Hello, friends! It's time for another Taleweaver's Desk update; as always, this is the part of the blog in which I check in with an overview of what projects I'm working on (and not working on) and what might be coming soon — starting with the most active projects on my desktop.
On the Taleweaver's Desk Issue 14: November 2024
On the Desktop
These are the projects you might find open on my laptop or desk if you took a peek at it during a normal day. They're currently in progress and at the top of the priority chart.
Project Kingfisher
What is it? A fairy tale retelling (or possibly series of retellings or series of mixed retellings and original stories) with a Chinese-inspired setting.
Status: In the planning stages; will start drafting the book soon.
This project has a little bit of a funny background — I'd semi-committed myself to write a retelling of a particular fairy tale for an event coming in a year or two, but I was halfway thinking about pulling out because I wasn't excited about the particular version of the fairy tale the event organizer was hoping I'd write and I had so many other stories on my plate. Then I got a little spark of inspiration from the idea of a Chinese-inspired setting with steampunk vibes (like a Chinese equivalent of what you see in some Ghibli movies) and a bigger spark of inspiration when a friend mentioned that the main couple could potentially draw on some character types I'd been writing in my just-for-fun side project, and now I'm a little obsessed with this story and storyworld.
D&D Campaign: Defenders of Serys
What is it? Defenders of Serys is the homebrew D&D campaign that I run for my D&D group.
Status: Still making progress on the tournament arc!
I have written a good portion of the current arc, but hit pause again to focus on other things that took priority because I had a buffer and we had several weeks in a row when we weren't meeting. My group seems to be enjoying the story, which is good, and they hit it off with some of the NPCs I really hoped they'd like, which has also been fun. I do need to get back to work on this sooner than later, though, or else my buffer will run out again . . .
Stacked on the Side
These are the stories that I'm not actively working on (at least not officially), but I'm keeping close at hand because I plan to get back to them soon (or I just work on them sporadically as the urge takes me).
Once Upon a Dream
What is it? A light steampunk (or gaslamp fantasy?) Sleeping Beauty retelling; the predecessor to The Midnight Show
Status: Edited several times over. Awaiting another round of rewrites/expansion/edits (and a useful excuse/motivation for prioritizing those edits).
Secret Star Book
What is it? A secret. An experiment. The product of my having read/watched/otherwise enjoyed a lot of media in a couple specific genres (outside my usual one) in the last half of 2023 and first half of 2024.
Status: I am dabbling in this as I have the time and desire to do so. Right now, that mostly looks like worldbuilding and fleshing out characters.
Shelved for Now
These are stories that are also on hold, but which I don't have specific plans to work on very soon. They're still within easy reach should I decide to return to them, but they aren't a top priority.
Blood in the Earth
What is it? Blood in the Earth is the sequel to Blood in the Snow and a retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses crossed with the myth of Hades and Persephone.
Status: First draft finished; awaiting rewrites. I still love this story, but I don't know when I'll get back to it. Currently, that happening in the next twelve months is looking somewhat dubious.
Between Two Worlds
What is it? A portal fantasy adventure about what happens when you come home from the adventure, only to discover that the adventure isn't quite as done with you as you thought.
Status: Awaiting another round of edits/rewrites while I write other things and daydream about its sequels.
The Way of the Pen
What is it? Self-aware fantasy adventure about a girl and her author.
Status: The first draft is sitting on my shelf, patiently waiting for its turn back in the spotlight, as it has been for some time and will probably continue to do for a good while.
Berstru Tales series
What is it? The longest-running series I've worked on (either in the number of books written or in how long I've worked on it. Originally was a classic epic fantasy, but is getting a genre change.
Status: Needs to be rewritten from the ground up, but the bones are good. I've decided that I'm going to try changing it to a different subgenre, and I'm excited to work on that, but I don't think it'll happen in the next six months.
Awaiting Delivery
These are the stories that are on their way, but haven't quite arrived yet to the point where I can write them: ideas I'm toying with but haven't even started to draft because they're still too nebulous.
Additional Bastian Dennel, PI novels
What is it? Exactly what the heading said. Book 4 will be Jack and the Beanstalk (yes, I'm serious); other stories planned include The Little Mermaid, The Goose Girl, The Nutcracker, Rumplestiltskin, and Pwyll & Rhiannon.
Status: Bastian Dennel Book 4 is next up on my priority list to write, and I hope it'll come together quickly. Originally I was going to write it this fall, but I decided to push it back in favor of focusing on grad school and Project Kingfisher. It is next on the list after that, though. Following that, I'm still expecting The Nutcracker as Book 5, followed by The Little Mermaid, The Goose Girl, Rumplestiltskin, and Pwyll & Rhiannon, probably in that order (unless the last two get switched).
Future Daughters of Atirse books
What is it? What the headline said, again. Multiple other stories connected with Song of the Selkies. Specifically, I have plans for some variation on Beauty and the Beast (sequel), Tam Lin (prequel), and Pwyll & Rhiannon (sequel), as well as a prequel (about Prince Diarmad) and at least one other sequel (about Uaine) that don't have specific fairy tales but will be written because I want to tell their main characters' stories.
Status: The Beauty and the Beast sequel, which will focus on Mirren, will probably be the next of these books that I write, and I plan to tackle it after I write BDPI #4. Aside from that, I continue to bounce ideas around with my friend, both to expand existing ideas and create new ones.
Unnamed Fantasy Murder Mystery
What is it? Exactly what the headline says. A prominent noble is murdered; his adoptive daughter is poised to inherit his lands and position — but some are saying her hand was behind his death.
Status: Still just an idea, but it's an idea with a really good soundtrack. May end up being set in the same world as Daughters of Atirse, though not in the same series and later in the world's timeline.
DOSA Files #2 Story
What is it? A story for the second DOSA Files anthology, set in the world of H.L. Burke's SVR books.
Status: I have an idea, probably featuring Steelblood, Quantum, and Ava again, but it still needs to percolate a little more before I can write it. I think I can get it down if I can just divert enough mental resources to speed up that percolation, but I have not managed to do that yet. The deadline is getting close, though, so I really need to get on this.
What projects (writing or otherwise) are you working on currently, and how are they going for you? Tell me in the comments!
Thanks for reading!
