A heart's desire #AtoZchallenge 2026 #Writing #Plotting #StoryBeats and #IWSG Fractions of Existence Playlist

My theme for the 2026 A to Z Challenge is plotting Book Three in my Existence series — Cave of Existence.

Cave of Existence picks up where Proof of Existence left off. Heath had a revelation (thanks to Chance). 

This is the fourth scene in the book. Heath is determined to find Hannah. He had been like a rudderless ship, washing into any port, often crashing against the rocks. (Hilarious, given his true nature.) But as his memories of his past lives slip from his rocky mind, he gains a sense of purpose. He feels that Hannah is the key to everything.

Check that the opening has some primal urges:

• Survival (The Existence is working to keep life surviving, the Eyes in the Shadows are trying to end all life on Earth.)
• Hunger (We see Heath and Chance eating a light meal while standing and waiting.)
• Sex (😍😉😚 Give Heath a minute... )
• Protection of Loved Ones (No one is in immediate danger at the opening scene.)
• Fear of Death (No One is dying in the opening scene)

So we start by seeing the "flawed" world in which Hannah and Heath have been apart. 

The first time we see Hannah is on a gangplank as she's leaving the cruise ship she was on. 🚢 Hannah is happily chatting with a nonverbal boy with cerebral palsy (who uses a computerised communication touchpad). His parents shed tears of joy, as the boy had never interacted so much with anyone. 

^ video of a show with a young person who uses a computerised communication touchpad ^

This novel will examine whether "love conquers all," meaning that external obstacles and internal struggles will test relationships while highlighting love as the driving force in overcoming these challenges, even if the victory comes at a high cost. 

Have you ever felt like another person could be the key to unlocking your truest self?
What would get you to instantly feel a strong connection to a character? (An elderly, kind, female character.)

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/249351265-cave-of-existence - "Want to read" (Book is not yet published)

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https://writestats.com/writing-books-readers-discuss-how-to-write-books-readers-want-to-talk-about-not-just-finish/  - In Fractions of Existence, Xavier faces the decision to protect Wend's ignorance rather than force a truth and responsibility on her. 
Cave of Existence has a moral quandary about relationships. Heath's choices seem one way, but Hannah sees them another way. 

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InsecureWritersSupportGroup.com

https://www.facebook.com/groups/IWSG13

Shout-out to Alex and the awesome co-hosts for today: Melissa Maygrove, Cathrina Constantine, Kate Larkinsdale, and Rebecca Douglass!

April 1 question - If you have a playlist (or could put one together) that either gets you in the groove to write or fits with one of your books, what is it? What type of music or what songs?

I don't really have a playlist, but for this prompt, I made one for Fractions of Existence.


Chapter 1 takes place in 2003

1. "Here Without You" - 3 Doors Down
   

The rest of the book is set in 2005.

2. "Rain" -Madonna
3. "Furious" - Ja Rule
4. "I’ll Be Back Around" - I Am the Avalanche (whoops, that's from 2011)
5. "Baby One More Time" - Travis
   
6. "Painkiller" - Three Days Grace
7. "Miss This" - Soul Asylum
8. "Hands Down" - Dashboard Confessional
9. "Numb" – Linkin Park
10. "Sugar, We're Goin Down" - Fall Out Boy
11. "The Islander" - Nightwish
12. "Water’s Edge" - Seven Mary Three
13. "Teenage Dirtbag” by Wheatus
14. "Lips Like Morphine" - Kill Hannah (whoops, that's from 2006)
15. "Mr. Brightside" - The Killers
16. "Tubthumping" - Chumbawamba
17. "The Reason" – Hoobastank
18. "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" - Green Day
19. "Sweetness" - Jimmy Eat World
20. "Hey There Delilah" - Plain White T's (bonus song in the "credits")

I used Spotify for the first time. So, if you want to listen to the (totally unofficial, I have NO LEGAL RIGHTS to any of these, for an entertaining blog post ONLY) soundtrack, there's that.
I'm leaving the Travis video because most people know the lyrics from another artist, but the way Travis performs the song gives an entirely different vibe.

 

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📚💙 — J (he/him 👨🏽 or 🧑🏽 they/them) ~ Speculative Fiction & Reference Author and Co-host of the April Blogging #AtoZChallenge

🛒Existence Series books: https://amzn.to/4rQwBsv
https://bsky.app/profile/jlennidorner.bsky.social  My current favorite social media site.
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/j-lenni-dorner  I'm grateful for follows!  https://www.goodreads.com/j_lenni_dorner
  #AtoZChallenge a-to-zchallenge.com Kindly check out the blog hop's website. 

Important dates for A-to-Z 2026:

March 23- April 4 Sign-up

April The International April Blogging from A to Z Challenge Blog Hop 

May 4 -9 Reflections (bonus blog hop)