And that's The Academy of Ambrosia.
I have a lot of thoughts.
First topic: You.
Thank you so much for your support. The confidence and excitement that I've received from having people reading my work has been tremendous. I love the comments—even the simplest TFTCs show me that I'm not just putting stuff out into the void and that people actually like my work. It really makes me enjoy doing this.
Writing this story and getting it out into the world has really been a life-affirming event for me. It has confirmed to me that I really, really love writing (don't ask me about editing), and want to make this a full-time career. My "reasonable" ambition is that I'll feel comfortable making this my full-time job by the start of 2028. I'm ready to work hard to get there.
Second topic: Book 2 - The Summer of Legends [and the future of the series]
The plan is that odd books will be school years and even books will be the summers between. So books 1, 3, 5, and 7 are Archie's four years at the Academy. 2, 4, 6, 8 are the summers after, although I'm considering combining my plans for books 7 and 8. We'll see once I get closer. I have each act planned out for each book, it's just a matter of what is going to be most effective going forward.
With that being said, it's time for the book 2 blurb:
The first year of school is in the books, and the students of the Academy are off for a summer abroad.
The Cafe Julienne crew travel to Labrusca, Julienne’s birthplace and the land of feudalism and bounty, where he has been tasked to find the world’s rarest truffle. But he will soon find that nothing is as simple as it seems and that the fame of the Julienne name is not always a blessing.
Archie, Nori, and friends embark to the ancient, spiritual land of Khala to research the origins and effects of Gluttony, discovering ancient legends that could change the future of Sain and Petrichor. But ancient legends are often guarded by ancient creatures, requiring Archie to learn the ways of combat from the legendary Head Chef Picea.
While Archie trains, Nori works at the docks where she sees firsthand the impact the Harpers have had on the impoverished people of Khaldeer. After a year away at the Academy, Nori is just a narrow sea away from home, and there are Harpers in the water that want to see her returned.
Third topic: Wait, we haven't talked about the first book.
The book, oh my god, the book. It's done! It's all out there!
I started writing it December 31st, 2023. I couldn't wait for the new year. I finished it around...March? April?
And it was messy. Let me tell you about that rough draft.
Chapters 1-21 (up to the Blanche/greenhouse chapter) stayed consistent in events (but were vastly improved in writing). The first major deviation we get to is Archie and Nori. In the rough draft, Archie and Nori were best friends. Almost immediately. She was still emotionally closed off in the first few chapters, but they never bickered. In fact, Archie never bickered with anyone. He was smoooooooth. Not smooth like James Bond. Smooth like generic MC #1 who is agreeable to everything. No scruples. He was still plagued with immaturity about stuff like financial matters, but he didn't sass anyone. He didn't throw fits. He didn't get annoying about his family pride. I turned the dial up on his unlikeability, which in a strange way made him more likeable. I think I rode the line a little too close on not giving him enough redeeming qualities early on, but hopefully now that you've read what I'd shamelessly claim is a great character ending in Chapter 63 - Self, the early pain of dealing with Archie was worth it.
Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
Chapter 22, though...Originally, it was titled...Harper Kent Catering. Archie found out about his grandfather in chapter 25. Mr. Ackers turned into a Glutton in chapter 27. Archie busted out of prison-kitchen in chapter 33—and by busted out, I mean that he was rescued by Aubergine and did nothing to save himself. Chapter 35 was Lifted Spirits—Archie needed a break. Chapter 36 was Winter's Blossom, a happy chapter where everything seemed to have been solved.
Yikes. Poor Archie. That's an eventful 20 chapter stretch in which he is attacked by great-dane-sized lizards, finds out his grandfather was a Glutton, has it out with Rowan and Nori, creates a Glutton while witnessing child abuse, and gets imprisoned and tortured. Hell of a first semester.
So this is where the rearranging starts and the biggest flaw of the book is created—Archie dragging his feet on getting Nori's gold. I justify it with financial immaturity—I know that when I was 18, I went months without looking at my bank account because it stressed me out. But as a reader, having this conflict delayed for so long creates a bit of a negative experience. It's my least favorite thing about the book. Anyway, back to that rough draft...
The second semester started mostly the same, but Archie was battling some much heavier PTSD. The Four Children chapter (one of my favorites in its final state) was originally just an Anise history lesson. Narratively bland. But then we had some advanced potion making in Anise's class in chapters 43 and 44. That magic was too advanced for this point in the story, so I salvaged Akando's lesson about takuskanskan and punted the rest of the chapters into book 3.
Chapter 45 started our Cafe Julienne arc. Very late into the story. Of course, there was a bit more gravity when Waldorf burst into the kitchen considering he had tortured Archie.
And then chapters 51-61...wait. I can't tell you that. For as much craziness that has happened at this point (a full book's worth, judging by my final version), the climax of that rough draft was EVEN MORE dramatic and consequential than anything before it. Too much for a book 1. So that's being shifted around for the book 3 climax.
Archie didn't grow much in the rough draft because there wasn't much to grow from. It wasn't a coming-of-age book. It was just standard fantasy with a food-themed twist. I'm so proud of what it became. Archie's proud of himself, and I'm proud of me, too.
Some scenes that were completely absent in the rough draft:
The orange jacket chapter—the jackets were not magically dyed at that point. The lounge chapter. The 3 Pomona class chapters were just 1 and much, much more boring. Both elevator chapters. The scene of Anise in the dark. The chapter in which Archie goes below the arena and talks to Tataki. Archie feeding Stop Him/Crysanth—again, Archie had no growth...he never found that charitable spirit. Yikes. And lastly, with the exception of the jacket ceremony, all of Self was new.
I almost pressed publish last year in May. So glad that I didn't and rewrote the book instead. It's still got a lot of flaws, but I can see the mistakes and am learning from them.
Last: Questions for you, questions for me
Answer any that you'd like. (you can even copy and paste!)
Who was your favorite major character?
Who was your favorite minor character?
Which character grew on you?
Which character are you dying to see more of?
What was your favorite scene of the first semester?
What was your favorite scene of the second semester?
What was your favorite piece of magic?
How do you feel about the next book (and rest of the series) being told in 3 POVs?
Did you notice any writing ticks / repeated phrases that I should be aware of?
And then any questions y'all have for me, fire away. I'll keep coming back to this comment section to answer anything.
Thanks for reading all my rambling, and thanks for the support. More good stuff to come!
And of course, we're gonna end it with a popularity poll. Remember, if you found Waldorf repulsive, in a weird twisted way, that makes him one of your favorites.
read all the way through chapter 30 for $10 on Patreon.
The Dao of Football and is as ridiculous and funny as that sounds.
Which four characters were your favorites in book 1?
