Those of you who follow writers know those initials stand for Work In Progress. It means whatever piece you are currently writing. Some of you may realize I’m working on the fourth book in the Second Chances Series. This book is called ACT OF SURVIVAL. My hope was to bring this book out in September or October, about a year since the last one released.
That is not going to happen. I’ll be lucky to get it out by the end of December, still technically one year after the last one, which was ACT OF BETRAYAL, Book 3 in the series.
So, what’s taking me so long you may wonder. Well, I really rushed AOB, and had some technical screw-ups that had to be corrected before I could order new print books, which I’ve just done. I’ve spent a couple of months getting that done and have only been back to the WIP in the last couple of weeks. It’s flowing pretty well at just over 30 thousand words.
The problem I’m having is I’m more pantsing this story than plotting it, which has been my previous experience. Oh, I have some plans. I know who each of the main characters are, what the conflict is, and I actually know how this story will end. I could probably write one of the last scenes right now. But I write chronologically. This happens, and then this happens, and then this happens. 1,2,3 or A, B, C.
So while the computer is clicking along, my brain keeps jumping off into left field thinking about how warm it’s getting, the storms which may arrive tomorrow, whether my granddaughter will be able to dance at Mayfest tomorrow evening remembering the giant hail storm that swung through Mayfest in 1995, injuring lots of folks and destroying tons of trees, houses, automobiles, including my younger daughter’s new car she was supposed to take to college Oklahoma in the fall. She didn’t get that car until October. There were soooooo many cars with hail damage, we ended up getting it fixed in Wichita Falls, and still it took forever….
You see, my brain just runs off the rails.
Back to the WIP and writing the series. Each book takes place in a different location.
SECOND ACT, takes place in Fort worth. ACT OF TRUST, starts in Fort Worth and moves to Maine. ACT OF BETRAYAL is set in Dallas. The final book in the series, ACT OF SURVIVAL is set in Wichita Falls, where my husband, I, and our older daughter went to college at Midwestern University. We still have family there. It’s a town I know pretty well, but still we’ve made several trips to kind of nail down a few things.
I wonder if some of the problems I’m having with this one is that the book is the last in the series. One of my author friends swears she’ll never write another book after she finishes the one she’s working on. She, of course, has and all are super good and she’s very successful, but there is that gulf between finishing one book and beginning another one. When you’re writing a series, you don’t have that. You know what the next book will be.
So, when I finish ACT OF SURVIVAL, what then???? Now, obviously at just over 30 K, I don’t have to worry about that just yet, but still…
So are you writing? Are you reading? How are things going for you as we begin this 5th month of the year? How in the world can we have gotten here? Love to hear from you.
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Marsha R. West, Author 
Lordy, Marsha, do I get this. I’ve been working on my book 3 for 3 years. It’s almost ready.
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Hey, Vicki. Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you. You keep me from feeling like a real dud. Whoever said this writing business was easy?!! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
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Marsha, I look forward to reading your new book when it eventually releases.
One May 1st, a tornado hit the college that is three blocks away and went through our city. Anything that you could see on the outside of our home was destroyed. (Seems like I told this story somewhere, I hope it wasn’t here.) Anyway, our youngest son was at a track meet. I was freaking because I didn’t know if he was safe or not. The high school then was two blocks from our house. He and a friend ran through high water to get to our house, even though they were told to stay at the school. I was in our lowest level and could see the windows breaking and hail flying across the room. It was just like in a movie. A picture was busted on the opposite wall. My oldest son wanted to come home from college that weekend to see the house and I told him not to come home for weeks. We had to have new siding, windows, chimney, drapes, carpeting, computers were busted in the house, etc. It was terrible. This happened to much of the city and the storm actually ended up improving the looks of many houses…lol… after everything was replaced.
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Hey, Susan. Oh my gosh. No, you’ve never told this story. And I’m stunned you had a tornado up where you live! Wow! Never crossed my mind and this was a really bad one. Glad your family wan’t hurt, but what a mess to get through. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
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P.S. Marsha, you’ll come up with another idea for a book after this one is completed. Of that, I have no doubt. 🙂 It’s in your blood to write.
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Hey, Susan. Thanks for those kind words. Now to get through this one. You need to use your storm story in a book.Just what you wrote above is very moving. Thanks again.
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