All About: Prophet of the Gods

Cover done my @Mosstalons on Wattpad. Check her out!

This is the post we've (by that I mean I've) been waiting for! It's my first All About:, a new 'series' going into depth on my various writing projects. I decided to do this one first as I am currently publishing it chapter by chapter on Wattpad (there are currently 14 chapters up so if you're interested, go check it out here!)

So before I begin, I'd like to explain where this came from. I came up with this idea in late 2018 (December actually) and it all happened so fast. I got the idea for a YA royal fantasy randomly when trying to brainstorm my much procrastinated book idea of the year. I knew I wanted a magical element and I thought of a concept of everyone having a "gift" or power. It's unoriginal, I know, but I was writing this for myself and I love powers.

Nothing else really happened for a few weeks until one day I was talking to one of my best friends (someone who I've known for more than 10 years at this point) and I mentioned it to her. I call her my ideas-person for a reason- every time I talk about an idea with her, it ends up a fully-plotted, tangible story in an hour- it's pretty amazing. And that's exactly what happened with PotG. I came up with the prophet idea- the names, plots, villains, etc all in that one hour period as I was texting her. She helped me choose the title and the name of the prince. So thanks for everything if you're reading this.

Now, I wasn't intending to drop everything and start this still relatively new project, but I had the strangest urge to write at least the first chapter to see where it went. The words came so easily, and at this point in time I had been struggling with writer's block since August and I was amazed with how easy it felt. In an hour, I had over a thousand words written which is more than I'd written in the past five months. I knew I needed to make the most of this 'burst' of inspiration.

Then I remembered Wattpad.

I had never considered posting there before due to it's reputation and also my lack of commitment but I was excited and intrigued and I wanted- needed to try something new. And so I did it. I posted chapter one. Then a few days later I posted chapter two which was also really easy for me to write.

The thing is- this book wasn't outlined. I wasn't even sure where it was going. I just wrote. Now, I'm 100% a plotting writer. I need an outline- it's my lifeline but I decided to try something new- no detailed outline, instead just a loose, flexible list of chapters with a sentence or two describing what happened.

It was rough. It still is rough. I am an outline person. I am not used to this. But it's also fun and relaxing. This whole story is meant to be relaxing. The chapters I post aren't perfect- not even close. Most of them, I haven't even read through more than once for errors. This is for me. And for the readers who happen to read and enjoy this all-over-the-place-story I've written.

I've been posting once a week for the past two months but recently I've gone on hiatus to focus on exams and studying and that hiatus will last until the end of April (tentatively) but I am eager to return already.

As for my future plans for this book. Once I finish it (I estimate that occurring by the end of this year), I'm going straight into developmental edits which means, yes that's right, OUTLINE TIME. I'm probably going to re-outline the entire thing. The story shouldn't change too much but there will be scenes cut, scenes added, plots revised, and characters strengthened. Character arcs will be improved. Mythology and setting solidified and confirmed. Magic will happen.

It will become a real book.

I do, in the future, intend to publish this book whether it be self-published or much preferred traditionally published, but there is a LONG time between that point and now. And I mean LONNNGGGG. But it will happen one day.

Now, for what it's actually about, here's the official summary:

Genevieve Delora is chosen as the newest prophet for the royal family, which is a saving grace to her struggling family. What the royal family isn't aware of is that she's cursed to destroy the kingdom on the dawn of her seventeenth birthday and that her job at the palace may be her only hope in breaking the curse. Gen is immediately overwhelmed with tyrannical kings, political plans, and buried secrets among the royals, but she's running out of time. With the help of new friends in the castle (and some friends on the sea) including the "charming" and always silent prince and his friendlier sister, Genevieve seeks to track down an ancient map that leads to the staff of the gods- the only object that can prevent the curse and save the kingdom. However, there's a power greater than Olumia knows lurking in the shadows, and he's after the staff too. Is fate always set in stone, or is the future still up for changing? Features a strong main lead, a gay princess who's engaged to a prince, an all-women privateer crew who rules the sea, friendships, family, an incredibly "will they, won't they" slow burn, myths and folklore, magical gifts, and a diverse cast of characters.

I believe strongly in a diverse cast of characters- all skin colors, genders, sexualities, backgrounds, beliefs, shapes, and sizes. Though this is a mythical world so there's no terms such as black and white, straight and gay, or any of the existing religions in this world. It's all fictional. It is also NOT medieval inspired. It does have royalty similar to that but also slightly different. It's not historical fiction. Nope, it's pure fantasy.

And also, it's not a stand-a-lone. I know, boo hoo. Sequels are annoying. They come out a year later (in this case, I don't even know if that's true but here's hoping) and they're different from the first book (no duh but I've heard this complaint too many times from some weirdos). Currently, Prophet of the Gods is a duology but there is still enough unknown information and potential questions to be answered for it to be a trilogy, but no longer than that. I promise.

And yes, potential readers, this book *will* (as of this current moment) end in a cliffhanger but I won't abandon you and leave you waiting five to ten years for the sequel (cough Name of the Wind cough). I promise that too. Maybe I'll even continue the one chapter a week thing too so you don't have to wait. We shall see.

And the name. I like the name "Prophet of the Gods" a lot but the more time passes, I more I feel like it would be better off as the duology/trilogy title and the first book would be renamed. I probably will end up doing that once I finish book one. Look out for a title reveal in the future.

Now for some more information about the book and its characters. I love Genevieve and Cora and Fiona, Astra, Riley, Dell, Liam, and the other characters I've created. I love them a lot. And I think you'll like them too. Yes- there is a lot of female characters in this book and in pretty much most of my books but that's due to the lack of female characters in most books. Might as well make up for those old, white, narrow minded authors from the 20th century while I'm out here writing, right? There are still male characters though- don't worry. There may also be a gender-binary character later... *wink wink*

The book will have 29 chapters as of now, but don't be surprised if that number becomes 32 and then 35 because I write a lot and end up having to split a chapter into two. Fun fact, the original plan had 24 chapters... The last five came on the way.

Also, I mentioned it had a very very slow burn romance, but DO NOT GO INTO THIS EXPECTING A FULL FLEDGED ROMANCE. It's not even a full romance. It's a very very very minor (and I mean MINOR) subplot that will continue on into book two (or possible even three if I'm feeling evil). If you go into this expecting a romance, you'll be severely disappointed. I will have some *moments* if you know what I mean but they're very few and far between, sorry to disappoint.

Now for the magic/mythology. Magic is more vague in this word for the most part, but I do intend on fleshing it out and delving deeper into it later in this book and the sequel. Gifts are mostly elemental based but there's a few wildcards out there. Mythology is very loosely based on Indian mythology (pretty much just the Sanskrit names and the fact that there are multiple of them in the upper caste and the lower caste). The way I do my world building is that I only give details that are necessary as not to info dump and I spread it around the book. You'll learn a little more every few chapters.

Okay, that's about all I wanted to discuss. If this in any way intrigued you, please consider checking out the first fourteen chapters (and if you're reading this in May or farther away, there will be more than fourteen chapters!). If you like them, please show your love and vote (the little star on the bottom of each chapter) because it helps other people get interested and shows me people like what I'm writing.

I hope everyone's having a happy day and if you're not, I hope life improves and gets better (it will, I promise). No mourners, no funerals,

-SureenaWrites