Some weeks you feel like a consultant; others, you feel like a carry-on bag.
It’s been a busy few weeks here in the hinterlands. Most of it has involved work-related travel—and I’m starting to suspect the consulting game was designed for younger legs. There’s an unspoken expectation that you’ll leap from plane to plane, arriving at each client site bright-eyed and bushy-tailed (as opposed to bleary-eyed and demanding coffee… which is how I usually greet my day).
Now that travel has settled down a bit, I’m back to work on Book Two in my series. The first draft is complete, so I’m deep into the second-draft revision phase—extensive, but in that satisfying, creative way. Part of the fun is seeing how much my characters have deepened thanks to everything I learned while polishing Book One. The other part? Pacing. Between my Beta readers and my line editor, I’ve learned volumes. I’m trimming a chapter here, slicing half a scene there. I’ve realized that two characters sitting around exchanging information—no matter how intriguing that information—doesn’t quite create the kind of tension I want anchoring a chapter. So, back to the outline I go, rearranging events and stirring in a few new conflicts.
Without spoiling anything, Book Two brings a few new faces into the fold—and one that’s probably better left in the shadows.
Another exciting milestone: I’ve earned my first Amazon review for Book One! I’m ridiculously pleased about that. I’ve also been getting The Returned Child listed on several book blogs that feature reviews of new works. (The process: once approved, after a very polite email, your book lands on their “To Read” list, and if it catches a reader’s eye, they request an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.) I’ve handed out six copies to potential reviewers so far. For Book Two, I plan to start this process earlier and offer ARC copies. Now that the series has an established title, it feels like I have a bit more credibility going in.
I hope everyone’s Halloween was a good one. Mine was decidedly campy: I crafted a papier-mâché “Audrey II” and handed out candy as Seymour from Little Shop of Horrors, with the soundtrack playing in the background. My faux plant was tiny, but she was a fierce little number. I spent forever getting those plump lips the right balance of glossy and red.
If you’ve read Book One, I’d love to hear your thoughts—or your favorite Halloween costume this year!
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