Lou Paduano | Urban Fantasy Novels | Sci-Fi Crime Series

The Final Gauntlet Author Commentary 2

By

The Final Gauntlet Author Commentary continues this week with a look at the Daughters of Salem. SPOILER WARNING ahead.

The Daughters of Salem

As I discussed last week, I wanted witches in this book. That was one of my original notes when figuring out the threat for this closing installment of the Greystone-in-Training trilogy.

I wanted something fresh in the pages of Greystone. Instead of the physicality of the previous villains, (the Minotaur and Shiva) there was something intriguing about spellwork and witchcraft. A new image, a new language to discover, as well as a new writing challenge for me in how to depict that on the page.

Origins of the Daughters of Salem

Once I had witches locked in my brain, figuring out who they were and what their story was took hold. I considered other things, more foreign concepts, but quickly withdrew them.

Maybe it was the safe call on my part, or maybe it was a lack of imagination. I’ve always been fascinated by Salem and the witch trials.

My goal was to give these Daughters of Salem, these survivors of that tragedy, a layer of sympathy because of what they had to endure. I needed that level of temptation for Annabelle Waterhouse at the climax of the novel. There had to be that connection, that empathy, in order to really sell that maybe the Daughters weren’t the monsters they appeared to be.

I don’t know if I pulled it off. They were pretty much monsters throughout, but that was my approach when crafting their story.

Connecting to Evans and Portents

One of the things I love about Greystone is the building of the mythology of Portents. The Final Gauntlet is one of the first opportunities in a long time to really dig into what makes Portents such a unique and dangerous place.

Building up the story of Portents has always been one of my main goals. This novel opened the door for that with the inclusion of the Daughters of Salem.

When it came to crafting their backstory and using the Vertrum House as one of the main set pieces, I found a way to really connect the Daughters to William Rath (or as we know him, Nathaniel Evans). I could have written an entire book about their experiences, about what secrets they uncover.

That was one of the connections I wanted to put in the work. So that readers take those details and carry them over into the main series.

Because the Daughters will be back in one form or another. They have to be. That was another reason why they made the cut over other options. Their backstory played perfectly with what I needed, or will need going forward. Sometimes the connections come from NOT answering all the questions presented. I hope readers can understand that. It’s frustrating, I’m sure, but if a question comes up that isn’t addressed you can be sure that story is not over.

Not by a long shot.

Favorite moments with the Daughters of Salem

This is complete opinion on my part.

The entire Rose Riley Forest climax is one of my favorite action pieces from the entire series. I think it came together perfectly.

In terms of their characters, crafting Maggie is a personal favorite. I wanted a very unique visual for her, and stapling her mouth shut for the entire book and having her “scream” telepathically was such a fun way to bring out her madness.

Their deformities were fun to work out as the draft came together. That horror aspect will always be present in the series, but might have been lacking in the previous two books, so I wanted to focus on that more. Really amp up the creep factor with these three.

Next time:

Annabelle Waterhouse. Her origins and her potential future in the series.

Thanks for reading.

The Final Gauntlet Author Commentary 1

By

Welcome to the first installment of The Final Gauntlet Author Commentary! Sure there was an introduction last week but why quibble over semantics like that? (Quibble is a funny word.) Okay, enough rambling. Prepare to be astonished at the massive amount of over-thinking that went into the three goals for this book and, as always, SPOILER WARNING!

Three goals

I approach books with certain expectations. As I discussed last time with The Gifts of Kali, I wanted to explore the origin of Soriya’s ribbon. On top of that, I really was excited to write a car chase of all things. So there were certain expectations with that one.

The Final Gauntlet came with its own set of expectations and absolutes right out of the gate. Being the end of a planned trilogy meant wrapping up certain elements, closing off arcs, and buttoning up threads, so that was the beginning for this book.

The final door

Hammer and Anvil introduced the concept of a doorway into our world, and of someone creating these doors. That theme carried over to Gifts and was expanded upon with a brief glimpse as to who was behind these events.

The first goal for The Final Gauntlet was answering this mystery. There was no getting around that one. Having the series end without an answer to something introduced in the first book would have been absolutely a mistake.

So, the outline started there. It started with Annabelle Waterhouse and her motivations. Were they nefarious? Were they altruistic? What was behind the door and how did it fit into the larger narrative of Greystone in general?

That was always a question in the back of my mind. Was there a way to tie the prequel trilogy to the larger series as a whole? I love adding connections. Every time one came together it was like lightning in a bottle. It always led to a stronger moment, either plot or character based.

Once Annabelle was in place, things started to rock and roll.

Witches

Coming up with the main threat of a narrative is always a treat. For The Final Gauntlet I set a couple requirements as I started researching.

The first was a non-physical threat. Hammer and Gifts both brought very physical beings into Portents. There were brawls. There was blood. It was more about strength than cunning in both cases. I wanted Gauntlet to run differently. There needed to be a subtlety to it, something otherworldly to make it different. If this series was all about testing Soriya Greystone, then let’s put her through the wringer.

The second was the use of multiple threats. Again, the main basis was to be different from the previous two installments. Most of the Greystone stories are centered on a single menace. Raising the stakes is always a goal when it comes to series writing, so having three main threats really amped the action, in my opinion.

The final requirement I had in the back of my mind was the use of witchcraft. I wanted witches in this book right from the start. It came back to a change from the previous books, more mystical than physical in terms of danger to Soriya. More than that, I just wanted a new visual. Introducing the Daughters of Salem brought something fresh to the table, and I loved the concept right out of the gate. (More about them next time…)

Transition to the main series

I am a loon, I know. Three goals was way too many when starting this book. And it made for a tough ride, but who doesn’t like a challenge?

Everyone who read A Circle of Shadows thought it was the end of the story. It wasn’t. Everyone who picked up the prequel trilogy thought it stood alone.

It doesn’t.

The third goal I had when starting The Final Gauntlet was to find a way to transition back to the main series. There was always going to be a second act to the series, five more novels including a flashback book about Soriya and Loren’s first meeting. I have notes dating back five years that attest to that.  So how the hell could I close everything else out with this book, but leave just enough to connect to Book 6 of the main series?

That was my challenge and my starting point. I’ll talk more about this aspect later in the commentary, but yeah, it’s all about Beth… again.

Next time:

As promised, a detailed look at the Daughters of Salem.

Thanks for reading.

The Final Gauntlet Author Commentary Introduction

By

Here we go again! Welcome to the latest author commentary of yours truly, where you get to read every rambling thought that popped in my head during the making of The Final Gauntlet.

Author Commentaries

I’ve said it before, I adore commentaries. I love behind the scenes dirt on what happened during the production of pretty much anything – from television to film to books and on and on and on.

They make the finished product that much more astonishing to me. That all these obstacles stood in the way and each was overcome in turn to bring something new and refreshing into the world.

I thought they were fun exercises when I started them with Greystone. It was a way to work through my own weaknesses and really hone how the story came to be. Over time, it’s really helped close out a chapter for me. My author commentaries put the entire work into perspective for me more than anyone.

I find them incredibly invaluable yet, most of all, fun. I hope you do as well.

The Final Gauntlet

I won’t delve too deeply into this one here. I’ll save the good stuff for next week. Suffice it say, this book was a BEAR to make happen.

This was the book where the world came crashing down on me. I was six days into the draft when the US went into lockdown.

All of a sudden I had a wife and two kids with me at all times. I had to hit up grocery stores constantly to find toilet paper and buy enough food to last through Easter. (It was supposed to end around then, I’d heard… Whoops.)

Having outlined and scripted the book before the implosion of my writing sanctum sure as hell helped matters. I don’t know what I would have done if I wasn’t already knee deep into the draft. The whole thing might have collapsed.

Every step of the process became hampered. There were days when writing was the farthest thing from my mind, where Greystone was the dream of some other guy.

My family helped me through it. My wife, especially. She saw my struggle and sat my ass at the keyboard and forced me to the finish line. I will always be grateful for that.

The Final Gauntlet was a personal one for me as well. It was a trial and a half, and I tried to inject that level of drama into the events of Soriya and the others.

Next time:

My three goals for the book.

Thanks for reading.

Writing Update February 23, 2021

By

The first writing update of the new year. How exciting!

A new series? Are you crazy?

It’s true. After seven months of plotting and planning, I have a brand new series completely outlined.

It’s epic. So freaking epic.

Space opera on the grandest of scales. Ten books. One prequel story. I can’t tell you how excited I am to dig in on it so I can share more details.

It’s everything I love about the genre, with my own personal view on the characters that inhabit these worlds.

I am still kicking around the idea of publishing it under a pen name. It might seem silly to you, gentle reader, but to me my actual name being on the book doesn’t matter. Getting people to read the book(s) has always been my goal.

Why think about it in the first place?

There was some disconnect between readers of Greystone and readers of DSA. I don’t want there to be any confusion this time around.

But again, we’re in early days so we’ll see. Lots of time to figure out the details.

DSA Season Two

This week, I’m back at the keyboard with DSA. I start drafting Book 2 of the second season next week.

It’s called Foundations.

All of the fallout from the season one finale and the opening to season two is dealt with here. Everything about the Trust to recruiting new team members in the wake of the losses sustained during Sullivan’s coup can be found in these pages.

But the main thrust of the book is my favorite: the very first case attributed to the DSA, and the agencies first recognized agent.

What does a mysterious accident from 1973 have to do with the present day?

Our heroes (whoever they may be…) better solve the case quickly or they’ll risk losing more than just an old ally. They might just miss their first clue into the identity of the man called The Witness.

What’s ahead?

I wanted to make sure DSA didn’t just string readers along for years and years. Season Two’s goal was the expand on the mysteries of the first season, while providing new insight and new dynamics at every turn.

The Witness will stand revealed. The secret of the trees will be explored. Thirteen returns. And the mystery of Emily Wright’s disappearance will at last come to light.

It’s going to be a wild ride.

Tell you more soon on a future writing update.

Greystone Series Sale and Update

By

You always come back to your first. That’s a rule in life. For me, there will always be a special place in my heart for Signs of Portents. It was the first book I felt confident enough to publish. It was the first pure idea I was able to bring to fruition – to create a coherent beginning, middle, and end.

This month, I’m celebrating all things Greystone with a sale on the series. All five books are only $0.99 each and the box set is 50% off this month as well.

Greystone Series Sale

Follow Soriya Greystone and Detective Greg Loren as they battle the myths, legends and monsters of Portents. There is a sweeping arc in the background of all five books that culminates in A Circle of Shadows.

Head over to Amazon now and check out the series page.

Box Set Fans can grab the entire five book epic for $4.99.

Series Update

My schedule has been manic of late. There are so many outlines and notes scattered across my desk. Greystone is part of this mess, I assure you.

Coming later this year is Army in the Obelisk, the 12-part serial set in the early days of Soriya and Loren’s working relationship.

Next year will see the release of Alpha and Omega, Book Six of the Greystone Saga. It recounts Soriya and Loren’s very first meeting and their handling of the Kindly Killer case that is hinted at in the background of most of the books.

Book Six also sets up the Second and Final Phase of the series. Books 7 through 10 contain a mega-arc much like the story of Beth’s murder in the first five books. There is a massive mystery to be unraveled in between the craziness that inhabits each and every Greystone story.

Everything is mapped out. Everything is swimming inside my head, threatening to break through at any given moment. I love that feeling. That’s when I know the book is ready: when it demands to be drafted. When every character’s actions are so refined and true that it will stand up to not only my scrutiny but yours as well.

I know this is a long term timeline. I know you want and NEED more books. That feeling is matched on my end as well. 2020 was a setback to be sure, but the stories are coming.

You’re going to freaking love what comes next. Guaranteed.

Tearing Down the House

By

I am tearing apart two bedrooms this month. Turns out when you’re expecting a new baby, you need to immediately destroy your entire domicile in preparation for the chaos to come. Who knew?

So yeah, I am ripping up carpet and painting and doing crazy things, which have eaten up most of the schedule of late. So the physical writing of amazing things has been lackluster to say the least, but the THINKING of such amazing things has been amped to 11.

Tearing down the house has made me think about that process in my own writing.

Whatchu talking about?

Bear with me. I’m a swirling torrent of introspection about 90% of the day so it takes a minute or twenty to get up to speed on a coherent line of thought.

I’m talking about expectations. About the plotted course versus the road unseen (at the time). As many of you already know, I am a plotter – a massively obsessed planner of fiction. I have seventeen outlines sitting on my desk that attest to this.

I am knee deep in a new outline, what will end up being Book 9 of a proposed 10 book space opera series. I’ve been wracking my brain, delving into character motivations over the run of the mill conflict at the heart of the drama. With each passing day, I am becoming more engrossed and wondering if it is time to tear down the precarious house of cards on which the series stands.

Seeing the road ahead helps, but what if it is hindering the exploration of the series itself? What if there is a path I’m not seeing? What if the series fails right out of the gate?

This is where I am right now. I’m at the precipice. Right at the edge of the massive climax of the series, and have been questioning everything. I know what it is, of course.

A fear of completion.

Fear might be the wrong word here. It isn’t fear, per se, but more a trepidation of closing the mind to the story being told. Closing the door on a world of characters and situations when you know – when we all know – that there are so many other stories to tell, places to take these characters.

My original outline was 20 books. I tweaked it down to 10, and it is laser focused now. The throughline is present from start to finish. I love it, I absolutely do, but it could have been so much more, right?

Or is less more in this day and age? Are the stories untold still out there and waiting for me down the line?

Apologies on the ramblings this week. My head is filled with dreams and paint fumes.

I know the long break between releases is a pain in the neck. So are these teases about future books. Just know that they will be coming and they will be AMAZING.

Disclaimer: Links throughout this site may be affiliate links. All commission earned through these links go to Eleven Ten Publishing to produce more books for your reading pleasure.

You can view our privacy policy here.

Recent Posts