Revisiting Other World

Last week I had the opportunity to serve as a guest speaker for the St. Martins University writer’s retreat. In addition to speaking on the state of contemporary publishing, I was invited to do a short reading from one of my stories. Usually in this situation, I’d pick up The Beast Hunter and read the prologue which was originally the short story that inspired the rest of the book. However, I’d just returned from an incredibly successful weekend at the Brass Screw Confederacy in Port Townsend and I was out of copies of my steampunk monster hunting novel.

I considered reading something from my collection of fantasy short stories, but in the end I picked up a copy of Lost Under Two Moons, my survivalist sci-fi novel and first published title. I was a little nervous about reading it out loud, since it’s written in a journal format and therefor has a first-person POV which can be awkward reading out loud. Still, I gave it a shot, reading the first entry and half of the second one, ending at what I thought was a pretty good cliffhanger. I finished the reading and my presentation, then invited my students to chat with me and check out my books. As soon as it was over, I had a lady in the first row jump up, grab a copy of Lost Under Two Moons, and ask to buy it.

Later in the week, I was attending another event with some of the students when one of them asked to buy a copy of my first novel. We started to chat as I autographed the book, and he eventually asked me a question that I’ve heard dozens of times: “Which of your books is your favorite?” My usual response is that you can’t ask a parent which child they prefer, but lately I’ve started giving a different answer, at least to the people that aren’t looking for me to choose which book of mine they should buy.

The truth is that I’ve always seen my two novels as aspects of myself. The Beast Hunter represents those times when things are going right. While Keltin Moore has many problems in his life, he also has a clear purpose, a variety of skills, and a tight network of friends that will always support him. On the other hand, Lost Under Two Moons represents those times when things don’t go right. Richard Parks’ struggle for survival is marred by failed ideas, unexpected challenges, and things going wrong when they should have worked. Maybe that’s why I tend to focus on The Beast Hunter more when I’m doing readings or talking to fans.

Still, by taking a second look at this novel, I’ve rediscovered some of the more uplifting messages it has. Richard’s flashes of inspiration are followed by driving determination, a will to succeed and survive. He makes mistakes, but he continues on. He faces tragedy, but he appreciates the moments of beauty and peace that he finds. I’m glad that I took the time to revisit my story a little, and I’m definitely planning on using these insights as I continue to work on its sequel.


If you’re interested in checking out Lost Under Two Moons, it’s currently available for just $0.99 on the Kindle. This special offer will end this Sunday.

Lost Under Two Moons Amazon Page