If you’ve been listening to my podcast, you know that I finished the first draft of book eight in the Firmament series recently; a book called Humanoid. Now that Firmament: Eleftheria is complete on Kindle Vella, I’m ready to start thinking about revisions on Humanoid.
I think it’s actually one of my better first drafts. The ending definitely needs work, and there are a few inconsistencies I need to iron out, but overall, I feel like it’s pretty decent. Again, for a first draft.
One part I’m surprisingly happy with is my opening. Normally, I write dreadful openings the first go round. Unless I’m forgetting something, I believe I’ve had to go back and completely redo from scratch every other opening in the Firmament series, because I just struggle to get going in the writing process. Things tend to drag, I info dump, I have characters doing things that don’t matter to the rest of the story.
But somehow, with Humanoid, I think I got it pretty close to right. At least, I’m confident enough that I’m going to share the first little bit of it with all of you and see if you agree!
“Angiology,” I muttered to myself, eyes tightly closed. “A specialty concerned with diseases of the circulatory and lymphatic systems.” I opened my eyes and read the exact words I had just uttered on the screen before me.
“Well done,” said a feminine but not-quite-human voice. “You are making excellent progress.”
“Why thank you,” I said.
“You are welcome. Are you ready for the next branch?”
“I don’t suppose you understand sarcasm,” I said.
Instead of responding, the pad flashed another term before me. I sighed, closed my eyes, and said, “Cardiology. A specialty concerned with diseases of the heart and circulatory system.”
Again, opening my eyes showed me those precise words on the screen.
“Very good. Are you ready for the next branch?”
I laid the pad down on the table. “This is stupid.”
“I understand that pursuing your education can be frustrating,” the voice said. “Do you need to take a break?”
I subdued my urge to throw the pad across the room and said, “Yes.”
“Very well. Let me know when you are ready to get started again.”
“I’ll do that,” I mumbled, and stood up, stretched, and left my cabin, blinking as I emerged into the bright white hallway just outside my door.
I merged into the flow of traffic that moved down the corridor, mostly people, no doubt, on their way to lunch.
What do you think? Would you keep reading? Would you want to know what’s going on in Andi’s life and why?
I’m super excited!
I am, too! Thank you for reading!