Wednesday, December 31, 2014

THE CHOSEN: First Draft Finished & A Look At The Forward & Chapter Titles


The first draft of The Chosen is completely finished. This is the first sequel that I've written, and it has been an incredible experience. It was both much easier to write than the first book, Rooms, and at the same time very difficult.

In the last few days, I have completed the final chapters, and today I finished both the Forward and the Epilogue. I actually dreamed how to do the Epilogue last night and used that dream in the final draft.

The characters, plot, and setting of this book, I believe, demonstrate that I am progressing as a writer. I have worked much harder on every chapter and have slowed down and done my best to fill out the story and the characters. It has been my goal throughout to give the reader more to think about and experience.

One other thing that I'd like to mention is that I've wanted to put an original poem in a novel, and I did that in The Chosen in chapter 4 with the poem "We Are Not Alone." Also, I'm excited that I was able to reference one of my favorite poets in the book. In the last chapter, Robert Frosts' poem "The Road Not Taken," which was published in 1916, had an important part to play.

Now, I'm going to leave this book for a while and go back to work on Beatrice. I have a few changes to make on that book before I enter it into the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest in February. After that, I'll also make some changes on the first two chapters of Rooms and send Beatrice and Rooms out to some other agents. Then I'll get back to work on The Chosen and get it ready to be published.


Below is the Forward to The Chosen and the titles for all of the chapters.

Forward to The Chosen


The Chosen is the second book of the Rooms’ Series. In Rooms, we saw the human race spread out across the galaxy, dispersed from a ruined and decaying Earth. We also learned about the planet Loon, and even though it’s humans were spawned from the same malicious seed as the Chosen, the people of Loon opted for a much different way of life – a way that cherished the environment and worked within it– a way that advanced civilization and yet also had the capacity to care about, enhance, and value the lives of all of its people.

As with Rooms, this book, The Chosen, is first and foremost a story about people – people with real feelings, beliefs and emotions – people with dreams and hopes, who are doing their best during a difficult time in history. The book also brings to a head the struggle between the "haves" and the "have nots;" the conflict between self-indulgence and living as a village; and the battle between power, greed and profit and the daily lives of people and the health of their planet.

The Chosen also looks at how people, religions and governments have settled their differences over the millennia, and that the evil and destructive nightmare of war might not be the answer.

We as humans have the capacity to either hinder or advance our evolutionary growth through the choices we make. Choices do make a difference. We can use our wit and intelligence and the factual nature of science to chart a new course for the human race, or we can bow to corporate greed and the lust for power at any cost and watch our lives deteriorate along with our planet.


Choices matter…


Chapter Titles

Forward
1. The Tower
2. The Reboot Ceremony
3. The Ship
4. Loon's Story
5. The Favor
6. The Club
7. Reunion
8. The Pulse-Signal
9. Stealth
10. M-78
11. Data Mining
12. Espionage
13. Rage and Remembrance
14. Recon
15. The Circle
16. Glide-Trains
17. The Gathering Storm
18. In the Dark
19. The Razor's Edge
20. The Insurgence
21. Paradox or Possibilities
22. The Maelstrom
23. Rewind
24. Revolution
25. Two Roads
26. Epilogue

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

My New Book, THE CHOSEN, Is Almost Finished



All the chapters for my new science fiction book, The Chosen, have been finished. Now, all I have to do is the Forward and the Epilogue and the first draft of the book will be done.

Below, I've included all the chapter titles. I should finish the forward and epilogue within the next two days, then the edits and rewriting will begin. I'm very hopeful that I can have the book published sometime in February.


Even though The Chosen is Book II of the Rooms' Series, it will be able to be read as a stand-alone novel. You won't have to read Rooms to read The Chosen.



Chapter Titles

Forward
1. The Tower
2. The Reboot Ceremony
3. The Ship
4. Loon's Story
5. The Favor
6. The Club
7. Reunion
8. The Pulse-Signal
9. Stealth
10. M-78
11. Data Mining
12. Espionage
13. Rage and Remembrance
14. Recon
15. The Circle
16. Glide-Trains
17. The Gathering Storm
18. In the Dark
19. The Razor's Edge
20. The Insurgence
21. Paradox or Possibilities
22. The Maelstrom
23. Rewind
24. Revolution
25. Two Roads
26. Epilogue

Friday, December 26, 2014

The Chosen: Chapters 21 & 22 Are Finished


As I mentioned in my last post, I've changed the title of Harlequin to The Chosen. I've finished chapter's 21 and 22, and have started chapter 23. Unless something changes, it looks like there will be a total of 25 chapters with an Afterward as well.

Below, I've included a list of all the chapter titles up through chapter 23. I should finish the first draft of the book sometime in January and publish it in February or early March.

Even though The Chosen is Book II of the Rooms' Series, it will be able to be read as a stand-alone novel. You won't have to read Rooms to read The Chosen.


Chapter Titles

1. The Tower
2. The Reboot Ceremony
3. The Ship
4. Loon's Story
5. The Favor
6. The Club
7. Reunion
8. The Pulse-Signal
9. Stealth
10. M-78
11. Data Mining
12. Espionage
13. Rage and Remembrance
14. Recon
15. The Circle
16. Glide-Trains
17. The Gathering Storm
18. In the Dark
19. The Razor's Edge
20. The Insurgence
21. Paradox or Possibilities
22. The Maelstrom
23. Rewind


Tuesday, December 16, 2014

THE CHOSEN: Finished Chapter 20!




I just finished chapter 20 of THE CHOSEN. It's a long chapter and was very interesting, intricate, and extremely exciting to write. It is definitely a pivotal chapter and really sets up the rest of the book.

A lot happens in this chapter that has been building since the beginning of the story, and I'm really looking forward to going on from here. I've even started the next chapter, continuing directly from where chapter 20 left off. I had to do it that way this time! Just had to!

So, again, I've listed all twenty chapter titles below along with one quote from chapter 20 and a possible title for chapter 21, "Paradox or Possibilities".


THE CHOSEN Chapter 20 Quote


“They walked along behind him into the large, dark chamber. Yadesh had been right. It was absolutely pitch black except for his beacon that swayed back and forth with his steady gate, and it was very difficult to move quietly as well. Any small rustle of clothing or shuffling noise would resonate across the hall. Yadesh slowed them, using a hand signal to get them to move with even more caution.

They reached the opposite side of the chamber and could see another small stairway by the glow of Yadesh’s beacon. As he climbed, though, it left his followers in the dark; so upon arriving near where they thought the stairway must be, each of them was forced to tepidly search for the first step until it was discovered, finally allowing them to proceed.


Reaching the top of the stairs, Yadesh turned and gathered his followers close and murmured…”


Chapter Titles

1. The Tower
2. The Reboot Ceremony
3. The Ship
4. Loon's Story
5. The Favor
6. The Club
7. Reunion
8. The Pulse-Signal
9. Stealth
10. M-78
11. Data Mining
12. Espionage
13. Rage and Remembrance
14. Recon
15. The Circle
16. Glide-Trains
17. The Gathering Storm
18. In the Dark
19. The Razor's Edge
20. The Insurgence
21. Paradox or Possibilities

Sunday, December 14, 2014

A New Review of BEATRICE from Amazon



5 Stars

A Must Read for People Who Love an Exciting Fantasy Wrapped Within a Mystery

I've never read a fantasy/mystery quite like this before. I loved it! I really enjoyed all of the characters, and the setting in Edinburgh, Scotland was a superb choice for the content of the story. The plot was exciting, intricate, beautifully written, and the ending packed a punch and left me wanting more. I couldn't put it down! My congratulations to the author for successfully writing yet another story that not only entertains but also speaks to our capacity as humans to either hinder or advance our evolutionary growth through the choices we make. Can’t wait for the sequel!


Saturday, December 13, 2014

Welcome To Four New Countries!



I would like to welcome Ireland, India, Macau, and Belgium. Now readers from a total of 28 countries have become part of this blog's community. I've placed the complete list below. 

And...for fun, check out the new counter on the right side of my blog that shows the total Pageviews Since 11/22/2013 and the Popular Posts section that includes the posts that have had the most hits over the past 7 days. ----------------------------------->

  • United States
  • Poland
  • Ukraine
  • France
  • Turkey
  • Germany
  • Denmark
  • China
  • Russia
  • United Kingdom
  • Spain
  • Netherlands
  • Belgium
  • Romania
  • Taiwan
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Italy
  • Canada
  • Brazil
  • Indonesia
  • Mexico
  • Vietnam
  • Thailand
  • Colombia
  • Austria
  • Macau
  • Ireland
  • India

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

THE CHOSEN Update - Finished Chapters' 18 and 19




In the last three days, I've completed chapters' 18 and 19 of THE CHOSEN. All the bits and pieces of the book are coming together. I love getting to this point in a book - the point where you can see the end so clearly, but you can also visualize so many different ways to get there.

I'm also pleased with the chapter titles that are popping up. Even they seem to be building the suspense. I've listed below the chapter titles for the first 20 chapters. I'm not sure if the one I have for chapter 20 will stand. We'll see...
  1. The Tower
  2. The Reboot Ceremony
  3. The Ship
  4. Loon's Story
  5. The Favor
  6. The Club
  7. Reunion
  8. The Pulse-Signal
  9. Stealth
  10. M-78
  11. Data Mining
  12. Espionage
  13. Rage and Remembrance
  14. Recon
  15. The Circle
  16. Glide-Trains
  17. The Gathering Storm
  18. In the Dark
  19. The Razor's Edge
  20. The Insurgence

And...for fun, check out the new counter on the right side of my blog that shows the total Pageviews Since 11/22/2013 and the Popular Posts section that includes the posts that have had the most hits over the past 7 days. ----------------------------------->

Sunday, December 7, 2014

THE CHOSEN: Chapter 17 Short Excerpt



Chapter 17 in THE CHOSEN is where the conflict in the book is taking center stage. The title of that chapter, as I mentioned in my last post, is "The Gathering Storm". That title actually came from a passage at the end of the chapter. Below, I've included the last four paragraphs. Rad and Zeer are talking.


   “Zeer?”
   “Yes?”
   “At this moment, I feel like I did when I was out on R-131 in my survival shelter watching one of those gigantic, violent dust storms rolling towards me. I’d look out of my small shelter, with only its thin shell for protection, and I felt completely and utterly vulnerable, never knowing whether I would survive or not. I always did, but I never felt safe until it was over.
   None of us knows what’s going to happen now either, and I again feel the danger and power of an oncoming gathering storm..."


Here are the titles of the first 17 chapters of THE CHOSEN.
  1. The Tower
  2. The Reboot Ceremony
  3. The Ship
  4. Loon's Story
  5. The Favor
  6. The Club
  7. Reunion
  8. The Pulse-Signal
  9. Stealth
  10. M-78
  11. Data Mining
  12. Espionage
  13. Rage and Remembrance
  14. Recon
  15. The Circle
  16. Glide-Trains
  17. The Gathering Storm
And...for fun, check out the new counter on the right side of my blog that shows the total Pageviews Since 11/22/2013 and the Popular Posts section that includes the posts that have had the most hits over the past 7 days. ----------------------------------->

Thursday, December 4, 2014

New Blog Layout & New THE CHOSEN Update


NEW BLOG LAYOUT

Just recently, I changed the layout of my blog. I've added some tabs near the top that you can click to go to pages with information about My Books, My Website, and how to Contact me. The Home link just takes you back to my Home page. Also, I've put a new Search box at the top of the menu on the right side of the blog page that searches my blog only and a Pageview counter below that.


THE CHOSEN Update - Book II of the Rooms' Series


I just completed chapter 17 of THE CHOSEN today. The novel is now sitting at about 56,789 words, and the tempo of the plot is increasing with each new chapter. I've listed the titles of the first 17 chapters below, with chapter 17 being "The Gathering Storm". Also, a new character has been added in chapter 17 that I'm having fun with. His name is Bodo, which is a German name that means leader.


Here are the titles of the first 17 chapters of THE CHOSEN.
  1. The Tower
  2. The Reboot Ceremony
  3. The Ship
  4. Loon's Story
  5. The Favor
  6. The Club
  7. Reunion
  8. The Pulse-Signal
  9. Stealth
  10. M-78
  11. Data Mining
  12. Espionage
  13. Rage and Remembrance
  14. Recon
  15. The Circle
  16. Glide-Trains
  17. The Gathering Storm

And...for fun, check out the new counter on the right side of my blog that shows the total Pageviews Since 11/22/2013 and the Popular Posts section that includes the posts that have had the most hits over the past 7 days. ----------------------------------->