So it's been a wild year for me. There have been many lows and unexpected highs, but I'm still here and I've begun relocating the fragments of the second book of the CLIMB that I've already completed. Everything became unorganized following the abrupt move I had to make at the end of the year. But it's time for me to get serious about the second installment of the CLIMB series, (Codename: Second Story).
The CLIMB began as a coming-of-age tale about a fourteen-year-old boy named Marc August. After the unexpected death of his mother (Maria August), they moved to the mysterious town of Sunset Heights, Washington with his father as his mother's dying wish. Having left them a humble house to live in, they both took the plunge in the hopes of respecting her want for them to have a new start in life.
Marc and his father find themselves adjusting to life and work in the seemingly quiet town apparently in the middle of nowhere. Marc enters taking his first steps at a new high school, Sunset Heights high school, where he quickly befriends the enigmatic Jessica Montgomery and the innocence of Jerome Halloway. His world is soon turned upside down as a string of murders and missing persons plague the town.
In time Marc inadvertently discovers a piece of the town's dark secrets. And soon is embroiled in a world hidden in plain sight. And comes to find out that all the scary stories told to frighten children over the centuries regarding Vampires, Werewolves, and countless other cryptids and supernatural beings have some grasp on the reality of things.
Eventually, after a fateful and violent encounter, Marc is quickly indoctrinated into a secret organization hidden within the school's interior simply calling itself: the CLIMB. A group of humans reborn with certain souls of renown that grant them unique foresight and abilities.
The CLIMB: First Steps took the reader on a journey through Marc's first trials and encounters as part of the organization. The story also touches on Marc's mental health and deals with concepts such as fear, anxiety, coping with the loss of a loved one, and having to really handle all these issues simultaneously all the while maintaining a functional daily life at school and at home. Also covered are the effects of bullying in the school environment.
The CLIMB: Second Story continues a few weeks after the explosive conclusion which took place in the first book. Having the foundation of the stories worldbuilding set up, the second installment will dive even deeper into Marc's internal issues as he continues to cope with his new responsibilities as a member of the CLIMB, all the while keeping it secret from his best friends and trying to live a normal life alongside it. Some of the issues will include the continuing mourning of his mother and the questions that place doubt in his mind such as why his mother really wanted them to make a living in a place like Sunset Heights. The issue of not knowing the identity of the soul he possesses. It will be the forefront of self-discovery as he continues to walk deeper into the unknown.
Also, the continuation and expanded influence of his best friends Jessica Montgomery and Jerome Halloway and just how much he has to learn about them and the mysteries of each of their lives. How much can he learn about those he calls his best friends while keeping details of his own life a secret? Marc will continue learning to cope with the struggle of having to balance multiple lives while trying to honor the bonds of true friendship. There is also the inclusion of a boy seemingly on the run named Mason O'Malley, whos enshrouded in mystery for the first portions of the book. Is his presence in the town a gift to the hero, or a detriment to everyone?
New and deadly antagonists both in the forefront and behind the scenes will be introduced to the series hellbent on obtaining their sacrilegious goals. An organization in direct opposition to the CLIMB is introduced and a tug-of-war for the fate of the town will be waged on a large scale. As for school life, new opposition to peace will be introduced such as new characters in the form of bullies who will constantly test Marc and his friend's resilience and emotions. Kids will be kids after all.
Lastly, the presence of the mysterious red-haired girl who became present at the conclusion of the first book will be expanded upon, adding further intrigue to the ongoing long-term narrative.
The second book is halfway complete, with a rewrite on the way. I'm confident in the foundations I've created and the series has garnered a healthy fanbase who are eagerly looking forward to the next installments. I am the only person who writes, edits, rewrites, and manages its creation in its entirety until it's ready to be tested at final publishing. So the time it takes to ensure the quality and understanding of its intertwining plots and information takes a bit longer than a normal team of writers working on a single story. I'm thankful for the patience everyone is having when it comes to the concept of a potential release date.
I will continue to do my best to focus on creating a worthwhile and intriguing narrative that continues to blend; multiple religious themes and accurate information regarding the history and aspects of all things supernatural, taken from many cultures and locations across the known world. Just like the first book, the story will have many details that are able to be picked apart and scrutinized alongside real historical facts. I hope to keep it fun for those who love to delve deeper into the layers of lore.
