It’s going to be a real challenge
In June, I started a Novel-in-a-Year class at my library. Instead of writing my second book in the Drakkaen Nakkla series, which I’d already started, I chose to write something outside of the fantasy realm.
Here’s the premise:
A sports agent is framed for defrauding an eSports gamer out of a quarter of a million dollars. She goes to jail, and while she’s there, her three best friends—who have never met—join forces to find out who framed her.
The challenge:
I don’t know anything about being a sports agent. I don’t know anything about the law (one of the three best friends is a lawyer who quits her job to defend her best friend). It primarily takes place in Ohio, where I’ve never been. And trying to identify the real thief is going to require digital forensics, which I am unfamiliar with. My eSports gamer plays World of Warcraft, which I’ve never played. One of her best friends is a mother of a six-month-old child (I’ve never had children) and plays the cello (which…you guessed it…I’ve never played). Oh! And my protagonist is a hardcore athlete who competes in Ironman competitions at least once a year. And I can’t ride a bike more than a mile without getting a bruise.
So…what do I know?
How to research. I love learning new things.
I’ve already paid for a 3-month subscription to World of Warcraft Classic. My first character (first pic below) mistook a player for an NPC and died. My second player (the handsome hulk), I leveled up to level four before calling it a night. But just that little bit got me thinking all day about how it’s going to shape my story.
I’m really looking forward to the rest, and I’ll write updates along the way. Paid subscribers will have access to extras: character sheets, backstories, and scenes.
What’s next?
I’ll be planning a trip to Ohio (although not in winter). I’d love to check out the Ohio Ironman competition in July. And if you know of any lawyers who specialize in sports management, I’d love to talk to them. In the meantime, I wonder how much cello lessons are? You think I can learn Bohemian Rhapsody in a year?
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Kimberly Theo 