Paksworld

You could be forgiven for thinking “She isn’t posting; she must be goofing off while she’s traveling” but in fact I have been working when I could find a place to put the machine or open the notebook.

Some railroad tracks are smoother than others.

That being said, here’s the update.  During the Ninc conference, I took off at least an hour a day to write.  Usually more, sneaking away from program items I didn’t feel I needed.  I wrote on the trains (all the trains so far) and in the waiting rooms.

What this has produced is, so far, a much improved early section, with foreshadowing of troubles to come (alpha readers will note that their comments bore fruit–there’s foreshadowing, rather than just “Look, the roof fell in.”    Then there are revisions flowing from the new stuff into later chapters (not completely done yet) and a lot of “think tank” work on the deep logic that will inform the rest of the story.

Possible Spoilers Below

I am now fairly sure of the early history (in general terms, not detailed yet) of the magelords and elves, and why the Lady had the elfane taig  built under stone.   Still not sure if Creation in this universe was singular or episodic.

If you think a resource is individual–such as your own intelligence, your own talent–this produces a different attitude from thinking of a resource as communal, like air or water.  If either view is wrong…bad stuff happens…the consequence of mistaking the nature of reality.

This morning’s plot bomb was joined to a later-today plot bomb and has explained a lot about the whole deep logic.    That necklace?  Isn’t what it seems.   At all.    When you’ve read book one, I can tell you more without ruining many things.

Anyway:  I’m seeing past the immediate story finally and that’s a huge help in deciding exactly what this book needs (what can be cut; what must be added) and planning the next.

I already knew some of the “blind side” of the elves–but had not realized that the rockfolk have theirs as well…the gnomes, for instance, are so invested in the Law and in their belief in fair exchange that they will not share with the other races all they know–not unless someone asks exactly the right question and is willing to pay their price.  But the others do not know what they don’t know (as most of us don’t) and thus can’t ask for what they need.

Walking with K-  (one of the primary alpha readers) and her dog Tucker in the autumn woods the past two days has really been refreshing and “filling the well.”  We’ve talked Book a lot but we’ve also talked the wonder of a sugar maple at its peak, glowing in every shade from lime green to brilliant red, with the ground beneath tiled in crimson and gold.

Audio books news:

The original three Paks books and Oath of Fealty will all be coming out as audiobooks!!!

Rest of trip:

Tomorrow, guest teacher for several writing classes at a parochial school in Syracuse, then back on the train to NYC.   Saturday, opera.   Monday, meeting with agent.  Wednesday, meeting with Editor, Marketing, and Publicity at Del Rey.  Thursday, back on the train to Chicago–a nice visit with friends–and then Saturday, back on the train home.