When I started writing Shawndirea, I anticipated that the story would be a novella (40-50,000 words), as a back story for the characters in Devils Den, which is a novel set twenty years after Shawndirea takes place. This didn’t happen, and for whatever reason, the book took to life on its own.
I suppose this shouldn’t be a shock to me. Most of the characters were from a novel I had started in 1993. The novel was bad, so I scrapped it. However, the characters remained inside my mind for nearly twenty years. During this time, they matured without my knowledge, and once they were placed onto the pages, they came alive and took the reins. They had things they needed to do and voices that needed to be heard. I let them take over so I could see where they were going.
Truth be known, I don’t consider myself a writer. I’m a note-taker. I write down the scenes as they appear vividly, and stand idly by, taking careful notes while eavesdropping on my characters. This has never failed me. The next thing I know, there’s a completed novel.
But still Shawndirea was different. This wasn’t an ordinary novel for me. Amassing 528 pages, this proved to be the longest of my projects, but it has also opened many doors in the realm of Aetheaon. Already, I have tentative ideas for three novel plots in this series, but as the second book is coming along (at 200 pages currently), I realize there may be many more.
What I love about this journey is meeting new characters within different races that I never expected to meet. Some of the strongest characters are the ones that show up unannounced and introduce themselves. This happens far more than you might expect. But these are the things I enjoy about being a note-taker in a new world. And for those of you who are following this journey, there aren’t enough words to express my thanks and gratitude. The feedback has been overwhelming and knowing that others love these characters and novels as much as I enjoy putting them on the page, is one of the greatest rewards this author could ever have.
My thanks to each of you!