79 named characters
34 map-worthy locations
10 magical and non-magical artefacts
7 sports, games, and/or pastimes
6 guilds, organizations, or chivalric orders
2½ non-human races
1½ unfulfilled prophecies
1 incorrect use of “who’s”
1 plot conundrum (woops, hmm…)
Those are my final stats for Sir Thomas. I spent February building an encyclopedia of sorts — in the professional parlance: a series bible — to make it easier to reference details as I look ahead to writing the Less Valued Sequels. In addition to the stats above, I have buckets of notes on the cultural aspects of Thomas’s world including economy, medicine, technology, philosophy, language, food, and fashion. Three cheers to Scrivener – the tool made this project a delight. I don’t know how I would’ve accomplished this task without Scrivener, and I can’t imagine going forward without it. It’s fascinating to me that a tool I didn’t even know existed a month ago could become so ineffably integral to my process so quickly.
Returning to Sir Thomas after having set the book aside for so long was a joy. This time around I was most entertained by Pyralis’s Not-Exactly-Moral-Compass, Gorgella’s budding talent in the area of rapid spontaneous deconstruction, the mysterious and masterful mentor Sir Marrok, and the playful relationship between Thomas and Marie. I think Thomas’s little sister, Elizabeth Abigail Farmer, has an exceptional future in store as well.
I also thought this scene where Thomas and his friends confront the Baron’s army would make an excellent book cover illustration:
Thomas took two steps forward and planted himself in their path. Marrok and Philip fanned out behind him. Marie pulled a dagger from somewhere, and behind them Pyralis drew a wand from his coat. Gorgella dropped her pack and stood clutching two more of the oddly-shaped mechanical devices, one in each hand.
