Updates

An old client that I did some work for a few years ago got in touch and asked if I would finish that project. I like the story, though the material definitely needs work, so I was happy to go back to it. I am almost finished the original contracted material, and will send it to him, probably this weekend. Then, if he is still willing, I’ll do a second pass. If not, I have tons of projects–most likely will work on book 2 of my series (that’s in my head right now). I have two other projects but I am waiting for feedback from others on those.

…and submitted. As Chapter 1 of book 2 will be published at the end of book 1, it has the same deadline, of course. But I like the outline and the chapter, so I’m not too worried that I have set book 2 on a bad course, or anything.

Being the odds-on favorite to take “Best Related Work” at the Auroras this year didn’t prevent me from doubting it could happen. So it was a shock and surprise when our name was called! I got to give the acceptance speech for Lucas, who couldn’t be there, then muddled through my own which I winged (rather well, I thought, except for missing out my thanks to everyone on my list to thank). Also, our artist, Samantha Beiko, won for best cover, and one of our authors, Hayden Trenholm won Best Short Story for “Marion’s War.” Triple Crown!

Okay, or going on holiday. Had a wonderful week in Nova Scotia with my sister; but hey–we DID go sea kayaking, which I have never done before, and one needs a plethora of experiences as a writer, right? Also, very cool to go to a ceilidh and see the locals just get up and square dance as the music moved them.

This has been an interesting process. I was unable to get to book 2 because of too many other deadlines and family responsibilities, but I WAS able to dictate into my voice recorder while on a motorcycle trip. I created 22 documents, some of which were plot threads and reminders, and some of which were text, mostly chapter 1 starts / scenes, or a new idea I had to slide in somewhere later.

When it came time to outline the plot (on my 6-day writers’ retreat) I used these docs and other scraps of notes. Done! For chapter 1, I then took the 5 scenes (inciting incident, complication, crisis, climax, resolution) I had outlined and shoved them into a document with my noodled chapter 1 text, and have been worrying away at it a bit at a time over the past week. Again, as I am traveling with family (out-of-province at a family wedding) there is little time to write, so I am stealing an hour here or there (on a flight, in the car going to an event) to mold the text into shape based on the notes from my outline.

So far, I’ve finished scene 1. Tortoise-and-hare-style, I’m tortoising, but it’s working!