The first draft of Iron Fist of the Oroqs, the sequel to Wings of Twilight is complete. It clocks in a nearly 1,000 words longer than Wings of Twilight. As I finish up the denouement and do a read through before passing it off for the first proofread/edit, I’ll probably pick up some more words. I think I’ve missed some character-building/establishing opportunities in the early part of the book. Plus the climax is a two-front battle I have to tell from the viewpoints of ten different characters, so I’m sure there’s some more work to be done there (dang, I’m getting as many viewpoint characters as a Geo. R.R. Martin book).
Once I get this one out and get some free time in between projects, I’ll probably compile Wings of Twilight and Iron Fist of the Oroqs into an omnibus. I never intended to write a trilogy (though, I know that’s the popular form for fantasy fiction). Wings of Twilight was supposed to be standalone, but I had so much fun with the characters the first time and an idea popped in my head for a sequel after I finished the first book’s first draft, that I just had to write another story.
The compilation will be called The Foundation of Drak-Anor. I plan to include some short stories that bridge gaps between the two books (though nothing that should be in the second book), or continue individual character’s stories. I don’t think there will be a third book, though. There might be one that features some of the characters (maybe the drak twins, Kale & Delilah), but it won’t be a sequel, per se. I’m going to try to avoid having them appear in cameos in other stories; I’m not George Lucas and not every event in the world has to revolve around one or two favorite characters.
Although, I’m sure Delilah would like it if the world revolved around her. 🙂
And thank goodness I finished before the weekend. Now my brain can rest for five days before NaNoWriMo starts and my next project, Zack Jackson and the Cult of Athos, begins!