With the recent events in Iraq, as ISIS takes city after city and the Iraqi Army folds like a cheap suit, Hunting in the Shadows and Alone and Unafraid have solidly moved from “speculative fiction” into “alternate history.” It’s a risk that an author takes, writing fictional stories in real-world conflict zones, that events might very well overtake the story. In this case, they have, as a couple of my assumptions in setting up the story have proven erroneous: I figured ISIS would focus more on Syria until Assad was overthrown, and that the IA would show a little bit more spine than it has.
Oh, well. That’s why it’s fiction. I’ll still push forward based on the story so far; for one thing, I’m not throwing out 80k words worth of work. It’s still a good story, it’s just happening in a world that’s not quite ours…
Oh just give it time, Peter. The fat lady hasn’t even warmed up yet. But don’t you even consider not finishing that book. I’ve been waiting…