Project LOKI ①

FAQ GANERN! (Spoiler Alert!)

NOTE: This section is already outdated since it was written and published in 2016. The answers may no longer be relevant today.

I posted this section para sa mga reader na may tanong tungkol sa Project LOKI. There are times that I can't reply immediately to comments and I sometimes forget to answer. Narito ang ilan sa mga tanong na kadalasang nagpa-pop mula sa mga reader:

1. Meron bang VOLUME TWO ang Project LOKI? Kung meron, kailan ito mapo-post?

Yup, rest assured na may next volume ang adventures nina Loki at Lorelei. I said before na February pero dahil sa real life at ibang commitments, na-push ito later. (I'm already part of the working class so life sometimes takes most of my time.)

2. Eh? Bakit antagal naman?

Hindi gano'n kadaling magsulat ng detective fiction kung ikukumpara sa ibang genre. Pero once na bumalik na ang LOKI sa regular schedule, one chapter every two days, if not every day, ang mapo-post. Ang average word count ko for LOKI ay 4,000. Pero minsan, umaabot ng 6,000-7,000 words.

3. Ilang chapters ang ine-expect n'yo sa Project LOKI? At may ending na ba kayong naisip?

Originally, twenty chapters lang dapat. Kaso natuwa ako sa reception ng mga reader at sa chemistry nina Loki at Lorelei kaya na-extend. I'm eyeing for fifty chapters, divided into three volumes.

Yes, I have an ending in mind. It will be a good one, I promise. Pero pwede pang magbago along the way. Hehe.

4. Magkakaroon ba ng development ang relasyon nina Loki at Lorelei sa Volume Two?

Wala po. Unang-una sa lahat, mystery ang focus ng plot, hindi love story. 

5. Malalaman ba namin ang backstory ni Lorelei sa Volume Two?

Nag-drop ako ng hints throughout the first volume and I think it's fairly obvious to some what might have happened to her. In the second volume, we will go back to where it all began.

6. Magiging part ba ng Q.E.D. Club si Rosetta?

Loki already shot down the idea so I guess malabo nang maihabol pa ang membership niya. Haha.

7. Ano pong ibig sabihin ng Q.E.D.?

Huh? Hindi ko ba na-mention sa nakalipas na twenty chapters? You can search for it on the Internet. Meron ding manga na ganyan ang title at parehong mag-partner ang male and female lead (brains + brawn thingy).

8. May mga minor character ba sa first volume na magpapakita sa next volume?

Yes, and you should have paid attention to those characters, either formally introduced or briefly mentioned. Who knows how significant they are?

9. Si Stein Alberts ba talaga si Moriarty? At napatay ba siya ni Loki?

Chapter 20 revealed that he is indeed Moriarty. If you think it's an ass-pull revelation, I suggest that you re-read Chapter 18. That's probably the most important clue as to Stein's "other" identity.

If you're not convinced, well, carry on.

He's still alive, by the way.

10. Pwede n'yo bang patayin si Jamie?

Nope. Nope. Nope. I like her as a character and I enjoy writing her.

11. How can Moriarty, assuming he's a high school student, make everyone in his organization obey him? Such as Officer Bastien?

He has cunning methods to secure absolute and blind obedience from his underlings. Will be explored more on the second volume.

12. Saan po galing ang mga code na ginamit n'yo?

Most of the codes have been researched. Don't be surprised kung nabasa n'yo na ang mga 'yon sa ibang mystery/detective fiction stories. Pinaka-common na yata ang Caesar's Box. 'Yong skip code sa Chapter 15, nabasa ko siya sa isang Sherlock Holmes story. 'Yong base eight code, inspired siya sa isang Sherlock pastiche (pero mas komplikado 'yon dahil roman numerals ang gamit).

Idinadaan ko sa execution ang ibang codes para maging unique. Kunwari 'yong Morse Code (dots and dashes), ginawa ko siyang "knocks and scratches" sa Chapter 11. Pati 'yong double code mystery sa Chapter 18. 'Yong code sa Chapter 5, biglang pumasok sa isip ko habang tintingnan 'yong periodic table of elements.

At the moment, may mga bagay akong nakikita na pwedeng gawing code. Try n'yong tumingin sa keyboard or keypad n'yo ngayon, something might jump out of you na pwedeng inspiration for a code.

13. Magkakaroon ba ng ibang setting ang mga case? Kasi puro nasa school e.

Ah, sorry. Gusto ko kasing bumalik sa school kaya laging doon ang setting ng lahat ng stories ko. Haha! Pero sa second volume, I guarantee na lalabas na sila. Pwedeng mapunta sila sa isang villa kung saan aatake ang isang serial killer, like what a reader suggested.

14. How about ang mga type of cases? May something new ba na dapat abangan aside from the usual murders?

Iniisip ko pa kung paano ako makakasulat ng locked room mystery. Meron na sumagi sa isip ko pero masyadong visual at nahihirapan ako to put it into words.

Serial killings would also be a nice addition to the arsenal of mysteries for the second volume.

So far, ang mga covered case ay: murder, suicide, murder-disguised-as-suicide, abduction, blackmail, stalker

AND THE MILLION PESO QUESTION:

15. Kailan kayo mag-u-update? Ipo-post n'yo rin ba rito ang next chapters o gagawa kayo ng bagong book for the second volume?

May hinihintay pa ako kaya hindi ko masabi kung kailan. Pero gaya ng sinabi ko, most probably sa March. Kapag dumating na 'yon, I will inform you right away.

***

At the moment, I'm trying out other forms of mystery/detective fiction kaya may mga bagong story ako. If you are into mystery, you may want to give them a shot.

May tanong ba kayo sa akin? Feel free to post your questions below and I will answer them.

Kung may expectations o suggestions kayo kung paano mapapaganda ang VOLUME TWO, feel free to also post them below.

As a writer, I will highly appreciate your feedback. Thank you!

P.S. As a bonus sa mga nagtiyagang magbasa nito, I present you this:

Moriarty has four "generals" and they have been introduced and/or mentioned in the first volume.