The adventures of Stone continue

As I mentioned in prior posts here and here, I’ve started to work on Desert of Stone, Book 2 of the Monuments of Stone series, and the sequel to the Island of Stone. As with most books, its writing is starting a bit slow as I get a feel for the characters and gather hints of where I think the story is going to go. The Island of Stone’s story was localized, and the characters few. Trevor and his adventures were more internal as he discovered things deep within himself and his past. The Desert of Stone will take some of the Island’s mysteries and bring them out into the wider world. Like all histories, events live in a complex web that connects to and forms the framework of other worlds, and the Island is no different. The Desert of Stone will focus on the Island’s dark mystery and unveil the true depth of its power. I don’t want to give away spoilers for those that haven’t read the Island of Stone, but the story is much more complicated than what is on the surface. It is so complex that I have struggled with the book’s promotion. I want to grab a potential reader’s attention without giving too much of these secrets, and therefore the thrill of the book away, and it is a difficult balance to find. Needless to say, nothing is what it seems on the Island of Stone, and the reviews for the book prove that this suspense and mystery keep people turning the page. The Island’s remoteness and apparent obscurity hide something much more profound than just bumps in the night, and the Desert of Stone will tell this story.

As for The Slaying of the Bull, sales are slow as I get a feel for the market and how I want to promote the book. I will be having some discussion with some highly valued advisors, so there may be some changing of tactics soon to come. My mother gave me a great suggestion to include a timeline, and I’m just finishing up on that now. If anything, it will give the reader context and offer a bit of a guide. It will also show how deep and profound the story is and elucidate the path of Isa’s mysteries books. When writing the story, things just seemed to fall in place, and some ancient secrets appeared that I think you will enjoy. Although the book is fiction, there is a real history there with real people, events, and stories that require telling. The world we know today is entirely rooted in this past. When you know these foundations, you can see why the building looks the way it does. You also realize that what looks stable and secure today could easily teeter and topple by the frailty of their foundations.

If you’ve read either of my books, please leave a review! I would love to know what you think and I can’t stress enough how critical reviews are for an Indie writer. If you haven’t had a chance to check out my work, the Island of Stone is available on Amazon in Paperback, Kindle, and Kindle unlimited formats. The The Slaying of the Bull is also available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback format. Check it out!

Cheers!