More Precious Than Rubies
My first real novel, after a couple of juvenile attempts at writing in my twenties, is entitled More Precious Than Rubies. You can read the blurb about it in my listed books.
The idea for it germinated in 2006. I wrote this in my journal:
“At the beginning of the school year, a sinister, mysterious new principal comes into the school. Why he replaces the former principal is not explained. He is the member of a diabolical group out to terrorize the world. The members have the power to take away peoples’ lives if others donate part of their lives to save the others.”
My own experience as an elementary teacher at the time contributed to the concept. I was forty-two during this period of my life. I considered myself late to the publishing business but young enough to get things done. There was still a lot of time. Surely, I would live another forty years.
I completed writing the novel on September 20, 2007. I was forty-three. I sent it out to a few publishing companies, branding it as a children’s fantasy novel. Fantasy was huge then.
I began to see how important revision is and how one begins to add things, take away things, alter events in a novel. My book soon became based upon the Norwegian myth in which Iduna keeps guard over an apple grove. The apples grant people youth and vitality and Thiassi wants them for himself. He seeks to gain possession of the grove through his evil ways.
My brain connected the myth with my novel. I called the principal Mr. Theisen and the book became a modern rendition of the myth.
By January 9, 2009, I had completed a second draft of the book. Originally entitled The Chosen Ones, it adopted its official title. I started to send it out to the publishing companies.
I was so naïve.
More about More in my next blog.
