Steve Patton's Blog: Mepho Press - Posts Tagged "marsh"

I remain excited and optimistic about the prospects of The Marsh Adventures: Of Times and Places. Currently, it reached #73 in the Amazon category: Short Stories in Teen and Young Adult Literature.

I begin (again) work on my second boo, The Sun Also Sets. I'd side stepped working on it to get all publication done on my first book, The Marsh Adventures: Of Times and Places. It is already written, just going through post production work. I am hopeful to have it ready for release by September, or earlier if possible. In short, it is a book about a burned out Personal Hunter in Africa going through the motions and despising his client's blood lust, when he stumbles upon a track that will change his and other's lives forever. He just needs a guide. An exciting tale with more to come. Check it's progress out at: www.ridgewriters.com

I haven't posted much...on here or on my website. I have been feverishly going through the edits of The Sun Also Sets in post-production material. I thought I was doing well, until I compiled all my chapter notes into one long "to do" list, and suddenly realized I have more edits to do than I thought.

How can one write a book about Africa when you have never been there? I am sure that is a question I will be asked, and I even ask myself that. I have read great stories about Africa from people who have never been there. That's like saying, "How can you write about Mars if you've never been there?" or "How can you write about the bottom of the ocean if you've never been there?" Anyway, you get me point.

At the rate I am going, I think it will be done before October, whether out and published I am not sure, but I believe so. However, I never rush a book. When I finish The Marsh Adventures: Of Times and Places, it took little cleanup, and there wasn't much I wanted changed with the final product. That will be a rarity...the exception and not the rule. Most stories I write will go through several edits before I am satisfied.

Well, to the Ridge Readers motto of "Read On!"...I'd best go back to "Write On!" if I want to see this finished!

I am often asked, "How do you write?' And I know the answer should have some logic and form to it and it doesn't. I have had both High School and College writing classes...yes, I've been taught the "correct" way to write a book...you have a writing plan, you map out your chapters, you pre-plan everything from start to finish. That's not me.

I write chapter by chapter. Even I don't know the ending or I may know how I want it to end, but not how I get there.

When I sat down to write The Marsh Chronicles (now The Marsh Adventures), I intended to write a one-page happy story about a dragonfly having fun with his friends in a marsh setting. That soon became two pages, then three, and the story started morphing and changing. Then I heard a sound...not a sound, but an ominous feeling coming to the marsh..."what is that?" I asked myself, and then I saw an insect flying into the marsh, once it was close enough, I recognized it myself, a spider wasp. That is how I write. Kincaide was never an original character...and if there is a spider wasp, there must be enemies. That was the first time the book took a turn and it was no longer going to be "happy days in the marsh."

The second book I wrote for my son was "The Sun Also Sets"...my protagonist gets bit by a viper on the African plains and lays dying...I had no intention to kill him off this early in the story, I did intend for him to lay three days in agony with a fever until he started coming out of the poison though...then I heard a voice "I will save him.." and I said "who are you?" "I am an unnamed native of Africa, but I will save him"...enter Kondoo, the Postal Worker from the North. I had no intentions to have this character in my book, but he showed up one day and offered to help my protagonist.

People would probably think me crazy on my writing style, but that is how it works.

The drafts are done and submitted. Now it is just a waiting game of anticipation. A Band of Dogs: Foundations releases on February 2.

But what's next for me?

That is a big question. There are so many directions I could go, and so many manuscripts I have ideas for. So for now...

I am going to step back and take a breather. I need to shore up some Library of Congress stuff on my books and other things, and follow through on some things I've neglected along the way. In doing that, I'm taking a low-profile stance...

I will be working on the two companion books to The Marsh Adventures and The Sun Also Sets, as well the accompanying coloring book for The Marsh Adventures. While doing all this, I will be working on The Message.

The Message was the third story I had written for my son and my longest (non-published) story for him. It is a story of espionage, friendships, plots and twists, and I promise anyone who reads this will not see the end coming. I will hope to have it ready by Christmas 2025 or before.

I would like to get the next book in the Marsh Adventures out this year, the prequal, if doable.

Doesn't sound like much does it?

I've been sick. I can't determine my next book to read. However, that's now why I am sick. But being sick has kept from starting my work on Generations Lost, my second book in the Marsh Adventures series. Even though I am sick, I still decided to make my first official video. When I am sick...I just ramble on.

I released the video on my youtube channel today, Mepho Press, and will also load the video here.

The time of the dragonfly...is coming to an end.

I actually never expected this. I have finished writing the second book in the Marsh Adventure series - Generations Lost. It took only 20 days to write. I do not say that to brag - I enjoy writing. I knew where I wanted to go with this book when I started, and how it was to end. All the notes I hard started on it a year ago since finishing the original Marsh Adventure book had built up until about every chapter was defined.

Now of course comes cleanup and editing, which will take a while. Writing the draft manuscript is always the easy part.

I am happy with the characters, and some were created and added that I had not originally planned. I am happy with the storyline and how it ends.

I had created a book trailer for it and posted it here and on YoutTube. I have not been promoting the trailer, as I did not want it to overshadow or get ahead of A Band of Dogs.

And now, I must get to work on the editing, I am excited for this book and hope I don't disappoint all those who have been patiently waiting on the...in this case...the prequal.

Yes, it is there! I looked on my Goodreads page and The Marsh Adventures: Generations Lost was seen!

Normally I plan the release around a specific date or reason, but I have a book signing on April 5 that I wanted to be able to have copies for, so without much fanfare, the second in the series will be available on March 21.

I love the book, its characters, the plot and the storyline. Initially I was saying the book was going to be slightly darker when compared to the first book, Of Times and Places, but I recant that...the second book is a little more serious. There is a difference between the two. But I will let you the readers let me know your thoughts.

So enjoy! The book is a stand-alone book, but if you are going to follow the series, Of Times and Places should be read first, then Generations Lost, even thought it is a prequal.

This is my second book in the Marsh Adventure series, and I plan currently to have eleven, with the goal of writing 1-2 each year over a period of time. I don't start a story until I have about 80% of it ready to go.

Generations Lost is the prequel to Of Times and Places. I won't tell you how far back it goes; you'll figure that out from the book. It does tell the story of Queen Rubyspot, and she is the protagonist in the book. Everything in the story centers around her kingdom, the Kingdom of the Dragonflies, and her reign over the marsh.

The first book will always be my favorite, having evolved from an idea into a one-page story, then to 100 pages, and eventually to around 150 pages. However, I love this book equally as well. I love the characters, the storyline and I love the ending. I hope you, as the reader, will also enjoy this book as much as I did in writing it. I will always be a writer first and a reader second.

So pick up a copy...eBook or paperback. I do have it in an overly expensive hardback version (the cost is out of my control for the hardback), but I always get one copy in hardback for my son to keep. Other than that, I probably wouldn't opt for hardback.

So please enjoy Generations Lost, book 2 in the Marsh Adventures - join the new cast on an old adventure, Queen Rubyspot, Bolo, Oracles, Cisto, Rudd, and many more - to see if the legend was true.