Dribs & Drabs ...

As I write this, I am very close to the self-publication of both Best Laid Plots - Book the First AND A Winter's Journey! BLB-B1 has received an evaluation from an annonymous reviewer from the Writer's Guild - and while I definitely appreciated some of the thoughts and suggestions, I was also thrown off a bit at the stuff that was mentioned as needing attention, that had definitely already gotten attention! It's now sitting with another evaluator from Pete's Press, who will take a look at it once she's done with her evaluation of A Winter's Journey.

I may have mentioned in a previous blog (likely years ago!!!) that the second book I'd completed was A Winter's Tale. Well, I've never been too fond of that title, nor of the ending. I am hoping that Annabel will have some thoughts on the ending for me, but it was my hubby who came up with A Winter's Journey as the title. And I like it! Ties in with the prequel I am writing called The Journey Begins. When I asked my friend Carmela (so far the only one who has read it that really loved it!) what she thought of the different title, she said it could work, especially if any sequels follow the seasons in some way. And I figured that could work! Do a Spring, Summer and Fall story - maybe something like Journey Through Spring, Summer Journeys and Journeys in the Fall - or something like that. And instead of direct sequels, each would feature a jump forward in Hildy's timeline. For The Journey Begins, she's about 18. For Winter, maybe 28. So, 35 for Spring, 42 for Summer and 55 for Fall? And explore themes of family, etc. Lots of stuff to potentially work with! Plus the usual monsters, bad guys, magic and so on! The thing with Hildy is that, at the time of WJ, she is a Mary Sue, but she still has much to learn, even if she doesn't know it! So I am comfy working with her as written, and seeing her Arc continue to evolve through the other books.

The direct sequel to Winter's Journey, would be Two Old Coots and a Mess of Trouble! Don't have a storyline for that yet, other than the two characters (who are of course in Winter's Journey), following up on the mystery of the Trolls being there. Hildy might have a part in that story, but it would definitely follow the two old men. Maybe Jhereg as well.

So - hubby is assisting with the formatting of BLP and WJ, for the plan is to debut them at When Words Collide in Calgary, in mid-August. This year!!! I am presenting two sessions this year - A Map is Still Not a Journey, and Magic Makes the World Go Round - both of which I have done previously (this might be the 4th or 5th time for that one!), so not as much prepping this year!

So it seems to be all falling into place - provided we can make the 30+ days we have left work!!!

Till Later Guys :) Whoever you might be!