Novels Update - June 2023

 Hello, lovely reader! So good of you to join me today. 

I just wanted to jot down a quick update on the progress of my YA sci-fi/dystopian/romance duology, The Foundling Chronicles.

Though I've been working on this duology most of my life (literally, since 2000), the hard truth is, I didn't have the first clue what I was doing until just a couple years ago. And, even now, I have merely the first clue. ;)

Am I embarrassed to admit that? Well, somewhat. For years, I've wanted to move onto other writing projects--my list of future book ideas is as long as my arm--but every time I tried, I'd get 20-50k words into the new project and then abandon it to return to Foundling. Rinse, and repeat.

It wasn't laziness or lack of focus so much as it was life getting in the way of my writing. I won't bore you (or horrify you) with the details. Suffice it to say, this year, I finally decided to prioritize my writing.

This year, I started and completed the most recent drafts for both Foundling and its sequel, Blackbird. I've finished my first round of revisions for both. I designed e-book covers for both books (subject to change). And, finally, on June 20th, 2023, I ordered paperback proof copies of both books. 

To top that off, I'm 25,000 words into a new fantasy novel. On that note, I've always wanted to write fantasy, but I never could come up with a concept that wasn't just basically someone else's idea, regurgitated. While the fantastical elements in this novel are not strictly my own invention, I do believe I've put a unique enough spin on them. And, if not, well then this book will just be for me. 

So, suffice it to say, 2023 is shaping up to be the best writing year of my life. As of today, I have written 151,000 words of prose. I mean, who is she? 

For tracking purposes:

02/05/23: Started latest draft of Foundling 
02/23/23: Finished latest draft of Foundling (64k words)
02/26/23: Finished high-level edits and ordered proof copy of Foundling
02/28/23: Started 2nd draft of Blackbird
04/17/23: Paused Blackbird 2nd draft to start outlining Project: Arcadia (Fantasy)
05/13/23: Started drafting Project: Arcadia
06/10/23: Paused Project: Eagle to finish 2nd draft of Blackbird
06/17/23: Finished 2nd draft of Blackbird (62k words), and resumed drafting Project: Arcadia
06/20/23: Ordered new proof copies of Foundling and Blackbird
06/21/23: Reached 25,000 words in Project: Arcadia draft

I'll leave it there for now. Thank you so much for reading!

Your lowly genre fiction writer,

BCM