3 of My Favorite Scenes from The Elemental’s Guardian: Why They Stand Out
As an author, I’ve poured countless hours into crafting the scenes in my novels. Each moment—from the explosive action sequences to the quiet moments of introspection—is constructed, then carefully revised and edited multiple times to move the story forward and capture your imagination.
But some scenes hold a special place in my heart—moments I remember long after I’ve published the final version. So let’s explore the reasons behind my favorite scenes from The Elemental’s Guardian.
The Accident
While my original first draft of this scene during NaNoWriMo 2011 dragged on a bit and was highly inaccurate with the aviation portion, the reason behind the accident remained the same when I rewrote it during NaNo 2022, and Ferenc’s intense parachuting moment through the storm was something I’d always vividly seen in my mind. But one of the biggest reasons this is one of my favorite scenes is getting to bring the reader in on the tension and thrill of the moment, when the reader holds their breath wondering how Ferenc is going to get out of the dangerous situation right out of the gate in chapter one.
Ferenc’s Argument with Amy
The dialogue between Ferenc and Amy changed multiple times with each new draft. I needed to tone up Amy’s spite. I needed to tone down Ferenc’s lovesick-puppy act. And a bunch of things in between. And though the argument itself is great and very natural-flowing, my favorite part is actually what happens next, when Ferenc finally loses his temper. I love this part because this is where Ferenc realizes many things at once, which ties all previous events, his values, and even his fears together. It’s also based on something that actually happened at school when I was a teen, which I still vividly remember, so there’s that. lol
The Escape Via Lightning
As a pantser (meaning I don’t outline; I just write by the seat of my pants), I feel the heat during NaNoWriMo when I get writer’s block. But despite having originally written The Elemental’s Guardian almost twelve years ago, I still remember plowing through my word count by writing random high-action/high-intensity scenes, and this one was one of them that I’d constantly thought about over the course of the years. Again, the how and when differ vastly from the original first draft, but the general idea was the same: Ferenc had to get Dormouse to safety… the only way was via lightning travel… and Dormouse wasn’t ready. You can only imagine the result.
Have you read The Elemental’s Guardian? What was your favorite scene? Let me know in the comments!
Raine