Unraveling History

Or how I came up with another possible series when researching a side character.  

I have a serious problem. And I love it. New stories never stop popping up in my mind, urged on my the strangest questions. I now either have a new prequel trilogy or a slew of short stories about a character appearing in two chapters of book two of my monster hunting books.

It all started when I just wanted to make sure a building in Romania existed for the short story I'm writing now. That turned into reading about the Russo - Turkish war and getting drawn into the rich history of that entire area. I knew I had to write more than I already planned.

When I first started writing this series, I wanted it to start in England, Germany, or Russia. I really wanted to avoid the stereotype of British run steampunk, but at the same time I wanted to play with the imperialist attitude of England. Having their fingers in every pie, as the saying goes. Plus, I needed certain historical events for the series.  

I knew when I started, this was not going to be just five books. The short stories were to allow me to tell the original stories that grew in my head before coming up with the frame of the major conflict. I can travel all over time and space in them! At the same time, they are giving me more and more ideas that can't always be expressed in 10,000 words or less. 

Bryan and Esther's travels before the first book take them through half of Europe. He makes it as far as Poland during his studies before family calls him home. Esther sets out on her own adventures much earlier, for reason's you'll see in the book, and she makes it to the coast of the Black Sea. Poor Thomas is stuck in England with his books. The more my trio explore, the more I want to dig into the history. I have notes for stories about their families and even people they pass in the street. It just doesn't end. 

For now, I jot down the new ideas in my trusty notebook. I'll have to let them simmer before seeing if I can make a solid novel out of them or just short stories. That and I really need to work on the approaching deadlines. 

I really hope people don't get sick of this alternate world of mine. At this rate, I'll be pumping out its history until I die. Then, like Tolkien, my heirs will have the task of assembling posthumous publications.