Change in gears

This may seem strange after proclaiming the birth of Alice in my last post (my main character in the Deserts of Stone, the sequel to the Island of Stone), but those who are reading or have read The Slaying of the Bull have begged me to start working on continuing the Tocharian Gospels instead. After much deliberation, I have decided to submit to popular demand. I debated for some time which project I should work on next and even posed this question through my blog. At the time, The Slaying of the Bull had just come out, and my query was met with cricket chirps. Not enough people had started to read the bull. I therefore decided to move forward with the Monuments of Stone series just because the Island of Stone came out first. My readers have since reached out, so I will retool and focus most of my efforts on The Power of the Heliodromus, which is fine with me.

Isa’s story’s path is more fleshed out, and the ending of The Slaying of the Bull leaves many unanswered questions. The Island of Stone can stand alone longer as the story continues with a completely different main character. I also probably need a bit more time to build on my ideas for the Deserts of Stone anyway. I was having a hard time getting started with Alice’s story, and it just wasn’t moving at a pace I would like. Since coming to this decision, I banged out four chapters for The Power of the Heliodromus and outlined up to chapter 10 (this was just yesterday). It’s clear, my passion aligns with Isa’s story at the moment, and as any writer will know, it’s much easier to write when you have this driving factor. The beginning of the Desert of Stone is there, and I will continue to work on it as I run into difficulties with the Heliodromus. After working on another research-heavy book, I will likely need the straightforward narrative of the Stone series after the Heliodromus anyway.

The Power of the Heliodromus, Book 2 of the Tocharian Gospels, will continue Isa’s quest 35 years (1270’s) after The Slaying of the Bull (1241) and unveil some more of his secrets, namely, how Isa is still alive after almost 800 years. The book will remain primarily a historical thriller, but with a bit of transition into the fantastical realm. Some other characters from The Slaying of the Bull will reappear, and I will touch on the fate of those that didn’t make it to the 1270’s. We will also get to meet the Great Lucado (who will be very important toward the end of the series)!

If you haven’t read The Slaying of the Bull, check it out. I know, there’s a bit of a stigma around historical fiction, but those who have hesitantly opened the book haven’t been able to put it down. I think you too will find it rewarding.

Cheers!