It’s that time of the week again! I feel as if this is the only time that I’ve been updating; I’m going to have to change that. Moving right along…
For this week’s Transcript Tuesday, I have dug up my second attempt at novel writing. On the morning of November 5, 2009 (thank you, DeviantArt for always dating everything!), I woke up from a strange dream in which I attended a Neo-Titan Festival. This traveling festival was run by Greek Demigods and their families – it was both their “fake” back story for the visitors and the actual truth. The demigods had a few rules set down from the Greek gods, and were checked in on by them quite frequently. The dream gave me a great idea for a story – one I actually mapped out in its entirety, but never completed.
Here is an excerpt from the first chapter:
Chapter 1
Unknown Steps
There are countless quotes about journeys and fate; but they all seem so cliche when you think about it. Nothing can quite describe that first step that propels you into a whole new life. You know what I’m talking about – we all face at least one monumental decision; the kind where one choice will leave you where you are – no harm, no foul, you can go about your business as usual…but then there’s that other choice – the one that will lead you into that frightening abyss that we call the unknown.
This is the story about my decision and where the choice I made led me.
Consider this your warning…
___
“Whatchya looking at Phe?”
I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sound of my cousin Rebecca’s voice. Dropping the letter I had been studying, I spun around sharply, “You gotta stop doing that Becc!”
“What? And miss the hilarious look on your face and that little shrill scream of yours? Wouldn’t dream of it!”
Becca laughed heartily, and I just couldn’t stay mad. She had that affect on a lot of people: always ready to make a person laugh. My anger was quickly replaced with embarrassment as she picked up the parchment-like paper I had dropped. “Let’s see what had your attention so.”
I could feel my cheeks get hot as I shifted my weight from one long leg to the other. All of a sudden, playing with my knee-length raven hair became interesting as my cousin examined my curiosity.
It’s funny; even though it wasn’t right in front of me I could still see it, feel it, and smell it as if it had never left my possession. The tri-folded paper looked like something a scroll in ancient times was made out of…and smelled the way I imagined a scroll would. The writing was a rich, deep blue that announced: “Neo-Titan Festival. Friday, November 13, 2009 through Friday, November 20, 2009 at Glasgow Park.” All around the writing were silver engraved markings that resembled the Parthenon, various symbols of gods long forgotten by most, and what I assumed was Mount Olympus.
“Where did you get this,” Becca said slowly, eyes not leaving the paper; apparently it had the same affect on her that it had had on me.
“It’s the 12th one I’ve gotten,” I replied quietly, shuffling my feet.
This response caused her to snap to attention, “Excuse me?”
“Yeah, um, I keep finding them everywhere…around me. There have been 4 left on my windshield in 4 different places; then there were 4 put in my slot at work; and finally this is the 4th one that has been sent here addressed to me.”
“12 scrolls for the 12 gods…that’s it we’re going!”
I love how she can just make a snap decision…it always is so easy for her. I promise you, I had fully intended to make arguments and excuses about work and us not knowing much about who is running the program and so on; but nothing in my brain would transfer to my lips. What words finally did make it to my mouth surprised the both of us, “Of course we’re going!”
***
I think my biggest creative “stopper” in continuing this novel is the fact that after I reached chapter 11, I began reading the Percy Jackson series. To be honest, I felt that I was somehow ripping it off. Not that I am by any means comparing myself to the incomparable Rick Riordan, because I am certainly not doing so. I feel that I had nothing truly to add to a genre that was already getting new and wonderful life breathed into it. I have loved Greek mythology since I was a child, and the last thing I wanted to do was attempt something original and end up with fanfiction (not that I’m rejecting fanfiction either, because I have read/written that as well). Now reading this after five years has got me thinking that there may be something worth expanding on after all.
What do you think? Let me know in the comments!
Until the next page…