What the Future Holds

Hey! How y'all doing today? I just wanted to sit down and chat a bit with you guys. Please, grab a seat. I've got some chocolate milk or Mountain Dew, if you're interested. Don't worry, I'll wait until you're comfy.

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Now, you might be wondering what I'm talking about today. Do recall in my last Humble Beginnings post that I said I wanted to discuss what I'm doing with the Portal Chronicles after such a terrible start to the trilogy. I also would like to share a little about the post series that's going to fill the void that Humble Beginnings left. So let's begin.

I'm actually planning on rewriting the first book in the Portal Chronicles, and I'm 99% certain that I'll start on that project this week. I know, I was working on novelizing Darkened Slumber, but finishing the HB posts left a strong desire in me to start working on the PC. This story was what got me writing in the first place, and it still holds a very special place in my heart. And lemme tell you, a LOT is changing.

I think the first thing I want to mention is what actually got me to seriously think about rewriting the PC. (I never came up with a name for the first book, so I'll probably just refer to it as the Portal Chronicles, or PC.) I was in the shower one morning--showers offer some of the best story ideas--when I got an image in my head. It was of a man, but not just an ordinary man. No, this man had pistons in his legs that enabled him to jump from branch to branch as he ascended these tall trees in a forest. And something, somewhere, told me that this enhanced man was a part of the new PC.

I don't know how long it took, but I eventually came to this game-changing conclusion: Leviathan and Behemoth, the men who had transformed into a dragon and a bull, respectively, were no more. Instead, they became Jarek and Cronus, twin brothers who have been implanted with machinery and steel. Why? I'm not going to spoil that, but trust me when they are now much cooler villains than they ever were before. Jarek is also taking the role that Tarquin held, seeing as he will be stationed on Earth like the leader of the Portal Guardians was.

That brings me to another huge change. This is not your ordinary fantasy world. Erador (which is not being called Erador anymore, but I haven't come up with a new name) is a mix of classic fantasy elements and technology that is different from some of ours, not necessarily superior. At least, I'm fairly certain it isn't superior, but that's not really the point. What matters is that it makes my story world so much more unique than it was before. Yes, this isn't a new, innovative thing. Others have combined fantasy and sci-fi before. But I don't think it's done all that often, and everyone always has their own spin on something that's already been done.

A few things that are a part of this world's technology are the machinery parts inside the twins, some kind of boat that runs on a track above treetops, and SkyRings, flying discs used in tournaments and battles, as well as for fun. Remember that excerpt I posted in September of 2017? Yeah, that takes place in this new version of Erador that I'm creating. But don't worry, there's plenty of stuff in the fantasy vein, including relics. These artifacts hold various types of power, and there are a few very special--and very dangerous--ones. It's been fun creating this storyworld, and I hope that's conveyed in the novel itself.

One difference (which is probably very obvious) is the age and occupation of the characters. Rather than being adult soldiers, two from America and one from Canada, they'll all be high school students in an Ontario town I made up, called Lakeshore, that's located on the edge of Lake Superior. This'll make it easier to write more relatable characters. I honestly have no idea why I was having adult protagonists in a YA novel. It was really silly of me.

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To continue with the theme of obvious changes, I am most certainly not going to be dumping all of the different races into the first story. The characters aren't even going to be leaving the first continent in book one! Rather, I'll introduce both the species of creatures and their homelands a lot slower, book by book. This world is a lot more vast and complicated than it was originally, so I want to make sure everything gets the attention it deserves.

Wanna know how deeply I've planned this? Tracey and I sat down at least a few years ago and came up with population numbers for the various races. I've also been working on the Toreth language and come up with a few phrases, the names for the months, and so forth. (Seriously, I'm getting so pumped about this story just talking about it! I have GOT to start it this week.)

The biggest revision to the plot is the complete and utter removal of the Chosen One element. They will not be called to save the world by any prophecy, especially the dumb one I came up with way back when. They will decide for themselves if they will join the war. While this might require a little more effort to come up with a believable reason for them to do so, I've already nailed Mark's, and I don't think it'll be hard to make ones for Warren and David.

I'm not sure what else to really say without spoiling stuff, but I'll definitely share more with you guys in the future, if you're interested. My enthusiasm for this project is growing by the minute. Does this mean I'm no longer pumped about Darkened Slumber? Nope, not at all. But I feel like part of the reason I wanted to focus on that story was because publishers will sooner pick up a solo novel by an author rather than a series. And while Darkened Slumber is the start of a seven-book series, it can work as a stand-alone.

I think, at the end of the day, I need to write what I'm truly enthusiastic about. I can cross the publishing bridge when I get there. For now, I want to work on my first real brainchild, because I absolutely love it and want to see it develop into something amazing. I mean, who doesn't want their first published work to be their very first novel?

Let's switch gears and turn our attention to the new blog post series. It's something I've never seen anyone do, and it's a far bigger project than anything else I've done for The Steadfast Pen--yes, that includes my ten blogoversary videos. What I want to do is . . .

A "choose your own adventure" story, with you guys making the decisions!

I'm not going to be calling it "choose your own adventure," because I want something snappy that rolls off the tongue better. I haven't come up with a name yet, but if you have any suggestions, let me know. I also haven't decided some of the other details, such as the genre; I might be holding polls for that stuff on my Twitter profile as well as on here.

Here's how it's going to work: over the next few months, I'm going to plot out the story. I'll be sharing a chapter in one post, and it will always end with a decision that must be made. You will vote on what choice should be taken without knowing what all the consequences will be. The most popular decision wins and shall be used. It's kinda like those video games, such as Detroit: Become Human, that evolve with how you play and what you do.

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And in case you're wondering, I am not going to "cheat" in any way. For example, let's suppose the main character must choose to kill one of two characters, because one is the villain. I'm not going to switch who the villain is depending on who dies. If you make the right choice, I will stick with my plan. (Does that make sense?)

This is another project I'm super excited about, but I'm sure you understand why I'm not starting this until the new year. Plotting a story like this, and all the branching paths, is going to take a bit of time. That's why I'm going to be having those polls soon, so keep your eyes peeled for them. I need to know some of those details in order to actually start planning.

That concludes our little chat! I'd say the future looks bright. What do you think of my changes to the Portal Chronicles? What're your thoughts on the new post series? Thanks for stopping by, and have a great day.