Thursday, April 17, 2014

A to Z Challenge: O is for Outcast

This year, I'm participating in the insane awesome A to Z blogging challenge, which entails posting EVERY SINGLE DAY during the month of April, except for Sundays. Each day's theme corresponds to a different day of the alphabet: 26 days, 26 posts. I'll be blogging each day this month on some aspect of my current work in progress (WIP).

O is for Outcast

I know I must be confusing everyone by jumping around through various time periods, mythological figures, characters, and Uber Characters, but that's what happens when you try to write a book about two souls in six different lifetimes. I don't blame you if you're a bit confused; I have to constantly check my own darn outline to remind myself of what I'm doing!

So, just to recap before we move on: so far during this A to Z Challenge I've talked about the lifetime in Ancient Greece, where the souls are Apollo and Damon; the lifetime in modern Australia, where they become Nat and Taylor; and the lifetime in India (probably), where the souls are Emma (most likely), and an incarnation of the Hindu goddess Durga.

With me so far? GREAT. Now I'm going to talk about the lifetime in Tibet circa 600 CE, where our two souls are living as Tashi and Choden - and Tashi is learning why he wants to be an outcast, and Choden is, unfortunately, learning what it means to fall in love with an outcast. They're both members of farming families, living in separate but neighboring villages; Tashi is independent, creative, and rebellious to the point of absurdity (what we might today call contrary purely for the sake of being contrary), and Choden is...well, since I have yet to reveal the other Uber Character (letter R, folks), let's just call her a little more traditional.

The basic premise is this: Tashi and Choden meet, by chance, as children, and their relationship develops slowly and naturally over years as they grow up, and eventually fall in love. Normally it might be hard for kids from different villages to spend time together, but I've mentioned that Tashi is a bit rebellious; it's no problem having a secret friendship when you like breaking rules. When they reach adulthood, they find out that this entire time they've actually been betrothed to each other, arranged by their parents since they were very young, of course.

Happiness, right? Lucky chance? Not so fast.  There are two twists: first, Tashi has sworn that he'll never marry the woman his parents want him to (contrary, remember?); and second, Choden is betrothed to Tashi...and his two older brothers. Yes, that's polyandry, my friends. Check back in on letter P for that one.

If Tashi refuses to marry Choden with his brothers, he'll be rejecting the woman he secretly loves, and dividing the family - there's an actual word for this in Tibet, which translates roughly as 'fission', and it's a very bad thing. He'll lose all right to his family's land and money, and be forced to strike out on his own, as an outcast...and he'll lose Choden before he ever even got her. What does he choose? Well, I did just write a post about heartbreak last week...

23 comments:

  1. oh my-this is a conundrum! It is a shame actually that people still do not have the right to choose whom they want to marry

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  2. Wow! What an intriguing story! I don't know how you keep up with it all! But I sure am enjoying reading about their different lives! So, what does he choose?! Guess I need to head over to letter "H"--must have missed that one!

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  3. Each one of these storylines is just so enticingly intricate---you might end up writing a whole series instead of just one book!

    Okay, I'm ready to place my guess for R...rigid???

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  4. Great post for the letter "O." I wonder if you will name the book "Outcast"? Or maybe you are still mulling that one over:) I like the way the characters move into other lifetimes!

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  5. Oh so much drama! In a good way, of course LoL :)

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  6. Oooh. I bet Tashi will be Nat, won't he? I'm all sorts of giddy for figuring this stuff out. It's like a giant puzzle that my brain can't stop mulling over. Love it!

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  7. And will Tashi be okay sharing Choden with his brothers?

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  8. I'm with Nicki. This is steaming into an epic of epic proportions. :)

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  9. Yikes! Being promised to three people? Um, that's just insane.

    True Heroes from A to Z

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  10. It's amazing...not only are you challenged by juggling different timelines, you also have to post these in alphabetical order. I'd be dizzy keeping up with it all by now!

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  11. I honestly don't know how you do it. You have a complex plot and yet you have it organized like it's no big deal. I don't have that talent at all. It's going to be interesting to see all your twists and turns put together =)

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  12. LOVE IT!! So rife with glorious conflict!!!!! Write this book faster!!! lol!! :D

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  13. You really know how to set up impossible emotional situations. It hurts even to read the description.

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  14. This is a tough situation with lots of conflict. Great for a novel.

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  15. I hope your outline is detailed because it sounds like a complicated story. You don't want to get lost now!

    I have to admit, I'm not one for romances, but your book just sounds so interesting I'd make an exception.

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  16. What a tangled knot of a plot! :)

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  17. It's quite a complicated web but I'm sure it will make for an interesting read.

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  18. Yikes. I like the concept of wanting to be an outcast by choice.

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  19. Sounds like an interesting story.

    ~Patricia Lynne~
    Story Dam
    Patricia Lynne, YA Author

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  20. New follower here! Thanks for stopping by my blog, Liz.

    My grandmother was full blooded Japanese and her family disowned her for marrying an American. Same with my mother. Shame because the Japanese family is filthy rich wealthy. lol

    I guess love means more than any riches. ;)

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