lichtyd: Blog

Part three is still in work. It's not coming along as fast as I'd like, but I add to it nearly every day. Most of the conflict is plotted and about about a third is written. Some chapters are complete.

Currently I'm rewriting chapters 21 and 22. After finishing The Masquerade, I decided to add a chapter or two on Natalie's other family. If you've read the prequel, you'll know about them. Content from the old chapters 21 and 22 will be pushed into later chapters.

I'm very happy with how The Masquerade was received. A lot of readers liked it. Writing a short story with all the detail needed was an interesting challenge.

As always, feel free to ask questions.

I took a break from part three of The Loyalty Gene and wrote a Halloween story using my favorite characters. Chronologically, it fits between chapters eight and nine, but due to the plot, it won't be merged in.

My goal was to win the Halloween contest, and I wrote most of it before reading the rules. Then I read rule eleven. I couldn't hide my identity from the reader without making a lot of changes.

For what it's worth, most of my regular beta readers didn't like it. Not because it's a poor story, but because Natalie gets something going with Jason.

I'm happy with the character development and pacing. I think there is sufficient background info for readers new to The Loyalty Gene. Let me know what you think. I dislike info dumps and tried to add the necessary info where it fit.

Oh, if the person who voted it a "5" reads this, it would be great if you explained why. Maybe I missed something? Messages through the SOL message system are about as anonymous as you can get.

Here we are at the end of part two. I hope you enjoyed the story so far.

I wrote most of the first draft before learning of the three-act structure. My writers group used Star Wars: A New Hope as an example. After the meeting, I tore the story apart and reformed it into what you've read. Part one ends with the two protagonists faced with life-altering changes. Part two dealt with those changes and brought the story to a climactic resolution.

How many readers thought Jason would end up with Stephanie AND Natalie? Well, that was how it went originally. But a friend read it and disagreed. "NO WAY," she said. "Stephanie is too jealous to put up with it. That turned out to be the single most pivotal bit of character advice I've ever received. It gave me so much to work with and turned Stephanie into a person.

Part three, which is in-work, deals with Stephanie and Jason's relationship and the accommodations they make. Stephanie is not like other girls and Jason must learn this. For her part, Stephanie must learn how to be human.

Then there is the morality of bringing more children with Natalie's genotype into the world. They couldn't go to public or even a private school, or they'd be hopelessly addicted before finishing high school.

On another front are Natalie's other daughters. Genie or not, Natalie loves her daughters. She'll want to know their fates.

Part three will have crises to navigate but there will be time for relationship building.

In real life, my wife and I have received the COVID vaccinations. I went out this morning and got a haircut.

Feel free to send questions or comments or suggestions. I try to reply quickly. Reader's comments after the story are always fun to read.

George D.
aka lichtyd

Chapter twenty is up, but with a formatting error. I've uploaded a correction.

I hope my readers haven't taken their seatbelts off yet.

Chapter nineteen is in the queue for Wednesday morning (Eastern US.) I hope you enjoy it, 'cause I had a great time writing it.

If everything goes to plan, chapter twenty will go up Saturday morning. This will bring part two to a close. I'll write more then.