What's on the Writing Table: The Valespian Pact Update

Over the last couple of weeks I've made some changes to the blog. I have been working on The Valespian Pact and have been reviewing the information on the series (and there was so much I was staggered by the amount). I wanted to ensure I have all the details and such in place so that I can go forward, and along the way I discovered I needed to do more world building.

As I was compiling and updating the species list I decided to designate Thursday blogs as Pact Days. On that day of the week I'll share the updates. 

I also decided that I would work on a few flash fictions to help me with character development so that the last four books of the series were more cohesive. It was there I started working on Prince Mestor and Warlord Sohm'lan who has a rocky relationship seen throughout the rest of the series. But their romance started in Striker and  thought I'd put a couple of flash fictions together so I'd have something to push off of when I got to their scenes in the books. 

That didn't work out like I thought it would. I'd anticipated only needing to write two flash fictions. The two scenes in my head turned into eight. I realized I could easy have a novella for them that could be a side story within the series. I can't give them a HEA in that side because the rest of their relationship is interwoven in the plot, but I could give them a HFN. So after this coming Friday, you won't see any more flash fictions for those two. I'm working on a list of other FFs I can write instead. 

So instead of the following list of books in the series... 

#1 - Alpha Trine - Zeus, Dargon, and Alpha

#2 - Striker - Zeus, Dargon, and Alpha

#3 - Bespoken - Prometheus, Malek, and Vipre

#4 - Chosen - Axis & the Chimera triplets

#5 - Boundless - Madux & Star Eater

#6 - Legends - Prometheus, Malek, and Vipre

I will be adding one more... Well, or so I thought until I started considering some things. I've been working on Bespoken off and on this year. Molly's death in January sent me on a downward spiral and I had a difficult time creating. For months I couldn't finish anything. What I did write was rather dark and bordered on depressing. So I concentrated on editing and working on stories that were already written or did world building on projects that were on the table.

These past couple of weeks I've really enjoyed writing about Sohm'lan and Mestor. The first time in months I'm happy writing. It has been almost a year since something that I wrote made me as happy as Sohm and Mestor did. 

You see, October of last year was when we found out Molly was dying of cancer. For the last couple of years, I've struggled in October because two years earlier my father was diagnosed with cancel in October as well. He then passed in November of the same year. Needless to say, I sorta hate the month of October. Since I found out Molly was dying this time last year, my writing mojo has been inconsistent, to say the least. But the last two months I've been feeling steadily better (so much better). The dark part of me is cackling because we just got dumped into October again, the month that I get morose and weepy. But if I learned anything over the last couple of years was to acknowledge the pain. I won't shun it or try to hide it because it will rear it's ugly head and try to eat me later. 

So I will give a respectful nod to the sorrow that I will experience this month, but I will also give voice to the things that bring me joy. The past two weeks Mestor and Sohm'lan have made me weirdly happy and the move to give them a novella feels right. I haven't finished or submitted anything this year and I was beginning to think I wouldn't have anything done before the end of the year. Subbing Mestor and Sohm's story will make me feel good, like I finally accomplished something this year. So there is a novella added to the book line up.

#2.25 - Constant (Prince Mestor and Warlord Sohm'lan)

On the coattails of the idea of subbing a novella for those two, I turned my thoughts to Bespoken. If you've read my blog this year when I've talked about writing Bespoken, you'll know that the story is going to be Loooonnnngggg. It is divided into three parts: Lost, Spies, and Reunion.

Then I read some reviews for Releasing Chaos. I don't want to say that I doubted what I'd written on Bespoken because for me it was essential to show the story of how both Prometheus and Zeus were lost. Things happened during that time that important to know for the series. But just because I thought it was pertinent and would give the reader a great grasp of what was going on didn't mean that readers would like it or even care to read about. People don't like to read about kids in their romances. They don't like more than two or three POVs. They don't like reading POVs from kids. Nothing wrong with it. I don't like reading about a slave as a romance interest. We all have preferences.

The first part of Bespoken tells Prometheus's story about how he became lost and since he was there for Zeus's birth, how Zeus was "lost" as well. In Part One: Lost, the story starts when Prometheus is five and ends when he is twelve-ish. There is more than three POVs. They aren't frivolous but from characters who have a part to play through the series. The book Bespoken is different from the two books that came before and the two books that come after. Those focused on romantic couples and the events around them. Bespoken straddles a very large time period and all of it is about Prometheus or pertains to Prometheus. The timeline covers events that happened before Alpha Trine, then has events that happened at the end of Striker, and then hits the present day with the reunion for Prometheus, Vipre, and Malek. What happens in Part One of Bespoken begins the relationship building between the three crown princes. Part Two: Spies links events of One and Three. For me, all these parts in concert enhance the story. 

But while I was talking to my FB group about what I should or shouldn't have in a story, I realized that while I do write romance, the romance isn't the plot. I love reading and writing meaty stories with a good plot and an awesome yummy romance on the side. I like stories that have families who are vivid and part of the story. I like including all kinds of love. The love between the MC and their friends, the love of a family, the adoration of siblings, the love and pride in who we are.

I am considering splitting up Bespoken, though I'm not sure that it can be done. If it can, the content of the books won't fall within the lines of the publisher's required submission content and I'd have to self-pub. I don't know. I'm on the fence about it. If I do go head and break up the book, then there will be additional books.

#2.5 - Lost

#2.75 - Spies

I might wait and see if these sections can stand on their own. What I need is to meet up with my local author friends and have a discussion of the pros and cons of the situation. It's seriously bugging me.

Well! There is the news on The Valespian Pact and the general state of my well being. Y'all have a great day!

Thank you for stopping by and reading!!