So I'm winding down and am on the final round of edits for Voices in the Briars. And since it'll be another week before I open the file for further polishing work, I figured I might as well work on the book blurb and get that part rolling. It'll make for an easier process when I finally upload the manuscript and put together all the required info for different stores.
Anyway, here's the blurb, which is still open to changes before the book's release:
The reserves of St. Jerome’s orphanage have never enjoyed an easy life. Born with disabilities or deformities, they’re separated from the rest of the orphans and are marked for a future working for the guilds or in noble households as servants. At least that’s the belief for as long as the orphanage has been around.
Lóránt Kárpáthy was born mute and as such has become the target of bullies. He’s also drawn the attention of fiery-tempered Dávid Bodnár, an older boy who gladly takes on the mantle of Lóránt’s protector. The two friends find solace in each other’s company through shared daydreams and hopes for the future.
It’s a close bond that’s soon tested when David is adopted while Lóránt becomes the special beneficiary of a mysterious patron. A patron who sees to Lóránt’s education and sudden exclusion from the rest of the orphans when he’s sent to live in near solitude in St. Jerome’s north tower.
A childhood of colorful daydreams in spite of heartbreak falls prey to dark hallucinations that devour time. To the blood-soaked secrets of a family descended from a line of legendary hunters. To the appearance of a strange nobleman claiming the hand of a young man, a nobleman who brings his new husband to a sprawling manor hiding its own secrets behind its shut doors, its sepulchral corridors, and its army of silent servants. There are secrets outside as well—among seductive roses and hungry, whispering briars.
And woven among those secrets is the terrible truth behind St. Jerome’s reserves.
Set in the dark dreamscape of 19th century Hungary, Voices in the Briars is a gothic gay romance and a retelling of the “Bluebeard” fairy tale.
It took me quite a bit of digging around to make sure I'm referring to physical disabilities and deformities correctly in a general sense. Those needed to be specifically addressed in the blurb -- especially Lóránt's mutism -- because they play a very significant role in the plot. So hopefully I was able to nail it and bring the blurb up to speed with current accepted terms.
As noted, this book is set for a November 1 release, and it still stands. It's over three months out, and that's a good enough gap that will still allow me some last-minute tweaking if needed.
In other news, I'm already writing a crap ton of notes for The Perfect Rochester, in the process of which I'm being tempted to write another book in the Nightshade universe. That's very much up in the air, of course, as I've already sworn off series books, but the fun thing about the Grotesqueries collection is that I can still write non-series stuff in specific universes, making the books wholly independent of each other while weaving recurring characters into the plot as needed.
Like The Perfect Rochester focuses on Narcisse Nightshade, his story being completely unrelated to his twin's misadventures in mortal-immortal romances. True, Narcisse will still be enduring the inevitable melodrama that comes with being a primordial god, but it's not a continuation or even a partner piece to Viktor's story in Nightshade's Emporium. But both stories will be taking place almost simultaneously and will be overlapping here and there.
Also I have a tendency to over-explain things, so do bear with me. I've been up since 2:30 this morning, and that's keeping to my normal workweek schedule.
EDIT: Okay, I tweaked the blurb a little and might do so again down the line.
EDIT (7/23): One more edit of the blurb, and now it's in its final version. I've also uploaded the manuscript to Draft2Digital for pre-order, and that's also for me to download the .epub and see how the book looks. Further polishing may still be done, but we're nearly there.
No comments:
Post a Comment