I have just completed an interesting experiment. I conducted an interview with ChatGPT about the first chapter of my soon to be released middle grade fantasy novel "Olivia Stone and the Curse of the Changeling" It is the stunning conclusion to the Guardians of St. Giles series.
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The crux of the story appears to revolve around Olivia's struggle to retain her humanity as the guardian magic progressively turns her body to stone. This transformation is not only a physical challenge but also an emotional and psychological one, as Olivia fears losing her human essence and becoming completely petrified. The impending thirteenth birthday adds urgency to her situation, suggesting a time limit within which Olivia must find a solution or come to terms with her fate. The story question likely centres on whether Olivia can stop or reverse the transformation, and if not, how she will cope with the loss of her humanity. Will she find a way to save herself and possibly others from a similar fate, or will she succumb to the magic and turn completely to stone? The tension between her desire to fight the transformation and the inevitability of the magic creates a compelling narrative drive, making the reader wonder what choices Olivia will make as her condition worsens. |
- What is the tone of the book?
The tone of the book is a blend of dark and foreboding with moments of warmth and lightheartedness. The dark tone is evident in Olivia's terrifying struggle with the magic that is slowly turning her to stone, her fear of losing her humanity, and the ominous references to the possibility of her death. This creates a tense, almost gothic atmosphere, filled with anxiety and dread.
However, this is balanced by moments of warmth and familial love, particularly in Olivia's interactions with her parents. The banter with her father and her concern for her pregnant mother introduce a more tender, comforting tone that contrasts with the darker elements. This combination of darkness with moments of humour and affection suggests a story that will explore deep, potentially scary themes while also offering emotional support and connection. The tone seems well-suited for a middle-grade audience, as it manages to be intense and suspenseful without being overwhelmingly bleak.
- They say the first few paragraphs of a novel should be gripping and hook the reader. Do you think the first few paragraphs of this book grip and hook the reader?
Yes, the first few paragraphs of your novel are gripping and effectively hook the reader. Here’s why:
1.Immediate Tension: The novel opens with Olivia jolting awake from what seems to be a horrifying, almost paralysing nightmare. The language is urgent and tense, with phrases like “trapped,” “petrified child,” and “cold, hard as marble,” immediately creating a sense of dread and panic.
2.Mystery and Intrigue: The description of Olivia’s nightmare, where she feels her body turning to stone, is both mysterious and unsettling. This immediately raises questions in the reader’s mind: Why is Olivia turning to stone? What is happening to her? This curiosity encourages the reader to keep turning the pages.
3.Emotional Impact: Olivia’s fear and helplessness are palpable, drawing the reader into her emotional world. Her desperate plea for the return of more typical nightmares like spiders and clowns emphasizes just how terrifying her situation is, making the reader empathize with her plight.
4.Visual and Sensory Detail: The imagery used in these paragraphs is vivid and intense. The descriptions of Olivia’s cold, hard skin and the sound of scrunching up a sheet of aluminium foil as she turns to stone are striking and memorable, creating a strong sensory impression that stays with the reader.
5.Foreshadowing: The reference to “the child must die” and the detailed description of Olivia’s transformation set the stage for the central conflict of the story, hinting at the life-and-death stakes involved.
Overall, these elements work together to create an opening that is both gripping and thought-provoking, making it likely that readers will want to continue reading to find out what happens next.
- It is said that by the end of the first chapter of your novel, the reader should have a basic sense of who your main character is and be eager to follow their journey into the second chapter. Does this chapter reach this goal?
Yes, the chapter effectively introduces Olivia as the main character and sets up the reader's eagerness to follow her journey. Here’s how it accomplishes this:
1. Character Introduction:
- Olivia's Struggle: The reader quickly learns that Olivia is dealing with a unique and terrifying condition—her body is gradually turning to stone due to some form of guardian magic. This establishes her as a character in a dire, almost tragic situation, fighting against forces beyond her control.
- Emotional Depth: Olivia’s fear, frustration, and sadness are clear throughout the chapter. The way she begs for her old nightmares and her desperate attempts to feel something human through the scalding water highlight her vulnerability. This emotional depth helps the reader connect with her, making her more relatable and sympathetic.
- Resilience and Humour: Despite her struggles, Olivia displays resilience. She gets up, gets dressed, and goes about her day, even engaging in light-hearted banter with her dad. This balance between her inner turmoil and outward composure adds layers to her character, making her someone the reader wants to root for.
- High Stakes: By the end of the chapter, it’s clear that Olivia’s situation is worsening, with her thirteenth birthday looming as a significant milestone. The mention that she might not make it to fourteen with any humanity left raises the stakes and sets up a ticking clock that drives the plot forward.
- Foreshadowing and Mystery: The chapter drops hints about the greater mystery—what happened at St. Giles Old Priory School, the nature of the guardian magic, and the ominous reference to “the child must die.” These elements create a sense of anticipation, urging the reader to keep reading to uncover the truth.
3. Character Relationships:
- Family Dynamics: Olivia’s interactions with her parents reveal a loving, supportive family, which adds emotional grounding to the story. The contrast between the normalcy of family life and Olivia’s extraordinary circumstances adds to the reader’s investment in her character and her world.
- The chapter's tone is a compelling mix of darkness and light, which fits well with middle-grade fantasy. The blend of tension, humour, and emotional depth keeps the reader engaged and sets expectations for a story that is both thrilling and heartwarming.
By the end of this chapter, the reader has a solid understanding of who Olivia is—a brave, troubled, and relatable young girl facing a terrifying transformation. The stakes are high, the mystery is intriguing, and the emotional connection to Olivia is strong, all of which make the reader eager to continue into the second chapter and beyond. The chapter successfully meets the goal of hooking the reader and setting up Olivia’s journey.
Here is the 1st Chapter of "Olivia Stone and the Curse of the Changeling"
Chapter 1
Creeping Stone
Olivia jolts awake…trapped…her arms and legs tight, unmoving…a petrified child…she strains…flesh cold, hard as marble…her eyes dart around the room…can only move its eyes…she kicks out…the child must die… The cold, sweat-damp sheet rips as she kicks it free and struggles out of its suffocating embrace. Olivia rolls out of bed, landing with a thump on the floor. She pants like a trembling, beaten dog, trying to catch her breath and still her thundering heart.
“Please, bring back the spiders and clowns,” Olivia begs. At least in those nightmares, she can fight back, but she can’t fight her own body turning to stone. The helplessness terrifies her more that any magical spider or creepy stilted clown.
Sweat chills on the back of her neck. She clenches her fists tight to stop her hands shaking, then levers herself up to sit on the bed. Long minutes pass before Olivia is confident enough to stand and make her way to the bathroom.
Olivia sets the shower hotter than she can stand it, letting steam fog the mirror so she doesn’t have to see her reflection. Over the months since the grotesque statue fell from the roof of St. Giles Old Priory School, the grey stony skin around the scar on her left temple has spread up past her hairline and down her cheek. Her ear is hard, the tip elongating into a jagged point. A finger of stony flesh is creeping down the side of her neck making is difficult to turn her head. Her left arm is stone from shoulder to fingertips, her leg and most of her left side are too. And these are not her only scars.
She winces as the scalding water cascades over her, turning her unblemished skin pink in stark contrast to the mottled grey. The pain lets her feel how much of her body is still human. Most of her left side feels nothing, and every day there is a little less pain.
Olivia leans back against the tiles and slides slowly down the wall, hugging her knees tight to her chest. Water streams from a curtain of slick black and purple hair, washing away the tears trailing her cheeks. She huddles there until the creep of approaching dawn forces her to stand.
There is only one day until her thirteenth birthday. If the rate the guardian magic is turning her to stone continues unchanged, Olivia doubts she will make it to fourteen. At least, not with any humanity remaining to her.
She fastens the last buttons on her school uniform and flexes the fingers of her left hand before settling them in the most comfortably-normal position The sun breaches the Eastern horizon. Golden light flares in Olivia’s eyes as daylight kills the guardian magic, freezing her mottled grey skin back into unmovable stone. The sensation feels like the sound of scrunching up a sheet of aluminium foil into a ball. Feeling sounds is weird. A strange form of synaesthesia. She would much prefer to hear colours, that would actually be cool.
“You’re up and dressed early.” Dad peeks over the top of his newspaper as Olivia limps into the kitchen.
“How could you tell I was dressed?” Olivia frowns. “Your head was buried behind your paper.”
“Ah…” Dad drops the paper onto the table, his smile too bright. He taps the side of his nose. “It is elementary. I heard your school shoes clacking down the stairs, not the patter of your bunny slippers.”
“Have you been reading Sherlock Holmes again?”
Dad plucks the book from the side table and waves it triumphantly in the air. “Elementary, you are getting as good at this as I am.”
Olivia rolls her eyes. “And I don’t own any bunny slippers.”
Dad just laughs and taps the side of his nose again.
Mum waddles into the kitchen, hands clamped to the sides of her enormous belly. Her cheeks are flushed and make the dark shadows under her eyes stand out even more.
Olivia rushes over to pull out a chair.
“Don’t fuss. I’m just tired.” She slumps down into the offered chair. “Your baby brother or sister kicks like a mule and never lets me get comfortable.”
As Olivia starts to ease herself into her own chair, Dad bustles over with two cups of tea and a stack of buttery toast. Mum winces and takes several deep breaths. Dad slops tea onto the tabletop as he clanks the cups down. He rests a hand on Mum’s shoulder.
“Are you…?” His eyes are wide, his face verging on pure panic.
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Mum waves his hand away. “I still have over two weeks before the baby is due. It is just a twinge.”
Dad doesn’t look convinced. “I hope you are right.” He turns to Olivia. “Otherwise, you, young lady may have to share your birthday with your baby brother.”
“Or sister,” Mum says.
“Oh, come on.” Dad grins, but his smile is not as bright as it was earlier. “I’m outnumbered enough as it is. A brother would even the score.”
“It’s even already.” Olivia ignores the jibe about sharing her birthday. “You have Rum-Tum.”
“He’s a cat.”
“A boy cat.”
“Okay Poppet, you win.” Dad slumps dejectedly into his chair. “Do you mean I have wasted the last twelve years believing I was outnumbered?”
“Thirteen years,” Olivia corrects.
Dad puts his hand up to cover his mouth and stage whispers, loud enough for Olivia to hear, even if she was in the next room. “Jade, while Olivia’s at school, we have to go out and buy another candle.”
Mum and Olivia both shake their heads.
Creeping Stone
Olivia jolts awake…trapped…her arms and legs tight, unmoving…a petrified child…she strains…flesh cold, hard as marble…her eyes dart around the room…can only move its eyes…she kicks out…the child must die… The cold, sweat-damp sheet rips as she kicks it free and struggles out of its suffocating embrace. Olivia rolls out of bed, landing with a thump on the floor. She pants like a trembling, beaten dog, trying to catch her breath and still her thundering heart.
“Please, bring back the spiders and clowns,” Olivia begs. At least in those nightmares, she can fight back, but she can’t fight her own body turning to stone. The helplessness terrifies her more that any magical spider or creepy stilted clown.
Sweat chills on the back of her neck. She clenches her fists tight to stop her hands shaking, then levers herself up to sit on the bed. Long minutes pass before Olivia is confident enough to stand and make her way to the bathroom.
Olivia sets the shower hotter than she can stand it, letting steam fog the mirror so she doesn’t have to see her reflection. Over the months since the grotesque statue fell from the roof of St. Giles Old Priory School, the grey stony skin around the scar on her left temple has spread up past her hairline and down her cheek. Her ear is hard, the tip elongating into a jagged point. A finger of stony flesh is creeping down the side of her neck making is difficult to turn her head. Her left arm is stone from shoulder to fingertips, her leg and most of her left side are too. And these are not her only scars.
She winces as the scalding water cascades over her, turning her unblemished skin pink in stark contrast to the mottled grey. The pain lets her feel how much of her body is still human. Most of her left side feels nothing, and every day there is a little less pain.
Olivia leans back against the tiles and slides slowly down the wall, hugging her knees tight to her chest. Water streams from a curtain of slick black and purple hair, washing away the tears trailing her cheeks. She huddles there until the creep of approaching dawn forces her to stand.
There is only one day until her thirteenth birthday. If the rate the guardian magic is turning her to stone continues unchanged, Olivia doubts she will make it to fourteen. At least, not with any humanity remaining to her.
She fastens the last buttons on her school uniform and flexes the fingers of her left hand before settling them in the most comfortably-normal position The sun breaches the Eastern horizon. Golden light flares in Olivia’s eyes as daylight kills the guardian magic, freezing her mottled grey skin back into unmovable stone. The sensation feels like the sound of scrunching up a sheet of aluminium foil into a ball. Feeling sounds is weird. A strange form of synaesthesia. She would much prefer to hear colours, that would actually be cool.
“You’re up and dressed early.” Dad peeks over the top of his newspaper as Olivia limps into the kitchen.
“How could you tell I was dressed?” Olivia frowns. “Your head was buried behind your paper.”
“Ah…” Dad drops the paper onto the table, his smile too bright. He taps the side of his nose. “It is elementary. I heard your school shoes clacking down the stairs, not the patter of your bunny slippers.”
“Have you been reading Sherlock Holmes again?”
Dad plucks the book from the side table and waves it triumphantly in the air. “Elementary, you are getting as good at this as I am.”
Olivia rolls her eyes. “And I don’t own any bunny slippers.”
Dad just laughs and taps the side of his nose again.
Mum waddles into the kitchen, hands clamped to the sides of her enormous belly. Her cheeks are flushed and make the dark shadows under her eyes stand out even more.
Olivia rushes over to pull out a chair.
“Don’t fuss. I’m just tired.” She slumps down into the offered chair. “Your baby brother or sister kicks like a mule and never lets me get comfortable.”
As Olivia starts to ease herself into her own chair, Dad bustles over with two cups of tea and a stack of buttery toast. Mum winces and takes several deep breaths. Dad slops tea onto the tabletop as he clanks the cups down. He rests a hand on Mum’s shoulder.
“Are you…?” His eyes are wide, his face verging on pure panic.
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Mum waves his hand away. “I still have over two weeks before the baby is due. It is just a twinge.”
Dad doesn’t look convinced. “I hope you are right.” He turns to Olivia. “Otherwise, you, young lady may have to share your birthday with your baby brother.”
“Or sister,” Mum says.
“Oh, come on.” Dad grins, but his smile is not as bright as it was earlier. “I’m outnumbered enough as it is. A brother would even the score.”
“It’s even already.” Olivia ignores the jibe about sharing her birthday. “You have Rum-Tum.”
“He’s a cat.”
“A boy cat.”
“Okay Poppet, you win.” Dad slumps dejectedly into his chair. “Do you mean I have wasted the last twelve years believing I was outnumbered?”
“Thirteen years,” Olivia corrects.
Dad puts his hand up to cover his mouth and stage whispers, loud enough for Olivia to hear, even if she was in the next room. “Jade, while Olivia’s at school, we have to go out and buy another candle.”
Mum and Olivia both shake their heads.
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