I’ve finished the draft of whatever I’m working on. But I was very close to the end of this current book and, let my tell you, I suddenly had some seeerious motivation to get it finished. I was SO pumped and anxious to get started on BT.
I finished that other book right at the end of June and happily dove into some BT plotting…which mostly involved making a Pinterest board and figuring out the MBTI types of my main characters. Not much has changed there. *cough* But on July 13th, 2014, I wrote the very beginning of Burning Thorns.
At this point, of course, I was writing it for the Rooglewood contest, which had a wordcount limit of 20k. Bit of a stretch for my ridiculously thicc novel writing self, but I was up for the challenge. On September 13th, I finished the first draft at, miraculously, 19,745 words. (I was SO proud of myself, guys!) I took a little break then began edits in October, and I think I was still doing some edits and tweaks in November during NaNo. To this day I don’t know how I managed that. I used to have way more energy then. XD (Ah, to be young again…) But, man, I loved working on this thing.
The true joy of this story, though, was the friendships I made through it.
I was part of an epic writing group at the time, and a lot of the other girls were also writing B&B retellings for the Rooglewood contest. So we banded together and beta-read each other’s stories. This was one of the first times I ever really had others beta-reading anything I had written, which was both nerve-wracking and oddly thrilling. I learned so much and discovered the complete and utter joys of being able to share one of my stories with others instead of doing this writing thing alone. But more than that, I made the best of friends who are, to this day, some of my dearest friends in the entire world. Honestly, if nothing else ever comes of BT, it was worth writing it simply for those connections.
By mid December, my little novella was ready and I sent it out to the contest. My first time to EVER send any of my writing out like that. Now THAT was nerve-wracking. But I was proud of myself for taking the plunge.
I believe it was in January that we got the results and…Burning Thorns was not one of the chosen five. Obviously, there was much disappointment. My first ever rejection. It wasn’t exactly surprising, but certainly a blow regardless. But then, literally later that morning, it hit me: Now I could do whatever I wanted with this story that had so completely wrapped around my heart. And what I really wanted? To turn it into a full-blown novel. Short stories aren’t really my thing. Big ol’ thick novels is where my heart is. And now I had all the freedom in the world to do that with BT. My disappointment of rejection shifted to excitement. Goes to show rejection is not a bad thing. Sometimes it’s the first step to something grander. Literally by February I was already diving into making this thing happen because I was so excited.
And thus began a years long journey that is continuing to this day. After many, many drafts, that little 20k novella is now a 116k novel (yeah, I don’t know how I did that either…), one I’ve had multiple rounds of beta-reads for, pitched at Realm Makers, queried to a few agents, and still love to this day. It never seems to leave me, this novel. And I don’t want it to.
No, it’s not caught an agent’s attention yet. No, I have no idea when it will be published or if it will even be my debut novel or what will become of it. And I’m even considering going back through it again and making some changes, as it’s been a good two years since I’ve done so and, well, we writers are always growing, are we not? But one day I hoped to have this thing published, somehow, someway. It’s been with me for seven years, and it’s not one I want to give up on.
And, honestly, the support and love I’ve received through this journey with BT has been invaluable. Even if it’s never published, the fact that it’s helped me make so many dear connections, helped my grow as a writer in innumerable ways, and has touched the hearts of even a few people, has made it all worth it. Publishing isn’t the be-all and end-all of being a writer, guys. It’s about the journey and growth and individuals you touch along the way and who touch you. (Buuut that’s a subject for another blog post!)
SO. How ’bout I stop blabbering and actually introduce you to the novel itself?
THE STORY
The story is about Rose, who escapes a slave trader and flees to the one place no one would dare follow: the Forest. Legend says it is the home of the Dragon who plunged the once bright fae world into darkness and turned the fae into the vicious creatures they are now. But when Rose is attacked and the Dragon himself rescues her, she is shocked to find he is merely a young man ravaged with regret. When he offers her refuge in his rambling castle, Rose hopes to find healing—for herself and the fae world alike. But the light cannot return without a terrible sacrifice. Sacrifice of the rose—those words came with an iron dagger the day the Dragon cursed the Forest, and he believes Rose must be that sacrifice…
Creepy fae, sacrifice, an eerie forest, an enchanted castle, two broken protagonists, one sassy boy, light vs. darkness, betrayal, and so. much. pain. That’s basically my story. You know, all good things, all good things.
~ Pinterest Board ~
SNIPPETS
Clenching her damp nightgown in tight fists, she veered from the main road to the open meadow where wet blades of tall grass slapped at her ankles. Through the blur of rain, a mass of pure blackness covered the way ahead. Ominous, daring her to draw closer. Only the threat of the prison wagon pursuing behind pushed her forward until the dark splotch took form.
She halted at the edge of the twisting, gnarled trees—the Forest, named thus because something so old needed no other name. It had stood at the center of Elda Grae long before humans began inhabiting the continent.
Nightmarish stories of wicked creatures and dark fae slithered through her thoughts with an icy chill. The land of the fae was no place for a human.
~ ~ ~
Faint whispers reached Rose’s ears, like an icy breeze, shooting a cold chill up her spine. The indiscernible whispers pushed her forward, into the room, over the dusty floor, to a gashed wooden dresser. The whispering grew louder, calling. As if she were a puppet and the vague voices held the string, her hand reached down without her consent into one of the half-opened drawers. Her fingers wrapped around an item as hot as the distorted whispers were cold. Slowly, she pulled it out.
All breath left her.
Despite its heat, she clutched the handle of a dagger, every inch forged from pure iron. The whispers grew louder. Breathed from the dagger to her ears.
Sacrifice… Sacrifice…
She took in its thin blade gleaming in the hazy light, looking sharp enough to slice through boulders. This was no man-made weapon.
The voices became urgent.
Sacrifice. Sacrifice!
~ ~ ~
The Dragon stood alone, the only sound his own labored breaths.
He stared at his shadow stretching into the depth of the Forest, casting darkness even upon the bright roses encircling him. His fingers crinkled the mask in his hand. No matter how hard he tried to hide it, he would still be a beast. No mask could change that.
He was the Dragon.
~ ~ ~
After what had to be the twentieth time Marigold’s feet stumbled on one of the confounded roots, she jerked to a halt. With damp skirts, muddy boots, sore legs, a parched throat, frayed nerves, and the incessant cold, she was done. Done!
Lark took a couple more steps before glancing at the empty space beside him and blinking. He swiveled on his heel to face her. “Problem?”
“Yes, there’s a problem.” She firmly placed both hands on her hips. “We’ve been walking through this stupid forest for hours and you haven’t even told me what I’m doing here. I didn’t agree to a nightmarish hike through the woods!”
He raised a finger. “Firstly, I’d rather you not insult the Forest; I’m quite fond of it.” He paused and glanced at the ground, eyebrows scrunched. A second later he snapped his head back up. “Ah yes, secondly, that’s it.” Another finger joined the first. “Secondly, it’s hardly been a full hour yet.”
“Well, who can tell in this merciless darkness? I’m not moving a step more until you tell me where exactly we’re going.”
He pointed a finger behind him. “Right there.”
She pulled her head back. “Excuse me?”
“Right there.” His finger shook in emphasis. “Across that bridge, that’s where we’re going. But if you want to take a break…” He shrugged and plopped to the ground.
She squinted through the fog and spotted a thin, moss-covered bridge stretched over a wide drop-off not five feet away. “That? That’s our destination? The thing looks like it’ll collapse if I breathe on it!”
“So don’t breathe, then.”
~ ~ ~
Rose picked her way along the Forest floor, clinging to her fading candle. But no dark fae stirred in the shadows, no thorny vines reached out to catch the skirt of her gown, no thick branches barred her way. Instead, the cold mist pushed at her ankles until the castle’s entrance loomed over her. The Forest wanted her here, craved vengeance.
SONGS
I’m sure it’s no surprise that I listened to the Maleficent soundtrack basically on repeat while writing this thing. And then when the live-action Cinderella came out, its soundtrack became an integral one for this story as well. BUT, later, my amazing friend Josiah Dyck put together THE. MOST. MINDBLOWING soundtrack for the entire story. We’re talking theme songs for each character, a song for every single scene, and even credit songs, guys! And it’s all PERFECT. I have so much inspiring music for this thing, it keeps me endlessly motivated. Buuut being as how we’re talkin’ dozens upon dozens of songs, I’m obviously not going to share them all here. I will give you a few choice ones that really encompasses the overall vibe of this tale though!
(I apologize for the hugeness of these videos. WordPress won’t let me resize them to a respectable size. >.>)
Okay but ALL the Ori and the Blind Forest music fits this story SO. STINKIN’. PERFECTLY. Huge thanks to Josiah for bringing this to my attention!
#FEELS
I listen to this one sooooooo much!
And this one! One of my FAVORITE songs (and artists) Josiah introduced me to.
I could go on and on and on but I shall try to refrain myself.
WHY BEAUTY AND THE BEAST?
So why have I always wanted to write a Beauty and the Beast tale? What is it about this fairy tale that tugs on my heart and inflames my soul?
Because, for me, Beauty and the Beast reflects the Story of the world. The Beast is a seemingly unlovable, stupid, hideous creature, and it takes true love to redeem him. That is our story. We are all hideous creatures, unworthy to be loved. But Jesus loves us anyway, and through His love He strips us of our beastliness and makes us beautiful. B&B tells that story in such a poignant, soul-stirring way. The last time I read the original fairy tale, I honest to goodness nearly cried.
My favorite part of the fairy tale is how Beauty does not fall in love with the Beast after he is transformed. No, her love looks beyond appearance and straight to the heart and soul. Most fairy tales fall into a bad case of instalove, severely lacking any substance. The protagonists are both attractive so clearly they fall in love, right? And that’s where Beauty and the Beast stands out. It is a tale of the truest form of love—the most powerful thing in this universe.
A tale as old as time, indeed.
Though my own take on the tale is vastly different from the original, the core themes of Beauty and the Beast breathed my tale to life and taught me so much along the way. Embracing the light, finding where our true worth comes from, balancing justice and mercy, how a simple act of kindness can change a life, and, ultimately, that love is the key to all—these are the things I found within the fairy tale, and the themes that weaved their way into my own story.
It is no wonder Beauty and the Beast is one of the most well-known and beloved fairy tales to date. It was a true pleasure and honor to create an adaptation of my own.
If you’ve made it this far, you deserve cookies! THANK YOU for following along. And an ultra major uber thank you to those of you who have helped me on this journey. Seriously, the support and connections I’ve made through this single novel have been mindblowing, and a blessing beyond measure. There’s still a long way to go with this, but all the love I have received forever motivates me to keep pressing on.
In fact, dear friends, your prayers would mean the world to me. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking toward Burning Thorns and my writing in general, a lot of hemming and hawing, a lot of doubting (way, way too much doubting), but ultimately a lot of seeking God’s will with it all. I’m still searching, but perhaps getting closer to some next actions to take, and any prayers for guidance through all this would mean so much. I know I’ve not really talked about my writing much at all this year, but rest assured I’ve been busy in the background, and doing a lot of praying. It’s an exhausting journey sometimes, this writing life. But it’s always worth it. Which is something I’ve had to remind myself a lot lately.
Thank you all for never making me feel alone during this crazy writing venture, for always being here to cheer me on and make me smile. I have such amazing friends! *hugs to you all*
Don’t forget it’s been Beauty and the Beast month over on Fairy Tale Central all June long! We’ve shared all sorts of fun B&B things over there, so if you need a good B&B fix, do check it out!
Once more, if you’ve made it to this point you are a trooper! Thank you so much for letting me get all nostalgic for a bit (this was honestly just what I needed to rekindle my love for this story and get me pumped to ready it for hopefully another round of queries). What are your thoughts on Beauty and the Beast, friends? And am I the only one who has been working on a story for 7+ years? *sheepish grin* What do you think of this tale of mine?
“So don’t breathe, then” I need this book fron that line alone…
I LOVED reading this and seeing how much it means to you. And I really hope you succeed in publishing it. It sounds amazing.
*BEAMS* Lark took like all the best lines in the whole book, gonna be real. XD
Awwww! Thank you, Lemon!!! That seriously means so much to me, you have no idea. <3
I can’t imagine working on a novel for 7 years! Mainly because I get bored of one after like…a week.
*hides*
Regardless, it sounds like you’ve really created something to be proud of! I hope you do publish someday, because I really want to read this!
Have you ever thought of self-publishing?
Oh no, I feel ya! I have definitely lost enthusiasm for a lot of my others. There is just something about this one that I come back to again and again. I think that’s when we know we’ve found that story of our heart–when we find we never get tired of it or it just keeps drawing us back to it. So keep writing! I think we all have that special story (or more than one!) inside us. It’s just a matter of finding it. <3
Thank you!!! That is so nice of you to say and such an encouragement to me!
I have thought of self-publishing for sure, and know (and admire!) so many who do it. Right now though, it’s not really the path I want to take, for many reasons. For me personally, I think I’d do MUCH better having a team of professionals guiding my way. I’m a weirdo and don’t want to be my own boss. Lol. I need guidance and want that comfort of having a literary agent behind me for all the big decisions and the aid of marketing that a traditional publisher can give. I know trad publishing comes with many, many headaches of its own and is a thousand times harder to get into, but I think for my personality that route would work far better. I’m not closing the door on self-publishing, but right now I’d like to keep querying and see if something ever comes of it. ^_^
Awww, girl, I LOVED reading about your journey with Burning Thorns!!! I can’t believe it’s been 7 years since you first started it…that’s dedication and devotion if I ever saw it! 😉 Honestly, I’m really surprised that agents haven’t picked it up yet. Like, if I were and agent and saw BT, I would be DYING to get my hands on it!!! The whole idea of the story is GENIUS and UGH. I JUST WANNA READ IT SO BAD!!!!!! *fails* XD Have you ever thought of self publishing if the traditional way doesn’t work? (*coughs* ‘Cause, I mean, I’m obviously not trying to plot other ways to read it soon…) ;P
As for the fairy tale of Beauty and the Beast in general goes, I couldn’t agree with you more!!!! That’s probably my favorite fairy tale too (not to mention I’m a sucker for stories with allegorical parallels like that…). 😉
Anyway THANK YOU SO MUCH for sharing this today!!!! I had seen a little bit about Burning Thorns around here but wasn’t exactly sure what it was, so it was such a joy to learn more about it and how it’s impacted you so much!! I’ll absolutely be praying for you and that God will show you where He wants to take this! <333
Thank you, Victoria!!! I’m honored you enjoyed reading about it. And ALKJLSDJLKJSDF. ALL YOUR SWEET WORDS. Brb while I go cry happy tears. That is so motivational to me. Seriously. I can’t even express how much!
Another commenter asked about self-publishing too! Haha. I’m gonna cheat and copy and paste my answer XD.
I have thought of self-publishing for sure, and know (and admire!) so many who do it. Right now though, it’s not really the path I want to take, for many reasons. For me personally, I think I’d do MUCH better having a team of professionals guiding my way. I’m a weirdo and don’t want to be my own boss. Lol. I need guidance and want that comfort of having a literary agent behind me for all the big decisions and the aid of marketing that a traditional publisher can give. I know trad publishing comes with many, many headaches of its own and is a thousand times harder to get into, but I think for my personality that route would work far better. I’m not closing the door on self-publishing, but right now I’d like to keep querying and see if something ever comes of it. ^_^
Another Beauty and the Beast fan YAAAY!!! Isn’t it just the most gorgeous, moving fairy tale? *clutches heart* It makes me so happy.
Awww! It was my absolute pleasure! Because yeah, I had kind of forgotten so many of you wouldn’t know much about this story. I used to talk about it on the blog all. the. time. Lol. But it’s been AGES since I have! So it was a joy sharing about it again! Thank you for your enthusiasm, Victoria! So so much. And your prayers! You guys encompass me with so much love! <3
Aw, CHRISTINE, I enjoyed this blog post so much. It was so special to read more about the story that is so much a part of your beautiful heart! What an adventure! I am so proud of the way you are rejoicing in the journey!
Those SNIPPETS. *flails* WE CAN’T WAIT, PRECIOUS.
The part about Beauty and the Beast being the story of the world. *blubbers* Christine, you GET IT. You get the allegories of fairy tales SO well and so clearly. I love your heart and mind so much. <3
ALLISON YOU PRECIOUS SOUL. *glomps* Thank you! You always motivate me and inspire me with this writing life, you really do. You’re such a light in my life!
And EEP. I’m glad you liked the snippets! *flails with happy feels*
AWK. Girl, I don’t even know what to say. You’re the one who puts me in awe at how you find such deep threads within stories, and then shares them in such beautiful ways. All your posts on how stories have moved you and themes you find within them touch me every single time. <3
Heyyyy, I’m so sorry I disappeared from your wonderful site. Life got really busy and all that stuff. BUT I LOVED reading about your B&B retelling. Beauty and the Beat has always been one of my FAVORITE fairy tales ever, so I was bursting with excitement to read you had one. I really hope it gets published one day. *crossing fingers* And, honestly, I am SO AMAZED how long you’ve been working on it!! That’s actually inspiring to me, who can’t even stick with a story for two years much less seven. And, girl, I will DEFINITELY be keeping you in my prayers. I’ve honestly been the same way for most of this year as I’ve been querying one of my own novels and getting lotsa rejections. *sends encouraging chocolate and cookies* Ooo and I am already in love with this story!!!! When I was reading what it was about, I was over here like this… THIS IS GENIUS!!!!! So yeah, I really wanna read it one day, so SoMeOnE needs to realize the amazingness in this story and get it published!!!!!!! <333
NO APOLOGIES. I feel like I hardly keep up with many blogs anymore, which makes me sad. It’s so hard to find time to balance everything! But GIRL. Your comments give me the happy feels every. single. time!
I’m so honored you enjoyed reading about BT! And yaaaay for loving Beauty and the Beast! *high-fives* It’s just so, so beautiful!
Honestly, this story just won’t let me go, which is why I keep coming back to it! I have definitely written others that I’ve lost my enthusiasm for a bit, but THIS ONE…I don’t know, it really is the story of my heart. I think we all have one of those, it’s just a matter of finding them. So keep writing, girl! Keep pushing through. I know it will pay off one day! <3
I’m so sorry you’ve been getting rejections too! *also sends you tons of chocolate* BUT the fact that you are taking the plunge to query is huge. It took me soooo long to get the nerve to get to this point. o.o I’m so, so proud of you, girl! Each rejection just means one step closer to receiving that coveted acceptance letter!
AND ISSABELLE. ALL YOUR SWEET WORDS OF MY STORY. ALKJLSJLJF. I don’t even know what to saaay! This motivates me SO MUCH to keep trying with this story. Thank you so, so much! <3
OH. MY. GOODNESS.
Christine, this was an absolute delight to read! I loved learning about Burning Thorns – which sounds so awesome. The synopsis alone had me hooked, and the snippets… *squeals* I also loved your point about how Jesus looks beyond the beast and loves us anyways. That’s such a powerful theme!
Have you considered indie publishing this novel? Even if you’d like to go the traditional route, you could be a hybrid author and have a few books indie published, some trad published.
And I have to say that everything you were talking about with your writing is just so relatable to me. First of all, I completely understand how you feel about BT, ’cause that’s exactly the way I feel about my novel, The Apostle’s Sister, which I’m totally anticipating working on for at least 5 more years. No matter how many other novels I write, TAS will always be nearest and dearest to my heart, ’cause I just love it so much. Of course my other stories will be beloved to me in their own right, but never in the same way. Also, I’ve been having doubts about my writing journey lately, too. I’ll definitely be praying for you! I get the feeling.
JOOOOOY!!!! You sweet soul you. I am sitting here grinning my face off reading your comment! <333 I’m so utterly honored and pleased you like the sound of my little story. That means the world to me, it really does.
Some others asked about self-publishing too! So I shall cheat and copy and paste my answer. Lolz.
I have thought of self-publishing for sure, and know (and admire!) so many who do it. Right now though, it’s not really the path I want to take, for many reasons. For me personally, I think I’d do MUCH better having a team of professionals guiding my way. I’m a weirdo and don’t want to be my own boss. Lol. I need guidance and want that comfort of having a literary agent behind me for all the big decisions and the aid of marketing that a traditional publisher can give. I know trad publishing comes with many, many headaches of its own and is a thousand times harder to get into, but I think for my personality that route would work far better. I’m not closing the door on self-publishing, but right now I’d like to keep querying and see if something ever comes of it. I really haven’t queried to a TON of people yet, so I figured I’d keep going for it for a while.
BUT YES. I may go the indie or hybrid route one day. Right now I’m keeping all doors open. And praying. Praying a LOT. Haha.
Awww, girl! I am so happy you found that story of your heart. It’s the most magical thing when we’ve finally hit on that story that we never grow weary of. It’s a true gift! But I’m really sorry you’ve been struggling with those doubts too. That is always the hardest part of being a writer. But I’ve also discovered it’s always just a season. The blocks and doubts always fade with time. So keep holding in there, girl. And thank you SO MUCH for the prayers. Prayers for you too, friend! <3
Thank you so much for sharing this with us!! I love hearing about other peoples’ heart-books. And B&tB is one of my very favorite fairy tales, too! (Second favorite, I believe.)
(I totally relate to your turning a novella into a huge novel. I’m not a short story person, either. XD)
All your aesthetics are beauuutiful!
(Oh, and I love that Ori music is included!!! That’s probably my favorite video game EVER, and the first one I ever played all the way through. So far the only one I’ve ever played through, actually. XD)
I’ll definitely be praying for you and this story!
Awww! It was my absolute pleasure, and I am utterly honored you enjoyed hearing about it! Thank you! And YESSS. I’m so glad you love B&B too! Oh man, that fairy tale gives me all the happy feels. <3
Long story peeps unite! *fist-bump* My stories will not contain themselves. It gets ridiculous. XD
Thank you!!!
What’s sad is I’ve never actually played Ori! I really, really want to, but, alas, I don’t own it. One day! But for now I shall just enjoy it’s spectacular music.
SAMANTHA. That means more to me than I can say. Thank you! <3
I might have screamed a bit when I saw the title of this post xD. Because oh my gracious, Burning Thorns – I love and miss this story so much!! I still distinctly remembering adoring it to PIECES when you let me beta for you all those ages ago. I cannot wait until it’s published. <3333
SAVANNAH! *happy tears* You have been one of my biggest supporters from so early on. You have helped shaped this story into what it is today AND given me endless amounts of motivation. I’m so blessed to have you! Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for always being behind me and providing such motivation to keep trying with this tale. *HUGS*
I could literally just scream about this story forever honestly. XD
The dedication it takes to stick with a story for 7 years is actually insane. I’m so proud and happy that this is still a project that is alive and well and I cannot WAIT for the day when it’s actually published. ^_^
AAAHHHH MADELINE. *glomps you* You have supported me SO. VERY. MUCH. for so long with this story. Having your love and support lifts me up more than I can ever properly express. Thank you so much for just…EVERYTHING. <333
Christine!!! You’ve been hiding this wonderful book from us for SEVEN YEARS?!
I LOVE B&B! My little sister ADORES THE STORY!
THOSE SNIPPETS *dies*…*comes back from book-lined coffin*
LOVE the name Lark, and LOVE that he is a sassy character. I LIVE for those types of characters! *eyes Jaron fro the False Prince series*
Welp! That’s all the time we have folks!
Hope everyone out there’s doing well, drinking lots of water and snuggling with their pet poodles!
*if you don’t have a pet poodle, that’s okay, neither do I*
Lololol. I actually use to talk about it NONSTOP. It’s just been quite a while since I’ve brought it up. I realized a lot of you probably didn’t know much about it, thus this post today! But AWK. Your enthusiasm makes me so happy!!! 😀 I’m grinning so hard over you enjoying the snippets. And my Larky boy. He’s…something for sure. XD But YES on the sassmasters. They’re my fave too!
I’ve got water next to me as we speak! *thumbs up* And POODLES. My favorite breed of dog! I used to have a beloved pet poodle. She passed away a few years ago, but I will forever have the best of memories of her. Poodles are FANTASTIC. 10/10 recommend.
Burning Thooooornnnss!!!!!!! <3 <3 <3
You mean I read the novella version SEVEN years ago?? Woah. Feelin’ old now. XD Looks like it just gets even better and better though!!!
Love the snippets! Your writing is GOALS, girl! <3 😀
*BEAMS* REBEKAH. It is has been THE. MOST. AMAZING. THING. having you along for the ride right from the beginning. You are such an amazing cheerleader and I feel beyond blessed to know you!
And AWK. Your sweet words! Thank you, thank you, thank you! <3
I love this post so muuuch! T_T I can’t believe it’s been so long but I love following along watching this journey you and BT are taking, and you definitely have my prayers for future direction for it and your writing! I’m glad this post could also help remind you of your love for it. *grin, grin* *hugs book and you* Thanks for sharing thissss! And oh, goodness, B&B is one of my favorites, and I LOVE retellings of it, and BT is one of the best ones! *flails*
Awwww! THANK YOU. I honestly can’t believe it’s been so long either. I was shocked when I looked back at dates and saw it was 2014 when I first started. o.o Insanity! But wow, it’s been such a good journey. And YOU have made it 100000000x better! You have been SUCH an integral part of this journey. I could write a whole other book on how much you’ve helped and supported and motivated me. LOVE YOU SO MUCH, DEAREST PARTNER IN UNCRIME! Thank you for your love of this story and being here with me through it all. *UBER MAJOR HUG*
AGH, a Burning Thorns post! Always love to see these.
Honestly, Burning Thorns is legitimately one of the best stories I’ve ever read. I’m so honored to have been a part of it from the novella up until now. Seeing you on your journey with getting your story published… it’s really inspiring! And I know God’s going to use you, your gifts, and this story in some amazing ways.
And I’m pumped that you still enjoy the playlist as much as you do! I had such a blast making it—you need to send me more stories so that I can make more playlists. XD I hope you’ll continue to enjoy it for a long time.
JOSIAH. Excuse me while I just go melt in a puddle of happiness. The fact that my little story resonated so deeply with you has honestly made it entirely worth it. Because that’s really the goal–not to sell a million copies, but to touch a few souls with our words, you know? I’m…I’m so honored and blown away that you think MY book is one of the best. I HAVE NO WORDS.
You have been one my greatest support systems, and have helped me believe in this story. I can’t even express how much you’ve aided me along the way and kept me motivated. Just…thank you. Thank you SO much for being here through it all and loving this story. It means the absolute world to me.
And THE PLAYLIST. It’s my favorite thing ever! You knocked it out of the park, and I’m SO grateful to you for taking so much time to make it. It brings me such joy! Thank you again! And oh man, I would LOVE more Josiah playlists! 😀 That would be amaziiiing!
Ahhh! I loved reading this!! I’ve never read such an in-depth post about this novel before but after hearing so much about its journey from you it’s awesome to finally get to know it, and it sounds beautiful! The whole premise of escaping from the slave trade captured my attention right away, and the aesthetics are just so… aesthetic…!! AND INTRIGUING!
I will definitely be praying for your writing <3 I love that you take the allegorical parallels in B&B seriously, and I know that God will use your storytelling to make a lovely impact on those who come across these tales in the future–however far off that may be. I hope I’ll be able to follow along till then!
EEP. THANK YOU!!! Yeah, somehow I forgot it’s been like YEARS since I’ve properly talked about this one. I used to talk about it all. the. time. and figured people were sick of reading about it. Then I realized…a lot of my newer followers probably don’t even know what it IS. Lol. And awwww! I’m so utterly honored you like the sound of it all!
MERIE. Your prayers me so much. Thank you! And AWK. What sweet, encouraging words! I needed to hear that. Thank you so, so much, dear friend. <333
This post brings me SO much joy! I love this story and I was so happy I got the chance to read it way back when, and I love that you’re still so in love with it. I desperately need it on my shelf one of these days *sobs*
GIRL. Your support and help with this novel and being here through the journey has meant SO MUCH to me. SO MUCH. Thank you, thank you, thank you for believing in it and loving it and giving me so much motivation. You’re such a good friend! *HUGS*
Oh… Just wow. Your post was so amazing and so beautifully written! I mean, they’re all good, but this is epic. You got me.
It was so cool getting to see what BT is about after oogling the Pinterest board. It’s not my typical cup of tea, but I’d totally read it!
Your post was so encouraging too! Writing is hard sometimes, but it helps knowing you’re not alone. 🙂.
Awwww! That is the SWEETEST thing! <3 And oh my goodness, I’m so honored you like the story of my novel. I’m grinning so hard right now! Thank you!
I’m really glad it could be an encouragement! Writing is hard. Really, really hard. But I think the best things worth doing are the hardest, and the most beautiful things are those that can bring us together. The writing community is such a wonderful one that has blessed me so much. We AREN’T alone, and it fills my heart to know we’re all in this journey together. <3
You’re so welcome! And that is so true!
I’ve just started getting into the writing community this past year, but, like the blogging community, everyone has been so amazing.
P.S. have you read any of Robin McKinley’s beauty and the beast retellings (Beauty or Rose Daughter)?
I’m so glad you’ve found such great connections in the community! It has been a HUGE blessing to me. <3
OH OH. I adore Robin McKinley’s Beauty! YES. That was such an amazing story. Definitely a favorite B&B retelling. I’ve yet to read Rose Daughter but I really want to!
Eep! Isn’t it? Rose Daughter is so good also.
Oh, my goodness, Christine, THANK YOU for sharing about your amazing story!! (I’ve actually been wondering recently what it’s about, so YAY, this was a treat!!) And I’m in AWE that you’ve stuck with it for seven whole years! Praise God for stories of the heart. 💙 I will be praying for continued endurance and wisdom and direction as you proceed with this story!! (And I hope to hold it in my hands someday!! 😄)
Ooh, and YES, you completely put into words why Beauty and the Beast is my favorite fairy tale!! The whole “loving someone who’s not lovable” is absolutely a beautiful echo of the Story of the world. (And it’s so tiresome to continually have “I LOVE THEIR FACE. LET’S GET MARRIED RIGHT. NOW.” XD) I have my list of favorite fairy tales/legends, but B&B is my favorite and will remain my favorite. 😊
Oh my goodness, thank YOU for being interested in it (and actually wanting to read this monstrous blabbering of a post)! I’m so honored!!! And GIRL. Your prayers mean so, so much. You are a treasure, Amelie! <3
YES YES YES!!! I’m so glad it’s your favorite too. It’s such a meaningful tale. I love many, MANY fairy tales, but they are quite bad about making everyone fall in love with each other right away because they’re attractive. XD But this one twists that trope on its head and gives a picture of true love. It just– *clutches heart* It’s so beautiful!
Burning Thorns was always meant to be a full-length novel. I will never get over it. Such a beautiful and powerful turn of the tale, and it’s stuck with me all these years. I completely get why you always come back to it. It’s such a magical story with fantastic characters!
I’m so glad I got to read it, multiple versions of it, all so stunning!
It’s going to get published. I’ve never doubted that.
It means so much to me! Can’t wait to see how its journey goes!!
SKYYYYYE. Excuse me while I go cry eternal happy tears! You have been one of THE biggest supporters for this book, and I can’t thank you enough for literally reading multiple versions. You’ve been here since the beginning, cheering me on and loving my story and giving me such a confidence. I…I have no proper words. I’m just so grateful to you and utterly BLESSED to have you as a friend!
Thank you, THANK YOU for always believing in this story. You give me the motivation to keep trying with it, and that means the entire world to me. <3
I have so many things to say, forgive me for such a long comment. XD
EDNA. This comment has MADE. MY. DAY! Or more like my life. Oh my goodness, your enthusiasm for this story means so much! I am so ridiculously honored and thrilled you enjoyed the excerpts and hope to read it one day. That just– AWK. I have no words! Thank you!!!
B&B really is a beautiful fairy tale. I had always loved it too, but it was definitely once I dug into it to retell my own story that the themes really began to hit home and paint a picture for me. I just love it!
I’m so pleased you like the aesthetics. It has to be my favorite aesthetic for any book I’ve done. I so love me those creepy forests and eerie fairy tales! ;D
I have not read Hope Ann’s tale, but I’ve been meaning to for AGES. That’s so fun she does similarities like that. All the more reason for me to read it!
Awwww! Really? That makes me feel better! I think it’s a wonderful thing when we land on that story we love enough to never let go of. One day our dedication will pay off. <3
Thank you SO much, Edna. Seriously. This whole comment filled. me. up. You are too kind!!!
I love this and I love hearing you talk about this book! (I read I think one other post you did about this book? I don’t remember how long ago, but I remembered there was one lol) I can’t WAIT for it to be published one day which is saying a lot since I don’t normally like Beauty and the Beast retellings. *hides* I just have a hard time connecting with most of them, I guess.
YES to LONNNNG time coming stories of the heart! My own story/series I’ve been working on for 8 years now, and I’m STILL picking away at it. It doesn’t even feel that long ago I drafted the first (and later scraped, bwahaha) chapter of the first book in my backyard in a notebook having no idea what I was doing or where the story would even go but willing to follow the journey anyways. 8 years later, book one is nearly polished to as perfect as I can get, book two is in the editing trenches, and I’m (eventually) going to start my who knows by now what number I’m on draft of the third and final book, and I can’t thank God enough for these characters and this story that have captured my heart and soul and helped me and healed me throughout my life. 🥰
Ahem, well, there you go with my heart story. Probably more then anyone wanted to hear but oh well, lol. I hope you have a good summer hiatus, Christine! ☺️
Thank you so much, Sarah! YOU ARE TOO SWEET. And hey, that is 100% okay B&B retellings don’t do it for you! We all have those fairy tales. Thank goodness there are enough fairy tales out there where there is something for everyone to love! ;D
Awww! I loved, loved, LOVED hearing about this! Excuse me, no apologies. I ADORE hearing how other people’s stories came to be. And it is priceless when we find those tales that never let us go. That is absolutely something to hold on to. I’m so glad you found one and it has helped you through the years. Though I know exactly what you mean about it not seeming that long ago! I have such vivid memories of first starting BT. It blows my mind it’s been 7 years now. o.o But it has brought me so many blessings, and it sounds like yours has as well. That is so wonderful. And THRILLING it’s come so far and you’ve got the next two books going! 😀 Aaahhhh, you go, Sarah! You got this!
Thank you for all your sweet words! I hope your summer is a fabulous one too! <3
Aw, thank you! I’m glad you enjoy hearing about my story because I could literally talk about it for hours and days no lie, haha. I just love my babies so much! (Even though I torture them mercilessly, ahem)
I also wanted to add that I’m praying for you and your publishing journey as well. ☺️
That is SO special having those characters that just steal your whole heart and soul. I absolutely understand and am so happy you’ve struck on that perfect story for you. Absolutely talk about it any time! 😀
GIRL. You are giving me all the happy feels today. Thank you so much! <333
Oh, Christine, I love this whole post so much! *hugs it all* Your story BEHIND this story is so, so special, and I love how your first rejection became something so beautiful. (in fact, now that I think about it, maybe I needed to hear that just now, because I’ve received a frustrating amount of rejections lately and it’s quite hard to stay optimistic when that happens.) I love how this story helped bring forge your writer-friendships, because my, having that support system from people who can relate to your dreams and struggles is SUCH an encouragement and I cannot say enough words to get across just how thankful I am for that. There seems to be so many ways that this book has changed your life, and I can certainly understand why it’s so special to you!
AND THIS STORYYYY. I’m so glad you shared this, because I guess I WASN’T that familiar with it, and MY GOODNESS IT SOUNDS INCREDIBLE. The whole aesthetic? The fairy-tale-ness? The Dragon? The Rose-being-the-sacrifice thing?? EXCUSE ME BUT THERE IS NOT ENOUGH ROOM IN HERE FOR THE EPICNESS. (oh and the “So don’t breathe, then” line is my favorite thing. xD) Also OOH Burning Thorns has an anniversary coming up in like a week??? EXTRA SPECIAL.
I actually got chills when you likened the Beauty and the Beast story to how Jesus loves us. I never ever thought of that, but you’re so right! *Beauty and the Beast quietly rises up on my list of favorite fairy tales* And YES, Beauty’s falling for the actual BEAST is so important. That actually made me think of Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter. (because of course I will bring Captain America into a conversation if I can) I always loved how she seemed to be growing fond of him before the super-soldier serum made him, well, HOT. I honestly don’t know how much romantic attraction was intended to be there in the movie, but because of the way she took notice of his goodness and the strength of his character, the romance later didn’t feel shallow like it could have. And that’s part of the reason I love them so much. (I feel like that was a super weird comparison to Beauty and the Beast, but oh well. xD)
You’re totally not the only one who’s worked on a story for more than seven years. I was nine-ish when I started writing my first novel and it’s still a work-in-progress to this day. xD I haven’t worked on it in years, and I don’t really plan to anytime soon, but I can definitely see myself going back to it eventually. (please rest assured that the early drafts I wrote when I was a literal child are far far in the past and the story that is a work in progress today is far far removed from them XD)
I will ABSOLUTELY be praying for you, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for you and this story! I truly believe you are GOING places, friend. <3
EMILY. THIS COMMENT. I CAN’T!!! <333
I’m so sorry to hear you’ve been getting rejections! :'( It’s the hardest part of the writer’s life. But the fact that you’re putting yourself out there is THE most important thing and one day it will pay off. Each rejection just means one step closer to that coveted acceptance letter. So keep going, keep submitting, keep writing. A rejection often simply means God has something even BETTER ahead on the road. <3
This story really has blessed me in SO many ways because of how it’s not only taught me about the writing craft, but created such a huge support system and the dearest friends. Whether it gets published or not, it was 100% worth it for that. Because you are SO right, having the support is such a huge thing for a writer. I love this beautiful community!
I really forgot how long it’s been since I’ve properly talked about it! I talked about it a lot in the olden days and just…forgot a lot of people don’t really know much about it now? Lol. This post was definitely overdue. And AAWWWK. I am so incredibly honored you like the sound of it. That means so much! *happy tears* And YES. July 13th was the day I sat down and wrote the beginning. So it is almost exactly 7 years old! 😀 My baby’s getting so old. *wipes tears*
I get a little over passionate when it comes to talking about Beauty and the Beast and it’s themes. Lol. It’s just such a good story! And oh my goodness, STEVE AND PEGGY. Talk about them any time anywhere EVER around me. I will happily fangirl alllll the day long. And just YES YES YES YESSS. I’ve thought of that before–how she grew fond of him before the serum, which made their love feel even more genuine and wholeness and and and aslkj;lajsdlfj;lj. I LOVE THEM SO MUCH.
I LOVE that you still have plans for your first ever story! Aaahhhh that is so awesome! My first story (when I was 9 too!) was about a girl randomly finding a horse and had no plot to speak of so…yeah. That one’s never seeing the light of day. XD I think it’s spectacular that you started something you still love to this day. That is awesome!
Emilyyyy. I just. I HAVE NO WORDS. Thank you, dear friend! I am so blessed to know you! And you are in my prayers too. *HUGS*
I felt like I just jumped into a cozy, intriguing fantasy world right now. The way you describe your stories without even saying any major details about it is so cool. I love reading these posts so much. Your passion shines through so vividly by your words.
This is the first time I’ve read in depth about this story. I’ve heard it but never knew this much. It was amazing to finally get this peak of this fantastic story. I want to read it so bad. Those snippets are just *chef’s kiss* And, oh, the soundtrack for it is just *all the heart eyes* The Pinterest board was so immersive too! Just ahhhh, I just love everything about this tale of yours. I’ll be definitely praying for your writing life and this book’s future. <3 <3 <3
Edit: Ahh, I did it again. Haha. This what happens when you use a different browser and I have to get the thing to remember these things again. It remembers my misspelt email address. *glares at it*
Oh gracious me, Miranda, that is THE nicest thing! *happy tears* Like, seriously, I don’t even know what to say to all this niceness! I just keep reading your words and smiling to myself. This is such a huge motivation to me. I’m utterly thrilled you like the sound of it and everything! Thank you SO much, girl! So, so much. <3
(Nooo problem! I am the typo QUEEN. I 100% understand!)