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

Connections Commentary – Build Up Then Tear Down

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SPOILER WARNING is in effect as the Pathways in the Dark author commentary continues!

Building Connections

Soriya’s arc in The Medusa Coin was all about building connections. She realizes her secrets from Loren, her lack of trust in handling the Erikson case, hurt their cause and almost caused Loren’s death. That couldn’t happen again.

Her eyes opened to the need for others, something she always wanted anyway. By the end, Soriya walks away from the Bypass to search for a new home.

And she gains an ally in Gilgamesh.

For me, at this stage in her arc, Soriya’s goal is to grow, to humanize, in a city where all kinds of insanity occurs to dissuade her from that. Making friends with Gilgamesh cements their bond by the end of The Medusa Coin.

And it causes her to trust in his presence.

Creating my own problems…

Unfortunately, I knew where we were headed in Greystone. For all my efforts of building up these connections, of cementing friendships for Soriya, I knew I had to end some.

I had to sever ties to push her where she needed to be for A Circle of Shadows.

That became one of the two goals in Connections. How to take Gilgamesh, who has just committed to being Soriya’s ally in the fight ahead, and knock him from the board.

I’ll be honest – I didn’t want to do it. At all.

I had the same fight when it came to breaking up Loren and Soriya. Driving the wedge between them was the toughest choice I ever made. Was it the right one? Absolutely.

Did I struggle with it? Oh, hell yeah.

The same held true in this. Gilgamesh was fun to write. There is untold potential in writing a character that has served as Death for centuries and is suddenly part of the world once again. (I wrote down three separate notes about potential stories while typing this…)

But his presence, his friendship with Soriya, for as much as I wanted it to be there, needed to move in a different direction.

Tearing them down.

Finding cause to do this was tough. Having Gilgamesh run from Soriya at the end, to disappear for fear of what might happen should someone else figure out who and what he is, was probably the toughest scene to craft in the tale.

I went back and forth on the how of it. On the reasons behind each choice.

There was a moment where killing Gilgamesh off made it easier than simply walking away. I didn’t want that. I wanted to know he was still out there, able to be part of the narrative to come.

By tying his fear to his connection with death, by making it about his potential to be exploited and used against Soriya cemented the decision for me. It also based his departure in friendship, in their deepening connection, rather than be abrupt and out of place.

Using the knowledge we learn about Gilgamesh and then tying it to the overarching story playing out in the background strengthened the final choice all the more.

What this means for Soriya down the line comes to light in A Circle of Shadows, this September.

Connections Commentary – Starting Points

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Continuing the author commentary of Pathways in the Dark with an in-depth look at the short story, Connections! SPOILER WARNING is in effect!

Starting Points

There were many threads left from The Medusa Coin to be pulled for this collection. Each character had a right to the spotlight and I wanted to hit as many as possible, knowing this might be the last time to explore them before the big finale coming your way in September.

When creating my wish list of stories to tell, Gilgamesh kept coming up.

I was never sure where to land on the idea of this mythic hero cropping up in Portents. Sometimes I go back and wonder if it was the right move or not, having someone with such a rich history involved in the story. Rather than wish the opportunity away, however, I hoped to utilize that history to create a fun little narrative for Pathways in the Dark.

At the end of The Medusa Coin, Gilgamesh promises to stick around and help when he can. He also serves to warn Soriya about the threat to come. That warning was my inroad into what kind of story I wanted to tell.

The message beneath the surface.

The title hit the nail on the head with this one. This tale is very much about connections. Personal connections like the friendship budding between Gilgamesh and Soriya. Or like those of our past, which Gilgamesh is forced to face as a result of his resurfacing in Portents.

There is also the hidden connection, kept secret by Gilgamesh. One from which his previous warning may have come from and one that was too powerful to leave undeveloped and unexplored.

Manipulating history

As I said, Gilgamesh comes with baggage. Many books have been written about the figure . Lots of books. Each depicting events pretty similarly but always with a vague allusion to certain events. I wanted to pull at those moments, use the characters mentioned in the historical epic and twist them a bit.

I also wanted to play with the role he played in The Medusa Coin, by adding to this myth. He was Death for all intents and purposes. He was the gateway for the dying to reach the next phase of existence.

That connection, above any other, in this story was the one that intrigued me most.

Gilgamesh’s past comes to light

This is another theme of the collection, one that I didn’t realize was occurring until the end. Much like Myers has to face her past in Blackmail and Loren is forced to confront Richard Crowne in Founder’s Day, Gilgamesh is not immune to the past.

Ishtar represented his mistakes, his past sins.

When he spurned her affections all those years ago, he created his own nemesis and one that cannot let him go. The fact that she uses Osiris to try and bring back Anubis comes directly out of her intentions in the Epic of Gilgamesh. Her promise to bring death to Gilgamesh for what he has done to her finally fulfilled after so long.

Every story in Pathways became that much more personal in nature by relating it directly to character. Building from within and then expanding the narrative that way kept the focus solely on each main character and their arc.

It is fun to build from plot and the opening scene with Soriya battling the Onna-Bugeisha definitely filled that role in this tale, but the strength of each work stems from the deep connections of each character.

Their painful secrets, their mistakes or even their triumphs are all great starting points to come up with new challenges and I was happy this one came together the way it did.

Blackmail Commentary – Use of Flashbacks

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Back to the author commentary on Pathways in the Dark. A final look at the Blackmail story in the collection so SPOILER WARNING is in effect!

The use of flashbacks…

There weren’t many options in this regard. The goal of the story was to add a layer to Myers’ character that had yet to be seen with The Medusa Coin.

From my starting point, I knew that the critical aspect of her story was her past. In order to use that to its full effect I needed to dive into the past and bring it to the forefront of the narrative.

Thus, the flashbacks worked their way into the story.

If Kenneth Myers is the center of her current conflict, why should the reader care about him? Why does Myers?

These are questions I wanted to answer, or allude to, in order to flesh out this character that has become so integral to the overall narrative of Greystone.

Flashbacks as a crutch.

They can be. I see this as the case sometimes. An easy way to deliver information to the reader. Which is why I worked at not giving away the entire story for Blackmail until the climax.

You meet Kenneth Myers. The flashbacks allow you to learn about his relationship with his daughter and how Sam idolizes him. You see his death but you don’t learn the truth in the flashback.

You learn it through the present day narrative, through actions that drive the character to relive certain moments for a specific reason.

Does it work? Is it a cheat? That’s for you to decide and I’d love to hear.

Backstory building.

Every action taken by Myers can be seen through a single lens. The blackmail against her.

It’s not mentioned at all in The Medusa Coin. It is not even hinted at, but if you go back and read the book over again you can see it there in the background. The choices she makes. Why she calls Loren even though she’s been told not to over and over again.

Every strange coincidence, every decision made, is built on from this backstory that comes to light in Blackmail.

Why reveal it now? Why reveal it this way instead of having it come to light through a present day action?

I want to tell you, I do. I want to be simple and easy to explain. There was a moment where this story wasn’t going in the collection. I think it gives away a lot of the mystery of Samantha Myers, the drama of her building relationship with Loren.

After writing Founder’s Day and figuring out the main plot of A Circle of Shadows, it was an easy decision to make. You have to know now. There’s no other time to discuss her motivations and no way to make sense of what happens next without this understanding. It simply fit perfectly here in order to reach the next step of where the story goes.

Which was the point of Pathways in the Dark in the first place.

Funny how that works out sometimes, isn’t it?

Blackmail Commentary – Losing the Supernatural

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The author commentary of Pathways in the Dark continues with more insight into the Blackmail tale! SPOILER WARNING is in place!

The truth and nothing but…

I set rules when I write. I create a standard by which all stories set within a specific universe or series should adhere. This is meant to increase reader enjoyment, to play to their expectations, and offer them exactly what they’re looking for when it comes to my stories.

Greystone is very simple. Myths and legends create mayhem and murder in the city of Portents. Soriya and Loren have to stop them. Easy peasy. It is the impetus of every story breakdown, every script, every note I take when it comes to world of Greystone.

And then Blackmail came along.

Losing the supernatural.

It was never my intention. When I settled on a Myers story, my first instinct was to come up with a supernatural angle for her to confront. In terms of scope the Eyes in the Storm story from Tales from Portents sprang to mind. A way to build a world around this supporting character while also digging into who she was as a character.

Nothing worked.

Nothing felt true to Myers.

Because her story doesn’t come from the same place as Soriya and Loren. When it comes to Samantha Myers, her story is built around the mystery introduced in The Medusa Coin. Who is controlling her? Are they actually controlling her or is she a willing participant? And what do they have on her in the first place?

It was from these questions that Blackmail was forged. When I finally settled on delving into her past, I realized where the threat had to come from. Tying the two threads together made perfect sense from a narrative standpoint and kept the focus on Myers as a character instead of a plot heavy tale with no stakes.

Losing the supernatural, however, came with consequences…

Is this truly a Greystone tale?

If the supernatural is lost, if I break the rule that centers the universe of the series does it no longer belong? More importantly, will the reader enjoy it, having come to expect something completely different?

I struggled with this for a long time. Every revision, every readthrough, brought these doubts to the forefront and I had to justify Blackmail’s inclusion in the collection each and every time.

How did it make it through my inane questioning?

By the strength on which it stood as a character story. Myers needed more depth, she needed that extra element to proceed to Founder’s Day and A Circle of Shadows. Her mystery clouded her motivations and clarity on that front afforded her the chance at redemption or condemnation by the audience. I wanted to have that moment and continue to have those moments where you aren’t sure about her.

She represents a true threat to Loren. The unseen threat, on his end anyway.

What did you think about the change of pace for the series? A worthy exploration or did you miss the supernatural element in this tale?

I’d love to hear from you.

Blackmail Commentary – Starting Points

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Feels like it has been awhile since we’ve chatted about Pathways in the Dark, so welcome back to the author commentary on book four of the Greystone series! SPOILER WARNING is in place, though by now I’m sure you’ve read and enjoyed the collection.

Right?

Blackmail and the journey of Samantha Myers

When putting together each piece of the collection, I realized the opportunities available. This included glimpses into the lives of some of the supporting cast. With Trustfall, Ruiz was given the spotlight. For Blackmail, it was time to dig into Samantha Myers and her story.

Keeping readers in the dark about a mysterious character is a double edge sword. You want to keep them interesting but also want to hold back on all the answers. It’s a fine line and can work against a narrative if utilized incorrectly.

I didn’t want that to be the case with Samantha Myers.

Having a working outline for A Circle of Shadows helped in this regard. Knowing where her journey was heading allowed me some wiggle room to showcase a case personal to her, while allowing the reader a glimpse at her life.

As in the case of most of the collection, the driving force of Blackmail stemmed from The Medusa Coin. At the end of the novel, Myers calls a mysterious benefactor and we learn her motivations aren’t exactly as pure as we hoped.

But what did that mean for her? Why was she working against Loren and Soriya?

Those were questions I wanted to explore without giving away the whole mystery.

Who is Samantha Myers?

I love writing the character. Her comments, her snark, comes from a place near and dear to my heart. I love her attitude in The Medusa Coin and the down to earth nature of bringing her into the fold in this crazy series. Yet for every interaction in the novel there was little time to really delve into her story. A narrative choice and one that worked for the book but also one I wanted to rectify slightly through Pathways in the Dark.

For Blackmail, I wanted to provide an outlet for her to explore Portents without being confined to the role of a supporting player in Loren’s drama. I needed Myers to break away from the world and come into her own. In order to do that I needed a reason for her to fly solo.

Two cases of blackmail…

It wasn’t just a clever title. It was always meant to explain her situation without explicitly laying it out for the reader. Being pulled into the case, having to steal from her colleagues to pay off a blackmailer was always meant to bring to light the truth of her situation.

Her mysterious benefactor, the figure in the shadows that has placed her as Loren’s partner, is also manipulating her against her will.

Putting that personal spin on events raised the stakes in my eyes and forced Myers to come to grips with her situation.

I loved writing this story. It was definitely a challenge, something outside the norm for Greystone, but I thought it was a breath of fresh air in terms of a character piece. I’ll be discussing those challenges more next time.

Thanks for reading.

Writing Update – June 25, 2018

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Sometimes you can think you’re unstoppable, that when push comes to shove you can move heaven and earth to get the work done.

Then June rolls around…

Writing Update

It’s almost a misnomer. I’m plugging away at DSA Season One and will be for quite some time. The truth of the matter, however, is that the family has come first for the last month. And it should.

I started pouring every waking hour into Greystone back in March 2016. For over two years every nap, every evening and every weekend went into crafting the five novels in the series. It went into marketing. It went into promotion, newsletters, blogs, and every other crazy facet of this world.

Away from my kiddos. Away from my wife.

It hasn’t been fun for them.

This past month showed me that big time.

This summer, I’m restructuring some goals and working on a new way to build what is coming for the next few years. And I’m taking some time to be with my family.

So what’s coming your way?

A Circle of Shadows just arrived in my mailbox this week. I’m reading through it and closing the last minute issues. I think it is the perfect send-off for the series for now. I hope you’ll agree.

The pre-order is live on Amazon for the ebook! Check it out today.

Lots more story to tell in the city of Portents but for now this is goodbye.

I’m buckling down to complete edits on DSA Season One, Book Two entitled Promethean. I love the story involved and the character interactions and hope I can pull it together in the self-editing phase. It’s been a bear of a time working on the details and fleshing out story logic for some long term plans in the series, however, I think you’ll find it all worthwhile when you see the results down the line.

To break away from editing, I’m finally putting an outline together for a new sci-fi, space opera series called Red Epsilon. Five books are planned with more in the offering down the line. It’s a love letter to Star Trek and Babylon 5 about a reluctant crew forced to stand against a growing darkness in the universe. Book One is called Ancient Weapons and I’m hoping to script it out this summer so it is ready to draft during NaNoWriMo this November.

Sci-Fi Valley Con

Thanks to everyone who stopped by my table in Altoona a couple weeks back. It was a fun time meeting new readers and showing them how awesome the Greystone series can be. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the books!

Time to hunker down and get this book DONE!

Thanks for reading.

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