The Obloeron Re-writes: Dark Falcon done, on to The Shadow Looms

The last third of The Rise of the Dark Falcon took me about three hours to read through and fix Thursday morning; there was a little bit to fix, and when it was all said and done, I had removed about 2,000 words--needless words--from that book. I feel the book is better now.

(*gulp* I hope.)

After a little bit of a break and some errands, I started work on The Shadow Looms, the middle book in the prequel series and the second book in the series proper. I did a little re-writing in the opening page, as I felt that it didn't flow properly.

Of course, why didn't I realize this three years ago?

I really don't have an answer. Consider this as author-ly maturity on my part. Really.

In all, I did about 16 pages--the first two chapters in this book--before I called it a day and settled in for the Patriots game. Back at it this morning? You bet. I figure that I'll get a third of the way through the novel (about 45 2/3 pages, so about 29 pages today) by the time I have to eat and leave for my football game--high school football coverage starts tonight; on Saturday, I may get in a couple of hours work done in the late morning as I have a soccer game to cover in the afternoon, as well as a hay and grain run before that. Ponies have to eat, too.

Sunday, though... Sunday I should get quite a bit done, maybe to the two-thirds mark, while I have soccer on in the background before I settle in and watch football. I figure that I'll finish up The Shadow Looms before I head to my afternoon soccer game on Monday, which means I'll be a third of the way through The Obloeron Saga in just less than a week.

Exciting stuff over here.

www.seansweeneyauthor.com

The Obloeron Re-Writes: Finishing up Dark Falcon

This morning, I plan to get started on the final third of The Rise of the Dark Falcon. It's a wicked big deal, folks.

So far, I've spent the last two days removing passive voice I had missed during the last edit, as well as tightening certain sections and deleting extraneous phrasing that, as I see it now, is either redundant or unnecessary to the story.

The hope is that by 1 p.m. this afternoon, I will be done with Dark Falcon and can move on to The Shadow Looms. 

At least that's my plan.

Lather. Rinse. Repeat. Moving right along.

www.seansweeneyauthor.com

The Obloeron Re-Writes: The best laid plans, they need a-changing

I think the title of today's blog says it all.

*looks up*

OK, maybe not. I'll explain.

As you read Tuesday, my whole plan was to get started on the final read of The Obloeron Saga. I was pumped and ready to curl up with my Kindle and get reading, all to make sure that the entirety of the book is ready to go in time for its Nov. 2 re-release. Reading it in September means I have a month to fix it if it isn't ready.

However, not everything goes to plan, and my second emotion from yesterday reared its ugly head.

As I laid in bed reading in the air conditioning--yes, it is friggin' hot here in Massachusetts--I had a legal pad next to me as I jotted down some notes regarding changes for the first chapter in The Rise of the Dark Falcon. I got through the chapter relatively unscathed, until I found some dreaded passive voice lingering in the tail end of the chapter.

Wait, what? Didn't I take care of that this summer? Apparently, I missed a bit--and yes, this time, it's on me. I'm a little upset and a little frustrated, but I'm persevering as I put my nose to the ol' grindstone.

In addition, as I sit here a third of the way through yet another draft--what is this now, draft No. 10?--I had to clear up some befuddled sentences in the next few chapters. I chose to speak some parts aloud to make sure they make sense. Again, I hope that with this full look-see is done, all 811 pages or thereabouts, it will be DONE. Complete. Finito.

I also realized something yesterday. Obloeron is, without a doubt, my personal Dark Tower series, ladies and gents. Much like King, you'll find that this is the defining series of my early career, and it will, I'm sure, read like an early career series. My hope is that when it is all said and done, you will feel a mishmash of early and now as you read it.

More reading on tap for today, another forty pages or so. Can't you feel my excitement?

www.seansweeneyauthor.com

The Obloeron Re-writes: Time to read

The day I've waited for has arrived: the day I start my final re-read of THE OBLOERON SAGA. Today, I'll curl up with my Kindle and just read. Read and drink coffee. Drink coffee and read. With nowhere to go today, my hope is that I'll get most of THE RISE OF THE DARK FALCON read; I'll probably only get half of it read, which isn't a bad thing. I want to pace myself. I read the lead-in short on Sunday night, and it needed a little tweaking; I took care of that yesterday. Now, I jump into the saga proper. I'll take notes if anything jumps out at me.

I'm going through several different emotions here. The first, of course, is that I really can't contain my excitement. I'm uber-excited, shall we say, to dive into the series and look at it as one entire story, not just as six individual parts. I believe that the story is so much better for the work I've already put in since last December, and I believe you'll feel the same.

The second feeling is that I'm nervous that there is still loads more to do, a fear that I have forgotten to do something over these last ten months. My hope is that I have not forgotten anything, and that the read is relatively smooth. Cross your fingers for me!

If there is any edits that need doing, they'll get taken care of before I finalize the project and move on to CHEMICAL AGENT's first read-thru and edit.

I'm seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, gang.

I can't wait to get there.

www.seansweeneyauthor.com