Since the December update, I’ve been busy with the project with various names, but mostly subtitled something like – Pete & the Swede, the Early Years.
Main edits
January saw me working solidly on it, with feedback from my beta readers creating a whole new issue – that of making sure Lars got as much say in the story as Pete. I don’t know why I thought of the project as mostly Pete’s to tell, but now it covers Lars’s working life as thoroughly as it does Pete’s.
There are still parts of their very early lives that only exist as flashbacks and obscure references. I think taking them right back to their childhood is unnecessary. But for both of them it has a bearing on their view of themselves, although Pete is not self-conscious, in stark contrast to Lars.
Lars relaxes
“Food would be great.” Pete stood up, only to sit down again as [Lars] started to change from his coverall to shirt and pants. ‘Is changing for meals obligatory?”
Viridian series prequel (c) J M Pett 2025
“Only if you’ve been doing something odorous.”
One of the subtle things I did was to make Lars even stiffer in the beginning, by having him speak in over-formal phrasing, or just more obscure words. He was brought up in a very strict and hierachical system, like the British Upper Class (or Charles Emerson Winchester IV). Pete’s upbringing was free and easy, despite the invasion of his planet by the Imperium. Lars gradually transitions during college, and talks like most people thanks to Pete’s influence. One thing I find difficult is elaborating on Pete’s background without repeating what is already out there in Curved Space to Corsair.
I enjoyed all their adventures with girls, though. Yes, they did meet girls before they encountered Maggie, Dolores and Aramintha on Pleasant Valley! But as research students who went on into mining (mainly because orichalcum had just been discovered, and was desperately needed), they did not get too many opportunities to build relationships with women. I think Pete did better overall than Lars (or so Lars thinks) but that probably won’t surprise you.
Wordcount, early copies… and a title

The book is currently sitting at just under 90,000 words, which is about the same as the rest of the trilogy. I’m nearing the time to decide on publication strategy, and I don’t at the moment think it’ll come out in paperback. Most of my Viridian series sales are ebooks, and I am picking up sales after my book fairs, so at least some people like what they see.
If you’re a fan of the series, and would like a review copy when it’s finished, email me at my name with a dot between my first name and surname at btinternet.com. It would be good to know which of the books you’ve reviewed, and where you might talk about it, if you ask!
As for a title…. I’m leaning towards The Quest for Orichalcum at present. Having already done a Z title, a Q seems like a good idea to attract reading challenge fans!
I suppose I’d better start thinking about a cover…