Hey guys,
I hope you enjoyed Awakening. A year ago, I couldn't go to sleep after another night of playing BOTW, and the first four chapters or so of this book was the result of that restlessness. Once I got that far into it, I couldn't find a good enough reason to stop. I've really enjoyed getting to know the characters that half-write themselves in my head before I actually get around to putting thought to screen. Like any well-known character, Link is interpreted so many different ways by countless fans. I hope my version has sat well with you so far, and that his gradual reintegration into Hyrule produces the kind of hero you want to follow.
While doing justice to Link has been the biggest challenge, the other characters have been a lot of fun to develop. Some, like Rhoam, came with a pretty established foundation. Others, like Impa, were much more original takes on what were otherwise pretty straightforward figures from the game. Brigo and Dorian were especially fun to create, and I'm looking forward to their roles playing out in the future.
Speaking of which, Book Two: Rushing Waters is already complete. I'll be rolling it out a chapter at a time starting later this week. I'm sure the title gives away at least a portion of the "where," but I'm eager to see how it resonates with you as a whole. This work is much longer than Awakening. More characters and conflict come into play. An early development I'm especially hopeful will be well received: my depiction of the Sheikah that Link intends to meet in Hateno. Overall, expect things to get much darker as the books progress. I'm already into my first draft of Book Three, and I'm very excited about how some random tidbits from the game have evolved into crucial yet unforced parts of the story.
Most important of all: thanks for reading. It's a humbling thing to see that many of you actually like this random attempt at creative writing. We spend a lot of time perusing the internet for things worth our time and attention. I'll try to keep earning that.
Matt