Mutiny

                                                     

                         

                                                   

I’m not talking a ship’s mutiny or a revolution, but as every author will tell you, writing is a collective project. Many writers have Beta readers (other writers) who critique your manuscript as you continue working on it. I have my editor, who questions, prods and directs my work until it's the best it can be. Thank you, Patti O’Brien.

I knew what my "Roof Oasis Series" would be about before I typed the first word and that is because my science fiction/apocalyptic romance series is based on dreams that I’d been having since I was a child. For those of you who don’t know, I’m a psychic and many of my dreams come true.

The story was already formed inside my head and I just had to put it to paper. But, something happened on the way to publishing my first manuscript, "Beware the Harvesters." There was a mutiny.   

 

It wasn’t me or my editor who had edited my original manuscript that had second thoughts. No, it was one of my characters to be exact. Emele wasn’t ready to present herself, so she encouraged me to write off-shoots of the manuscript which I did as a weekly serial on my blog and later as a short story called Roof Oasis. My intention was to have Roof Oasis as part of our South Jersey Writer’s Group’s first anthology, “Tall Tales and Short Stories from South Jersey. It was too long for the anthology and our editor Amy Hollinger asked me to wait for the second anthology, using two of my shorter stories instead.
                                                               

 

But Emele balked at being in an anthology. “Write a series,” she demanded.

Could I? Would it work? Would I eventually be able to tie in the first manuscript with the short story that had grown into two books? I've learned through experience that when I listened to my characters; gave them freedom to direct the story, the writing was better. I wrote and self-published the first two books of my "Roof Oasis Series" which include book one, "Roof Oasis", and book two, "Saving Solanda."
 

                                                       
From the very start of my writing "Roof Oasis", my characters began to voice their opinion as new people were added to the story. Each character that was added wanted the spotlight, which I tried to deliver, but it was never enough. There needed to be a second book and then a third, all the while, I was trying to give each character an opportunity to tell their story.            

 

With the second book, "Saving Solanda", which came out this summer, I found myself traveling back and forth from Earth to the three moons of Paleos in order for Lucy, Michael, Bird, Razhep, Potate and, last but not least, Patty the robot to tell their story. My editor loved how seamlessly the story flowed.

I am working on the third installment of the Roof Oasis Series, called "Beware the Harvesters" and yes this is the original manuscript. This time, Emele is ready to tell her story, but what she hadn’t foreseen is that her story is tied to Bird’s.

Emele isn’t sure if she wants to be dragged into a battle that is being fought in another solar system, but what she doesn’t know is that the enemy she is tracking down as a special agent is the same one that Lucy and Bird are fighting. Emele is not aware of her real identity. Not yet, anyway.

                                                              

 

My biggest nitpicker for book three is Patty. She wants more power. She has evolved from a plaything and protector of a child to a sentient being. She has evolved into more than just a robot and we can thank Princess Bird for this. Bird had changed Patty without my knowledge.               

 

I have my story outlined, but only to keep all the people, planets, demons, angels and aliens organized. I was updating my outline when Patty demanded that she have more say in book three. “I’m a robot!” I’m stronger and smarter than the others,” Patty pointed out.    

 

I promised Patty that I would try to better accommodate her needs in "Angels in the Mist", but I have this sinking feeling that she has other plans for book four.