Writing: Regina is Badass!

Welcome back, amazing readers! 

Thank you so much for taking an interest in my writing journey. I am so glad to have you here. Today's post is a deeper dive into my new series, The Xiphis Saga. Also! It is not mentioned on this very new blog, but this was my FIRST project of the New Year, 2020. I made this detail known on my Instagram, but not really anywhere else. Let's take that dive!

Firstly, this book/series is one of very few that I actually have a working outline. I am not pulling the pants down on this one. I have a set goal I wish to accomplish, a predetermined destination I hope to reach in the end. And it's working out way better than I originally thought.

I am truly, SUPER, pleased with how The Bridge Between Worlds is turning out.

A lot of my spare time and efforts is going into this book/series. The MC (main character), Regina, is probably my current most-best work. I don't think I can compare any of my other characters to her. The make-up of her personality is a mixture of characteristics I've used in the past. But nothing has ever quite turned out this profound. I do admit to having some mild inspiration from The Witcher's Yennifer. Both appearance-wise and personality-wise. But not so much that you actually think "Oh, she's like Yennifer". No, Regina is my own creation.

Building the Xiphis world is proving to be one of my toughest feats. I've never spent much time in descriptions before now. At least, not in the first drafting stage. I usually come back and add more details. It's not my strong point as I tend to focus A LOT on character and dialogue. Xiphis is becoming its own world, and not just a sister-dimension of the Æmienix, to which characters travel, to and from, via portal. This place has come alive in my mind. I so wish this place was real. Spending my time to perfect this world, this dimension is the most extraordinary experience I've ever had during writing. (Image is a mild representation of what I envision the world to look like.)

Going back to the subject of "Character". My writing has always consisted of a romantically driven plot. I wanted to take a minor step away from that for this book/series. This plot is character driven. Regina is striving to be someone that people will want to remember. Don't go getting the wrong idea. There is DEFINITELY romance in the story, overall. I just plan to make is a slow-burn. It might not even be as prominent until Book 2.

On this note, if I haven't already mentioned it, I started working on the outline for Book 2. My overall outline follows through the four books I have planned. The reason I am outlining each individual book is so I can keep myself on track and in check. I do not wish to stray from my final destination/goal.

Going back to the romance. Regina's love interest is a character I am introducing in Book 1. However, any form of romantic relationship is not the intention until later in the series. The seed is planted in the first book, but it doesn't really take root and blossom until Book 2. As I mentioned, my goal is more character driven. But this guy is just charming and determined, protective, loyal. Handsome. Everything you would want in the perfect love interest.
I have spread out describing his appearance. Now and then I add something new that Regina notices as she gets to know him even more. What I don't have of him yet is a visual representation. You can see my Pinterest board in the sidebar and he is nowhere to be found. At least not yet.

Well, that certainly is a "deeper dive" into Xiphis. Thanks for dropping in and sitting through my ramblings. I know, it was quite an earful. But I hope, at least, that you've enjoyed it. Because I feel really good about sharing this post with you. I hope to catch you again soon. See you in the funny papers!