Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Home Again

I love traveling, but there's something about coming home. My cats, my bed, not living out of a suitcase. It is all glorious.

We got home late Thursday evening, and I am finally getting over jet lag. Of course, that's mostly because I've been sleeping ten hours every night since I got home. Turns out missing a lot of sleep and a time change comes due eventually. I feel the older I get, the longer it takes to recover. At least it wasn't a week this time.

We battled some serious bad weather, which meant we didn't get to do many of the things we wanted, including hiking and an island hopping tour. Still, we have some awesome stories about my mom nearly getting blown off a mountain in Isle of Skye and the hail and sleet that made visibility difficult. It seemed every time we got out of the car for a hike or to see the sights, it started raining and the wind picked up.

Despite that, we had a blast. I discovered I actually do like gin and tonics, especially with the tonic water they use in Scotland. I think I had one every night we were there. While we didn't get to hike as much as we'd like, what we did do was gorgeous. Photos are below for those interested.

I'm finally starting to get back into the swing of things with the writing. I actually did 4000 words in Firebird 2 yesterday, and I have a relatively clear picture of the ending I want. (It's shifted several times now, so I'm only cautiously excited in case it changes again.) Now, it's just a matter of implementing that vision. Easier said than done.

This book has been difficult to write. One of the drawbacks of knowing a story line that arches over several books is you don't always know what goes in what book. In my head, scenes are a jumble and not always in the order they need to be. That means a good part of this book was finding out how everything fit together. I'm on the right track now, but it took way longer than I wanted it to.

Bonus, a small chunk of the third or fourth book is written, but that means I have to create new content for this one. As a result, it's looking like Firebird 2 won't be released until beginning of next year. That's not set in stone. There is still a chance I might bring this in under deadline, but I have no plans to rush through the writing and editing process. This book needs to be right, and I think I'm finally on that path. It helps when you trust yourself and stop worrying about all the minutia.






5 comments:

  1. Awesome Pictures. I recently discovered your work through Ilona Andrews and am now devouring everything you wrote so far. Awesome books!!! I especially liked Rules of Redemption. Oh and a tiny fun fact: We also own a cat named Loki... and one named Kira :D :D :D

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  2. AHHHHH!!! Please Firebird in December!! I have read Redemption so many times and love it each time. I can't wait for book 2!! :D

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  3. I also just discovered your writing via Ilona Andrews and started with Rules of Redemption, which I really enjoyed. Right now I’m glad it’s November and the wait for book two will be short. Total respect for your insistence on doing it right despite the pressure of deadlines (and crazed fans who want you to write faster, a la Misery). The silver lining to my arriving at the party late is your long list of other books. Can’t wait!

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  4. Wonderful to hear you enjoyed your vacation and are on track with the writing! As much as I am disappointed that firebird 2 may be later than anticipated, the quality of your work is what makes it so fabulous. Thanks for your stories!

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  5. Been loving your work for years now, and although excited to hear Firebird 2 is coming soon, equally can't wait for Aileen 4 - my favourite!

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