Sneak Peek: The Bright Star Trilogy, book 1

All of my novels to date have been standalone novels. I had always been interested in writing a trilogy, to explore larger themes and arcs of plot and character. But I had to have the right idea—I would rather not write a trilogy just to write a trilogy, I wanted the concept to inherently cry out for a triad structure.

Last year, I came across the idea and began jotting down ideas. As I was finishing my last novel, Nuff Sed: A Novel of Desert Steve, I happened upon some ancient documents which sparked the idea. The concepts and themes naturally fell into three parts.

I had found my trilogy.

Once Nuff Sed was sent off to the publisher, I began researching for the trilogy. I wanted to do all the research for all three books before beginning to outline the first volume. That way, I could have the entire arc in mind, with themes and plots in a general sense, tying the three together. In addition, the research gave me ideas for titles. While these titles could change, here is what I have so far :

The Bright Star Trilogy

Book 1: Seven Planets

Book 2: Two Dragons

Book 3: Twelve Foundations

Based on the research, I decided that this series would be best written as a science fiction novel. The themes are best explored by removing them from our current or past world, and setting them in a time and place that would allow some creativity and freedom without being tied to the world we know, despite those themes being rooted and directed at our contemporary world. I have found that distance allows a less biased approach to writing and to reading.

I have written one other science fiction novel, Mortals As They Walk, set slightly in the future when genetic engineering has taken a leap forward. Despite these works being science fiction, the characters drive the entire narrative. While my research into the science was extensive, I want the story to be about people, the human condition, and how we deal with each other.

At the beginning of my research, I set a general schedule for myself.

As you can see, I finished the research on December 1, 2024, and then turned to outlining the first and the series (Seven Planets). I completed the outline on February 25, and then began doing detailed scene and chapter outlines (which is where I am now).

I am excited to begin writing the first draft in a week, although I am not sure whether I’m going to make that deadline (I estimate it might take another two weeks).

If you’re interested in my progress, join Team Markus (as a subscriber (free), or as a patron to receive extras and discounts on all my books).