For the Fall 2013 children's announcements issue, we spoke with nine writers whose trilogies are drawing to a close this fall. They shared what it takes to keep dozens of characters and thousands of pages straight--and how itfeels when it's all over.
Any special method for keeping details straight?
I have a big chalkboard where I draft my plots. I have piles of paper with notes in colored pencils, index cards in any shade imaginable. When I started with this project, my office looked like a kindergarten.
Did anything develop plot-wise that completely surprised you?
Actually, I hadn’t planned on Xemerius! At some point he just landed out of thin air in my plot and before long I realized how badly I needed him for this story.
Any tricky corners you had to write your way out of?
I encountered lots of tricky corners—after all, we are talking time travel here! It’s easy for your brain to get entangled—and of course I am not Stephen Hawking.
How does it feel to have finished?
Actually, it feels amazing. Finally I’m done! And yet, I also felt a little sad. It’s not easy to say goodbye to your characters after three books.
What reward did you give yourself for finishing?
Sleep. I am finally allowed to sleep again!!
