The Sequel

Question: Is it insane that I'm already writing the sequel to Mary of the Aether. I haven't even sold the first book, and I might never sell it. Nevertheless, I started writing the sequel yesterday. I have 6300 words already. The thing is, the story for the next book is so clear in my mind, and the characters are now so familiar to me, that it was just about the fastest 6300 words I've ever written.

I guess it could theoretically help if some publisher asks about sequels, and I am able to tell them I am already working on one. I think the Aether Saga would be three books, possibly four. I know where the overall story will end. Some of the steps along the way aren't clear, but the second book is already worked out in my head.

Anyway, the working title for the sequel is Mary of the Darkness.

Well, there you go. Bed time.

Living the Dream?

Haven't posted on here in a while, so I figured I'd update things. I currently have three stories in print: "Stone Breaker" appeared in Wolfsinger Publications' magazine Mystic Signals, "Panorama of Failure" appeared in Black Matrix Publishing's Realms #2, and, most recently, "Oumings in the Dark" appeared in Black Matrix's Encounters #4. So there you go.

In other news, my manuscript for Mary of the Aether is under consideration by a publishing house called Belle Bridge Books. I queried them back in September, and they asked to read the full manuscript. Unfortunately, I didn't actually expect to generate interest, so I had to scramble to get it ready.

Chapter Titles

Let's list the chapter titles for Mary of the Aether. Why, you might ask? Why not, I must answer.

1 - Shadow in the Forest
2 - Aiden Speaks
3 - Papa Wants to Talk
4 - Dinky Dairy
5 - The Really Terrible Morning
6 - The Longest Night
7 - The Fading World
8 - Opening the Box
9 - Broken and Filled
10 - A New Table
11 - Encounter at Cholly's
12 - Aunt Carole
13 - Regret and Reassurance
14 - Mary's Last Day
15 - The Dream
16 - John Lanham
17 - Reconciliation
18 - What the Lookers Stole
19 - Barricade
20 - Confrontation
21 - Kristen's House
22 - Devil's Den
23 - The Cave
24 - Dead End
25 - Caught in the Trap
26 - Lightbearer
27 - Questions and Answers
28 - Epilogue

There you go. The whole story, told in chapter titles. I can't believe I am re-reading and rewriting this old novel yet again. Well, what can you do? It's not as exciting as clowns and infected people, but it might just become something somehow someday.

Interest Done Been Generated

Well, I've managed to generate a little bit of interest in my previous novel, Mary of the Aether. Belle Bridge Books responded to my query (three chapters and a synopsis) asking to read the whole manuscript. That's farther than I've gotten with other queries. It means that at the very least they liked what they read in those three chapters. So I am polishing the manuscript up and will send it soon.

http://www.bellbridgebooks.com/

Chapter Titles

57,200 words. These are the chapter titles thus far:

1 - Audition
2 - Gooty
3 - Introductions
4 - Debris on the Highway
5 - Scabs in All Directions
6 - Whiteface, Auguste, Contra-Auguste and Ringmaster
7 - Blood on the Stage
8 - Refund
9 - Everything Must Burn
10 - There’s Stories and Then There’s Stories
11 - A Friendly Sort of Place
12 - The Show Must Go On
13 - The Clown Who Falls Down
14 - The Fire Inside

I Want to Know

You probably want to know. Heck, I want to know. I keep checking this blog day after day waiting for another stupid update from stupid Reginald McNard, and he doesn't post. How is the Kroo doing? I want to ask. I know your name is not really Reginald, but you can at least give me a semi-regular update on your progress with those irascible klowns, can't you? Is that too much to ask, you dumb tool?

Well, no, it's not too much to ask, but your asking does not oblige an answer. Nevertheless, to assuage your anxieties, I will give you what I estimate to be the current word count. If that's not good enough for you, then you are probably not good enough for klowns. I'm sorry, but that is just the raw, naked truth of it. The current word count hovers at approximately 56,000 words. There, that's all I can offer you at this time. Make it be enough and go away satisfied, you esuriant dullard.

Thanks, that is enough. I will leave you alone for now. What does "esuriant" mean?

I refuse to tell you.

Fair enough.

Broke the Magic Number

I have broken the 50k mark. 50,200 words have now been written about klowns, albeit at a moderate to slow pace. But slow and steady win the klown race, according to that old children's tale. Remember the one? The mime and the klown decide to have a race. The mime, having abnormally sub-human long legs, takes off at a sprint from the starting line, but the klown decides to pedal a very tiny unicycle. The mime wins the race by hours, but the klown later tracks him down an eviscerates him and steals the medal. The moral of the story is, the klown will eviscerate you and steal your medal, so just let him win.