Serial Book

Charles Dickens published all of his novels in serial form in the magazines of his day. He actually published each episode before the rest of the story was written, sometimes adjusting his characters because of the comments he received from his readers week by week. I cannot imagine publishing, for wider readership, parts of a book before I know how it will finish.

When I begin a book of fiction, I don’t know how it will finish. It is not all planned out, and as it takes a certain direction, I will sometimes have to go back and edit what I have already written so that it leads into the following events in an orderly sequence.

Starting next week, I will begin releasing my most recent book, in serial form. This book, Extragalactic; End of an Age, is a completed work and I don’t have to be concerned with how it will end. It has come to its conclusion, and I’m happy with it. As I have thought about this procedure, and thought about Dickens’ inimitable history as a novelist, it occurred to me that the Bible was also released in serial form! Nobody but the Author knew how it was going to end. He did have the completed work in His mind. Each episode led irresistibly towards the Gospel of the Messiah and the ultimate salvation of mankind. Now, we, knowing the end, can look back and see in each chapter, as we read it, the elements of the full story shaping up.

Chronologically, the last chapters of the Bible outline a lot of events that most believe are yet to take place before the end of the age, and there are many viewpoints about how that is going to play out. Spoiler alert here… Extragalactic presents an inspirational perspective on some of those events. Beginning next week.