BryonySeries "Before The Blood" Prequel

I was still in the drafting and editing phases for the BryonySeries original trilogy (2009 to 2010) when I began to seriously consider writing a prequel.

Because the prequel is mostly historical fiction with supernatural undercurrents, the initial research alone took several years.

At the time, I saw the prequel as one novel (which it is). But I struggled to find the best protagonist for the story, since no one character possessed the overarching "best perspective."

I finally decided to tell the story from the point of view from four main characters (each character would have his or her own section) with the storylines weaving and crisscrossing - until all four appeared together in the final section like a 1970s disaster movie.

I was well into the writing when Rebekah suggested publishing each section as a separate installment, since each section was really five incomplete novels that comprised one larger (and also incomplete) novel.

The initial research continued several years until I finally began any serious writing in January 2014. More research continued throughout the writing and initial editing process until the end of 2018.

I had entire the novel ready to go before publishing the first volume in January 2019. And then released each installment in two-month segments, working on each segment in those quiet spaces.

We called it "Before The Blood" because the action tells the back story before the three main BryonySeries vampires became vampires (although one is actually turned in BTB) and the events that led to the vampirism in the first place. 

The fourth character is Bryony herself, who only appears in the prequel, despite the entire series bearing her name.

Sue Midlock, who creates all The Adventures of Cornell Dyer art, worked with me to create a cover concept with a nineteenth century feel.

Christopher Gleason, cover artist for "Staked!" and "Snowbell," created five frontispieces for each volume. The colors are stunning; and we considered publishing them in color, but the cost was prohibitive.

However, you may enjoy them on the BryonySeries Facebook page.

And Colleen H. Robbins shared her editorial skills to find areas to polish that my own editing missed.

Here is the description for each book.

Browse - and enjoy!

Before The Blood

"Before The Blood" is a five installment prequel to the original "drop of blood" trilogy. It's part historical fiction, part gothic fiction, and part tragedy as it centers on four key characters and how they ruin their lives.

Its tagline reads: "Step into the past when dreams were still bright and the future was unwritten."

Before The Blood: John Simons

In Book One, read how nineteenth century pianist/composer John Simons goes from riches to rags to riches, and the price he pays along the way.

Before The Blood: Kellen Wechsler

In Book Two, read how Kellen Wechsler goes from rags to riches, and the lives he discards along the way.

Before The Blood: Bryony Marseilles

In Book Three, read how little Bryony Marseilles, spoiled sheltered, and sickly, uses her introversion and imagination to make sense of her Utopia.

Before The Blood: Henry Matthews

In Book Four, read how Henry Matthews goes from rags to riches and what he sacrifices to serve the riches.

Before The Blood: Bryony Simons

In Book Five, read how Bryony Simons and those she loves destroy their dreams.

Before the Blood 

Get all five installments in one volume for a lower overall price. Just be aware the paper is white as opposed to cream and the print is very, very small.