What I've Been Up To

Yes, I've been slacking on writing blogs for the last week. Why? I received an e-mail requesting my bio for the upcoming Sword and Sorceress 30, which contains the latest Justice Anthea short, "Diplomacy in the Dark."

I'd started writing a full-length novel about Justice Anthea and Brother Luc's adventures back during NaNoWriMo in 2013. I hit the 52,500-word mark, which meant I got my badge for that year, but I got stuck on the story itself. Then everything literally fell apart on the house in Houston while I was trying to get it on the market. So, the novel was shoved into an electronic file with the assumption I'd finish it.

Some day.

I'd been working on Zombie Goddess and Hero De Facto earlier this year when the deadline came around for Sword and Sorceress 30. Anthea demanded attention, and I gave in. Wrote a short story. E-mailed it to Lisa Waters.

And went right back to working on the other two novels while reviewing new copies and covers for the Bloodlines series. Got the contract. Signed and returned it.

And went right back to work on the other stuff. Until I got the bio request. For some reason, I pulled up the file for the Justice novel.

And something clicked in my brain. I knew what I'd done wrong (essentially trying to cram three plots into one story). I started ripping the text apart, deleting some stuff, and adding more over the last two weeks. It feels good to be consumed by a story again.

Does that mean letting everything else go to pot?

No. I've got several stories that are at the 40-60K mark that need to be finished. I'm taking it one project at a time. One month at a time.

Things are finally stabilizing at home, and I'm writing on a regular basis again. That makes me happy.