Hello, friends! It’s December which means it’s time to dive into the LAST Know the Novel for the year!

Technically, I’ve not added a single word to Unwind the Shadows since I reached my FicFrenzy goal and hit 100k words in the second week of November. My hope is to return to it in January and get this monster of a story fully drafted next year. BUT. It was a wild time getting as far as I did, so I’m here to reflect on all things Fall FicFrenzy 2024!

UNWIND THE SHADOWS

How did writing this novel go all around?

It was both wildly fun and pulling teeth tedious and I may or may not have lost all shred of sanity I possessed and am still looking for it. So.

Ahem.

Due to health and a big transition happening in my personal life right smack dab in the middle of FicFrenzy, keeping my focus and getting words down proved to be pretty tough. But at the same time, I was so glad I kept pushing through and got a ton written of this story that has been a happy little brain rot for the past few months. These characters and overall concept have captured my heart and excite me, and I’m so looking forward to seeing their story all the way to the end.

So was it hard? Yeah. But was it worth it and had lots of exciting moments along the way? Most definitely.

Did it turn out as you expected or completely different? How do you feel about the outcome?

*falls into mad laughter*

Once upon a time, there was a delusional girl who thought she’d spend a month writing a whimsical, kind of dark but ultimately fun Cinderella retelling standalone and have a nice manageable story under her belt.

Cue said girl not halfway through the writing event when she realized she was writing something massive, full of moral questions, and far more a reimagining than anything looking like a retelling.

Hi, yes, that girl was me. I barely even know what this thing is anymore. I think it’s a big serial story with a massive cast and a much bigger, complex plot than I ever imagined and Cinderella threads that are entirely flipped on their head and twisted.

And I love it.

I’m overwhelmed and a little terrified by it but ya know, if your WIP doesn’t terrify you a little bit is it really a writing project??

What aspect of the story did you love writing about the most? (Characters, plot, setting, prose, etc.)

The characters is ALWAYS my answer. I live and breathe characters, they’re always my favorite part of writing. One thing I’m really liking about this plot and set of characters is the moral questions brought up. There are some questions that don’t have black and white answers. Even I’m not sure whose side I’m on in this story half the time. Everyone has a point and is possibly doing wrong all at once, and it gives me a bit of a headache sometimes, but I love it all the same.

Overall though, my favorite bits were different character interactions. I had a couple of unexpected interactions that proved to be a delight AND some relationship dynamics were even better than I had hoped. There is a lot going on in this story, but at its core, it’s about people and choices and relationships and how those things affect our lives in big ways, and I love exploring that.

But beyond the characters, I do LOVE the time and memory magic aspects I’ve woven throughout. Also Dove the sweet, snuggly shapeshifting cat. Just living vicariously through my protagonist Amelia by giving her my dream pet, as one does.

What was your least favorite part?

Keeping up pace was really hard this time. I prooobably should have not pushed myself as much as I did; the exhaustion was real. Once I get back to it, I’m going to write at a much more sustainable pace. But it was nice to prove to myself I could still do it this year, challenges and all.

Within the story, there were some complicated plot things that were a struggle to figure out, and to this day I don’t have all the details nailed down. 🙈 It’d be great if the characters, ya know, actually informed me of what they’re up to and their backstories but nooo, they like to be all secretive and reveal things one obscure, confusing fact at a time. Or completely changed their backstories/motives without informing me first.

It’s fine, it’s fine… We’re working on it. 😒

What do you feel needs the most work?

Okay, maybe it’s not that bad. I just still don’t know big plot things, may decide to change the entire timeline of things for the whole first half, and haven’t the foggiest idea how I’m going to wrap everything up.

But ya know what? I am here for the CHAOS. So we just gonna keep on keepin’ on.

I’m just so grateful editing is a thing.

How do you feel about your characters now? Who’s your favorite? Least favorite? Anyone surprise you? Give us all the details!

Ah, my chaos children. I love them very much, even if they gave me headaches 76% of the time.

Amelia Godwin has been such an interesting protagonist to write. Sometimes I want to strangle her, sometimes I’m grinning silly at her antics, and other times I just really want to give her a hug. She is messy and stubborn and charming and thinks she knows best but ultimately makes a bigger disaster in her efforts but she’s Trying. She is going to go on quite an arc through the course of this story. It’s going to be messy. And I am here for it. I love playing her off Connolly Knotts and his big heart but struggle of wrestling between people pleasing and sticking to his principles. Benedict Blackmore is an endless source of chaos and trouble, and really Amelia’s whole family is just a delight all around.

Some of my top, top favorites though are characters I’ve not touched on much. Gabriella is my sort-of Cinderella character and so soft and kind but haunted and hurting. Then we have August, a footman who is the gentlest of souls and may be more than he seems. They have a story kind of going on parallel with Amelia’s, and these two cinnamon rolls absolutely stole my heart.

Did anyone surprise me? *falls into another bout of mad laughter* I did mention all those backstory and motive changes, right?? There were also some relationship dynamics I wasn’t expecting. But I loved it, so no complaints there!

Overall, I adore these characters with my whole heart, even if they throw all my plans out the window and just do what they want. I have no control here…

What’s your next plan of action with this novel?

For now I’m taking a break from it. But my hope is to start steadily working on it again in January and just keep going until I’ve reached the end. From there… Well, another break and then much rewriting and seeing if it needs to be split into books or what. But right now I just want to keep moving forward until I reach an ending.

If you could have your greatest dream realized for this novel, what would it be?

I would genuinely love to see this one published.

It’s probably way too early to be talking about this, buuut I have thoughts of putting it out as a sort of serial story and later collecting it into more traditional-style books. Since it’s not even drafted yet, I have no solid plans. But ideas and dreams are swirling, my friends. And I am excited.

Share some of your favorite snippets!

SNIPPET #1:

(In which Benedict comes home to find a tea party going on and steals the show.)

“I can imagine you wish for some privacy with your family, Mr. Blackmore,” Mrs. Ainsworth said, inclining her head to the younger gentleman. “We do not wish to continue to intrude on your homecoming.”

Gabriella felt a sudden flood of gratefulness toward Mrs. Ainsworth. If the Ainsworths took their leave, surely Papa would agree that they should as well.

“And miss the opportunity for some fine company?” Gabriella’s hopes were dashed with a flap of [Benedict’s] hand. “I’ve been on the road alone all morning and, not to speak ill of my fellow Inquisitors, they are all brilliant, brave men, mind you, but most of them are stiff as a board. Philosophical minds and all that, you know.”

Mr. Blackmore was an Inquisitor? Intrigue rose within Gabriella despite herself. The idea of traveling around the world to study magic and magical creatures did seem terribly exciting.

“But surely you had some exciting adventures during your time in Italy?” Miss Ainsworth inquired.

His eyes sparked in merriment. “Well, there was a matter of the phoenixes.”

“You found phoenixes? Mr. Blackmore, you cannot tease such a thing and not tell us more.” She seemed pleased when he gestured for them all to sit again.

As there wasn’t a chair for him, he strode over to a long table pushed against one of the windows, and, instead of using the stool there, stepped atop of it as a boost and dropped down on the table. Now elevated above them all, he sat like a narrator at a theater show, ready to entertain.

“It took us weeks to find them, though the journey wasn’t as rigorous as some. The hills in the Italy countryside are something to see. Instead of dwelling in trees like most birds or birdlike creatures, phoenixes are akin to bats, taking their homes underground. The openings in the hills are hard to find, and narrow as anything, but find them and squeeze through we did. The space was cramped, forcing us to wriggle and crawl single file, and there was always the risk of a phoenix bursting through and burning our face away like melted wax.”

“Gracious, Almighty help us,” Mrs. Blackmore murmured. “And I suppose you were the one to always take the lead?”

“Well, of course, Mama, who else? I’m really only there to protect all the philosophers and big brains,” he said as way of explanation to Gabriella and Papa. “A great sacrifice, I know, risking my handsome face, but all in the name of research and all that.”

Gabriella couldn’t help but giggle. His grin broadened.

“Phoenixes are solitary creatures to a point,” he continued. “They dwell in a network of caverns of their own making, each one and their young inhabiting separate spaces, much like a neighborhood really, all near enough so they may come together to attack should there be predators.”

“Or nosy researchers?” Mrs. Blackmore asked, arching a brow.

“The nosiest. The caverns were still pretty tight, but not nearly so much as the passages, and we spent weeks going in and studying the birds from hidden corners. My sketchbook is with my things, but I’ve got pages and pages of sketches. Though I lost my first sketchbook during an incident. Norris, the klutz, got far too close and made far too much noise during our first attempt inside. I declare that man has a perpetual cold, and his sneezes are as loud as anything. But this sneeze—” He shook his head. “You all probably felt the earth shake from here. Alerted half a dozen of the phoenixes. The first oncoming one caught Truman’s sleeve on fire, but we managed to squeeze through and cave in one of the passages before they could all descend on us. Since the birds were on high alert, we had to camp out for days before trying again. Needless to say, Norris was banned from entering again and was tasked with organizing notes. But come, you don’t want to spend your tea listening to me rattle on about crawling through holes and details about a man’s phlegm problem,” he said, as if he didn’t have the entire room captivated. “What have I missed here? Surely London hasn’t been so boring without me.”

SNIPPET #2:

(In which Amelia and Connolly stand outside Amelia’s house and…well…)

Amelia marched up to the horse—Rook, she recalled—to stroke his nose and distract from those thoughts…and perhaps from looking at Mr. Knotts. Now she was the one sighing in a single annoyed huff. “Well.”

“‘Well’ is not an answer, Miss Godwin.”

“I think ‘well’ covers things quite—”

Well?” There was that wryness again.

She stroked Rook’s nose with more vigor. “Do not try to be clever, Mr. Knotts.”

“You’re smiling.”

“I am most certainly not smiling.” She pressed her lips together to stop— To stop nothing. She was not smiling. “Besides, if I was smiling, which we have established I am not, it’s at Rook. He is looking very—”

“Well?”

“Mr. Knotts!” Of all the irritating things, she made the mistake of looking up, and his far too cheeky and delighted grin snatched her right up and caused a laugh to slip out of her that only made him grin more. “How dare you make me laugh.”

His eyes positively danced. “You are quite right. I am a disgrace of a man, making a lady laugh.”

“The height of rudeness.”

“What shall you do with me?”

“That is the question.” She narrowed her eyes, feigning assessing him.

He stood waiting, but as the slow ticks of time passed, the humored delight in his eyes faded, his wide, teasing grin shifting to a smile, softer, quieter.

The hands of time turned backward, and she was there again. Sitting on that bench that night of Lady Hambleton’s ball, out in the garden, moonlight reflected those things in his eyes, things she wanted, against all better inclination.

With a thundering passing of a carriage, time hurtled back into motion, quick and hard like the thrumming of her heart. She wrenched her gaze away from those eyes and renewed her vigorous stroking of Rook’s nose.

SNIPPET #3:

(In which Benedict disrupts things because…Benedict.)

“Good day, Mr. Knotts.” Amelia offered a quick curtsy.

“Good day, Miss Godwin,” he said quietly.

Refusing to look back at him, she turned on her heel and marched for the door, only to nearly be pummeled by her cousin swinging it open and loping out.

“Really, Knotts, you’re going to go off without even saying a how do you do when your good pal has been away for three months? I am deeply insulted.” Benedict wrapped an arm around Amelia’s shoulders as he passed by, somehow spinning her around, striding back toward Mr. Knotts, and holding out his other hand without missing a beat.

Heavens help her.

Mr. Knotts had one foot in the stirrup but paused, and as he turned back to them, an amused twinkle returned to his eyes. “That was my failing entirely.” He snagged Benedict’s hand in a hearty grip. “I heard your expedition had returned. And look at you, not a single burn mark. Or are you hiding all the exciting scars beneath your sleeves?”

“What little faith you have in me and my abilities to avoid danger. Besides, there are far better places to hide exciting things.” Amelia could have given him a good and proper slap, but he merely grinned in pure mischief. “Sleeves are meant for hiding cards.”

Entirely nonplussed, Mr. Knotts smirked. “Why do you think I refuse to sit with you at a card table?”

“Well, at least you’re not one to go spilling secrets.” And he winked at Amelia.

Benedict Blackmore.

To make matters worse, Mr. Knotts almost laughed, though she did not miss the flicker of pain in his eyes. “I was just saying something very similar to Miss Godwin.”

“Oh, were you now?” Benedict eyed her with that mischievous glint.

Amelia wrenched out from beneath his arm and put both hands on her hips to glare at the both of them. “Absolutely insufferable, each of you.”

Benedict just grinned unrepentantly, but the amusement wavered in Mr. Knotts’ gaze. “I suppose I should be taking my leave. It is good to see you again, Blackmore. Try not to get into too much trouble.”

“No promises there.”

A hint of his smirk returned. “I didn’t think so. Though”—he glanced at Amelia—“perhaps any trouble you get into shouldn’t involve any more shades.”

“Telling me what I should or should not do now, Mr. Knotts?” She could hardly tell if she was teasing or berating. Most likely both.

A challenge sparked in his eyes. “As you do me, Miss Godwin.”

She huffed. “Good day, Mr. Knotts.”

The teasing quirk of his lips stayed as he bowed, but when he pulled back up and looked at her again, it softened. “I hope you will stay safe.”

Discomfort knotted at her chest and she gripped her skirt between two fingers. “I will do my best.”

Seeming satisfied, he turned, deftly swung himself atop the stallion, and rode off.

“Why do you encourage him?” Amelia rounded on her cousin.

“Keep your enemies close and all that.” He peered after Mr. Knotts, sobering. “And the annoying thing is, I actually like the fellow.”

She sighed, weariness suddenly taking her over. “It’s irritating, isn’t it?”

He peered over at her, sympathy in his gaze, though unease wriggled in her at a new spark of mischief appearing. “If you had kissed him, would you or would you not have wanted me to interrupt? I was in great debate with myself.”

Her heart leaped. “Benedict! Were you watching the entire time?”

“Well, of course I was. Had to make sure my dearest cousin was well watched over. Though Mrs. Valentine was playing chaperone as well. Ah, yes, see? She still is.” He grinned over at the house across the street and waved.

Amelia whipped around just in time to see a curtain falling swiftly back into place over an upstairs window. Heavens alive. She massaged her suddenly aching temple. “We are fortunate to have such attentive neighbors.”

Like I said, chaos children. 🤷‍♀️

Did you glean any new writing and/or life lessons from writing this novel?

This isn’t a new lesson, but more one I needed to relearn, and that’s that it’s GOOD to just let loose and have fun with writing and trust your instincts. We are so flooded with what writing should be, very specific structures our books supposed to fit into, exact methods to tell a story, and immersed in plotlines and characters that fit in specific molds. And, well, is it just me or are stories just not as engaging anymore? Structure and methods can be good things, but it feels like we’ve gone too far with it and everything is just kind of bland and all the same.

I feel like this story of mine very much does not fit in perfect story structure, but I’m okay with that. We’re CREATIVES. And creativity is meant to be unique and fun. It’s supposed to break molds.

So though I went for a little time berating myself at how very non-traditional this story was turning out, once I stepped back, I realized that is not a bad thing. We should be brave in our art. We should try new things. We should let loose and be original. That’s one of the biggest points of art.

Whatever this story becomes, I want to write it because I love it and had fun with it and had a story I wanted to tell. It’s a bit different from anything I’ve ever done and you know what? I love it for that.

And thus we come to the end of 2024 FicFrenzy’s chaos.

It was a wild ride, but I’m glad I took it and cannot wait to see where this story takes me next. Thank you all so much for being here with my on the journey. 💛

Talk to me, friends! Can you believe it’s DECEMBER? Did you partake in any writing challenges this fall? How did it go? Anybody else have no control over their characters? *raises hand* What do you think of my wild bunch? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Don’t forget you can join in on this tag yourself HERE!