For over a year now I have been plugging away on a sequel to my second book, the fantasy novel. The manuscript is a hot mess, and still far from alpha, but the bones are laid to the end for the parts still awaiting flesh.
It’s about two-thirds done (with the rest at least an outline) and going to be another big book like the first, surely at least 100K words.
To our surprise this past August we received an extended visit from the story’s spirit animal; “Pia” and two other foxes set up housekeeping right in our suburban backyard! Lest a neighbor accuse me of harboring wild animals I can confirm that they only stayed about a fortnight. I’m sure it was our wicked Big Bend drought that finally chased them off. That’s probably why they came in the first place, passing through on an expedition for water.
I did slip her a couple of eggs. How could I not? But I drew the line at a water bowl that would only attract dread mosquitoes.
It really was amazing having foxes in our yard. Sorry the pictures suck. I had to take them from inside the house for fear of chasing them off; at one point there were three of them all out sunning in the yard. We’ve had hawks, owls, buzzards, bats, turtles, snakes, possums, and bunnies, along with unwelcome coons, but this was the very first time we’ve ever seen a fox, never mind three.
Usually it was just the one probable vixen. She’d wake up around nine in the morning and poke her head from the boxwood, then yawn and stretch and scratch before a peaceful lounge in the grass.
Pia’s of course in my sequel along with all of the other heroes off on another epic adventure.
I have a new working title—“Even Further South: Another Southern Fried Fantasy Adventure Story.” It did have another name for a while after a certain McGuffin, but this one makes more sense overall and has a better ring to it. I still use mostly real geography, so you might imagine where they are going. Why, though? Not sure if I’m ready to spill, but suffice it to say they’re leaving the country—off to a wild, lawless volcanic jungle where Saurians and ancient Elves dwell.
If it seems odd that I would write a sequel to a book that doesn’t even have a review on Amazon, remember, it’s my policy to never solicit or buy spurious reviews. Because it isn’t published by Amazon I’m not allowed to run a Goodreads Giveaway, which was how I got such interest as I did upon the release of Maybeth. One thing I am able to do, however, is keep apprised of when my books are checked out. Participating libraries seem to confirm my second book is actually my most popular.
This confirmation of a steady readership is more than enough for me. I’ve wanted to write a fantasy sequel anyway despite my confusion on how to promote it. I hope to have some good marketing ideas by the time the book is done. One idea under consideration is to re-release the first as an Amazon exclusive, or I might do something on Substack instead. We’ll just have to see. In any event, I just wanted to confirm today that a sequel is definitely in the works.
In the meantime, please enjoy the foxes along with my poor photography. And keep praying for peace. Nothing wrecks my writing more than the antics of those warmongering dipshits in Washington!
