This week I began thinking about what lies beyond the current book. I’m revising the current book, so it is actually all written. I want to be able to start my next book immediately when this one is being published.
For a number of years, I had planned to make this a series, but I think it is the only series I will write. Certainly, many moments and real adventures in Lincoln’s life would lend themselves naturally to this kind of story–where history and mystery meet. I have debated which book in the Lincoln series to write next. I prefer to have the books grounded in real events, shaped into a narrative that brings the people and tensions of the time into clearer view.
But there are other stories I want to write that have nothing to do with this book/series. I think that is a tricky issue for many writers. There are many historical figures and events that carry unanswered questions or moments of uncertainty–places where a story might be told while still remaining true to the history. I like choosing incidents or people that i think were once important but have been forgotten by the majority. The combination of documented fact and careful imagination will continue to be at the center of my work.
For now, of course, I will remain focused on the current novel and the chapters I’m revising. Some will need to be almost entirely rewritten; these will be the courtroom scenes. I wrote earlier in my blog about the difficulty I had with those and the research I did. It is encouraging for me to see that there are more books ahead, waiting to be told.
Current projects:
- My book: continuing revision work, Chapter 10
- Edward Bryant: continuing to review stories for the next publication
A single often leads to another and another like a trail of breadcrumbs.
Thanks for reading and walking alongside me.
The View From The Imaginarium 