Death Comes in April

 In Kell's Blog

This may be crazy, but I’ve decided to try to write 15,000 words in April for Camp NaNoWriMo. My project is Once a Stratton, a historical fiction novel set in the 1850s (1855-1858).
What is Camp NaNoWriMo? Well, if you’ve been following me long, you know what NaNoWriMo is (if not, it’s a basically a writing challenge). Camp NaNoWriMo is a much more relaxed version of NaNoWriMo. I can answer any questions about it in the comments.
Anyway, my goal is to write 15,000 words in April. But wait, you say. What’s Once a Stratton about? Well, I anticipated that question, so you can now find a summary (and my awful WIP cover) on the Works-in-Progress page.
I also started a Pinterest board for Once a Stratton, which I’m slowly adding to. (I’m working a lot on my Pinterest boards just now, actually … I’m trying to get all my information sorted!)
Thanks for reading,
~Kellyn Roth

  1. Are you participating in Camp NaNo? If so, would you like to join my cabin? Comment with your Camp NaNo username, and I’ll invite you!
  2. What do you think of Once a Stratton? Does it sound like a good book?
  3. Have you read any good books set in the Antebellum South? Let me know about them, because I can’t find a single historical novel set in that era!
Showing 55 comments
  • Amelie
    Reply

    Yay! Camp Nano! I’ve decided I’m actually going to try because I spectacularly failed at normal nano. Also I just realized I have never read a book in the antebellum south??? Like what??? I’ve read so many books but I can’t think of a single one in the antebellum south… Well that just makes me more excited to read your story ? (also my username is northernireland ?)

    • Kellyn Roth
      Reply

      Yeah, it’s weird. I haven’t either … except I guess the Elsie Dinsmore books …
      (you’re hot … XD let’s hope I found you and not some random other person or this could be awkward …)

      • Amelie
        Reply

        I didn’t get the reference for a moment and I was so confused and yes I am 😉 You did find me and not another random person 🙂

        • Kellyn Roth
          Reply

          It’s a random reference that no one but myself gets because it’s a book few read … 😉 Whew, good, ’cause that would have been EXTREMELY awkward …

          • Amelie
            Reply

            At least it’s not it person. Probably my favorite thing I’ve ever done is run up to someone screaming my friend’s name and hug them really tight. Spoiler alert, it wasn’t my friend 😉

            • Kellyn Roth
              Reply

              Wow, that’s … really awkward. I’m continually mistaking people for people who aren’t who I thought they were. (Yeah, that makes sense …) But yeah, they weren’t that people … and they give me weird looks. Like, “Why are you screaming that random name across the parking lot …?”

              • Amelie
                Reply

                I have the great curse of overusing the words “Hey mom…” or “Hey dad”….. let me tell you its gotten me into some really awkward situations……..

      • Amelie
        Reply

        Also right now my nano just screwed up and I’ve been kicked out of all my cabins????????? What the heck nano???

        • Kellyn Roth
          Reply

          I reinvited you, just so you know. 🙂

          • Amelie
            Reply

            Thank you so much!!!! I’m going to have to awkwardly beg my other blogger/nano friends to re-invite me to their cabins 🙁

  • Lana
    Reply

    1. Yep! I’m going to be writing a MG novel about dragons (which you may have heard me mention once or twice). And sure, that sounds fun! Mine is bookishgirl23, but I probably need to make my novel first…heheh.
    2. Yes! I’m so excited to read it!
    3. Ummm… *doesn’t know what the Antebellum South is* So, probably not.

    • Kellyn Roth
      Reply

      1. Yes, I’ve heard you mention that once or twice. I want to read it! I actually really enjoy MG dragon fiction, believe it or not. 😛 But yeah, I can’t invite you until you create a project … but no hurry. 🙂
      2.Yay! *can’t think of anything else to say*
      3.pre-Civil War South, basically. And I’m starting to wonder if such a book exists …

      • Lana
        Reply

        1. Yay! I mean, if you didn’t like dragons that might be a problem… I love them. I have to leave like right now, but maybe I can do it when I get back!
        3. Um…I’m sure there’s books like that! Somewhere…

      • Lana
        Reply

        Ta-da! Novel made and ready to go. 😉

  • Angela R. Watts
    Reply

    Wow, Kellyn, ‘Once A Stratton’ sounds super amazing! Does it take place during the Civil War, or not? Either way- I love this era/setting! 🙂 This story sounds interesting…. you can write it! And you can certainly hit 15,000 in April! 🙂
    I am doing Camp NaNo, God willing! 🙂 My goal is to rewrite what I can in Seek…. but I am just really hoping I have time. But, gotta be optimistic! 🙂 😛 I’d love to join your cabin, too! (I didn’t have a cabin last year…) My Camp NaNo username is The Peculiar Messenger.

    • Kellyn Roth
      Reply

      It starts about six years before the Civil War and goes until about … three years before? That’s actually what Antebellum means … “before the war.” (I had to Google it … I’d heard the word but I wasn’t sure …)
      I can’t invite you until you create a project, but when you do, I’ll definitely invite you. 🙂

      • Angela R. Watts
        Reply

        Gotcha! Most of the books I’ve read then take place during the war… 🙂

      • Angela R. Watts
        Reply

        My project is up now, also. ;D Just not sure what setting to put it on so you can invite me?

        • Kellyn Roth
          Reply

          Let’s see … there, I’ve invited you! 🙂

  • Crystal
    Reply

    I’ve never heard of Camp NaNoWriMo before this… (although it sounded familiar until I figured out that it was from the creators of NaNoWriMo.) I’d like to do it, but I honestly haven’t planned or thought of something I could write… Maybe next year or whenever the next one is? 🙂

    • Kellyn Roth
      Reply

      The next one is in July, and then April of 2018. If you ever want to participate, let me know … I’d love to help you get organized (though you … probably don’t need my help … I should stop offering stuff like this to people … I don’t want to make it seem like I think you can’t do it yourself or anything …)

      • Crystal
        Reply

        Good to know! Thanks. (I don’t mind that you offered to help me. It shows me that you really care about others! 🙂 )

        • Crystal
          Reply

          This ( 🙂 ) doesn’t look like a smiley face… lol 😀

          • Kellyn Roth
            Reply

            It’s a very, um, calm smile … 😉

            • Crystal
              Reply

              I’m looking on my notifications and now it looks like a smile. I visited your blog (not through the reader) and commented on your blog. I thought that the smiley face was a bored face… oops. 😉

        • Kellyn Roth
          Reply

          (Okay, good! I don’t want to come off as superior, as in, “I might deign to help you …” because it’s not like that at all!)

  • H.G.Reilly
    Reply

    Hi Kellyn, what is your username on Camp NaNo? Mine is H.G.Reilly 😉

  • May Everly
    Reply

    First, agh Once A Stratton sounds so cool, especially with the whole “I can’t deal with slavery” thing!
    Are you participating in Camp NaNo? If so, would you like to join my cabin? Comment with your Camp NaNo username, and I’ll invite you!: I am participating in Camp NaNo, but I already have a cabin. 😛 I’m being QUITE courageous and shooting for 17,500 and ALSO participating in NaPoWriMo. *smacks forehead* What am I getting myself into…
    What do you think of Once a Stratton? Does it sound like a good book?: It sounds super interesting! I am really for equality and all that, so hearing ths portion of “enslaving human beings regardless of color” thing made me really excited. XD
    Have you read any good books set in the Antebellum South? Let me know about them, because I can’t find a single historical novel set in that era!: No, I haven’t! Probably because I rarely read books with settings that take place in our world, hahaha…

    • Kellyn Roth
      Reply

      Well, good luck with that! I know you can do it! (okay, I don’t, but I still think you can do it … although I really don’t know a lot about NaPoWriMo … but I hope you’re able to do it.)
      Yeah, slavery was a very bad thing. It’s always awful when people decide that some of their fellow human beings are insuperior (spellcheck is telling me that’s not a word … but I can’t figure out what word I’m looking for) for some reason or another. Kinda sucks. But yeah, it was awful back then … good thing it’s better now. 🙂
      So we both need to read different genres … 😛 Haha, just kidding!

      • May Everly
        Reply

        I shall try. XD They’re probably not going to be quality poems, but whatever. 😛
        I know. I’m glad you’re addressing it in your book! 😀 (Do you mean inferior?)

  • Elle Stevens
    Reply

    AH!! I can’t wait to read this, Kellyn!! It sounds so good! 🙂

  • Brianna
    Reply

    Good luck on NaNo!
    Antebellum means pre-war, right? ‘Cause post is after… Anyway, I have, actually! I don’t recommend it in anyway, shape, or forum, but the first… quarter I think? of the Elsie Dinsmore series is set in pre-Civil War south. I don’t remember which state. Like I said, I really don’t recommend it, theologically wise, writing wise, character wise… it was an unfortunate series. It did give me most of my vocab, though, so it has that going for it. Anyway. And there’s also Turn Homeward, Hanalee, which is /much/ better. It takes place during the war, but from a southern girl’s perspective and it has glimpses of life before the war.

    • Kellyn Roth
      Reply

      Yes, antebellum means before the war. I’ve actually read most of the Elsie Dinsmore series … and I think North Carolina, wasn’t it? Or South Carolina … or Virginia. One of those. I don’t know if it was ever stated. Thank you, I’ll look that up! 🙂

  • Rebekah
    Reply

    I’m participating in Camp Nano! I would love to join your cabin! My username is Bek@h B00.
    Your book sounds super interesting.

    • Kellyn Roth
      Reply

      I’d love to have you in the cabin, but … I can’t seem to find you on the Camp NaNo site?

      • Rebekah
        Reply

        OK, I’ll check that out and get back to you. Weird….

      • Rebekah
        Reply

        Try again now. I defined my writing project so it may work now. It’s Bek@h B00(the o’s are zeros, I’m not sure if that’s clear in this font XD )

        • Kellyn Roth
          Reply

          Okay, great! I was able to find you this time. 🙂

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