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Yesterday I received a comment from Cody McCloud on the post “Red Line – The Backstory” asking when the novel would be published.
One year after my predicted publication date, it’s hard to believe how the demands of real life outside the fictional world can interfere with the best of intentions. And although it may seem ridiculous to anyone who hasn’t tried writing a novel, characters and their stories do have minds of their own.
Since writing the previous post, I’ve completed two drafts of Red Line and am currently working on the third, and hopefully, the last. The experience has been a strange combination of headlong advancement and sudden screeching halts when the plot line and/or character development arrive at a crossroads.
The first draft included numerous decision points, that once made in combination defined the objectives for the second draft. Upon completion, I thought the story worked well until I submitted it to a small critique group of dedicated writers that meets at my home on a regular basis. Their overall assessment convinced me that I hadn’t yet achieved the true potential for Red Line, and recordings of six meetings provided a road map for the next revision.
I may have learned my lesson about predicting a publication date, and to avoid making that mistake again, suffice it to say that I hope you won’t lose patience with me as I strive to complete a story that does justice to my vision for the series and offers an entertaining read.
A special thank you to Cody McCloud, whose comment has served as a reminder that the story awaits . . .
