Destiny of the Daystar is born

I know it has been a while, but I’m still alive! One weekend, I had a family obligation, and the next, my wife was traveling. I then ran into a heating issue, and the house fell to 46F- too cold to write. Two thousand bucks later, we got that nightmare fixed (ugh, I should have been a plumber), but then I had to focus on other accumulated projects like finishing our dining room mural- something I promised my wife while she traveled. Sadly, after fifteen hours of painting, I didn’t finish, but it’s better than it was. Lastly, in those ensuing weeks, I turned 42 and noticed more grey hairs in my beard. I needed a moment to come to terms with it all, take a breath, and then press on.

So, here we are.

Some updates. I’m excited to say I finished editing Koen, and it is now complete and ready for the next step. Strangely enough, I am not even sick of it after reading the entire book ten times, which is an excellent sign. I could start it again now and not be bored, meaning I may have something of merit. This makes it even more challenging to sit on the novel, but I am committed to trying to go the traditional route with this one.

I admit I waffled a bit. The prospect of waiting years before I can share this book with you tried my patience. Yes, even in the best-case scenario, from finding representation to publication, it will take years (if at all), which is why indie publishing is so tempting. It would have been so easy to format and publish via Amazon KDP. Hell, it would probably already be available. I even have a cover design. It led to a test of my resolve. I asked myself, do I really need the validation? Couldn’t the fact that one person buys and likes my book be enough? The answer was yes, so I came very close to pushing publish. At the time, I was having a little peak in sales, and it felt like a good time to unleash.

But I have an opportunity here. I still have three books of the Absolution of the Morning Star series to write. No publisher will pick up a book in the middle of a series, meaning I wouldn’t have this chance again for another three years as I complete that series and finish a new book. I always planned this route with Koen. Yes, it is in the same world, but it is a stand-alone prequel, making this moment a prime opportunity.

Luckily, my wife came to my rescue, as she so often does. She reminded me that being a traditionally published author is my dream and that I would regret it if I didn’t try. She was right (shh, don’t tell her). The hard part is over. Koen is ready. Therefore, I’ve been working on my query letter (sales pitch) and getting my synopsis in order (complete story summary with all plot points, arcs, twists, main characters, etc.). I’ve researched and compiled a list of about twenty agents for my first round of submissions. Starting January 1, I’ve given myself a year. If I don’t have any traction by January 1, 2025, I will again go the indie route- maybe even with some feedback and a better book to boot.

I know. Some of you are eager to read more of Lucardia’s story. Well, don’t worry. My writing bug is alive and well. While I spent the day getting Koen’s nuts and bolts out of the way, last night, I started writing Destiny of the Daystar, book 4 of the Absolution of the Morning Star series. I didn’t get incredibly far, about 500 words in, but starting a tale is never easy. The first line is essential, so it took some time to craft. I also want the tone to be spot on as it will affect the entire book, so I played around with that, too.

Destiny of the Daystar begins with an important battle. For those of you who have read Noonday in the North, you probably suspect what that battle is. Until now, the Absolution of the Morning Star series has had conflicts and skirmishes but no large-scale struggles between armies. I’ve written battles before. My historical fiction, The Slaying of the Bull, has several. They are easy to get wrong. Capturing the movement and action of forty-thousand individuals is tricky with words, so I have to isolate some characters and capture the entirety of the conflict within their individual experiences while still giving a sense of scale. It’s as hard as it sounds, hence the slow pace. But I’ve got my first lines, and I’m delving into characters. Soon, the floodgates will open, and Destiny of the Daystar will be written, probably in about six months if all goes as planned. I’ve had some time to think about it, and I already have several chapters mapped out in my head. I am hopeful it will move along smoothly. If you grow impatient, you can always re-read the first three books to get things fresh in your mind!

Well, that’s it for now. I have another long road ahead, but the joy is in the journey, not the destination.

Cheers!