I just realized that I never did the May Photos Blog. Nor Junes. I have been interim supervisor at work for a few months now and, since I have applied for the position, I have been doing all of the work. It's a lot, but I'm starting to get more used to it But it also means that I am not getting as much done at work.
I also managed to finally get Lightroom and Photoshop from Adobe and I am still learning them, so it takes a bit longer to edit my photos, but I will try and get to them soon. By the way, Lightroom is amazing!
I have also been working on my trilogy, mostly on the maps and the language. Though each Kingdom has a "language" of their own (all are very similar and more like dialects than separate languages), there is a draconian language that is different. It was the language used by the dragons and humans to interact (for those without the animal taming power). It is fairly basic and guttural and I am enjoying coming up with words for it. Since there are certain sounds the dragons cannot make that humans can and that humans cannot make that dragons can, the language is based on the similar sounds they both can make. Though the dragons are now extinct, the Paladins and the Kingdoms near Dragon Island all still teach the language to their children, so it is an integral part of the story.
Due to the language changes and map changes, I will be making some changed to the first book that is technically "written". I say that in parenthesis because it needs some serious rewrites. This is a story that I have lived and breathed for over 20 years now, even when I took 15 years off after my husband died. Coming back to it, I quickly realized that I needed a stronger idea of what my world really is and why it leads to what happens in the trilogy. I have also decided that the first book with actually come with a second book that will have the calendars, maps and other pertinent information for the reader to have at their behest. Thus, the first book will cost more than the next two books.
I plan on sharing some of the planning and first chapters with you all as soon as I get to a point where I feel like I can. I do want to warn you, though, that this trilogy is not a happy, easy trilogy to read. I know some people who follow me have been able to read earlier versions of the first chapter or so, and they have stated that it left them with nightmares. There are a lot of triggers within this story, but it also has some humor and good scenes, too. I will place a warning at the top of the posts about my trilogy so that you can choose to skip those posts if you wish.
I also will not be sharing the whole thing here. I will be posting at least the first three chapters, but after that, you will have to buy the book, which I plan on selling as a self published book on Amazon. I am, though, also working on a "fairy tale" style book aimed at younger females (ages 8 and above) that is much less dramatic that I will also be sharing some of here, too, in the future. It is about a third of the way finished, but also needs some more planning and rewriting before I will start releasing it. I really want to focus first on the trilogy, though.
Thank you all for your patience and hopefully I will soon have the supervisor position permanently and will get used to it. enough to devote more time here.
With Love and Appreciation,
Melissa (Missy) Basinger Green