The Language of Worlds + Know The Novel Linkups
October 14, 2018Happy Sunday!
So, I was planning an actual blog post for this week (don’t worry - it’ll go up next week!), but on Monday, I saw that Liv had posted the next segment in The Language of Worlds Linkup!! And then later that day Christine posted the questions for her NEW linkup Know the Novel!
Naturally, I had to join in. And here we are!
What first sparked the idea for this novel?
I actually wrote a post about this some time ago, but basically: I was really intrigued with Draco Malfoy’s character in the Half-Blood Prince, and imagined that scenario in real life. Add to the mix an inspiration from Murder, She Wrote about a teen who was hunted down, and that’s how the Inhumans was born!
Share a blurb!
So, because I don’t really need to write a new one, I’m just going to copy-and-paste the blurb I gave in the post I mentioned: Three months ago, Ben Evans was hunted down by a figure he never actually saw. His life was threatened four times. Then, his attacker went away, with no explanation.
Now, with summer just beginning, Ben’s eager-to-please cousin Shannon tells him that she saw his attacker in her home town, Monsoon. Desperate to find the person who changed his life, Ben embarks on an almost impossible mission: find someone that he’s never actually seen before. He reluctantly teams up with Shannon, the only one who’s seen him.
But what Ben doesn’t realize is that there’s more to this attacker than meets the eye. Before he can comprehend what’s happening, he and Shannon are thrust into an underground society of people who may not be completely human.
And Ben might just be one of them.
Where does the story take place? What are some of your favorite aspects about the setting?
Okay, so the first part of the book takes place in a smaller town (totally not like the one I live in . . . definitely not). I really like this setting because small towns are underrated, and I feel like there’s a sense of close-knit community in them. This should give some interesting dynamics. The second part of the book is in a secret underground base of a society that . . . I can’t really tell you about. But there are superpower-endowed people in this base. That’s why I like it. I also really like the “secret society” trope and love to think about what their hideouts would be like.
Tell us about your protagonist.
You could just probably check out the questions I answered below, since I answer them for him. But some other random information about Ben:- He’s very proud of his intelligence.
- He always has to have an agenda for the day, or at least know what’s happening. If he doesn’t have some sort of schedule, he goes nuts.
- He’s not very good at talking to people. He wants to know what people are actually thinking, but is too scared to ask them.
Who (or what) is the antagonist?
Well *rubs hands evilly* my villain is the leader of a terrorist society that WANTS TO DO GOOD - through KILLING EVERYONE. *evil laughter*Okay, that’s a slight exaggeration. But seriously, the guy is insane - literally insane because SPOILERS.
What excites you the most about this novel?
Askari. If you read that post, you know that he’s the assassin. But seriously, he’s not your normal assassin. Fun fact: he hates the thought of violence, but ends up having to fight a lot.Have I mentioned how much I absolutely adore this character?
(I love to torture my favorite characters. *more evil laughter*)
Is this going to be a series? Standalone? Something else?
This is going to be a trilogy. In addition, after I read Stars Above (which is a Lunar Chronicles Short Story collection), I came up with some short story ideas (one of which takes place after the series and makes me flail just thinking about it - because it will MESS WITH YOU. Maybe. ;) )
Are you plotting? Pantsing? Plantsing?
Plantsing. I know the major points of the story, but the stuff in between is still a mystery. I’ll figure it out - eventually.
Name a few things that make this story unique.
Askari. Cousin friendships. The superpowers involved. The theme of forgiveness, which I feel is really lacking in today’s YA books.
Share a fun “extra” of the story (a song or full playlist, some aesthetics, a collage, a Pinterest board, a map you’ve made, a special theme you’re going to incorporate, ANYTHING you want to share!).
Hmmm......anything at all? Well.......I do have a playlist in the works. If you visit my Spotify account (my username is "swlalos" - I don’t know how to link to it) and scroll through my playlists, you’ll see a “Inhumans 1” playlist. I also have an Askari playlist, but some of the titles contain spoilers, so look at your own risk! (Actually, most of the titles in these playlists do have spoilers, so listen at your own risk!)
So, for those of you who don’t know what this is, The Language of Worlds Linkup is a bimonthly linkup intended for Christian speculative fiction (but you can use it for other genres as well). You can visit Liv’s most recent post for more info.
For this linkup, the questions will be answered for my main character in the Inhumans trilogy, Ben Evans
What does your character fear the most?
Ben fears that everyone important in his life will leave him. (“Important people” means anyone who has made a significant impact on his life. So yes, this does apply to the person who tried to kill him, aka Askari. *shrugs*)
How would they handle it if they were to face their fear?
Ha ha ha. Ha. Ha.
Not very well.
Ben usually will become negative and self-deprecating, blaming himself for not “doing something.” In extreme cases
Do they want to get married? Why or why not?
Ben hasn’t really thought a lot about marriage. He always pictured himself married, but doesn’t really ever see himself dating. He doesn’t put a lot of stock in the marriage system, because his dad left his family when Ben was ten.
What is their love language (i.e. words of affirmation, physical touch, gifts, quality time, acts of service)?
Ben really likes to be validated (although it’s not necessary), so I would say words of affirmation. But physical touch is also a big one, I would say.
On a scale from 1 (messy) to 5 (organized), how do they rate?
Probably a 4. Ben cannot concentrate whenever there is a big mess. However, if he gets into a project, he will leave stuff strewn around his bedroom and not feel a need to pick it up.
How do they feel about debates/disagreements?
If Ben is going to participate in a debate, he has to win. He’s a very competitive person, especially when it comes to a battle of the wits. He’s also a very sore loser, so he usually won’t compete unless he’s sure he’ll win.
What do they bring to a battle (figurative or literal)?
Ben brings his intelligence and strategic skills. In the actual fighting department, he’s pretty lacking (except in one thing, but SPOILERS for book 3).
What's their favorite thing to eat for breakfast?
Ben really likes pancakes and sausage. He usually only has it on Christmas, since his mom is usually pretty busy and forgets to pick up sausage any other day of the year.
How do they treat themself after a long day?
After a long day, Ben will want to either play video games or learn about his passion, forensics and genetics. (Don’t ask me how that’s relaxing.....I don’t understand either.)
What do you most want readers to glean from this story?
The main thing I want readers to get out of this story is that forgiveness is important. If you can’t forgive, you will have so much anger throughout your life. Forgiveness is the only good way to let go of past hurts.Throughout the series, all of the major characters have to forgive someone. You can probably guess who Ben has to make terms with.....
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Are you guys going to do the linkups? You definitely should! They’re awesome! Thanks to Christine and Liv for doing these!
-Nicole
Do you guys like to torture your favorite characters? Anyone know any good books with forgiveness subplots? Let’s talk!
12 comments
Antagonist make books so much fun! I adore them! Had fun reading through these questions.
ReplyDeleteHaha, yes, antagonists are great, aren’t they? *cough cough* Loki *cough*
DeleteThanks, Vanessa, and thank you for reading!
This is such a fun linkup! Loved learning more about Ben. :D Thanks for sharing, Nicole!
ReplyDeleteLilian - greenteawithbooks.wordpress.com
Aw, thank you so much, Lilian! I’m glad you liked Ben.
DeleteOkay--from what I can tell, your story sounds awesome! I love Ben already. <3
ReplyDeleteAnd to answer your question, I most definitely love to torture my favorite characters. XD
Thank you, Kara!! And I’m glad you liked Ben - I was really worried that he wouldn’t be very likable. 😬
DeleteExcellent, I’m not the only one who does that! XD
I was ecstatic to see this post!!! :D I'm so honored you joined the linkup. And EEP, your story sounds EPIC. Small towns and underground societies and mysterious people with superpowers. Yesssss! I have a thing for secret societies too! :O There's just so much fun to be had with it!
ReplyDeleteAlso, your characters sound so, so fun! Askari sounds like a BLAST. And I'm loving Ben already. I really like how he has to have things organized and a set agenda. He sounds totally adorkable--one of my favorite types of characters! OH OH. And cousin friendship. That's one of my faaaves! I like it because you know it won't turn into romance (because, ew, they're RELATED), but it's also a little different from siblings (though I adore those relationships too!). It's just super fun!
Also, your message of forgiveness is a beautiful thing and DEFINITELY something we need more of in the YA market.
I just love everything about this! Thanks so much for joining my linkup! ^_^
Ack, thank you so much, Christine!! Haha, yes, secret societies are the best!
Delete*reads the Askari line* *panicky smile* Um, yes, well, um, he’s a blast - to make bad things happen to him! 😬 Yep, he definitely has the time of his life in this story! *whispers, "I’m sorry, Askari."* And at last, someone who loves cousin friendship as well! Yay!
Thank you! It was so fun to do! Looking forward to part 2!
This book sounds so good! I can't wait to learn more about it :)
ReplyDeleteAw, thank you so much, Nora! :)
DeleteThis sounds so cool! I love a good antihero and that assassin sounds delightfully interesting (also Askari is an awesome name) .
ReplyDeleteBest of luck with it!
Thanks, Chelsea! (And yesss, someone who thinks Askari sounds interesting! ;) ) Thank you for stopping by!
DeleteWelcome to the comment section! I love hearing what you guys think and seeing you guys talk. Just remember to keep it clean, and as always, check back for my replies! <3
-Nicole