Black Friday Resumes!

I haven’t written much on Black Friday 2in a very long while, but believe it or not, I recall exactly where I left off in the story.  Remember, I’m not a person who has good recall of anything, so be scared.  Be very, very, scared.

When I last looked at the draft, I left the ragged and cold group at the threshold of what will become their base of operations for a while.  Right now, the place is in need of some work, especially in the ceiling department.  Most, if not all, of the cabins in the old resort have gaping holes or no roof left and the main building is the only one that has four good walls and trees close enough they can get branches for a good fire and, hopefully, material to make a roof to keep out the snow and ice.

I know a few survivalists and if they had come across such a place with a group of people with little to no wilderness knowledge, but a strong will to survive, they said they would scavenge materials from other buildings to repair the main one then, when the weather allowed it, they would then work on the others and figure ways to get, or make, adequate tools to do the work needed.

Now, it wouldn’t be too strange if some tools were left behind by someone who may have used the place prior to their arrival.  Who knows what they’ll find in the other buildings besides old kills and evidence of other animals using the places for shelter.  Either way, the resort has been abandoned for at the very least five years.  Being tucked away in the mountains, anyone, or anything, could have been there.

This story does take place in our modern world, but there will be fictitious places, such as this hidden resort in the Appalachian Mountains.  The group has been on the Appalachian Trail and have taken refuge beyond the northern most point just before winter set in and closed off the pass.  They’ll have a few months to learn how to use their new bodies and abilities while they learn about what they are.

A couple of the many buildings in their new home.

Come spring, there will be a few changes which Karina will have to handle and preparing for now with the aid of Hathor.  Once Hathor leaves, Karina is going to become a central focus and have an intimate connection with the world around her.  She’s already sensing some of it now.

I am keeping this to a first person narrative.  The story is going to be told by Karina, mostly, but Takesha and Nick will be adding their two cents in to cover absences by the loner of a leader.  Maybe Marcus will also say a word or two but he’ll be quiet as far as what He sees until book three.

Yes, there will be a book three.  Book two introduces the therian (soon to be renamed to something else) people to the world and cover the reactions of humans, from the zealots to the those of who don’t care what a person looks like.

They will also have to deal with one of their who will turn them in to  the authorities and be double crossed himself.  He’s been introduced, but I won’t give away who he is, yet.  That’s a secret to keep you coming back.  >;)

Nick isn’t happy with what he finds out.

Human nature will be making a big mark in the series, starting with therians being treated as bad, if not worse, than the Native Americans and African peoples in the beginning of the nation.  History has a way of repeating itself until people learn the lesson and move on.  I’ll be needing to do some history research before I go too much further.

Got ideas to add?  How’s your writing coming along?

Black Friday News

It’s Sunday again.  This week has been a busy one but not as hectic as before my birthday.  I found out Monday that I was being cursed during my week of vacation.  Not only was I out, but two others were down sick for a few days.  They were mega-short on techs and they were slammed.

Well… I didn’t expect anyone to be sick and neither did they.  Sometimes, Murphy’s Law likes to sneak up and backhand everyone just to see how well they can handle the pressure.  According to sales and the weekly reports, they handled it just fine.

But, that isn’t what this post is about.  But, it does hint at what will be done in Black Friday 2.  For the curious, I’m going to give a few ideas of what will be going to happen.  Much of this is what I think would naturally happen.    To help with it, I’ve watched a little Survivor Man, talked to a few people who have done similar things.  I’ve even sought out the opinions of co-workers and friends on how they think people would respond and how they would react to finding out if they were a therian or if someone they knew and respected was a therian.

Just think, this is the closest I have come to actually plotting out a story.  Strange… isn’t it?  Especially since I’m a write by the seat of your pants type of writer.

Karina, her mate, adopted son, and her son’s best friend and former pet have gotten their growing menagerie of new therians into a safe place where they can rest, heal, and learn while winter rages around them.  Considering the season and where they are, it won’t be an easy task surviving the cold ravages of winter.

Their first task is to patch holes in walls, windows, and roofs to get through the first big storm.  Think of this storm as the one we had at the beginning of Snowmagen here in Oklahoma and other states in the nation.  If you guessed a blizzard, then you will be correct.  Thankfully, this type of weather will work to their advantage.  For now.

If you are thinking what I’m thinking, then you know this is no global takeover by a smart, if clueless, mouse and his insane and funny companion.  We won’t even consider what the kids will look like if Binky and Pippy get married.

I’ve given this a lot of thought.  They’ll have to find food, learn to hunt while hunting, repair their new and possibly temporary home, while making sure no one but other therians will find them hiding deep in the Appalachian Mountains.  Their only real godsend is the place they found is off the main trail tucked away in a valley.

Tensions will be running high between them while personalities clash and spark heated arguments.  I can almost bet Karina will not be as calm when spring starts to warm the snow-covered land.  Other things will be happening as well when all of them realize that Nature’s call will affect each of them at some point or another.  By then, Karina will be ready to step in her role to give back to her people who their battle with the sorcerers took from them at their last stand.

Those diabolical magic users haven’t been wiped out.  Not by a long shot.  They’re doing their own planning and setting into motion plans which will threaten the peaceful therians in more ways than one.  The sorcerers will even have some help from someone among Karina’s group.  I know who that person is.  They’ll be shown why you can’t trust a magic user during their darkest hour.

Personally, I think this book will go well beyond the 50 or even 80K mark.  There won’t be as many time jumps and the POV will also change some to give the reader a better sense of what is happening and why.  Definitely won’t be dropping so many names like I did in the first but those I did use will be appearing at one point or another in this one.