What I've been up to

Not much.

Okay, seriously, not much. Things at work are progressing. I still don't see much in the way of a positive solution, but I'm at peace with whatever change occurs. It's going to be difficult no matter how it goes, though I've been through worst stuff. Most people have.

I started doing something new with the book. Last couple times around I had trouble keeping track of the narrative flow. What had happened when, how the tempo was progressing, stuff like that. I'd have to stop writing and go back and read, and that interrupted my creative process, or I'd get mired in making petty changes to old text, or something. It was awkward. No more! I now have a chapter summary that I update when I'm done with the chapter. Summarizing the chapter lets me see glaring gaps in the narrative logic, it makes an easy touchpoint for later work...it's just a good thing. Allow me to demonstrate.

Chapter One – 5432 (that's a word count)

Characters-

Jacob Burn – Just returning from a job.

Valentine – Jacob’s sometimes boss and smuggler. Puzzlebox.

Teromi – Composer, mentioned briefly

OverMate Higgins – Storyteller on the Glory of Day.

Ensign Tehr – Security personnel. Shot dead defending the captain.

Hunter Sloane – Briefly appears, just long enough to jump off the zep.

Marcus – Old friend of Jacob’s and a whole world of trouble

Locations-

FCL (Flight of the City’s Line) Glory of Day –Hestes Class zepliner

Havreach – Frontier town on the coast of the Cusp Sea, Downfalls. Veridon’s first colony and common stop for tourists and smugglers

Veridon – You know. Shining City of Cog, all that

Arrabarra Rare – The Grassplains of the Guarana

Red Simmons, BonnerWell - frontier towns deep downfalls

Cusp Sea – The sea formed by the Reine at the foot of the Breaking Wall

Breaking Wall – The waterfall created by the Reine

Groups –

Cogswell Chain – rival criminal organization

Summary – Jacob Burn is returning from a job in Havreach via zepliner. Just as the Glory reaches the foot of the Breaking Wall, Jacob recognizes an old friend of his. He’s unable to talk to him, losing him in the crowd. As they begin their ascent to Veridon, the zep is sabotaged. Jacob and one of the crew discover that the pilot has been killed. They re-establish some modicum of control, and plan to set the ship down in the waters just outside Veridon. Shortly thereafter, the glideboats are released, apparently empty. Jacob finds Marcus on the glideboat deck, dying of a belly wound. Marcus gives him a strange artifact-cog, insisting that Jacob take it to Veridon. Marcus then admits to killing the Pilot in an attempt to escape some unnamed pursuer. Jacob kills Marcus, to spare him the crash and perhaps with a little bit of anger. They clear the falls and start to limp towards Veridon. A mysterious man (Sloane) appears on the deck and jumps off the ship. The Glory crashes.

And there you have chapter one. Thrilling. But when the chapters get more complex, it's a world of good. When did Jacob give Emily the Cog? Ah, here it is, chapter three. What was the name of the guy waiting for Jacob in his room? Oh, and what was that street where Jacob gets picked up by Valentine's boys?

It's a great tool. I recommend it. I also recommend brie on crackers.