Kenn Ghannon: Blog

My real life job occasionally involves a bit of travel. Unfortunately, it's that time again.

I just found out I'm going to be gone for two weeks starting Wednesday and I certainly can't access SOL nor my story archive from my work computer (big brother is watching - always). I can get to it from my phone - but have you ever tried editing a story on a phone? Not something I want to try.

SOL has a nice feature that allows you to post stories in advance and I'm going to try to process and post two chapters so we don't miss any time - but I've a ton of things to do both for work and home before I leave so I can't guarantee anything. What's worse is that I won't be able to WRITE anything in this time and I'm still only on a first draft of chapters 56, 57, 58 and 59.

This means, unfortunately (and I'm very sorry) we MIGHT have to look at this two weeks as 'lost' and I'll pick up posting again when I return. We're nearing the end of Tome 2 so I'll try to pre-post but please accept my apologies if I just can't get to it.

I've received a lot of feedback about a Dramatis Personae after my previous post. There've been those who've come down on each side of it. I want to thank you all for emailing me.

Unfortunately, someone much smarter than me made me realize I couldn't do it at this late juncture - because it would appear and STAY - in the middle of the book. If I was going to add a D.P. or Cast List, it would have to be added at the beginning or end of the story in order for it to make any sense.

After I finish posting Tome 2, I'll try to start Tome 3 with a Cast List - to make it easier. I might start writing that up soon - when I have time - and will make it available upon request when I finish it (don't ask for it now, I've not even started it yet).

On that note, I've finished my first draft of chapters 55, 56 and 57. 58 is kind of percolating through my head a bit, though I've written the first few paragraphs. I need to sit for a bit and decide exactly how I need to word this to set it into the narrative in the correct fashion. As I sit here contemplating the future, I think I have maybe 3 - 4 chapters beyond 58 to conclude this though there might be more.

I'm going to admit something. If I find a story on SOL that contains a chapter or prologue or something with the list of characters in the story... I don't read it (unless it's added after I start reading the story). In the past, I thought it was a horrible tool that just meant the author wasn't able to differentiate characters and, therefore, the story wasn't worth reading.

Yes. I was a snob.

Sitting here now and looking at potentially having to create one of these for 'Runesward', I'm beginning to change my opinion. I'm sure there are stories out there with 'Dramatis Personae' where the author really isn't good at differentiating characters. I'm equally sure this may be my problem with 'Runesward' but I think part of the problem is that I deliver only a chapter a week. My job, as an author, is to introduce you to characters and make them different enough and make you care about them enough that you get to think of them as acquaintances, if not old friends.

If I've done my job, there should be no question of who 'Vestra' is, or who 'Ilzu' is, or who 'Audette' is or how 'Audette' differs from 'Ataya'. I like to think I'm doing my job - but either I'm not or the chapter-a-week pace is too few and far between for my readers to care/remember. Either way, it's making me re-consider my stance on listing the story's characters...

Every now and again, someone will ask for the status of one of my other stories. Rather than go on answering them individually - which I have no problem doing because I enjoy getting email - I thought I'd answer some of those questions here.

Runesward: Tome 2 is posting - but I haven't finished writing it yet (I got stuck on chapter 55 but had a breakthrough this weekend and actually wrote a huge chunk of chapter 56). Posting is catching up to the writing, which is never a good thing. I hope to have it fully written by mid-July (I have a 2-week family vacation coming up, so that's going to make things a bit tight).

InCAPable: the next chapter in the Calix saga (set in Thinking Horndog's Swarm Universe) will be my next writing endeavor. I don't have a deadline, but I'll start writing it immediately after I finish writing Runesward. I'm HOPING to finish it by the end of September so I can start posting in October - but don't underestimate how RL can mess up my plans.

Ring of Command: It's been inactive/abandoned for years now and needs a full re-write - starting from scratch. Andy is just... too good to be true. I do not believe anyone given the power of the ring would not abuse it at least a little before seeing the error of their ways. I hope to maybe write a chapter here and there when I run into a block with Runesward and InCAPable. No idea when I'll finish it and re-post.

In the meantime, I have 2 story ideas that are percolating in the back of my head that I'd eventually like to get put on paper. One is actually fairly persistent in that I've tried mapping it several times in the past and just never got it to a point I liked. I could never see the end, so I had no focus on where I was going with it. That's changed recently, so I'm spit-balling ideas and notes on where to start and how to get from start to finish. I will say that it's going to be at least two stories and maybe more. The other is one that occurred to me a few weeks ago and I've been fudging around with the premise. Still no ending or beginning but I like the idea of it. We'll see if anything comes of it.

Anyway, that is my current queue. If I've missed anything, please let me know.

I am WAY behind on my email. Most of them appear to be crowd-source edits.

I promise I will get to them. It just may take a bit. I try to answer every single email sent to me - but I've been head down most of the day trying to find a way to finish chapter 55.

So, please, don't be discouraged. I will get to the mail as soon as I can.