07/09/2026
Mid-year Update and Apology
I wanted to get started on the third draft of Mike and Angel’s next book in April. Then I thought perhaps July. Now it’s looking like at least September. Why, you ask?
My current editing project, an adult fantasy novel called The Bastard Prince, is taking much more time than usual. Firstly, because it is longer than average (I may have to split it in two) and secondly because it’s making me tear out my hair.
I usually budget about one day per scene, one week per chapter, plus a little fudge room. Not this dang book. Let me give you an example. Last Monday I printed out chapter 23. It had one long scene and three short ones. Great, I thought, I can do this in a week. I pushed myself and did the first scene, the long one, on pace in one day. Then I realized I needed to insert a new scene. Friends, the new scene cost me FIVE DAYS, it just would not come out right. Third scene, one day. I tackled the fourth scene Tuesday. It is only three pages long, but it took me until 8 pm. I usually stop working at 4:30 and only finished out of sheer bloody-mindedness. Both of the scenes I struggled with are from the point of view of the most emotionally damaged character I’ve ever tried to write. Shockingly, whodathunkit, this takes more time and care.
Sigh. I am making progress. It is just SLOW. Eight chapters to go.
