Fine Wine is a short story that became Act I of The Assassin's Blade. Like any story, Fine Wine started with a simple idea: an assassin makes a deal. The story was a bit of an experiment, as I wanted to see if I could write something short. Like really, really short, while still telling a complete story. You see, I'd tried this in the past; every effort turned into a much longer work than what I had originally anticipated. Fine Wine, however, went as planned, taking all of an hour or so to get the first draft down.
In the process of writing the story, I discovered a character I liked enough to want to revisit. So I wrote Killing the Dead, which was planned as a longer, more involved story meant to reveal a bit more about the character and the world he lives in. With the first two tales forming a base for the character, I decided to expand the series by introducing additional supporting characters, a number of organizations whose motives our witty assassin finds himself opposed to for one reason or another, and a diabolical plan that just might mean the end of everything the Assassin Without a Name holds dear. This larger direction starts with Night of Zealotry and continues into subsequent stories from there.
Each story is a tale unto itself, however, so no cliffhanger endings. While I want readers to come back for the next story, I also want them to leave with a sense of fulfillment. I know how some readers feel about serial style works; rest assured, the Assassin Without a Name series is not a collection of serials, but actual short stories and novellas, each with its own beginning and end.
Next Steps
The adventures of the Assassin Without a Name begin in The Assassin's Blade. Order today from Books by Scott Marlowe and get 15% off when you use coupon code SAMPLETAB15.
Join my reader's group and get The Hall of Riddles (An Alchemancer Prequel) and The Assassin's Dilemma (An Assassin Without a Name Prequel) as a welcome gift.