A little status first: Over the last few days, I have cut 7,000 actual words from THE SHAMAN’S CURSE. With that, and the previous cuts, the manuscript has gone from 113,000 calculated words (at 250 words per page) to 101,000. My goal is to get it under 100,000 words, so I’m getting close. I left 3 scenes that I had marked for possible deletion. I decided they were doing work that I actually needed and if I cut them, I’d just have to write something else to replace them. I may still do that, or I may trim these scenes, or I may leave them as they are. I also marked another 800 words to consider deleting on the next pass through.
I’ve also spent a little time working on the query for BLOOD WILL TELL. March is ticking away and it’s time to push this baby out of the nest and find out if it can fly.
Here’s a portion of the query in it’s current form (subject to change without notice):
Valeriah is half werewolf, unable to take wolf form, but still inconveniently driven by the full moon. She uses her werewolf strength and instincts as bodyguard for the elite and powerful of Chimeria, a world where magic takes the place of technology and the varied magical races vie for the power once held by the dragons.
When an unknown enemy tries to kill her cousin Crystal, Valeriah steps in to protect her. Forced onto the defensive because she doesn’t know who wants Crystal dead, or why, Valeriah accepts assistance from Rolf, a stranger who has helped save Crystal once already. However, she suspects that he has his own reasons for being interested in the women and their inheritance.
After dodging a third attempt on Crystal, Valeriah decides their best hope is to escape Chimeria through one of the portals and try to hide out in Los Angeles. When Rolf reveals himself to be a dragon in disguise, their alliance almost falls apart. An unexpected assault on Valeriah pulls them back together and leaves a trail for them to follow, first to the man who attacked Valeriah and from him to the man, and the reason, behind it all.
And when a werewolf and a dragon go on the hunt together, their quarry better start to worry.
BLOOD WILL TELL is an urban fantasy novel with elements of paranormal romance, complete at 95,000 words.
Meredith Mansfield, Author 