Announcement: My new novels should be available from any webseller or can be ordered from any brick and mortar bookstore. Information can be found at www.ancientlight.com. Check out my novels--I think you'll really enjoy them.
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.
All novels have five discrete parts:
1. The initial scene (the beginning)
2. The rising action
3. The climax
4. The falling action
5. The dénouement
The theme statement of my newest novel, Valeska, is this: while on assignment in Gdansk, Poland, an agent of the organization becomes involved with a vampire girl during a mission, she becomes dependent on the agent, and she is redeemed.
Here is my proposed cover for Valeska:
I started writing on my newest novel. Here is the theme statement: a girl in a fascist island nation will do anything to escape--a young cargo ferry pilot not following the rules crashes on the island.
This theme statement lends itself well to each part of the development of a novel. Note, there is a setting, an initial scene, protagonist, protagonist helper, antagonist, and the climax is obvious. Let's talk about each.
I named my protagonist V10+S10 537 Rebecka. She has visual acuity and accuracy ten plus--that's ten times greater than the average human (she would say citizen). He sense of smell is ten times the acuity and accuracy of a normal human. She was bred for these skills, and she uses them to develop scents and colors for the nation of Freedom. What she doesn't know, but she will discover is that she is the designer of whole fashion and scent lines for the party members of Freedom. While Reb (short for Rebecka, Reb=Rebel, get it), wins citizen medals for developing colors and scents, the party members of Freedom use her scents and colors in their extravagant luxury items.
I think I will drive this home when Reb and Scott are walking through the capital of Freedom. She will look into a shop front window and see her color and scent combination trumpeted as the color and scent of the year. The credit will be given to the party leader for the development center. I'm not sure how I'll have her handle it. She could just go rigid as she contemplates what is going on. Or she could have an outburst--or both. Maybe the or both would be great for her. She didn't like her society before Scott came--I want her to absolutely despise it by the time they escape--or not. I want the reader to feel her pain and suffering. She dedicated her labor to doing what she loved to do, but the nation took the credit and gave her cheap plastic (synthetic) medals.
More tomorrow.
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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