Welcome to Fitzsimmons Road!
First of all, I’d like to thank you taking the time to stop by and checking out the new website…and hopefully to also thank you for purchasing copies of my debut novel: THE BOOK OF RAVENS. (Which turned out to be so massive, I had to break it into two volumes!)
Make no mistake – the book was never intended to be told in two parts, nor was either book written to be a stand-alone novel. It is ONE book, but also impractical as a single entry, as it clocks in at a massive 962 pages! Mind you, if you don’t mind carrying around a book the size of an old encyclopedia, that version will be available too! This was important to me, despite its size, to preserve at least one version of what was originally intended, though for most of us, not something you probably want to carry around unless you like bench pressing while you read.
I’d also like to point out that THE BOOK OF RAVENS is, in fact, a series, with many more books planned for the future, so I hope you’ll stick around.
Admittedly, I’m not big on writing updates or even blogs (having never really written any) but I will try to drop in here and there with the hope of providing some meaningful updates.
Writing is just HARD. Not so much in the telling for me personally, but finding the necessary TIME. The editing. The countless hours of research.
Believe it or not, but research is especially time consuming. Even the simplest things. I even bought several books that were based around the specific time period, in which the story takes place (1066-1067), just to get a sense of what those times were like.
Naturally, I think quite a few authors “embellish” a few things. Especially when writing fiction. But we do it for the sake of the story, not from a lack of research or imagination. It’s really not much different from all those countless movies that are “based on a true story.” Liberties are taken for length, content, pacing, you get the idea.
My hope is that you simply enjoy my work. Enjoy the break from reality. Because that’s what a good book is supposed to do: entertain…and provide a break (and perhaps some much needed escapism) from the daily grind. And there’s no better time than the Fall or Winter to curl up on the couch with your new favorite books!
You won’t get a slow book here. Or a boring one where I talk about the grass for 5 pages. Or how great someone’s suit looked with its flashy gold polished cufflinks, complimented by the most exquisite burgundy silk scarf. I’m just not that author.
That’s not to say that there’s anything wrong with books that are incredibly descriptive. Because as readers, we surely want lots of detail. I’m just saying that I’m personally not a big fan of anything with incredibly slow pacing or portions of a book that just screech to a halt.
When I began writing THE BOOK OF RAVENS, I tried to write a book that I would like to read. Something fast, hopefully a page turner, constant cliffhangers. My goal was always to end each chapter as if it were the perfect time to drop that “commercial break.” If I manage to keep you up past your bedtime? That’s when I’ll know I’ve succeeded!
So how did I get involved with writing in the first place? Aside from a parking lot incident in 1995, and ever since I can remember, I’ve always enjoyed to write. My Mom knew it too. Allow me to share just a brief story.
Back in 1985, my family and I moved to Mexico for an entire year. My parents were both teachers and somehow were granted this unique opportunity (as part of their ongoing studies) and so we rented out the house that we owned in the States (seeing as it made no sense to leave it unoccupied), jumped on a plane, and off we went.
Luckily for us kids, we had already been enrolled in a bilingual school since the age of 4, so we all knew Spanish, more or less. I was in 3rd grade at the time and met some wonderful people, amazing families, and it was truly the adventure of a lifetime.
Fast forward some years later and my sister and I were blessed with yet another opportunity: The option to return for a few weeks. But just the two of us! And so, my parents put us on a plane (I suppose they had other things to do?) and we were to stay with one of the aforementioned families whom we already knew.
Now during that time, my Mom asked me to keep a diary to document our “adventures.” And I think she still has the diary to this day. But that’s also when I think “she knew” I had a love for writing, because I had written quite the detailed account.
We laugh at those entries now (it was very dramatic, sarcastic, full of humor, all from a 5th graders perspective), but I think that’s when I knew too. That writing was something I really enjoyed and something I wanted to pursue…though I dare say I didn’t know it at the time. But what I did know was that writing had allowed me to express my inner most thoughts in a way I couldn’t quite verbalize. It allowed me to create stories. It allowed me to use my imagination. But perhaps most importantly, it allowed me to be me.
The amazing thing about writing, however, is also its worst enemy: time. (Which I suppose is the theme here, if anything)
Because when writing, you have endless chances to edit. Endless changes to get it just right…versus those horrible occasions (that we’ve all had) in which we wish we could take back something that was said.
But you know too- a writers work also never feels finished. Because there’s always something we would love to go back and change. Even rewrite full chapters, even if we’ve already done so dozens of times. Time then, becomes both a blessing and a curse. Blessing- because you can fine tune a given thing as many times as you’d like. But also a curse- as there never seems to be an end in sight, no matter how many changes you’ve already made. But sooner or later? You just have to stop. Accept that it’s never going to be perfect. Otherwise, I don’t think most authors would ever get past that first book!
Writing is a constant work in progress. And something, when nurtured, continues to evolve. Even from chapter to chapter. It’s no different than getting better at shooting free-throws with enough practice. Or getting the perfect recipe just right. So I hope with these things in mind, you take up a stout walking stick and follow me on what I hope will be a truly remarkable journey.
I can promise you this.
While some authors may write a debut novel and have no idea where it’s to go next? I can assure you that is not the case here.
The Book of Ravens always had an ending in mind. And I speak of the series as a whole, not simply these first two volumes. But the real fun? Is going to be getting there, bit by bit, book by book. I just hope that when we finally get there, you’ll agree that it was worth sticking around for.
For what it’s worth, thank you for allowing me a bit of time to talk about my own process and beginnings, and hope you truly enjoy the adventure I tried so hard to create. As stated in the introduction of the book itself and even here, I promise that there’s a lot more to come…because I’m just getting started.
Stay thirsty,
-Andrew
