So, 2020 eh?
In 2019 I wrote a book. The first in a new world, maybe a new series?
I call it Accidentally Immortal. It’s a YA contemporary fantasy that is a mix of American Gods and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Since this was a book that I wasn’t already paid for, I wasn’t on a deadline and I could just be free to write what I wanted. I had so much fun! I just let my imagination roam through all the cracks and alleyways of things I’ve been interested in of late. At present, that is Baltimore, racial and lgbtq issues, and oh. Magic and Mythology.
What if the Gods, all of them, were real? Maybe they interact with our modern world and pull the strings to move humanity towards their own agenda.
What if you “accidently” stole something from the Gods and screwed up their plans royally?
These are the types of questions that lead me down rabbit holes. I just keep asking what if and let my brain run wild.
With SPELLED, I did little research because I was already a fairytale geek. For IMMORTAL, I did exhaustive research on pagan traditions, mythologies, and Baltimore City History. The characters in the story are diverse in race, nuero challenges, and gender identities. While I consider myself to be non cis/ non het, I still needed to get a lot of input from some of local teens in the lgbtq and trans communities. I am also very very white. So reaching out to teens from the the black and biracial community here in Baltimore was important. Everyone I interviewed and had beta or sensitivity read was awesome and very encouraging, even when I messed up.
For example, do not describe tone of skin as a food or dessert. So milk chocolate skin got kicked right off the page. Also black girl hair magic is real, and damn I was exhausted just watching the beautiful braids and twists.
The book world is slow, meaning since I publish through traditional means, you guys won’t see this book for a while. Right now it’s with my agent, getting ready to submit to publishers.
After that, hopefully an editor falls as much in love with the story as I did.
I will of course keep everyone posted.