Reader Question Day #69 – The order of THE GHOSTS novels and short stories

JB asks:

I am a huge fan of the ghost series… I was wondering what order do they go in? I have read all of the ones I could find on my kindle even the short stories. I am reading them again but I wanted to go in order from child of the ghosts to ghost in the ashes and I’m not sure where the short stories fit into the rest of the series. I can’t wait till ghost in the mask comes out…I feel like I have watched Caina grow up!!!

Thanks! I’m glad you liked them.

Officially, they should be read in this order:

#1 Child of the Ghosts
#2 Ghost Aria (though Ghost Aria actually takes place during CHILD OF THE GHOSTS)
#3 Ghost in the Flames
#4 Ghost Dagger
#5 Ghost in the Blood
#6 Ghost in the Storm
#7 Ghost in the Stone
#8 Ghost in the Forge
#9 Ghost Claws
#10 Ghost in the Ashes

LKM asks:

Do you write from an outline, or do you just make it up as you go?

A little bit of both. I always write an outline beforehand – usually about 3,000 words to describe the entire book. It’s pretty thorough, but I’m open to improvising if the story demands it.

A good example is Malaric in SOUL OF SORCERY and SOUL OF SKULLS. In the initial outline of of SOUL OF SORCERY, Malaric was simply the mercenary captain Lucan hired to bring him to Morvyrkrad, and then Lucan would betray him and leave him in Morvyrkrad once he had the Wraithaldr. But Malaric’s role expanded the minute I actually wrote him – first he became the assassin the Skulls sent to punish Molly Cravenlock for her betrayal, but Malaric decided his ambitions would be better served by following Lucan.

Which, of course, prompted the obvious question – what were Malaric’s ambitions? Why, to overthrow his father and his younger brothers, and claim the throne of Barellion for himself. So Malaric went from a minor character to one of the principal antagonists in SOUL OF SKULLS. Had I slavishly followed my original outline, that would not have happened.

Celia asks:

Your books rock! I love the ghost books. How did you come up with such an idea as the ghost books and all your other books.

Thanks! I’m glad you liked them. Here’s a longer essay from last year explaining where I got the idea for THE GHOSTS – as with so many things in life, it started with a rejection letter.

-JM