50,000 Words and Counting. . .

Its been a slow slog through a busy and wet spring in Kentucky, but this morning I finally pushed over the 50,000 word mark for my new novel, tentatively called "The Spear of Destiny" and while it is about a spear and lots of destinies, and THE Spear of Destiny itself, I am looking for a better title that seems less like a giant cliche.

The 50,000 word mark found my protagonists (Duncan and Molly) heading north in the back of a fake milk truck.  Mr. Cox has set up an elaborate diversion trying to send not only the Nazi enemy but lots of his own men following them toward Wales (though he turned unexpectedly and is taking the team north somewhere beyond the known Highlands of Scotland.) Another team was sent South to London with a hooded and gagged man Cox said was the Monk Belenos, but that holy man from Logres will show up soon and it won't be in London!

The story has cruised along until now at a pretty quick clip, but is about to burst forth with action, adventure and intense danger as the Nazis catch up with them and our protagonists get closer to the portal which leads not only into the land of Logres but into time itself.

That spear tip that pierced the side of our Christ in this world and that of the sacred stag in Logres must not be allowed to fall into the hands of Hitler!

Its about to get fun!
 

New Novel--Under Construction

On this last day of 2012, I am happy to report I have surpassed the 30,000 word mark on my next novel.  And, I am very happy to report to the world for the first time that there will be a new novel--someday!  I am calling it, so far, The Sword of Destiny.

My muse had been silent for a couple of years.  Then in May I was visiting Oxford, England with a group of terrific students.  I spent the last day largely alone visiting the Pitts Rivers Museum and then sitting with my notebook in the Lamb and Flag--a favorite pub of both J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis.  There I forced the muse to come out and play and help me draft the first scene of a new novel.  That scene takes place on a dark and rainy night (I know! I know!) at the Eagle and Child where Tolkien and Lewis are sharing a pint and discussing something important. A man on the verge of death stumbles in, dripping on their table and urging them to care for a document he pushes into Lewis' hand.

The book shares the same legendarium as my first two novels (The Sporran and The Iona Conspiracy) though this one takes place during World War II.  The basic plot finds the Blitz over London to be a diversion for an attempt by the Nazis to find and retrieve the Spear of Longinus--the spear that pierced the side of Christ.

It turns out that the spear was not really "of this world" at all, but connects in a deep way to the story of Isildane who brought the treasures into our world so long ago.  The blade was never meant to be found, but has a way of bringing itself into the hands of those who do not suspect its power--and evil nature.  So did it find the hands of Longinus 2,000 years ago at Calvary.

It must not be allowed to fall into the hands of Adolf Hitler!

Well, I should really get back to writing the book, instead of telling you about it!

Wish me luck in preparing something worthy of the gift.