Know The Novel: Introducing The Woodsman

It’s that time of year again! For the third time running, Christine Smith has brought back the Know The Novel linkup!

I did this last year, and it’s sooooo much fun! She created it for NaNo, BUT as she said, it can be used even if you’re not doing NaNo!

Since I’ve once more joined the King’s Daughters’ Writing Camp, that’s what I’ll be doing it for.

And this year’s project is The Woodsman! Maybe I’ll finally get a draft finished, haha.

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1. WHAT FIRST SPARKED THE IDEA FOR THIS NOVEL?

Well, it all started back in…October of 2018. I was looking up a bunch of unsolved mysteries (because I do that sometimes) and I came across one from Switzerland about this person who supposedly haunts the woods wearing some sort of cloak and a gas mask. Needless to say, my imagination snagged that and ran with it.

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2. Share a blurb (or just an overall summary if you’d prefer)!

Heh…heh…the plot has changed quite a bit since I first got the idea. Right now, it’s more of a…contemporary-ish? It’s not really the kind of mystery I tried to make it, but there’s still a bit of mystery to it…so as a result, I don’t really have a blurb.

But I shall try to explain: A hobbyist painter who works at a small antique shop finds something that does not quite belong in said antique shop because it is not an antique. However, she can’t give it back to its’ owner because she doesn’t know him, much less where he lives, and even if she gives it to his sister, the siblings happen to be estranged.

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3. Where does the story take place? What are some of your favorite aspects about the setting?

In the year 2000, near the foothills of the Olympic Peninsula, in a small (fictional) town called Marigold Hills. Originally a dying town, it was revived a tiny bit in the late ’80s when someone got the idea to turn it into a place for people to vacay at. Kind of like a retreat place.

Oh, and it mainly takes place during the fall and winter seasons!

My favorite aspects about the setting are the mountains, woods, cabin, and the general fall and winter aesthetic.

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4. Tell us about your protagonist(s).

Well, I was planning on having three, but now I might just have two. Idk yet. But for now, the protagonists are Nicole (name subject to change AGAIN) and Jonathan. Jonathan’s sister Susanna is the potential third POV.

Nicole is curious and tries to help in certain things while Jonathan is a grumpy hermit who is hardly seen by anyone in town.

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5. Who (or what) is the antagonist?

Jonathan. No joke. (Antagonists aren’t always villains)

But he’s only an antagonist up until a certain point.

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6. What excites you the most about this novel?

✨ C H A R A C T E R D E V E L O P M E N T ✨

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7. Is this going to be a series? standalone? something else?

Standalone. Though I would also like to do a collection of short stories and flash fics set afterwards…

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8. Are you plotting? pantsing? plansting?

Plantsing.

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9. Name a few unique elements about this story.

…I’m not entirely sure what-ohhhhhhhh. Maybe the LI being the antagonist is one thing that makes it unique.

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10. Share some fun “extras” of the story (a song or full playlist, some aesthetics, a collage, a Pinterest board, a map you’ve made, a special theme you’re going to incorporate, ANYTHING you want to share!).

Storyboard: https://www.pinterest.com/mosspack/the-woodsman-wip/

Playlist: https://www.pinterest.com/mosspack/the-woodsman-wip/playlist/

A collage I made a while back, which needs to be updated, and the temp cover:

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Well, there it is! Tune in next month for the next part of the linkup!