What Now?

I just sent in copyedits for Book 3.  This means I'm finished.  I will get one more look at the manuscript--after it is formatted and proofread.  At that point, I can make minor changes (a word here, a punctuation mark there).  But the heavy lifting is done.  The story is complete.

This is also the end of the series.  I've fulfilled my contract.  Three books set in the court of Henry VIII. This altogether thrilling, fulfilling and terrifying.

It's a little like starting a new book.  First drafts are difficult and scary and exciting.  And the big question that comes up every days is, "What Happens Next?"

Lucky for me, I received ARCs for MANOR OF SECRETS this week.  The arrival of actual, bound copies that really look like a book is always mind-blowing. Every. Single. Time. Plus it means I've got promotional stuff to do, bookmarks to be made, interviews, meeting new people, talking about books... There is plenty to keep me busy.

However, as much as I enjoy talking about my books, I love writing them more.  I need a new project.  One that grabs me by the throat and won't let me go.  One where I can lose myself in the characters and their lives. And I think I may have found it.

Now that I've fulfilled my contract, I can write about anything.  This is such a gift.  But it also a bit like leaping into the great unknown.  Starting something new--something entirely new and utterly different--feels a little bit like this:

But don't you think that just for a moment, that cat feels like it can fly?  That is also how starting a new book feels.

If you live in the Bay Area and want to know more about What Happens Next, author CJ Omololu and I will be discussing that very topic at the Walnut Creek SCBWI meeting on August 31. Come and ask questions!