Friday, December 30, 2011

Update

I haven't forgotten about this project!  I'm currently busy revising the first chapter in outline format, AND I'm busy fleshing out the second chapter too. 

To be truthful, I've changed a lot in what happens in the second chapter, and it's making me go back and fix the story here and there.  In the end, I feel it will bring a smoother transition when we *re-introduce some characters later in the story.

So far, with the change in how the story will be presented, I've been looking up ways to depict the first chapter in a graphic novel setting.  I've learned that I need to create a comic script, and to make it easier on the artist, a rough draft thumbnails of the panels and dialogue I want in it. 

At the moment, I'm really trying to breathe some life into the second chapter, as I've always felt it didn't really have any particular point except for introducing a character that joins with Leo.  It wasn't enough!  But now, however, the chapter has it's own mini-story!  I'm really excited to write it, which is a great thing! 

It delves into the history behind Seriage, the orphan kid.  It not only talks about his bringing up, but introduces other characters who will eventually be an integral part of the story later on in the entire series!

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

A few updates...

Been a while since I've posted here, figured I'd stop by and keep this place cozy.

So the story since last I've done any work was on the back burner in my head... Until recently.

With the help of a friend, we managed to come up with an idea on getting this story out. But first...



Leo
And the Legends of Ra'Mechk'nam

Book 1:  The Lion and the Scout


The new title for Kendara's Tales.  I can't claim credit on it however, as my own four-year-old son actually came up with the title himself!  This actually is what reignited my desire in seeing this story come to life! 

Anyway, after all of that, my collaborator and myself managed to iron out some details about the story.

First of all, I'm going in a different approach of how the story will be told (at least until I manage to get someone to write this for me, hah!).  The decision has been made to make it into a graphic novel, which I feel works good, if not better than what I had in mind. 

Ultimately, this story is meant to attract a crowd of a younger generation, and graphic novels is one course you can take this into. 

Second, I've noticed that I have the tendancy to start something and not finish it, and start somewhere else and not finish it.  In order to fight that, I'm breaking down the first chapter in a way I originally wanted to, now that the pressure of having to write this all on my own is temporarily relieved - in a sort of timeline format.  This way, I can focus on one chapter at a time, and can obsess over how I can make it better, or find something to make it look or feel like it's in the appropriate age-range (the story is primarily intended to kids, but will feature plots and subplots that teens to young adults may have an interest in). 

To demonstrate what I am talking about, I have copied and paste the first chapter in this format!  Take a look!
Chapter One - The Mysterious Beast
(Outline Format)
1.            [picture] Thunder rumbles in the distance, as we pan down below and see the villagers head home from their task in the midnight rainstorm. [written] The town name is Mayfield, located within the heart of the province Sequestered Valley, in the middle of the great kingdom of Balashar.
2.            [picture/written] Adam Tolomane walks with his compatriots, satisfied with their work in safeguarding the crops from flooding.  He’s a family man, but also a man that every peasant looks up to.
3.            During walk back to town, villagers show frustration at lack of attention Count Menneken gives to the farms, or even the people themselves.  Adam listens to their complaints.
4.            Ever since Menneken took the reins from his father Regent Lord Bartholomew, the entire province of Sequestered Valley has been losing crops, villagers, and money.  Taxes keep raising, the poor are working harder to keep their homes, and the amount of high king officials has vanished completely.  Villagers are beginning to feel like the high king no longer is looking after them, and that Count Menneken is corrupt.
5.            In the nearby trees, a creature lurks, eyeing the group of villagers.  A soft hiss sound can be heard, as it makes its way to the unsuspecting targets.
6.            The sound of a fiendish horn blows in the distance, Adam hears it and turns toward the nearby forest.  A crack of lightning flashes, Adam gets a glimpse of something large and ugly making its way to them - tells the villagers to run, and Adam turns to face the beast.
7.            Beast lunges after Adam, but is blocked by a thrown barrel into its face.  Momentarily slowing it.  Gives Adam enough time to plan his next move.  He sees a shovel.
8.            Adam grabs the shovel, in time to stop the lizard monstrosity from closing its ugly mouth around Adam.  The monster hisses in frustration and whacks Adam with his clubbed tail.
9.            Adam is thrown into debris, sees pitchfork and uses it to fend off the creature.  Villagers in distance begin to ring the town bell, alerting the town and its police force. 
10.          Village begins to get word of the attack, all the way up to Newhaven Keep, where a man peers out of the window, surveying the action.  The man, turns, with his wicked grin, and tells a shadowy figure that he intends to continue with his next phase, walking out into the rain with his guards.
11.          Scene is changed with a flash of lightning, we see Adam's home, where all is not well.  Inside, Adam's son, Leo, is tossing and turning, disturbed by his nightmare.  Mother sits by him, worried.
12.          Mother knows what Leo is going through, for she went through something similar at his age (now thirteen).  It is all part of the process, and is part of his bloodline, just like Kyndrea’s father, and great grandfather before him. 
13.          She has been trying to prepare him for he may (or may not, she hopes) would have to face.  Over the past few weeks, she knew that his dreams would worsen, the calling would begin for him.
14.          Leo tosses and turns, sweating, panting, eyelids moving left and right.  His nightmare worsens as the sound of thunder rumbles ever closer to the village of Mayfair.
15.          In the dream, Leo is surrounded by creatures with horrible visages.  Rain is pouring over him, lightning flashes and he could see the glimpse of teeth and claws, reaching toward him, trying to grab him or something that he is holding.  Overhead, he hears the cackles and screams of flying monsters.  He screams for help, and suddenly the floor beneath him crumbles and falls through.
16.          He is now surrounded by walls of flame, and in the background, he sees the slithery silhouette of a monstrous creature, calling to him, coming closer and closer.  A loud scream rings his head, and he hears a man yelling “Look out!”  Leo wakes suddenly.
17.          The nightmare being over, Leo is sitting up, with his mother holding him.  Although awake, he knows that something is not right, and his senses are still heightened – as if something is telling him to be wary.  He asks his mother the whereabouts of his father, Adam.
18.          Kyndrea knew it wasn’t meant to be a question she can answer, for she too felt that strange feeling that something was wrong.
19.          The police force can be seen running toward the fields, where Adam is at the brink of losing a battle.  Suddenly through the pouring rain, the sound of a vile horn is heard once more, and the mysterious beast screeches into the howling wind, and vanishes.
20.          A crowd gathers in the village square, as townsfolk make room for the police guard bringing the only man to be injured from the monster’s attack – Adam Tolomane.  Leo and Kyndrea reach the crowd, and both run toward Police Chief Victor Carlsburg, who is supporting Adam.
21.          Adam tells them to not worry, but is suddenly drowned by the angry villagers, demanding to know why Menneken has not done anything about the beast.  Just then, the sound of neighing horses is heard, and a band of armored men come galloping from the keep’s direction.
22.          Count Menneken calls everyone to gather around him.  He begins to discuss the happenings, and shows concern over the injured peasant.  The villagers start demanding what Menneken is about to do it with the problem.  It had been the third time that week that the mysterious beast had attacked the town.  It is known now that they are relieved that there were no kidnappings this time around.
23.          Lightning flashed, with a sudden boom of thunder in the village is heard, startling the villagers during their argument.  Menneken takes advantage of the pause, and starts to explain what exactly he plans on doing about the beast.
24.          He introduces the horsed men around himself.  He has gone through great lengths to find help with the beast, as it is apparently needed (demeaning way toward Victor and his police guard about the unsuccessful attempts at them slaying it, or finding the creature), and has found an answer for all the problems.
25.          He introduces the brave, courageous, noble mercenary company The Ravenous Redeemers.  The men come forward in their horses.  Courageous and noble are certainly words the villagers would not use to describe them.  Mean looking, snarling, some wearing smirks, others scowling.
26.          Menneken explains to the villagers that Captain Cragen is well known in the south for defending villages, estates against enemies.  They will begin patrolling the roads in and out of the village, and have already sent a squad to the north in search of the beast.  Villagers show concerns as they feel uneasy with the new crowd that will be hanging around.
27.          Finally dispersing the crowd, Menneken heads back to his keep, while the mercenary company decides to stick around to patrol the streets.
28.          The next morning, Adam is sitting in his bed, with a bandaged leg and arm, and some bandages around his ribs.  Kyndrea tends to him and they discuss that the recent happenings seem troublesome.  All the sudden changes, it seems as though Count Menneken is using them for something more sinister.
29.          Leo overhears, and proceeds to do his chores.  Grabs some bags and heads to the market.
30.          At the market, Leo sees a crowd gathering around a wanted sign.  He hears the crowd discussing the options of the bounty.  Leo squeezes through to read the sign himself.  The bounty is for the mysterious beast, and the reward is gold beyond anyone’s imagination.  Several people love the idea, groups begin to form as people decide to take action in their own hands.
31.          Leo begins to imagine just how amazing it would be to have the money; take his mom out of her job, his father no longer having to work, they could move away from Mayfield, perhaps live somewhere more luxurious.  During this, he suddenly blurts out that he’s going to go and slay the beast.
32.          The crowd around him begins to laugh.  Some mocked him, while others felt sorry the little lad.  He feels embarrassed, and angry and runs away, dropping his groceries.
33.          Running toward the outskirts of the market, toward the edge of town, Leo falls to his knees, tears streaming down his face.  Behind him an old man approaches.
34.          The Old Man calls to Leo, holding the bags of groceries Leo dropped.  He hands the bags over, trying to comfort Leo.  Leo thanks the Old Man, and they start talking about the bounty.
35.          The Old Man, who seems old and feeble, tells Leo about how an adventure like that would change his outlook in life.  Convinces Leo in going forth with his idea.  The Old Man then reveals from behind his back a rusty-looking shield, and offers it as a gift to Leo.
36.          As Leo grabbed it, he was surprised how incredibly light it was, warm to the touch, and felt like it had always belonged to him.  Leo heads home with the bags and the shield around his back, thanks the Old Man once more and vanishes from the Old Man’s sight.
37.          Back at home, Leo tries to find the courage in talking to his parents about his decision.  He first talks with his mother, Kyndrea.  The look in his eyes, the stance he had, it was all she needed to know about what she has been dreaming about.  She then notices the shield, and then states that the next part of his life is about to take place. 
38.          She explains to him that over the past weeks, she’s been trying to prepare him for what’s to come, and tells him to go forth on his journey.  Leo tells Kyndrea what he plans on doing, and knows it seems like a crazy idea, but Kyndrea only gives him a hug and tells herself that everything is going to be okay.
39.          When Leo finally talks to his father about his decision, both parents decide to talk to him about his ancestry.  It is revealed that both parents knew that eventually Leo will have to go out on his own and discover his true self.  Leo is amazed to hear that his ancestors were men and women that were truly courageous and strong, and that it’s all from Kyndrea’s side of the family.
40.          Afterward, they pack his belongings.  Adam manages to get up and hand him his old sword, a trusty one-handed weapon that has seen many battles in Adam's younger years.  Kyndrea also hands Leo a pair of twin daggers that she has kept as a gift from her great-grandfather, telling Leo that they will serve a better purpose with him on his journey.  Leo sets out north to the location of the beast. (It is previously known that the beast resides in the mountains, reading the bounty post from the market)
41.          As Leo heads out to town, he is stopped by the Old Man.  The Old Man tells Leo that he should head to the nearby village of Farranstown, where Leo will find extra provisions, and possibly receive help from the villagers there.  Leo thanks him and continues north to visit the town first.
42.          Back at the keep, Count Menneken walks along a hallway, and meets with Captain Cragen.  He discusses with Cragen that all is going as planned.  He tells the captain of the hired mercenaries that the bounty has been posted, and there are reports that groups of villagers are going forth to claim the beasts’ life for the outrageous reward. 
43.          Cragen inquires about his second-in-command person, Jack d’Vane, curious as to why he is stationed along the mountain pass.  Menneken explains that Jack and his fellow trappers are stationed there to capture any and all travelers crossing into the mountain pass to find the beast hidden in a cave. 
44.          He wants Jack to capture them all, and haul them away to his newly built dungeon so that Menneken can use them for experiments with his alchemy.  Cragen is dismissed. 
45.          From the shadows, a hooded person creeps forward, and Menneken tells this person to continue spying on all the events that are happening.  You see a glimpse of her eyes, and you can vaguely see them glow from the torch-lit fire.  She then steps back into the shadows and vanishes.  The chapter is ended with Menneken, overlooking the town below, with a hint of a smile on his face.
Okay!!  So because this is supposed to be in a graphic novel type setting (ie, comic panels and dialogue), there is so much more for me to do on this first chapter.  This version of the first chapter is already outdated.

So there you have it, I will begin posting updates, and previewing the progress here on my blog.