INTRODUCING MY NOT-SO-NEW WIP // the veil nebula hunt

This story feels much newer than it is. I started writing it - pantsing it, actually - in March of this year, but the journey has been very stop-and-go since I hand-wrote the first words, so progress has been painstakingly sluggish.

Before I share the details of that journey, let me tell you a bit about the story.

Working title: The Veil Nebula Hunt

Genre: a combination of light fantasy and light sci-fi

Current word count: 15,372

Status: being prepped for a hecka detailed outline XD

I don't have a blurb for it yet, but the story follows Zimon and Briss. Zimon is a space cadet and a celebrity heartthrob from one of four clans on Earth; Briss is a naive dreamer of a girl who was born on Earth but raised on the Moon away from any and all kinds of danger. Zimon and his fellow cadets are part of a huge, annual scavenger hunt reminiscient of The Amazing Race that takes you all over the four clans, and Briss is pulled into it when Zimon is inspired by a personal situation to balance this scavenger hunt with traveling to the Moon to find Briss and take her to her brother Sylas, who wasn't taken to the Moon like she was all those years ago.

Unique complications force Zimon to bring Briss along through the scavenger hunt, which is called the Veil Nebula Hunt, before the siblings have a chance to reunite. (Bad health keeps Sylas bedridden in the hospital, so despite being a cadet like Zimon, he is unable to participate in the game.) My antagonist in this is probably the freakiest villain I've ever written and ever will write, but I want to keep him a mystery for now mwahaha.

It's no secret that this is just as much a romance as it is an action/adventure story. XD I love Zimon and Briss - ship name Brisson - with all my heart and can't wait to continue writing their story!

Until then, however, I want to plot the rest of it, and plot it deeply. I tried to pants it, and I tried to hand-write it, but that hasn't worked out in the long run. Since losing the desire to hand-write, I've transcribed the 60 or so pages of hand-writing to the computer and have created the plot template I want to use for figuring out what happens next.

I'm a plotter, y'all. XD A plotter through and through, and my wild journey with The Veil Nebula Hunt this year has taught me that like nothing else. I even plan on making a SCENE OUTLINE, which I've never wanted to do before.

Now for some character aesthetics and snippets!

(Both pictures below are taken from Pinterest - all credit to their original creators) 

~ Briss ~

I dance as I'm falling, but I never touch the ground // One day I will penetrate the Earth and explode in motion sounds ~ Dance on the Moon by Aurora

Can I tell you something just between you and me? // When I hear your voice, I know I'm finally free // Every single word is perfect as it can be // And I need you here with me ~ Here With Me by Marshmello

But I feel your heart through the atmosphere // The message shows and then it disappears // Oh sometimes we're meant to go alone // Oh there's a world beyond the world we know ~ A World Beyond by Fleurie

~ Zimon ~

Late nights, starin' out the window doin' 85 // Got my state of mind // Yeah, walkin' on that gray line // Hopin' that my stress dies // It's like I hate it but I love it at the same time ~ My Stress by NF

So say the word and I'll be running back to find you // A thousand armies won't stop me I'll break through // I'll soar the endless skies for only one sight // Of your starlight ~ Starlight by STARSET

Had to have high, high hopes for a living // Shooting for the stars when I couldn't make a killing // Didn't have a dime but I always had a vision // Always had high, high hopes ~ High Hopes by Panic! At The Disco

pics via Pinterest; all credit to original creators

“I’ll do it,” he whispered, ignoring the nurse when he caught her whip her head his way, incredulous that he hadn’t left yet. Sylas’ eyes slid back open, glassy and green and shimmering in the dim, milky light. When they locked with Zimon’s, they were no less intense, and Zimon felt his stomach do that weird flip-flop it wasn’t accustomed to feeling. At least, it wasn’t accustomed to feeling it until Sylas got sick. “I’ll find her,” Zimon repeated. “I’ll find your sister.” And he meant it.

~

She was glad her hair was red; she was glad the sun was gold; she was glad the candles were yellow.

Oh to see Earth’s mix of colors. How bright, how interesting, it must look.

But she couldn’t go there, she reminded herself as she ran over the grass and past other moon-dwellers’ residences on her way to the lake. The huts were small but pleasant, bustling with love and laughter. Several waved or called greetings to Briss as she passed, and she waved and smiled back. It was beautiful and soft and safe here on Moon.

She belonged here.

~

“Hello!” Briss ran out of hiding and into the clearing just as the young man was heading toward the opposite treeline. He whirled around at the sound of her voice and drew a strange object, pointing it at her. “Mr. Cadet sir!” Her skirt slapped against her legs, but she kept going.

The cadet slowly lowered the black thing in his hand -- a weapon? -- and put a hand to his head, or rather the top of his helmet, as if unable to believe what he saw.

Was it her red hair? Ilex had said it wasn’t incredibly common on Earth, but he also said that many people had it. Like Sylas.

She stopped a comfortable but far from timid distance away and smiled. “You’re from Earth.”

The cadet nodded. Briss hated that she couldn’t see his eyes, or any part of his face. “And you are too,” he said.

~

To wrap up this intro to The Veil Nebula Hunt, I'd like to share some art my dearest friend Nicki Chapelway made for this story.

These pieces are GORGEOUS! Thank you so much, Nicki, for making them! I highly recommend that you guys check out her blog, follow her on Instagram, and add her books on Goodreads because she's an incredibly talented author as well!!

I hope you enjoyed hearing about this story! These characters and their adventures are near and dear to my heart. <3 Be sure to talk to me in the comments below, and I pray you all had a wonderful Christmas. 2020 is almost over.

The Lord's Truly,