Hello again!

Since my last newsletter I've made a start on the first draft of Elixir of Power Book 2!

The opening scene of any book is tricky to write. The opening scene of a sequel weirdly seems like it's harder, because you have to re-introduce things in a way that feels natural and doesn't waste the reader's time. Even things like the appearance of all the characters and the names of places and the way magic works need to be covered, if only briefly.

For the moment I've decided to forge ahead with the main story, and then come back and fix up all those tricky details. I'm very tempted to write a short passage before chapter 1 that will catch readers up on everything that happened in the first book.

Aside from all those logistical concerns, it has been very fun to be back in the story world with those characters. I've got big plans for Book 2 (and Book 3!) that will expand and pay off a lot of things from Book 1.

Big plans include:

• A dramatic twist!
• A rebellion with two factions that can't get along!
• A massive, climactic fight!
• Strange new telethymic and alchemical magic!
• More elves; More war; More romance; More Slowjaw the giant tortoise!

Now comes the difficult part — turning all my big plans into a big book.

A title change? Or an 'everything' change?

Since I'm the publisher of my own books, I've got the ability to change anything and everything about the books I've released. As a rule I don't tinker with things too much, except to fix typos and other minor mistakes.

However, it is becoming clear that the title "War with Elves: For Profit and Amusement" is rather overselling the very mildly comedic tone of the book. Readers are expecting a full comedy and getting a mostly serious flintlock book that has a few sardonic little touches sprinkled through.

I have two choices: make the book funny enough to live up to its title, or change the title.

As attached as I am to the title, it would certainly be less work to just change it. Currently I'm thinking of something straightforward like: "War with Elves: Potions and Profits"

I wouldn't know where to begin with adding gags and jokes and making all the existing scenes funnier. I also rather think that it would be all too easy for me to overdo it with the gags and undercut the more serious parts of the book. Besides, I personally like the book the way it is.

Whatever I decide to do, I think I'll leave it until after the trilogy is completed. That way, I can release a new edition of book 1, possibly with a new title, and with any other changes I might have to make.

Based on general feedback, I might cut down a few of the early scenes as well, since the main action of the book takes a little too long to get up and running.

Until that distant future date, I'll just have to keep reading and reading and writing and writing. Drafting and editing always seem to take forever, but now I look back and I've got seven books to my name! Soon to be nine! (Eventually, even more!)

Please enjoy the below books in the meantime.

Book Recommendations

Thanks for reading!

Until next time!