MY master Plan … or rather where I’ve been and where I’m going!

 It has been forever since my last ‘real’ blog post – I apologize. My life has been in transition recently, in a good way. I am now officially a full time author!!! Happy Dance!!! This is honestly a dream come true! 

Beyond this transition I have been completely consumed with writing and plotting and pushing to get the next chapter of this 'Web of Hearts and Souls' story out.  

It never crossed my mind to name any of my series. I simply called one the Insight Series and the other the See series (and very soon I will have one called the Rivulet series). And trust me there are more to come.

 Web of Hearts and Souls is the best way I can explain how each of my series connect with each other.

 It dawned on me as I was answering a few FB posts and reading comments, that my master plan or how all these works connect may not be clear to my readers.

 I have also figured out I have Insight readers, and I have See readers, then I have readers who read both. And what is so awesome about them is each of those fractions of readers walk away from the story differently. And I LOVE that.

 There are also lingering questions, such as: “do I have to read one series to understand the other?” or “Is Enflame the last Insight novel?”

 To answer the first: no. You can easily read one series and not feel that you are missing any part of the story. But, when you read them combination with the other, you give yourself a wider view, one that allows you to see how each character has been weaved together by fate. So, if one character makes an off the wall comment like this conversation in SEE …

 “So where’s your friend Austin anyway?” I asked, trying to change the subject.

“Home, I think. Maybe traveling,” he said, trying not to smile.

“Home is the UK?” I asked.

He shook his head no. “We met him here almost three years ago. We were writing one night, and…and well, he kinda just showed up.”

“Just showed up?” I asked, glancing at him, not understanding.

“We were ‘writing’ really loud – lots of energy,” Draven said with a wink.

 If you were an Insight reader, your brows might raise and you might say to yourself, ‘Austin … do I know an Austin? … a guy just showed up when a lot of energy was produced … hmmm?’ And as the conversation moves forward and you hear that Austin ‘travels’ a lot and that he has to face ‘storms’ you may at that point have an ‘Aha!’ moment, and think “what if that guy is from Chara? What if he travels through the strings? – how is this going to connect?” Later you might notice little things that would lead you to link with Insight such as, when Landen is mentioned, or when Madison speaks of her dreams … you would be looking for associations to that story as you fall into a new one.

 But, if you were just a See reader you would find yourself witnessing a simple, basic scene where a young couple was getting to know one another. (Love the “getting to know you” parts!)

The same is true if you were only an Insight reader and were casually reading along and came across this conversation in VITAL book four of INSIGHT… 

“Do you know who that is?” I asked curiously.

He nodded, “That’s Austin.”

“Austin?”

“Remember when we were looking through your paintings that were saved from the fire at your old house, like when all this started, and I told you that one of them reminded me of Austin’s soul mate?”

I furrowed my brow, trying to recall it; I had been through so much, it took me a moment.

“I think so. Is he a traveler? I thought you said then that you had to help him bring that girl home that I painted?”

“He’s a traveler. He usually travels to the dimensions that are really far away. He just wanted our help then because of the storms. Travelers seem to take a lot of extra precautions when they bring home their own soul mates,” Marc said, pulling Stella to him and grinning slightly.

If you were just an Insight reader you may think this was just down time in the novel— building toward a conflict, but if you had read the See series you might be screaming at Willow at that point telling her to find Austin – Austin is one of the answers she’d been relentlessly searching for. 

(If there is one thing my characters have taught me it is the rule of ‘one degree of separation.’ At all times you already know one person that will lead you to your dreams/ desires. You just have to open your eyes and ask the right questions.) 

I will admit that the two series, much like the third that will be out in a few months, are completely different. Insight begins as a sweet story with a hint of fantasy that becomes a reality—it builds toward darkness.

See is more urban, set in a teen life with teen issues, in a dark way (Jamie Magee dark way that is) and moves forward toward that sweet fantasy. At least this is where I am at with both series.

The second question: no. Enflame is not the last Insight book. I almost see it as a peek in the climax of the series (even though I have no idea how many novels will conclude this story). Willow and Landen have been building toward darkness, they have slipped away from who they are. It’s gotten dark, really dark and that is just not their style, so I see an awakening for the couple as they face the last of their trials. They will have to find one another once again. They need a chance to discover each other all over again. 

Now, I’m ready to really confuse you. This ‘Web of Hearts and Souls’ at this time (the characters surprise me every day), will have eight combining series—and possibly a few other spin offs. 

Where do I get that number from?—how does an author that never plots have this inside information? Simple, there are seven deadly emotions that must be conquered to reach a new “world order” in this story of mine.

 Seven deadly emotions

•   Anger

•   Grief

•   Fear  

•   Shock

•   Worry

•   Obsession

•   Joy

 And each of these emotions has a story behind them, a web of spells and past lives that must be unraveled in order for the characters to rise to their fate.

The girls/ couples will discover, as Charlie unraveled recently, they have five shots to take down current Sovereigns or rather Master Escorts. 

They have to conquer these battles in order, if not they will fail. The issue is that some of these feats have been accomplished in past lives. 

For example, the only remaining challenge Willow and Landen have is to eliminate Donalt the king of fear. Their issue is that in past lives they have blindly entangled themselves in their strives to reach their fate. Donalt never died so he knew exactly what debts were in place. Landen and Willow began every life blind. So now, before they can strike him, they must over come the curse of ‘eight beyond the sun and the moon.’ (among other issues)

Where as Charlie is just beginning her path, she has only recently discovered whom she is fighting, the why is still unclear.

I do not see each series connecting as deeply as Insight and See did with Book 5 Insight – VINDICATE and Book 3 See—SYNERGY. However, in some way they will all know each other.

Some of the connections are apparent at this juncture; others will be clearer once the next three series in this web are released to the readers.(Which will happen before spring of 2014.)

Seven deadly emotions

•   Anger ~ TBA (she is a feisty one!)

•   Grief ~ Indiana Genevieve Falcon// Rivulet Series

•   Fear ~ Willow and Landen // Insight series

•   Shock ~ Charlie // See Series

•   Worry ~ Skylynn

•   Obsession ~ Madison

•   Joy ~ TBA ( this girl already has my head spinning!)

•   And of course the couple that will rule all of these fated Sovereigns  – a guiding light if you will.

 What is mind blowing to me are the lessons these characters have taught me. Willow was my first character, so to have Charlie see her in a dim light, one that was not favorable, for me was an awakening. I knew that I understood Willow the way my readers did – we heard her thoughts not just her words. Where as Charlie only saw actions and heard what actually came out of her mouth, which gave us a different side of Willow.

Same is true for Madison. We only see what others think of her at this point. We have no idea what she is thinking or why she has said the things she has said. The same is true of Skylynn and Silas, they may even be seen as the ‘bad guys’ at this point. But as I walk their path with them I perceive them differently. Their actions have purpose and do not seem selfish or even cold.

(Really makes me think how this could be true in my reality – how often have I perceived someone differently from what they are – how many times have I passed judgment on someone before I took time to understand their actions or the reason behind them.) 

Every author changes with every story they write. I am no different. I have found myself stepping out of my comfort zone. Madison’s story will be told from two points of view (at least the first story is) as well as Insight 7. I see the stories behind anger and joy being told from a third person POV.

Which leads back to the very first question. No you do not have to read all of them to understand the other.

There very well may be a couple you do not care for, or the story may be told from a point of view or from a different world which you would not prefer.

Some of these stories are set in a fantasy setting, others deep in reality, some are haunting, some are romantic, some are passionate, and some are sweet. Yet, they are all connected. Much like we are in this reality.

So this is where I’m at, where I’ve been, and where I’m heading.