I know it has been a very long time since I have last written a blog entry. Some readers are well aware I sometimes work up to 3 jobs with fluctuating schedules, so I am not always able to write books.
So, what is Fragmented Fates?
When I wrote the 4th book Diaspora, snippets of the story of the exiled Grey Clan are offered but never expanded. We then get to learn a bit more about it in the 5th, 6th and 7th books. I believe the story of the founding of Almjarhad is awash in good writing potential because of the intertwining of so many stories meshed together along with complex characters.
And so, I gave it a try because there is just so much story to tell. One problem I began to face 3 months ago was that I wanted to reach from point A to point B. While the first half of the book had a lot of chapter revisions to make it entertaining without going either too fast or slow, the chapters of the last third of the story felt very rushed because I was desperate to keep the story beneath 120,000 words.
I do not feel satisfied with the last chapters I wrote due to word count constraints. Editing costs of a 150,000 word book is untenable for me. It isn't easy for me to reunite over 1000 dollars and I also want to get a customized cover which will easily cost 400 dollars. Therefore, I decided to cut the WIP into a duology and felt surprised by how filling the first 30 chapters feel. We cover the most pressing initial plot points, the endless drama caused by Talgel's manipulation, and the satisfying conclusion to this section of the story.
Even if a person never, ever reads any other book, Fragmented Fates covers enough story to feel interesting without being overwhelming. And, contary to An Ominous Book that rightfully annoyed plenty of readers due to the cliffhanger, this book wraps a lot of the pressing plot points and yet leaves insane amounts of story potential in the open.
I need to save money for a sensitivity reader for Talgel's scenes, so it may take a while longer to get the WIP ready for beta readers. I am close to finishing the few corrections for Jamarnid's scenes. The sensitivity reader that I hired enjoyed the WIP very much, which made me feel very happy.
Getting some feedback from beta readers would be great. Since I risk causing major plot holes with my main series, there are plot changes I cannot do. But I would feel appreciative if readers checked it out and told me if they liked it.
In the meantime, I am sharing a piece of comissioned art for one of the 4 main characters named Talgel. Enjoy!
