Announcement: There is action on my new novels. The publisher renamed the series--they are still working on the name. I provided suggestions as did one of my prepub readers. Now the individual books will be given single names: Leora, Leila, Russia, Lumiere', China, Sveta, and Klava--at least these are some of the suggestions. They are also working on a single theme for the covers. I'll keep you updated.
Introduction: I wrote the novel Aksinya: Enchantment and the Daemon. This was my 21st novel and through this blog, I gave you the entire novel in installments that included commentary on the writing. In the commentary, in addition to other general information on writing, I explained, how the novel was constructed, the metaphors and symbols in it, the writing techniques and tricks I used, and the way I built the scenes. You can look back through this blog and read the entire novel beginning with http://www.pilotlion.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-novel-part-3-girl-and-demon.html.
I'm using this novel as an example of how I produce, market, and eventually (we hope) get a novel published. I'll keep you informed along the way.
The four plus one basic rules I employ when writing:
1. Don't confuse your readers.
2. Entertain your readers.
3. Ground your readers in the writing.
4. Don't show (or tell) everything.
5. Immerse yourself in the world of your writing.
Khione, my new novel, follows with my other Enchantment novels. They haven't been published yet, but they also follow on the ideas presented in Aegypt. Th Aegypt novels are a set of eight interrelated books concerning two unknown Egyptian tombs and the ramification of their discovery. My Aegypt novels are either on contract with my publisher or are in consideration, and my publisher has already given me a couple emails that they want the entire series. They are currently working on the overall marketing of the novels. I don't really like -ogies. I like true series. A true series is a set of novels that are interrelated, but each novel is a whole and complete. You can read each novel in the series without reference to the others, but if you read the series, you can be happy with the continuity and the characters.
My Enchantment novels are not really a series at all. If anything, they are a series of a theme. The theme is similar, but the plots and characters are not. In Khione, I didn't originally intend for the novel to follow Hestia, but it just worked out that way. The characters and the plot fit perfectly into the world and the ideas of Hestia. They did so well, I went back to Hestia and added the two special characters in Khione, into Hestia. They and their names appear for just a moment, but enough to create continuity across the novels. I didn't have to add them into Hestia, it just made since to fit them in with their descriptions. My publisher has shown an interest in the Enchantment novels, and I hope they will contract Hestia and Khione. Khione may be a difficult sell. It is a very complex and edgy novel about the negatives of modern morality, but it is set within that modern morality.
More tomorrow.
Also remember, I'm trying to show you and give you examples of how to write a science fiction theme statement and turn it into a plot.
For more information, you can visit my author site http://www.ldalford.com/, and my individual novel websites:
http://www.aegyptnovel.com/
http://www.centurionnovel.com
http://www.thesecondmission.com/http://www.theendofhonor.com/
http://www.thefoxshonor.com
http://www.aseasonofhonor.com
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