Refinding the Joy

Ola, ola my pretty blog buddies! Ignore the dates between this post and the last. I know, I know, some months has past. I've been drowning in publishing deadlines and non writing work life.

What can I say? Nothing, so like I suggested, don't look at the dates between this and the last post.

Last  week I submitted the completed manuscript for my 11th novel to my wonderful publishing house. 11th as in 1-1. 1X11. 11.

In 2009 I was hoping to at least publish 1 novel in my lifetime. It was a bucket list item. After that first novel, Duty and Devotion, released I sat back and asked myself, "Now what?"

That was 10 books ago and I never looked back. I lost my way a bit, getting caught up in the need to constantly publish and have something in the pipeline. I still loved my books but I didn't get the absolute freedom and joy from the writing as I did creating those first few. My work was on the verge of becoming just business.

I needed a break, and that was Time's Weave. (That's the manuscript I just submitted.) I wasn't tied into a series or universe. The slate was clean and I only need to let the creative well decide the direction.

And Hannah Saxton is what floated to the surface. An older galactic archeologist in her 50s who was working through the grief of losing her husband. The story covers the science of time bending travel and the speculative concepts of after life and reincarnation.

It was a little too easy to write, which was scary, until I started on the revision and editing and was reminded the double-edged sword of a freed creative thought. The story's first draft was almost 120K. Revision and editing brought that down to a manageable and tight 96K story.

I'm so excited about this book. I can't wait to face the editing. I can't wait to see the cover. And most importantly, I can't wait to share it with you all!