M. Blankenship

Update on "Blood and Silver" formerly "Cursed by the Bite":
          
          I'm officially at 37K words written in the new version! Everything is moving somewhat smoothly (well, for me at least. Can't say the same for the characters involved). 
          
          Since things have changed in this story plot and character-wise, I'm really hoping readers of the original will fall in love with this version. I've learned that some of my best writing moments is amongst the quiet after the storm within the story, and I'm really trying to bring the psychological aspect of his home, because that's what the original revolved around: man vs. self, man vs. society, and man vs. monster. I want you, the readers, to understand both sides of the story, even if you may not agree with them, so I'm taking my time to weave all the doubts, insecurities, hope, etc. With that being said, I won't leave you without a snippet:
          ****
          Another win.
          Another dead.
          Another kill to be added to the ongoing tallies he was keeping track of back in his cell. If he was going to keep killing in the name of the RAM, he’d keep a count of how many lives he’d taken as punishment. It was a form of empathy stained with blood, but that was all that could be found within the Arena.

Update on "Blood and Silver": I'm still writing. I got 12 chapters into it before deciding to outline the rest just to have a roadmap of where to go in an attempt to write more frequently without writer's block.
          
          Needless to say, "Blood and Silver" will be longer than its original counterpart of "Cursed by the Bite." Currently, my outline is sitting at forty-two chapters, and I'm only 3/4 of the way through the story. The original draft was only around forty chapters.
          
          That's how much more character development and world-building I'm adding. "Blood and Silver" is nothing like what I had before. It's an entirely different experience now, one I'm hoping readers of the original will come to love.
          
          My plans for "Blood and Silver" is up in the air at the moment. I'm going to try to query it to literary agents. If I don't find success, I may see if I can pitch it here on Wattpad. If that's not successful, then I will self-publish it and likely enroll it in Kindle Unlimited. I promise this book will see the light of day someday, one way or another.
          
          If you're still here, thank you. You mean a lot to me. Here's a snippet just to show the difference:
          
          The body lying motionless in the blood-soaked grass would’ve made any sane person turn back. 
          Birdsong echoed through the tall trees, feigning an innocent song to hide the dangers among the thick shrubbery and dark shadows as the sun threatened to sink behind the horizon. Sharp clacks of branches hitting one another from the cool wind surging through the forest rattled the nerves of the hunters dispatched to clear the area of humanity’s greatest enemy: Cursed Ones – people turned into murderous dire wolves with a taste for human blood. Once bitten and turned, the host was no longer human and had to be exterminated.

To those who were with me through "Blood and Silver" AKA "Cursed by the Bite," I just wanted to update. I'm heavily rewriting it once again because I can do so much better now. I started the original draft when I was 18. I'm 27 now. I've had two short stories published, worked with some editors and beta readers, and I feel like I understand these characters more. I plan to query this one and hopefully get it traditionally published someday. I know it's been a very long time. I'm asking a lot if I request you stay with me through this process, so all I'll do is hope you will, and we'll connect again over the new version someday.
          
          I'm still here. I love you all, and thank you so much. :)

I’m having another short story published in an anthology! I’m finally getting paid for my work. I never thought I’d earn money from stories, and it’s such a surreal experience.
          
          Don’t give up on writing! Don’t be afraid to venture away from Wattpad.

It’s official: I’m officially a published author! Check out this awesome anthology about the start of something. My work, “The Salem Devil,” is a historical fiction story that follows Thomas, a man who becomes America’s first assassin during the Salem Witch Trials after his wife and daughter are murdered. Here’s the link!
          
          https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C5XY7V2B/ref=nodl_?tag=&dplnkId=ce28502f-20d7-4c3c-95b2-650610465099

I submitted a short story to an anthology, and it’s been accepted! I’m finally going to have something published! :)

I’m rewriting a bit of Blood and Silver, so I’m not sure when I’ll be publishing that one.
          
          Sorry, guys, but there’s parts that need chucked out and replaced with something better. 

I’m thinking about uploading Paradise Falls, a zombie novella that won a Wattpad contest on here a while ago, onto Kindle Vella. If I do, I would appreciate any and all support. ❤️

I passed my national pharmacy technician certification exam, so now I can turn my focus and energy back to writing. 

I got some more beta reader responses to Blood and Silver. Needless to say, I’m going to put its release on pause for a little bit. It should still come out this year, but I’m going to fix some stuff that was brought up. The bright side is, there’s not really any plot holes and the middle portion of it is strong. I’m just reworking some of it a bit.
          
          I may even rework Marrok’s overall character because the general consensus is that he’s unlikeable.
          
          It’s something I’ll have to stew on. I’ll keep everyone updated though!