I don’t know about you, but for me Fall is by far the best season. The chill that cuts through the stuffy summer air, the colors that brighten up the trees, the cozy feeling of wrapping myself in a blanket with some tea surrounded by my fall decor, I live for all of it! But more importantly, fall is my creative home.
I’ve written enough books to see some interesting through lines in what interests me. I love strong FMCs with interpersonal problems, fascinating new worlds with different magic and dramatic history, and, surprisingly, ghosts. They crop up where I least expect to find them, and every time they look a little different. So does it surprise you to hear that October is one of my favorite months? It shouldn’t, haha.
That being said, the latest project I’ve been tossing around isn’t about ghosts. Or, at least, ghosts aren’t the focus this time around. Instead, I’m exploring the spooky monster I’ve hated for decades–zombies! Well, zombie-ish things. I’m still working out the kinks.
Ever since I watched my dad play The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, I’ve been terrified of zombies and zombie creatures. In the game, they’ll jump on your character, poor Link, and look like they’re sucking the soul right out of him. And they’ll scream before they attack you! It’s enough to give most kids nightmares, so zombies have occupied a coveted spot of horror in my heart for just about as long as I can remember.
Of course, my zombies don’t have much in common with the zombies in Zelda. They’re dead (mostly), covered in scales and coral and fungus (how aesthetic!), and practically harmless (unless you stop them from escaping the plane). They’re more a nuisance than anything else, but they are appearing in greater numbers in the last few decades or so, and they tend to bring bad luck wherever they go. And what’s worse, our FMC seems to be one of them . . .
But I’m just in the brainstorming phase of this project, so there is still much to figure out. I love working on something new–it always feels fresh and exciting after being buried in edits for another project for months and the season it perfect for something dark and spooky and atmospheric. Here’s to hoping it shapes up like I want!
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