A New Novel, But One You Won't See For A While

In a previous post I mentioned taking an extended break from writing, to recharge, regroup, and enjoy the feat of having two published novels and an upcoming third book of one novella and several stories (An Unexpected Visit, out in October) under my belt.

Yeah, that didn't last long.

And, in a way, I knew it wouldn't, but I needed the pressure valve turned to Off. I needed to write freely and carefree without worry of self-imposed deadlines.

Because I get stir-crazy and swamped with guilt if I'm not working on something.

Right now everything is in the first draft stage, but I have started a new novel. I've been working on it for over a month and am in such a good place with it that I even decided to mention it here. Plus, I get asked constantly when I'll write my daughter a book.

I can't discuss the fine details, but I'm very confident in the story (it does have the usual first draft problems, but better ideas will come in time to fix the issues) and I'm looking to finish the first draft somewhere in the next six to eight weeks - by my estimate I'm about 61% done, with a clear path to the end laid out. I'm doing, at the least, four handwritten pages a day in a composition notebook (approx. 1,000 words/day with as small as my handwriting is). I've about filled one notebook already.

So, what exactly can I say about the novel?

I can tell you the title.

AMONG THE LIGHTS AND SOUNDS OF THE CAROUSEL

I can tell you the inspiration for the book.

Last summer I was out with Maddie (she was ten months old at the time) in her stroller for our morning walk and a horrible thought came to me: What if something happened to me and my daughter grew up never really knowing who I was?

So, yes, it's a sad story, but not completely a tear-jerker.

Where THE PAINTED LADY was a sort of love letter to my wife, this book is for my daughter, who won't be able to read it until she's older, but, all the same, it's for her.

When can you expect to read said novel?

Not for a while. Sadly.

As I've said before, I don't plan on a book out next year, and 2018 will hopefully see the release of a different work I finished earlier this year.

CAROUSEL will require the necessary two years (and perhaps longer) I typically afford to my work, and mostly because this one will be a lot different than my other books; for one, the main character is female (a point of view I haven't really written from) - so my beta readers will help me with focusing and honing skills on that front - and, two, this novel will focus more on a life during the three months the novel spans rather than just the plain route of going from point A to point B through the interesting and intersecting highlights. I want this book to feel like there's really a life inside the pages, but try to keep it moving along, maintaining good balance.

So, there it is. 2018 should see a release from me with a unique, urban fantasy type, possible beginning chapter of a much longer work. So, in essence, a Volume One. If all goes to plan AMONG THE LIGHTS AND SOUNDS OF THE CAROUSEL will be out in 2019.

But no promises.

An Unexpected Visit, however, will be out in October from Winter Goose Publishing.