Back to Writing and Some Recent Reads

 Last November I had an ill-fated experience with National Novel Writing Month, throwing up my hands and giving up after a week or so. I only wrote about 5,500 words that had little direction, almost reading like a stream of consciousness. 

I opened the file again this morning and began reading and revising. It wasn't as bad as I had first thought when I initially surrendered to my lack of willpower. What I discovered is that it's workable, especially since I have a vision for what I want it to develop into in the coming weeks. 

The manuscript will evolve into the sixth novel in the John Ross Boomer Lit series that began in 2015. For those unfamiliar with the series, it follows the life of John and his wife, Sally, after his retirement from a Kentucky newspaper. They've dealt with family issues, traveled to Europe, faced health concerns, and confronted various trials and tribulations in this coming-of-old-age series (focusing on baby boomers). 

During the two months of inactivity, all was not lost. I was able to reflect on what I had written, what I wrote in the five previous books, and to get a handle on John and Sally Ross's life moving forward. I want to keep the books fresh for readers who have followed John, Sally, Chloe, and Brody for nearly seven years.

Now that I am back in a groove, writing will be part of my daily regimen until I finish the first draft. When will that happen? I haven't a clue at this point.

While I wasn't writing, I was reading a lot. Here are a few of the books:

This cozy mystery has the right amount of twists and turns to keep the reader's interest from beginning to end. The story revolves around the death of a woman under mysterious circumstances that leads to another unexplained death. The novel, set in San Francisco, has a few devious characters as well as a touch of romance that slowly sizzles and nearly fizzles from the tension to add some spice to the plot. 

Vicki Easerly's devotions focus on her attitude about the good and bad, and everything in between, that has come into her life. She places her faith in God and accepts the outcomes, and strives to grow and learn from her experiences. Her honesty and openness should help others who are examining their lives and are looking for solutions on how to deal with setbacks and successes. 

I must admit that I balked at reading this novel when I was much younger. I finally picked it up, probably because of my concern about today's world that has seen the rise of authoritarianism. George Orwell penned this classic after World War II, imagining a totalitarian society of government misinformation, double-speak, and lies. While I found it to be plodding at times, it was still worth the effort to read what he feared about the future.

Until the next time . . .  

Brief Timeout from Manuscript and Recent Reads

 My work-in-progress is now a work-in-process as it has been sent to my editor to begin steps to publication so I'm taking a short breather and relax.

This will be the fifth book in the John Ross Boomer Lit series and will be published Oct. 1 by Wings ePress. I've put in a lot of hours the past couple of months so it's time to sit back for a day or so. 

I missed my deadline of completing it on April 1 by one day because I made several final-day changes before hitting the send button. I could have made more edits/rewrites but there comes a time when you have to hand it over to the editor because it can become an all-consuming process that has no end.

Between now and then, the manuscript will be edited and returned to me to make corrections and consider suggestions. After issues are resolved, it will be sent to a proofreader to spot other problems such as typos and grammatical errors. The manuscript will then be transformed into a galley proof for one final read to make any additional changes before being published. 

In the meantime, I'll be working on loglines, website blurbs, marketing input, and working with a graphic artist on a cover. So there's lots of work ahead of me and the talented folks at Wings ePress before the launch date. 

By the way, the manuscript clocked in at 59k words, about 9k more from the first draft following National Novel Writing Month last November. The finished novel could be more or less, depending on what happens during this next phase of the editing process. 

I also hope to begin working on the sixth book in the series after completing some of the odds and ends. There's more to tell about the life and times of John and Sally Ross. 

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Recent reads:

Paul Maher Jr.'s book sets the stage for Jack Kerouac's classic On the Road, providing background on the real-life characters and places that populate the popular novel. This book is a must-read for those who want to understand the life and times of the Kerouac as well as his inspirations and aspirations as a writer.

I revisited George Orwell's classic dystopian novel, curious to see how it has held up, especially since 1984. It's still an interesting read but overwritten (my humble opinion) in parts. But overall the book is a cautionary tale about totalitarian government, published after World War II (1949). We learn about "Big Brother," thought control, and much more. Chilling! 

Until the next time . . .