For various reasons the Mermaid Adventures book 3 (M3) is on hold.
- It’s a big book at ~250,000 words. That’s 2.5 times the first book in size, and is taking me a while to finish.
- And it’s going to cost ~$10,000 to self-publish it. M3 is a really good book, and because of its size I’d like to have 2 editors have a look at it.
- Lastly, at the beginning of March I had an idea for a book that wouldn’t go away, so in that situation I started writing and haven’t finished. In a month I had one and a half books (first drafts) finished. I think I’m onto something.
A bit of background about the new series, and of course I’m making this up as I go along, and it will probably change in depth and detail as the series progresses.
The series is a semi-post-apocalyptic series, but instead of after modern-day society is nuked, poisoned, illness, aliens-attack, whatever have you. Instead it’s a semi-post-fall of the Roman Empire, but not an alternative history.
Imagine the world runs on magic, not science. Emperors live for 25,000 years, and the last one died at about 25 years of age unexpectedly and there’s nobody to inherit. The Emperors were not only the seat of power, they were the life of the empire. So a decline of society as a whole happens. Regional states become their own nations, and these new nations don’t necessarily want to remain in touch with the others. Some nations lose touch completely, falling into barbarianism.
What’s holding what remains together are the Guardians, the “Roman Legions” equipped with magic to keep the peace.
Enter Mia, a 15-year-old recruit. Her parents died mysteriously, and her and her brother inherit half a merchant business. She’s talked out of running things by her greedy brother who wants to spend away, she’s “forced” into joining the Guardians. With a paid commission on the horizon someday she’ll be an officer, but trials and new friends await.
I’ve some ideas on book titles
- Recruit
- Guardian
- ?
- Guardian Mage
- Outcast
- Emperor
These are generic titles that are probably widely in use, and I’ll have to come up with something else, but it does give me an outline in the direction the series takes as well.
If I continue writing a book a month, I don’t mind taking a break from the Mermaid Adventures series. If it begins to bog down at some point and become years to write a single book, I’ll be back with the mermaids, as they are where my heart has been.
