Okay, editing of Consequences 1 is complete and I have sent it to my editor. Now comes the waiting game! I’m going to immerse myself in Dark Reign while waiting – that’s my best choice.

For those who don’t like waiting for anything, get doing something, as long as it’s useful and keeps you busy, the time will fly and you’ll be totally surprised when the time is over. At least, that’s the theory. Still waiting for it.

On a completely different subject, I signed a copy of Dark Dimensions for my dentist today. The first question he asked? “Are you working on the sequel?” I was happy to confirm that for him. I also told him that Consequences was close to going to the editor and his response? “Let me know when it comes out.”

I think I have a fan!

Well, now that the dreaded lurgy has almost past, I’ve started writing all those pesky connecting scenes and rewriting scenes that fit but just need tweaking or rewriting. After all, five restarts means that some of the scenes are not going to suit straight away.

This is part of the hard part of writing. When I’m writing what I want to write, it’s usually because it’s all there in my head and I have to get it down as quickly as possible. Which means I skip connectors and things like that. I’d love to have a ghost writer to write all those parts for me but that wouldn’t be growing me as a writer, nor would it be improving my writing skills. So there’s really nothing for it but to go back in and write all of those connecting scenes and explanation scenes.

Which can be boring. Yet in a way it helps with the pace of the book because it gives people a moment or two to recover from emotional issues that the book produces and bolsters them for the next emotional output from the next catastrophe to hit Troy and his people.

Hmm, better stop writing here before I give too much away!

We’re finally getting over the dreaded lurgy that’s laid the house low for the last week and a half. I haven’t felt that sick for a long, long time. In the words of an old doctor of mine? I felt like a truck had hit me, which meant being in Western Australia, it had to be a road train, of course!

But after a week at home ill, I had 2 days at work and am getting better every day. Of course, being a caring person, I shared with my flatmates so the whole house is not the best. The cats think it’s great ’cause we’ve had the fire roaring every day and I slept on the couch for the entire time I was off work. Furbabies kept me warm – along with the fire!

Now comes the fun part of all those linking scenes and making sure everything reads smoothly.

I will say, I was surprised with how long it took to actually set up the final battle. And I was humming and harring over saving the protagonist but decided against it. I’d already saved one protagonist. I needed one to remain a “baddie” for want of a better word.

The funny thing is – this protagonist has set up a storyline all of his own. I now know if I’m stuck for something in November this year, I can always explore his story. It’s a murky and dark one and works well as “… there, but for the grace of god, ….” If you believe in that sort of thing.

And this protagonist was a little hard to write, but I’m not going to give any spoilers away. I’ve already shocked one person with my first book (old friend, old story), I can’t wait to see how he reacts to this little twist!

I will say, I haven’t done this for a few years and this year I find it daunting. Maybe ’cause 90% of the book hasn’t any actual battles in it?

Whatever the reason, I’m going to get through this today and this battle will take place. It may be a deadly battle or it may not. It’s entirely up to the 2 main combatants. We’ll see what they want to do.

Even reading the lead in scenes last night didn’t help! I woke up in the small hours of the morning dreaming about something entirely different and never went back to the battle!

So the election is over for another – what, 4 years, maybe? And it’s time to take a reality check. Well, that’s what most people do.

I’m not going to discuss politics here. Nope. This is for writing and penmanship etc.

So, today I’ve introduced my villain in my sequel but I’m toying with the idea of following him through this part of the story or returning to my hero. Okay, so just after writing that sentence, I realised it’s no longer a thought. I’m going back to my hero because – well, I don’t want to give too much away about the new villain’s character just yet, so this scene is just a taste. At the final battle, I’ll revisit his view point.

Just a teaser for what’s coming.

Over the past few months, I’ve seen writer friends post about giving up, about disappointment in sales figures, about having second thoughts of writing another book, let alone a sequel.

I thought about what they wrote for a long time and sympathised with them. After all, it is hard getting the sales you want – especially for your first book.

Then, this morning, I was looking at a similar post again and I thought: “What’s different about us? Why don’t I feel as depressed as they do?”

And then I realised my reason for writing.

Yes, I want to sell a lot of books. Yes, I’d love to have my books on the best seller charts. But more importantly? More important to me is to get the stories out there. If I sell one, I dance with joy – because it means there’s someone out there who may know me but likes my work enough to buy it. It means that I have either entertained or lightened someone’s day.

After 3 days in the work I’m doing – that’s a big achievement. If I can make someone feel better after reading my books – or give them lots of entertainment whilst reading it, then I’ve done my job. Even if it’s just one person. That’s someone who wouldn’t have read my story if I hadn’t written and published it.

Remember, though, this is only my outlook and not everyone thinks along the same lines as I do. Not everyone thinks or feels like me. So don’t judge a writer who posts that their sales are down and it hurts. That’s how they feel. It’s just as valid as how I feel. Remember, these people write for free until you buy a book of theirs. That’s when the joy comes to the writer.

So, it’s been a while with work being back to 4 days a week and a rotating day at that, but they’ve been kind enough to give me 3 days for the next 2 weeks (can only see 3 weeks of a roster). I thought we would be really busy one weekend but it looks like we aren’t. I should be able to get a lot of writing and art in during those weeks at least! We have a plan at work – this request was for a month, the next request is for 3 months and hopefully after that we can go permanent. But onward and upward.

The side-line that I was talking about has worked in well. Now it’s just a matter of adding the following bits into Dark Reign and we’ll be well on our way!

Finally! I didn’t think it would get here. It’s been a struggle with new thoughts of what to write nearly overpowering going to work, but, hey, we’ve all gotta eat!

I woke on Monday morning with my head spinning with ideas for Dark Reign. And with other ideas for Consequences (in the future). So with these running around and around, I dragged myself away from the computer for 4 whole days! I knew, if I got into writing after work I wouldn’t get anything done – I wouldn’t eat, I wouldn’t sleep, and I certainly wouldn’t be any good at work.

It was a hard decision, but now I have 3 days to work on all those ideas I’ve been buzzing with. I toyed with writing them down, but until today the food court (where I take my lunch to) was really busy and noisy so I held it all in, just making notes.

And here I am, keyboard under my fingertips and my document on the other screen as I impart all this amazing knowledge to you all! (Yeah, laugh, I know it’s not that amazing! hahaha)

But if you find yourself in a similar situation, make sure you weigh up what is more important for the moment – money or writing. Believe me, it’s a hard choice. Now I have the fire to contend with!

I am looking forward to writing an off-shoot to Dark Reign. It may slow the process down but I think I need to do it to get into Troy’s ultimate enemy’s head. And that’s all I’m saying.