A few weeks ago I sent my newest work out into the world. I made sure all its little words were in order, put its jacket on, and wished it luck. The Jared Lagdon Files: Dr. Rayther's Game, left the comfort and security of my desktop, and entered to cold, mountainous terrain of the literary world.
I check on it every day from afar. It’s doing well out there. Now I’m writing the second book in the series of three. Soon it will have a sibling. This is my first shot at a sequel/trilogy. I had it in my head it would be easier than starting with a new idea, but I was wrong. I started by making ten outlines of this second book before I was happy with the storyline. I didn't think about the fact that when you have a story in progress with established characters, you have to go by the rules you've already created. Not only do you need to, of course, keep the character's personalities intact, but you also need to keep their comments consistent with their past, even if you haven't explained their past to the reader yet.
I am halfway through the first draft now. Everything is going very well, although I keep going back and forth as to whether or not I want to throw a huge twist in with one of the lesser characters. That character doesn't have a role in what I'm writing now, so I have time to think about it.
I enjoy creating people, even though they aren't able to be spoken to - except by me when I’m in a mood. A lot of fun characters came out of my first book, Jared's Island. I felt like I was able to create a wonderful connection between Jared and Sam, the caretaker of the island. The characters in this new book are coming together nicely too, albeit slower than I would like. I've decided to focus more on the storyline in the first book, and less on the relationships, to keep it a fun, easy read. Books two and three will, of course, continue with the storyline, but will also delve deeper into the relationships of the characters without getting all bogged down in too much drama.
I'll continue to watch my youngest out there in the world. I'll worry, just like any parent would. But I'll also know I've done my best during our time together, and hopefully see it gain the popularity I know it's capable of. Good luck little guy! You can do it!