COLONY UPDATE: ADRIFT

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I’m happy to announce that Adrift, first Sequence in the Colony Series is in the hands of the beta reader.

Though there is plenty of work still to be done I anticipate a late March 2021 release.

I was pleasantly surprised but very happy with how this complex story launching the series came together. 

Though I had a general idea of where it was going, for the first several weeks I had only one plot line and three characters to work with.

The story unfolded itself to me as I went along.

As with all my work I focused on the characters that make up this story.

Though the setting is sci-fi the characters face many of the challenges faced by humans throughout history.

I enjoyed getting to know my characters as I wrote the story.

  • Who are they?
  • What motivated them to be part of a deep space terra forming effort?

What kind of person sets out on a trip that isn’t just one-way but may not even succeed?

In this series I work with characters who are one step beyond passionate.

What some might call obsessed.

  • How do they handle adversity?
  • What do they consider when doing a cost benefits analysis?
  • How do they live with the consequences of their actions?

I will be releasing additional information about the Colony Series in the near future.

I am on track to release Lessons From the Edge: An Author’s Guide to Metatron’s Army Spring 2021.

I am also working on new material for the Dragon Core Series.

I’ve missed working on this series but made good use of my time away from it as I solidified plot elements and dealt with changes in the character line up.

I anticipate the next Dragon Core story to be available Late Summer/Early Autumn 2021.

Stay Tuned.

UPDATE AND INTERVIEW

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Taking a break from Adrift, first in the upcoming Colony series to provide an update.

Colony.  Adrift is well on its way to having a first draft completed within the coming weeks.  I’m hoping to release this Sequence mid to late spring 2021.

Metatron’s Army.  An interesting thing happened on my way to the next book in this series, Refugee. 

Metatron’s Legacy, Karma, and Refugee all take place after the original series ends.

Over the holiday break I decided to set aside Lessons From the Edge: An Author’s Guide to Metatron’s Army. 

Though I kept a copy in case I wanted to revisit the idea later.

It’s Later.  I spent the rest of the break doing an immense amount of work on the back end of my career and while I was proud of what I accomplished, I was also exhausted.

I was beyond anxious to get back to the easy part – writing the stories.

I was subsequently contacted by Lamont Gates of Real Spiritual Talk Radio.  

He found me through an internet search on Metatron in association with a rather unique filter, Near Death Experience which led him to my site, metatronsarmy.com.

Intrigued by my story he asked if I would do an interview and talk about the NDE and how it led to the development of this sci-fi series.  As this aspect of the Metatron’s Army journey was described in detail in Lessons From the Edge, I considered the timing quite the coincidence.

As a synchronicity junkie, I don’t believe in coincidences.

They’re forks in the road.  More often than not they are points where we are being offered a choice.

In lieu of this, I’ve decided to finish Lessons From the Edge and release it.

It will provide insight into the story of Metatron’s Army and add depth to what is discussed in the interview.

I anticipate this book to be released shortly after Adrift.

Stay tuned.

The interview can be heard here.

This article will be cross posted on metatronsarmy.com.

A BREAK FOR A SMILE

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There are times when the intensity of a scene – or a series of scenes – translates to tension in the body. At these times I look for a way to ease the tension.

  • Do Housework
  • Go for a walk
  • Go bug another hapless soul
  • Listen to some music

That doesn’t always help. Much of my favorite music has found its way into a novel playlist.

  • Watch a music video

It was this last that got me this evening. It’s a blast from the past but one that makes me smile so I thought I’d share it here.

Enjoy!

Now back to work…

COLONY: BUILDING THE BRIDGE

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Pacing is oh such fun.

Not.

I’m not talking about pacing a story – I’m talking about pacing my mind which at the moment is like a runaway train going through the mountain that is Adrift, the first Sequence in the Colony Series under construction.

I can count on one hand the number of times this has happened but it’s painful when it does.

It takes restless mind to a whole new level.

Under the Covers.  The issue has its roots in excitement. 

Specifically, of what’s to come.

The Idea.  A story has a beginning, an idea that may start as a small vibration of energy at the edge of consciousness, which grows if it is deemed by the deeper layers of consciousness that perceive the vibration to be more than a ripple in the creative field.

If I’m lucky I’ll get a glimpse of characters as this allows me to get a visual which provides details I hadn’t consciously thought of yet, details that can be used for backstory or various plot elements.  

Mental Movie.  Colony is a little different in that I spent a lot of energy mentally incubating it rather than starting a draft and allowing it to surface through the creative energy that uses my fingers on the keyboard to get through.

In this regard it’s similar to how Metatron’s Army came to be though I did write a draft of that one right off so this truly is different.

Construction.  Deciding I was ready to start I went through the routine steps of setting up the various documents, organizing them, setting up a backup routine, creating the artwork to go with it, etc.

Lots of work happens before Chapter One is ever laid out.

Floodgate.  Once I started typing, it was as if a floodgate was open.  

And therein lay the problem.

All these ideas came tumbling forward and while I appreciate that I have them they are somewhat disruptive to the writing effort.

Okay, they are very disruptive.

Mental Movie Take 2:  I thought if I gave time and energy to the scenes vying for my attention it might bring a bit of calm to a mind filled with excitement over the possible ways I could develop various plot lines. 

It didn’t.

Like a bratty kid who now has a way to get an adult’s attention, the creative energy behind this particular storyline is being relentless in introducing new possibilities.

And to think about a month ago I worried my creative source was drying up, no doubt the result of mental fatigue.

Adapt and Go.  I’m hoping I get to a point where the excitement of future scenes settles, perhaps due to an inner confidence that it will all come together.  

I’m confident it will all come together. Someone needs to tell the creative source!

Calming the mind to focus on the actual writing will be awfully difficult otherwise.

In the meantime?  I’m splitting my time between mental movies and putting fingers to the keyboard.

And Adrift is taking shape.