Melding Three books... or were they three?

Novellas, that is my novellas, aren't exactly sweet, but they don't have spice, as there isn't room to have character and plot development, without sticking to the closed door. 

Below are the three novellas in a paranormal series, Mystic Shadows. They are connected by secondary characters, mysticism and an eventual common goal as they look to the unknown. As romances, each has a different couple dealing with not only finding love, but what else is going on out there?

The first of these novellas was When Fates Conspire. It came out of a dream, with needed additions as I decided what would it take to make a satisfying story. Two star-crossed couples, spirit guides, and the mystery of what life might be. It would appear at first to be a tragedy but is it? Can't be if it's a romance. Can the power of the Divine fix what has gone wrong-- and even more, why would it get involved? 

All three novellas are set in the ranching country of Montana, one of my favorite places and where I have spent time when I can.

The idea for the second novella came out of the tragedy that left a mother to run a big ranch and deal with her loss. The story also carries on the earlier couple, some Native American history, and delves into how when someone is reincarnated (in a rather unusual way), what memories might they carry with them. That led to: The Dark of the Moon.  

Although these books are all contemporary fantasy, they are set with real people except-- something extra. The romance in this one gives the mother a chance for her own happy ending with a cowboy, who has rather unusual gifts-- but they are beneficial if he is also a detective.

Would that be the last novella? It turned out another story came to me that encompassed the reason for the rest. Besides magical, was it also science? There were a mix of things I have been told by those who see more of the other side than I do. For much of my life, I have read about mystical experiences. Some have been related to traditional religions. Others, not so much. 

Exploring that led to the third novella with the mysteries of earth and spirit. Storm in the Canyon had a most unusual hero and heroine. That is another plus for a writer. Could it actually happen? Does it matter for a fantasy romance, a paranormal? It is about what can the imagination create. With my own thinking of possibilities, and my luck of being married to a science guy, it came together. 

Three novellas was how it stayed for a month or so, until I began to think I'd like these characters to experience full physical relationships. It took a few months to make the stories into one book, with chapters and those three romances. 

One of the fun things for a writer is the ability to do something like this. An independent writer only has to please themselves and their editors. It has bothered me some that these end up being three novellas and one novel, but with the same basic stories. I enjoyed creating a new cover for that novel, using one couple, but none I'd used before.

So, next blog will have more about how that novel came into being and what that took.

 Couple images were purchased from Romance Novel Covers and Deposit Photos. Backgrounds were our photos and Stencil.

What dreams can mean

Dreams are a big part of my life-- the night time sort, not daytime. Some have meaning to them but so far no prophetic dreams, which is fine with me. Some are prosaic or seem that way like recently going to a movie theater, which seemed meaningless until the end of it. I'd left the film part way to go to the bathroom. I came back to see the end except it went into scenes of people watching films, with nothing to do with the story I'd left. Those scenes kept going on and on until I realized the story would never return and the meaning was how we wait around for an ending that may never come, and it does relate to life.

Some of my dreams work into parts of books. One became a book that led to two more books. It began because in the fall of 2013, I lost a cat I loved very much. I'd have paid a lot of money to save her life. She was too young to die, but something was catastrophically wrong inside. All I could do was let her go, which happened when the veterinarian came out to the house and gave her a merciful end. I cried so much. I still cry when I think about it, which is why I don't include her picture here.

 That night I asked for a dream to know if reincarnation was true. I had thought this cat had come to me twice. Both other times, she'd lived out her whole lifetime. This time I wanted to know if reincarnation was true. If it was, I hoped I'd get her back again. The dream was not about cats but it was powerful.

A man and woman were on a train. They had been lovers in previous lifetimes. This time they were both destined to die early from accidents.

There were two spirit guides looking at what was happening. As the lovers kissed, a gold ring was clearly seen over the kiss. The guides saw it and

observed how rare that kind of love was. 'They will just ruin things again if we don't let them fix it this time,' they said. At the same time, there was another couple, where the woman was plotting to kill the man to get his money. What can fates do to fix these two unfairnesses? The dream had the answer with a transfer of souls.

Now, it's been a lot of years since the dream, but some elements are still strong in my memory especially that ring over their kiss. I still see it if I think about it and have never heard of such a thing anywhere except in my fiction novella.

When I woke that morning, I realized I had to write this story. There were elements I could not use-- like the train. There were other elements that I added to it to fill out the book of these lovers who had met in high school but never did anything about their feelings until years later when tragedy cuts their time short. I added scenes that fit the characters like a time in the spirit at Bear Mountain. That's what writing is about-- an initial idea and then what!

I wrote the novella, When Fates Conspire, and put it out in January 2014 when I began to think this had potential for something more. 

No dream this time, but the woman who lost her son is having a hard time, in The Dark of the Moon, holding onto the family ranch with her main help gone. A man, who sees the

other side and is trained as a sorcerer, comes to the ranch after hearing of her plight. He offers to help, and it's not hard to see where this is going since it's a romance. 

The mystical side though went beyond the sorcerer as the son who had been killed, who had found joy with his soul mate in their new bodies, begins to feel a draw to a ranch where he's never been and that he can't explain. The soul connection is there when mother and lost son meet. Oh, there is the little matter of villains and a killer bear.

Were two enough? Not close, It takes three. Storm in the Canyon has a shape-shifting druid hero. Langston Agency is called by the restored son to figure out what is happening in a canyon with strange powers growing by the day. This is a canyon known for its tragic endings. The spirit world is also concerned and sends a spirit guide into human form to help. She can't stay forever but is romance in the air? Of course, but so is a logical explanation for why monsters of old might be gaining power in a

Montana ranch canyon.

Three novellas from one dream, but it wasn't the end. I wanted to combine them into one novel-- Diablo Canyon. I also wanted to add in the spice that novellas don't have enough room to have. 

Having three into one has a confusing aspect. If someone doesn't read the whole blurb and buys the novella and then the novel, they might feel they were cheated. The novellas do have one feature, or rather more of it than the novel-- Dante's quotes fit each chapter. What a poet he was.

Remember tonight... for it is the beginning of always.    Dante Alighieri

novellas available at Amazon:  

When Fates Conspire: https://www.amazon.com/Fates-Conspire-Diablo-Canyon-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B00I53K8CE

 The Dark of the Moon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K105OVY

Storm in the Canyon: https://www.amazon.com/Storm-Canyon-Diablo-Book-ebook/dp/B00L0LQEG2 

Full length novel with those three and spice put together: https://www.amazon.com/Diablo-Canyon-Trilogy-Rain-Trueax-ebook/dp/B00M9NXVDO

from a dream

by Rain Trueax

I wrote this post a few weeks ago and kept adjusting where it'd show up. It's an example of how, for me, books emerge from a dream and a simple thought into a full book. 

On other levels, my life has been evolving on many levels. One is that I'm trying to create back covers that work with the covers for Ranch Boss (whenever work here lets up) to put together the spline that lets the book become a paperback. Those matter mostly for giving away but also could be important if I do some book signings, which I've yet to do. Also, if I want my books to be in libraries, there must be paperbacks and a Library of Congress number. Working on it all. Meanwhile, this is an example (there are many) of how books begin with one thing and turn into another. Fun. :)

Sometimes a book begins with a dream. In the fall of 2013, I lost a cat I loved very much. I'd have paid a lot of money to save her life. She was too young to die, but something was catastrophically wrong inside. All I could do was let her go, which happened when the veterinarian came out to the house and gave her a merciful end. I cried so much. I still cry when I think about it, which is why I don't include her picture here.

Fairy Tales for Grown Ups

by Rain Trueax

Recently during a good conversation about many things, a friend told me she was unwilling ever to read my paranormals. She has been supportive of my romances, but a world with demons and monsters was a bridge too far. My mind is much on these books since I finished the rough draft of my seventh in a series called Mystic Shadows.

I didn't ask her specifically about what she feared from them because that's her business. If she's uncomfortable with something, then that's enough reason. I can think of possible reasons she might have concerns, which led to this blog.