Editor’s Note: Today we welcome author Edale Lane of the historical thriller/romance Night Flyer Trilogy, as part of her blog tour celebrating the third and final release, Chaos in Milan. In this guest post, Edale discusses the evolution of the trilogy, with many insights for readers and writers alike!
Evolution of a Trilogy
by Edale Lane
I suspect that every author ends their novel with a few deviations from his or her original concept. It is simply how the process works. As we flesh out our characters, they demand certain things of us we may not have originally planned. Plots often develop in surprising ways as improved ideas stream into our minds. And then we can encounter extraordinary synchronicities when researching for our novels. This is even more true in a longer work such as a trilogy.
A year and a half ago I set out to write The Night Flyer, which I had originally thought would be a single novel. But as the story line played out in my head and I began the outline, it became evident that it was too long for one book. Therefore, I set the plot line into three major sections and started work on book one, Merchants of Milan, because it features three powerful merchants: Don Alessandro Torelli, Don Benetto Viscardi, and Don Giovanni Sacchi. At that time, it was clear in my planning that Alessandro was the good guy, Benetto was the bad guy, and I hadn’t really decided where Giovanni stood.
As I got into book one, I knew I wanted a major twist in the plot, something that no one would see coming, so I considered surprising the audience by making Alessandro into the underworld boss of the secret society. But that never sat right; he truly was a good guy. It was at that point, about halfway through with writing the first novel, that I determined to include two secret societies—one with a purpose or order and unity, and the other focused on war and chaos. It is quite believable to imagine that a small group of powerful people have worked behind the scenes for centuries in order to create such alliances as NATO and the European Union. And their premise is sound: Europe would be a much safer, more prosperous place if the individual nations bound themselves together with common purpose. From the crash of the Roman Empire until the latter half of the twentieth century, Europe was ravaged by internal wars, but since the advent of cooperation, the continent has prospered.
I hadn’t made a final decision as to the fate of Don Benetto until I got to the end of Merchants when he fell under the Night Flyer’s blade. By then I had created what some detractors have labeled a “Mary Sue” character in Florentina. I’m sorry if some people don’t care for individuals like me, who always look for the positive and try to find good in everyone. But there we have it. Florentina may kill men in self-defense or defense of others, but she simply could not execute even a guilty man if he was unarmed and at her mercy. It was at that point that I became inspired with Benetto’s continuing arc in the trilogy. It doesn’t happen as miraculously and overnight as did Ebenezer Scrooge’s transformation, but it is true that coming face to face with death can inspire a person to change. In my estimation, Benetto’s climb toward redemption is one of the most compelling pieces of the story.
As I started writing book two, Secrets of Milan, I had fleshed out the concept of dueling secret societies in my mind. They are not cut and dry, good vs evil. Some aspects of Chaos philosophy are actually true and necessary, while the more noble Cavalieri Dell’unità occasionally reduces itself to unscrupulous tactics to achieve the “greater good.” Florentina discovers that there are many gray areas of life. In this volume, assassins are after Maddie, someone kills another prominent woman of the city, and Maddie recalls another mysterious death the past May. Could they be related? Could the same secret society have murdered Maddie’s husband? (an event that took place before the opening of the trilogy)
From the beginning of Secrets, I knew I wanted the climax to come in the catacombs under Rome. They are ancient, spooky, and filled with mystery. I also planned the ultimate battle with the assassin to take place in the Pantheon at night. What an awesome visual under the oculus of the historic dome. But finding the right spot in miles and miles of catacombs was a dilemma. When I got to that part of the book, my research revealed some interesting facts that I had been unaware of. I discovered a little chapel called the Church of Quo Vadis along the Appian Way that was near the entrance to one of the catacombs. Because of its interesting history and the uniqueness of its name, which means “Where are you going,” I jumped on the opportunity to include it. I then went back and rewrote some of the clues the women had been using to unravel the mystery of where and when to find the secret society. That way, the clues would lead to this spot—they only had to be interpreted correctly.
The big reveal in Secrets was that Alessandro was a member of the Cavalieri, an international covert organization, but that it was not the same one trying to murder Maddie. Florentina finds herself in a position that once again requires her to keep secrets from the woman she loves. She learns of the true enemy—the Shadow Guild. Now her mission becomes to find who is behind the murders and stop them.
In order to set up Chaos in Milan, I had to know who the Shadow Guild member in Milan was and lay clues in Secrets. A careful reading of book two could point to the master villain, but he certainly did not have a glaring red light over his head. As book three progresses, there are several suspects thrown out for the reader to consider. I don’t want to get too far into the plot and surprises for Chaos because I don’t want to spoil the end for those of you who haven’t read the book yet. But there were other stupendous evolutions in writing this book!
As the historian I am, I wanted the series to be a romp through Renaissance Italy. Book one featured Milan, book two took us to Rome, and book three culminates in the city that started it all—Florence. What I did not know when I started writing the trilogy and was delighted to discover when I got to this book was a little-known fact that an advance viewing of Michelangelo’s David actually took place on the very day my characters were scheduled to be there. Don’t you love it when a plan comes together? So, they were there for the first public unveiling of the masterpiece. Another piece of synchronicity occurred relative to Antonio’s part in the Italian Wars. I wanted to feature him in an epic war scene, but when I chose the dates for the story to take place, I was unaware that a historic battle occurred in exactly the time and place I had put Antonio. It was the Battle of Cerignola, the first conflict in history in which the use of hand-held firearms turned the tide of victory, and the first time a general was killed by a pistol.
When I began the trilogy, I had a rough idea of where it would go and what would become of Florentina and Maddie, but many of the details developed as the writing process moved along. I was extremely pleased with the way everything came together with the historical accuracy I was striving for. Was there really a flying vigilante soaring over the skies of Milan in the early 1500s? Probably not. But if I have done my job correctly, I have made you consider the possibility that there could have been.
About the author: Edale Lane is the author of an award winning 2019 debut novel, Heart of Sherwood. She is the alter-ego of author Melodie Romeo, (Vlad a Novel, Terror in Time, and others) who founded Past and Prologue Press. Both identities are qualified to write historical fiction by virtue of an MA in History and 24 years spent as a teacher, along with skill and dedication in regard to research. She is a successful author who also currently drives a tractor-trailer across the United States. A native of Vicksburg, MS, Edale (or Melodie as the case may be) is also a musician who loves animals, gardening, and nature. Please visit her website at: https://pastandprologuepress.lpages.co/
Book Synopsis for Chaos in Milan:
One woman stands between chaos and order – the Night Flyer.
When chaos strikes at the heart of Milan, it is up to Florentina’s alter-ego the Night Flyer to stop it. As Florentina and Madelena’s love deepens, so does the well of danger surrounding them. The race is on to discover the mysterious Shadow Guild and uncover who is behind the deadly rampage, but Florentina’s mission is threatened by a gang of assassins. Can the Night Flyer prevail, or will Maddie’s love be ripped from her arms?
Chaos in Milan is the third book in Edale Lane’s Night Flyer Trilogy, a tale of power, passion, and payback in Renaissance Italy. If you like action and suspense, rich historical background, three-dimensional characters, and a sweet romance, then you’ll want to complete the Night Flyer saga.
Author Links:
Twitter: @EdaleLane
Official Site: https://pastandprologuepress.lpages.co/
Tour Schedule and Activities
2/3 The Literary Underworld http://www.literaryunderworld.com Guest Post
2/3 Jazzy Book Reviews https://bookreviewsbyjasmine.blogspot.com/ Author Interview
2/4 The Sinister Scribblings of Sarah E Glenn http://saraheglenn.blogspot.com/ Guest Post
2/5 Kim Smith, Author http://Kimsmithauthor.com/weblog Guest Post
2/5 Oohana Children’s Church http://www.oohanacc.wordpress.com Video – Interview Response
2/6 Horror Tree https://www.horrortree.com Guest Post
2/7 The Seventh Star Blog http://www.theseventhstarblog.com Guest Post
2/8 Jorie Loves A Story http://www.jorielovesastory.com Review
2/9 Afshan Hashmi https://afshanhashmi.com/books-coming-to-me-from-book-tour-hosts-for-my-analysis Guest Post
2/10 Sapphyria’s Books https://saphsbooks.blogspot.com/ Guest Post
Tour Page URL: https://www.tomorrowcomesmedia.com/chaos-in-milan-blog-tour-featuring-edale-lane/
Tour Badge URL: https://www.tomorrowcomesmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/TourGraphic_ChaosInMilan.jpg
Links for Chaos in Milan:
Kindle Version: https://www.amazon.com/Chaos-Milan-Three-Night-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B08Q7H6DFX/
Amazon Print Version: https://www.amazon.com/Chaos-Milan-Three-Night-Trilogy/dp/B08PXK13B3/
Barnes and Noble Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/merchants-of-milan-edale-lane/1136051210?ean=9781654780197