The Traffiic Jam
Well, here we are into October and still matters are unresolved. You see, I have several books in the “pending” tray. Written (or mostly so) but held up for a variety of reasons.
Here they are:
The Mountain in the Clouds is a YA novel about a teen whose parents go missing in South America. The plot is complex (when is it not?) but, in essence, is a YA “lost world” story with a bit of romance and coming of age. It has a few nods in the direction of steampunk (which is a genre I like).
On the other hand, The King’s Swords is a swashbuckling fantasy adventure set in France in the 17th Century and owes not a little to that well-known story, The Three Musketeers. I should emphasise it is not a re-write of the famous Dumas novel, rather a riff on the theme with the original there in the background as a kind of off-stage prompt. My beta reader was so, so surprised and upset by the twist at the end. Yet IMHO, I think I sort of telegraphed it quite well with foreshadowing. Or at least, its possibility. A sequel is in the wings with the initial part already written. I blame these books on the TV adaptation of the the Dumas novel.
The Aegyptus Trilogy is well underway with books one and two, Thakar and the Princess of Thebes and The Child of Anubis written, whilst the climax, The Wrath of Amun is mostly there. The main character, Thakar is a swashbuckling pirate-adventurer who becomes involved due to his desire for wealth with the intrigues and conflict in a mythological and fantastical Ancient Egypt. There is magic and gods aplenty along with love and betrayal. In essence, a good enjoyable read.
Note: I have vowed not to publish the first two books until the third is finished—if not entirely polished. I made this resolution as a result of the ongoing failure of George Martin (and others, let it be said) to complete his magnum opus. I do not want to start on a trilogy or longer series unless I know for sure it has been completed. I can still recall the frustration and annoyance that overcame me at the end of A Dance with Dragons. Grrr.
There is also Aether Explorer which is steampunk in space. Alas, I am stuck a bit on the ending. It’s not bad as it stands but I feel it could be better. But how to make it so?
Finally, I have a book in an entirely different genre: The Making of Q Spies, which is simply a merry Costwold crime caper and humorous take on Agatha Christie novels. You’d recognise the thinly disguise behind a certain old lady called Miss Marplot. I should have said, the story takes place in June 1939, just before the outbreak of WWII hence the "spies” element.