I made a decision this morning about Charlotte’s Secret the story I withdrew from publication with Phaze in order to re-write it and fit it into the Westmouthshire universe.
I’ve wanted to re-write it for a while, not just to fit it into Westmouthshire, but also because I feel I can write it ‘better’. But that would mean starting it over from scratch and that it really difficult while I’m focused on finishing the Tutelam Venit series. Something else I’ve been wanting to try for a while is to write a book using the device that George R.R. Martin has been using in A Song of Ice & Fire, that is to say I want to write each chapter with a different Point Of View character. Personally, I think Charlotte’s Secret could be the ideal story to try it with.
Presently, Charlotte’s Secret has two POV characters, but to really make a book work in the way I’m talking about, you’d need more than that. I think it would be possible to blend the main plot of Charlotte’s Secret in with other plot threads with other POV characters, all of them harbouring secrets from all the other POV characters. Early in the book, each chapter would let the read in on a new character’s secret and subsequent chapters would show the reader how the multiple storylines intertwine and finally come together at the end.
Now, I’m not talking about something that’s easy to do here. Hell, I think it could be the hardest book to write that I’ve ever attempted. But I sure as hell think it would be worth it. But that complexity means it’s not something I’d even attempt until Paul’s journey is completed.
In the meantime, I’ve got the text of a novella, which isn’t terrible (actually, it’s pretty good) sitting around not being read by anyone. Therefore I’m adding Charlotte’s Secret to my list of stories to release via Smashwords/Kindle as it is right now. (Obviously, I’ll give it a good once over to try and pick up any typos or mistakes that crept under the editors when Phaze took it on first.)
I’m not going to use the original Phaze cover image (the pink one above). Instead, I’ve designed a new one (the black one you can see here – although it might yet change). I’ll hopefully have it back ‘out there’ in a couple of weeks. Assuming I don’t change my mind. Which I might. I’m flighty like that.
Speaking of covers, I’m going to add the text “A Westmouthshire Novel” to the cover of A Good Man and it will also appear on A Tortured Soul when that comes out. I’d like to add it to the covers of Kissed by a Rose and Eternally & Evermore but they are still published by Phaze so that’s out of my hands. At least, it is for the time being.
