Choose Hope

Unfortunately, there are other thingies I have to do, but I got a good chunk written in a reasonable amount of time.

The plot is staying pretty solid. Some of the pieces have rough edges, but I think it's coming together wonderfully. Draft 1 will of course require a lot of work, but draft 3 is going to be a very compelling story. As I delve further into "the old words," I'm less and less opposed to the idea of having a sequel. Originally, I thought to myself that I just want to write Meadowvale and be done with that whole storyline; I thought that I would want to move onto something with dragons or cyborgs or full-on magical stuff. I even have another story I've been sketching together these past few years.

However, Meadowvale is starting to provide an intriguing, mystical opportunity for taking that world farther. In a hypothetical sequel, I vaguely imagine Allison being a master rune-wielder of sorts; Alabaster and she might even be together. I could totally see her going from kind, bold, fearless healer rabbit to kind, bold, fearless magic rabbit.

I've been thinking a lot about hearts. As you'll see in the excerpt I chose, I've been thinking a lot about hearts and the power of choosing hope. The old words are going to provide great opportunities:

"What's on your mind?" asked Jeremy, plopping himself down nearby.
Skoar exhaled a curling cloud and replied, "too many things," and extended the pipe to Jeremy. "What's on your mind?"
Glancing at the pipe but not taking it, he asked, "Do you think there's any hope?"
Silently, Skoar continued holding the pipe out to him. He accepted it and took a long, slow puff of it, blowing out a few, wide smoke rings. After puffing a while longer, he asked again, "Is there any hope?"
Extending his hand to receive the pipe, Skoar replied, "Don't ask if there is any hope." He sent another curling wisp into the still air. "Ask instead if we will choose to hope."
"What do you mean?" replied Jeremy, taking the pipe again.
"What have you learned about the old words? If you speak from doubt, the words fizzle. If you speak with focus, the words act. When you ask if there is hope, there will be none. Ask yourself if you will choose to hope when it is most needed."