Well, I’ve actually managed to get a little writing done over the past week or so.  I’ve been working quite regularly on The Sorceress and her Lovers.  I’m in the middle of chapter six. I’m having a lot of fun pulling in characters from all over the previous books and playing around with them.

In addition to Senta, Bessemer the Steel Dragon, Police Inspector Saba Colbshallow, and Radley Staff, I’ve elevated Iolana Staff to a main character.  She had a bit of a part in Book 5: The Two Dragons, but she was only 8 at the time.  Now she gets a much meatier part.

In addition, I’ve reintroduced apprentice wizard Peter Sallow, lizzie King Hsranduss, and lizzie tracker Kendra, all of whom last appeared in Book 4: The Young Sorceress.  Also sorceress Amadea Jindra, last seen in Book 3: The Drache Girl, makes an appearance.

The thing I’m most excited about (though I haven’t gotten to actually writing them yet) is the return of two big elements from Book 1: The Voyage of the Minotaur.  The first is the “angel” Pantagria, who appears in Book 4, and is certainly behind the scenes in The Two Dragons.  The second is the steam-powered computer, the Result Mechanism.

I’m not sure if I’ll keep working on this book straight through, or I’ll jump back to 82 Eridani, or even Love and the Darkness, but I’m really enjoying getting some writing done again.