As you may guess from the title, I am working on a Red Riding Hood-inspired novel at the moment. I am not as far along as I hoped to be, but I’m happy with where it’s going. Some life events and efforts to civically engage myself have delayed some writing progress, and it took me a little while to develop my characterizations and to settle into a decision on a dual-perspective for the novel. That was, honestly, my first instinct, but overthinking overrode it, and I ought to have gone with my instinct! After spending a few chapters with my Alpha Red Riding Hood character (whose working name is Rodric), I decided that he might be coming across as a bit too much of the stuffed shirt he sees himself as. Earnest and well-intentioned rule followers aren’t always the most inspired of narrators. My Omega wolf-inspired-character, (whose working name is Camryn), is fun to work with as the prickliest point of view I’ve written, and brings some needed balance to the perspective on Rodric’s character’s positive qualities and the story as a whole.

I’ll also credit a recent high school production of Into the Woods for this decision, as it helped me clarify in my mind that the temptation involved in the original heart of the fairy tale can be seen in two directions. (“There’s no possible way/ to describe what you feel / when you’re talking to your meal.”) No, no one will be eaten in this book, but the line still inspired me. Camryn is stressed out with the weight of responsibility for constantly freeing lost people from the enchanted forest near his home, but he is a perfectly civilized human being.

Now that I’ve settled into the dual perspective, made my map of the area and named all of the assorted gentry associated with my setting, and written fifty pages or so, I think I’m about one third to halfway to finishing the book overall when I look at it in terms of time involvement instead of pages. I’ll post another update when I hit a new milestone!