I have finally completed one chapter and begun another in the current section, a travelogue. One of the future claimants to the throne has come of age and is getting acquainted not only with his future territory but with the entire valley and his neighbors and relatives. He's not a bad sort, though I can tell you now that he will not emerge victorious in the end.
Y'all know that I enjoy jigsaw puzzles and crosswords, right? Creating a fantasy world and storylines is a lot like that. Even though I am the one setting up the puzzle, I also have to do lots of hard pondering to solve it. I have a nexus of relationships that make this lad a reasonable claimant to the throne. But why are his other relatives either not in line or not interested? I spent a lot of time today trying to untangle that one. What relationships and circumstances nudge him to put himself forth and nudge others away from doing likewise? It's mostly a matter of genealogy, geography, marriage, and accident.
I do become fond of even minor characters. There is not much clue in my conscious mind when I introduce them as to whether they will have much larger roles later or stay in bit parts. I enjoy it when they surprise me.
So, the journey continues through the rich agricultural valley of the Trug River (hence the headline). That would have nothing to do with my growing up in the San Joaquin Valley, would it? (I envision this one as naturally much greener, with adequate rainfall - part France, part Ireland, part Mississippi valley.) I don't think we get to the rocky islands of the south until volume five or six. Patience, my little ferrets.
Oh, and this is all flashback. When he tries to claim the throne my readers should know who he is.
I don't think there is any narrative left in me tonight, so time to quit for the day.
--the BB
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