This week was AWESOME, work wise. I’m on chapter 11, so I’ve basically finished the first third of major rewriting I had to do, which included quite a few whole chapters or sections that needed written from scratch. I think there are only 2 new sections in the rest of my new outline, with, obviously, quite a few new lines, paragraphs, etc., to keep continuity with all the changes I’ve made.

But basically from here on in it should be smooth sailing and I should be on target to finish a rough draft of my revisions by June 1. At that point I am going to send them off to my two Alpha Readers: Dr. James Clawson and Master Christie Ko (loves you guys!). I also, now, have the luxury of sending them off to my new critique partner, Diana Rowland, whose upcoming release Mark of the Demon ROCKED MY CASBAH. Seriously. I love the tone, love the heroine, adore the male protags, can’t get enough of the south Louisiana setting, and just ate it up like it was candy. Indeed, if it were candy, it would be Sour Patch Kids. And I can’t begin to tell you the damage I can do to some Sour Patch Kids. In other terms, it was really, really good and I highly recommend you BUY THAT BOOK. I said that just like Jon Lovitz did in the Critic, btw. It’s one of my favorite jokes that nobody ever gets.

After they have at it, and I let it simmer and stew and get some distance on what I wrote (as I write book 3, btw), I’ll do a final set of edits for July 15, when my editor wants it back. Hopefully she will be pleased and I will get another chunk of advance. Chunks of advance are always nice.

The best thing about this process is that I am insanely happy with the changes. It’s gone from being a passably readable book in which fun things happen to, I hope, a book that does Jane justice, that builds on the first book and that does what a second book should do in terms of the series as a whole. Jane is much feistier in this version that she was in the first, and it suits her. Ryu comes across more vividly, here, as well. And there’s EVEN MORE ANYAN. Oy gevalt, more Anyan!

And I should desist talking about these characters like you know who they are, as the first book isn’t going to be released for what feels like EONS. So just ignore me for now, but after you’ve read it you can come back and this’ll be like free spoilers.

So I’m going to finish my smoothie and my coffee, then put on the gym clothes and head over to the cushy ‘Bucks to work. After which I will gym it. No rest for the wicked, and what not. But man do I love my job. 

It’s good to be an urban fantasist.