Know Jack #510 Preconceived Notions

What does a writer think about before starting a new work? Obviously, I can’t speak for everyone. My own answer varies from book to book. As I’m about to start book three in the Tettias series, I thought I’d let you peek behind the scenes.

On the offhand you’re the one person in the world who has not read Trails of Troubles and Roads of Battle, I’ll bring you up to date. Bryn Bou, our hero, is planning to drop out of the military academy just before graduation. To complicate matters, as authors must do, his father is the Commandant and a military legend. While thinking about how to break the news, he has a vision and ends up on an illegal quest to meet a seer in the kingdom of humans. The meeting leads to inter-species war.

Bryn and the followers who have attached themselves to him escape to their homeland across a mysterious desert, only to find their home occupied by humans and traitors. Bryn is victorious in the civil war that follows. While basking in his victory, he is visited by an old dogman ally seeking help to repel a human invasion of their own.

And so, our story begins. The only thing I have to work with is the idea that the story will conclude in a laboratory in frozen land near the planet’s pole. There, Bryn finds his “people” were created by humans meddling with genetics. That scene is my “north star”. It is the point I plan to “steer” toward. If you have read this blog before, you know I’m not going to sit down and create an outline. I’m going to jump into the middle of Bryn’s and Cross’ reunion and the trouble it ignites.

I will begin with that trouble. What will it be? Friends warning Bryn not to get involved and threatening mutiny if he does? Cross was followed by assassins? Humans choose that moment to stage a counterattack? Want to get in on the fun? Send your ideas. I start tomorrow, and only one thing is set in stone—the title. If you are the first to correctly guess the title from the clues, I’ll send to a free, autographed book. Email your answer to jacklafountain0084@gmail.com