"new" WIP - THE FINAL BRILLIANCY

I was on my novels tab today and realized that I don't have a description of the current novel I'm working on up.

Whoops.

Basically, if you've been tagging along for the ride, or if I've had to read some earlier scenes, or if I've asked you for book recs, you might remember that my latest WIP was called AN ORDER OF CARDINALS. The short description is on my novel tab. It's thriller with some light scifi elements about computer hacking and people hacking (or, in much less nice terms, torture) and alternate universes (sort of). It's probably my most commercial idea ever. 

But I couldn't really figure out my characters, as one of my CP's so astutely noted, and after about 10k, I put it aside, wanting to understand the voice and motivations of my MC better before I proceeded. 

Well, during that time another idea struck me. I've always wanted to write about prodigiously smart characters who are a little weird and a lot of awkward, who aren't just the "nerd" sidekicks of a story but rather the main characters. And I wanted to try my hand at a story with a more central romance arc, because while I love reading achingly beautiful romances (like the one between Kestrel and Arin in THE WINNER'S CURSE), romance hasn't had a main role in any of my novels so far.

So cue in the star-crossed chess* prodigies. Here's the real title, and a quote, and the slimmest peek at part one (literally the slimmest):

And now I'm about 30something k in, so I thought I'd share it with you!

That's a super short twitter pitch (which doesn't mention that it's YA, but now you know). The story is set in an ante-apocalypse time period and is probably considered light scifi, but in the fashion of WE ALL LOOKED UP (completely different genre, I know), the focus is never really on the nitty gritty of the world ending but rather how situational and psychological forces catalyze change, discovery, propel people towards each other--and away. That's why it's only light scifi.

But that doesn't mean I'm skimping on the strategy games and the chess, because I think chess is such an intense game and it's sort of depressing when you realize it's so male dominated and not really featured in YA fiction. Seriously, scifi about chess should be no less valued that scifi about space or hacking etc.

*but chess is extremely hard to write about (while keeping it accurate AND exciting). Luckily, I've recruited the help of the bf, who is very skilled at the game and helps me think through some of the game scenes.

so tldr: My current WIP is about chess. And about people--who can play the pawn--being used as pawns themselves. And about brilliant characters who sometimes don't know what to say to each other (and who don't even talk to me sometimes since I'm way below them), but who speak so much through games and strategy. 

Here's to hoping that I survive finals and get to write during my winter break.

If you're currently brainstorming or writing a WIP, I'd love to hear about it!