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The Beats for Novel 2 (Trilogy 1) Are Underway!

I’ve been able to give real life the slip for a few days, so I’ve been able to get started on the beats for the second novel (of the first trilogy)!

Remember when I announced that I’d finished the beats for Divinity Ascending? At that time, I wasn’t sure what the next novel would be called. The two main characters of Divinity Ascending, Melchizedek “Dek” Conrad and Matsushita Sachi, had staged a coup, and they forced me to reconsider my plans for the first trilogy. After intense negotiations (you have to keep both eyes on Sachi, I can tell you!), we’ve decided on the title of the book 2:

A Ghast in the Machine

Wow. It sure looks empty.

Before, I mentioned that the Ghast wasn’t even supposed to be in the first book. Well, not content with a larger role in Divinity Ascending, she demanded to be featured in title for the second book. And to be honest, I still don’t know her motives. I’m not kidding — this character’s going places I didn’t intend!

The screen shot above is from what I’m evolving as my default Scrivener template for a book. It’s only a little different from the standard Scrivener fiction/novel template, but I like to add things like the “In a Nutshell” section with the elevator speech. I was surprised how much that helped me focus the direction of Divinity Ascending. Want a taste of the first few lines of the elevator speech from A Ghast in the Shell?

What if you try to get away from the corporations, but they get there ahead of you?

Starts in Spring, 2166.

At the end of Divinity Ascending, Mel and Sachi had struck a deal with TCP to fend off the destruction of TransStell. But TransStell was no less damaged, and TCP no less strong. They’d only bought themselves some time — if they could use it.

Now, if I can elude Real Life’s attention for awhile, maybe I can crank out these beats!

2 thoughts on “The Beats for Novel 2 (Trilogy 1) Are Underway!

  1. Wow! You seem to be progressing nicely! And, since I missed out on commenting on your other post about completing your beats for your book and whether that was cause for celebration? YES! And it’s worth better than a bud lite! (although, not like there’s anything wrong with bud. ??)

    1. LOL! Thanks. And I agree about Bud on both counts — nothing wrong with it, but not what I’d use to celebrate a milestone! That’s more like Sam Adams Light. Nice to know I’m not alone in thinking finishing beats is a celebratory event! Thanks for stopping by!

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