Writing on Book 16 is progressing well since I last reported the steps in writing-rewriting iterations. It found its feet, so to speak. There are pieces to balance, such as timing of events in the story (the "beats") and the nuances that flesh out the main plot; but overall, I have the setting established, some new world-building items to sprinkle in, which is always fun, and meaningful episodic characters.
In fact, although the old original writing of my base story of Nik and Ann is gone (over thirty years ago since I wrote their original story), I still remember pieces. In Book 16, meaningful for me but new to anyone else, is the mention of some secondary characters from the original two-book series I wrote way back as my first ever completed novels. Thank goodness they were never published back then!
Like Ann and Nik, these other characters are different. I've matured in my understanding of the world, which has changed a lot in my lifetime, and in the craft of writing. In that, I've realized all my errors of when I started out writing and why it was so bad back then that I've destroyed all copies of those first stories, although I never forgot the characters I created.
These introduced episodic characters are also Paxons, but some who wanted out in the original story and in this are already out, having been helped by Seska to disappear, along with dozens of others. Book 16 is about Seska, but more from the perspective of those she actually helped. It's a different way of revealing her background and what she did, rather than through her eyes and memories, although some of that is sprinkled in too.
I don't take important supporting characters for granted, but some mean more to me than others. I love that I have been able to integrate those first scrapped story ideas into this new universe. Writing this series is bringing me full circle to the start of my writing journey.
It's amazing how everything has come to fruition after three decades of writing. The original Starfire Angels book was twelve years in the making, and I thank the readers who loved Elis and Raea for pushing me to continue, because now it's become something bigger than I ever imagined.
I hope this inspires some creative minds out there not to rush with publishing just because you think your story is perfect, which it may or may not be. Sometimes the best ideas come only after letting them simmer for some time. I'm not saying you have to wait three decades. What I am saying is don't give up. Put the story aside and move on to other ideas. When the time is right, you'll figure out the flaws and what's missing. The wait will have been worthwhile, because you'll have something far richer to give to the world.
I hope you enjoy immersing yourself in reading as much as I do in writing it!
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It's never too late to start. Books 1-13 are available now:
1 - A New Beginning
2 - The Rule of Yonder
3 - Vault of the Celestials
4 - In Darkness, Light
5 - The Destruction of Walls
6 - Disposition of Dreams
7 - Remnants
8 - Racing the Orast Belt
9 - Ferious
10 - Dragon and Fury
11 - Voices in the Dark
12 - Messages
13 - Soul Shadow
Coming soon:
14 - Unbroken Bonds
These and my other books can all be found at melanienilles.com.
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