on a broad front

I have been advancing on a broad front. The Stone Dance acted like a dam to any other ideas. I suppose that my jumping into such a wide range of projects is a reaction to that constraint. I’m sure I shall calm down soon *grin*

Towards the end of last year I wrote Matryoshka, a sci-fi/fantasy novella that I gave out to a few people to read. Reactions were mixed and I accepted advice that it was better to set it aside to mature.

I then turned to completing the research (there will, of course, always be more *wry grin*) and structure for my historical novel. I then put this aside until the coming autumn – when I intend to actually start writing it. Life here in spring and summer is slightly too distracting – because family and friends come visiting me – to tackle something as demanding as this historical novel. When I get into the world of the ancient Near East – I want to be able to live in it in peace.

Last year I did quite a lot of work on a different historical novel – wrote some of it – but decided it wasn’t good enough. It is this that I have transformed into the more ambitious work I am now proposing to write.

After that I wrote and helped storyboard a second graphic novel with Adrian Smith that is based on Milton’s Paradise Lost. I’m quite excited about this one – however, it’s not going to happen anytime soon because Adrian is working on these (this one and the previous one, working title Malta) in his ‘spare time’, and they are for him a “labour of love”. What he’s done so far is stunning.

Concurrently with this I worked out the story and plot of a sci-fi novel that I might try and write quickly before I start writing the historical book. I can sense eyebrows rising out there at the words “write quickly”, but it might be possible since it is quite traditional in structure and rather straightforward. We shall see.

I then brought Matryoshka out of storage and have been rewriting this and was excited with how well it was going. This in turn I have had to put aside as I have been working on a pitch for a sci-fi TV series with Alan Campbell. This is unlikely to come off – however we’ve developed a great background and written compelling story arcs for a number of series (*grin* nothing wrong with ambition!) and have come up with lots of episodes and who knows.

So, that’s what I will be doing today. Once the pitch is complete, I will return to Matryoshka and nail that! Then we shall see.

Posted by Ricardo

writer and blogger

8 Replies to “on a broad front”

  1. Now that The Rapture didn’t happen, your bluff about all these projects you’re (supposedly) working on is well and truly caught, and you’ll now actually have to start putting some real effort in them! 😉

    Reply

    1. *just come down from the hill* damn!! *grin*

      Reply

  2. Thanks for the update Ricardo! You being one of my ALL TIME favorite authors, I DO wish you wrote faster! But regardless, I can’t wait for your new book(s).

    Reply

  3. Daniel Cardoso 17th May 2011 at 7:03 pm

    Wow. Now I feel like a sloth. *grin*

    Seriously, now, do keep up the great work! 🙂

    Reply

  4. alan campbell?? which alan campbell?

    Reply

  5. Looking forward to any and all of your projects when they are ready!

    Take care

    Reply

  6. very good! you’ve been a busy little bee, hehehe
    looking forward for all of that.
    cheers

    Reply

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