I've been hard at work on the prequel book and I've felt re-invigorated after having revisited the source material. Considering I don't write non-fiction the idea of source material is odd, but when I'm working with a section or plot line that is an homage to another work, or if I'm writing a section that has facts and real world knowledge weaved throughout I can power through a lack of inspiration by reviewing my notes, or the original source.
By pure page count I'm almost a third of the way through the draft of this book, though it simply doesn't feel that way. In general I don't accept that I'm making any real progress until I reach the last few sections, and then I am nearly palsied by the stress of spotting and closing unintended gaps.
The characters have been, if not a revelation then a joy. The cast is so varied from the Weapon Mythos and I'm getting to know these people as I spend more time with them, even though I've taken notes on them in one form or another for the last decade. Just like their forebears (or in this case their descendants I suppose) they never seem to lack the ability to surprise me. I've also had the ability to explore more of the map, so to speak. I get to reveal parts of the world that aren't integral to the plot of the later books, but has a greater influence now, and that is exciting in its own way, so that the later books won't necessarily feel like I'm simply revisiting the same territory, and the progression of time that occurs during the series amplifies that effect.
Here's another pre-edit section:
“I
could tell a story,” Aeden said.
Paedrig
laughed, “Is that so?”
“What
story does a little boy know?” Beodelf said. Serafynn hushed him,
but he ignored her. “I'm not really in the mood for some story
about talking animals.”
“Some
animals can speak, and only a foolish man does not listen,” Esop
said.
