Where Does the Story End?

One of the coolest things about being published by Double Dragon has been getting to know other DDP authors. They're a very talented group, with diverse styles, genre preferences, interests, and backgrounds. Thea Landen is a fellow writer of speculative fiction whose novel The Fall of the Midnight Scorpions, sequel to Disintegration, has just been released. I'm very pleased to have her contributing a guest post on the blog today!

Hi, everyone! I’m thrilled that Mr. Burt has invited me onto his blog today, especially since we both have sequels out now from Double Dragon Publishing. I know he’s got plans to round out a trilogy; me, I’m not so sure.

When I wrote the first book in this universe, Disintegration, I hadn’t really thought about writing a sequel, even though the ending doesn’t tie everything up into a neat little bow. Writer friends/fans talked me into it, though, and I’m glad I did. A lot of work has gone into building this world, and more importantly, I love the characters. The heroine of both books, Ro, is probably my favorite out all the characters I’ve ever created, and I’m not just saying that because I’m promoting her book.

This time, that last page in The Fall of the Midnight Scorpions feels a little more finite. I’m sure I could find plenty more stories to tell in the same setting, but every time I try to come up with a plot for another full-length novel, everything feels contrived and forced. I don’t even know who the protagonist would be (since the two existing books are told from different points of view), nor do I have any really good ideas for a main conflict. I try to write every book as a standalone story so readers can jump in any time, so I do have plenty of possibilities. However, the question remains: where does the story end?

In a way, I guess it’s like having children. Mine are very young, so no permanent decisions have been made, but I’m pretty sure we’re done, and there are a million good reasons why. Still, that doesn’t mean that every now and then I don’t think “Well, what if….” But it’s important to know when to move forward, especially when there are so many new, different, exciting things you could be doing instead. (See, that last line can apply to both situations! Everyone always says your books are like your children, right?)

So my gut feeling tells me this story has come to a close. If I get the itch to revisit the universe, I suppose I could always put out another collection of free short stories (like I did with Disintegration: The Prequels), but the list of other tales I want to tell is already a mile long. All my characters here are in the places I want them to be, and I think that The Fall of the Midnight Scorpions provides a satisfying conclusion.

But just you watch. Now that I’ve written down these feelings about the decisions I’ve made, I’ll be back in about two years with another kid and a third related novel coming out.

About Thea Landen:

Thea Landen lives in New York with her husband and two children. A former educator, she strives to encourage creativity and passion in all those around her, and uses writing to help inspire. Though she reads and writes in nearly all genres, she has a special fondness for science fiction, fantasy, and adventure and anything that pushes the imagination beyond its usual limits. When she’s not writing, or thinking about writing, her hands and mind are occupied by either yarn crafts or role-playing games.

You can visit Thea at her website, www.thealanden.com, to learn more about her novels and short fiction. The Fall of the Midnight Scorpions can be purchased from Amazon, Kobo, iTunes, and Barnes and Noble.

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