Embedded Files
Fear chains the hands. Faith tells them to build.
Fear chains the hands. Faith tells them to build.
In the late '90s, I worked in downtown Rochester, mid way up the Xerox Square tower. People would actually ask me what floor I worked on. Apparently, the higher you were, the more important you were assumed to be.
Around that time, I had this dream about workers ziplining between futuristic towers. They maintained the buildings but weren't allowed inside. Meanwhile, the people in the towers never left or set foot on the ground.
People living their entire lives looking at each other through glass. Two worlds stacked on top of each other, separated.
Years later, I was talking about how divided people had become and retold the story. My wife said, "Hey, we saw that movie." I laughed. Nope… that was my story from when the kids were young. If she thought it was a movie, maybe it was worth writing down.
That story became Beneath the Cloudline. I hope y'all enjoy it!
Me and the big dog
(aka, Fluffy)
(aka, Fluffy)
My Process
My Process
The ideas for Beneath the Cloudline didn't pop into my head all at once. They grew from years of observing, and questioning with boldness.
Looking back, I don't think I wrote a fantasy about maintenance workers by accident. I grew up believing the people who keep systems running are just as important as the people who design them... or take credit for them.
Inspiration
Dreams
Wonder: nature, buildings, history, everyday life
Asking, "How?"
Planning Stage
Document ideas
Outline
Build the world: names, locations, factions, lore
Research: rigging engineering, fog harvesting, invasive plants, thermal lifts, DataGlyphs, harmonics
Writing
Draft, Redraft, Read out loud, Revise
Feedback
Gather beta reader feedback (Denise, Julia and Lucas)
Identify weak spots
Refine characters and pacing
Repeat as needed
Creative & Editing Tools
Creative & Editing Tools
Google Docs: spell check, version control
ProWritingAid: craft honing, echoes, overused words
Large language models: research, editorial feedback
Adobe Fireworks: logo and glyphs
Adobe Illustrator and Canva: cover art, layout, prep
Lacuna: typesetting, page prep
Amazon KDP: distribution
The past fourteen months have made me appreciate how much work it takes to bring a book from idea to print.
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