My Stories: Unattainable

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Hello! Today, I’m going to tell you about my fantasy manuscript, Unattainable. It’s the story of three royal siblings: Montreal, the oldest, the reckless, and the wooer of the princess of an enemy country; Negasi, the middle, the tactician, and the lover of his brother’s betrothed; and Jenaiah, the youngest, the dreamer, and the sweetheart of a servant boy – which, compared to her brothers, is really not so bad.

As you might guess, it’s a three-way romance (which I only recently discovered, so plenty of editing to do), but with a lot of sibling-ly vibes thrown in because none of the three of them can have what they want, partially because of each other.

Unfortunately, I only have two scenes with all three of them together, and none with the three of them alone. So instead of doing an excerpt, I decided to have a character interview and show you some of my notes to give you a hint of my writing process: just what goes through my head as I write and plan.

Without further ado, everyone please welcome Prince Montreal, Prince Negasi, and Princess Jenaiah of Eporue!

Jenaiah: Thank you, Miss Alexa. It’s wonderful to be here.

Montreal: Yes, spectacular.

Negasi: *smiles slightly* A true pleasure.

Me: Thanks guys! Let’s go ahead and get into it, shall we?

What was the darkest moment of your childhood that shaped your past?

Montreal and Jenaiah: *stare at me*

Negasi: *dryly* You like to start off with the hard questions.

Me: *shrugs* Breaks the ice.

Jenaiah: *frowning* What ice?

Me: It’s a saying, Jen. Don’t worry about.

Montreal: Then speak Uni, would you?

Me: We are speaking Uni. I’m just using a different version of it.

Montreal: *mutters* Peasants.

Me: I heard that, Montreal Omorede. Now you get to answer the question.

Montreal: *shrugs* Who knows what the darkest moment of their childhood is?

Me: I do.

Montreal: Then maybe you should answer the questions.

Me: I’m not the one being interviewed. Now answer!

Montreal: Fine.The moment my father told me he didn’t love me, I guess.

Jenaiah: *frowns* You know he didn’t mean that.

Montreal: Perhaps. Your turn, Jen.

Jenaiah: *deep breath* When our mom went... well, you know.

Montreal: Crazy?

Jenaiah: *shoots her brother a disgusted look* She had a nervous breakdown, Monty. It wasn’t her fault. Anyway, *turns back to me* Dad sent us away because of that.

Me: Very good. Now your turn, Negasi.

Negasi: *quiet for a moment* I’ll go with Jen’s.

Me: *raises an eyebrow* All right then, moving on.

What kind of a person are you today because of that?

Montreal: Do I have to answer?

Me: That’s what an interview means, Mont. Now, come on.

Montreal: Well... I don’t know. I guess I’ve decided I don’t love him either.

Jenaiah: *gasps* You can’t mean that.

Negasi: Perhaps now isn’t the best place to have this discussion?

Me: Shut up, Negasi; it’s the perfect place. *smiles at Monty* Go on, Monty.

Montreal: *shrugs again* There’s nothing left to say. My father hates me and I hate him. *sets jaw* And I’m perfectly fine with that.

Negasi: *rolls his eyes* You’re such an awful liar.

Monty: Apologies. *sarcastically* You’re quite good at it, you know.

Negasi: *frowns* I told you–

Me: I told you no fighting! And Negasi, I also told you before we started that you’re not allowed to insult your brother’s responses. Just for that, you get to answer next.

Negasi: I believe it was Jenaiah’s turn.

Me: Not if I say it’s yours.

Negasi: Controlling, aren’t we?

Me: Answer. The. Question.

Negasi: You can’t pry into people’s inner thoughts and emotions and not expect them to get testy. But, in answer to your question, I suppose I’m... more mature. Because Monty’s useless at everything, I became Dad’s advisor when Mother dearest went insane.

Jenaiah: Negasi!

Me: Jen, your brother is allowed to express his opinion. That’s what this interview is for after all. Now what about you?

Jenaiah: *still glaring at Negasi* I guess I’m more mature, too. I’ve had to take care of Mum all these years, while the boys get to stay at the palace.

Montreal: Being at the palace isn’t exactly fun either, Jen.

Jenaiah: *glares at me* Can we move on?

Me: Wonderful idea.

Who would you die for?

Me: Well don’t everyone answer at once.

Jenaiah: *thoughtfully glances at her brothers* I guess I’d die for my dad. Or my mum. Or Ainsley. Or either one of my idiot brothers.

Montreal: That’s sweet, Jen. But who’s Ainsley and why does he come before us?

Jenaiah: He’s–

Me: Uh... we’ll get to that later! Your turn, Monty!

Montreal: Well, like Jen said. I’d die for mum. Or Chasina. Or Jen. *glares at his brother* Negasi can suffer, though.

Negasi: *rolls his eyes* Touching, brother. I’m going to go with all of the above. Except for whoever this Ainsley person is.

Me: What about Alistaira?

Negasi: *meets my gaze steadily* You’re not allowed to modify my answers.

Me: I’m the author. I can do what I like. But this time, I’ll let you slide. Next question.

What are you good at?

Montreal: *smirks* everything.

Me: Gosh, you need to take that pride down a notch.

Montreal: You made me this way.

Me: No, you came out that way. I wanted you to be the sweet kind of boy who would fall for a servant girl, and then all of the sudden you up and decide to be some sort of Romeo!

Jenaiah: Who’s Romeo?

Me: Nevermind. Monty, answer the question seriously please.

Montreal: *confused* I just did.

Me: *sighs* All right then, Jenaiah?

Jenaiah: *thinks a moment* Nursing skills, I suppose. And... listening. Gotten quite good at that with Mum. *laughs without pleasure.* Knife-throwing, too.

Montreal: *chuckles* Yes! Negasi you remember the time she knocked you right off your horse with the blunt one?

Jenaiah, Montreal, and I: *laugh out loud*

Negasi: *smiles wryly*: I also recall that she did the same to you moments later.

Montreal: *opens his mouth*

Me: *interrupting* I said no fighting. Geez, you lot never behave. Negasi?

Negasi: *thoughtfully* I’m not a bad warrior.

Me: That doesn’t answer the question. I asked what you were good at.

Negasi: *shrugs* I already told you I was father’s advisor. I’m a tactician, a diplomat.

Me: Finally, a straight answer. Maybe we’re getting somewhere.

Montreal: Don’t gamble on that.

Me: Shut up, Montreal! Our final question is...

What's your greatest dream?

Me: And... silence again. You guys! I thought we were getting somewhere!

Jenaiah: *sighs* I suppose the boys should know. My greatest dream... is for the whole family to be back together again. The way we were. *shakes her head* But that simply cannot be.

Me: *pats her hand* You never know what’ll happen, Jen.

Monteral: You do.

Me: Eh. Sometimes. More often, I know about as much as you do.

Negasi: That’s comforting.

Me: *ignores him* Monty, can you answer?

Montreal: Well, you know. I want... I want to be with Chasina.

Me: *grinning* That’s a sweet answer. I think I like you again. Negasi?

Negasi: *stares at me and smirks* I plead the fifth.

Silence

Me: *mouth drops open* You can’t do that! How do you even know about that? You don’t even live in this world!

Negasi: *shrugs* Pays to know your enemy.

Me: I’m not your enemy.

Negais: Enemy, author, interviewer. All synonyms.

Me: You have to answer the question.

Negasi: I don’t.

Me: You do!

Negasi: Hardly.

Me: *glaring* Fine! Jenaiah, you’re my new favorite.

Montreal: What about me?

Me: You’re sweet, Mont, but you’re also an idiot and you have no tact.

Negasi: Been saying it for years.

Me: Shut up, Negasi! Ugh, I can’t believe you! This interview is over. I’m killing all of you off and sending Chasina to fall in love with Byronneus!

Montreal: You wouldn’t!

Negasi: No, she woudn’t. She loves your story too much.

Me: *throws clipboard* I’m done. *and stalks away*

Jenaiah: I don’t know if you should’ve made her mad, Negasi. What if she decides to kill you?

Negasi: She won’t. She likes me too much.

***

*huffs* That’s what he thinks, but I’m actually considering killing him off and not letting anyone end up together. True story.

Anyways, there you have it! A look into my insane writer’s brain and an interview with three of my favorite characters. If you write, I’d love to hear something about your writing process and current works-in-progress!

Also, I’m going to be gone all next week at a church mission camp, so I won’t be posting next Saturday.

6 comments:

Victoria Grace HowellJune 20, 2014 at 3:13 PM
Fun interview. :) They sound like interesting characters. Talking out my ideas to friends through chat usually helps my writing process then if I get something good I just copy and paste it to my notes. :)

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Charisma C.January 4, 2016 at 12:28 PM
This was so amazing!! I want to read this sooo much now! You will get this book published right? Right???
UnknownDecember 27, 2016 at 2:58 PM
It's really interesting. I love character interviews like this. And by the way, I also love the names you chose! Montreal and Jenaiah. Montreal sounds very...royal (though don't tell him I said that!) and Jenaiah is a sweet name.