I’m 30,216 words into book 3 of the Danethrall Trilogy right now. Funnily enough, I have more notes than I have pages written for book 3. Unfortunately, it has taken me quite a while to get typing again since publishing Rise To Fall. The summer was busy, as summers usually are, and honestly I didn’t have the ‘writing bug’ hit me for some time. I would like to go more in depth, but I don’t want to release any spoilers for RTF, haha. All I will say is I was more emotionally attached to some characters than I expected …

Book 3 has had many working titles so far, but now it has been relegated to the title ‘book 3’, for none of the working titles really fit anymore. After finishing both Danethrall and RTF, I had a general idea of where I was going with book 3, but I have since had far too many other ideas, and organising them into one book is proving to be quite the juggling act – affecting the title of the book being just a scratch on the surface of what I need to figure out. Book 3 will be the last in the Danethrall series, so figuring out what is a good idea but doesn’t need to be included, and what is a great idea that should definitely stay is taking up a lot of my time. Luckily, whatever ideas I cut from book 3 might become material for any future books – I have lots of other story ideas for various other time periods I’d like to write about. I’m quite the ‘pantser’ – I usually have a rough idea of what I want to write about, I start typing and let the story come to me as I go along. With book 3, I have to really concentrate and plan, since this will be it and I really don’t want to end with any loose ends I’ve forgotten to tie.

As much as I am determined to end the Danethrall series as a trilogy, ending it is bittersweet. I’ve enjoyed writing this series a lot, I have learned so much through the writing process, I’ve become very attached to the characters, and as excited as I am to give the characters an ending they deserve, I am saddened to finish this tale. Danethrall was the first novel I ever completed writing – though there were many ups and downs with the publishing of it (I still cringe at what a mess that was), I still published it. I fell in love with the Danethrall characters so much, I wrote RTF, and now book 3 is coming along. At some point I have to say goodbye to these characters, and this book is it. It may take me a while longer to finish book 3, but I hope to make an ending worthy of these characters.

Onto bright subjects, if you have read RTF or Danethrall, I’d love to hear your opinions and questions. I received a beautiful message from someone in England who had read my books and it really made my day. In fact, her email inspired me out of my funk and got me writing again. I truly thank her for that.

Anyway, here’s a cute picture of Saga and Kit the cat snuggling on the sofa. Saga loves all the cats and our other dog, Fable, but none of them enjoy her kisses or snuggles – Kit is the only one who accepts her love. 😛

– GSKT