YA Indie Carnival: Current Work in Progress

This week at the YA Indie Carnival the indies are revealing their works in progress. I’m so excited to see what everyone is working on. Probably not a surprise to anyone here that my time lately is completely dedicated to finishing Shadows Rising, book 4 in the Midnight Guardian series. 

Here’s your first look at the full cover. We start SR in the days just after Midnight Child ended. Keira’s charge, Drew, has been kidnapped and she will do anything to get him back, even if that means marching right through the Empress’s front door.

Beta readers are calling it the most exciting installment in the series yet. Here’s a sneak peek.

The old-fashioned water well had a wench that lowered a wooden bucket on a heavy, thick rope that looked very much like the ones that they use on ships in old pirate movies. Thick as it was, it looked like it was original to the well. Ann was relieved that Arden had enough foresight to bring his own nylon rock climbing rope.

Arden looped one end around the wench support while Keira fastened the other end around her. When she was ready, Arden lowered her into the well.

A curving block wall surrounded her as she descended from night into total darkness. She fought the urge to hum or whistle, anything to disrupt the deadly quiet of the space. Once she was low enough that the light of her flashlight wouldn’t be seen from the surface, she flicked it on. She shone it below. The water, like glass, rested a good twenty to thirty feet beneath her feet.

Arden had slowed and was now stopping briefly after every half foot or so. He must have thought that the pass-through was close. Keira ran the light over the walls. It was all the same smooth block.

When her feet splashed in the water, she yanked on the rope. Arden stopped. It was all block, the same block, smooth and hard and going on forever. Keira gave the rope two tugs, their agreed upon signal for “up”.

Keira’s mind raced with possible next steps. If this entrance was sealed, the mogdocs had probably taken other precautions too. They would have to step very carefully.

She continued to spray the flashlight’s beam over the walls as she ascended on the unlikely chance that she had missed the tunnel. As she approached the opening, she shut the light off. The last thing they needed was to draw the attention of the mogdoc guard.

The instant her light disappeared, the rope stopped. Keira held quiet for a moment before giving the rope another two tugs. She looked up, but there was nothing to see. Water still dripping from her shoes bared the only sound.

She gripped the rope, readying herself to climb out. Then, without warning, the supporting end came rushing toward her. Keira plunged down, down, down, into the abyss. There was no time to scream; only time to take a sustaining breath and hold it tight.

I posted another advance excerpt just last month. You can read it here.

Be sure to stop by and say “hi” to our newest Carnival contributor, Terah Edun! Check out other works in progress, visit these author sites…