New Anthology Released This Week

This coming Friday is the official release date of Gideon Cain: The Demon Hunter. This is a character-based anthology of short stories written in the style of Robert E. Howard's Solomon Kane stories.

I was privy to the brainstorming sessions that gave birth to this character and concept and was excited about reading the stories other authors would come up with. But quite unexpectedly, a story idea for it popped into my head and two days later I had a finished story.

I wrote that story in February of 2009 and I'm excited to see that it will finally get published this week.

In the process of writing my Gideon Cain story, I discovered and became a fan of Solomon Kane, the Puritan avenger featured in several stories by famed pulp writer Robert E. Howard (creator of Conan the Barbarian). Upon reading The Savage Tales of Solomon Kane, I discovered that Howard had composed several poems that told their own stories. Taking a cue from that, I also composed a poem that recapped Gideon Cain's backstory.

I have no idea if my poem was selected for inclusion by the editors, I will find out when I get my first copy. But I do hope it's there.

Anyway, here is the Official Press Release:

GIDEON CAIN - THE DEMON HUNTER

Airship 27 Productions & Cornerstone Book Publishers have teamed up with noted fantasy, science fiction author, Van Allen Plexico to bring to life a brand new sword wielding adventurer; Gideon Cain – The Demon Hunter. Originally conceived on an internet forum, this swashbuckling, globe trotting avenger is the result of half a dozen creative minds pooling their ideas and imaginations into bringing forth a tortured hero cast in a classic pulp mold.

During the famous Salem Witch Trials (1692-93) British born Puritan soldier, Gideon Cain aided the inquisitions, believing them to be just. Soon thereafter, God revealed to Cain that he and the righteous citizens of Salem had been duped by a cunning, ageless demon from Hell known as Azazel. The guilt of his actions weighs heavily on his conscience and rather than be driven mad by it, Gideon chooses to make atonement. Taking up his sword, the blade inscribed with holy runes, he bids farewell to his wife and children and departs on his sacred mission. Now he wonders the earth doing God’s work and destroying evil in whatever shape or guise it appears; his one consuming goal, to find and destroy Azazel.

Airship 27 Productions is thrilled to be bringing pulp fans this great new character written in the tradition of Robert E. Howard’s Solomon Kane. Here are seven exciting, action packed tales of the Demon Hunter by Scott Harris, Brian Zavitz, K.G.McAbee, Ian Watson, James Palmer, David Wright and Van Allen Plexico. Design and interior illustrations by Art Director Rob Davis with a painted cover by Davis and Shane Evans.

The book also features a special introduction by co-creator, Kurt Busiek. (Marvels – Astro City)

Airship 27 Productions, Pulp Fiction for a new generation.
ISBN: 1-934935-74-3
ISBN 13: 978- 1-934935-74-3
Produced by Airship 27
Published by Cornerstone Book Publishers
Release date: 08/13/2010

Character Sketch: Darkswift

It's been a while since I've posted any character sketches. In earlier posts, I have shared my drawings and thoughts on the main hero, Galen Griffon; his brother, Lucas; and chief adviser to the throne, Glamis. This time, I thought I'd share some sketches of one of my favorite characters. In true Swords & Sorcery tradition, this character is an elf. As he rarely shares his true name, he generally goes by the name given to him by his master: Darkswift.

In short, Darkswift is a ninja. Not really, but that idea is my guiding thought as I write the character. He's an acrobatic, blade-flashing martial artist. Actually, I started out thinking of him as a combination of a ninja and Jedi Knight, but without any magical powers. But since it wouldn't do to call him a ninja or a Jedi, I came up with the name mokeshi.

The story in My Brother's Keeper makes reference to a far-off realm known as Hanopin. In this world I've created, Hanopin is my Asian analogue. It's sort of an amalgam of China and Japan. I arrived at the name by referencing China's Han Dynasty and by playing with the Japanese word for Japan, Nippon.

The mokeshi warriors are also referred to in the book as "Shadow Knights of Hanopin". Like all candidates, Darkswift trained at the Mokeshi Temple, enduring grueling trials until he had earned his rank. However, at the end of his time in Hanopin,Darkswift discovered a truth kept hidden by the temple master. The nature of this discovery will remain my secret for now, but suffice it to say that it will have ramifications for Galen that won't be felt until the second book, Marching As To War.

The sketches you see here on this post are lifted from my sketchbook. He's a very kinetic character, always flipping, spinning and kicking.
Some of these sketches are nothing more than an attempt to capture some of that moving energy. It has taken me a while to settle on a definitive look for the character. It is partly for this reason that not a lot of description is given within the pages of the book, other than to say he's wearing traditional Hanopinese clothes.

However, in the very first sketch you can see where I roughed in colors. Darkswift is a character that exists in shades of gray, figuratively speaking, so I decided to translate that literally by the clothes he wears.

He is a long time friend to Glamis. He was raised in a non-religious clan and then trained in Hanopinese philosophy at the mokeshi temple. He's a lethal killer and dangerous foe. However, he has learned something about the nature of Truth that has challenged the way he views the world.

Again these rough sketches are just attempts to settle on a look for the character and to get a sense of how he moves. The pony tail you see in a couple of the drawings is gone. The top sketch is the most definitive look I've got for him at the moment. But I do hope readers like him because he's fun to write and Glamis is busy secretly preparing him for a crucial role in the looming war.

Plot vs. Character

I got a problem.

I got a lot of plot.

Where the first book clocked in right around 100K words, the second one is just getting going good and it's already at 29K. I'll be lucky to keep this under 150K and there's a danger of it soaring above 200K.

My problem is a bit structural. As I wrote in earlier posts, I'm trying to align the books in this series with the division of the three dramatic acts of the story. By nature, this would tend to make the second book the longest since that's always the case with the Second Act.

I've got a lot of plot to cover but I don't want the word count to soar out of control. Now I can keep the word count low if just mechanically get through the plot as quickly as I can. But I don't really want to do that.

There's always a balancing act that must be performed juggling the needs of plot and characterization. If all I do is crank out a plot description then I don't think the readers are going to stick with me. I can't be afraid to spend a few extra words-- or paragraphs-- on fleshing out the characters.

There is a need to allow readers into the heads of certain characters, or to take the time to explain a bit of backstory or description of a character. For the characters to come alive on the page they each need their own personality, their own voice. I've got to find those things then allow them the space to express themselves.

But I got a lot of plot.

If I'm not careful, the final word count could prove to be way too big.

And to make matters worse, I keep coming up with new characters. For example, I decided that I needed a naval warship and crew to serve as the hook, the reader's POV, for all of the naval action that will be depicted in the book. So next thing you know, I've spent two pages introducing a ship's captain, first mate and helmsman; including a history for each of them so readers feel like they know them.

Now think about it: I spent ten years thinking about the characters and plot of the first book, but I just came up with all of these guys an hour ago. So now, perhaps, you can see why the writing on this second book is taking so much longer.

Then again, when the plot picks up later in the book and it's in the thick of a bunch of naval battles, the time spent early on investing in these characters will (hopefully) cause the reader to care more about what happens.

Word count vs. reader investment.

Plot vs. Character.

I'm going to need an editor.

Update

It's been a few months since I've updated this blog. I'll try to be better. I've got several more character sketches that I want to post. Maybe I can get to them in the coming weeks.

But I do have some news to report. It's not necessarily good news for folks ready for the first book to come out, but it is news.

Short version: I still have to wait an indefinite amount of time before my cover artist can get started on my commission.

But I'm okay with that. I had told him in December that I wanted to have books in my hand ready to sell by the end of May. He responded that he could meet that but that he would have to change his planned approach.

I thought about it, but I told him not to do that. I wanted him to take the time and do it right, to do it in a way that he could be proud of. His original plan was (is) to do a large oil painting, a piece that could be a featured item in his gallery and generate sales of prints strictly on its own strengths.

I decided I'd rather wait a few more months and have that remain the approach he took. And he was very happy to hear me say that.

One reason he remains very busy in his schedule is that he is involved in the production of a major Hollywood movie (starring Nicholas Cage). He is providing artwork that will actually be seen in the movie, this isn't just developmental stuff. In addition to this, his schedule with Marvel Comics remains busy.

The best thing about all this delay is that it will cut down tremendously on the amount of time that will pass between the publication of the first and second books. I have found it a lot more difficult to get into a good writing groove with the second book than I ever did with the first one. I trust I can work through it and eventually start cranking out pages at a good rate.

And, speaking of writing the second book, I just spent a week on the road doing some work in Florida. I managed to knock out about 4,000 words on the second book, including a very important scene that will basically drive the rest of the series.

So good news: progress is being made on the second book and when my cover is done for the first one it is going to be awesome.