That was painful.
I started writing the next novel in the Sean Colbeth Investigates back in March, fully expecting to be able to complete it during the two-month window I’d allocated for it. Little did I realize my professional life would suddenly be upended by a series of changes — some of which I’ve already gone into elsewhere on my blog (here and here). All of that turmoil required more of my attention than normal, so as these things usually go, my time in front of the computer consequently suffered. Chapters that normally took hours to write stretched into days; plots began to shift, reflecting my dark thoughts about what was going on at my day job. For the first time since I began this journey as an author, I found it nearly impossible to keep the two parts of my life separate.
So, I did the only thing I could: I embraced it.
The end result is an unusual story where Sean finds himself dealing with multiple cases while treading awfully close to that grey area where lawfulness can become something else entirely. Turmoil was the order of the day, and over the course of the novel I watched as Sean changed and adjusted and rolled with the punches much as his creator was forced to do in realtime. It also opened the door for me to consider a breathtaking third act twist that still has me a bit shocked; my instinct is to erase it from being, but to protect it, I’ve slipped the manuscript onto a shelf where it will sit for a bit avoiding my attention. And that, as they say, is that — at least until it comes time to edit it early next year.
Now I turn my attention to what’s next.
What is next? That turns out to be a solid question, for I am torn between tackling the next book in the Vasily Korsokovach Investigates series or (finally) finishing my fantasy mystery, Reflection in the Shadows. I shouldn’t be torn, for the very fact that Shadows has been languishing should tell me something; then again, ever since my friend introduced me to the romantasy genre, the idea of stepping back into fantasy has become ever more compelling. More so, perhaps, given how dark and unsettling Belie turned out to be; a healthy dose of magic might be just what I need, creatively speaking.
Stay tuned.
Related Reading
Baubles is being included in a giveaway promotion featuring LGBTQ+ Romance stories during the month of September; even though Romance isn’t my true genre, I love to discover new authors — and who can resist a free read? If you are so inclined, check out the listing of short stories and full-length novels available using the link below.
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