Nightmares and Dreamscapes discussion

Hi All,

Opening invitations for a beta read of Chapter One once it's ready.

This is me simply testing the waters with a new character and a potential series to see if it flies or not.

Total content is likely < 10,000 words but should be enough to see if the flavour of the story works with your reading palate.

If you are keen to participate, please register your interest below.

This post is kinda where it starts: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog... ... but I'm expecting to add at least one prologue and multiple scenes after this one to flesh out the first chapter.

Likely date is April this year.

Graeme wrote: "Hi All,

Opening invitations for a beta read of Chapter One once it's ready.

This is me simply testing the waters with a new character and a potential series to see if it flies or not.

Total cont..."

You can count me in.

Thanks, Jeffrey. Awesome.

Beta Read LIST:

Jeffrey,
Marie,
Brianna,
Annerlee,

I am in of course! :)

Thanks, Marie. That's great!

I've got the prologues (2 of) and first chapter written.

Total word count is 6472.

I'm writing the first scene of Chapter two to add to this early beta to provide enough material to properly test the story and characters.

Working Title: Morrigan's Ravens: A Shae O'Rourke Supernatural Thriller.

Graeme wrote: "I've got the prologues (2 of) and first chapter written.

Total word count is 6472.

I'm writing the first scene of Chapter two to add to this early beta to provide enough material to properly test..."


Awesome! Waiting for it! :)

Cheers Graeme

Working on it today.

Graeme wrote: "Working on it today."

Nice! Keep working on it and maybe if we are lucky we will have another chapter to read! lol :) Well as matter of fact now that I mull it all over in my head just write the whole book already so we can read it! LOL

Indeed. 😁😉😎

There will only be one beta (this one), followed by an ARC read.

I’m in! 😁

Hi Brianna,

Welcome aboard.

Could you please PM me your email address so I can send the file when it is ready. I deliver in two formats epub and pdf.

Cheers Graeme

Finished the first scene of chapter two, and quickly decided it would fit better as the last scene of chapter one.

Now completed, so we have for this extra-early beta read (really just a test).

Prologues x2.
Chapter One with 5 scenes.

Total word count = 8K+.

Given this is my first attempt at a second series, I'm keen to see if the characters fly with readers. Here are some questions I'm keen to answer.

The #1 question, is Shae someone you'd like to read more of?
#2? Did the story hook you into wanting to read more, and if so - what hooked you?
#3? How did the secondary characters (anyone not Shae) work for you? Did they seem like props, or did they come alive? ... Noting that a lot of them don't have much page time in 8000 words.
#4? Was the action believable?
#5? Any dud characters that left you cold?

If you see any glaring grammar errors or dud sentences, noting that too will be great.

Thanks heaps.

This sort of feedback is invaluable.

I'll complete some buffing and formatting this weekend, so the files will be sent sometime this week end.

Once you have the files, start whenever you like, and leave comments and feedback here.

Finished early.

PDF & EPUB files sent.

You can ignore boilerplate at the start and end of the files. The story begins with the prologue.

Enjoy.

Cheers Graeme

Got mine! :) But I am going to have to start this weekend. Got lots going on till Friday. Home life stuff.

NP. No rush for anyone.

I’d like to join in. can read this weekend.

Excellent news, Annerlee.

Welcome to the beta read. Files sent.

Thank you Graeme, have it downloaded, ready to go.

Awesome, Annerlee.

Marie wrote: "Got mine! :) But I am going to have to start this weekend. Got lots going on till Friday. Home life stuff."

Thanks for the huge feedback, Marie. Very helpful.

Cheers Graeme

I've read through it twice so far. I like Shae as a character. You've got a good set up and some levels of mystery here.

I'll finish a third read-through this week and have more specific comments for you.

But it's a great start and I look forward to seeing more!

Thanks, Jeffrey.

Yeah, I think there's a lot more. I view it as an episodic series similar to the Dresden series, but likely in shorter novella formats.

Key themes.

Dystopic, near future.
Thrillers
Lovecraftian horror
Action/violence
Strong Flawed Female Heroine

Graeme wrote: "Thanks, Jeffrey.

Yeah, I think there's a lot more. I view it as an episodic series similar to the Dresden series, but likely in shorter novella formats.

Key themes.

Dystopic, near future.
Thrill..."

Great!

Been working on this story.

Narrowed it down to 5 chapters, approx. 28K to 32K words. Very similar in size to the 'Enforcer,' novella I wrote for the prelude to 'The Key of Ahknaton.'

I've nailed the controlling idea for this story: We are made whole when we trust others.

Issues of trust, its giving, its acceptance, and its betrayal are core themes of this story, and the climax will turn upon an act of trust either betrayed or honored.

You'll have to read the end to find out which.

At 28K to 32K words. I'll definently get this finished this year.

Awesome!

Jeffrey wrote: "Awesome!"

Thanks, Jeffrey.

The concept of a controlling idea comes from Robert McKee's book which is chock-full of good ideas regarding the story-telling craft.

Graeme wrote: "At 28K to 32K words. I'll definently get this finished this year."

Woot!! Cannot wait for it! :) Write faster! lol :)

Very cool. I'll be doing my third read through in just a few minutes.

Yeah dude. What Marie said... 😁

Thanks Marie, and Jeffrey.

Much appreciated.

It took a while as I had to think deeply about the characters.

I've finished scene design, and I'm ready to write through to completion now.

2x Prologues written.
6 of 29 Scenes written.
1x Epilogue.

Approx. 25K to 30K words total with approx 9K already written.

“If there are demons, there must be higher powers who oppose them, otherwise they would already rule this world.” - Brian O’Rourke - Personal Diary

👍

Thanks for the feedback, Jeffrey. It helped a lot.

Hi All, open invitation to participate in an ARC read (full story narrative) for my first Shae O'Rourke Action Horror Thriller short novella.

Approx. 25K to 30K words.

Due to start in September this year.

ARC Read, participant list.

Jeffrey,
Marie,
Annerlee,
Brianna,
Jenny,

Graeme wrote: "ARC Read, participant list."

I'll be ready for it!

Awesome, Jeffrey. Looking forward to the read.

Draft Backcover Blurb:

Ex-FBI hostage rescue agent, Shae O’Rourke, has spent a decade saving hostage's lives and delivering sanctions on criminals within the lawless reaches of the world’s most violent regions. But nothing has prepared her for a call from her uncle telling her that her father and brother have gone missing.

She returns to her home-town streets of Boston, MA, to discover an America she no longer recognizes and a threat that has originated from the deepest layers of Hell.

Wounded by a terrifying incident in her childhood, Shae trusts no one, especially the enigmatic Perceval who knows more about her than anyone should. But how can she win without allies, and if trust must be given, then who can she trust?

Will Shae save her family? Will she discover the truths hidden in her own past? Will she stop a diabolical world-ending plot?

Read Morrigan’s Ravens: A Shae O’Rourke Supernatural Thriller to find out.

I am automatic for you G! You know that! lol Add me to the list, please! :)

Graeme wrote: "It took a while as I had to think deeply about the characters.

I've finished scene design, and I'm ready to write through to completion now.

2x Prologues written.
6 of 29 Scenes written.
1x Epilo..."

WOOT WOOT!!! Now you should be on Turbo Mode! lol :)

Marie wrote: "I am automatic for you G! You know that! lol Add me to the list, please! :)"

Added. Thanks for jumping on board, Marie.

Graeme wrote: "Marie wrote: "I am automatic for you G! You know that! lol Add me to the list, please! :)"

Added. Thanks for jumping on board, Marie."


You are welcome! :)

Marie wrote: "WOOT WOOT!!! Now you should be on Turbo Mode! lol :).."

Had to cut two scenes, one of which was already written.

[1] - Merged with another scene.
[2] - Dropped, but a couple of points reused in another scene and the rest moved to backstory.*

*This was a painful cut, as I really liked the scene, but it just didn't fit the story.

I’d like to read too!