Hello all! Today marks the start of a new series that will pop up on this blog periodically, where I choose one of my creative projects and give you a brief run-down on it–the characters, premise, what the process of creating it has been like, all that fun stuff!
Because I’m going to return to editing this project soon, the inaugural post in this series will be on Like the Raven, my medieval fantasy novella (also my only novella, at least for now!) So let’s get into it.
(p.s. Stay tuned to the end of this post for details on a Twitter Party I’ll be participating in, where you can learn even more about this project, and me!)
What’s the story about?
Ex-thief Ravenna Seray is looking for a fresh start. Unfortunately, the members of the gang of rogues she ditched want revenge. So when the daughter Ravenna abandoned at birth is kidnapped by the scoundrels she once considered family, Ravenna must acquire a priceless, and maybe nonexistent treasure in only three days, or else her daughter’s life is forfeit.
Who are the characters?
Ravenna Seray (aliases: Ravenna the Red, The Red Raven): She’s beauty, she’s grace, she’ll throw a dagger in your face. Recently attempting to turn her life around after years of thievery and lying low. Stubborn and fiercely protective of her past and its tragedies, but tormented by guilt over putting her daughter in harm’s way, and giving her up in the first place.
Lucien Laverre: A more-or-less immortal elven mage brought by chance into Ravenna’s path. He’s a bit fuzzy on the details, to be honest. Flamboyant, crafty, overall very excited to be in his current situation. May or may not be head-over-heels in love with the pretty rogue he met in the woods. One of the most enjoyable characters I’ve ever written.
Leonora Dyre: Ravenna’s fifteen year old daughter, raised by a couple of kind farmers. Sensitive, quiet, and calculating. Don’t underestimate her.
Cynric Morel: Current ring-leader of The Shrikes, the group of rogues Ravenna walked out on. He has a huge tattoo of a snake, but don’t let it fool you–he’s much more venomous, and willing to do anything to punish whoever crosses him, even if that person used to be his right-hand-gal and old flame.
Where did the idea for this story come from?
I’d wanted to write a medieval fantasy story for a long time. I’d had a certain idea filed away in my mind, in which a lady thief plodded through a dark forest in search of something important. For a while that was all I ever made of the concept. The title of the story comes from a song that I always found intriguing: “I Go Like the Raven” by Beyond the Pale. It helped me shape the idea of Ravenna’s character, plus it sounds like something that’d be played in a tavern in the world of the story, which I love.
One day when I was a junior in college, I got the idea for Lucien’s character, and everything fell into place so fast that I literally couldn’t stop myself from writing. I remember having a full day of classes, and scribbling bits of dialogue in the margins of my notes and barely being able to pay attention to my lectures, because I was so enthralled. At first I thought it was only going to be a short story, but it grew and grew into novella length, and I knew these characters would be around for a while. I’m already planning for more installments of Ravenna and Lucien’s adventures.
Where’s the story at now?
I finished a full draft and some rounds of edits with the help of beta readers last summer. The story’s been on hold for a while but when I return to it to continue editing, my plan is to really beef up the background of the narrative. I’d like to add more scenes showing Ravenna’s past, as well as Leonora’s, to help round everything out. I’ll be in need of some beta readers as well, when the time comes.
This story means a lot to me. I love medieval fantasy and I feel like this story has a really good balance of heavy themes and lightheartedness–I never really thought I could be funny until I wrote this story!
If this project sounds interesting to you, and you’d like to know more about it, then you’re in luck! Very soon I’ll be participating in a Twitter chat and AMA with some pals to help promote the launch of my friend Joshua C. Forrest’s Patreon. This will all be going down on March 31st at 8pm EST, and I’ll be chatting about this project in particular. Some really wonderful writers will be joining me!
Want to know how Ravenna got her nicknames, get a look at some art I’ve done of the characters, or see snippets of the story? Want to know more about me and my creative process? Then jot down your questions, save the date, and come chat using the hashtag #JCFPatreonParty! Check out all the fun details here.
See you then!
Carly Racklin 