My WIP!

Sooo, yes, I'm a very...fickle *clears throat nervously* person when it comes to WIPs.

I'll start a WIP and - well - not finished it. It's definitely one of my flaws, and I wish I wasn't like that. But, I'm a perfectionist, and if the book is not going the way I'd dreamed it to be, it eventually ends up disappearing into the unyielding abyss of my Google Drive *winces* Sometimes it's not just because I don't like the way the story is headed; sometimes I don't have enough research (the fate of A War for Independence). 

So after the death of A War for Independence well, that's cruel I got to thinking. If I'm to write a good book, I need to focus on where my passion is. That, my friends, is horses. Specifically, horse racing (and show jumping, which fits my abilities better *winks*). I adore seeing the power and speed of the incredible Thoroughbreds like Man o' War and Secretariat, who loved to run. 

So after reading the Thoroughbred series and watching Secretariat, Starbound (a very, very old WIP) was birthed, put a stop to, and inspired Hero's Victory, which inspired my latest WIP: Wanderlust.

So after that incredibly long intro sorry guys *laughs* I will now tell you what this post is about: my book! 

ahahaha, you probably already guessed that from the title LOL

Name: Wanderlust
Genre: Christian contemporary fiction and probably close to a YA novel
Word Goal: 40,000+
Word Count: 15,300 I have a long way to go *cackles*
How Many POVs? Two.
Setting: 2025, Ridgewood, Kentucky (a made-up town near Versailles)
Blurb: 
Fiona Scott is a young woman who wants to train a champion. Her gift in understanding horses is uncanny, and she’s the youngest unlicensed trainer in Kentucky, helping her father with every racehorse on Dreamland farm. She’s happy with her life, especially since her mare, Ginger, is going to have a foal; a foal she hopes to mold into a prodigy. But when she finds an odd golden locket in the woods that cannot be opened, questions start to rise to the surface about the coming foal’s safety, future, and past.
Cody Howard is struggling over the loss of a loved one. He’s hurting and miserable. Above all, his mother is moving him to Ridgewood from California, away from his friends and any memories he might still relish of his home and his old life. Ugly-hearted and angry at the world, Cody buries deep into a hole of shame and darkness. No one can draw him out.
But when Fiona’s mare, Ginger, brushes the brink of death during a near-tragic foaling, the two youths are drawn together. They start to unravel the mystery of the golden locket while training Wanderlust side-by-side. Can they press through the challenges ahead to success? Will they be able to save everyone they know from disaster, including Wanderlust? And will Wanderlust prevail to the highest peaks and win?

To explain Wanderlust more:

I am already in LOVE with my two characters! I adore Fiona Scott and Cody Howard.

Fiona is fiery, caring, and won't stand from someone being hurt. She doesn't really have a temper and can be shy in certain situations, but sometimes she does get a little angry. She has long red hair and sharp green eyes. She's tall and athletic, her middle name is Joanne, and she absolutely loves horses. The story follows her from ages thirteen to sixteen.

Cody Howard is blonde, hazel-eyed, tall, and handsome. He's gentle, quiet, funny, passionate, fearless, may be shy, or may be crazy (depends on his mood). He isn't too fond of horses at the beginning of the story, but learns to love them just as much as Fiona. The story follows him from ages fourteen to seventeen.

I definitely don't have a favorite MC right now. I guess I resonate with Fiona more since her personality is alike mine, but Cody is just as much fun to write about!

And of course we have to add the other MC *winks* The colt - a red chestnut with a whisper of gold shining through his coat and a scarlet mane and tail - is named Wanderlust because "wanderlust" literally means "lusting to wander." (the dictionary says "a strong desire to travel"). He wanders all the time around his pasture at top speed. He wants to run, he loves to run. Fiona sees that in him and thinks Wanderlust might have a chance of being a champion.

And then he severely injures his ankle and all hope seems lost.

This book follows the healing of Cody's heart, the saving of Dreamland, and how Wanderlust (aka Wander) recovers from what looked like an end to what Fiona saw as a fabulous and fun career. Will Wander have a shot at the Triple Crown? Or will their enemies prevail in crushing the farm and everyone who loves it into tiny, shattered pieces? And there's more: Fiona and Cody have to unravel the mystery of the golden locket. If they don't, so many things are at stake. Can they get through fires, rumors, kidnappings, ransoms, and dark secrets coming into the light of day? Will they learn to trust God fully in the turmoil, even if it doesn't seem like He's there?

I'm super excited to see how this story unfolds! I'll be sharing a snippet next Sunday. Do you want a sneak peak of Fiona or Cody? Tell me in the comments below! *squeals in excitement*

~Izzy~