Tag Archives: Debut Graduate

Debut Graduate: David Williams on Completing a Trilogy

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David J. Williams writes hard-hitting, military science fiction. The first novel was Mirrored Heavens, which I reviewed at Fantasy Debut. Since then, he’s written The Burning Skies and his final book, The Machinery of Light, comes out today. When I asked him to pen a guest post, I never expected this subject, which has not come up on any of my blogs before. Here is David Williams on completing a trilogy.

~*~


A novel has a certain mystique.  A trilogy, perhaps even more so.  Though as Oscar Wilde once said, anyone can write a trilogy, so long as he/she is deaf to life and art.  (People look askance at me when I tell them that – um, it’s supposed to be a joke.)  At any rate, with Bantam’s release of THE MACHINERY OF LIGHT, my Autumn Rain trilogy is officially d-o-n-e…. and it’s been a long strange trip.  Not just since the release of the first novel, THE MIRRORED HEAVENS, two years ago .. . but, really, since I started writing, almost ten years back (in September of 2000, to be precise).  I have no massive trunk of unsold novels/stories; these novels are the only ones I’ve ever written–they constitute my journey thus far as a writer.  And finishing them up is a very weird feeling.  In three ways in particular:

1.  Now I have to say goodbye to my characters. I didn’t think it would be so tough, because in a sense I never said hello to them in the first place.  They are, after all, imaginary.  And yet it’s hard all the same.  They took shape in my head across so many years — went through so many iterations.  I’ve heard the French writer Honore de Balzac inquired on his deathbed as to the health of characters in his novels; I think I know where he was coming from.

2.  I can’t change anything anymore. Anything I hadn’t handled in the first book, I could handle in the second.  Anything I hadn’t wrapped up in the second, I could get to in the third.  But now that the third’s in stores, it’s going to be awfully difficult to make any more revisions.  Not that I want to make any. . . but you know how it goes.  Writers don’t exactly write.  They just revise.  Until they no longer can…

3.  The secret’s out. The books built toward a huge reveal that redefined everything that had gone on across the trilogy.  A trillion dollar enchilada moment, as it were, one that my evil subconscious cackled maniacally over for years.  But now it’s seen the light of day.  And in fact Publishers Weekly blew the whole thing in its review a few weeks back.  So don’t google it.  Just read the books.

Anyway.  I’m sure more weirdness will be settling on me in the next few days and weeks, but that’s probably enough for now.  Thanks a ton to Tia for the space, and all of you for reading!

~*~

David will be hanging out, answering comments so don’t be shy. He’s a very approachable guy.

Check out this book trailer for The Machinery of Light, which is available today at stores everywhere.


THE MACHINERY OF LIGHT trailer from Claire Haskell on Vimeo.

Debut Graduate: The Darkly Luminous Fight for Persephone Parker

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The Darkly Luminous Fight for Persephone Parker
by Leanna Renee Hieber
Paperback = 6.99
Dorchester

With radiant, snow-white skin and hair, Percy Parker was a beacon for Fate. True love had found her, in the tempestuous form of Professor Alexi Rychman. But her mythic destiny was not complete. Accompanying the ghosts with which she alone could converse, new and terrifying omens loomed. A war was coming, a desperate ploy of a spectral host. Victorian London would be overrun.

Yet, Percy kept faith. Within the mighty bastion of Athens Academy, alongside The Guard whose magic shielded mortals from the agents of the Underworld, she counted herself among friends. Wreathed in hallowed fire, they would stand together, no matter what dreams—or nightmares—might come.

Reviewed by Superwench83

War between the spirit and mortal realms looms, threatening to take first London, then the world. And according to her ghostly guide, only Percy Parker can stop it, by facing the underworld herself–by traveling into the land of the dead.

In The Darkly Luminous Fight for Persephone Parker, Percy’s strangely beautiful saga continues, along with all the ghosts, gods, and ghastly apparitions. In Darkly Luminous, the battles are more intense, the characters more intense–everything is more intense. The Guard have spent their lives trying to keep the spirit and mortal realms apart, and now they face a possibility they never considered–that they themselves may be the ones to open the way for the underworld to flow into their own. But even greater is their fear for Percy, fear that she may have to travel literally into hell and back…and fear of her promised betrayer yet to come.

A great deal of character development takes place in The Darkly Luminous Fight for Persephone Parker. Percy grows from a timid, mousy girl into a woman who, though sometimes meek, can be a force to be reckoned with, capable of holding her own. Michael has a much more expanded role this time, his powers as Heart of the Guard given more time onstage. The plot itself facilitates character growth; to survive this darkness, The Guard must be united, all differences set aside, their hearts laid bare. No more can they hide their secrets.

As the title might suggest, Darkly Luminous is at times lovely, at times chilling. Strangely Beautiful featured devil-dogs and voices in the dark. Darkly Luminous features hordes of underworld minions, demons made of ash, and a kingly though skeletal figure swathed in robes that match his ruby eyes. When Percy cuts her hand and a creature of Darkness greedily laps from the pool of blood, this is only a taste of what’s to come.

I did see a couple flaws in the continuing romance. The conflicts between Percy and Alexi seemed immature at times, their emotions changing rapidly and for seemingly petty things. I think it’s because there wasn’t enough space in the book to develop their fears and inner plights fully. I also found the dialogue overly sentimental at times. But these critiques are only a blip in what was a wonderful book.

I do want to give a heads up to any other Catholics out there that there are a couple things that might make you cringe a bit. No attacks on the Church or anything like that, just things that don’t jive with Catholic belief. But it absolutely will not prevent me from reading this one again. There is no offense, no malice at all intended.

After her stunning debut novel, The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker, Leanna Renee Hieber had a lot to live up to, and she passed the test. Another chapter in the struggle between worlds is brought to an end–but still the Great Work goes on.