Update by Iain McLaughlin

 

Three Faces of Helena, the next release in our Erimem series, has undergone some substantial changes.

 

The book was originally planned as three interlinked novellas, knitted together by linking material, to form a single narrative which would explain the mysteries surrounding Erimem's friend Helena. However, when one of the novellas arrived it was not the narrative on which we had agreed and it was not the story which we had agreed. In terms of this overall book, it did not work. The writer was asked for the substantial changes to be made in order for it to be the story for which the writer was contracted. However, the writer felt that doing so would compromise their vision of the story, and refused to make the changes. We were unable to compromise because doing so would mean that the whole book simply did not make sense. We again asked the writer to make the changes to fit the ongoing narrative and again the writer declined to do so. Ultimately, the writer withdrew their story, which meant we needed to make changes to the book. 

 

Three Faces of Helena is now a novel containing three plot strands all twined togather to explain Helena. One of the novellas was to have been written by me, another by a returning Erimem writer and the withdrawn section of the book was by a first time author. I have now written the novel. The novella which was withdrawn will not be published, but the other section will be retooled as a standalone novella. Three Faces of Helena will now be published at the beginning of May.

 

It is a great sadness that the story by the first-time author will not see the light of day. It was a great story, and what came in was well written. Unfortunately it simply didn't work for the book or indeed for the series as a whole. I wish we could have found some agreement but that was not to be. 

 

However, I hope you enjoy the Three Faces of Helena.