A
long time ago (before I moved out of my parents’ home ten years ago), I started
writing a long mystery story set in Victorian England. I was still writing in
German then and “Der Fall des Cornwall Vampirs” (The Case of the Cornwall Vampire) grew to
one hundred pages. Then, however, it was stalled and it hasn’t grown any longer
since then.
Recently,
I realized it might be easy enough to take the story of this one and separate
it into three different story lines. It was kind of fractured, anyway. So a few
days ago, while I was about to finish another short story (“Vengeful Ghost” now
awaiting proofreading), I decided to sketch out the three story lines and now I
have the files up and can start rewriting and reworking the stories of the
Blind Medium, the Blood Ruby, and the Cornwall Vampire, introducing a few
characters that might also be around for more stories over time.
Perhaps,
it would also work well as one long story, but I have realized by now I feel
much more comfortable with the novella format. I can write the 20,000 to 30,000
words of such a story in a month or less (well, sometimes it takes longer) and
it doesn’t develop any uncomfortable lengths which might make it boring. I
might not have what it takes to write novels, but currently I’m pretty content
with writing novellas or short stories.
I
still like the characters I created for the original story and I will try to
somehow pull them all from the story I wrote into the stories I now plan to
write. Some will have to wait a little longer, one might have to wait until
after the end of the three novellas planned so far, but I hope I will be able
to work them all in over time. Currently in planning are those three stories:
The Case of
the Blind Medium
Count
Benjamin Farrens investigates a new medium making rounds among the rich and the
nobles of London. But when he finally manages to attend a séance, the
adolescent medium’s guardian gets killed. When the detective-inspector on the
case seems set on blaming it on the blind boy, Benjamin throws his brain and
his money into the case.
The Case of
the Blood Ruby
An
unexpected visit from the past brings memories of Count Benjamin’s travels
through Asia. Then both Benjamin and his guest are drawn into the daring theft
of a cursed jewel. Does death really follow those who touch the Blood Ruby? Or
is there just no honour among thieves?
The Case of
the Cornwall Vampire
A
tourist’s complain at Scotland Yard seems strange at first view. How many
people complain about a vampire attack in the Queen’s Britain? The countryside
in Cornwall might be nice, but the inhabitants are suspiciously silent. And
which roles play a retired researcher and his sick daughter?
Benjamin Farrens will probably have future adventures
as well, but for the time being, he will be in those three stories which I hope
to have finished in a few months. Before I do, however, I should get my recent
short stories out.
