Fumbling along

Happy Fathers' Day to all those who are fathers, have fathers, have acted like a father, or were just a good friend. I can clearly remember the day I became a father (judged either by the act that planted the seed or the result of the fertilization)!

That little baby was here this morning to make a lovely Fathers' Day brunch and sit around talking about her wedding plans. Hard to believe she's 28!
We also talked about what series we were watching on Netflix, and what the characters were doing in my new book. Some fun! I'm currently involved with three series, all of which are fun quests.

First on my current list is The Shannara Chronicles. An Elvish tree, known as the Ellcrys, is dying. The bad news is that the tree has been the only piece of magic that protects the Four Lands from the Demon World. Amberle Elessedil is the only one who can save the tree. But she has to unlock magic that the Elves haven't used in thousands of years. With the help of Wil Ohmsford, she travels to find the lost magic. But it won't be an easy task. Written by Chris Green, based on the novels by Terry Brooks

Next is Shadow and Bone. In a world where dark forces have taken over, a young mapmaker, Alina Starkov, accidentally discovers that she has the power to change the fate of the war. She is the only one who has the power to summon light and this will make her play a key role in this war. Written by Cinemoviez

Finally, there is The Untamed. 

Sixteen years ago, the cultivation world was ruled over by five clans: Gusu Lan, Yunmeng Jiang, Qinghe Nie, Qishan Wen, and Lanling Jin. The carefree Wei Wuxian becomes fast friends with the righteous Lan Wangji, and during their adventures, the pair find out that the head of the Wen clan is the evil mastermind behind a series of plots that would wreak havoc upon the lands. Wei Wuxian's attempts to protect the innocent members of the Wen clan from unfair persecution leads to disaster, and he passes away in the process. Wei Wuxian reappears sixteen years later, and works together with good friend Lan Wangji to solve a series of murder mysteries, eventually finding and defeating the true culprit.

Those are merely the top of the dozen or so movies and serials I'm in the midst of watching. But, they represent what I'm currently working on--a quest story.

Jackie the Beanstalk. I'm ten chapters into writing this story and half the time I'm laughing. The other half, I'm thinking "How do I get her out of this one?"

Jackie is a fresh high school graduate, still in her cap and gown when she is given the keys to her grandfather's 1968 Ford Fairlane 500 Fastback 390. Jackie, her Aunt Misty, and her dog Roadkill jump in the car and take off following an old fashioned TripTik map into an alternate dimension. In this new dimension, Jackie is a Warrior Wizard encountering robbers, mountain monsters, ogres, rival clans, obstreperous customs officials, a stowaway princess, an adopted bobcat kitten, werewolves, ghosts, giants, and dragons--all on her way to rescuing the Sovereign's kidnapped son. As she travels, she discovers her magic powers, and the powers of all the weapons she carries--her cap and gown, honor cords, stole, basketball, and things she picks up along the way--including a pocketful of magic beans.

Probably not a children's story, because there is some language and adult jokes, but a fun read for adults who like to read YA novels. I expect to finish this one in the next couple of weeks! 

That's my story for this week. Happy Fathers' Day!