It’s that time of year again! NaNoWriMo is right around the corner, and my project has been sitting in the wings, waiting for the curtains to go up so it can shine. Somehow, it’s survived the bumpy planning stage and managed to keep all of my love fixed on it, and I’m going to take that as a good sign for the month ahead!
But let’s dig in, so you know just what I’m tackling this month. π
At the moment, we’re tentatively calling the projectΒ Honey and Haunt, if only because I haven’t come up with a name I like any better. It means we’re going for two years in a row of paranormal projects, although this one has a significantly wider spread of supernatural creatures to it, and I’m excited to dive in!
In fact, it’s a continuation of the self-indulgent fic I wrote 33k for this past July, which means there’s going to be bisexuality, bees, monsters, motorcycles, and a perhaps questionable amount of pocketknives at hand. Also kissing. Because why not?
Anyway, here’s the summary as it stands (which could always change later as I better understand my project):
On Sunday mornings in the town of Lamont, Roa Curtis tends to the bees while her mother preaches. Their oddball church relies on the honey harvested on church grounds, and more importantly, on the magic in it. For this congregation, missing service means missing sticky buns and hard candies that keep them from revealing their true forms to the human world, and no one wants to risk being discovered as a werewolf or a selkie to Lamont’s more mundane residents.
This week, though, one of the creatures of the congregation is found dead among the Curtis hives, throwing Lamont, human and monstrous inhabitants alike, into a state of disarray. Teaming up with her best friend (who knows Lamont’s true nature) and her maybe almost friend (who definitely doesn’t), Roa tries to get to the bottom of the danger at Lamont’s door, and more importantly, to save her mother’s curious church from ruin. It’s going to take more magic than she’s ever handled before, and more daring than anyone is typically willing to tolerate, but when the alternative is to lose the bees, the church, and the biggest, brightest family she’s ever known, then there’s no choice.Β
It’s save Lamont or bust, consequences bee damned.
I’ll admit it sounds rougher than I’d like it to, but planning has actually been giving me some grief this year. It’s a project inspired by very particular source material, and I don’t want this to be fic, or too closely derivative. I want it to be my own thing, with all kinds of fun new elements and plot directions, and making sure to create that distance has made outlining incredibly difficult, yet more necessary than ever.
That said, I’m so committed to this project. While that 33k over the summer was truly fanfiction, it featured mostly original characters (I’m notorious for writing fic with OCs; playing in someone else’s world-sandbox is my favorite approach), and I fell in love with them every step of the way. They deserve their moment in the limelight next month, and I want to make sure the full scope of their story hits the page.
For now, I’ll keep the details under wraps. There will be some character intros and fun snippets as November goes on, just to tease share, and in between updates, you can keep an eye onΒ Honey and Haunt‘s Pinterest board, or watch my official NaNo profile to see where the word count is at! You’re also welcome to send me a buddy request if you’re doing NaNo too, and maybe we can word sprint together. Or just cheer each other on, whatever works for you!
Plus, be sure to keep an eye out for a possible playlist. I don’t always make them for my projects, but it’s extremely tempting this time around, forΒ reasons. π
Anyway, by this time next week, my plan says I should be at 10,694 words, so hopefully I can make good on that by check-in day! I’ll see you then, and to anyone else getting ready to crank out 50k next month: GOOD LUCK.
We can do this! π§‘
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