Young Writers Society

If the right people are present to warm your pagan heart, even a haunted house can become a haunted home.

~

In 1865, shortly before the end of the civil war, Hoy Robertson returns home from a hunting trip to find that his coven has been slaughtered by a rogue band of soldiers hired by his spiteful mother, who soon meets her end at the end of the family’s revolutionary war saber. 100 years later it’s 1965. The Kennedys have met their tragedy, men have walked on the moon, and Hoy Robertson is still very much alive and still being haunted by his mother as a god keeps ahold of his blue collared shirt to keep him to penance.

After years of searching for a spell to free him from the presence of his persecutor, Hoy finds a solution to the problem in the grocery store clerk who walked in on his magic and his ailing body. They’re both surprised by the others looks when going for a swim in the aqueduct on an early summer day. Both very much exposed for their witchcraft practices and very willing to spend the afternoon at Lindy’s to discuss Hoy’s problem.

Meet cute at the river turns into a lifesaver turns into a warmer bed for Hoy during chilly mountain evenings.

Oh my godddddddddddd y e s

even a haunted house can become a haunted home

Ahah, clever! Sounds like an interesting story! Do you have any specific goals in mind for Camp?

Ahh, this sounds awesome! Definitely the kind of story I like to read. I can't wait to see how everything plays out <33

I love your style and how you pitched this idea!! Best of luck this Camp season 💜

@Carlito @BluesClues @atlast Thank you all for your encouragement.
@ShadowVyper My specific goal for this story is to tie it into one of my bigger series that I’ve been writing for a few years about the personifications of the seven deadly sins and the seven heavenly virtues. This story features Patience and Greed as the deities controlling Hoy’s life.

Prompt 1: World-building

What world do your characters live in? A fantasy world? A sci-fi world? The real world? If in the real world - what place? What makes the world your characters live in unique? Describe in your thread what your world looks like.

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I’m writing a blend of historical fiction and fantasy so the world that my characters live in is fairly similar to the one that we currently live in. Or at least its history. Similarly to how Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter bent some details around his era to fit in certain supernatural elements, I’m working in the MC’s participation in the American Civil War.

This involvement is mainly told through flashbacks as explanations when the situation arises and the story is mainly set in 1965. Though the end cut scene might take place in modern times.

The characters live in Romney, WV with much of their history tied to the Appalachian region. There are portions of Romney that very much still feel like the streets of Mayberry but my story has certain dark elements brewing that disrupt Main Street USA.

It’s not a particularly unique world but it’s not designed to be unique. You’re supposed to be able to look at the town descriptions snd think about how this could have happened in any of the historical towns one might pass on the scenic highways.

The truth is out there.

Prompt 2: The Beginning

Have a think about your opening scene. Write about what plot points will be hit and what information will be shared in your first scene, or first scene that you consider to be important.

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May 9, 1965

May 9 is a significant day in American history for many reasons including the end of the Civil War and V-Day in relation to the Second World War. The town of Romney, WV, just like every other red blooded American town in the United States at that time, had chosen to have a parade and festival brought together by the different veterans and bikers club in remembrance of the times.

It just so happened that May 9 was the day that Hoy Robertson needed a ride into town from Mr. Culler in the early hours of the morning to pick up his truck from the garage. It was much too far to walk from his farm into town and too short of a distance to exert the energy for magical transportation.

Once he’s picked up his truck from the garage, he goes back to the Cullers General Store and Deli to help them with distributing food to the celebration goers. Barbecue was being served from church parking lots but some people would be popping in and out for chips and soda to go along with their meal. Hoy pays for the ride with a few hours work, exchanging glances with the Cullers son Francis (truly Martha) who was only there as Grandmother Dispanet’s herbalist shop was closed for the day.

After their work is done, Hoy offers to take Francis/Martha down for a ride across the mountains in his pick up and they decide to stop off at the aqueduct. On a whim, they decide to go for a swim where Hoy strips down to his boxers but with noticeable scars on his chest. At first, Francis/Martha wade in with their jeans and shirt on, but when the clothes get heavy, they have to ask Hoy if he’ll be comfortable with a secret.

Francis/Martha knew that as soon as they saw the scars on Hoy’s chest that he must have magically transitioned at some point in his life. When he asks what the secret is, they strip down to their underwear - a lacy bra with intricate flower patterns and a women’s pair of silk underwear. They go for a swim then, each discovering the other’s unique powers when they catch fish for supper, and go home to Hoy’s home to discuss the haunting of his building over a few beers.

prompt 3: The Villain

Don't neglect your villain. We may spend less time with this character, but it is crucial to the existence of the plot that your character's opposition be as believable and interesting as possible. For this challenge, either write about your antagonist's aims, characteristics, flaws, fears etc or, if you're feeling musical, write a lament-style song for them.

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In this story, the reader can’t really be sure who the villain(ess) truly is and that’s because there’s multiple villains!

So we can talk about one of the villains, Greed, one of the seven deadly sins who has become stranded on Earth. Their revenge and curse upon Hoy is because of a deal that Hoy’s mother made with them - in which Hoy’s soul was sold to Greed. Greed then gave the soul back to Hoy on a leasing basis until Hoy finished killing all of the people on Greed’s list that had wronged them during the course of Hoy’s lifetime.

Greed was mad about being stuck on Earth, allowed Hoy’s coven to be murdered, but made sure to save Hoy’s life. They pretend that they only saved Hoy because they needed someone to do their dirty work after the powers at be locked away their token of power. In fact, Greed loves Hoy and becomes very jealous of Martha as they have already been rejected by Hoy in their human form.

Eventually, Greed gets a taste of their own medicine after Hoy finishes the list and gets his soul back - the ownership of Hoy’s prison gets transferred to another’s mind.

@BluesClues I think you’ll enjoy the scene where Greed gets rejected.

@CaptainJack I am already VERY MUCH ENJOYING Greed as a villain in the first place, this is exciting stuff!!! I'm also looking forward to the scene where Hoy and Martha share their secrets <3

@BluesClues can I ask what makes Greed an enjoyable villain for you?

The j e a l o u s y I love a villain who's villainous at least in part because they're ~in love~ with the MC

Jack. Jack, this sounds amazing. Like, from the title to the blurb at the beginning, this already just sounds wonderful. What a fun way to write your love of historical fiction!

I have just one question: how queer will this be? please be much queer XD

Well @vincian both of the main characters are trans and otherwise queer. It’s a world where magical abilities and LGBTQ+ identities are accepted without the farmers and pitchforks coming out. And Greed, the god deeply in love with Hoy, is an ancient being that’s a genderless void of time and space, but still very gay.