I have been pinged¹ a few times lately by fans who are a little miffed² that I rescinded publication of The Ligan of the Disomus so I could finish the book that precedes it in the Observer’s Casebook series. Why is the first book taking so long? Part of the explanation is that I’ve been working on other projects, including the 2^nd edition of On The Head Of A Pin, a few serial pieces, and bits of theater (including a short play that was spontaneously performed at a recent Submit 10 event!).

But, the core reason is that The Crow and the Kinnebeck is a nested tale, otherwise known as a frame story or “story within a story.” A writer has to be extra careful spinning this sort of yarn. Let me describe the dynamics of the frame story, then offer a Top Five list of pointers for writers ambitious enough to attempt a complex nested narrative.

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