The Language of Worlds: Kelpie O'Brien, the Twelfth Dancing Princess

HAPPY WEDNESDAY, M'DEAR DRAGONS! Today, I'm delighted to take part in my very own The Language of Worlds challenge 😉, and share a little sneak peek my current WIP!

A quick recap: The Language of Worlds is a character linkup -- think Beautiful People, but tailored to speculative Christian fiction. Anyone (writing Christian spec fic or not) can join in at any time! Click here to learn more.

A couple months ago, Spring Song Press announced its latest writing contest -- a fae-themed anthology, called Oath & Iron. And because (a) it's a writing contest, and (b) FAERIES!!!!, of course I have to enter! Thus, the past several weeks have been spent toiling away at happily conceiving a story... Fjord Phantom: pirates, pumpkins, apples, Norway-inspired, faerie-mortal romance, and a hint of Greek mythology.

This linkup, I'm focusing on the star of Fjord Phantom -- Kelpie O'Brien, my protagonist and the youngest (now all grown up) of the Twelve Dancing Princesses.

Without further ado, my responses to the latest edition of The Language of Worlds...

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1. INTRODUCE YOUR CHARACTER & HER STORY!

How about a synopsis, instead? (Le gasp, I WROTE A SYNOPSIS!) 💜

Princess Kelpie O’Brien has known the legends of the fey courts her entire life. Still an infant when her eleven elder sisters danced for the fey folk, the closest she’s ever come to a Faerie is through the stories her family tells her.

But when her last unmarried sister finally weds, Kelpie is sent to the kingdom of Norland to explore ship-building… and a deadly accident flings her into the arms of a fey man -- if only he weren’t on the run.

Suddenly, Kelpie’s world is overturned and she is thrust in the fey realms, where she becomes entrapped in Faerie circus, must compete against the compassionate Moon Queen, and fights to survive the darkness of autumn. The only one who can help is the fey man who rescued her. But when Fire consumes him, she is cast into the depths of the Underworld -- and this time, her only hope is herself.

2. WHAT DOES SHE LOOK FOR IN A FRIEND (CONSCIOUSLY OR SUBCONSCIOUSLY)?

Strength and compassion -- two things of which Kelpie finds herself rather lacking. She's never considered herself strong (mentally or physically), and relating to others' sorrows is not her specialty.

3. IF SHE COULD STUDY ANY FOREIGN LANGUAGE, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

Elvish! (Pray disregard the fact that I've yet to read Lord of the Rings! 🙈) It's a romantic language and Kelpie likes romance. 😏

4. WHICH PERSON FROM THE BIBLE WOULD SHE BE BESTIES WITH? WHY?

King David. I'd like to think he was terrified of Goliath, but we know that, with God's help, he overcame his fear and saved his people. Kelpie's story is about finding her inner strength (and compassion) and overcoming her fears -- something that, as a cynical girl in search of stability, she does not learn easily. 💕

5. IF SHE WERE TO VISIT FOR A WEEK, WHAT WOULD YOU DO TOGETHER?

We'd go to Seaworld! Because honestly, I think Kelpie would adore marine life. 😁

6. WHAT IS HER IDEAL FUTURE?

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LOL! 😂 Kinda? At the start of the story, she's determined it's marriage -- that finding a good-hearted nobleman will solve all her problems. But as the story progresses, she learns that such is not the case. 😉

7. IF SHE WERE TO SPEND A WEEKEND ALONE, WHAT SORT OF PASTIMES WOULD SHE PURSUE?

Reading! Lots and loooots of reading. 😊

8. IF YOU COULD SEND HER A CARE PACKAGE, WHAT WOULD BE IN IT?

• Chocolate
• A magical-creatures-themed coloring book
• Colored pencils
• The Moon Master's Ball by Clara Diane Thompson
• The Harry Potter heptalogy
• Every Ashlee Willis book in existence
• Uninvited by Lysa Terkeurst
• A brown, fuzzy, plush dove 💞

9. IS THERE A SONG THAT DESCRIBES HER JOURNEY?

Almost every single one of my characters has at least one song that could be applied to their journey. But for some reason I can't think of a way to limit Kelpie to just one?? 😅 So here's a whole playlist, instead 😜:

10. WHAT IS HER PLACE IN THE STORY (HERO, ANTIHERO, VILLAIN, SIDEKICK, ETC.)?

Heroine! Of course, there's a hero, too (it's a joint effort 😉). 💝

Dragons! Are you writing an entry for Oath & Iron? Have you done The Language of Worlds, yet? (Maybe I'm biased, but I totally think you should do BOTH! 😉)

❤,