The Fourth Book First Draft (2014-2015)

The same day I happened to drop an air conditioner out the window onto some unsuspecting hostas, I also (finally) completed the first draft of my fourth book.

Champagne for all! (Actually, it was a Fosters I celebrated with—that is, Australian for beer.)

Looking back on my posts, I was rather shocked to discover I started writing this over a year ago now, losing the intital drive once I became drastically waylaid by getting Sanity’s Flaw into print and finalizing Trezka for review. Once those were out of my way, though, the final stretch of Book Four was practically a breeze. Why, it was only a few weeks ago I noted that I was only about two-thirds through the narrative, with a target goal of June’s end as a completion date—I beat that in spades.

There were certainly some forks in the road, and at times I managed to surprise myself in developing items not even hinted at within the outline as the story progressed of its own merit. The more time I spent with the cast, primarily the chief protagonist, the more I fell into their minds, and the more I simply allowed them to roam free within their little world. After the strict confines I relegated myself to while drafting Trezka, this came as something of a breath of fresh air.

Now, though, the second draft awaits, and I’ve already a few notions on how the thematic structure, and a few key elements integral to the book’s primary turning point, must evolve. I will be giving it another read-through first in order to steel up my resolve and anticipate any further changes, but I feel good about this one. Better than I’ve felt about any first draft.

Whether that’s because I’m simply deluding myself or my skills have bettered with time—or maybe both—I couldn’t say. But it’s the truth. Back to work.

Oh, and for those wondering, no, the air conditioner did not survive. It will be buried in the back yard under a tree and given a proper headstone of carved pink granite.