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

Writing Update – April 27, 2017

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I can’t believe it’s been a month since I did one of these. I have a feeling that will start becoming the trend down the line with so many different things going on every month. But enough jibber-jabber, on with the writing update!

Writing Update

Pathway in the Dark is drafted! Next February’s short story collection, and Book Four of the Greystone series, is all set for the self-editing phase and I couldn’t be happier with it. I’m really happy with the decision to jump from novel to short story and back again with this series and it opens up a ton of unique avenues for story-telling, especially when it involves supporting characters.

writing updateMay and June are editing months it looks like but I’ve already started pooling my notes for the fifth and final book in this part of the Greystone series. Lots of plots coming together. Mysteries revealed. Characters going bye bye. I’m going to be a wreck when I sit down to draft this puppy.

The Medusa Coin – I want to thank by beta readers for all their help and support over the last month. I know I don’t give enough time to really dig into the draft but somehow you always manage to read it and offer great tips on how to improve the work. Advance copies will be available this summer before the book’s launch in September. Keep a lookout for more information soon.

The Tales from Portents 99-cent sale ends this Sunday so make sure you snag your copy before it goes back to full price!

Promos

Signs of Portents will be part of the Spellcasters Fantasy Promo from May 6th to the 14th. Lots of free books to add to your e-readers for the coming summer.

You can find the full rundown of free books over at A.J. Martinez’s website.

For more free books, please check out The Prolific Reader. Melanie Tomlin has put together a fantastic repository of Instafreebie books that you can download. At last count there were over 450 titles (including Resurrectionists, because I am EVERYWHERE…)

Reading

Batman: I am Suicide – Tom King’s work on this book is fantastic. I wasn’t a huge fan of the first volume of his run or the Night of the Monster Men crossover but with this arc I am fully invested. His character work is topnotch and his handling of Batman, his voice, and his world grows stronger with each issue.

I absolutely loved the Batman/Catwoman dynamic, including their letters to each other that run as narration through different chapters of the main story.

Mikel Janin doesn’t need any praise. The man is a marvel with a pencil. His layouts are dynamic and intricate. Just beautiful stuff all around.

Green Arrow: Island of Scars – I’m going to start with my one gripe with this book: Why isn’t there a PREVIOUSLY PAGE? I get that this is volume two and that there is a previous arc to read prior to this. I read it… three months ago. And yes, I don’t remember what happened! All I ask is a small blurb to bring me up to speed, especially since this collection is dependent on having read the first.

Anyway, Benjamin Percy knows Oliver Queen better than anyone at this point. He has the character nailed and doesn’t bog him down with internal strife. Ollie doesn’t work that way and Percy gets that. I really enjoyed the shorter arcs in this collection. Each one was tightly plotted and great character work while never losing sight of the larger story being told in the series.

Prescient by Derek Murphy – A great prelude to a larger series. Derek Murphy does a fantastic job building the world, both present and future, and never loses sight of the most important aspect of his story – the characters.

From teenage drama to post-apocalyptic struggles at the drop of a dime, Murphy handles both with ease. Well paced, Prescient left me with tons of questions and the desire to find the answers when the first full length novel in the series comes out.

Talk to you in a few weeks. Thanks for reading.

Writing Update – March 30, 2017

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The end of March already?! Unbelievable. A crazy month here in the basement. Lots of fun stuff planned including a big birthday bash for the love of my life today – HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MELINDA! – so let’s get you a writing update STAT.

Writing Update

Pathways in the Dark is where most of my attention has been the last few weeks. I have three of the seven short stories drafted and hope to knock out the rest over the course of April, possibly dipping into May depending on the other sixteen priorities that seem to crop up every time I turn around.

I had some trouble maneuvering through the last tale I drafted. Part of it is a focus issue for sure. Part is the birthday mania known as March. I am happy to say I have stepped out of the wilderness stronger than ever and looking forward to tackling some really cool shorts about your favorite Greystone characters.

This is a much different book than Tales from Portents turned out to be. Where Tales offered background information and some nice asides for the cast of the series, Pathways is about pushing the characters toward their final destination. It really is about finding the light in all the shadows surrounding the city of Portents and working from that point has made it a stronger collection, in my opinion. We’ll see how it all shakes out!

The Medusa Coin is still with my favorite readers but the feedback so far has been very positive. I’ll be diving back into it in a few weeks to give it a once over. I’ve already noted a couple tweaks to tighten up some plot points that I don’t know why I didn’t see months ago.

Closing the circle

The final book in the first half of the Greystone series is starting to take shape. (Another distraction from drafting but a welcome one.) I woke up in the middle of the night last week with the answer to a question plaguing the series from the start.

I know what happened the day Beth died.

There were inklings before, little hints not only for myself but for you. Now I have the story behind the tragic events that opened the series.

It has really caused me to rethink much of my planning with the series but the resolution of the long running plot next year will make the work stronger in the long run.

Made me sad to realize the truth though… Loren is in for some tough days.

Promotion City

As if writing wasn’t enough I have set up quite the April festivity for the Greystone series.

Signs of Portents is currently free through Instafreebie and will be part of the SFF Mega Promo from April 10th – April 16th. The March promo books are still listed until April 1st. If you’re interested in some cool reads, snag them up before they are replaced this weekend. Signs will also be part of a Superhero/Fantasy themed promotion put together by Future House Publishing running the same dates. As soon as I have a link I will make it available through social media.

Very excited to be part of both of these promos. I really hope this builds steam for the series and the upcoming release of The Medusa Coin.

And remember, books listed are FREE!

Tales from Portents, not one to be left out of the fun, will be part of the sister promo to the SFF Mega Promo, this one spotlighting 99-cent releases. The SFF 99c Promo will be running from April 10th through the 16th but you can also snag a discounted copy today at the following:

            

And don’t forget the Goodreads giveaway is still going on. Enter today for a chance at a FREE SIGNED PAPERBACK of Tales from Portents!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Tales from Portents by Lou Paduano

Tales from Portents

by Lou Paduano

Giveaway ends April 20, 2017.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

Dominion Rising:

Dominion Rising: 22 Brand New Novels from Top Fantasy and Science Fiction Authors by [White, Gwynn, Erin St Pierre, P.K. Tyler, S.M. Blooding, Samuel Peralta, K.J. Colt, Anthea Sharp, Daniel Arthur Smith, Lisa Blackwood, S.M. Schmitz, Melanie Karsak, Dean F. Wilson, Margo Bond Collins, D.K. Holmberg, Felix R. Savage, Tom Shutt, Pippa DaCosta, Timothy C. Ward, Tony Bertauski, Rebecca Rode, Cheri Lasota, Ann Christy, Becca Andre, Logan Thomas Snyder, Erin Hayes]For those looking to try out a whole slew of the best and brightest authors around in Science Fiction and Fantasy, check out the Dominion Rising box-set.

22 brand new novels are being offered in this set for only 99-Cents!!

From the back cover:

Find the Science Fiction and Fantasy reads you’ve been craving! Whether it’s alien invasion or dark fairytales, heart-pounding galactic adventures or cyberpunk romance, Dominion Rising will satisfy with a thrilling mix of 22 all-new full-length novels set in fantastical realms.

Sword and sorcery, far-flung galactic empires, alternative history, epic magic, slipstream futures: this collection of carefully selected, exclusive novels is sure to delight readers of speculative fiction.

Over five thousand pages packed with aliens, faeries, vampires, gargoyles, warriors, telepaths, space pirates, starship captains, hapless mercenaries, street urchins, robots, cyber-enhanced humans, badass heroines, and lost princesses.

These award-winning, New York Times, USA Today and international bestselling authors have left no stone unturned in the science fiction and epic fantasy universe to bring you the very best escape from planet Earth.

All the novels are available exclusively in the Dominion Rising collection.

The collection will be released on August 8th but you can pre-order your copy today!

I already purchased my copy. Can’t wait to dive into it this summer.

More on the promos in two weeks!

Thanks for reading.

Writing Update – March 16, 2017

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I’m buried under a foot of snow, I’m fighting a week long head cold, and the kids turned four and two last week. But enough about me, bring on the writing update!

Writing Update

The Medusa Coin IS DONE! I worked my proverbial tuchas off trying to button this bad boy up over the last four weeks. This one almost broke me, and probably led to the week long head cold. This is the first full-length novel I’ve put together since bringing the site live back in August. The first one I’ve written since the initial draft of Signs of Portents back in 2013.

I was worried to say the least.

After many revisions and quite a few late nights rejiggering different elements into place, I think I’m at a place to let this one go for a bit. I’ve sent it to my favorite first readers for their thoughts, hoping they will remember my fragile ego and go easy on me.

I’ve also opened up the opportunity for more beta readers on this one. If you are interested in reading a raw draft of The Medusa Coin, follow the link to learn more about what I’m looking for. My deadline is April 20th to have the draft read and notes sent back. I know it’s tight and hope to give more time for the next installment.

Speaking of which:

Pathways in the Dark

Book Four in the series is progressing. This one is another short story collection, taking place in the aftermath of The Medusa Coin. I finished the script level drafts of the six tales last month but it felt like something was missing.

There was and it came to me in the form of a little epilogue currently titled, The Gathering. What I loved most about Tales from Portents was the fact that when you finished The Consultant you knew where Soriya was headed and what followed with Signs of Portents. I wanted that feeling. That cliff jumping moment where the reader made it to the end of Pathways and screamed that they needed book five in their hands NOW.

The Gathering accomplishes this and I am so happy it came together. Time to sit down and start drafting the remaining five stories. (After the NyQuil wears off…)

Lots of promo stuff coming up for Signs and Tales starting April 1st so be on the lookout for some great opportunities to snag a copy on the cheap. I’ll be talking about them at length during the next update.

Thanks for reading.

Switching Gears From Editing to Drafting

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After two months of nit-picking and questioning every word choice, every story beat, perspective shift and every other piece of The Medusa Coin, it is time to switch gears from editing to drafting. Editing is very much based in problem solving. Critically thinking through each and every facet of the narrative from the macro to the micro and back again.

Writing is so much more freaking fun, isn’t it?

Letting go of the old for the new.

switch gearsIt’s tough. Four months of work on The Medusa Coin, living with the story day and night, can be extremely difficult to walk away from for a new project. Hell, for a break in general. Every fiber of your being wants to look over the draft ONE MORE TIME. Does it make enough sense? Is it all there? Did something get lost in translation from thought to action to final edit?

Let someone else decide that for you. When the bell rings and the draft is there, as clean as it can get (no scimping on your end) then it is time to hand it off to another reader.

Put it out for your coveted beta readers to shred and give yourself time to discover new worlds or the next phase of your current epic.

 

Putting pen to paper again.

After finishing a full-length novel of 85,000 beautifully constructed words (one hopes) where the hell do you start for the next thing?

Sure, a vacation might sound nice at this point. Maybe you never want to look at your computer again after wrestling with your last project for months on end. A break is deserved but eventually it is time to get back to it.

It might be said quite often on my end, but it always holds true. Start small. 

Write small notes. If the next novel isn’t there is there something in its place? Some itch to explore or thread to pull from a random thought or dream? Diversions can lead to great story moments or a great story to tell when you stumble on a completely new endeavor.

Write a short story. Or a poem. Or something different than a behemoth of a book. Not only does it feel like less of a climb to completion but it also stretches different muscles and allows you to practice your craft on a different level. When you only have 10,000 words to tell your tale how does that impact your thinking? What ends up on the cutting room floor? What works better and what doesn’t?

Experimentation leads to growth.

That, more than most anything, is why Greystone is formatted the way it is for the first cycle. Full-length novels are staggered with short story collections between them. It allows me to try new things and test the waters with new avenues of telling stories.

And why I am so looking forward to Pathways in the Dark. The seven stories within are plotted, scripted and ready to rock and roll.

But sometimes experimentation means heading out of your comfort zone completely. I have another project I am working on in the background. If everything works out you’ll hear more about it in about six months. If not there is always next year, but I know it is going to come through eventually.

Start small. Experiment.

But you damn well better get your work done too.

Thanks for reading.

Writing Update – February 23, 2017

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It has been a crazy week here in the basement. Lots of things going on so let’s get this writing update started!

Writing

You might not know this but:

Tales from Portents is on sale now at the following:

               

Grab your copy today!

writing updateI keep hoping to enjoy the moment a little more but I’ve been in full edit mode with The Medusa Coin. Where Tales from Portents was a dream project from start to finish, the next installment in the Greystone series has had more than a few challenges.

It has been a long time since I tackled a manuscript of this length so the learning curve has been steep in cleaning it up, shredding extraneous plotlines, and following through on the major arcs of every character. This novel also has the unfortunate distinction of being the midpoint of the first cycle of the series, giving it the responsibility of not only carrying the seeds from Signs of Portents but also propelling our characters to the eventual conclusion of this initial journey in next year’s installments.

Lots to keep in mind when working through the book, which I am hoping to button up next week to pass off to some first readers! September might seem a long way off but it will be here quicker than you think.

Pathways in the Dark

The fourth book in the series is progressing nicely. All seven stories in the collection due out next February are outlined and scripted. It will be a nice change of pace to put together some smaller stories after the behemoth of The Medusa Coin. I’m hoping to start the drafting phase next month!

Reading

I had planned to discuss a number of the books I’ve been digging lately but alas, The Medusa Coin has owned my life from top to bottom. Next time.

Thanks for reading.

Writing Update – February 2, 2017

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February already?!! Not cool, Calendar Man. Not cool. Here is your writing update on this lovely Groundhog Day:

Writing Update:

writing updateTales from Portents is on sale in TWO WEEKS! But I’m sure you already knew that. Interested in an advance reader copy of the book? Let me know.

The Medusa Coin – THE EDITING CONTINUES. It’s been a slow process. Every time I tackle a new project I have to relearn my own system. This week I’ve been researching like crazy to shore up the story. A couple key moments needed to be reconfigured and a new element or two inserted to really drive some of the character arcs home.

It’s coming together though and my plan is to hunker down the entire month and put the final touches on this one.

Pathways in the Dark – All that research has had an unintended bonus (and another reason The Medusa Coin is going a little slower than usual for me). Researching one project helped me figure out the key components to Pathways, allowing me to finish up the outline for the collection coming next February.

Another set of six tales, these take place immediately after the events of The Medusa Coin. I’m very happy with how the project is coming together and can’t wait to script the outlines this month. Lots of hints at what is ahead in the series and some old friends from Tales get their moment to shine in this collection.

Reading

Lots of time spent researching lately but I did make the time for two new releases from DC’s Rebirth titles:

Flash: Lightning Strikes Twice – Joshua Williamson takes on Barry Allen and gives him a nice well-rounded cast to play off in the series. There is quite a bit going on in this book but that is how it should be for the Flash. Frenetic pacing and equally exciting layouts made this story a page turner for sure. Carmine Di Giandomenico has a great style for the book and is able to maintain the twice-monthly schedule nicely.

I was a little letdown by the villain’s reveal though it was understandable and acted as the perfect counterpoint to Barry Allen’s role as the Flash.

I only ask that DC reconsider the insane lightning coming off the Flash on every page. It is distracting as hell and if I was standing by him at a crime scene I would be completely freaked out.

Justice League: The Extinction Machines – I wasn’t sure about this one. For me, nothing beats Grant Morrison’s run on JLA in the 90’s. (Oy. I’m old.) Geoff Johns did a great job as well, but let’s face facts. The man ALWAYS does a great job. It’s a sickness with him.

Bryan Hitch and Tony Daniel offer up a strong first arc with the new Justice League. They play up the tension between Batman and the “new” Superman well. I enjoyed the banter between the Green Lanterns and the Flash. Aquaman’s role was a little out in left field and should have at least connected slightly with the others but it came together in the end.

A great opening tale with lots of bombastic action and widescreen visuals. Can’t wait to see how they build on it.

That’s it for this writing update. Fingers crossed that Spring comes early!

Thanks for reading.

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