If you threaten Alessa, then her romance is locked out, yes. She simply cannot let herself lower her guard around you from henceforward, which is a very big obstacle when you’re trying to get close to someone.
At least for book one. There might be a chance, if you reconcile, to rekindle whatever spark was there.
In other news, however…
I finished the outline for Book 2!
After three drafts, multiple expansions, and way too many impromptu dialogues scribbled at the sides of the pages, I’ve finished the outline of The Golden Rose: Book 2!
This book will have 11 chapters - plus a prologue, an epilogue, and three interludes.
It is… strange to thumb through the outline. I am not a planner at all, my writing process is mostly made of “the story needs to move forward, do whatever it takes to make sure it does.” Each scene has a goal, but how I get from the beginning to the end is as much a mystery to me, before I put the pencil to the paper, as it is to the reader.
So seeing the book laid out before me is… odd in the sense that all I need now to complete it is just… to write. Working on book one was akin to entering a swamp while following a very thin path made by previous explorers. I knew what my goal was - to leave the swamp on the other side - but I was never sure if the road would plunge into murky waters, whether overgrown, poisonous vegetation would take over the path or I’d be attacked by some wild, feral beast. All in all, I wrote with a map in hand that only had the beginning, some places in the middle, and a very detailed end.
But now, I have another map in my hand. And the swamp is there, but so is the road, perfectly drawn, and I can see all the miles I’ll have to conquer. It’s comforting but strange. It almost takes the magic out of creating, which is why I purposely left some places as little unknows.
The prologue is one of them. I’ve built some foundations for it, but there are parts where it’s honestly “just see where it goes.”
But regardless of my feelings, it’s done! And I’m so, so excited to start writing this book! I think I’ve said before that book one was the stonework of this world, the foundation for the cathedral I’m trying to build. But now I get to actually write the pretty parts - the stained glass, the dazzling arches, the golden pedestals.
I’m sure, knowing myself, that I’ll add a lot of new things as I actually get to writing - my number one rule is to never snuff out these sudden ideas. Even if they add 30k extra words to a chapter, I write them. But, for now, I’m satisfied with the outline.
So the prologue is up next! I’ll start writing its first draft next week.
Have a great weekend everyone!