Today, I start writing on the next novel. Its novel number 42. The working title is, “Magicless.” She’s one of the few who cannot use magic in a world where magic is as common as electricity. Most people just wave a hand. She has to go do something physical, like turning the knob on a specially-built light fixture that contains a light element and a shade.

I wrote a short story many years ago (2014-2015) about her, called, “The Alchemy of Coffee.” In this world, an alchemist is someone who tries to recreate magical effects using mechanical means.

I wrote this short story for a workshop. Though I don’t remember exactly when I wrote it – if I wrote it before the workshop or during the workshop – I do know that I only took a couple of days on it.

I read through the story yesterday. Wow. Writer brain was working overtime. There’s an amazing amount of world building already present in that story. And the conflict is already built in as well. It’s a single line, kind of a throw-away, that will drive a lot of the conflict in the novel.

There are a lot of descriptions of food in that story. I did that on purpose. It was before I started having huge amount of migraines, well before I went keto.

I realized yesterday that writing a novel where food plays such an important part while I’m eating so many fewer foods, as well as less food, might not be the smartest thing in the world. So I may end up having the main character be on a diet for much of the novel.

The novel takes place three years after the short story. She’s part of a huge new food movement called “Organic,” which involves growing food without magic. It turns out that food grown organically has a lot more nutrients and is better for you. But that also means you need to eat less of it or suffer the consequences.

I believe this novel is a one-off, and not part of a series. HOWEVER. I’ve learned to treat every work as if it’s going to become a trilogy someday, so I’ve already started building the “series bible” as it were. I will write this novel as if it’s part of a series, while still thinking that’s it’s singular. (And god damn it! I just thought of the title for a possible second novel…)

So, into the brink once more! Diving off a cliff and letting the wings form behind me, as I have only a vague clue of what happens in the first chapter, and kinda sorta what will happen at the end of act two, and that’s about it.

Tell me about what you’re currently working on! Doesn’t have to be writing.