Ten Days...
Feel sorry for Santa if these guys catch him in the act!
In case you were wondering, it IS still possible to get a paperback copy of Ash to Ashes, Chronicles of Chalisaria: Volume One ordered and delivered in time for Christmas - maybe even before the end of Hanukkah if you order RIGHT NOW, but it's pretty iffy since we're already on day four (Shalom my Jewish friends!). If you happen to be in the Northeast Kansas region, I still have plenty of paperback copies available, and I will be happy to work with you on getting a copy placed into your hot little hands. Private message me through Facebook or Twitter, or e-mail me at chroniclesofchalisaria@gmail.com. We can make wonders happen here - Chalisaria is a world of magic, after all.
SPEAKING of magic...
This week has been pretty special for me. I've been able to sit down and crank out material for book two. I even rather like what I've produced, which is a nice change from the bizarre hate/love relationship I've had with my recent work. Having an existing book already published and out has created an issue I didn't have while writing Ash to Ashes. This time, I have a bar set for what my writing quality needs to meet (or exceed). I have readers who know what they can expect as far as my storytelling and writing style are concerned. Because it's the second volume in the series (though not an actual sequel) there's an immense amount of pressure to make sure that the story doesn't suck. I believe what I have so far meets those qualifications, but it's hard not to bog myself down with those concerns. I'm also trying really hard to avoid grammar and technical issues that I know surfaced regularly during the editing phase of Ash to Ashes. I know most writers would mock me for paying attention to those details in the rough draft phase, but I personally loathe inefficiency in my process. If I can fix it now and keep it from being an issue, I'd just assume do so. (It's also hellishly distracting for me while rereading material for content to run across my own mistakes.)
Because we're entering completely new territory in the world of Chalisaria, there's a lot of new background and information to share. One of the things I've had praised in Ash to Ashes is my ability to weave all of those meaty details into the storytelling without grinding the story to a dead halt. In book two, that information digs even deeper, dredging up historical details and hints that will be important to the second book's narrative, but also to the overall story arc of the series. This raises concerns for me, as the author, such as "How much is too much?", "Am I drowning the reader in exposition?", "Are these details relevant now or can they be split up without derailing the continuity?", "What do the characters and readers need to know in this scene? What do they need to know in this volume?", and most importantly, "Is the material and method of storytelling still entertaining?". I also face the challenge of keeping straight in my head, "What do I know that keeps things making sense in my story versus what does my reader still need to know?"
Another issue that I'm hoping I can clean up once I start going back through the editing process is shoring up character voices. Book two starts with a particular tone that rapidly shifts as the main character(s) get drawn deeper into the bigger story. Obviously, the characters should adapt to this change accordingly, but I find myself questioning whether or not I'm managing to keep their reactions and voice true to their character. I typically like what is being said or done in the given context, but does it really mesh with what has already been established for the character? Have I managed to stay consistent to certain mannerisms or quirks that I already used to help define the character(s) early on?
One major difference that has complicated this particular detail is the roster of characters that Book 2 follows. In Ash to Ashes we meet Ashton Firebrand and get to know him pretty intimately before we gradually expand his adventuring group in approach of the big showdown. In Book 2, our hero gets tossed into the fray pretty quickly, and while we get a fair amount of time to get to know him and his mindset, there's also an explosion of characters comparatively early on that makes it challenging to make sure everyone of interest gets the same level of care and development that makes following their involvement in the story interesting and worthwhile. It brings me back to the early chapters of Ash to Ashes where some people might think the action seems to drag, but in the grander scheme of things I feel like I made the right choice in giving the developing relationships between characters time to grow organically. I've had a number of friends comment to me while reading the book that their favorite character was *so and so* and "Please tell me nothing bad happens to *so and so*! I like *them* so much, I just know you're going to do something terrible to them, aren't you?" (I won't lie; I get a certain level of sadistic joy out of shrugging and saying "Maybe?") But that level of concern for the characters I've written tells me I've done my job right, and I desperately want to be able to recreate that experience for my readers again in this book as well.
So as we continue the mad dash through the holidays, know that I'll also be trying to keep momentum running with Book 2. Best wishes to you and yours, and don't forget, you still have time to get your favorite bookworm a fantastic addition to their personal library! HERE!
