Spring Bloodroot Moon
Still reading through Missing, making notes, trying to integrate beta reader observations and questions. It’s slower right now because I’m also trying to integrate lessons about description and pacing from Robert Jordan’s amazing The Eye of the World.
The general plan for revision III has begun to take shape. Some shifting of certain narrative threads to book II or to a book of their own, expanding the ending, putting the climax in earlier, making descriptions beefier, more lush and adding narrative in sections where what I wrote was, as Judy observed, outline like.
How long will it take? I have no idea. As soon as I can finish it, but just how long that is, I don’t know. Why? Partly the removal of certain narrative lines will create disruption as well as clarification. Partly because the climax I have doesn’t satisfy me and I’m not clear what it should be. Partly because adding descriptive material is a whole manuscript task and a personal style changer, too, since I tend to be spare. There will be a learning curve.
Closing in on the last few verses of the Jason and Medea early story. When I’m done with it, before Friday, and have checked and revised my work, also before Friday, I’m ready to go to Book I and begin the work I first decided I wanted to do back in 2008 or 2009. That’s exciting.
It’s exciting for more than the obvious reason; that is, that I can now do it. It’s exciting in addition because it will feed a new work, one I will not start until all three of the Tailte novels are finished; but, a work I hope will utilize all I’m learning about writing and about mythology and Latin and Ovid and Rome. Working title: Changes.