Whenever I’ve had a few spare moments, or when inspiration was scarce for one of my novels, I’ve found myself working on a new project and a totally new style of writing for me.
It’s a collection of short stories with a difference.
I’ve written many short stories but I’ve never tried to write a linked series of adventures with an overriding arc before.
This is my first attempt. There are a total of nineteen stories, each is standalone but if read in order, they provide the first part of what is going to be a much bigger tale. In fact, I can see this being a multi-volume thing, for one simple reason.
There is none of the large-scale plotting that goes into a novel.
Each story (or part of one) is short, around 2-3000 words. The overall arc is referenced every now and again, as more detail is revealed, it plays a part in some stories but not in others, although it’s always there.
Additionally, I can write one of these short stories in a day, when I’m struggling for ideas for something else. I keep a list of possible plots as inspiration strikes. They’re not all Sci-fi, being a private investigator is so much more than that. Her cases cover the whole spectrum of human nature, the good and the bad.
As I wrote more, I saw more, if you know what I mean and I can now get a glimpse of where things are going.
The first draft is finished, I’m going to give it a couple of weeks to mellow and then I’ll be starting to edit it.
Kalyn Deere is straight out of the Navy and straight into trouble.
When she arrives home, after five years away, Kalyn misses seeing her father by an hour. There’s no chance to patch up their broken relationship, no time to explain.
A month later, he sends her a message. “Help me,” is all he says.
Erik Deere is a private investigator and bounty hunter, a job he said Kayln must never be allowed to do. That’s the reason she left in the first place.
With Erik missing, she’s dragged into his world, whether he likes it or not.
Kalyn needs to find her father and keep his business going. All the while pretending that everything is normal.
She has to learn fast, helped by Erik’s secretary, Silva. And by some of the dubious characters she meets along the way.
Kalyn Deere. Bounty Hunter.
Solving crime and searching for her father, all across the Galaxy.
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Darlene Foster
Sounds like a great idea!! All the best.
Richard Dee
Thanks, it’s got potential.
Kate Rigby
Good luck Richard! It’s something I’ve wanted to do (a set of linked short stories) ie with the same character (s) but self contained stories but one for the future I think!
Richard Dee
Thanks, I found writing them to be quite addictive. I have a feeling there are more to come.