“I’m afraid I can’t let you in. Lady Harmony is not to be disturbed.”

The nurse, wearing her light blue scrubs and traditional white hair net, was at least as young as Lady Kristen. Definitely no older than nineteen, at any rate. Being surrounded by all these juniors was making Lady Dominique worried about her complexion. She was turning twenty-nine in a few months, and she’d already noticed crow’s feet in the corners of her eyes. That worry line between her eyebrows was beginning to show as well.

She had to smile more. Her mother had always told her that. So had the Charter.

Dominique cleared her throat and picked a happy thought: tearing Queen Skyla’s hair out. The smile came easy. “I’m sure you can make an exception. I am the Second Lady, and my duty is to ensure the well-being of the First Lady.”

“Right now that’s Doctor Leeland’s duty,” the nurse replied. Her eyes were apologetic. “Sorry, my lady, but he was very clear about it. No visitors, not until we figure out what’s wrong with her. Queen Skyla’s command.”

Queen Skyla. She didn’t know what was going on. Her head was as dense as the moon rocks. “Have you any updates on her progress?”

“Sorry. That would be classified.”

“May we at least speak with Doctor Leeland? Surely he knows something new by now.”

The nurse shrugged like she didn’t care. “Doctor Leeland is on the other side of the medical bay, running some tests. He said that neither he nor Lady Harmony were to be disturbed until he was finished.”

Well. That was that. Lady Harmony was not getting a visit from them today. Perhaps it was for the best. If she was still in a coma, she wouldn’t even know they were there, and she wouldn’t be able to make note of it in her logs. If there was not a note made, when promotion time came around, it would be like the deed had not be done, and an opportunity may be lost.

Dominique was about to say her good-bye pleasantries when Lady Kristen suddenly piped up. Her eyes were ablaze and her hands were fists, but Dominique noticed the girl’s shaking legs. “Section 6, Chapter 4, Rule 247 of the Lady’s Charter states that no Lady is to be without Lady companionship during her stay in a medical facility. It is her right! And if her rights aren’t abided by, the very foundation of our organization would–”

“All right, all right, just…just wait a moment.” The nurse frowned and peered down the empty hallway. “I just don’t want to get in trouble. Quick, before the doctor knows.”

After inputting her security clearance, the nurse led them down a secure hallway. All of the doors along the corridor were sealed and it was a narrow space; Dominique tried not to think about all the death that plagued these rooms.

“So, how did I do?” Lady Kristen whispered. She looked like she was ready to explode into giggles. Practically hanging off Dominique’s left side, Lady Méline also looked amused, in her mousey, shy way.

“What do you mean?” Dominique asked.

The nurse looked back at them and gestured for them to hurry up.

“About me lying to the nurse, of course!” Lady Kristen squealed, covering her mouth so that the woman couldn’t hear. “You know there’s no Section 6 in the Lady’s Charter, right? Well, I mean, there are rules about how Ladies should have other Ladies with them in times of distress, but–”

“Yes, yes, of course.” Dominique waved her hand so that she would shut up. “Very well done.” Dominique hadn’t realized that there wasn’t a Section 6 at all. Perhaps Lady Kristen was more than just an overly excited drone. She would have to keep an eye on her in the future.

A few days ago, scientists discovered a new planet. While larger than Earth, this new planet is the best candidate so far to support life. Is that not exciting? Yes, I know not to get my hopes up. But this is the fourth planet they’ve found outside our system that could be habitable.

Discoveries like these really get me thinking: what if we could colonize other planets, not hundreds of years from now, but within say, 20 or 30 years from now? Effectively, within our life time! Science fiction writers have been dreaming about this since the beginning of the genre. And now science fiction is really looking like science fact.

Just picture it. A group of colonists, hopeful and excited and scared, board a space ship designed to take them to a new home twenty-two light years away (assuming it can support life that is!). What sort of challenges would they face upon arriving, or even, before arriving (Pandorum, anyone?). What if there was an intelligent native population on the planet when they arrived?

Even if this doesn’t get you excited, notice how one news event has sparked my imagination. It doesn’t have to be science-related. Regardless of where you get your news, reading it should make you think about what’s going on in the world around you. And this, in turn, could make you think about alternate worlds within you that are waiting to be created.

Ask yourself:

What is the story behind this article?

If the journalist were to continue writing past the end of the article, what would he/she write about?

Is the protagonist of the article also the protagonist of a larger story? Maybe the protagonist’s brother or friend would have a different perspective.

If the article doesn’t seem to have a protagonist and is more about a specific event, who would this event affect? How can you use this as a backdrop to someone’s story?

How might this article be viewed 10 years from now? 100 years? If someone saw this article 100 years ago, what would they think?

What if this article was the last thing you were ever allowed to read? The only thing you were allowed to read? What would society look like if this article suddenly became a religious text?

Whether you’re looking for ideas or you’re stuck thinking in a specific way, asking yourself questions like those above can get you thinking about scenarios you’ve never considered before. Sometimes it only takes one question to create a story—be it fiction, or non-fiction.

It seems like everyone is wondering what the next big trend in YA will be. First it was witches and wizards, and then vampires, and then angels had a turn.

What’s trending now? Why, oppressive societies, of course! Books like The Hunger Games, Divergent, and Matched explore a deeply-rooted fear in young and old readers alike: what if our lives were controlled by a seemingly untouchable entity?

It’s really no surprise that it’s trending. Dystopian scenarios can seem like only a step away from reality sometimes—for example, what if SOPA really did come to pass and our favourite websites were censored? Dystopian societies don’t have to operate on magic. The dark side of the human psyche has all the power here, which makes it all the more plausible. And the more plausible something seems, the more believable and relatable it is to the reader, and the more they might enjoy the book.

While it’s hard to predict what kind of book will find success in the future, let’s look at these other creature-genres:

Fairies: Fairies (also Faeries!) have seemed to be lurking in the background for quite a while now. Melissa Marr’s Wicked Lovely series has seen some staying power, as well as Julie Kagawa’s Iron Fey Series. The problem with fairies is that the lore is dark, and it’s hard to vary the theme: child gets switched at birth, and/or teen girl discovers she’s meant to be queen of the fairies and/or falls in love with the fairy king.

Mermaids: Okay, I’d like to see more mermaids. Not just because I happen to like listening to The Little Mermaid Soundtrack (it’s catchy!), but there is something alluring about being able to breathe underwater. Large parts of the ocean haven’t even been explored yet! There is a lot of potential here—it’s like science fiction, but instead of going into space, you don’t have to leave Earth!

Werewolves: They tag-team with vampires, so one could say they’ve enjoyed their time in the spotlight. Works like Maggie Stiefvater’s Shiver have put a different spin on werewolves that makes them feel more real without their bloodthirsty nemeses.

Adult Fairy-Tale Retellings: Wicked has seen wild success, with multiple sequels and a musical performed worldwide (when we were in London I got to see it, it was awesome!). Some this success rides with the dystopian genre, but the real magic of fairy-tale retellings is that they play on your nostalgia. We remember the stories from our youth fondly and wish we could experience them the same way again—after all, watching your favourite cartoons as an adult as nowhere near as satisfying! Fairy-Tales can also employ multiple creature types and satisfy a variety of audiences.

What do you think? What creatures and/or subgenres of YA would you like to see more of?

Dominique had seen it all; she’d been near the front. Queen Skyla had almost fainted! She was barely fit to be queen. Dominique was willing to deal with the media—she didn’t panic when the media surrounded her and asked her questions; a few photographers had taken her picture when they thought she wasn’t watching. She played the part of the worried Lady well. Maybe when Harmony woke up, they could rally around her and persuade her to run against Queen Skyla in the next election. Or better yet—challenge the queen’s reign now. That would make for quite the news story.

“Are we going to visit Lady Harmony now?” Lady Kristen asked.

It was easy to forget that Lady Kristen was still beside her—following her, really, as they left the throne room. Dominique had half a mind to return to her quarters and draft her First Lady acceptance speech. Of course, she’d done it already—but re-writing it only made it seem more real, more current to the times. Once Lady Harmony was gone, busy with ruling the Dome, she could be in charge of the Ladies—and that was more than enough excitement for her.

“Yes, of course,” Dominique said, forcing herself to smile and giving Lady Kristen the once-over. “Your lips look dry. Did you apply your chap today?”

Lady Kristen looked guilty. “I…I applied it last night.”

“And what does the Lady’s Charter have to say about that?”

“Rule 145,” Lady Kristen said automatically. “A Lady’s lips should be as smooth as the words that flow from them.” She looked discouraged. “I’m…I’m sorry Lady Dominique. I don’t have any chap on me right now. I promise I’ll apply it tonight! I promise!”

“All right, all right. Stop making excuses.”

“Rule 14. A Lady must not–”

“There is no need to quote the Charter every time you open your mouth.” It was hard for Dominique to keep the sweetness in her voice. Remain firm, but in favour, that was also in the Charter. “Let us go now, so we can return in time for afternoon tea.”

They took the more public route to the hospital, through the promenade. The promenade was circular and enveloped the inner core—where the scientists and the higher-up soldiers and of course, the Ladies—dwelled and worked. While the floor clanked underneath their boots, gentle music tried to drown out all but the boutique sellers, calling the passersby, enticing them with their souvenirs and “moon gems”—bits of rock collected on various scouting missions that had no inherent value, except to the rich, stupid tourists. She smiled at them, though, and they smiled back, their eyes twinkling as falsely as the moon gem. By the time she was First Lady, she would have their affections.

Upon reaching the fourth Sector, amidst a swirl of coffee smells and newspaper salesmen, she heard her name. It would be more accurate to say she thought she heard her name, as it was barely a whisper above the bustle in the promenade, and Lady Kristen repeated it. Dominique paused and then turned when she saw Lady Kristen gesturing to another Lady—a Junior, like Lady Kristen—rushing to catch up with them.

Another Junior—just what she needed. And worse, this particular Junior barely spoke English. Dominique had nothing against the French—she herself was of French descent, born in Montreal, and spoke both languages fluently—but the Dome had one language, and in order to survive here you had to speak it. She remembered her Lady mentors telling her that when she happened to let a French expletive slip during a training exercise. She’d had to scrub the bathrooms with a toothbrush—not a regular electric one, but an old-fashioned one. It had taken hours until her mentors were satisfied. Dominique never forgot the lesson.

Lady Méline was fresh from Earth, coming from the last transport only a week ago. She stopped running a few feet from Dominique, pausing timidly as a crowd of rowdy tourists rushed in the opposite direction. Lady Méline scrunched up her body like a mouse creeping around a cat as she eyed them warily. Her large brown eyes were full of awe and fear and worry; the ends of her hair hung loosely around her chin. At least it was styled appropriately, even if it was long enough to be worn up. Dominique remembered being scolded for a similar infraction just days after her arrival. Now, it was her turn to do the scolding.

“Oh! Méline—I mean, Lady Méline. Junior Lady Méline!” Lady Kristen’s voice increased an octave as she spoke, stealing hopeful glances from Dominique. “Sorry. I thought we were going to go back to the common area and I was going to tell you but I forgot and I guess it was just as easy to go from the throne room!”

She smiled at Lady Méline. Trying to make friends, no doubt. She knew the Charter inside and out yet she didn’t know how to play the game.

“L’hospital. Je veux aller…” Lady Méline trailed off shyly, her face turning a deep shade of red.

“‘I want to see Lady Harmony.’ Say it,” Dominique commanded in clear English.

“I…want to see de Lady Armony,” Lady Méline repeated.

Lady Dominque gritted her teeth and forced yet another smile. There were too many people around, too many tourists and non-Ladies. She would have to discipline Lady Méline later. “Of course. We’re headed there now. Come with us.”

It took a moment for the words to process with Lady Méline, but once she looked to Lady Kristen—who was nodding encouragingly like Méline was five years old—Méline’s eyes lit up. “Oh, merci, merci, Lady Dominique.”

There was something comforting about hearing her mother tongue again—the only times she heard it now was when she was asleep—but she couldn’t let herself fall prey to the past. She was the Second Lady. Soon to be first, if all went well. The Junior Ladies, they whispered, and maybe poor Lady Méline thought she would have it easy if she found Dominique and began speaking French with her. But no. Dominique never had it easy, and neither would any other Lady in service.

She grabbed Lady Méline’s arm and squeezed, digging her nails into the dress’s fabric. Lady Méline whimpered but fortunately, she didn’t scream as Dominique led her down the promenade. “That’s thank you, and don’t you forget it.”

Well, it’s all over now.

Am I a little sad that it’s over? A little, but I’ve been so busy with Woulds & Shoulds that sometimes it’s hard to give my fiction writing a second thought! It’s a struggle sometimes to balance my personal writing and my editing/design work; they’re so closely related that often I don’t feel like writing a blog post or writing my 1K-a-day! But, like exercising, I know that after I’ve just forced myself to do it, I usually feel pumped afterwards.

But back to the tour. I was quite pleased with how it turned out. I got some 3 star and 5 star reviews. I’m happy with every one of them. Honestly, I am. I know there’s some sort of kerfuffle going on with authors getting angry with book bloggers for “being too honest” in their reviews (or something like that, I don’t know the details), but any kind of publicity is good for your book, and any kind of criticism–especially across several reviewers–should maybe be thought upon.

One thing I’ve definitely learned is that not everyone likes an unhappy ending. Sorry if that’s a spoiler for anyone. I don’t really see Within as having an unhappy ending, as much as a hopeful one. In addition, my next book will be much longer, so there will be plenty of character development for those who thought my book lacked it/was too short!

I know it’s not going to be a blockbuster–not every book can be–but it’s going to be one of those stories that is always around, in the back of your mind that hopefully comes back to you at a random, perhaps inappropriate time. And who knows what will happen in the future!

Thanks to all who participated!