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

A Circle of Shadows Commentary – Loss and Sacrifice

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The author commentary of A Circle of Shadows continues! SPOILERS AHEAD!

Theme in a larger sense…

I always hated this part of English Lit; determining the theme of a work. How do you summarize 300 plus pages into a single overall concept?

Now I can’t help but do it constantly. Much to my chagrin.

Big picture, Greystone has always been, to me, about good against evil. About standing for something, about being a light against the constant darkness. Loren and Soriya made up the light and with it they battled the shadows of Portents for the safety of all others.

Constant. Never yielding. No matter the menace. No matter the cost.

Loss and sacrifice.

Death holds meaning.

It has to, and I’ve done my best to exemplify this throughout the series. Soriya’s ruminations on death, on the concept of the afterlife as it ties to the ever-present Bypass, are constantly in the background of the stories. She is always wondering about coming back, about bringing people back, about righting the wrongs of those she’s lost over the years.

That need, those conversations early on in Signs of Portents and Tales from Portents, paved the way to the finale of this novel.

Soriya’s fear of death, that early memory of Gilgamesh taking the soul of the girl in the orphanage, made it clear this was a fight she needed to face.

And ultimately lose.

Not by surrendering and not by defeat. But by sacrificing herself for her ideals; for Portents.

For Loren more than anyone.

Killing a major character.

I didn’t want to shy away from this. I tried, Lord I tried, to change it. There are some terribly written hospital scenes buried somewhere in my recycle bin if you want the evidence.

Truth be told, I think death for Soriya was just another journey and she was willing to take it now more than ever.

She stopped the threat, survived the menace of the Heads of Cerberus, and had nothing left to give.

Loss and sacrifice. What Greystone means to me. For the greater good, sure, but for ourselves more than anything. The betterment of ourselves. Never out of fear but love.

When Soriya tosses the Greystone out to Loren, knowing the journey continues for him; knowing he will pick up the mantle and do the work she has since she was four, she lets go of the world with love in her heart and a smile on her face.

The way any of us would like to go.

So what happens next?

I want to tell you. Really, I do. But I won’t. There are clues in the books. Things Soriya has said herself about the Bypass and what lies beyond the veil.

Is Soriya’s story done?

What do you think?

A Circle of Shadows Commentary – The Second Greystone

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The author commentary on A Circle of Shadows continues with a closer look at the Greystone! SPOILER WARNING ahead!

The evolution of the Greystone

For me, one of the great joys of the series has been the slow-burn reveal of the Greystone and the mysteries surrounding it.

Purpose is extremely important to the players in the story, especially Soriya and Mentor. They exist for a reason, even though that reason has not completely presented itself to them as of yet. It is why Mentor takes care to teach Soriya all those years in the Bypass Chamber. Why he pushes texts and lessons above all else.

To introduce patience. To give her the knowledge to seek out that purpose.

But the Greystone itself remains locked to them.

How a villain showed the way to A Circle of Shadows…

The initial draft of The Medusa Coin held no insight into the Greystone. The focus was on Erikson and his quest for immortality. Even Loren’s search for his wife’s killer was sidelined, offering a very standalone installment.

To the detriment of the series as a whole.

As editing took hold, as I saw a way to introduce Myers and this element of Soriya’s involvement the day Beth fell, I realized that added something personal to Loren.

But what about Soriya? What was important to her at this moment? That was the start of the out of control Greystone, the inkling that the merging of the two stones in Signs of Portents came with repercussions.

Understanding why opened the door to Erikson’s connection with Mentor and in turn his innate knowledge of the stone. And the other pieces…

Introducing the second stone

There is a clear line of thought from that moment in The Medusa Coin where Erikson announces the existence of the other stones to the arrival of Gabriel Jordan in A Circle of Shadows. Without one, the other would fall flat or need more explanation than necessary in what was shaping up to be an action-packed book already.

But with that information, that possibility of other stones, introduced in the previous novel, Gabe’s entry is seamless. Without question.

Gabe’s involvement in this book was one of the first pieces of the outline put together. How he manipulated the stone, his access to the power – how the pair were more in tune than Soriya ever was with this stone she’s carried since childhood – were very much set from the start. To me, it was a way of looking at the power from an outside perspective, but also seeing how it could be manipulated, compared to the teachings of Mentor.

What does this mean going forward?

I won’t spoil where things are headed. What I will say is that Loren’s story has closed for the moment. His big mystery was solved here. Was Soriya’s?

What is the Greystone exactly? What is it here for? How many other stones are there with bearers to match?

I hope you’ve pondered these questions as well. I know I have and I can’t wait to find the answers with you.

Thanks for reading.

Founder’s Day Commentary – Lessons from the Dead

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This is it! The final author commentary for Pathways in the Dark! One last look at Founder’s Day. SPOILER WARNING is in effect!

Lessons from the dead

This is an important theme for the series. It is best exemplified by Loren’s dreams. In them, Beth provides a story for Loren – offering him a choice. These are lessons being imparted to him and what they mean are coming to light in a few weeks with A Circle of Shadows.

What I failed to realize is that the dead hold lessons for more players in the series. What our main characters learn from them puts them on a path to the next novel, to the next moment in time.

It is a tried and true theme throughout the series. One never intended, but a vital one to the cast.

It started with Mentor…

As you’ll come to learn, pretty much everything starts with Mentor. His lessons, the small flashbacks imparted on Soriya allow her to realize her shortcomings and see where she needs to improve.

There is more to it, I promise. There are secrets coming to light down the line that show in greater detail the impact this fallen teacher on the lives of our cast.

But it started with his lessons. His tutelage. When he died he set her on a certain path, one she believes is built on disappointment and failure at not being able to save him. On not being able to protect Portents to the best of her ability.

It grows from that and where it ends next month will surprise some of you. Others will understand this is merely a natural progression of what Mentor taught her for so many years in the Bypass Chamber.

Ruiz and Edgar

I never made the connection until putting together this blog. Edgar Rusch fulfills this role for Ruiz in The Medusa Coin. He plays the role of mentor for one chapter and it is all it takes to push Ruiz forward in his arc.

Edgar badgers his old friend about coming clean with Michelle about things. Ruiz brushes it off but then Edgar dies and he is left with that lesson.

Those dying words of his best friend.

The lessons of the dead end up being vital to our present course. They propel this cast to make heavy decisions that impact the narrative on a fundamental level.

Ruiz takes a leave of absence because of his friend’s words. Because of the lesson imparted before his demise.

Loren and Crowne

I wanted that moment for these two players as well. Where the others have positive experiences to draw upon (debatable with Soriya, I know, but there were plenty of good memories mixed with the disappointment) I wanted to show Loren and Crowne as the opposite of this dynamic.

Crowne shows Loren the downside of obsession, of living in the past. Loren tries to pull him out, to force him to look forward, but can’t because of his own failings. They can’t lift each other up.

They can only fall into darkness.

That final conversation with Crowne, the anger behind his every word, mirrors Loren’s from stories like Resurrectionists and Gremlins.  At this moment, after Crowne falls, Loren can’t help but feel responsible. He can’t help but see the failure in trying to help and not being able to because of his own inadequacy.

But down the line? Will this be a lesson that propels Loren forward or will be wallow in defeat? Will he look forward? Will he follow the lessons offered by the dead and change?

A Circle of Shadows arrives on September 11th. Why not give it a read and find out?

 

Founder’s Day Commentary – The New Dynamic Duo

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The Founder’s Day author commentary continues with a look at the new dynamic duo of the series: Loren and Myers! SPOILER WARNING ahead.

Meet the new team

One of my favorite elements of Founder’s Day, and one of my main reasons for writing the story, was the chance to see Loren and Myers working together.

It’s the first chance we have to see them as partners. How they interact, how they bounce off each other, and grate each other, were all pieces I wanted to fit into the story.

Samantha Myers versus Soriya Greystone

I didn’t want the debate. There didn’t need to be a who is better as Loren’s partner fight. We already know the answer to that. It’s why the series opens with Soriya and Loren. This is their story and always will be.

So how to make it different with Myers on the team?

This is why I included the opening with them looking for Bartleby Kindt. I wanted to show Loren as the senior member of the team and the mistakes made due to the new dynamic of working with Myers.

He is hesitant to bring her fully into the fold, using what he’s learned from Soriya. He doesn’t want the same fights he used to cause as the grounded character and it ends up leading to trouble.

It’s a playful moment in a pretty dark story.

The strength in the procedural…

This was the other element I was happy to be able to explore with Founder’s Day. The procedural has always been fascinating to me. I love the structure of it and the way it feeds from exposition to action or character piece.

Watch an episode of Bones and you’ll see this worked seamlessly into every lab scene. It either opens with the character piece and then dives into the exposition to advance the case or the other way around. Every single time. (My wife thinks it is hilarious that I watch for the character and not the technical aspects of the case.)

That’s what I wanted to showcase here. How these two operate in comparison to Soriya, how they take apart a case and how they use each other’s foibles to play off each other.

The honest truth

I love Myers. I find writing her a treat and wish I could squeeze her into every scene. Having this small moment in time, this incredibly critical moment in the series to put the spotlight on her dynamic with Loren was an absolute blast.

How things go from here will have to wait until A Circle of Shadows arrives on September 11th…

Tales from Portents Connecting Factors 3

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Connecting Factor

Stories grow in the telling. They also grow in the editing phase and that tends to happen quite often with my own work. Ruiz and his relationship with his wife, Michelle, for example is one such instance of this. At the start Ruiz was little more than an ear for Loren. A minor character that assisted when he could but basically served to give Loren someone to talk to other than Soriya.

That sure as hell changed quickly.

Editing Signs of Portents, I realized how much I enjoyed Ruiz. His personality. His depth. And his relationships, both with Loren and with his wife.

When plotting The Medusa Coin, I knew Ruiz’s role was expanding with each pass. He was a vital component of the series, as much as Soriya and Loren.

Michelle started out much the same. A potential element of conflict for Ruiz but little else in terms of a character. When I explored her further, when I pulled apart their relationship and examined their family closely, I realized the potential to really build a strong background character.

Someone that helps drive Ruiz to be a better person, but also causes him to stumble because he wants to do so much for her.

The Great Divide

connecting factorWith Tales published between Signs of Portents and The Medusa Coin, I had the opportunity to put this marriage on display. I also had the chance to show the strengths and weaknesses of it from the beginning and compare it to the present day.

The Great Divide offered a glimpse at the happiness of the Ruiz family to be. How they shared all and Ruiz avoided the traps his parents fell into during his childhood. Of course, it crashes down on him.

But how to show the difference compared to the present?

Enter: The Consultant.

In the original outline, Soriya heads to the Central Precinct for information on Russell Kerr and hides at the approach of Ruiz. The focus here was more on how Loren’s absence had affected Soriya’s ability to do her work, the same as the previous chapters but that didn’t feel right to me for this moment.

And it would have been a missed opportunity.

By changing it and having Michelle call him, the reader easily recognizes the shift in their relationship from The Great Divide. It serves as a bridge, not only through the whole collection but also to The Medusa Coin where the divide comes to a head.

Resolutions are coming your way in September so get ready…

The final connection

Endings are tough. Just ask Stephen King. But they always come, some to more satisfying conclusions than others but they always have to arrive at some point.

And some are just so perfect you couldn’t ask for anything else.

Tales from Portents served as a prelude to Signs, so why not dovetail right into the first book in a natural way?

The final chapter of The Consultant does this perfectly. The text from Vlad about the missing women and the possible God involved. Soriya’s leap into the morning light of the city, ready for more fun connected the final moments of the collection to the first novel.

I tend to be overly critical with my work. (I know. Big surprise…) Not so much here.

Tales from Portents, to me was the easiest project to put together. Every piece, every connection, flowed from one story to the other naturally. Nothing was ever forced on the reader or the characters. Everything happened for a reason, every connection layered from the story itself, not shoved into the mix by my own hand.

If only every book came together so nicely…

Next time:

The BIG ONE. Resurrectionists! The whys and wherefores!

Thanks for reading.

 

The Consultant Commentary Part 2

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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.

Final messages.

When I write I don’t try to put personal philosophies over the story itself. I think that is the downfall of a strong narrative. The author has his own role but it should remain the invisible hand, not the idiot jamming rhetoric down your throat at the expense of the narrative.

Which made The Consultant stand out for me.

In the tale, there were three victims of the Cerberus. All were tied to the villain and the reason for his vengeance. They either played a direct role in tricking the guard dog of Hell or were rescued because of the trick.

There was the baker, the singer and the hero.

Two were young and vital. The baker and the singer appeared to have their whole lives ahead of them and a successful career on the way.

The hero (Heracles), however, was old and at the end of his life.

Why?

It wasn’t intentional. Believe me. I didn’t even consider what I was trying to say until I was in the editing phase. While putting the finishing touches on the narrative I realized it was a viable question to ask.

There are many answers I could offer for Heracles’ age and infirmity when the singer and baker remained at the peak of their lives.

I could brush it off as a simple fact as to how things turned out for the characters. (A cheat, for sure.)

I could speak to the irrelevance of heroes in the world today. Or their stance in the modern world. Heroes, the good people that strive to make an actual difference in the world are berated and prodded from all sides. If their morals don’t match 100% of the population they are mired in scandal, pulled apart and torn down for the all to see.

Heroes aren’t allowed in the modern world. A sad state of affairs and one I truly hope we move away from as quickly as possible.

A reflection of Soriya.

Putting aside all personal preference, the truth behind the infirmity of Heracles, is that he offered a mirror for Soriya. To see how her journey might end.

He dies alone, something she has always assumed would be the case.

It also offered a thematic tie to The Medusa Coin and its inclusion of a physical manifestation of Death. It is the ultimate test for Soriya and her encounter with the fallen Heracles plays a role in it.

Then again, maybe it means nothing at all and I’m just trying to find relevance in a simple artistic choice. That’s the fun of it all.

Thanks for reading.

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