Tag Archives: Stories

Working on My Signature

My son came to me the other day (he’s fourteen), and asked for a signed copy of The Redemption of Erâth. The interesting part is that it isn’t for him, or even for a friend – it’s for a friend’s friend.

One of his best friends is a huge fan of fantasy, including Harry Potter and others, and for her birthday one year we gave her a copy of the first Redemption of Erâth book, Consolation. Apparently she liked it, because she wants to give a signed copy to one of her friends for Christmas.

It’s kind of neat.

I know perfectly well I’m not famous, well-known, or even known at all; fewer than a hundred people have bought my book, and probably fewer still have actually read it (so many people buy things they don’t read). But when someone recognizes you for your efforts, however small the recognition, it feels good.

I was in my local coffee shop the other day as I often am, and as I’m waiting in line the owner offhandedly comments that I’m on the ‘wall of fame’. I wasn’t sure what he meant until he pointed to the door, where, lo and behold, my picture is on the wall, amongst half a dozen others! I’ve done exactly one book signing there with about three people in attendance, but they still felt it was enough to recognize me on the wall of the shop.

That felt great.

I was in the local paper the other month for that book signing; a reporter happened to be picking up his own coffee the day I was there, and sat down to ask me a few questions. The book signing and article are about my young adult book, 22 Scars, but in some ways that’s even better, because that’s my ‘serious’ work.

The point is, it’s interesting to consider who might know you, and what they might think. Once your work is out there, you can’t take it back – people know you and your writing, even if it’s only a very few people. And to think that those people enjoyed my work enough to want to share it with others – whether via a gift, or by recognizing me on a wall – is a feeling that hits deep. It really feels meaningful, because of course that’s why I started writing in the first place – to touch people’s lives.

So who knows – maybe one day I’ll be signing books all over the place! More likely not, but still – time to work on my signature!

What’s Next for The Redemption of Erâth?

So now that the third book in the Redemption of Erâth series is finished, edited and published, it’s time to start thinking about where to take the series from here. (Well, not really – it’s been planned out for a long time; I just need to write the rest of it.)

You see, way back in 2011 I originally outlined a series of seven novels, without thinking too hard about where I was going to go with them all. I had a rough idea of the main characters, and a pencil-thin sketch of the ending, but really it was the frame of an outline; just the bare bones with which to get started. I don’t think I even really considered whether I would even reach the end of the series, or finish telling the tale.

Well, now I’m three books and 400,000 words into it, and things are – more or less – going strong. The great thing about writing is that even when things are planned, there are still surprises. I didn’t know Sonora was going to die in the first book until about a chapter before it actually happened. I didn’t know that Brandyé was going to join the army of Erârün in Exile. And I had absolutely no idea that Elven would (spoiler for book three!) become a king.

So what’s in store for book four? I took some time the other day to begin mapping out the path of Brandyé and Elven in the fourth installment, tentatively called The Fall of Thaeìn. I start by splitting the book into five sections of five chapters each (as has become the standard layout for Redemption of Erâth books), and then giving each part and chapter a name. These names act as as placeholders to remind me of what I intend to happen in each chapter and section of the book.

Then, based on a rough determination of how long each chapter should be (around 4,000 words per chapter for book four), I split the chapters into rough scenes – usually about 1,000 words per scene. I might do this for one or two chapters at once, but not for the whole book – because, of course, things may change as I write. The overall direction usually stays the same, but the details – even important ones, such as who lives and dies – could vary from moment to moment as I fill in the plot with actual written, flowing sentences.

This is what I have so far:

Part I: The Threads of War

Chapter 1: The Southern Villages
Chapter 2: The Battle of Südsby
Chapter 3: The Forms of Death
Chapter 4: A Séance
Chapter 5: The Return to the Cosari

Part II: Alliances

Chapter 6: Khana’s Tale
Chapter 7: The Challenge for Cosar
Chapter 8: From Sea to Mountain
Chapter 9: The Defense of the Hochträe
Chapter 10: The Sky Fleets

Part III: The Siege of Vira Weitor

Chapter 11: A City Beset
Chapter 12: The Siege Begins
Chapter 13: The Waning Year
Chapter 14: The Appearance of Danâr
Chapter 15: Flight from the Black City

Part IV: Betrayal

Chapter 16: The Illuèn’s Last Stronghold
Chapter 17: The Ashes of Defeat
Chapter 18: Decisions
Chapter 19: The Meeting Under the Wall
Chapter 20: A Broken Friendship

Part V: Retreat to the North

Chapter 21: The Lonely Road
Chapter 22: The Armies of the North
Chapter 23: Passing the Bridge of Aélûr
Chapter 24: The Fortress of Hindarìn
Chapter 25: The Last Trace of Peace

I’ve written (so far) about 1,000 words of the first chapter. I have to say, it’s refreshing to be back at the creative wheel, to be spinning yarns and telling tales and putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard). I have no doubt that this new story will take me places I can’t yet imagine, but I’m looking forward to the journey: and I’ll be sure to share it with you as we go!

Author Spotlight: John Fedorka

Each day this week, I’m going to be highlighting the work of a fellow author in conjunction with the release of my new book, The Redemption of Erâth: Ancients & Death. The support of readers like you makes a huge difference to the lives of small, independent authors, and whether you buy our books, buy us a cup of coffee, or just say hello, it all goes towards building the universe of literature that keeps you going!

The Redemption of Erâth is an ongoing fantasy series chronicling the journey of Brandyé and his friend Elven through the fantastic and dark world of Erâth, in an effort to save their world from the overriding forces of Darkness. Volumes 1 & 2 are on sale for $0.99, and the third, Ancients & Death, is now available through Kindle and Apple Books.

Today’s author spotlight focuses on John Fedorka, whose The Last Elf series tells the tale of Chork, the last elf born, who rejects his prophesied destiny and yet falls into a world of magic and dark machinations all  the same. John has been writing for most of his life in various aspects, and turned his attention to fantasy since 2016.

John – who are you, and what do you write?

John Fedorka, epic fantasy, The Last Elf series.

When did you start writing, and what inspired you?

I wanted to be a writer since I first learned to read. Though I worked in newspapers and public relations for half my life, it took me 63 years before I began working on my first novel, The Last Born.

Do you have a favorite line that you’ve written? If so, what is it?

There are too many, most of which have not been published.

What do you hope people will get out of your writing? Is there a message or moral, or do you just hope readers have fun with it?

Entertainment. Sometimes, the journey is [more] important than the destination.

We all know writers love to drink – coffee, tea or worse! When you’re writing, what’s your poison?

Coffee, HEB orange soda. Red wine before my surgery.

What would you say you are most known for amongst your friends and family?

Warped sense of humor, creativity, imagination.

With so many big-screen (and small-screen) adaptations of novels recently, what would you say your favorite book to movie adaptation is?

Tolkien’s trilogy.

To follow on from that, do you think there’s a movie out there that’s actually better than the book?

I’m sure there is, but I haven’t seen it. They are two different forms of communication. I believe it’s unfair to make the comparison.

What makes your work stand out from the crowd? What would someone find in reading your writing that they might not find elsewhere?

In this genre, a simple story told simply. How’s that for a trite answer? A panoply of supporting characters. Every character in my work is based on a character I have met in real life.

Think carefully. If someone were to make a movie based on your life, what would the title be – and who would play you?

Lost Opportunities – Robert Downey Jr.

 

You can learn more about him and his work at www.amazon.com/John-Fedorka/e/B076BRNJ3C/, and his books are available for purchase from Amazon.