It has been a few weeks since my last blog post sharing updates on my Space Opera series. Getting the first book ready for launch and then finalising the audiobook was a lot, so I took a small break. However, I still managed to do some work on book two, finalising Act 1 and the interludes.
Actually, I had a lot of fun with the interludes. It is not an approach you see commonly in books these days, but I enjoy them for multiple reasons. They provide space for expanding the story outside the main POV, and they also give me the chance to write small, standalone micro-stories. Creating new characters, settings, and events adjacent to the main plot is surprisingly freeing.
These two interludes focused on two POVs. They are not new characters exactly, but one has never had a POV before and the other has only had one or two. Both are set in new environments for the book, and they really allowed for some significant story, world, and character growth. It was also nice to see my own progress as a writer coming through. I do not think I could have written those chapters a year ago, yet they came relatively naturally. I would not say it was easy (I always find getting started the hardest part) but once I had the scene in my head, it flowed quite smoothly. The characters, conversations, and events felt well-developed even for a first draft.
How is the Space Opera series performing?
Interludes aside, how has the first book been doing? It is performing as expected. I have had forty or so sales across all platforms, plus about five for the audiobook. It is nothing to write home about, but given my lack of marketing prowess, I am happy with it.
I did have a small win: my book is technically in the Top 21! To be fair, there are caveats. It is #21 in the Ingram Spark Subject Sales Rank, and the subject is quite niche: FICTION / Science Fiction / Space Opera. Either way, it was a pleasant surprise to see such a small number next to my book title.
The To-Do List and Digital Afterlives
What is next on the list? Well, book two. As I mentioned, Act 1 and the interludes are done. I made some changes to the first act (which is why I seem to have said I finished it several times now). I expanded the act by three or four chapters and reworked the plot grid, bringing some events forward so I can flesh them out more in Act 2.
I have also decided to rework an original book concept back into the story. It sounds risky, but the idea was always there, just tucked away. Now it will have more prominence in book two, allowing for a more nuanced development of a plot line in book three.
I think I mentioned in an early blog that the original story concept was quite different, focused on digital afterlives. That concept remained in the book to some extent but as a side note within the lore. Clio, the main character, had a backstory heavily tied to the development of this concept. It will now reappear (sorry for the spoilers). I hope this allows for a greater exploration of what it means to exist as a collection of data in the physical or digital realm, and how that could be exploited by AI gods.
That might sound like a lot of change, but I promise it is not. It is an idea that has been lurking since the beginning. The main ambition of the story remains the same. However, these changes mean I need to rework the plot grid again. This should allow me to finalise the chapter outline for Acts 2 and 3 so I can get back into a steady writing flow. At the current rate, a first draft is unlikely before the end of the year, but we shall see.
It is a small and rambling update, but it is an update nonetheless. More to come, slowly.
If you haven’t picked up a copy of book one, Whispers from the Machine, it is currently available here. Your support would be greatly appreciated!
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