Of Projects & Moons

Our jaunt to Chicago for some R&R went quite well. We wandered around the Windy City using buses, El and other trains. This time around we stayed north of the Chicago River, a few blocks from Michigan Avenue. Unfortunately my right knee has been bugging me recently so I had to resort to alternate support--yeah, I had to buy one of those nifty collapsible canes. Worked great. The Chicago bus drivers would wait until I almost got to the nearest handicapped seat before they floored it as compared to when I wasn't toting the cane. Now that I'm home the knee is improving, but still not enough to do Tai Chi. Disclaimer: this ouchie wasn't because of that wonderful martial art, but something I did on the drive home from Orlando. Go figure.

Last Monday I began my new job, i.e. the work I owe to my editor at St. Martin's. As hubby put it, "You're not longer on the dole." Not that I wasn't earning $$ with my small press publisher, but this time around there is an advance and I need to earn that money back or there will be Complications.

I spent a few days doing some series planning and then dug into the first book. I had about 40% of it written earlier this year, then had to do a rewrite for another editor (that publishing company ultimately did not pick up the series) so now I'm having to get back up to speed as many of the scenes have changed or are totally useless. I need to get a pretty good idea of where the story arcs end for each book, some of the key elements of those arcs, etc. I didn't do any of this for the Rover Series which led to a lot of bottles of Advil and wine being consumed. Learned, we have.

I'll keep you posted on my progress. Oh, and I need to think up a title for each of the books, including Book the First--BLACKTHORNE'S DAUGHTER didn't fly with my editor. I have to agree that it does sound like a pirate novel. Probably with a clinch cover, which is so not Young Adult or Urban Fantasy.

How's about POTATO MOON? Nyah, that's already taken. If you want to read this parody on RUSSET MOON (the totally illegal sequel to Stephanie Meyer's TWLIGHT series) start reading near the bottom of this page. Just make sure your keyboard is waterproofed. If I wasn't so engrossed in my project, I'd love to add to the madness just to say I was part of it.