The Jade Owl: Part 5 & 6 (All Chapters)

[Edward C. Patterson]

So we have reached the last 8 Chapters - Part V - The Cave of the Winds  and  Part VI - The First Warrant

Somehow, I think everyone who started on this journey has finished the book. I would appreciate feedback, if you world and even a review, if you are able (on Amazon for the brave).  

That The Cave of the Winds section is my own favorite should come as no surprise. It takes place in my favorite city on earth - Gui-lin, a place we shall return to during this series.

Here's comments for thought or discussion:

1 - How did the character Huang Li-fa strike you (That's Little Cricket for the Chinese-names challenged)?

2 - Did anyone notice that we are suddenly off THE tour. (PS: The change in tour# and the mix up at Gui-lin airport actually did happen to me and my Mom, and with the real Mr. Huang, the basis for this all important, pivotal character for the series - yes, you will see him again).

3 - How does Xiao Win-t'o measure up as a villain? Did anyone notice that the villainy in the piece shifts and that the villains arc, generally a no no in novel writing. Did you also notice the Steven King influences in this part of the book, the Xiao Homestead inflenced by some of Uncle Stevies more sinister places.

4 - Another novel no no is writing a PASSIVE chapter toward the end of the novel when the pacing should accelerate. What is the purpose of the Chapter called Dalliance, and was it effective. (Hint - my favorite chapter in the book, so be gentle with me).

5 - The last Part - The First Warrant is full of surprises, eh? We shall not discuss spoilers here, butdid anyone notice a "fairy tale" aura suddenly cast over the whole last part. What do you think makes this so?

6 - There's an epilogue - more an apotheosis to the book. Can anyone guess where things are going for the next book, The Third Peregrination.

How many will continue on to the next book? Do you want me along for the read, Faithful Reader? Shall I be speaking to Betsy about it?

Edward C. Patterson

[Ann in Arlington]

1 - How did the character Huang Li-fa strike you (That's Little Cricket for the Chinese-names challenged)?

He's like a puppy with Nick and Simone -- well, it's the first time he's met anybody like them. . .probably validating things he's wondered about in himself all his life.  Also generally confused and amazed and possibly a bit appalled that he's there on the adventure at all!

2 - Did anyone notice that we are suddenly off THE tour. (PS: The change in tour# and the mix up at Gui-lin airport actually did happen to me and my Mom, and with the real Mr. Huang, the basis for this all important, pivotal character for the series - yes, you will see him again).

I noticed. . . .I thought the tour number change was going to be 'significant'. . . when it didn't seem to be so, I was curious as to why bother with it.

3 - How does Xiao Win-t'o measure up as a villain? Did anyone notice that the villainy in the piece shifts and that the villains arc, generally a no no in novel writing. Did you also notice the Steven King influences in this part of the book, the Xiao Homestead inflenced by some of Uncle Stevies more sinister places.

I've never read Stephen King and am not likely to so obviously wouldn't notice any such influences.  The homestead did seem rather gothically sinister -- gothic in the sense of Jane Eyre or Daphne DuMaurier.

4 - Another novel no no is writing a PASSIVE chapter toward the end of the novel when the pacing should accelerate. What is the purpose of the Chapter called Dalliance, and was it effective. (Hint - my favorite chapter in the book, so be gentle with me).

I guess I didn't notice anything in particular. . .but sometimes it's not such a bad thing to give readers a chance to catch their breath. . . . or maybe feel like it's a good time to have a bathroom break. 

5 - The last Part - The First Warrant is full of surprises, eh? We shall not discuss spoilers here, butdid anyone notice a "fairy tale" aura suddenly cast over the whole last part. What do you think makes this so?

  Again. . .sorry. . .I was really just enjoying the story.  I did like having a couple of chapters that kind of said what happens next.

6 - There's an epilogue - more an apotheosis to the book. Can anyone guess where things are going for the next book, The Third Peregrination.

  Obviously the Owl is not going to stay put. . . .I knew that would be a problem when they took it back out of the cave where it so obviously belonged.  Even if I didn't know you'd already written follow ons, I'd have known then that there would be one. . . . .

How many will continue on to the next book? Do you want me along for the read, Faithful Reader? Shall I be speaking to Betsy about it?

Edward C. Patterson

I will definitely be reading on. . .not sure when. . . . .I'm not sure how well this book "Klub" worked.  But when I do get going I can definitely start a discussion thread as I go. . . .it could be an informal 'Klub'. . . .mainly me asking you what the heck you're thinking! 

Thanks for a great read!

[Edward C. Patterson]

BONUS:

When the earliest version of The Jade Owl was published by anotherchapter.com as a serialized novel, it was a very different read and was illustrated. I thought it would be nice for y'all to see some of these illustrations. Most of these were by Daniela Daniels. I'll show others later by a different artist (the founder of an internet site called Zazzle).



Original Cover Imprint



Later Cover Imprint when Daniela left the project



Rowden and Connie Wilson (Note that Daniela gave Rowden a beard, which he did not have. However, because of that, between the Drake scene with Connie I needed to write a short sequence where he shaved.  That sequence was later cut. He needed to be clean shaven for the Tea Garden scene when he escapes in his kimono - he couldn't have a beard. Ironically, that scene was cut also).



Nick and Rowdy see the Glass Jade Owl at The Vermilion Phoenix



Whiskey Han



Color Icon created by nephew from a Jade Owl figurine that I own. Never used in the publication, but used on a glass mug offered at Zazzle and included in the Kindle version, as well as my Kindleboard avatar.



A colorized pencil doodle from my nephew, TeeJay Patterson of Nick on the Powell Street line. Also never published, but drawn for me as I told him I would love to see something depicting that scene.

I'll put up some more later in the week. (I one of Simon DeFluerry at the Painted Lips that I particularly like).

Edward C. Patterson

[Ann in Arlington]

Cool!  I like the drawings by your nephew. . . I agree Rowdy has no beard. . .though I understand the urge to give him one since he's a professor and archeology type. . . . .

[Edward C. Patterson]

Ann:

I look to Stephen King for technique more than substance, but I needed as a little gruesome in that scene. The Xiao Homestead looms important throughout the series, and even appears in the last book of Southern Swallow series (The House of Green Waters). As for the chapter Dalliance - yep, a palatte cleanser - a Tolkien rest stop, so to speak. Also I needed a valley between the two intense scenes The Cave of the Winds and The Tomb. It also allows me to reset the entire novel at the beginning of last part (writers will note that I sweitch from 3rd person limited Point of View, to Second person omnipotent in the opening section of The First Warrant, and literal retell the story from that POV in two short paragraphs. This reset the novel and allows me to charge onward to the end like a single bolt of silk unravelled without interruption - one BIG chapter, so to speak).

I know, blah, blah, blah . . . but design like a surgeon with a penlight.  It's an author thing.

Edward C. Patterson

[Ann in Arlington]

I would say that the fact that I didn't really notice all that stuff means you succeeded with flying colors.  I wasn't thinking about the mechanics of the writing. . . .just wanted to find out where the story was going. . . . .

[Edward C. Patterson]

Now continue on to The Third Peregrination Read with the Author Book Klub as the adventure continues. http://www.kindleboards.com/index.php/topic,13044.0.html

Edward C. Patterson

or

Ed P (your choice)