Cereus & Limnic: Second Evolution
It's been 5 years since I sat down to write my very first novel. "Cereus & Limnic" was an ambitious debut.
Three very different protagonists, several large themes, with action, suspense, mystery, and drama--I didn't realize how difficult it was until I finished.
I poured everything I had into it at the time. That was 14 years of active journaling and a single non-fiction book written and published.
In the last 5 years, I've written an incredible amount. And not just fiction either.
Through biographies, memoirs, microfiction, newsletters, copywriting, product descriptions, and of course the thousands of social media posts--I've learned how to sharpen my messages in ways that is more appealing to readers, while retaining my own style.
The lessons have come slow and there's been a lot of mediocre material. But the sum has been a real world masterclass in becoming a modern digital writer and novelist.
With these skills in mind, I looked at the original manuscript for "Cereus & Limnic" and suddenly viewed it with fresh eyes.
Typos popped off the page. Stumbling repetition became obvious. Opportunities to clarify, expand, and experiment! with previously foreign writing rhythms stood out like I do on a subway in Tokyo.
In other words, I saw an opportunity to transform it into the best version of the story. The one I was incapable of writing 5 years ago.
There was also another incentive.
After I took several of my books to a local bookstore, the owner saw the cover and was interested in stocking it. "Cereus & Limnic" was going to be in a physical store!
It was a big deal. But I knew I didn't want to present the original version to his readers. A first book is insanely important. It not only presents readers to me as a novelist, but to Cereus & Limnic as a series.
If they read it and like it, it could be the gateway into purchasing all things "Keith Hayden" has written. That single thought motivated me to take on the rewrite.
One month is a super tight deadline. Especially since I'm also writing another novel "Gates of Okinawa" and preparing to move. But it was worth the challenge to get a hard copy in his hands before I depart in July.
So what's different about the rewrite?
Here's a short list:
- Fixed typos
- Connections to other stories in the C&L series
- Less repetitiveness in certain sections
- Single perspective in each chapter (most of the time)
- The beginning of the novel has been cutdown for faster entry
- More vivid visuals in certain parts (more showing and conscious telling)
It's basically further polishing an already shiny product.
The novel is now available for purchase! Enjoy the read!