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)
submitted by top, age toppot, top town
(July 17, 2020 - 7:55 am)
submitted by top, age toppot, top town
(July 17, 2020 - 7:56 am)
submitted by top
(July 18, 2020 - 8:25 am)
submitted by top
(July 18, 2020 - 7:01 pm)
submitted by top
(July 19, 2020 - 11:45 am)
Chapter Two — Rencon
The other authors rushed to the kitchen, afraid of what they might see. Kitchens are dangerous places, full of appliances like knives and food processors. But what they feared to see (blood, missing fingers, etc.) was nothing compared to the horrors that they found.
Iduna, normally so cool and composed, was crouched over a small sheaf of papers, weeping and shaking. "Clay," she whispered.
"Clay?" asked Allen, stepping forward. "I'm sorry, I don't understand. Where is he?"
Iduna glanced up at him, her eyes red and full of tears. "Here." She thrust the papers at him, and began to shout. "Here he is! Right here! Take him, if you want! It doesn't matter!"
Allen stepped back, surprised and concerned, clutching at the papers. Something must be wrong with this odd young woman, who was now curled up on the ground again, weeping into her hands. Hadn't she been extraordinarily calm earlier, even after she had been locked up in a dark room with a group of complete strangers? Those circumstances were certainly more worrying than a mere packet of papers, and yet here she was, crying her eyes out over what seemed to be nothing.
"Read them," Iduna whispered roughly. And so they did. Crowding around Allen, the authors read the words on the paper. All except Yamaneko, who wasn't tall enough to see, and kept jumping up and down, trying to catch a glimpse of the papers.
Disbelieving, the little cluster took in what had happened. Clay was gone. He was nothing more than a little packet of paper, slightly damp with Iduna's tears and sweat from Allen's clammy hands. A piece of paper, describing what (almost) every person had done in the past hour.
"I. . . I'm not in this," said Allen.
"That's probably a good thing," said Katherine. "I mean, this is basically Clay's dead body, I would feel glad not to mentioned on it."
Allen dropped the little packet like it was a red-hot coal. "I didn't think of it that way." He rushed off to go wash his hands. The rest of the authors went off to do various activities, including a) discussing this odd turn of events, b) comforting Iduna, and c) eating lunch. Except Yamaneko, who had wound her way through the others and collected the papers, sticking them into her bag to look over later. Then, she scurried off to find a quiet, comfortable corner, preferably with a nice patch of sun, where she could read the fatal story.
Katherine went into the kitchen, not caring that the kitchen was where Clay had transformed. She was hungry, and she needed food. After a while, she had fixed herself a perfect sandwich, and she curled up on a convenient window seat to eat and read a book.
***
Rencon rushed into a nearby room, grabbing ahold of someone's arm. He needed to talk to somebody. Unfortunately, that somebody just happened to be Myra Ellis, who did not take kindly to the physical contact. She shook off Rencon's hand and snarled at him. Rencon stepped back in surprise, and grabbed someone else's arm. This time, it was Altoos, who allowed himself to be dragged into a room on the left, closely followed by Saylor and a slightly sheepish Myra.
"We need to talk," said Rencon. "Something creepy is going on in this house."
Myra rolled her eyes. "Yeah. That's kind of obvious."
"And we need to figure out what it is."
"How do you propose to do that?" asked Altoos. "No, Bandit. Get away from the nice girl's shoes."
Saylor, looking slightly awkward in a pair of small, hot pink Crocs borrowed from Lola, shifted her weight around, trying to get away from the little raccoon without seeming afraid or disgusted. "Well. . . it's a very cute raccoon, Eldose."
Altoos sighed. "Bandit is a she, not an it. And my name is Altoos."
Saylor blushed, mortified. "Oh! Oh, I'm very sorry."
"It's fine."
Rencon sighed. The conversation was not going quite as well as he might have hoped. They had learned nothing besides the gender of an unimportant raccoon.
Myra glanced out the window. "It's getting dark. I'm going to bed." She turned around and walked away.
"Um. . . me too," Altoos said. Gradually, everyone left the room.
Except Rencon. He looked out the window at the colorful sunset, and sighed. He had an idea, but, obviously, no one cared.
***
Lola watched as the rest of the group trailed away, leaving her alone with Iduna. She looked at the other woman, who, curled up and crying, seemed just as childlike as Yamaneko.
"It. . . all. . .ault."
"What?" Lola leaned in, trying to understand Iduna's words.
"It's all my fault. . . If I hadn't left him. . . I told him where the kitchen was! I. . . I killed him. . ."
Lola knelt beside Iduna and put her arm around her, holding her as she wept. "You didn't kill him, Iduna. You only meant to help him."
Iduna continued to cry, but she gradually calmed down, shaking in Lola's arms. Lola glanced down at her favorite blue dress, which was now soaked with tears. Her cat, Lucy Grey, circled around Iduna, rubbing against her legs and purring. Slowly, slowly, her tears began to slow as she pet the little hairless kitten. Just as she was about the stand up, a loud booming sound erupted near her ears. Iduna jumped, and began to shake like a leaf in a windstorm.
A loud and slightly staticky version of Yamaneko voice was coming out of the wall. "Hello, friends! I am speaking to you from an intercom I have found. Please meet me in the entry hall. I repeat, please meet me in the entry hall."
***
Gradually, everyone filed into the entry hall. The last person to arrive was Yamaneko, with a confused look on her face. Everyone turned expectantly to her, waiting for her to tell them what she had gathered them for.
"That wasn't me. On the intercom. That wasn't me," she said simply. "Where's Rencon?"
"I last saw him in the little sitting room place. Near the kitchen," Altoos offered.
The group rushed towards the tiny room, fearing what they would find. Rencon didn't seem like the sort of person who would just ignore something like the announcement. And yes, when they arrived, they found exactly what they most feared. A packet of papers.
"Chapter Two — Rencon," read Saylor. "The other authors rushed to the kitchen, afraid of what they might see. "
Iduna screamed.
submitted by Kytleen M, Head Editor
(July 19, 2020 - 2:52 pm)
submitted by yesssssss perfect
(July 19, 2020 - 4:42 pm)

It's really good!  This place is creepy.  Hopefully our characters discover the mysteries of this press soon.

submitted by Peregrine
(July 20, 2020 - 11:27 am)

This is the best installment yet, which is pretty impressive because the other ones were really good too. The writing is so good it feels like it's from a real book, one that's probably famous because of its great writing. The part about Yamaneko wanting a patch of sun to read in was great, and the ending is amazing, and I like that there's even more mystery added in.

submitted by Blackfooted Bobcat
(July 20, 2020 - 2:07 pm)
submitted by New Part Out!
(July 19, 2020 - 4:16 pm)

Wow! I love reading this! I really like how you potray my character! Good job!

submitted by Cynthia M, age 11, USofA
(July 19, 2020 - 6:08 pm)

top

submitted by top, age top, top
(July 23, 2020 - 5:36 pm)

top

submitted by toptop, age toptop, toptoptoptop
(July 23, 2020 - 5:38 pm)
submitted by top
(July 23, 2020 - 5:38 pm)

toptoptop

submitted by top already!, age tooooooop, top
(July 23, 2020 - 5:39 pm)