Stellar A Taster Of What's Next To Come: Book Two.

[Stellar]

So, I figure it's well past time to give readers some kind of update on what is happening next, for the sequel to Hidden Sunlight.

 

This is just to give some idea of what's to come in the most general terms. You can expect to see:

• multiple perspectives. Shay Andersen remains the primary protagonist and the only first person perspective. However, in order to tell a story where there are multiple characters who are geographically and spatially scattered, other dedicated POVs will be required. This will include the two you already know and love from Hidden Sunlight - Konstantin and Mira - as well as other new identities who have yet to be introduced
• by implication, many places, including but not limited to: Earth, Lucere and other exotic planetary locations such as desert, jungle and gas giant worlds
• the state of the homeworld itself! Things have really changed.
• aqumi! You didn't think throwing around skyscrapers was the height of this (no pun intended) did you?
• a certain kitten who shall still remain nameless
• the varied creatures that are the minions of the Sharpe virus, relentless as ever!

Though I'm painting in the broadest brush-strokes, that is about as much as I'm willing to say. I'm still not at the point where I'm going to give out any ETA for the arrival of the second book, nor the title, but you can rest assured it is progressing.

Edited July 21, 2015 by Renee Stevens

[thebrinkoftime]

Hey, Stellar! A question for you! How do you plan to go about implementing your new points of view from a writing stance?

 

Also, a request! If you're going to include a gas giant, can you put a volcano in it?

[Stellar]

Hey, Stellar! A question for you! How do you plan to go about implementing your new points of view from a writing stance?

 

Also, a request! If you're going to include a gas giant, can you put a volcano in it?

 

Alternate perspectives will be third person and take a similar form to the first book, where it was done sparingly on a scene by scene basis (and once for a full chapter [that was 12] out of necessity.) In the second though, it will provide a greater proportion of the narrative than the protagonist's first POV, but this is a consequence of the disparate plot elements and is essentially unavoidable. If I want to deliver the creative depth and richness that such a thing requires, this is a must!

 

Uh .. a volcano?! On a gas giant .. ? Well, I'll ... um ... have to see! No promises there.

Edited September 27, 2013 by Stellar

[thebrinkoftime]

I asked about the multiple perspectives not because I don't like them (really, the only time I don't approve of multiple points of view is when they are used only to increase the suspense of the story, and the author is obviously only doing it to string out the plot). In fact, I am a fan of any kind of narrative style which keeps the plot lively and is a little different from straight narration.

 

I asked because I thought if somebody just read the the first post, they might get the wrong idea about the different narrative threads. It seems multiple points of view are not popular with some people, and I was hoping to get you to expand a bit so you don't lose any fans.

 

Personally, I think this is the natural road for the narrative to take from the way Hidden Sunlight ended -- from what I know, I actually think it would make for a significantly trickier and perhaps much weaker book if you didn't go this route. (Trying to avoid spoilers there.)

 

BTW, do you listen to music when you write? Maybe I'm just musically inclined, but so much of Hidden Sunlight seems to suggest a song behind it when I'm reading it.

[Stellar]

I asked about the multiple perspectives not because I don't like them (really, the only time I don't approve of multiple points of view is when they are used only to increase the suspense of the story, and the author is obviously only doing it to string out the plot). In fact, I am a fan of any kind of narrative style which keeps the plot lively and is a little different from straight narration.

 

I asked because I thought if somebody just read the the first post, they might get the wrong idea about the different narrative threads. It seems multiple points of view are not popular with some people, and I was hoping to get you to expand a bit so you don't lose any fans.

 

Personally, I think this is the natural road for the narrative to take from the way Hidden Sunlight ended -- from what I know, I actually think it would make for a significantly trickier and perhaps much weaker book if you didn't go this route. (Trying to avoid spoilers there.)

 

BTW, do you listen to music when you write? Maybe I'm just musically inclined, but so much of Hidden Sunlight seems to suggest a song behind it when I'm reading it.

 

Yes, I came to this conclusion some time ago. I kinda sat down and though: 'I can't really write the upcoming events in Book Two the same as Hidden Sunlight because the scope and scale of events has been buffed up beyond what a near-exclusively first POV could reasonably show.' Ultimately, I knew it would take too much exposition or injected information and would just add undue complexity by trying to do everything through Shay's experience.

 

To be honest, it's a point of enjoyment though and it forces an author to mentally adjust to his characters and their nuances, to keep them 'functional', as it were, for the narrative. I enjoy that challenge and take satisfaction when anyone says to me: 'this person you wrote seems very real to me! I can imagine them, no problem!' That's a win for me, right there.

 

The interesting thing about music and writing, is that I can't usually listen to anything, or it has to be extremely quiet if I do. Especially when I'm on a roll and things are falling into place, it's generally dead quiet. Sound and sensation, touch, can distract my mind and put an indelicate roadblock on whatever I'm trying to accomplish. If there is a television going at the other end of the house, I'll be closing doors to make sure I can't hear it at all. Ditto with Skype calls or music or anything. It's a result of my Aspergers and the need to have the correct sensory environment in order to properly lose myself in what I'm doing.