Progress Report (Patreon)

The scorching sun dominates the heavens, but the nearby creek brings with it a cooling air, and we can breathe easily as we sit beneath the shade of a willow tree.

This past week my country — as well as many others — suffered the terrible effects of one of the worst heat waves in recent years. 125 active fires desolate our territory and villages, and our dams didn't get enough water to last us through the summer. I won't lie and tell you that these didn't have any effect on me — I don't have AC in my house, and it is quite challenging to focus on writing when all you want is to hop under a cold shower.

But that doesn't mean I accomplished nothing! Writing was slowed but not neglected, and the reason why I didn't post this progress report yesterday, as I normally do, is because I wanted to finish Alessa's scene first. And I did! 'Tis, in the vernacular of our dear mercenary, a matter put to rest.

And I'm so happy! Alessa is such a fun character, I've really grown to love her. 

I also finished going through all the notes and feedback my alpha testers gave about the Prologue — which they all seemed to like 😊 I'm so excited to share it!!!! — and corrected everything. I have a small list now of things I need to add (certain reactions my testers requested), and I need to add a small scene in there that'll act as a... foreshadow. I said I figured out a part of the plot in the last report, so I need to make a few changes in the Prologue to reflect that.

I'll only add these things when I have the first chapter finished, however, because right now, I'm too into it to write anything else.

I've also... been thinking about the structure of the sequels. Right now, the whole plot is laid out, but I'm still having trouble deciding where to finish each book. One of the biggest criticisms of Book One was that it didn't end as it should, and I can't say I completely disagree because the original idea was for it to go to the point where Book Two ends — basically, I cut the book in half because it grew so much, both in word count and depth. The first book's arc was catching Rafael but I can't ignore helpful criticism, and I can only learn and grow from this first publishing experience.

So, I think Book Two will actually go beyond my initial outline. The point where it was supposed to end will, in turn, be the halfway point of the book — where I'll add a checkpoint where you can choose to go back to the beginning or save your progress and continue on — and then the second half will be what I was planning to be Book Three. It'll end up being a larger book than the first, but I think it will have a complete arc, and people will leave much more satisfied.

In this way, you'll be able to see to fruition threads and choices you made in book one and book two. Especially with certain characters and relationships — the end of what would be Book Three, but it's now Book Two is one I have on my mind for so, so SO long, and man, I want to write it so bad! I want to get to that point so bad and have people reacting to it.

The story is in full gear now, there are no more setups and placing building blocks. This changes nothing of the story itself, only the way it is presented. Of course, this is still a ways off - I need to write not with the whole mountain in mind but the small hills to overcome along the way. If I think of the series as a whole, it seems like such a daunting task, but if I simply think of each chapter, of writing each scene, then sooner than I realize, I blink, and there I am at the peak of the mountain.

Ah, I'm sorry about my ramblings, it's just something that's been on my mind a lot lately, and I have nowhere else to talk about it. 😆

But, to more important things, the goal for next week is to reach the big branching scene (and the last one) of Chapter One! It'll be an action scene - or not, depending on your choices, actually. But I'm willing to bet 80% of you will get the action sequence - and I have missed writing combat and chases very much! So... looking forward to it! Just need to get through the scenes in the in-between.

Have a great weekend! If, like me, you're suffering the harsh effects of summer, please rest and take care and if you have children or animals with you, take care of them too.

Meet me again next week, by another shade, a little ways further along the road. I could never walk its blistering cobblestones alone. 🌹