Creatures of Confound
This page is updated on a daily basis. I plan to include a synopsis, character descriptions, some samples and, later this year, the final cover artwork. Just in case you checked out the Experimental Fiction page, rest assured that Creatures of Confound takes a more traditional narrative approach so, yes, it will make sense.
Last updated: 22nd February 2012.
Progress report:
Wordcount: 89640 (Meditation Draft v3.21 - see below)
Currently working on:
Part One - Puritan: Chapters 13 and 21
Estimated final count: 200,000 words (revised 9th Feb)
Current daily average: 2423 words
Estimated draft completion date: 8th April 2012
This draft will complete the Meditation Phase (MP). The project will then shift to the Final Draft Phase (FDP).
I have created a special page for information about the cover art here.
History:
Many incomplete drafts were written up until 2010, with ideas and characters being tested on a number of readers and members of a writing class.
Last of the True Believers (the novel's original title which remained in place for 12 years)
Part One - The Never Sword [Discovery draft completed in 40 days on 6th September 2010 at 81,271 words]
Part Two - Creatures of Confound [Discovery draft completed in 30 days on 30th November 2010 at 88,728 words]
Part Three - Asunder [Discovery draft completed in 52 days on 30th March 2011 at 70,903 words]
These were then combined into a single, completely re-written draft that changed the novel's title to Creatures of Confound.
Creatures of Confound [Meditation Draft v1 abandoned]
Creatures of Confound [Meditation Draft v2 completed in 72 days on 28th september 2011 at 129,349 words]
You will notice from the above that the Meditation Draft v2 is 110,000+ words less than the combined Discovery drafts. I hope this helps explain why I have been somewhat reluctant to post samples: there seemed little point until I was reasonably sure they would make the final cut. I am a ruthless editor!
Creatures of Confound [Meditation Draft v3.0 abandoned]
Creatures of Confound [Meditation Draft v3.1 abandoned]
Creatures of Confound [Meditation Draft v3.2 was begun on 17th January 2012]
Creatures of Confound [Meditation Draft v3.21 coninued from v3.2 on 9th February 2012]
It is difficult to go into specifics without giving spoilers. So, as a warning to those who might wish to read the finished book without knowing what happens in advance, the following does contain spoilers.
Theme and genre:
Creatures of Confound is, at heart, a tragic, multi-layered love story in a science-fantasy setting. I used to refer to it as a classical fantasy but perhaps classically-inspired would be nearer the mark; certainly The Seven Houses, the second part of the novel, has a somewhat classical feel with marble halls, bathing pools, feasts and orgies and such like. Although it takes place on multiple worlds (three in particular: Kutal, Pirone and Nargotha), I can't quite bring myself to call it a Planetary Romance.
Structure:
This volume is in three parts: Puritan, The Seven Houses and Asunder. Each part follows, somewhat loosly, a standard three act structure, making nine acts altogether. There are two Intermissions. The first, between Puritan and The Seven Houses as Sasha (the story's protagonist) moves through the Obscurity from Kutal to Pirone; the second is between The Seven Houses and Asunder as Sasha moves through the Obscurity from Pirone to Nargotha. These intermissions abandon the conventional prose narrative in favour of a more poetic/stream-of-consciousness approach. The penultimate chapter (currently Chapter 59) is also rendered in this way as Sasha moves through the Obscurity from Pirone back to Kutal. Her transit from Nargotha to Pirone is via the realm of the dead (that is, Asunder) and is presented as an episodic retrospective.)
Main Characters:
Synopsis:
Samples:
Last updated: 22nd February 2012.
Progress report:
Wordcount: 89640 (Meditation Draft v3.21 - see below)
Currently working on:
Part One - Puritan: Chapters 13 and 21
Estimated final count: 200,000 words (revised 9th Feb)
Current daily average: 2423 words
Estimated draft completion date: 8th April 2012
This draft will complete the Meditation Phase (MP). The project will then shift to the Final Draft Phase (FDP).
I have created a special page for information about the cover art here.
History:
Many incomplete drafts were written up until 2010, with ideas and characters being tested on a number of readers and members of a writing class.
Last of the True Believers (the novel's original title which remained in place for 12 years)
Part One - The Never Sword [Discovery draft completed in 40 days on 6th September 2010 at 81,271 words]
Part Two - Creatures of Confound [Discovery draft completed in 30 days on 30th November 2010 at 88,728 words]
Part Three - Asunder [Discovery draft completed in 52 days on 30th March 2011 at 70,903 words]
These were then combined into a single, completely re-written draft that changed the novel's title to Creatures of Confound.
Creatures of Confound [Meditation Draft v1 abandoned]
Creatures of Confound [Meditation Draft v2 completed in 72 days on 28th september 2011 at 129,349 words]
You will notice from the above that the Meditation Draft v2 is 110,000+ words less than the combined Discovery drafts. I hope this helps explain why I have been somewhat reluctant to post samples: there seemed little point until I was reasonably sure they would make the final cut. I am a ruthless editor!
Creatures of Confound [Meditation Draft v3.0 abandoned]
Creatures of Confound [Meditation Draft v3.1 abandoned]
Creatures of Confound [Meditation Draft v3.2 was begun on 17th January 2012]
Creatures of Confound [Meditation Draft v3.21 coninued from v3.2 on 9th February 2012]
It is difficult to go into specifics without giving spoilers. So, as a warning to those who might wish to read the finished book without knowing what happens in advance, the following does contain spoilers.
Theme and genre:
Creatures of Confound is, at heart, a tragic, multi-layered love story in a science-fantasy setting. I used to refer to it as a classical fantasy but perhaps classically-inspired would be nearer the mark; certainly The Seven Houses, the second part of the novel, has a somewhat classical feel with marble halls, bathing pools, feasts and orgies and such like. Although it takes place on multiple worlds (three in particular: Kutal, Pirone and Nargotha), I can't quite bring myself to call it a Planetary Romance.
Structure:
This volume is in three parts: Puritan, The Seven Houses and Asunder. Each part follows, somewhat loosly, a standard three act structure, making nine acts altogether. There are two Intermissions. The first, between Puritan and The Seven Houses as Sasha (the story's protagonist) moves through the Obscurity from Kutal to Pirone; the second is between The Seven Houses and Asunder as Sasha moves through the Obscurity from Pirone to Nargotha. These intermissions abandon the conventional prose narrative in favour of a more poetic/stream-of-consciousness approach. The penultimate chapter (currently Chapter 59) is also rendered in this way as Sasha moves through the Obscurity from Pirone back to Kutal. Her transit from Nargotha to Pirone is via the realm of the dead (that is, Asunder) and is presented as an episodic retrospective.)
Main Characters:
Synopsis:
Samples:
