What’s Cooking?
So Keana, whatchya doin’? (a rough interpretation of Isabella’s famous question)
Now that Far Second of Eternity has had its book birthday on May 19th (available at all the major retailers), I’ve been working on the first book on another series. This is a more traditional fantasy world, and I’ve been working on it for quite some time.
The title of the first book is World of Secrets, World of Lies. This is a multi-POV story following Soot Nightblade and her friends as all hells break loose in their world. Following in the tradition of many great fantasy authors, my protagonists are a bit younger, but this is still an adult fiction where they will grow and branch out within the world.
Right now, this work is in its editing stage, and that involves lots of moving parts, much back and forth as we refine the story. I’m hopeful to see the book released this summer, provided everyone’s schedules gel accordingly. Fingers crossed ‘cause this is a good one to get engrossed in!
While I’m working on that manuscript, I’m also tackling edits for the next book in Nemo’s story, The Drop of a Dime. As you’ve probably seen on the website, the cover’s ready. Woot! Now, it’s just a matter of tinkering, editing, bonking Nemo over the head to stop hiding snacks everywhere, and corralling the general mayhem. I can happily say that we have a proper release date for this book on October 6, 2026. Yay!!
Doesn’t that seems awfully fast for three books, Keana?
Under normal circumstances, I would say yes, yes it does (in my best Phineas voice). However, The first one is a re-release that I’d been working on for a while. Soot’s story is something that’s been in the soup pot for years, so it’s finally in the finishing stages. The same could be said for The Drop of a Dime. I wrote that one right after I wrote the first Nemo story. The second book picks up only days after the first book ends, so we’re in for all kinds of chaos.
Does it get confusing to work on that many disparate stories at the same time?
For me, it’s not a problem. I have one of those brains (yes, I’m neuro-divergent) that can track a lot of variable elements simultaneously. It’s rather like reading more than one book at a time and keeping everything straight; also not a problem for me. And this is where I count my good fortune. Though, it does make for a busy, crowded place when I’m trying to go to sleep.
Is there anything else simmering on the stove?
Why yes, there is. She’s still in the drafting stages, and this one involves a bit more research than the others (crazy, I know!). It’s an historical adventure where we meet Dr. Mattie Griswold, archeologist. She gets pulled into a grand whirlwind trying to track down her missing friend and colleague. Having had Indiana Jones and Rachel Weisz’ character, Evy Carnahan, to influence me over the years, as well as Heather Fawcett’s Emily Wilde, I couldn’t help but be inspired to write my own spin on the misadventures of an academic out in the world.
Actually, this counts as my ‘fun time’ writing. If I think of it that way, I not only get more accomplished, but it’s less stressful for that perfectionist side of my brain that lies and tells me that it has to be perfect right out the gate. ;) That is in fact not the case. I like what a colleague calls first drafts because it’s what they really are⎯”word vomit.”
