The Work

Rayless: Without Light is a book about a boy who becomes a knight and wins the hearts of ‘elves’ and does his best to save the day.  It isn’t a new storyline.  People have been writing about this sort of thing for years; in fact, the first fantasy series I ever read was partially along those lines (Tamora Pierce:  The Song of the Lioness quartet).  I like to think it’s a classic storyline that can still be loved and given a new life, but I guess we’ll see won’t we?  ;D 

I can’t tell you what inspired this book, or the ones written around it.  I can’t tell you where I was when I started writing it, or why.  I come up with dozens of story ideas.  I know one is going to last when I reach about 30 typed pages.  Then, it has a chance to live and really become something great.  Without Light hit 50 pages before even slowing down.  I loved the characters and writing them made me incredibly happy; that’s how you know something is working. 

At this point, the story is undergoing major revisions.  I didn’t want to write the first half of the book.  It was necessary to build the second (fun) half, but I rushed through it as fast as possible.  Because of that, it will take enormous effort to put my love back into those chapters.  I’ve also forced a lot of things like character relationships, and out of my own nervousness about society’s views, I’ve gone in directions I don’t like.  I suspect that once we get to Book Two (the section, not physical novel), the revisions will become easier because the story flows much better.  At least, I hope so. 

When it comes to writing, I need space and time to think.  I can’t just write easily on my lunch break.  I need more than an hour to really get in the ‘zone.’ I often wear headphones without playing anything through them, to cut out white noise.  I type REALLY LOUD and really fast, and I get self conscious about the loud clicking in the silence.  Those are excuses for why I haven’t even finished Chapter 2’s revisions.  That, and…well, what we’re doing to Chapter 2 has shown me the enormous amount of work still needed for the next few chapters, and it’s daunting. 

I’m also studying part-time to be a CPA and working full-time.  The tiny space of hours I have with my family every night is frighteningly slim.  Even so, there’s no one to write this book but me, and if I love it, if I believe in it…it’s my job to get it out there where YOU can love it and believe in it, too.  I promise, I’m not giving up.