Coasting

This week was a blur. Having finished those two HUGE projects, I was still in the flow. My monthly newsletter turned out to be heavy, so I decided to split it into two parts. A large section of my personal life needed a transition, so that took 3 days and some mental gymnastics (not too much). Then I received some unexpected news which led to more shifting in my thinking… maybe I’m not lazy. Maybe I’m just exhausted.

Anyway, I have been working on Desert Zydeco. It’s not done, but getting closer. Maybe I can wrap it up this weekend. I’ve decided to try a different route for beta reading. I’ll report back on how it goes.

For several days I’ve pondered what to do with “The Raid” to make it a better prequel. I have ideas, but can’t seem to settle on a crime. The other piece I’m realizing is the category where I submit my prequels for promotion. My novels are the easiest, and my novellas are a little tricky. My series are romantic suspense, but I’m scratching my head at how to have a prequel set up the first story AND have both romance and suspense. The suspense part I can do, no problem. I’m having an issue with the romance part. The stories I read and write are a slow build up to intimacy. I can’t do that as a writer in 5,000 words, and I’m pressed at 30,000. Some authors can do it, and obviously lots of readers like it that way based on reviews of books (novellas and short story prequels) I’ve read. Personally, I’ve gotten whiplash from the speed at which the hero and heroine say, “Hello,” to when they end up behind closed doors (though stories these days leave the doors wide open, with cameras and an audience!). And I just can’t get myself to write my story that way. So, I’ll keep noodling things and see if I can satisfy myself and the readers by giving them suspense, romance, and a satisfying ending.

And in case you want to check out The Bookie: Waldman Investigations Book 2, here’s the cover: (Did I mention how excited I am about this novel? Like, over the moon thrilled!)