Beautiful Books: In Greater Hands (Introducing)

Hello, comrades! This is my first tag - a lovely NaNoWriMo tag by Cait and Sky, the hosts of Beautiful People during ordinary months, and it's called Beautiful Books. I am doing this for my NaNo project, called In Greater Hands.

It takes place in the near future, probably around 2100's, 2200's or so. And without further ado, I introduce it:



What inspired the idea for your novel, and how long have you had it?

Well, to put it down to only one of many sources, a dream inspired it. A long time ago (that is just me being dramatic, it was probably only about a year ago), I was sleeping on the couch and I had an odd dream, in which I was a space-lady of an elite space-team, and my name was Captain Rista (commonly called Miss Rista). So it, combined with my wish to write a non-historical story just to try it, floated around in my head and waited for an opportunity. That opportunity came in the person of a character called Vic Vance. One day I had the idea, just sitting and doing nothing, for a cool line that could a be a character's byline, their special quote. But I didn't want it to be any already-made character. He was new. Then I came up on that same moment with a whole scene and story idea right off of that quote, and combined it with Miss Rista's floating fiction fancy. So, I scene-plotted it, and now it's a story. Miss Rista turned into Miss Ristoff (she's Russian), and Vic became another main character, while my character, the MC, became a new bud on the stem - Leta. So thus, I kind-of owe the book to those two characters - Tsonja Ristoff and Vic Vance - my inspirations.

Describe what your novel is about!

Well, it's basically this: Leta Arsteva is a ward in a secret service dedicated to true global welfare. She has been training almost her whole life with her trainer and only friend, Lady Lecta, who is one of the presidents of the secret association. Leta's only daily goal is to train and become better so she cane help one day with the troubles in her explosive world. Then, things start happening. The Italian sub-president, also a council member in the secret association, is assassinated. Then coded messages of some unknown source are intercepted. Leta knows she isn't ready to face whatever is going on. She needs time, she needs help, she needs more skill. She thinks she can never make it. But, as Leta finds out, even the smallest effort can be the last drop to make a flood when it is placed In Greater Hands.














What is your book's aesthetic?

Well... I don't know how to make one with pictures but, words... I'll try to make one... here goes...










Even one drop of rain can cause a flood. Even one cloud can blot out the sky. Even one tiny living thing can make the world seem alive. But to reverse these things, surely much more must be done. taking away that one drop again will not stop the flood. Taking away that one cloud does not change that fact that it was there once. Even taking away that one tiny living thing cannot erase its existence. Thus, every memory, every effort, every small perfection will always count. Every single life will count. And nothing can take that fact away.



Does that satisfy? It's messy and a bit clech-sounding, but, who cares...










Introduce us to each one of your characters!
Okay, uh, this could take a while...








Leta Arsteva: First and foremost among the characters, I suppose, as the MC. A training soldier of age nineteen and Russian nationality. Sometimes rather worrisome, but almost always very alert. Brown eyes, flyaway wheaty hair, and very fit build.


Vic Vance

Vic Vance: Probably the second only to Leta in importance. A twenty-one year-old American who takes great pleasure in anything unusual or unexpected. Another trainee eventually. Dark coffee-brown hair, lime-green eyes, pretty tall at six foot four or so.










Tsonja Ristoff: Another very important character. A former satellite tracker of twenty-six years and Russian nationality. Skilled at decoding things, due to past career. Very straight and to the point. Icy blue eyes, almost white blonde hair, a slight bit over average height.










Maj. Bertie Fleming: The leader of a small but highly skilled task team. An Australian of twenty-seven years. Was a pilot formerly. Of strong and optimistic character. Caramel to brown color range hair, dark blue eyes, muscular build.










Lt. Sam Bastikka: A Jamaican widower aged thirty-eight. A pilot for the members of Bertie's team. Very hopeful and glad character, despite being far from home and his son, and being without his beloved spouse.








Lord Bryce and Lady Stacia Lecta: The directors, presidents, whatever you want to call them, of the secret service. Lady Lecta is also Leta's personal trainer. Both about forties-ish in age.

Tsonja Ristoff, and also my profile picture.

That is pretty much everyone of relevance to story as of yet. There are a couple unmentioned, like training-Sergeant Travers, but they're not important. Other main characters, such as Sam's son, Felix, and the Scottish special escort, Cyoran, will enter later.










How do you prepare to write?
Well, by getting a lot of All Hallow's Eve candy, and by getting two new pens. Other than that, I guess I scene plotted a bit. But that's less important. ;)






What are you looking forward to most about this novel?
Uh, characters! What else is there to keep you going?! Well, actually, listening to Il Divo's beautiful song Isabel is also a plus and inspiration for writing. But there is also a cool scene where Vance enters which I am looking forward to. I also may just have a characters death or two up my sleeve, you know, just for my wonderful readers. :)






List three things about the novel's setting.
1. It has a reinstated Russian empire ruled by a distant Romanov relative.
2. It take place mostly in England and Russia.
3. It has a large global aid service which is secret to most people.






What's the protagonist's goal and who or what stands in the way?
Well, Leta's goal is not only to do her job (which is protection, intelligence, and aid), but also to keep her homeland and leader safe (which, actually, her job does entail that...). The things that stand in her way are rogue societies, for one, LFS (the Liberic Freedom States), for another, and an unknown political opponent, for one more. Poor girl's got her hands very full...






How does your protagonist change by the end?
Well, Leta discovers the value of even the smallest effort, of even the littlest way. She realizes how important a life can be, and how vitally needed each one is. So she learns some pretty deep stuff. :)




What are your novel's themes? How do you want readers to feel afterwards?
Well, the theme is kind-of to recognize the value of every life, and of every effort. No effort, when given true endeavor, is ever in vain. Even the biggest failure, if it was still an endeavor in the right direction, is a valuable try. I am trying to make the readers feel like they can go out there and do whatever they're doing with all their effort, all their spirit, and be the better for recollecting themselves to the fullest extent in everything they do. I want them to feel empowered and ready to fight their battles. Although, I can also see them being really mad and throwing the book across the room, unfortunately. :P




Anyways, that is my NaNo project! My book In Greater Hands will probably have snippets posted sooner or later on here.




Your thoughts...? What did you think? Would you read it? Do you agree that Russian characters are super awesome?