work in progress

As an author, there are two occasions when I feel particularly happy regarding my craft. The first, is a sense of personal achievement when reaching ‘The End’ with a novel. The second time, is a when I start to revise a new Work in Progress and find myself catapulted into creating the new story.

Two days ago, I completed Codename: Foxglove. Apart from working on various other projects it took me two years to produce what I believe is a satisfactory tale. It is now with four beta readers, and if all goes well, by mid-December will hit the virtual shelves as an eBook. Hopefully, by late December it will also be available as a paperback. This will see the end of the Beyond The Law series of stories.

For anyone interested, the first chapter is Giving Your Word.

A considerable weight had been lifted, so I revisited Selena: Sea Nymph, my first attempt at a modern paranormal fantasy. I read my first two chapters, made a few notes, and enjoyed a coffee before reading them again. From that point it took me a ‘working day’ to rehash what was previously written. The first chapter has seen a considerable reworking. Half of the original first chapter has been replaced, and the half I removed has become the new second chapter. Mysterious or what?

As this is a new venture for me with regard to genre, I’d appreciate any feedback. The refreshed blurb is available on the book’s page, and the first chapter, Realisation, is available for reading and comments.

I have no fixed target set for publication of Selena: Sea Nymph, but a rough estimate is Spring 2022. It will be interesting to see how closely matched my guess is with the reality.

In the meantime, as always, thank you for reading my blog and any comments or suggestions.

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“It’s a Work in Progress,” a person says, but what do they mean?

For the handyman, it might be the new light fitting, which is presently hanging, disconnected from a wall.

For the gardener, it might be the new vegetable patch which is presently an oblong of overturned earth in a corner.

It is many things to different people, but none, in my opinion can utilise that phrase quite like an author. Of course, I’m biased—I’m an author, so the manipulation of words and the reader’s thought process are my craft. Let’s look at my ‘Work in Progress’.

Codename: Foxglove. This is presently in excess of 60k words and going well. It is a crime thriller which will see the conclusion of the Beyond The Law trilogy and spinoffs.

Crusader. Another crime thriller, introducing a new protagonist who starts the story as a police detective. The first chapter is written and the second is a group of passages which are not yet joined.

Constance. This is where artistic licence comes in. Unusually, this will be a sequel to a story not yet written. It is to be the follow-up to Crusader. In this case I have passages ready to create the first chapter.

Selena: Sea Nymph. My first attempt at sci-if/paranormal/fantasy, and therefore, I’m pleased that the first chapter is presently in three passages. They’re not yet set in the best sequence and that can prove challenging.

Enough? Not by a long way. I may have ceased producing erotica in my name, but I’ll continue with the genre using a pen name. There are six titles in the wings. A novel, an anthology and four novellas.

Why have so much on the go?

Two words—stress reduction.

When an idea comes to mind, I’m sure many authors continue with their latest story, (the primary Work in Progress), but at the back of their mind they might have the occasional distracting thought about another idea.

It was when this first happened to me several years ago that I sat with a coffee staring at my machine contemplating how to conquer the irritation. “Start them as they come to mind,” I told myself aloud. I never have ‘writer’s block’, and knowing that I have a wide range of projects ready to be addressed isn’t frustrating—I relax in the knowledge that I can go from one ‘world’ to the next on a day to day basis if I wish.

And now, dear reader, you know why I believe that authors can stretch that phrase better than most … after all, whatever the project, it is still a Work in Progress.

Thank you for taking the time to check out my thought. Comments are welcome.

Tom