The foundation of the Sparks Shall Rise series is main characters having mental illness or some other struggle, and they are also the heroes of the story. The books will combine epic fantasy tales with the main characters trying to simultaneously deal with their struggles.
Each book won’t always feature the same characters. There will be a wide cast of humans and animals. I adore animals, and I’ve always loved when they play roles alongside humans like in The Chronicles of Narnia. Some books will have predominately animal characters, and some will have predominately human characters. Sometimes a character from a previous book will be featured again, or multiple characters will collide.
Some books will have more action, and some may be quieter. Some will be more lighthearted, and some will be darker. The journeys of the main characters will always be the heart and soul of each book in the series. I want the stories to be inspirational and fantastical.
The first ten books will have an overarching storyline. They will be in sequential order except for a few that look back at important past events. The last two will be more like epilogues to wrap up some loose ends. There will also be a set of twelve prequels and four short story collections. And the last book will be an illustrated guide.
Most of the books will be novellas, but a few could reach novel length. They will all be at least 120 pages. I think this is just the length that I’m programmed to write.
I always thought I would write a trilogy. I never imagined my fantasy series would be twenty-nine books. I have no plans for any other books. This series will be my sole focus for the next decade or so. There is a Tolkien quote that explains how this feels perfectly:
“It is written in my life-blood, such as that is, thick or thin; and I can no other.”
—J.R.R. Tolkien