Wip

[Tamera]

So, we've all stated our goals for the summer in an earlier post and should all be working hard on our current WIP. Here's my question. Breifly summarize the WIP you are currently working on and how much progress you've made. If you have more the one WIP, list all of them. I'll start.

I'm currently writing a sequel to a Christian Historical Western Novel. I'm about 3/4 of the way done. 54,000 words so far. I'm also doing research for a series about women in the 1800s who went to Oberlin College (the first college to admit women) and were involved in many social movements of the times.

How about you?

[kshsj777]

I'm working on Safe Haven, working on getting the first ten chapters done all the way through. So far about six chapters are done with the other four partially done. It's about a woman who marries a genetically engineered man illegally to have a child that could bring peace between their peoples.

[melw]

i don't have a name for my current WIP. But i like the fact forgiveness is going to be a big isssue. I am really interested in researching this and finding the instances in the Bible. I might end up wiring a blog but also using it in my story.

I have agirl who as an adult gets reunited with her father, whom left her when she was about 4 or 5. she feels abondoned and betrayed as he has a new family.

MEL

[Tommie Lyn]

Tugger's Down

Paranormal romance, writing it for a 20,000 word novella challenge, currently 16,949 words

Summary - Two teenaged girls who are playing with a ouija board draw the attention of a demon who becomes obsessed with possessing the unborn baby of one of the girls. A Christian girl attending a university in another State becomes romantically involved with a fellow student who is an in-law of the baby's aunt ......

Deep in the Valley

Historical. Sequel to High on a Mountain, currently 41,355 words (I've got to get to work! I thought I was further along than this, about 60%, but I'm not quite 50% through it -- hope I haven't lost the latest file that had the higher word count.....)

Summary - The continuing saga of the life of Ailean MacLachlan, his wife and their children, goes into the Revolutionary War period.

Scribbles

Paranormal romance, currently 50,059 words

Summary - A young woman whose college professor parents were imprisoned for their involvement in a student's death comes back to the California college town and gets a job on the police force. Her nightmares seem to have a far-reaching impact on others' lives. She falls in love with a fellow police officer.

-----
And don't ask me how any of those stories end -- I don't know yet.

[Gravity]

A Certain Slant of Light: a spec-fic novel exploring what would happen if every living thing on suddenly began growing a little smarter each day...with no end in sight.

[kshsj777]

War would happen! Utter annihilation!

[righter1]

Great thread, Tamera!

I've got two WIPs right now, though one's getting more attention than the other...

Homebody

Fledgling real estate investor Amanda O'Flannigan discovers a dying man during a routine inspection... and has to find who killed him.

Cora's Song

Year 2117... When her best friend, Cora, goes missing, Tamryn Caporelli can't get anyone convinced that she's gone. Enlisting the help of inept PI Brandon, she sets out to find out what happened to her friend... and finds out more than she bargained for.


Homebody is currently appearing in the workshops when I feel like it... Cora's Song will not be appearing in the workshops due to the storyline content. It's definitely going to be marketed to a secular market, though I'm thinking now that Homebody could possibly go either way...

[Katharine]

Two Friends Walking is the not-a-romance-no-way-no-how novel I started working on seven years ago. Kelli is recovering from a relationship with a controlling fiance; Bob is trying to live as though his visual impairment didn't change his life.

I'm looking at other folks' word counts and thinking mine is off the charts. The half-ms I've got loaded right now contains 73,049 words. Yep, there's gonna be a whole lotta cuttin' going on here. I'm going through it chapter by chapter, fixing and editing, and submitting it to a reader for beta-testing. It's time to see where this might go.

[pprmint777]

Writing Cat Lady of Forest Lawn has usurped the rest of my wips. Millie and Evelyn set about changing the lives of those they meet in Forest Lawn, Texas--and have their own lives changed while they're at it. A romantic comedy about God's unconditional love, it promises to be a good read as well as a lesson in love.

I'm just barely a quarter of the way through. Too much real life going on with me right now.

(Keep mom and me in your prayers, please -- she's getting out of the hospital tomorrow, and I'm fixing to spend an indefinite amount of time at her house helping her get back on her feet. Hmmm--while you're at it, include my husband. A combination of 12-hour shifts, housework, yard work, gardening, cooking his own meals, and taking care of our three critters is going to wear on him after awhile.)

[pprmint777]

[QUOTE=Katharine;162961]Two Friends Walking is the not-a-romance-no-way-no-how novel I started working on seven years ago. Kelli is recovering from a relationship with a controlling fiance; Bob is trying to live as though his visual impairment didn't change his life. QUOTE]

I love how you describe this, Katharine. Can't wait to read it!

Actually, all the novels listed so far sound great. I hope we each keep the publishers busy in the not-too-distant future!

[DrRita]

Hmmm.

Screenplay: Al-Kahina

The epic story of the Jewish Berber Queen, Dihya A-Kahina, who in 680 A.D. unites her people against the Arab Muslim invasion Northern Africa.

Novel: Qismat

An epic tale that follows the life of Christian martyr Blandina from abduction by the Romans in Selucia, Parthia to the arena in Lyons, Gaul where she is ultimately tortured for her faith.

I'm in the middle of of the first draft of Al-Kahina (writing it for my Act One class)

And Qismat is almost done. I've written nearly 90K so far. Then comes the long rewrite.

[DrRita]

I was just reading through the projects . . . WOW there are some really interesting stories here I'd like to read. Keep going everyone.

[Tarin]

Dreamers Come

A fantasy story about a man who discovers that dreams are really memories from a parallel world. I'm about 2/3 done, 100,000+ words.

[kriswrite]

I'm trying to sell a memoir called BEFORE HER TIME; it focuses on our lives when my daughter was born 3 1/2 months early and all the doctors felt we should terminate the pregnancy. Progress has been slow, but I just sent out queries to a number of agents, and one instantly requested my proposal.

I also have two children's picture books I'm working on. One is in the query stage, the other needs rewriting.

And, if I find time, I have a historical novel I've been working on for years....

Kristina

[pprmint777]

Progress has been slow, but I just sent out queries to a number of agents, and one instantly requested my proposal.


Congrats, Kris! I pray good things result from the request!

[Katharine]

Tamera, thanks again for starting this thread. Although we all should have quantitative goals for writing (as in the summer goals thread,) it's interesting to see how we talk qualitatively about our WIPs. There be passion here, mateys!

[rljfl]

Current WIPs

CITY OF CAGES - screenplay off a short story by another CW member. Just sent them my second draft...not happy with it, but it's coming. Summary: Ft. Orleans Prison is nicknamed Hell for a good reason, and when two prisoners with completely different agendas show up, the gates of Hell will come crashing down.

TRIAL BY FIRE - first in a series of four fantasy novels. Only have the first scene written (really, really behind on this one).
Summary - An evil tyrant rules with the power of fire itself and only one small farm boy named Willem has the courage to stand against him.

Series Summary - The known world is divided into four kingdoms, each ruled by tyrannical kings imbued, by Satan, with the power of the elements. God raises a champion to defeat the four kings.

[Lookin^Up]

Last book of my sci-fi series to get an overhaul and 6 added chapters, bringing it to 75k words or more like the others in my series. The Fowler's Net shows how the clannets of every houseship in the fleet deal with a war brought on through no fault of their own. Expect to finish by the end of June.

[ProfessorAlan]

revising "Wanted" -- the story of a man whose life turns upside-down when what starts out as a case of identity theft grows to include threats on his life, a love triangle with 2 FBI agents, cover-ups and corruption in high places.

[kshsj777]

Dreamers Come

A fantasy story about a man who discovers that dreams are really memories from a parallel world. I'm about 2/3 done, 100,000+ words.

I have a story idea with a similar concept. Only the dreams are actual events that are happening in another world at that time.


I'm trying to sell a memoir called BEFORE HER TIME; it focuses on our lives when my daughter was born 3 1/2 months early and all the doctors felt we should terminate the pregnancy.


I was born 3 1/2 months early too!

[AnnieJ]

A Certain Slant of Light: a spec-fic novel exploring what would happen if every living thing on suddenly began growing a little smarter each day...with no end in sight.

John, I love your titles. You have a very good grasp of "high concept". I envy that.

I'm working on multiple projects - The Barefoot Brides, a sequel to The Barefoot Believers - which came out in March. Then Somebody's Hero, a romance, and a project for a series AND a single title secular book.

I'm tired.

annie jones

[jacks girl]

I'm editing on several.

One with Melw Destiny. A story about a young man on the run under witness protection. the young lady ends up having to go with him. Romance story in the editing phase.



The Game: A romance mystery about some missing Emeralds, Old secrets coming to light, a new romance, a old marriage rekindled. The story revolves around Adam, Lisa, Alex, Samantha. Landon and the troubles they go through trying to find out who stole the Emeralds that the statues of limitations are about to run out on. Will Adam go to jail for stealing them or will anyone ever find the missing green Jewels.


A Journey West: A story about a young woman that lives in Boston in the 1850's she goes west in search of herself. Manages to find a family to go west with but when they stop in a little town Dubuque, to hold out during the winter because the birth of a child. Sam finds herself in love with the little town. Sam's life is turned upside down when she is lost in a storm and ends up spending some winter months with the Cheyenne and a finds her heart being pulled from a young Cheyenne warrior to a young man drifting across the country trying to clear his name. Also she finds out that her Dad isn't dead as her mother has told her for years but living in Ellsworth, Kansans.

[kriswrite]

kshsj777, the doctors consider my daughter a miracle. Since I assume you are older than nearly-three (grin), your story is even MORE amazing! A lot of advances have been made in recent years. As a newborn, how long were you in the hospital?

Kristina

[ProfessorAlan]

I'm trying to sell a memoir called BEFORE HER TIME;
Didn't I once read a draft of this?

I remember thinking it had tremendous potential.

[Laina]

I don't have a WIP actually. I am taking a writer's course and I am on lesson #4. I'm either doing an article or a story. I haven't decided which yet. Has to be around 1000 words.

In between I write poems and I am going to begin writing some devotionals. I think its easier for me to write what really happens rather than fiction. If its true I don't really have to come up with an idea where as if its fiction I do.

All the best to all of you who are busy with a WIP!

[writerpatty]

I'm new to this forum, so I didn't participate in the thread about summer goals. But, I do have a work in progress that I hope to have finished (first draft) by the end of the year.

The One Next Door: A young adult Christian novel about a young couple on their wedding day. Aimee remembers how they met and the journey to they took to get to the alter.

Aimee and Bryan meet when they are just nine years old when Bryan and his family moved in next door. It's hate at first sight for Aimee and Bryan could care less.

Bryan's family starts to come to church and eventually he goes to the Christian school. Bryan is fighting it all the way and gets a reputation as the bad boy. He gets saved as a teen and starts to go full force for the Lord.

When they start to get interested in each other, Aimee's parents put a stop to it, because of Bryan's reputation. Bryan struggles to overcome that, and Aimee struggles with her desire to please her parents and obey them.

I have 13,000 words done and much of the rest of the story outlined.

My goal is to write a fun and entertaining story with a good message: Do what's right, and God will take care of the rest.

[Tiata]

What a great collection of works in progress we have!! It has been fun to read what everyone is doing. Thanks for sharing y'all!

I am working on a middle-grade mystery. It's the first of a possible series, currently called The Seupre Hero Chronicles.

My main character wonders if super heroes could possibly be real. He asks himself what a hero is exactly and sets out to be one. In the process of trying to solve a irritating but minor vandelism problem in his small quirky town of Seupre (pronounced Super) Alabama, he stumbles across a major cover up. He dodges danger while dealing with a brother who has Reactive Attachment Disorder.

I hope to finish the 1st draft by the middle of August.

In Him,
(who is the author and finisher of our faith)
~T~

[Merry]

!thumbsup! hEY, 't" I like the sound of your project. nothing like a quirky small town!

I'm not working on ANYTHING new! On the one hand, that really burns me, cuz I like writing new stuff. On the other, I'm going back and re-working something I wrote 5 years ago that could really stand to have another 30,000 words written into it. It's only about 50,000 words right now, kind a short.

Well, let that be a lesson: get it right the first time...or at least the second.

I gotta go focus...Let's see MC is in the Tropic Kingdom, being held captive by the insane creator of a giant metallic duck. Got it.

[ProfessorAlan]

I have a story idea with a similar concept. Only the dreams are actual events that are happening in another world at that time.

That's the premise of Dekker's Circle Trilogy, and some other fantasy works, too. But there is so much you can do with the concept -- good luck!

[Gravity]

Thanks, Annie. By the way, where do you live in Kentucky? I was born in Danville ("Boyle County, by God!"), and went to school at EKU in Richmond. Small world (but I'd hate to have to paint it, as Steven Wright says)!

[kshsj777]

That's the premise of Dekker's Circle Trilogy, and some other fantasy works, too. But there is so much you can do with the concept -- good luck!

Thanks, prof!

[whitehawke]

My wip is a complete rewrite of my "Matt Hawke" book. I am currently re-writing the plot and the novel is to be a thriller. Back when I wrote the first draft of "Matt" I missed seeing the potential underlying plot that came from what I had then thought of as just a bit of background info. That bit of info has the potential of destroying the Hawke family.

[kriswrite]

Professor, I think you read my picture book manuscript, Born Early, which is also about being born premature...except the audience is the toddler/preschool crowd. I'm glad you thought it had potential!

Kristina

[Tamera]

I thought I would bump this thread and revive it.

I finished my first draft on my sequel and have set it aside. Right now, I'm working on my first novel in a series of novels about women who went to Oberlin College in Ohio and got caught up in social causes.

My first novel is about a woman named America who is from a slave owning home in Virginia. She goes to Oberlin and becomes an abolitionist. After her abolitioist husband dies trying to free slaves, she returns to her father's home. When the Civil War breaks out, she finds herself on both sides of the fence nursing wounded Confederate soldiers and passing military info to the Union Army.

I'm also writing some children's church cirricullum and ministry articles and some short stories.

So, how are you doing on your WIPs.

[elbib]

My children's chapter book - The Sword of Light - is being read by others. It's been through some critique groups.

I'll either be working on the the sequel to the chapter book or my romance story - Deed of Trust.

Everything is still happening in my head. :)

Thanks - Kimberli

[DrRita]

Finally beginning rewrites on Qismat (the life of a Christian martyr 177 AD) and working on my screenplay, al-Kahina.

[melw]

WIP has changed as of yesterday afternoon. A historical western romance.

I am inspired right now

MEL

[tlm]

I did it!!! I did it!!!

I took a deep breath, opened the mail box and sent my query and 2 page summary (required) to the publisher that I was targeting when I began this WIP. It was with great trepidation that I walked away from that mailbox and the wait will probably do me in.

Well I have other projects to work on as I wait.:o

[Tommie Lyn]

I "finished" Tugger's Down, completed the 20,000 word novella challenge and had my minister read it. He suggested I expand it into a full-size novel. Then hubby read it. He suggested I expand it into a full-size novel.

So.

Instead of turning my attention to finishing the first draft of Deep in the Valley as I'd intended, I'm trying to decide how to expand Tugger's Down.

[tlm]

Instead of turning my attention to finishing the first draft of Deep in the Valley as I'd intended, I'm trying to decide how to expand Tugger's Down.

I feel you there. The query I just sent was a wip that I had in mind for 2 different publishers in the romance genre. The first one wanted 35,000 to 45,000. Well, I expanded the wip and made it 40,000. Well, the first publisher didn't want the ms. The only thing I could do was expand it to the 55,000 to 65,000 that the 2nd publisher accepts.

I have to say, it is much more descriptive. It is an improved MS. I have about a chapter to go and my word count is 54,461. I will easily make the 55,000 at this rate. I simply read it again and realized that I could do a better job with the setting and adding details. It is like refocusing the camera before taking the picture.

That is sometimes difficult to do because when you are writing for a magazine or newspaper less is more. An editor will give you back the story and tell you to say the same thing in 450 words or less (had that happen twice). What is the magic in the number 450, anyway?

[jacks girl]

Work on what's hot Tommie. LOL.

I been churching out the words on a new story that came from an idea of a movie I hated. The talented Mr Ripley. Well I didn't hate it but I hated parts of it.

Any who.... I've got 7 chapters and over 10,000 words so far and i'm dealing with family abuse in this one. I've never written about abuse in a story. The dad beat his son and his wife and the son is now in his late 20's and afraid to commit to a relationship because he don't want to turn into his dad.

It's going well. Not enough time in the day to spend on it.