Tag: Ozias Prince in Peril

King Ozias’ Mighty Men

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I had fun writing this today!

Ozias, still a boy, has emerged from Lintum Forest with a band of 21 picked men. Their mission is to elude Maressa the usurper’s forces while proving to the people of Obann that they have a rightful king.

My model for this chapter was 2 Samuel 23: 8-38, the roster of King David’s “mighty men of valor.” (Thanks to Heidi for suggesting this, back in the summer.) Two of Ozias’ mighty men, brothers, are clever thieves who once stole a comrade’s shadow (but gave it back, once they’d shown that they could do it). But it would spoil the fun to list them all here.

I’m racing the seasons again, trying to finish Ozias, Prince in Peril before winter sets in. As yet I have no idea where or how to bring this story to a close. All I know is that Ozias will have to grow to young manhood before I launch the second book, Ozias, Prince Enthroned. The villains I’ve created–or, let me say, that God gave me–will not easily be parted from their power.

But at least the people of Obann won’t have to rely on an election.

How Good Is This?

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It’s sunny out today, finally, and not too cold. I can get back to my book, with wildflowers, bees, squirrels and birds, for company.

But first I had a hymn request, the fruit of many friendships that have sprung up around this blog. And as I listened to Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross, the thought came to me, “How good is this? Sunshine, work that I delight in doing, hearing from friends, and lamb shanks for supper tonight… What more could I ask for?”

We need such thoughts. And God provides them. The day’s nooze fades into the background: respite. Peace.

In a scene I wrote today, Ozias found himself in a potentially dangerous situation. He comforted himself with this thought: “Trust in God, and take the adventure which has fallen to me.”

Is there any other counsel that we need?

Workin’ in the Cold!

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It’s sunny out today, but with a cold wind: I froze my onions off, working outside to write the latest chapter of Ozias, Prince in Peril. Still a boy, Ozias will have to grow up fast, what with the villains combing Lintum Forest for him, looking to take him out. I don’t know if I’ll have enough good weather to finish the book this year, but I promise you I’ll try as hard as I can.

I think the book is going very well. The story keeps surprising me. I know I don’t have to secure Ozias’ throne until the next book, but I don’t know how old he’ll be by the time that happens. I just count on the Lord to give me the story… which He already knows.

Using History to Write Fantasy

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I have taken Thomas B. Costain’s English histories as a guide to lead me into and through the story of Ozias, Prince in Peril.

The events to be told in this book occurred some 2,000 years before those in my earlier Bell Mountain books: which means the land of Obann, its people, and their way of life are quite different from what’s described in the other books. I have to find a way of accomplishing this while I keep the story flowing.

Costain’s histories, focusing on the Plantagenet dynasty of English kings and queens, guide me into a late medieval world leading up to the birth of our modern age. I describe a country of Obann somewhat similar to England in the 14th and 15th centuries. Intervening between this book and the others is a modern era, a total destruction, a Dark Age, and Obann’s slow recovery.

So things are different. It’s the same fantasy world I created years ago, but with a very different culture. Prince Ozias’ world has not yet had its Dark Age.

I’m not copying. Rather, I read Costain in search of a tone. And I think I’ve found it: Obann’s monarchy at the height of its achievement, just before it failed. But the failure of the monarchy unleashed creative efforts that led to a kind of modernity.

(I dunno–does that sound boring?)

But don’t worry. There’ll be plenty of adventures, betrayals, heroic deeds, cunning plans, and vivid characters too busy making history to realize that they’re making history.

I don’t know if I’ll finish before the winter shuts me down… but I’ll try.

Stuck Again, Dagnabbit!

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Having done this for several thousand days in a row, I think I’m starting to get nooze fatigue. Gradually the plethora of absurd, creepy, outrageous, mush-headed stories merge into one. And it’s a story I’ve already covered dozens of times. Where the devil is the exit?

I mean, what’s there to write about that I haven’t already written? Transgender mania. Governed by people who hate us. Race-hustling in the public schools. Killing the culture. I keep telling myself, “People need to know our country is being taken over by villains, thieves, lunatics, and scam artists. We need to know what we’re up against, so we can put a stop to it.” That’s why I’m trying to do this work today. Paul Revere on Geritol.

And how am I going to finish my book, Ozias, Prince in Peril? It’s getting colder every day. We had frost last night.

I’ll just keep trying.

How Far to the Home Stretch?

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Holy moly, what’s that! That yellow thing up in the sky?

It’s been almost a week since we had any sunshine here, and it’s already starting to turn cold. At a certain point, it’s too cold for the ink to flow out of the pen and my novel-writing has to stop.

I reckon I’ve got five weeks, tops, to finish Ozias, Prince in Peril. It has to be outdoors. Indoors, we get nuisance phone calls every 20 minutes, plus other distractions. It takes a great deal of concentration, believe me, to write a fantasy novel. If someone else is there (I name no names) watching YouTube videos of gaudy murder cases, it’s not always beneficial.

Will the evil regent who wants to be queen do away with the real queen and force the boy king to marry her when he comes of age? Are there other things in Lintum Forest to worry about, besides kidnappers and bounty hunters? Questions, questions…

I’d better get outside now and see about that yellow thing up there. I may have to report it.

Have I Written Too Many Books?

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Bell Mountain (Bell Mountain, 1)

I’ve written 15 books in my Bell Mountain series so far (two still awaiting publication), and it troubles me a little that some readers have already said “That’s enough!” Like they were being forced to read ’em and couldn’t take anymore. The one that really hurt was the reader who said he loved this series when it first came out but now it was (*sigh!*) boring.

Two dozen Tarzan books. I don’t know how many for the Hardy Boys, Tom Swift, Hercule Poirot, Freddy the Pig, Rick Brant, Nancy Drew, et al, et al. Those series are all a lot longer than mine. Readers must have liked them!

Nevertheless, I did feel it was time for a change. So I turned my fantasy world’s clock back 2,000 years to write about King Ozias. It’s going to be a trilogy, I even have the titles for it: Ozias, Prince in Peril and Ozias, Prince Enthroned and Ozias, King Betrayed.

Point is, everything’s going to be different except for some of the geography (There’s no bell, no cloud, on Bell Mountain yet). Different kind of civilization, different characters–oh, yes, above all, different characters. They’ve all been waiting for their cues to come on stage. Which is very cool, and suggests to me that I’m on the right track.

Of course, it’ll be several years between now and the first reader reactions to the first Ozias book. I pray we’re all still here for that. Meanwhile I’m working as hard as I can.

Coming Unstuck

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Well, I’ve finished another chapter of Ozias, Prince in Peril. It looks like the boy king and his mother will have to come out of Lintum Forest and fight for his throne. The usurper Maressa, her hunters having failed to find and kill the king, has resorted to even more underhanded methods to draw them out.

Now I have to move on to a Newswithviews column. We are governed by persons who really have it in for us, and I suppose it doesn’t matter how that happened–we have to get rid of them. Before they get rid of us.

See you again around suppertime, with another critter video.

‘Get OUT There, Lee!’

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It’s a knock-out gorgeous beautiful day! And I’m sitting here trying to dream up a blog post that’ll bring in readers.

Look alive, man! This weather won’t last much longer–only 11 days left in September. (Yeah, I know the month just started. Waddaya want from me?) You have a book to write, it’s going to be a good one, you already know what the next chapter’s going to be–what’re you doing indoors?

All right, I’m goin’, I’m goin’! Mustn’t waste this glorious weather.

Maybe the readers will come while I’m not looking.

Trying to Catch Up… Again!

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I’m way behind in my work today, the viewership is way down–and the WordPress problem that I had last week, with the comments failing to display… it’s baaaaack!

Man, this is getting old. Welcome to the Age of Nothing Works.

(And suddenly Robbie only wants dry cat food… What’s that about?)

Going about my chores last night, a new character for the book I’m writing, Ozias, Prince in Peril, popped into my head, along with what she’d be doing in the story. I’ve learned that it’s usually a good idea to stop what I’m doing and write it down in case I forget it overnight. Enter Aylen, the old nurse of the late King Flosi, who may have a loose screw somewhere but is otherwise sharp as a tack.

Where do these characters live when they’re not breaking into my plots? It’s so cool, the way that happens. It’s like I knew these people, once upon a time, and now they’re coming back. Do you think that’s weird? Welcome to the world of fantasy-writing.