Random Thoughts

Gut instinct

Just finished the book block proofs (or galleys) for Styx and Stones and now it's a matter of waiting for a release date. It's been a long journey with this series and I've learned a great deal along the way. The most important thing, perhaps, is to trust my own instincts.





When I wrote Pantheon, I was told over and over "first person POV doesn't sell". Fact: It's sold and fairly well. It also is a story that doesn't work in third person.





When I started Hades, the gripe was that it was about Hercules and not Athene. It was third person not first. Fact: It is the best selling of the series and the best liked. .





Elysia was too different, too edgy. The love scene was written from the man's POV. Fact: The differences add up to a different perspective on the over-arcing plotline.





Styx has been another journey. Walt is a nerd. It;s difficult to play a man like that as Alpha Romance Hero. The first version of the book I tossed out except for two chapters and started over from scratch. That was 130K words discarded. The final version is 170K and a much tighter story than the first. I like it. I'll have to see what y'all think.