Cozy Corner: Unveiling the Journey of Glass Mountain Road

Hello there, Friends and Dreamers,

Welcome to the Cozy Corner. Pull up a chair and grab your favorite cup of coffee ☕️ (or tea, if that’s more your style!) I thought it would be nice to have a friendly chat over coffee, and let you know what’s been going on behind the scenes. I know I’m not the best at keeping in touch. If you’ve been following me for any length of time, you’ll know I have a habit of vanishing entirely for long periods of time. I’m working on doing better.

This will be the first of the new Cozy Corner series on my blog. Here, we’ll set aside the technicalities of the AI Assisted Writer series. Instead, I want to share the ups and downs of my creative journey, keep you updated on my projects, and offer inspiration for the challenges of being a writer.

So, let's dive right into the saga of "Glass Mountain Road." This isn't my first rodeo with GMR – we're on the fifth version, if you can you believe it. The fourth version, completed in 2022, felt like a triumph. Beta readers gave it a thumbs up, and I was riding high on that wave of validation. Then, as you do, I sent it off to a developmental editor – and that's when things took a turn.

Most of the feedback was positive, but there was a hitch – Act 2. For those who aren't familiar, I structure my stories in five acts, not the traditional three. Act 2, the part right after the gathering, was highlighted as the novel’s Achilles' heel. The editor pointed out that this was where readers might start to lose interest. The story was meandering and the tension sagged – not exactly music to an author's ears.

That feedback hit me like a ton of bricks. I found myself facing a wall of writer's block, the likes of which I hadn't had to deal with in ages. To address the issues in Act 2, I'd have to do more than just a simple edit – I was looking at a complete overhaul. Scrap almost everything in Act 2, saving the best bits for Act 3, and rewrite Act 2 from scratch.

Now, let's talk about the original Act 2 in Version 4. The focus was on Divar’s acclimation to life with Kulastan Clan, and his adaptation to the novel’s titular location, the glass mountains. However, two things happened to propel us from the gathering to the Glass Mountains.

First, the empire attacked the gathering right as Kulastan was about to reach the safety of the road. They narrowly evaded the first volley of imperial fire by invoking the road’s magic and crossing onto the Coyote Road. The second event was this trippy journey along the Coyote Road, wherein Kulastan Clan traveled to their new location.

These scenes were originally intended to be a bit of spice, an introduction to some worldbuilding elements that would come into play later on. In short, I barely scratched the surface of what might have happened in the previous draft. To fix Act 2, I had to rethink these events entirely. My first idea? Stranding Divar, Garis, and Marlin on the Coyote Road, forcing them to confront their differences and survive the chaotic, alien environment until they could either escape or get rescued. Sounds good on paper, right? But when I tried to flesh it out, it just kept falling apart. The tension wasn't right, the plot didn't click, and the narrative felt forced.

The real kicker, though, was realizing the domino effect this would have on the rest of the novel. I adore stories where everything's interconnected, where the world is more than just a backdrop, and every scene is layered with meaning. It's a delicate, intricate process, fitting these elements together. But it also means that changing one thing can send ripples through the entire manuscript. It's like watching a house of cards you've spent ages building suddenly collapse. That's what I was up against, and frankly, it was overwhelming.

After several months being unable to write, and a detour through the Tundra Unicorn Project, I finally circled back to GMR a year later, ready to tackle the beast that is Act 2. And, my friends, it’s been chaos. For the last six months, every chapter I’ve written has been a battle (and not in the good way.) I scrapped the idea of the Coyote Road detour entirely. Instead, I found a fate far worse for our characters – because isn't that what we authors do? Make things worse?

With that decision made, I turned my focus to the attack itself, and things started to fall into place – but not without a few stumbles. Untangling the mess that is Act 2 has been like playing a high-stakes game of Jenga with my own narrative. Every piece I moved, every chapter I reworked, felt like it could bring the whole story crashing down. But it had to be done.

Imagine standing amidst the ruins of a story you've loved and nurtured, armed with only a vision and sheer determination to piece it back together. This is where I am now, sifting through the debris of Act 2, trying to find the pieces that still sparkled amidst the rubble. I have to rethink not just the events themselves, but how they will impact every character, every future plot point.

Throughout this process, a new vision for "Glass Mountain Road" is slowly but steadily emerging from the chaos. It's like watching the phoenix rise from the ashes – a new form taking shape, more vibrant and compelling than its predecessor. This process, as painstaking as it is, is leading to a novel that feels more alive, more dynamic.

My focus now is not just on fixing what was broken but on reimagining the narrative's very soul. This isn't just about patching up holes; it's about weaving a new tapestry from the frayed threads of the old.

As the revised Act 2 unfolds, it's bringing with it deeper explorations into the hearts and minds of Divar, Garis, Marlin, and the rest of the Kulastan Clan. The attack on the gathering and the journey through the Coyote Road are no longer transient events, but catalysts propelling our characters into uncharted territories.

If nothing else, this journey has reaffirmed one thing – the heart of the story remains unchanged. The essence of what made "Glass Mountain Road" special to me, and hopefully to you, my readers, is still there. It's simply finding a new, more robust expression. And with this renewed vision, the working title 'Glass Mountain Road' feels less and less like a fit for the story that's taking shape. The novel is evolving, and soon, it will need a name that reflects its new identity.

With "Glass Mountain Road" undergoing such a transformative phase, I find myself at a crossroads of creativity and practicality. It's a thrilling, albeit slightly daunting, place to be. As the contours of the new Act 2 take shape, I'm making a decision that feels both necessary and a little heart-wrenching: to temporarily suspend posting new chapters online.

This pause isn't a goodbye, far from it. It's a strategic retreat, a chance to delve deeper into the heart of the story and ensure that every piece fits perfectly in this intricate puzzle I'm assembling. For those of you who've been with me on Ream, you've got the whole journey up to this point. And if you're following along on Wattpad, rest assured, there's enough content scheduled to keep the story alive until late February.

This hiatus is an opportunity for me – to untangle knotted threads, to smooth out the narrative wrinkles, and to align the story with the vision that's now guiding me. It's a promise to return with a narrative richer and more compelling than ever before.

While GMR takes a brief respite, other projects are taking shape. "Love, Death, and the Veil Between" continues to unravel its mystical threads, with Episode 02 soon to be teased on Ream. For the full experience, I'd love for you to join my newsletter where the complete story will unfold.

Additionally, I'm venturing into the realm of mystery with the first draft of a novella that promises intrigue and suspense. This project is still in its infancy, but I'm eager to share the journey with my subscribers, offering you a front-row seat to the creative process.

In the coming weeks, I'll also be reevaluating the tiers of my subscription service, making sure they align with the evolving nature of my projects and the desires of you, my readers. Keep an eye out for updates on Ream where I'll announce these changes.

So, while "Glass Mountain Road" might be stepping back into the shadows for a brief moment, the stage is set for new stories to bask in the spotlight. Your continued support and patience mean the world to me, and I can't wait to share these new adventures with you.

Stay tuned, Friends and Dreamers, for there's much more to come. As always, I'm grateful to have you by my side, sharing in the triumphs and challenges of this ever-unpredictable path of storytelling.

For those who wish to stay closely connected and updated, I invite you to follow me on Ream. Here, I'll be sharing smaller, more frequent updates, offering glimpses into the day-to-day happenings of my writing life. It's a space where we can continue our conversations, and where you can be a part of the ongoing narrative of my creative process.

Until our next Cozy Corner chat, keep dreaming, keep creating, and above all, keep believing in the magic of stories.

With heartfelt thanks, I look forward to our shared path ahead.