NaNo2015: An Anticipation

[meltintall3]

Lutherburg
by Meltintalle
NaNoWriMo 2015

How can you be certain of what you hope for when you can't see it?

Her encounters with a young preacher and his former rival shake the certainties which have been accumulating in our heroine's life while danger approaches from the outside.




This year I thought I'd take the questionaire from this month's Beautiful Books and introduce my idea that way.

How did you come up with the idea for your novel, and how long have you had the idea?
Speculative Faith occasionally hosts a 'write the rest of the story' event and the September 2015 prompt and a Sunday School lesson on Ananias and Sapphira gave me the (current) opening scene. (No, it's not one of the entries.) Also my sister wanted to know when I'd write "another one with planes in it."


Why are you excited to write this novel?
I can't pin down anything as being quite like what I have in mind, so, assuming I do this with any measure of success, it'll be a unique experiment. (...Oh, ha. I say that and immediately think of two books. (Tales of the Restoration by David and Karen Maines and The Song by Calvin Miller) Well, it's a lesser-traveled path, as in: one I haven't ventured down.)


What is your novel about, and what is the title?
The title is easy: Lutherburg. It's the city where most, if not all, the action in the novel takes place. The name comes from Martin Luther's famous hymn 'A Mighty Fortress is Our God' and hopefully conveys a sense of enduring security.

The setting is pre-modern; technology will resemble WWII in capabilities but the bulk of what you see has weathered a few years since it was installed. Once grand but grinding on, and should it be replaced or maintained?

The characters are people you might encounter in a world where the Church is the acknowledged source of law and order; preachers who shepherd their flock and others who tend to the needs of the widows and orphans and serve the King in various ways. And there are others who are looking out for their own ends and others who would rather dethrone the King.

A good portion of the climax is the seige of the city by the Enemy. There will be refugees and a dramatic defense and it'll make or break the characters involved.


Sum up your characters in one word each. (Feel free to add pictures!)
I still haven't found the right name for my heroine. I've considered Martha but that doesn't QUITE fit.

Heroine: Skeptical
Barnabas: Encouraging

Candace: Adventurous
Saul: Polarizing


Which character(s) do you think will be your favourite to write? Tell us about them!
I am looking forward to Saul, who will be a challenge. He exists to make bold proclamations and drive everyone out of their comfort zone (and also to attract death threats).


What is your protagonist’s goal, and what stands in the way?
She would tell you that her goal is success and recognition. Oh, and a job well done to have earned those things. A notable lack of progress on that front is driving her to cut corners which... means she's her own worst enemy.


Where is your novel set? (Show us pictures if you have them!)
Lutherburg, a city built on a hill.



It's an imaginary place, hopefully at least glancingly reminiscent of the landscape in Pilgrim's Progress.


What is the most important relationship your character has?
I don't know how often it will come up in dialogue or description, but thematically it _should_ be each character's relationship with the King.


How does your protagonist change by the end of the novel?
Well, she's been shaken up and remade... I intend to see her by the end a more gracious and hopeful person despite her difficulties.


What themes are in your book? How do you want your readers to feel when the story is over?
The novel's theme is faith, I think. My working summary/tagline questions Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." My heroine begins the story by doing the right things for the wrong reasons and a notable lack of conviction. By the end of the book, hopefully she and I will have a better notion of how to express the right things for the right reasons.


BONUS! Tell us your 3 best pieces of advice for others trying to write a book in a month.

1) Friends will cheer you on and may have advice when you're stuck
2) Give yourself some sort of structure. Be it "This story is what happens to this set of characters in a year" (very loose and informal) or "This story is a retelling of Cinderella" how else will you know when you get to the end?
3) Keep writing