For the last few months I have been working on getting the second book for The Drifters’ Road to the point of release, as well as preparing to begin the third book. I keep expecting to post more here, only to end up being busy, but I have found time to make another post to this blog.
As of this posting, I have already given this news a good week or so ago on other social media pages. In a blog post, however, I can speak a little more about the title for the second book.
To begin, I am happy to say that the second book to The Drifters’ Road will be called ‘The Tempter’s Bane.’
The title, of all things, I find might be the most difficult part in making a book. I have written two books now, and for both, I never had a title figured out until sometime well after I had finished a draft, if not when the book was ready for editing.
To speak a little about this title, why I picked it, and what it means, I think I must begin by saying that in the first book, The Fleeing Company, the main adversary was the goblin chief, who was strong, but a mere servant to a greater lord, Vyroun.
In The Tempter’s Bane, the goblin chief’s master is the main antagonist, and Vyroun in the story is known as the tempter, which the title is named after, and the story for The Tempter’s Bane is one of war rather than a group of characters running in the wild from a pack of goblins. The desire or motivation in this book is to defeat the tempter. (I will have another post coming with a greater description for the story in the second book.)
As for why Vyroun is known as the tempter, I will say that my approach for him as a ‘pure evil’ villain was to make him the devil, so to speak, and one trait that many would apply to the devil is that he tempts us into doing evil.
I best not go into great detail about Vyroun here, before the book even has a release date, but I will say that there is a chapter within The Tempter’s Bane that is meant to have some resemblance to the Biblical passage of Satan tempting Jesus three times in the desert, coming from Matthew 4: 1-11.
As for the ‘bane’ part of the title, the objective in the second book is to defeat Vyroun. Bane, of course, means weakness, and so the title ‘The Tempter’s Bane’ speaks of Vyroun’s weakness. There is a more obvious answer as to what this weakness is in the book. (On this note, there is another chapter that is meant to have some resemblance to the Biblical passage Exodus 3, or Moses and the Burning Bush.) I will say though that there is actually another answer as to what Vyroun’s bane is that I think might not be so clear. Because there was more than one answer regarding his weakness, ‘The Tempter’s Bane’ seemed open ended and a fitting title.
I best say no more here. However, there will be more coming soon. The book cover is complete, and I will say that it looks far better than the one I drew myself for The Fleeing Company. Knowing people with more artistic skill is a very good thing, as they can make a far better picture than an amateur artist like myself. The cover for the second book will be revealed soon, and I will release a story description that will appear on the back of the book also.
A lot more things are coming, but for now, take care and farewell.