A One-Word Title That Is Something Somewhat Symbolic:
A Story of Star-Crossed Lovers in a Controlling Society
by M. Nelson and M. Reed (that means Michelle Nelson and Meridith Reed)
Somewhat Symbolic is debuting on this blog before hitting the NY Times' Bestseller List. We'll let you know when our first book signing is. And when the movie is.
Dedication:
To Veronica Roth, Stephenie Meyer, Suzanne Collins, and other AMAZING writers who have inspired us throughout the years. But especially to Veronica Roth. Also to all of our supportive friends and family who put up with us through hours of writing and brainstorming and drafting! We couldn't have done it without you! Love you all! XOXOXO.
Volume 1
My name is Katrisna, and I live in a controlling society. I can smell it. I mean, we can’t even eat hamburgers.
I watch Garret from my window. We call him Six because his name has six letters in it. He calls me Na. It’s short for Katrisna, which is my name.
I crave safety and simplicity so I love my controlling society. But now it’s come between me and making out with my boyfriend, so I’m getting pretty upset.
Stuff happens. (I’m describing this in the present tense just to annoy you and to make you wonder if I’m going to actually survive this. Don't you dare read the end first.)
A person who is significantly close to me (was it my brother? my cousin? aunt? parents? I don’t remember) is killed by the controlling society.
Now I’m angry.
Hold on. I need to make out with Six for a few pages.
Now I’m angry again.
End of volume 1
Volume 2 with another One-Word Symbolic Name
Hey it’s Katrisna again. Actually it’s not. Never mind. This is Six. I’m narrating this novel. So when my person-who-is-significantly-close-to-me--I mean close to Katrisna--died in the last novel, I got angry. Because I love Na enough to care when her family members die and I care enough to start revolutions with her.
Did I mention we’re revolting?
Hang on, it’s time for Na and I to make out again. She smells like soap and wind and safety so it’s pretty refreshing to make out with her.
Okay, back to the revolt. I don’t want to admit this but I know of no other way to explain my character to you so I’ll just say it: I enjoy violence. Does that make me bad? Does it make you feel a bit icky inside even though you still like me because I’m described as hot a lot in the last book? (Na mentioned that, right? I’m really hot. She did say that. Right? . . . right?) I think it just makes you feel more sympathetic toward me because of my honesty. I mean, I know it makes me twisted and a bad role model that I like violence, but I love it about myself because it also makes me so interesting, and you think so too. It’s deep, y’know?
But my society doesn’t allow violence. OR making out--my two favorite things.
That’s why Na and I can only make out when we’re hiding from the guards who are EVERYWHERE. It's like we hardly ever get to make out. Like, ever.
Anyways, where was I? Oh, making out. Shoot, did I say that? I meant revolting. Oh yeah. The government is getting too controlling. Yesterday they took away my Glock 30 AND my bazooka. Today, it was my hamburger. I’m done with this smell of control.
So I'm revolting. How, you ask? Well just read the
End of volume 2
(Cliffhanger or what?)
Volume 3 with yet another One-Word Symbolic Name
next book. It’s really Katrisna again. I’m picking up where Six left off. You might know me as Na. We decided to go back to my perspective so that we can write volume 3.5 from Six’s perspective and make a lot more money. You can't really tell we are different people by reading our perspectives anyway. That's because we are that much in love and united. Not because we don’t have fully fleshed out characters with unique personalities and motivations. This is done on purpose.
Anyway, we are really revolting. It’s dangerous and I’m risking my life for this, but it’s worth it even though I like the control because I’m young and I want to be free and no one understands. NO ONE! And if I don’t do this, who will?
But I never wanted to be this cuz I’m humble and I really just want some peace and quiet. Unless I'm making out with boys. I mean Six.
But now I’m this huge symbol of hope and I bring the smell of happiness to everyone so I can’t back out now.
Anyway, we fought. People died. I think one of them was my best friend? I don’t know. All I care about is Six. Since I started making out with Six all the time, I don’t notice as much what happens to other people. In fact, did I accidentally shoot her? Can't remember.
But I AM really self-sacrificing and selfless and other good things. Believe me. I just don’t have time to develop that side of my character right now. Because ACTION. VIOLENCE. MAKING OU---Never mind.
Yeah, so Six and I are building the world again because it was destroyed in battle. We're making children left and right. But our government will be less controlling.
At least until our kids get old enough to rebel against us. They do have a smell of rebellion.
Tragic reflections for lots of pages. I hope you feel raw at the end of this because there were several hundred pages of violent and morally ambiguous situations that I just didn’t have the energy to type out. You try battling and killing and say you're not tired.
The end.
Oh that other character you love died too. That smelled like death, which is actually not that great of a smell.
The end for real.
Until volume 3.5 comes out.
