A Writer's Week #150: By Jove, I Think I've Got It!

 This past week was an important one in my as yet unnamed second Dragon Island Legends book. I had some time off and was planning to get some writing done. It turns out that I managed to write about 1,200 words. The book's length is now about 5,500 words. I wish I could have written more.

However, it turns out the writing was secondary. For months, all of 2026 in fact, I've been struggling with a major plot point/motivation. Shadra, the main character, had to accomplish something. I knew what the outcome should be, but I did not know how she was going to get it done without going against everything that I thought the character should be and represent. 

I puzzled and puzzled over it. It was such a big issue that I considered delaying starting the book. However, I had decided that I should start and see if the characters untied the knot on their own. As I was writing, though, I realized that it wasn't going to happen that way. It seems the characters were as much in the dark as I. 

So, I decided to lock myself in a room, sit down, and hash it out no matter how long it took. It actually did not take as long as I thought. Within a day, I'd come up with a decent idea and scribbled everything down. Now I've got a semi-complete outline, although I'm sure there will be a few more items to work out as I go.

The good thing is most of the heavy lifting is now done (I hope). The only thing remaining is to actually write the rest. I'll update you on how that goes in my next Writer's Week.

Peace

Classic Interview: Sherlock Holmes

                                                               Sherlock Holmes

This week we speak with one of the greatest sleuths in all of literature. He has mystified readers with his amazing deductions for over one and a quarter century. Of course, I'm speaking of the inimitable Sherlock Holmes. Let's see what he's got to say.  

Greg:  Good evening. It is a singular honor to be speaking with this week’s guest. He has solved some of the most baffling cases in history, always through outstanding feats of intellect and deduction. Ladies and gentlemen, may I present Mr. Sherlock Holmes. Welcome Mr. Holmes.

Holmes:  Thank you.

Greg:  Tell me a little about your early life.

Holmes:  I don’t like to talk much about myself. It could give my enemies valuable information with which to do me injury. However, since I am retired and most of my enemies are jailed or dead, I shall indulge you just this once, although I shan’t go into too many specifics.

I was born in England in 1861. My ancestors were country squires, but the thought of lounging around on an estate all day never held much appeal for me. So, after sitting two years at Cambridge, I left school in 1880 to fight in the Second Anglo-Afghan war, where I was wounded.

Upon my return from the war, I decided to apply my immense powers of reason and my ability to disguise myself to use as a consulting detective. I had always had a talent in this line. In fact, it was while at university that I had first used my powers of deduction to solve a number of trifling cases that had been puzzling the local constabulary.

Greg:  How did you meet Dr. Watson?

Holmes:  As I said, I had been working as a consulting detective in London, but times were hard. Financial difficulties required that I advertise for a boarder. Dr. Watson turned up on my doorstep the day after I posted the ad in the Times. Wonderful bit of serendipity, that.

He and I lived and worked together for a number of years, quite successfully, until he decided to get married. After his wife’s untimely death, Watson returned, and I was happy to receive him. He has chronicled all of my most formidable cases.

Greg:  You’ve got a reputation as quite a clever fellow. It’s said that you can deduce anything about someone just by looking at them.

Holmes:  Quite.

Greg:  What can you deduce by looking at me?

Holmes:  That you love muffins, and that you have been through quite a lot to obtain one.

Greg:  How do you mean?

Holmes:  I mean that you set out for the bakery in your automobile but ran out of petrol on the way. You found that your cellular phone was dead, so you hiked to the nearest telephone, and rang the automobile club. You were picked up and transported back to your car, where you refilled the tank. You then purchased a muffin and a medium cup of coffee for yourself and the driver as a thank you.

Greg:  That’s remarkable Holmes! It’s almost like you were there with me through the whole ordeal. How did you deduce it?

Holmes:  Elementary. First, the crumbs on your shirt, and your slightly portly physique pointed to an overindulgence in sweets. Next, the mud and drops of petrol on your shoes were indications that you recently journeyed on foot and had filled your petrol tank. Behind you, I see that your cellular telephone is being recharged, which lead me to believe that you were unable to use it to telephone for help.

Greg:  Incredible, Holmes. But how were you able to sort out the bit about the automobile club and that I had bought the driver a treat?

Holmes:  Quite simple, really. On the table at your elbow lie your automobile club card and a receipt from a bakery. The receipt shows that you purchased two muffins and two medium coffees.

Now, while it is entirely possible that you purchased two muffins for yourself, I do not think that even you would have purchased two coffees for yourself alone.

So, you see it was really quite an obvious deduction. All one has to do is observe the clues.

Greg:  You’ve solved a great number of cases over the years. Which has been the most satisfying?

Holmes:  My cases have involved many lofty, even royal, personages throughout the years. While these have carried a certain amount of satisfaction, I find that I am most satisfied when dealing in cases involving the common man, for it is there that we see both the worst and the best that humanity has to offer.

Greg:  Well thank you so much for spending some time with us. It was most enlightening.

Holmes:  Yes, I am sure it was.

A Writer's Week #149: Taking a Big Steppe Forward

 This week I wrote a relatively small amount of words--only about 700--but I came a long way. Shadra is currently travelling the steppes of Jongchin on foot, tracking an unknown foe. The book, still unnamed, has reached almost 4,100 words. As it stands now she has just met up with two comrades from her clan. What will happen? We shall see.

Also this week, I received a five star review from Readers' Favorite for the first book in the Dragon Island Legends series, Fire & Ice. 

Thanks very much to Susan Sewell for the following review:

In the enchanting children’s fantasy, Fire & Ice (Dragon Island Legends) by Gregory S. Slomba, the Silver Dragon of the North attacks the villages in the islands and abducts the children to work in its mines and fields. Fifteen-year-old Benchu and Mai-Lin were saved by the Golden Dragon when they were younger and now live in an orphanage. To avenge their parents’ deaths, they want to become Denchi Assassins. Then they will have the skills to take revenge on the Northmen and the Silver Dragon. When Benchu learns that he and Mai-Lin are being moved to the Dragon Palace, they run away to join the Denchi. A shabby old man finds them in an alley and takes them to Master, who promises to train them and introduce them to the Denchi. Instead, they are forced to pick purses. How can they escape Master? Will Benchu ever get revenge for the deaths of his parents?

Fire & Ice by Gregory S. Slomba is a captivating children's story with a meaningful plot and a well-developed storyline. The story is beautifully executed with the right amount of conflict, tension, and resolution. I enjoyed meeting all the characters, even the villainous ones; each is well-rounded and authentic. Relatable and engaging, Benchu's and Mai-Lin’s characters meet their challenges with realistic youthful rebellion and audacity. The setting and the dragons create a lovely story resembling a Chinese legend imbued with lessons grounded in moral strength and personal growth. Young and young-at-heart readers will enjoy this poignant and charming story.

So, honestly, this unnamed book 2 has been a little bit of a struggle as far as figuring out what path it's going to take to get to the ending I'm envisioning. But it's nice to receive a review like this. It encourages me that if I keep plugging away at the current book, it will all come out all right. I'll keep you updated on all its twists and turns in my next Writer's Week.

Peace