Announcement: There is action on my new novels. The publisher renamed the series--they are still working on the name. I provided suggestions as did one of my prepub readers. Now the individual books will be given single names: Leora, Leila, Russia, Lumiere', China, Sveta, and Klava--at least these are some of the suggestions. They are also working on a single theme for the covers. I'll keep you updated.
Introduction: I wrote the novel Aksinya: Enchantment and the Daemon. This was my 21st novel and through this blog, I gave you the entire novel in installments that included commentary on the writing. In the commentary, in addition to other general information on writing, I explained, how the novel was constructed, the metaphors and symbols in it, the writing techniques and tricks I used, and the way I built the scenes. You can look back through this blog and read the entire novel beginning with http://www.pilotlion.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-novel-part-3-girl-and-demon.html.
I'm using this novel as an example of how I produce, market, and eventually (we hope) get a novel published. I'll keep you informed along the way.
The four plus one basic rules I employ when writing:
1. Don't confuse your readers.
2. Entertain your readers.
3. Ground your readers in the writing.
4. Don't show (or tell) everything.
5. Immerse yourself in the world of your writing.
All novels have five discrete parts:
1. The initial scene (the beginning)
2. The rising action
3. The climax
4. The falling action
5. The dénouement
The theme statement of my newest novel, Valeska, is this: An agent of the organization becomes involved with a vampire girl during a mission, she becomes dependent on the agent, and she is redeemed.
Here is my proposed cover for Valeska:
The plot is developed directly from the theme. The first steps are fleshing out the characters (not accomplished in the novel, but before writing the novel) and the setting. The main characters and the setting come directly out of the theme. The characters are revealed through the storyline that is based on the plot. Then how do you get to the plot?
This is the part of the scene or collection of scenes where we finally get a true release of tension. It is not a complete release--there should not be a complete release of tension until the climax of the novel. In most cases, the climax itself is not a total release of the tension in the novel. In many novels, there is never a complete release of the tension. In other words, the storyline does not have a complete resolution. Not all strings are wrapped up in the novel. In complex novels, this is almost always true. This is because the many threads of the storyline continue before and after the novel climax. On the other hand, the theme must resolve in a tension resolution of some type and the plot must resolve.
If you remember, we began with a scene where Heidi and Sveta first meet and recognize they are both unusual beings. In the second scene Heidi and George have a small fight. In the third scene, Daniel and George confer and George discovers that Heidi has disappeared.
Heidi held a glass of
wine in her hand and followed Harold.
Harold stopped at a closed door, “Ms. Mardling, this is the
sunroom. Mrs. Long is waiting for you
within.” Harold opened the door for her
and bowed.
Heidi didn’t stagger
too much as she stepped through the door.
It shut behind her.
The room was very
brightly lit. Sveta sat in a padded
chair next to the center of the room. In
front of her was a love seat, and on the other side, a matching padded
chair. In between the seats was a tea
table.
Sveta stood. She didn’t move an inch toward Heidi, “Thank
you very much for being willing to meet with me. I’m afraid we got off on the wrong foot…”
Heidi curtsied. She didn’t lower her eyes, and she didn’t
dare take her eyes off Sveta.
Sveta stretched out her
hand, “Would you please take a seat. I
have tea.”
Heidi pursed her lips
tightly together. She stepped
deliberately to the other padded chair and stood behind it.
Sveta nodded her head,
“You see, there is a table between us. I
won’t try to touch you again.” Sveta sat
down and put out her hand.
Heidi sat quickly. She set her wine glass on the table.
“May I serve you tea?”
Heidi nodded.
Sveta poured the tea
and pushed the cup and saucer toward Heidi.
After Sveta had pulled her hand completely back, Heidi with her eyes on
Sveta, reached forward and took the cup and saucer. She held her cup and waited.
Sveta poured her
tea. No one moved for a while. Finally, flustered, Sveta took a sip of
tea. Heidi kept her eyes on Sveta—she
took a quick sip.
Sveta sat back a
little, “Ah, I see…” She steepled her
hands, “Your dress is lovely. You have
very good taste.”
Heidi sipped her tea
again, “Taste slightly out of time…”
“Yes, slightly out of
time. I really do not desire to
antagonize you. I wonder exactly why…”
“You wonder why my
presence unnerves you…”
“Yes, I wonder very
much…and I would like to know why. What
is it about you…?”
Heidi frowned, “It
might be better for both of us if you do not know…”
“That thought never
crossed my mind…”
“It has not left my
thoughts since we were first introduced…”
Sveta sighed, “Listen,
Ms. Mardling, let me lay my cards on the table.”
Heidi nodded, but
didn’t lower her eyes.
“I recognize you are a
being of spiritual dimensions. I myself
am such a being.”
“I know. Does Mr. Long realize—that is about you?”
“Yes. Does George realize about you?”
“I should lie and say
no, but I will say this…officially, Mr. Mardling doesn’t know anything about it
at all…”
“Then he does know… but
I am not to tell my husband about it. I
understand. I will not say anything to
him.”
“Never…”
“I will not tell
anyone…I am very good at keeping secrets.”
Heidi scowled, “You are
not very discreet at hiding your emotions…”
Sveta put up her hands,
“I understand. I was just
surprised. The last thing I expected to
find was a being like you at my Christmas party.”
Heidi took a deep breath,
“I admit, I was not at my best. I upset
Mr. Mardling and your guests.
Additionally, I was petulant. I
apologize. You were very tolerant of my
behavior when I was childish.”
“You are not a
child. I realize that.”
“I am not a child.”
Sveta took another deep
breath, “Can you tell me who you are?”
“Your cards are on the
table—not mine.”
“I understand.” She sighed, “I am an unbound goddess. I lead the Stele branch of ‘the
organization’.”
Heidi stared, “What
exactly does this Stele office do?”
“Chiefly, we use
spiritual means to protect Britain.”
Heidi visibly relaxed.
Sveta put her hands up,
“I only wish to know more about you, but there is a scent.”
Heidi’s eye twitched,
“The scent of blood and the grave?”
“Yes...”
Heidi folded her arms.
“Will you please tell
me what kind of being you are?”
“No.”
“I see. If you are worried, we follow the One named יהוה.”
The sound reverberated like a rushing wind about the room.
Heidi covered her
ears. Her eyes flashed, “Why did you
have to say that Name?”
“I won’t say it
again. You have not bowed your neck to
Him?”
“I was already broken
by that Guy.”
Sveta’s brow creased,
“I…I don’t understand. I have never
heard of such a thing. Please tell me
who you are. I’d be happy to help any
way I can.”
Heidi’s voice rose,
“You can’t help me. No one can help me.”
“I don’t believe that
is true.”
“Then you don’t know
everything do you?”
Sveta was getting a
little hot, “If you tell me who you are, we can move forward from there. If you simply bow your neck to Him, we can
work together.”
“I lay with my face on
the ground broken by Him and without any hope of redemption…”
“I know that is not
true…”
Heidi rose to her feet,
“It is truth.”
“If you know about Him
and you are convinced, you must have hope…I believe this is truth.”
Heidi stood, “I
believe, we have nothing else to speak about…”
Sveta held out her
hands, “Please, Ms. Mardling…don’t go. I
promise, as long as you don’t oppose us, we will help you…”
“You don’t understand…”
Sveta took a deep
breath, “I want to understand. Please
tell me who you are…”
“I will not… if I do…if
I do,” Heidi’s chest was heaving.
“Please…, I know
someone you will want to talk to.”
Heidi backed around the
chair. She kept Sveta at her front.
Sveta sighed, “You
don’t need to fear me. I promise--I’ll
not attack you. I think we can still
work together to the same ends.”
Heidi perked up, “Do you
truly promise?”
“I do… I do promise, by
the last and all.” The air crackled in
the room.
Heidi smiled, “You may regret that you ever made
such a promise, but I do accept it. I
can’t handle anything more tonight. I
thank you for your hospitality.” She
backed to the door. When Heidi touched
the door handle, Harold opened the door from the other side. Heidi curtsied and ran through the opening.
Now you see what all the excitement was about. Heidi is a vampire. These others in Stele follow the being who broke her. One could state that Heidi broke His laws and became what she is. This is all backstory the reader learned about Heidi's life and death before. In any case, the tension that was developed previously has not been completely released. There is still tension between Sveta and Heidi. Heidi still has her secret. There is now a new tension. Sveta knows now that George Mardling was lying. He knows about Heidi. The reader might wonder what this could portend for George. There is a further issue that was revealed: Sveta wants Heidi to speak to a certain someone. This is a new element to build into another scene. In fact, the next scenes begin to introduce this new character. The near final tension release in this scene is the swearing. Sveta swore an oath to Heidi. This should have reduced the tension somewhat. The final release is Heidi's response. Once she had a promise, she could leave. For her, she had repaired the evening the best she could.
This entire sequence goes back to what I mentioned before, once I can get two opposed characters together in conversation, I can really develop the novel. I can give the readers a great deal of information without telling and through showing. I can reveal and inform. I can show the readers what the characters are thinking. I can develop incredible tension or release that tension.
More tomorrow.
For more information, you can visit my author site http://www.ldalford.com/, and my individual novel websites:
http://www.aegyptnovel.com/
http://www.centurionnovel.com
http://www.thesecondmission.com/
http://www.theendofhonor.com/
http://www.thefoxshonor.com
http://www.aseasonofhonor.com
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