Lesson(s) learned from my first novella: The King of Dunes!

The King of Dunes: Origination Odyssey is out now!

How happy I was to finally write those words. It has been years, around four or so, maybe even more, since I started this long gestating project. And hopefully it will be just the first of many more to come (though preferably, not so long in their gestation).

About a  disgraced child king, an unhinged princess, a vengeful Scav general, and a simple village girl, and yet, so many others, and too, so much more, thematically speaking, than I had anticipated or expected.

Originally a screenplay, I set out to write a simple enough fantasy tale, and still, that is what has come to be, now though, in the form of a novella. But too, through the process of planning, writing, and much editing, I began to realize that The King of Dunes was not just about characters going here, doing that, and then going there. No, it evolved into a novella concerning fate, the past, the future, destiny, free will, suicide, depression, loneliness, war, religion, the nature of god, parent-child relationships...

A bit ambitious for a first time novella, I will admit.

However, as previously stated, such was not the intention. But as I began to delve further and further into the process of constructing The King of Dunes, so too did I delve further into my mind, unintentionally. It could be said that at times, as furious fingers tapped the keys of my laptop in a feeble attempt to keep up with my mind, I began to realize that it was not even my mind that was in control.

Rarely, if ever, had I had the opportunity to feel "in the zone", where you do whatever it is that you do, as if on instinct. And yet, at multiple points throughout the creating of The King of Dunes, such did happened to me.

In a way, reading back through what had been typed after each session, was like discovering myself.

I learned as the characters did, what it means to be human, both the good and the bad. And for a hermit such as I, it was a welcome surprise.

And so, I do hope that those who take the time and chance on reading The King of Dunes, also enjoy it too!

Likes, comments, re-posts, and subscribes are all welcomed.

Be sure to check out the page for The King of Dunes: Origination Odyssey.

Further information:

Price: Only $ 3.99!

Work Type: Novella

Genre: Fantasy

Length: 31,000+ words/139 pages