Author Solo Write

Chatterbox: Inkwell

Author Solo Write

Author Solo Write
You are a writer, preparing to publish your first novel. It has been edited and revised over and over until you hate the sound of the title, but it is done at last. You have sent it sent in to various publishing companies, and you are finally able to take a well earned rest.
But just as you lean back into your favorite chair, you hear a knock at your door. Glancing at the clock, you see that it is two in the morning. You were up all night sending out your manuscript, and you ought to be the only one awake all over town. There should surely be no one at your door.
Trying not to wake up the other inhabitants of the house, You go to the door, preparing to yell at whoever it is. But you see no one. Just an envelope. You pick it up and read.
Dear Author,
You are one of the lucky few chosen to represent the Sunny Meadows Publishing Company as we open. We are a publishing company who specializes in children’s and young adult literature. We will publish your book, along with nine others, and they will be sold world-wide. We will give you 90% of all money we earn from your book, and you will celebrated throughout the world as one of the finest authors to be found.
Bear in mind, we at Sunny Meadows can be viewed as slightly eccentric. I hope that this will not stop you from taking this once-in-a-lifetime chance. We will never publish any other books.
Please be at our headquarters at 12:00 sharp on July 16th, 2020. Lateness will not be tolerated. This conference will be lasting several days, so we do ask that you come prepared.
We have accepted one book from each the following genres: mystery, graphic novel, fantasy, sci-fi, realistic fiction, historical fiction, poetry, short stories, picture book, and beginning reader.
Please fill out this form and send it to us before July 16th.
Name:
Age:
Gender/pronouns:
Appearance:
Personality:
Background:
Luggage:
Book genre:
SHORT summary of book:
Shipping:
Other:
We are excited to see you there!
Sincerely,
Kytleen Marsh
Head Editor of Sunny Meadows Publishing Company
submitted by Kytleen Marsh, Head Editor
(June 19, 2020 - 5:25 pm)

back to the Inkwell

Terribly sorry for the delay, Kytleen. I'll begin filling out the character sheet very soon. You can expect the character forum tomorrow, by the latest. Though I had thought the Solo Write started on July Sixteenth, of this year?

Also apologies, Blackfooted Bobcat but I'd like to stick with poetry. Though you could have potentially picked picture books as you posted before PygmyOwl. Maybe you two could swap? Provide that works for Pygmy Owl as well, since I know they really wanted their genre.

~With due respect,

 John F.Q

submitted by John F.Q, age 17, England
(June 24, 2020 - 5:51 pm)

Yes, this was supposed to start on July 16th, I thought it would take quite a lot longer for all the spots to be filled. But, since everything got taken so quickly, we will probably start closer to July first, or maybe even earlier. Once again, I'm sorry if it seems like I am rushing you in any way, and you can take as long as you want, I'd just rather you didn't take SUPER long.

submitted by Kytleen M
(June 24, 2020 - 6:49 pm)

No need to be sorry, I should have checked more thoroughly.

submitted by Blackfooted Bobcat
(June 24, 2020 - 8:56 pm)

Here as promised here is the character fourm.  Though I did feel rather rushed, your excitment to begin is somewhat understandable. My appologies if I missed any typos and if the character's age needs to be changed I can do so.

 

Name:Allen Underwood

 

Age:19 (Hopefully this is the closest mean, between the different age ranges floating around)

 

Gender/pronouns:Associated male pronouns.

 

Appearance:A lanky young man with light blond hair. His hair is kept short along the back and sides, only allowed to grow in a unkempt tangle upon his head. His blue eyes are constantly tired and baggy from lack of sleep. While for attire he wears dark long sleeve shirts and accompanying jeans. In a formal occasion, he'll try for asuit-jacket; but overall his appearance somehow looks more cobbled together in this instance.

 

Personality:Has an almost uncharacteristic optimism in other, feels he does not reserve for himself. A nervous tick is unexpected tremors within his hands which he often tries to counteract by smiling. Attempts to remain optimistic though always fails since a feeling of inadequacy isn't far from his mind. Though he is fascinated by the happiness of others, which he believes exists constantly and is never overly jealous of.

 

Background:Worked for a bit as an desk clerk for an insurance company, long hours which he liked and constant conversations which he attempted. Really it was procrastination that meant he didn't attempt work in the service industry; though his first job was as a server at age fifteen. Began writing as way to release the brief feelings of angst that often assail him.

 

Luggage:One suitcase with necessities, a copy of The Sandman comic by Neil Gaiman, a red scarf and blue suit coat (as an attempt at being confidence), and a silver ipad (recently bought as an attempt at actually using technology).

 

Book genre: Poetry

 

SHORT summary of book:

 

The book is a short collection entitled 'Love Labors, As They Are'. It's a series of poems written about the different types and forum that love takes within ones life. Though often short the rhymes pack a punch and aren't above the being self aware of their own romanticism, in comparison to the worlds doldrums.

 

Shipping:Only if another character is around the same age and shares some characteristics in common with Allen.

 

Other:Is probably, almost late and a touch harried upon his arrival at the Sunny Meadows Offices.

 

 

 

submitted by JohnF.Q, age 17, England
(June 25, 2020 - 11:48 am)

Hello everyone! Now that everyone has their charrie sheets posted, I am going to go through a few details.

1) The first post will be on Sunday, June 28th. Every Sunday, I will post a new installment of the story. There will probably be twelve, but I do not know for sure.

2) For those of you who said yes to shipping, this is what is going to happen. At anytime, two characters can request to be shipped. However, I am not going to promise that it will be a part of the story, although there is always a chance.

3) Feel free to guess my identity at any time.

4) You can also ask me to include certain things in the story, like receiving a letter, or losing a notebook. I may or may not be able to work it in, but I will do my best.

5) And I will answer any questions you may have.

Thank you for joining!

~Kytleen M

Head Editor of Sunny Meadows Publishing Company 

submitted by Kytleen M, Head Editor
(June 25, 2020 - 2:53 pm)
submitted by top
(June 26, 2020 - 4:57 pm)
submitted by top
(June 26, 2020 - 5:39 pm)
submitted by top
(June 28, 2020 - 9:41 pm)

I'm so sorry I didn't get this in until so late. I meant to submit it at noon today, but, as you can see, that didn't work out. I completely forgot it was Sunday. But here it is: the first part of the solo write. I hope you enjoy it!

Prologue

At 11:45 on June 28th, there was already a small crowd gathered around the main office of Sunny Meadows Publishing Company. By which I mean​,​ two people were standing at the front ​gates​,​ shivering​ in the cold, misty air.

Lola Sage was staring through the wrought iron gates at the building, which looked more like a mansion than the headquarters of a big publishing business and desperately trying to strike up a conversation with Katherine Ellis. Katherine, for her part was leaning against a weathered pine tree, listening to music through her headphones. Her eyes were fixated on the clouds, and it was easy to say that she was in her own world, far away from where Lola's chatter could reach her. At 11:51, Lola's attempts at small talk were becoming steadily feebler and feeble, limited mostly to the weather and the price of peaches in Northern Pennsylvania. "I mean, honestly, $5 for a single peach?! It's ridiculous. But I can't write a word without a peach within arm's reach. No rhyme intended." As Saylor Swallow walked up to the two girls, Lola gave a sigh of relief.
"Hello?" Saylor said. Is this Sunny Meadows Publishing Company?"
"Yeah! I'm Lola Sage, one of the authors. That," said Lola, jabbing her thumb in Katherine's direction, "is another one."
"Do you have any idea what all this is about?"
"Not the faintest." Lola pulled a tube of lip gloss out of her purse and meticulously applied it to her mouth.
The girls' chatter was broken up by a raccoon nibbling a sailor skirt. And a teenage boy running up behind it.
"Bandit! Bandit, get away from here her! " Reluctantly, the raccoon moved away from the skirt and retired to a basket at the boy's side. "I'm Altoos Peregrine," he said. "What's that little kid doing behind the bushes?" All three girls, even Katherine, who had been shaken out of her trance by Altoos' shouting, turned around to look at the shrubbery, just in time to see the form of a small girl pop out from behind it.
"I'm Yamaneko Iriomotensis. I'm an author," the girl said, and, apparently, that was enough for her, because her mouth shut like a chat. Everyone except Saylor turned away from her, but the older girl studied Yameneko seriously. One look at the ragamuffin child was enough. Saylor knew that she would protect the odd little girl through thick and thin.
Slowly but surely, four other people arrived at the rendezvous. Myra Ellis (no, she's not related to Katherine, not even second cousins) wandered over absentmindedly toting a large black bag with several black scarves trailing behind her. Rencon Elterbert actually pulled up in an Uber, laden with an old-fashioned piece of rolling luggage. Iduna Vance was driving a beat-up, blue VW Beetle, and, at 11:58, Clay Dier arrived riding a red bicycle. Everyone was there, except for Alan Underwood, and, of course, Kytleen Marsh.
The Head Editor arrived at precisely 11:59, seeming to pop out of nowhere. She counted the authors. One. . . two. . . three. . . four. . . five. . . this one's a bit small, isn't she? six. . . seven. . . eight. . . nine. . . t—" She broke off. "Where's the last one? It's nearly 12:00."
Just as the last seconds were taken away on Kytleen Marsh's watch, a young man clutching the handle of a suitcase rushed towards the group.
"I'm so sorry, I hope I'm not late," he said. The Head Editor looked at him with evident disapproval there was nothing she could do. Alan Underwood had arrived on time.
"Follow me," she barked, and led the hodgepodge group through the gate and towards the door. She opened the huge oak door and stepped aside. Slightly surprised that this obviously self-centered woman wasn't going in first, the group of authors straggled inside. As the last person, Clay Dier, walked through the doorway, they all turned around, only to be faced with a huge slab of oak sliding slowly sliding shut. The last thing they saw was the gold taloned fingernails of Kytleen Marsh. The last thing they heard was four words. "Have fun, my darlings." Then the door shut completely, cutting off the last bit of daylight from The unlit, windowless room.
The lock clicked.
They were trapped.
submitted by Kytleen M., Head Editor
(June 28, 2020 - 10:15 pm)

I love it already!  I can’t wait to see what happens next.

submitted by Peregrine
(June 29, 2020 - 10:18 am)

:0

what the what

YESSSSSSSS
PERFECT

CANT WAIT TO READ MORE

So thrilling and exciting and- and- and perfect and- i ran out of words darn my lagging brain 

submitted by HeroesOfOlympus, age eternal, somewhere-everywhere
(June 29, 2020 - 11:07 am)

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

It's already SOOO good! you did my character so well! I probably couldn't do him that good and the ending and the guy arriving almost late and the crazy wierd editor *finally takes breath* wow...

P.S. at some point can you describe my characters appearence? :-) 

submitted by Firebird, age Timeless, The Sea of Flame
(June 29, 2020 - 7:11 pm)

That was very well done!

I particularly like the bit with Altoos's raccoon; it was just the right amount of chaos. Allen's arrival was also great. I'm beginning to wonder if Allen should never have arrived in the first place. Since it was quite the cliffhanger to leave us on.

Perhaps the authors will all be forced to meet word count goals? As I'm not sure what else a nefarious editorial staff could possibly want from them. Possibly there's a mystical book to deceive or something.

submitted by JohnF.Q, age 17, Englan
(June 29, 2020 - 7:04 pm)

Thank you all for your kind praise. I'm glad you enjoyed the story.

The next part will be out next Sunday.

@Firebird: Yes, after this first opening scene, I will be able to go into more depth on character development, and I would be happy to describe Altoos' appearance in some way, although it will probably not be as direct as "He had spiky black hair." I also cannot promise that the description will be in the next installment, it depends where it fits best with the story. 

submitted by Kytleen M, Head Editor
(June 29, 2020 - 8:08 pm)

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submitted by Top, age Top, Top
(June 30, 2020 - 5:02 pm)
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