Iskander: Blog

Most readers will, at some time, have been reduced to tears when a character that has involved them deeply is killed off by the author. My first experience of this was at age 12 in the final chapter of the Lord of the Rings, when Bilbo departs for the Grey Havens. Since then there have been many occasions where I have stopped reading as the page blurs beyond my tears. Most recently this occurred in the last book of Ryan Sylander's Hook. Pick and Lens trilogy - if you haven't read this, please treat yourself by picking up the books (they are on Bookapy). They contain great writing, particularly the final of the trilogy, Shutter Release. Ryan writes of deep emotions with subtlety and aching beauty.

As a new author, I recently found myself at the other end of the pen, so to speak. Through my Eyes. Again. grew organically from the initial scene. There was no plot line and the interactions between the characters drove the first half or more of the book as Will, Col, Frida (Col's mother) and their friend, Lili, interacted with each other and the circumstances they found themselves in. As the story grew, I found myself looking at the far horizon where various endings flickered in the distant mists. I toyed with several (including one where Col and Mutti Frida were actually 'sleepers' planted by the KGB - but I could not see that fitting their characters and it was quickly discarded). Finally, I came to the ending that occurred in chapter 20 - and found that to get there in a believable fashion, I needed to kill a character.

As an author, I invest emotionally in my characters - even the ones I don't like very much - and so killing one of them is not easy. I struggled to find a way of reaching the desired ending in some other way, but none of the ideas 'fitted'.

Unfortunately…

In other news, the first draft of chapter 4 of Through different Eyes - the sequel to TMEA - has been posted to my Patreon - there's a link to this and my Discord server in my profile.

Since the last chapter of the updated version of TMEA was posted, I have had several emails asking if Col and Will's story will continue - and, yes, it will.

The first three draft chapters of Through different Eyes are available on my Patreon (see my home page for a link) and I expect chapter 4 to join them in a couple of weeks.

Iskander

The final version of chapter 19 - which is now expanded to two chapters - has been posted to the queue and will appear soon.

This completes the final version of Through my Eyes. Again. As always, I am very interested in your feedback (and please vote if that is your thing).

Thank you for reading and, yes, there is a sequel coming. Early drafts of the first three chapters are on my Patreon.

I have just uploaded the final versions of chapter 17 & 18 of Through my Eyes. Again. to the posting queue and they will eventually appear.

Next weekend will see the final chapter uploaded. I received significant feedback about the old chapter 19 and this led to the final editing process becoming a significant rewrite.

Unlike the first 18 chapters where the editing and changed have been minor, this final chapter has been extensively revised. This has significantly expanded the material and the old chapter 19 has become chapters 19 and 20 - with both chapters being longer than any earlier ones.

If you can't wait to until next weekend, the entire ebook is on Bookapy and the individual chapters 19 & 20 (along with the ebook) are on my Patreon. You will also find there the first three draft chapters of Through Different Eyes, the sequel to TMEA.

I have just posted the final versions of Chapters 15 and 16 to the posting queue - they should appear shortly.

I have also posted the draft of Chapter 3 of the sequel Through Different Eyes to my Patreon, where it joins chapters 1 & 2.

As always, I'm very interested in your feedback - best done on my Discord server. Links to that and my Patreon are on my home page.

Take care of you and yours in these strange times

Iskander