Return to Glinhaven
Posted Fri, 02/14/14
It was my intention to finish Bloodlust by summertime, but my focus has veered back into Glinhaven.
I'm not sure why, but I started thinking about Glinhaven last week. I re-wrote the outline and developed a full synopsis with a concrete ending. The storyline changed considerably from my original concept, but that's okay. I'm comfortable with the direction and my envisioned conclusion.
The new blurbs:
Piper Hunt leaves Boston to take over her grandfather's unique curio shop in Glinhaven. While adjusting to life in the quaint seaside village, she uncovers dark secrets hidden at the forbidding Glinhaven Monastery which may unlock mysteries from her past. . .
"Glinhaven" by Deborah O'Toole is a traditional gothic fiction novel similar in style to classic 1970s paperbacks written by Dorothy Daniels, Marilyn Harris, Victoria Holt, Marilyn Ross and Phyllis Whitney.
I also threw together a flyer for the novel (PDF, 278 KB):
Glinhaven is not meant to be long and complicated, but rather a nod to the traditional gothic novels of the 1970s (which I enjoyed immensely).
A foggy seaside village dominated by a sinister mansion…
It's the perfect launch for a gothic novel. The influence of "Glin" comes from the Irish town of the same name in County Limerick. As for the main character's name of Piper Hunt, the combination came from echoes of my second husband (Hunt) and the television character of Piper Halliwell (Charmed), although my character does not possess special powers.
As for the story itself, it sort of developed on the backburner for several years. I wrote the first few chapters in June 2008. I pecked at it over time, but the story took a back seat because my focus was on finishing the eight novels in the Collective Obsessions Saga first. It wasn't until recently that I was able to return my attention to Glinhaven.
Re-reading the first few chapters gave me several more ideas and plot twists, which I'm currently implementing. Most traditional gothic novels have happy endings, so I've already envisioned a way Piper can get to the truth about her past and still come out happy.
I'm hoping to finish Glinhaven by late summer or early autumn, but I'm making no promises!
Tags: Glinhaven