Novel 3 - Lost & Found: What’s in it for you?
What’s it all about? Why would one sink the time into a 600 page tome from an early author? Lessee:
Ambitious - Yes, I was ambitious to take on a book that has tipped the scales like this, with 8 POV characters and some timeline hopping. More, however, readers will note how ambitious characters are. Ashley is ready to go toe to toe with rebel forces and corporations. Stu, a reluctant leader, ponies up to be the big hero of Laramie. Krystal’s ambition is almost her undoing in a classic case of finding identity in recognition. Everybody’s ambitious in this novel!
Call backs - If you’ve read the previous books, you’ll be happy to find almost all of those characters surfacing again in this one. You’ll also find at least half a dozen characters you will not initially know. They’re in the prequel. (Their backstory is so integral, I’m thinking of making the Prequel Book 1 some day.) If you know the prequel characters, you’ll really enjoy seeing them in these pages, all grown up.
Real people - Okay, not really, but they feel like the most real characters I’ve forged to date. Self-doubt, holes in socks, issues with getting tongue-tied and flustered. Some power struggles are pedestrian and every-day, between peers and bar patrons and such…but…
Power struggles - We’re familiar with corporate bickering, the rebels of Eat the Rich, and so on, but in this novel, it seems the powerful parties are in stark contrast to the little guy. If ever I wrote a David vs Goliath piece, this one is it. I was constantly worried about the characters in this one getting snuffed out by something extreme like a giant portal miles across or an airship crash landing or time traveling Spooks intent on ending this.
Love - What’s more pure than sacrificial love? This book marks my venture into unconditional love, undying love, frustrating marriage-level love, and several other layers of love. Some hearts are broken and others are mended. If this book does not pluck your heart strings, I have failed abysmally.
At Odds - I did a character conflict map and WOW—about everyone is at odds with someone. Key characters are scrapping on every front. Just for example, Stu Wiebe can’t figure out his child’s gender dysphoria. His wife is mad at him because an old flame has come to town and he has to spend time with her. His hired men sometimes question his authority and leadership. He is his own worst enemy…and that’s not even counting the invading forces and super over-powered enemies he has to confront. And that’s just ONE character!
Satisfying - Beta readers report it’s a rocky start with chasms of context unfulfilled, but 8 chapters in and everything starts connecting. My son watches Tik-Tok’s that are satisfying (playdough being sliced, combing long straight hair, etc.) and I would offer that this novel is ever-more satisfying than that! If you’ve read along this far, there will be a pay off and there will be satisfaction. Guaranteed.
I’ve mentioned before, but again for the record, this one took me much longer to write for it had to dovetail into the series. It has to pull together a 40 year arc and make it work. We have context from the previous books and some even prior which it tries to span…and it’s hard killing characters.
Really hard.
Saying goodbye to the series is proving too difficult. At the time of this blog, I’m working on a novella and a sequel, and I’ve already sent the prequel to the editor. Endless Tempest might just truly be that—endless!
You’ll decide.
