Hiya wonderful people! It’s been forever since I’ve posted on here, but today, in the spirit of random awesomeness and NaNoWriMo, I will be rambling on about my current work in progress, Of Vampires and Cherry Limeades.

  This post, and two upcoming ones, are inspired by and basically stolen from Christine Smith’s Know The Novel Link-up. You can read Part One here! She’s one of my favorite bloggers, so I highly recommend checking out her blog anyways 😉.

The Questions

  (All of these are from Part One of the link-up)

1. What First Sparked The Idea For This Novel?

There I was, sitting in a Chick-fil-A, watching a friend draw. The picture was of a teen girl with colored tips in her hair and wearing on of those half-heart necklaces (you know, the ones friends and couples wear). A rebel. The guy was never drawn, but it was mentioned he’d probably be a nerd in a turtleneck sweater.

The nerd and the rebel… I liked that.

In the utter mess of a different novel, I decided to put in my nerd and rebel, calling them Eric and Carla, and making Eric a vampire on a whim.

Eventually, when I dumped that novel, I chose to give Eric and Carla their own book, having no idea as far as plot, except girl-meets-vampire, evil vampires show up. The song Ready Or Not by Bridget Mendler was stuck in my head, and I had a first line: “C’mon girl, you, me, explosives, it’ll be fun.”

And the novel Of Vampires and Cherry Limeades was born.

2. Share A Blurb (Or Just An Overall Summary)!

Um, let’s see…

Carla Lexington claims she doesn’t want love, especially after the mess with Miguel, that she just wants to find her sister, but when she meets Eric Redd, she can’t help but fall for the adorably awkward vampire.

Eric Redd has been surviving on coffee, friendship, and rock music, while trying to keep up with his chaotic boss, the vampire Prince Maikal, and keep his skeletons in the closet. But a pink-haired skater has stolen his heart, and the closet door’s opening.

  When Maikal is attacked, and as Carla chases the ghost of her missing sister, they find themselves at Sânge at the same time. And, of course, they get in deeper than they need to, and end up attracting a lot of attention…

Sânge, for the curious, is a group of ancient, almost immortal, vampires steeped in black magic. They desperately want a vampire-ruled kingdom, and will impale anyone who tries to stop them. 

Will Carla’s obsessive searching and Eric’s desperation to protect everyone and fix his past leave them – and their gang of friends – dead?

It’s not the best, and all of it, the third paragraph especially, is subject to change, but there you go.

3. Where Does The Story Take Place? What Are Some Of Your Favorite Aspects About The Setting?

  It takes place in an alternative America, in an average size town by the name of Lancet. It’s a world where humans, supers, vampires, and werewolves exist and live alongside one another in relative peace. Relative.

Honestly, I like building a world where werewolves and vampires are actually a part of it, rather than just being the angsty outsiders. It’s been a pain, though, trying to figure out how the races interact, and all that.

Ah, then there’s this coffee shop in downtown Lancet called The Dragon’s Lair… The front counter is three desks pushed together, none of the pieces of furniture match, and there’s a loft. And it’s everything I want in a coffee shop.

Lastly, Of Vampires and Cherry Limeades takes place in the summer! Summer is for young love, ice cream, fireworks, s’mores, lake trips, 90’s rock, staying up till two am at sleepovers, sunshine, bare feet, evil vampires,  and all other happy things.

4. Tell Us About Your Protagonist(s)

Hehehe. My favorite part. May I introduce you to my book children…

Carla Lexington (MC)

My happy child. She’s a pink-haired skater who’s fierce yet loving (sometimes too loving for her own good), and will kill anyone who messes with those she loves. Her love language is quality time, tacos, candy, and rock music.

You’ll find her in ripped jeans and a Skillet tee, scooping ice cream at Please Don’t Scream Ice Cream, quite possibly either driving herself mad hoping Eric will show up, or obsessing about finding her sister.

She has the hardest time forgiving herself for anything, and she blames herself for Lydia’s kidnapping three years ago. Finding her sister is her #1 goal.

Eric Redd (MC)

My emo child. He’s living off of coffee and music (he’s a die-hard Orange Plate fan). Adorably awkward, but always tired, my boy struggles with both depression and anxiety. He’s ridiculously sweet, though, and his love language is physical touch, acts of service, music, and barbeque.

You’ll find him at The Dragon’s Lair, hiding in the loft with a mug of mocha-something-or-other, with Keagan and Lash: his best friend (who basically lives with him) and adopted brother.

His dark past still haunts him, and let’s just say I’ve discovered negative character arcs…

Lash Redd

My former circus kid. He carries throwing knives, a habit he picked up in the circus, and he used to be a lot of things… But currently he’s Eric’s adopted brother. He has the strongest faith of their friend group, and is an oddly good smuggler.

Keagan Last-name.

A leader-type with too many sketchy ideas, Keagan is Eric’s energetic best friend, and is voted most likely to do something illegal and end up in jail. Basically, he’s the sarcastic extravert of their “gang”.

Brie Li

This sweet and sassy vampire is Keagan’s girlfriend, a giant Marvel nerd, and she has a mild addiction to Oreos. That’s all I really know about her.

Olivia Oliveria

Yes, that’s her real name. Don’t laugh, however, because this Brazilian werewolf will fight you. Fiery and fiesty, she’s “not” afraid of anything except rejection. She’d fight Muhammad Ali if she got the chance. She also has dibs on Miguel, btw.

Miguel Ortego

He’s a Tadashi, for the Big Hero 6 fans out there. His #1 priority is providing for his 5 year-old brother, Duke, and his mom (who’s terminally ill). After them, he’s extremely protective of his friends – and his food. Miguel has the strongest moral code of these people, but he’s a bit of a player.

Joseph Ricci

My quiet Itallian werewolf works at McDonald’s, where he “McHates” people. He was sort-of adopted by Miguel, has werewolf-related amnesia, despises salad, and reads history.

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  Well, that rounds out my cast. There’s a few more side characters, but I don’t feel like rambling all day long.

5. Who (Or What) Is Your Antagonist?

*Cue evil laughter and dark, stormy skies*

Sânge, a centuries-old black magic group, was thought to have disappeared a long time ago. But they’re not dead. A string of impalings have shown that all too clear… They want a vampire-ruled kingdom, and will stop at nothing to get it.

They have a occult/mafia/gang feel, and they kinda scare me, and no one’s cluing me into the evil plot, but at least they talk to me occasionally.

And then there’s Louvain, my thuggish underling. I shouldn’t like him as much as I do, but I do. I adore his dry sense of humor, his logic (“why don’t you just kill them” sorta feel), and the fact he wears beat-up running shoes. He’s the type to offer you a cup of coffee after shooting you. It’s delightful.

6. What Excites You The Most About This Novel?

  I’m so, so excited to play with this cast – does anyone else ship their characters? There’s so many weirdos,  but I love them all. They make me very happy.

Playing with vampire and werewolf tropes and cliches is definitely towards the top. There’s so much you can do with them, and there isn’t much for Christian vampire/werewolf novels out there so…

And it takes place in the summer, which makes me very, very happy.

7. Is This Going To Be A Series? A Stand-alone? Something Else?

Of Vampires and Cherry Limeades is going to be the first in a series, or at the very least, a duology. I have a sequel brewing in the back of my mind, but depending on how much that blows up, it may grow into a series.

Not to mention, my werewolves are campaigning for their own book(s).

So this cast may keep me busy for a while, despite the dozen-or-so other story ideas trying to get my attention.

8. Are You Plotting? Pantsing? Plantsing?

Plantsing! I’m trying very hard to have some form of outline going, because I don’t want a total trainwreck, but at the same time, I need the freedom to write whatever I want. We’ll see how this goes.

9. Name A Few Unique Elements About This Story.

Let’s see. I have two main branches of vampires: the “regular” ones: basically people who drink blood (mostly animal), teleport, turn into bats, and can see in the dark. Then there’s the dark-magic practicing ones, who mostly drink “sacred bloods” (human, werewolf, super, and vampire blood), don’t have a reflection, can be killed with sunlight, and compel others.

Secondly, vampires and werewolves are actually a part of the world, have their own sub-cultures, and aren’t hunted/slayed (well, legally).

There’s quite a bit of diversity in this book, as I have Puerto Rican, Brazilian, Korean, Italian, and African-American characters. This is mostly the work of my writing buddy, but there it is.

I also want mental health to be one of the themes, as it’s something I’m passionate about. 

10. Share Some Fun “Extras” Of The Story

Okey dokey people. I have a happy little giant Pinterest board Here, which has sections for each of my book children, my villians, the random things that inspire me, and memes that sum up the writing process.

And I don’t have an “official” playlist, but here’s some songs that have inspired this novel and/or characters:

• Ready Or Not– Bridget Mendler (Opening scene)

• Mine – Taylor Swift  (Carla)

• Trouble – Taylor Swift (also Carla)

• Heathens – Twenty One Pilots (vioin/cello/bass cover) by Simply Three

•  BTS Epiphany  – The Piano Guys

• We Don’t Believe What’s On TV– Twenty One Pilots (Eric)

• Voices – Switchfoot feat. Lindsey Stirling

• Kiss The Girl – Stellar Kart

• Unwell – Matchbox Twenty

• Demons – Imagine Dragons (Eric)

• Hate Myself – NF (Eric)

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Snippets:

1. Carla’s POV, lovingly titled “The Ice Cream Scene”:

“Here you go, darling,” I say, handing a sprinkle-covered ice cream cone to a little girl, who laughs and wastes no time diving into it.

“Thank you,” her mother says.

“You’re welcome.”

Once they leave, I turn around and find Hope doing the salsa to the pop music overhead. I’m confused, but whatever helps the ‘epiotome of despair’ make banana splits.

  The door chimes and I spin around. Eric and another vampire come in. I can’t believe it. Is it him? It’d better be. It is.

He’s awkward, stumbling around and bumping into people, mumbling apologies while trying to readjust the one earbud. His friend steers him with nudges. Unlike Eric, he’s confident and composed.

They walk up to the counter.

“Welcome to Please Don’t Scream Ice Cream,” I say with an attempt at charm.

“Hi, I’d like a scoop of chocolate-caramel on a waffle cone,” his friend says.

“Alrighty,”I say, entering it into the machine. I smile shyly at Eric, who doesn’t notice. His eyes scan the vats of ice cream. His friend elbows him. “And what would you like,” I ask.

His eyes, such a beautiful shade of dark red, meet mine for a brief moment.

“Uh… Ice cream. – You knew that,” he says, looking down suddenly. He toys with the loose earbud while searching the vats. “Um, tha- that one,” he stutters, pointing to the mint chocolate chip.

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2. Eric’s POV, “cute sick scene”:

Carla curls up next to me, her body strangely cold next to mine. “I brought popcorn,” she says sleepily, nudging the bowl towards me.

“Thanks baby,” I say, wrapping the blanket around her. She snuggles in closer and rests her head on my shoulder. Brushing a strand of pink hair out of my face, I hit play on the movie.

She’s asleep before the opening credits finish rolling.

Her mom comes in and smiles softly when she sees that Carla’s passed out. “Do you want me to move her, hon,” she asks.

  “No, I don’t mind. Wouldn’t want to wake her.”

“Do you want me change the movie?” She glances back at the TV. “This is as chick flick-y as it gets.”

•••

Carla wakes up halfway through the movie. When her eyes first open, they’re deep oceans of black.

“Car-” I begin.

She closes them for a minute and opens them again. “Are they still black,” she asks in a scared whisper. “Please tell me they’re brown.” They are.

“They’re mocha eyes, all coffee and chocolate.”

“Yo dumb,” she says, blushing and stretching. “Sorry for sleeping on you.”

  “I didn’t mind.”

She nods, then gasps and presses a hand to the bite on her neck. “I’m gonna go take my meds, I’ll be right back.” She stumbles to her feet. “Mom?!”

Silence.

“Right,” she says, coming back into the living room. She hands me a green pill bottle. “I can’t read this. What’s the dosage?”

“Two pills every three hours,” I say, triple checking it.

“So. I gotta wait an hour,” she says, glaring at the wall. She fake-throws it across the room before actually putting it up. “Thanks.”

Heyo, people, we actually made it to the end of this giant post! Thank you so much for reading this and taking or feigning an interest in my rather odd book!

What have you been up to? Do you have any WIPs of your own? How’s life treating you? As always, feel free to comment below or shoot us an email!

Until next time,

Rebekkah W.

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