Where do we go from here?
So…I was originally planning to put this at the end of the chapter, but it got so long that I decided to make it its own post. And I didn’t want to put it off, so here you go—two posts in a day!
I have a few announcements for you, but here’s the root of them all: we have reached the end of Season 1! When I originally got the idea for this series, the stories seemed to naturally cluster in sets of five-episode arcs, which I decided to call seasons. It’s been a wild ride (trust me, you guys have no idea!), but we have reached the end of the first set of five. So what exactly does that mean?
Along with the single-episode ebook for episode 5, which I’ll be sending out to all of you as soon as it’s formatted and edited, I’ll also be creating an ebook “box set” containing all of season 1. For those who haven’t followed the web serial, it’ll be a less expensive way to get the whole season, so if you have friends who are interested, you can pass that information along.
And with the ebook box set is coming…a paperback! Some of you have asked me about this since the beginning, but I decided it would be more efficient to hold off on a print copy until I could do it a season at a time. The full season together should come out to the size of a regular novel, and with the printing cost minimums, I won’t have to charge as much as I would for five separate books. There’s still some formatting and cover work that needs to be done, but I’ll update you when it’s ready, so for anyone who really wants a paperback to put on their shelves, it’ll be a reality soon!
I’m taking a slightly longer break before the next one. Before you post all the heartbroken emojis, let me explain… The way the episode length and publishing schedule have fallen out means that I’m writing three episodes a year, so a full season of five episodes takes a year and two-thirds. So it makes a lot of sense for me to take about an episode-long break in between seasons, making it an even two years from the beginning of one season to the next. I’m also hoping this will give me some concentrated time to work on other, bigger projects that I’ve barely had time to glance at with the chapter-a-week demands of this one. So I’ll be taking a break from the serial over the rest of the spring and summer and plan on coming back with season 2, episode 6, chapter 1 on Friday, October 4th. Hopefully your email inboxes won’t have forgotten me by that point, but just to be sure, you can always whitelist this email so the next season doesn’t end up in spam. And if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out and ask. I’m so excited for what comes in season 2, so Lord willing I’ll be back with it right on time!
Speaking of which, I cannot take a break without giving you just a tiny teaser of what happens next season. And I can’t think of a better way than showing you a sneak peek of the season 2 cover design…
Eeeep!!! What do you think? Ideas? Theories? Let me have them all! (Not that I promise to tell you if they’re correct or not…) Or if you don’t have any, just enjoy an awesome summer, and I’ll come back with answers in the fall!
Thank you all for joining me on this incredible ride, and for all your amazing feedback. I can’t wait to continue this journey with all of you!
~ Angie
Okay, so you really asked for this . . .
Courtenay's Guesses Regarding Season Two:
1) A new character has been added to the team, replacing (or at least pushing to the side) Dr. Mattox.
2) The new character is wearing a cape in the picture, so he's a patient who gets the injection and consequent superpowers.
3) (Now comes the more difficult part!) WHAT IS THE NEW CHARACTER'S SUPERPOWER? There are two angles to tackle this from:
A. We could try to identify likely superpowers that haven't been used yet. (I've got a lot of practice, because I babysit primary students!) The obvious one is the ability to fly--but I'm struggling to come up with a chronic condition that would equate to flying if it were reversed. Let's see, we've already got strength (Rachelle), speed (Dash), invisibility (Harper), and five-senses (Brady.) I'm thinking maybe something to do with the mind? Like super-intelligence or computing powers?
B. We could come at it from the chronic illness side, and see what hasn't been used yet. We have Brady's migraines, Rachelle's joint issues, Dash's Parkinson's, Harper's skin/blood problems (sorry I can't remember the name of her diagnosis!) Again, I think something cognitive could be a possibility. Or maybe bone-related? (Although I'm less sure what the superpower would be?) Or is there space for a condition resulting from an accident, rather than an illness?
4. I am still trying to decide whether or not the new guy wearing shorts and a t-shirt merely reflects a summer setting for the new season? Or has some connection to his condition or superpower?
5. And red. He's wearing red. Is there symbolic meaning to that? Red stands for courage. Also for the heart. Heart? Does he have a heart condition? Which translates to a heart-related superpower. (Although neither strength nor speed.)
Well, at the very least, you've got options!
(And the more of them I throw out there, the better my chance of having guessed at least SOMETHING right!) ;)
Have a good break, Angie! Thanks for the ride ♥️ and I’m so excited for October 😊