Barghest, Part II has begun. There has been some re-organization on the site to make room for it, but you can find Chapter 1: Portent here. It made me think about how I started writing longer, novel-esque works.
My first beta reader was my husband. The man is a good friend, an intelligent person, and an avid reader. He has suffered through more more opening chapters and half-finished novels than any one person should have to – mostly without complaint. After I had finished my first book, North Sea Dawn, I asked him what he thought of it and his response was that overall it was good, but he would have liked less internal emotional examinations and more fight scenes. I’m paraphrasing here, but apparently historical romance is not his thing.
As I started working on a new project, something that I felt excited and passionate about, I did consider my audience. All of the self-help for writers articles say you should consider your audience. (I think they meant people that buy the books, but I work with what I have.) Barghest definitely has more fight scenes. Fight scenes with aliens. Fight scenes versus nature. Fight scenes in zero gravity. Fight scenes with genetically modified child soldiers. And now, fight scenes with space ships.
You are welcome.
Your reading audience loves this new story so far! I never knew how much I like endings before. 🙂