Thank you for reading the books and following me. I wanted to give an update on the progress of Book #3. The word count is currently around 110k (New Life came in at about 122k words). There’s no competition here, just providing a comparative yardstick for the next installment. Overall, I think the length of this book will come in around the same size as New Life.
The majority of the next book is done, save one more chapter. I’ve penned the beginning and the ending; I hope you feel the gravity from them like I do. The chapters between were electric for me and I also hope that comes through as you read it.
The next step in this process is to send the book to my editor. She is exceptionally kind and brutally honest; I simultaneously fear and adore her. I plan for the manuscript to travel twice through her capable hands (eyes?) just as I did the first two books. That process can take a solid month depending on what she points out. Day Zero took more than six weeks to straighten out and New Life was a couple weeks on the first pass. The second run through cleans up even more language and provides additional clarity.
In my other life we often say “it’s all about the process”. I fully embrace that philosophy, but I also can’t wait to release the book!…which brings up the next item. For the nine or ten fans out there (that don’t share my same last name 🙂 ) I wanted to say thank you (but there’s a catch). There’s always a catch, right?
If you’re interested in “an exclusive” early glance at book 3, please drop me a line (contact me through this website). If you read books on an electronic device (tablet), I can send you the appropriate file for an ARC (advanced read copy). Here’s the catch- if I send you an ARC, I want to know what you think! It’s taken longer on this book because this is the center point of the story – this is where it gets good! (I think…)
The first pages of Day Zero and New Life began with a glimpse of Khattara Eschala. In Book 3, her character fully enters the plot line. I don’t want to give too much away, but Violet has a statistical basis for concern that the Centauri warrior might kill Ryan- so it’s either gonna be murder or romance. At this point, hard to call. And that’s not even the half of it; there’s another unlikely romance advancing in the story. (What?)
Never fear- the story advances with the same action of the first volumes, but the third book does take on an additional “interpersonal” aspect. I’d like to hear from you; does it work? That’s the catch.
Please drop me a line if you’re interested and I will put you on the list. Regarding privacy- I’m one self-published author. The extent of my “data harvesting” will be putting your email in a spreadsheet that I use for distribution once the final draft is ready. I won’t share it with anyone else, and I won’t spam you. In Dvarah’s name, I swear it.
In closing- thank you again for the support. Please stay safe from “the COVID” and well clear of the Lumuera…JW