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

Founder’s Day – A Glimpse Ahead at Greystone

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It’s been a crazy launch month for The Medusa Coin. I am always amazed at the support from writers and readers alike, willing to do anything to make sure we are all doing our part to spread the word about indie authors. It has been an incredible community to work with this past year and I hope to be able to do more in the future.

What comes next?

The Medusa Coin changes things for the series. I won’t spoil the book here. I’ll save that for later in the month when I start my commentary on the manuscript.

Much like a single book there is a feeling like we’ve been climbing to the top of hill, pushing this gigantic boulder in front of us. The Medusa Coin was the apex, slowing building and building and now comes the fun part.

Falling down.

Loren and Soriya are headed toward an event, one utterly unavoidable. But in their way are certain obstacles – each unique to our two principal players.

Loren’s arrives this December with the release of Founder’s Day.

Founder’s Day – First Look

Founder's DayOn the eve of the Founder’s Day Celebration in the heart of Portents, someone is murdering city officials and dressing them up in a signature black robe and cloak.

What does it have to do with the Church of the Second Coming? And will Loren be able to find the killer or will the entire city of Portents be at risk?

The seeds are planted for the end of the first cycle of the Greystone series in this tale!

Founder’s Day is a direct sequel to Resurrectionists and will be available FOR FREE on December 5, 2017!!

The challenges in this tale…

I went over this one many times. The second I hit the publish button on Resurrectionists last year I knew this story was coming.

The challenge came in juggling priorities in this story. Not only was it a sequel to Resurrectionists, it served as the primer for February’s release – Pathways in the Dark – AND set the stage for book five’s incredible climax of the series’ first major arc.

Talk about pressure.

With Pathways, especially when it came to this tale, I was able to open the door to some new ideas. I was able to widen the scope of the series but also ground it in a way that I hope will still entertain readers set on myths and monsters.

Founder’s Day is a true test for Loren, one that will require all his detective skills to solve.

More news and a preview of the tale coming your way next month!

Resurrectionists Commentary Part 3

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We’ve made it to the last author commentary for the Tales from Portents collection at last! My hope with these author commentaries is to offer insight into the decisions made in putting the project together and the challenges therein. It’s also fun to point out the little Easter eggs throughout.

So, the final SPOILER WARNING is in effect!

The Founder

In the original version of Resurrectionists there was a clear villain in the form of the Founder.  He had dubiousFounder intentions and the mystery behind his identity was very much in play.

Then I thought better.

Is there a villain in Resurrectionists? Not really. Using this crucial component of the Greystone series as more a morality tale for Loren and Soriya than a battle between good and evil strengthened the emotional core of the story.

The face of the Founder

The first and second draft held the same premise: at the climax of the story, the Founder was arrested and unmasked for the city to see.

The aftermath chapters centered on his story before diving into Loren’s suspension and subsequent leave of absence. In essence, all character growth, the heart of the story being told was blocked by the need to explain who and what the Founder truly was.

It didn’t work.

It was awkward and it raised more questions than it answered. And it sure as hell took some of the juice away from the pain Loren was going through after the debacle.

Pulling away from Loren in this moment as well as from Soriya as she watches him leave at the end of the story, would have undercut the strength of these scenes, and the reason the story existed in the first place.

The unmasking also put more emphasis on explaining how the resurrections occurred as well. That was something I wanted ambiguous. The less said the better. Spelling out the mystical, defining every aspect of a supernatural or faith-based element in the narrative is never for the benefit of the story or the reader.

Leaving those questions, allowing the reader to make their own judgement engages the audience more. Or it frustrates the hell out of them. (Definitely not my intention…)

The other benefit of leaving the Founder in the wind with his mask and motivations intact?

Founder’s Day

FounderIt leaves things open for a kick-ass sequel.

That’s right. Coming December 5, 2017, Founder’s Day will be coming your way.

FOR FREE.

On the eve of the Founder’s Day Celebration in the heart of Portents, someone is murdering city officials and dressing them up in a signature black robe and cloak.

What does it have to do with the Church of the Second Coming? And will Loren be able to find the killer or will the entire city of Portents be at risk?

The seeds are planted for the end of the first cycle of the Greystone series in this tale!

The End.

That brings us to the end of the commentary for Tales from Portents. I hoped you enjoyed this insight into the insanity I bring to all my work. The constant battles. The thoughts behind even the most miniscule of details. Everything is important and it is all to make the reading experience the best possible.

I hope you agree.

Thanks for reading!

Resurrectionists Commentary Part 2

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We’ve almost made it to the last author commentary for the Tales from Portents collection! One more after this, promise! My hope with these author commentaries is to offer insight into the decisions made in putting the project together and the challenges therein. It’s also fun to point out the little Easter eggs throughout. (I love that crap.)

Spoiler Warning is in effect!

Pulling threads together…

This is one of the most difficult tasks of a writer. I am constantly tweaking, pulling, and praying that at the end of the day the threads connect and make sense.

As well as satisfy both the casual fan and the avid reader.

For Resurrectionists, the task before me was to take the small nuggets left throughout Signs of Portents and build a compelling narrative to explain some of them.

Not all of them.

A good friend continues to complain about the lack of answers. Don’t worry. They are coming. Soon.

So I had goals set before sitting down to plot.

Roadmaps help.

They do. Sometimes I wonder where the hell I would be without my OneNote app. I have so many little tidbits and thoughts stretched across dozens of pages.

Having goals is only a start though. There has to be a narrative behind the events or there is no reason, no drive for the characters. Who wants to read that?

Coming up with a story that allowed the threads of Robert Standish, Loren’s suspension and his fallout from Soriya was where the challenge came in for Resurrectionists.

Knowing Loren was as helpful as the map.

Beth remains central to the character’s motivations and offered me a starting point. What would make Loren stop using his brain and follow his heart, act out emotionally instead of rationally?

The chance to bring Beth back.

Bringing faith into it.

I’m a huge fan of Supernatural. I won’t deny it. Those damn Winchesters have stolen twelve years from me and I still tune in as often as possible to watch their misadventures.

Especially the seasons centered on the conflict between angels and demons.

I’ve always been fascinated by religious lore. In fact, you’ll be seeing much more of it in a few years (yes, years…) and it is going to ROCK.

But for the purposes of this tale, I wanted to play with Loren’s faith. His beliefs. And how it relates to the characters in Portents.

Using resurrection as a tool, an instrument behind the narrative, spoke to where the character was at this point in the series. I needed Loren to fall. I needed his mistake to be grave, at least in his own eyes.

Would Soriya have easily forgiven his actions? Would Ruiz?

Of course.

But Loren wouldn’t. And that was the important part. Loren needed this break. He needed to walk away.

Until Signs of Portents brings him back.

Tying it together.

Goals are great. Plot devices or threads offer a writer an entrance into the story. But it isn’t enough.

Using Resurrectionists to answer questions would have fallen flat without tying it to Loren’s arc as a character. Taking those threads, that constant guilt at his mistakes, and then showing what he’s been trying to deal with after the events of this story offers that much more impact.

Every story since this one has given me that opportunity and it is something I’ve been grateful to learn while constructing this series.

Character trumps all. Defining moments only work when they sprout from the character. All the threads, all the maps, all the goals in the world don’t mean anything without a tie to principal players in the narrative.

Coming July 10th:

The last commentary on this collection!!

The face of the Founder… AND A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT!

Thanks for reading.

Resurrectionists Commentary Part 1

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We’ve made it to the last story in the collection at last! My hope with these author commentaries is to offer insight into the decisions made in putting the project together and the challenges therein. It’s also fun to point out the little Easter eggs throughout. (I love that crap.) So, SPOILER WARNING is in effect for the duration.

Resurrectionists

resurrectionistsIt took awhile to get here but we have finally arrived at the largest story in Tales from Portents.

The idea behind the collection of short stories was always to put one out ahead of the release and offer it to readers for free. Generating interest and gauging the audience with no strings attached is, in my opinion, the best way to see what clicks with readers.

There are challenges with such a release. Some readers want more. The full story. The answer to every question asked. Or, because of the narrative structure, they are put off by the short story.

I am always conscious of this last fact. Every worry I carry for my work is that there isn’t enough meat to the story. Telling a rollicking tale with blockbuster-esque explosions and battles is nice, but the emotional core has to be there as well.

Resurrectionists was my attempt to do both. Offer a shorter work, a more straightforward plot, but really dig into the characters. Without scenes like Soriya in the Bypass Chamber with Mentor or Loren talking things out with Ruiz I think all the heart in the telling would have been lost.

But it would have been a helluva zombie story, wouldn’t it?

Why did it come first?

This is something I continually come back to, especially with the recent release of The Greystone Saga Volume One box set.

Every other story in the collection is in chronological order. Why the hell would I screw that up and put resurrectionistsResurrectionists first?

In typical fashion, I argued the point with the only other person involved in the process. Myself. (Very awkward…)

I wanted to keep things simple. Do things that made sense from a story perspective and have Resurrectionists take its rightful place after View from Above.

That would leave The Great Divide as the frontrunner for the collection and as the preview readers could download for free on Amazon and other retailer sites.

A Ruiz/Mentor story.

Now there is a time and place to showcase supporting cast members. Having them take the lead on the book and possibly be the first experience for new readers to discover the series is not one of them though.

Greystone centers around Loren and Soriya. Always has and always will. (maybe…) For a true experience, to really showcase the series for new potential readers I wanted to put my leads in the forefront.

Spoilers…

This might seem like a cheat to some but I also didn’t want an entire story spoiled by the Look Inside feature on Amazon and other sites. If The Great Divide led the pack then the entire story could be read (and hopefully enjoyed) for free in the preview of the collection.

Not the worst thing ever, but coupled with the idea that neither lead character was present in the tale, I felt the shift of Resurrectionists made the most sense in the long run.

Another benefit.

My other thought (SO MANY THOUGHTS) was that if a reader took advantage of the freebie version of Resurrectionists and then bought Tales, they could then skip right over the first story and dive right into the other five.

Convenient, right?

I could be wrong though. What do you think? Did I botch the experience by putting Resurrectionists first? Was it upsetting to see Resurrectionists in the collection when it is available separately for free?

Talking to myself about it over and over again only goes so far, so you tell me.

Next time:

More on Resurrectionists including pulling threads from Signs and the face of the Founder.

Thanks for reading.

Gremlins Commentary Part 1

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The next several months will bring author commentaries on all six stories contained within the Tales from Portents collection. My hope is to offer insight into the decisions made in putting the project together and the challenges therein. It’s also fun to point out the little Easter eggs throughout. (I love that crap.) So, SPOILER WARNING is in effect for the duration.

Starting point

starting pointAs I pieced together the lineup for the collection, I realized I was missing something. I had solo stories with the main leads, a focus on our main supporting cast member in Ruiz and another with Vlad. There was Resurrectionists at the heart of it all but I needed more.

I needed another Loren and Soriya adventure.

It is the central dynamic to the series and without it, the collection felt incomplete.

But where to take it? Since I was in prequel territory I could have chosen any moment to explore their relationship. I knew I wanted something different than that seen in both Resurrectionists and Signs of Portents but not exactly sure what that meant.

Then I remembered the cut dynamic of Ruiz and Mentor, the much more aggressive point/counterpoint to Loren and Soriya’s relationship. That was the starting point.

Why this moment exactly?

starting pointAt six months into the start of their partnership both characters are still feeling each other out. On Loren’s side it is much worse, his anger clouding any sense of trust in the pairing. That level of tension, that lack of comfort between the two leads compared to where they are presently in Signs was very interesting to me and something I wanted to explore fully.

It offered a natural conflict, instead of a manufactured device filtered through the narrative.

Why not their first case?

This came up early when I was plotting out Gremlins. If I had the opportunity why not start from the beginning? Why not turn the clock back completely?

Honestly? I’m saving that one. Their first case, their first chance to pair up after the arrest of the Kindly Killer, is a bigger story than I could fit into the collection. Not only that but it serves as the perfect bridge into the second half of the series. Might be years away from telling it but it’s coming and it is going to be great.

The Ronnie Phillips Factor

I had this glaring plot point when working on the draft for Gremlins. Loren is hunting down another potential criminal that he believes may have had a hand in Beth’s fall. But then I did nothing with it. He gets the call to head to the Second Precinct for the main thrust of our adventure and nothing is ever mentioned about Ronnie Phillips again.

Not cool.

Changing the original ending with Soriya and Loren to help resolve this omission is one of the best changes I made during the editing process. It fit perfectly with Soriya’s attempt to bridge the gap between the pair and really sell the point of their trust for one another. Or more trust than had been there at the beginning, I suppose.

Next time

More about the threat of the Gremlins tale. Psst, it’s in the title.

Thanks for reading.

Tales from Portents Sneak Peek Preview

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Tales from Portents hits shelves NEXT WEEK! To drum up even more excitement about the upcoming release (and add a few more pre-orders in the process) I figured why not delve into the contents of the collection with a sneak peek preview:

From the back cover:

sneak peek previewSix tales of monsters, the dead rising, and the terrors of Portents.

The beasts Detective Loren and Soriya Greystone battled in Lou Paduano’s debut book Signs of Portents were just a hint of what lurks in the city. Tales from Portents explores the city’s immersive history, including stories of Loren’s descent after his wife’s death—and his opportunity to have her rise from the grave. Among the pages, Soriya battles gremlins, navigates lessons with Mentor, and meets the werewolf Luchik. Follow new characters with expansive histories as they come face to face with the horrors of Portents—both human and otherwise.

From the Greystone Collection, Tales from Portents navigates the cases that make even Detective Loren lie awake at night.

Six tales. Six threats to Portents.

Tales from Portents focuses on the past of the city and the characters introduced in Signs of Portents. I thought it was important for more backstory on the events prior to Signs that would not only offer more depth to the players in the drama but also give clues both thematically and plot-wise for where the series is heading for the rest of the first cycle.

Resurrectionists

You’ve probably already read this one. If not, snag your copy today! It’s FREE. Resurrectionists is the linchpin for the collection, showcasing the fall of Loren. It answers the question of why Loren left the city and gives insight into the incident mentioned several times in Signs involving Detective Standish.

Lots of thematic nods that are picked up in The Medusa Coin as well.

The Great Divide

A spotlight on Captain Alejo Ruiz. As the story for Signs came into focus I realized the importance of Ruiz and his role in The Medusa Coin is crucial. Spotlighting him here ended up working perfectly to shore up his history in Portents and lay the groundwork for his arc in this fall’s release.

A kid is dead. Seemingly dropped from a great height and surrounding by hundreds of black feathers. Ruiz is called to the scene by Detective Julian Harvey to investigate the bizarre circumstance as he learns the truth about the city he has called home his entire life.

Gremlins

A tale from the start of Soriya and Loren’s partnership, before either one considered the term. It was a ton of fun coming up with the lore in this one as well as playing off the beginning of the Soriya/Loren dynamic. A nice counterpoint from where they are in Signs. And a precursor to some changes coming down the line.

Soriya has been arrested and Loren is forced to bail her out only to learn the threat is already in the precinct. As is the potential victim he is now forced to protect from… gremlins.

View from Above

A Vlad story. I felt bad killing the poor guy off in the first chapter of Signs. (SPOILERS.) His character offered a unique glimpse of Soriya and her role in the city so that is where this story starts.

Thefts plaguing the coves north of the city bring Soriya on the hunt for a wild creature. Is Vlad the thief or is something more going on in the background?

Eyes in the Storm

A Loren solo tale. When Signs opens Loren has just returned from Chicago. I thought it was important to spotlight his time in the Windy City and the struggles of adjusting to a big move like that. The connection to Portents came naturally from there.

A murder brings Loren into the middle of an antiquities theft, the artifacts stolen somehow connected with the unending rains plaguing Chicago. Loren, torn between his new life with his family and his place back in Portents, must face a centuries old god before the world drowns.

The Consultant

First one written. Last one included. My favorite piece from the collection. And so important to what comes next. A Soriya solo tale that runs concurrently with Eyes in the Storm. There is even a subtle connection in the background for observant readers to catch.

A vicious killer is on the loose and Soriya finds someone new to help with the case. But is this new consultant all he seems or is he hiding a dangerous secret?

Excited? Thrilled? Can’t wait for the new collection? Don’t! Pre-Order Your Copy Today!

Tales from Portents is on sale February 17th!

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