New Project

NEW PROJECT:

So, it’s always easier to edit old stuff than it is to write new stuff. I was looking at a novella I wrote back in 2002, a romantic drama. I know, it’s not my normal genre, but I’m trying to appeal to a wider audience. 🙂

I’m running through it pretty quickly. I’m on page 30 or so of 150. It could be done in 10-15 days, and the more stuff I have out there, the more stuff I might sell. I always preferred to cast a narrow net in the fantasy/scifi genres of speculative fiction, but I’ve been doing a lot of educational writing lately, so why not horror, period drama, and romantic young adult stuff?

Tentatively named either: The Keys to Soul or Chasing the Blues, this is about a piano player and a much too young for him girl who falls for him. Insert drama. Anyway, I’m enjoying the rewrite, because it’s rough in spots and my style has changed a lot. I noticed that also with the older stories in the Book of Dark Dreams, where I had a lot of editing to do for the oldest stuff, but not nearly so much for the newer stories.

Anyway, just an update on what I’m up to. After that, maybe I need to finish Underspace vols 2 & 3, and then I have several other project ideas. I actually updated my main site at Underspace.org with some forthcoming ideas:

• Underspace Vols 2 & 3 edits and rerelease for 10th anniversary
• Heavenbound (earthbound series vol 2)
• In Roam 2
• Hunter (legends of the sworn lands part 2 – conclusion)
• The Emperor’s Dogs (new project)

 

Another Excerpt

ANOTHER EXCERPT:

  Things have been busy with work and with my educational sites, especially Little Learning Labs. I did a complete overhaul of that site and added a new log. Anyway, on to the excerpt!

As I continue to edit, granted very slowly, I wanted to post another letter from the story on here. This is Adrienne’s response to Liam, having found his letter and forwarded it on to the intended reader. In the next post, I will include his scathing response!

IT STARTED WITH A LETTER EXCERPT:

Dear Mr. Liam Douglas,

  You don’t know me, but my name is Adrienne Verastos. I am writing to tell you why I know of you, and that is because I recently, through no intention, came across your letter to a certain Miss Corinne McCray. I live in the town of Belfan, where I found your letter on the street following a heavy storm. It seems that Belfan is on the way from your home to Edansbire by way of courier.

   Unfortunately, because of the weather and mud, your letter’s envelope was all but ruined. It took some doing, but I managed to find out your name, as well as the intended recipient of the letter. I had little to go on other than your name, since Corinne’s family name was not noted within the letter. To figure out this puzzle, I had to read your letter, and I am sorry for that, seeing how it was certainly of a private nature.  

  I have just returned your letter to the courier. A friend of mine helped me contact him to let him know I had your letter, so we could speed it on to its intended target. I have repackaged your letter in a clean envelope so that your Corinne will receive it in the best shape possible.

   I sincerely hope you are not angry with me for having read it, but it was necessary in order to get it to Corinne. Your words were beautiful and stirring to me, and they should mean no less to Corinne, even if someone else has read them first. It would have been a great shame for her to have lost the chance to read them altogether.

   I have also penned an apology to her, explaining how your letter was lost, and how I came to find it and send it on its way. I’m sure she is waiting eagerly for your reply, and that should do much to explain its tardiness.

  I hesitate to do this, but if I could ask a simple boon of you as repayment for this deed, it would be that you write me back from time to time to tell me how your suit with Corinne goes, because I now feel like a third party in all of this now. I rarely if ever get letters as is, and it gives me something to look forward to. So, if you could find it in your heart to spare a moment to send a letter now and then, it would very much so make me happy.

  

            Best Wishes,

            Adrienne Verastos

Editing at 13%

EDITING:

I’ve continued my editing of It Started With A Letter. It’s rather fun to read as I go. I’m not adding too much to it. Mostly I’m changing a few verb cases or playing with sentence structure. I wouldn’t mind adding more content, but it doesn’t really need it just yet.

I just came across the first scene with Remy, the troublesome bad boy of the story. He’s Adrienne’s confidante and bad habit of a best friend. I really didn’t remember him that well, so it was interesting to reacquaint myself with a character I wrote over a decade ago. I’ll try to do another chapter tomorrow, too.