Ask the Author: Fletcher DeLancey
Answered Questions (22)
Fletcher DeLancey
Great question! I think Salomen and Lhyn's bond would have manifested at some point regardless, but it was sped up by their one-on-one Sharing. (Which was a good thing, because it was the balance of those bonds that made the high-powered divine tyree orbital jump possible.) As for the six-point bond, that wasn't dependent on the one-on-one Sharing, but grew out of those repeated four-way Sharings.
Here's another interesting bit: Ekatya and Lhyn didn't become divine tyrees until that first four-way Sharing. It was Salomen's power completing the circuit that initiated their shift from normal tyrees to divine. That is why, when Lhyn asked Ekatya to touch the molwyn tree at the end of The Caphenon, nothing happened -- but when they tried again in Uprising, whoosh.
Here's another interesting bit: Ekatya and Lhyn didn't become divine tyrees until that first four-way Sharing. It was Salomen's power completing the circuit that initiated their shift from normal tyrees to divine. That is why, when Lhyn asked Ekatya to touch the molwyn tree at the end of The Caphenon, nothing happened -- but when they tried again in Uprising, whoosh.
Fletcher DeLancey
There is a chance, but the constraining issue is the length of these books, which makes producing an audiobook a difficult economic decision. I do still keep toying with the idea, though...
Fletcher DeLancey
Rahel does indeed outrank Vellmar, who is a Lead Guard like Ronlin. She would not be in charge of Salomen's team when she's on Alsea for a couple of reasons: first, it's not her duty post and she doesn't have the day-to-day experience. Second, when she's on Alsea, she's on leave from her own duties -- it would be like being required to work a second job every time you get a weekend from your first.
(My apologies for the late answer; I just found this notification in my inbox!)
(My apologies for the late answer; I just found this notification in my inbox!)
Fletcher DeLancey
Any chance? Yes! I'm about three chapters away from finishing the first draft. As for when...not sure, due to family health issues, but definitely some time this year. I'm hoping for a summer release.
Fletcher DeLancey
Tal and Salomen already had to move heaven and earth just to attend the ceremony and have the day off to celebrate. They had three days' notice, and we're talking the leader of the world...kind of like the Queen of England clearing her schedule, except times ten. ;) But I'm sure that at some point, when they've had time to plan it around everyone's schedules, they'll all go on break.
Fletcher DeLancey
I'm delighted you enjoyed it! (I loved the Lhyn/Salomen connection, too.) As for that bonding break, this is from Chapter 24, Bonding: "Since Andira’s plan to gift her friends with a proper bonding break had been frustrated by Ekatya’s patrol schedule, it seemed she had found an alternative outlet."
The lack of a bonding break has nothing to do with citizenship, it has to do with available time off.
Book 9 is in process!
The lack of a bonding break has nothing to do with citizenship, it has to do with available time off.
Book 9 is in process!
Fletcher DeLancey
When the rights to The Caphenon reverted back to me, I used the opportunity to take what I had learned over the course of five additional novels and apply it to my first one. I went through every page, taking out filler words/paragraphs and adding more action, snappier dialogue, and a completely new battle. The result is a book that moves more smoothly and quickly, and is truer to the depth of the world building created in subsequent books.
Alsea fans will appreciate the new scenes and dialogue, while new readers will enjoy a series opener that grabs them from the first chapter and pulls them in for a smooth, satisfying ride.
And of course, there's that gorgeous cover art...
Alsea fans will appreciate the new scenes and dialogue, while new readers will enjoy a series opener that grabs them from the first chapter and pulls them in for a smooth, satisfying ride.
And of course, there's that gorgeous cover art...
Fletcher DeLancey
Hi, Kalamah -- I had to wait a bit until I could nail down the release date...but it's set for April 19! You can see the cover, the synopsis, and a hint of what's in this EPIC novel here:
https://oregonexpat.wordpress.com/201...
https://oregonexpat.wordpress.com/201...
Fletcher DeLancey
Hi, MJS -- I must apologize for the ridiculous amount of time between your question and my answer! My inbox eats emails and I just uncovered this one.
In Catalyst, Ekatya felt the effects of being away from Andira because it was a separation in both space and time. They were apart for a very long time and had no idea when they'd see each other again. By the end of that book, Ekatya's new assignment meant she would always be (relatively) close by and making regular visits. That eased the effects quite a bit, as did her increased bond with Lhyn.
As for Lhyn, she does know, and you'll see in Book 8 that she and Salomen have a little chat about that particular bond... 😉
In Catalyst, Ekatya felt the effects of being away from Andira because it was a separation in both space and time. They were apart for a very long time and had no idea when they'd see each other again. By the end of that book, Ekatya's new assignment meant she would always be (relatively) close by and making regular visits. That eased the effects quite a bit, as did her increased bond with Lhyn.
As for Lhyn, she does know, and you'll see in Book 8 that she and Salomen have a little chat about that particular bond... 😉
Fletcher DeLancey
Right now I'm editing Book 8 in the Chronicles of Alsea -- it's called Uprising, and takes the action back to Alsea. This book ties up most of the threads that have woven through the previous ones; it's an epic.
My average word output varies wildly. If I'm struggling and can't quite find the groove? I might do as few as 500 words in a day. If I'm in the groove and the Muse is sitting on my shoulder? I think my record was around 12,000 words in one day and I could barely see straight by the end of it. That was an awesome day.
My average word output varies wildly. If I'm struggling and can't quite find the groove? I might do as few as 500 words in a day. If I'm in the groove and the Muse is sitting on my shoulder? I think my record was around 12,000 words in one day and I could barely see straight by the end of it. That was an awesome day.
Fletcher DeLancey
You've made me realize that I need to upload this to my Alseaworld website (at alseaworld.com). In the meantime, if you use Facebook, I've made that short story available to the folks in the Fletcher DeLancey Book Club. They're a cool group of people; you'd be welcome to join!
Or, you can DM me on Twitter (@AlseaAuthor) and I can send it to you directly.
Or, you can DM me on Twitter (@AlseaAuthor) and I can send it to you directly.
Fletcher DeLancey
Right! Or to be more specific, the ship would use base space to get as far as possible, and then use surf engines through normal space to find the point where a beacon would be placed. Base space makes for speedy travel, but it doesn't obey the physical laws of normal space, so normal navigation techniques are out the window.
In Catalyst (Chronicles of Alsea Book 4), we get a good look at what it's like to enter base space and to leave it -- which is not a smooth process -- and how that layer of space appears. I had fun dreaming that up.
In Catalyst (Chronicles of Alsea Book 4), we get a good look at what it's like to enter base space and to leave it -- which is not a smooth process -- and how that layer of space appears. I had fun dreaming that up.
Fletcher DeLancey
The ability to front is largely but not entirely determined by empathic strength. The stronger the empath, the stronger the front in general, but it also takes training and personal skill. A very strong but untrained empath will not have a strong front. On the other hand, a low empath who has worked hard at training might be able to front more effectively than a mid empath who hasn't learned.
The dynamics of fronting and trained vs. untrained are explored in more detail in Without A Front: The Producer's Challenge, which takes a closer look at an "ordinary" Alsean family through the eyes of Lancer Tal.
The dynamics of fronting and trained vs. untrained are explored in more detail in Without A Front: The Producer's Challenge, which takes a closer look at an "ordinary" Alsean family through the eyes of Lancer Tal.
Fletcher DeLancey
Not that I know of -- but it would be cool if there were!
Base space is my answer to the issue of traversing vast distances while still leaving in some realistic limitations. Even at 10,000x faster than light, it still takes many days to cross large expanses, leaving room for things to go wrong or situations to change while people are in transit. And there are only so many entry/exit points (by the beacons), so ships can't emerge exactly where they want to be.
I wanted to create a universe in which our protagonists can't be whisked out of trouble by "magic" solutions -- which is why I also don't have any sort of teleportation. That does make things considerably harder, as you'll see in Catalyst, the fourth novel of the Chronicles of Alsea. It's the first book after The Caphenon that focuses more on Captain Serrado and Dr. Lhyn Rivers, both of whom have adventures that are in some way affected by these kinds of technological limitations.
Base space is my answer to the issue of traversing vast distances while still leaving in some realistic limitations. Even at 10,000x faster than light, it still takes many days to cross large expanses, leaving room for things to go wrong or situations to change while people are in transit. And there are only so many entry/exit points (by the beacons), so ships can't emerge exactly where they want to be.
I wanted to create a universe in which our protagonists can't be whisked out of trouble by "magic" solutions -- which is why I also don't have any sort of teleportation. That does make things considerably harder, as you'll see in Catalyst, the fourth novel of the Chronicles of Alsea. It's the first book after The Caphenon that focuses more on Captain Serrado and Dr. Lhyn Rivers, both of whom have adventures that are in some way affected by these kinds of technological limitations.
Fletcher DeLancey
Correct, they are not able to front. In their lack of empathic ability, they are just like Gaians -- and yes, at a huge disadvantage. That's why it's considered a disability. But I suspect that sonsales Alseans make up for their lack of one sense by sharpening others, such as the ability to read facial and body language. (Colonel Micah is only a low empath, not sonsales, but he's better at reading body language than anyone Andira Tal knows.)
Fletcher DeLancey
I'm pretty happy about this question because it shows that, despite my wanting to leave actual ages up to the reader (because most of us like to be able to relate to characters, and we relate more easily to those closer to our own ages), what you're picking up on is pretty close to how I see them.
Aldirk is about Micah's age, Lanaril is older than Nikin but still in her early 40s, and Herot is early 20s. I think Varsi is probably mid-20s but Vellmar is a little further along, while Candini and Gehrain are early 30s. Darzen is late 30s or early 40s. The main characters -- Andira, Salomen, Ekatya, and Lhyn -- are in their late 30s and early 40s. I think Salomen is the youngest of that group, but she certainly holds her own with them regardless.
Aldirk is about Micah's age, Lanaril is older than Nikin but still in her early 40s, and Herot is early 20s. I think Varsi is probably mid-20s but Vellmar is a little further along, while Candini and Gehrain are early 30s. Darzen is late 30s or early 40s. The main characters -- Andira, Salomen, Ekatya, and Lhyn -- are in their late 30s and early 40s. I think Salomen is the youngest of that group, but she certainly holds her own with them regardless.
Fletcher DeLancey
Yes. That relationship begins in Catalyst, though it is not the main story arc. There are many character journeys occurring in the Chronicles of Alsea, and not all of them begin and end in the same book. The two characters to whom you refer continue their connection in Vellmar the Blade, and carry it through to Book 6 (which I am working on right now). I strongly suspect we'll see them in future books as well, because they're both such wonderful points of view for other aspects of the story, the culture, and the characters.
Fletcher DeLancey
Vellmar the Blade was inspired by a short conversation that Lead Guard Vellmar has with one of her team in Without A Front: The Warrior's Challenge. She is asked if she plans to enter the Global Games, given her spectacular blade handling skills, and answers that she's thought about it but never wanted to compete with her mother, who has been the world champion for some time. So I wondered...what happens when a daughter competes with her mother in front of fifty thousand fans? What might she expect to happen, and how might she be surprised?
Because Vellmar is a secondary character in the series (at least, at that point), this gave me a chance to explore a different side of Alsea, far from the heights of global power and galactic politics. This is a simpler, homier view into Alsea and its culture.
Because Vellmar is a secondary character in the series (at least, at that point), this gave me a chance to explore a different side of Alsea, far from the heights of global power and galactic politics. This is a simpler, homier view into Alsea and its culture.
Fletcher DeLancey
Right now I'm about one-third of the way in to Book 6 in the Chronicles of Alsea series, tentatively titled Outcaste. At the same time, I am in the editing process for Book 4 (Catalyst), which is confusingly being published after Book 5 (Vellmar the Blade). Yes, it's a numerical mess but it will only be that way until December 7, when Book 4 is released. After that, everything will be in order again.
There has been much understandable confusion about Books 4 and 5 not being released in order. I chose to do it that way because Vellmar the Blade is not a full-sized book, nor is it truly part of the main story arc, and I had many readers anxious for something to tide them over until the next full novel. So Vellmar the Blade was a gift to my readers, and I hope that whatever confusion the publication order may have caused is outweighed by the enjoyment of not having to wait an entire year before being able to dive back into Alsea.
There has been much understandable confusion about Books 4 and 5 not being released in order. I chose to do it that way because Vellmar the Blade is not a full-sized book, nor is it truly part of the main story arc, and I had many readers anxious for something to tide them over until the next full novel. So Vellmar the Blade was a gift to my readers, and I hope that whatever confusion the publication order may have caused is outweighed by the enjoyment of not having to wait an entire year before being able to dive back into Alsea.
Fletcher DeLancey
The same advice for aspiring musicians asking how to get to Carnegie Hall: practice, practice, practice. Almost nobody writes a bestseller their first time out of the gate (and in fiction with lesbian protagonists, "bestseller" is a relative term anyway). It takes time and repetition to learn what works and what doesn't, and how to let your plot breathe. I would also advise finding an excellent editor and listening to her or his advice. There are more amazingly creative people out there than one can shake a stick at, but the difference between a wonderfully creative story idea and a story that is enjoyable to read is all in the editing.
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