UPDATE: Current release date set as July 27th, 2021 now that In Command has been added to the publishing schedule.
Writing is HARD. Full stop. It’s a game of mental gymnastics, and I love it. In the picture below you can see how hard that game can be.
1) Line edits from my dev. editor. 2) Notes to myself about things not to forget. 3) Chapter summaries so that I don’t lose track of the story. 4) Emails from my editor about things I DID forget. UGH! 5) List of tiny threads from previous books to weave into the current book. 6) Chapter by chapter overall revision notes from my dev. editor.
Writing can be a lot, but I love it. It’s my jam, but man, did I bite off a big chunk with this series. Especially right now. Because juggling all of that takes a calm and clear mind, and boy, is that not a thing right now.
When I set the release for ON MISSION back in January, I had no idea what the future would hold. I don’t think any of us could’ve predicted it. What we’ve all been going through + the things that life normally throws at us—because life just keeps going—has been a lot. And a cross-country move where everything—and I mean EVERYTHING—went wrong added a lot to the chaos in my mind. But I finished my draft on time. I didn’t like the ending, but maybe it was just a little chaotic in my brain and it’s just meh to me but my editor would like it? It was possible.
So, I pushed on with revising. Through that cross-country move and being accosted at a gas station and movers showing up and asking for a contingency plan because they didn’t have enough time or truck for us and the cherry on top—Isabella falling off a ladder onto her head on the cement garage floor + an ambulance ride + 2 additional ER visits. (It’s a miracle that she’s okay, y’all. A miracle.) I took care of my family and I wrote.
I set my alarm for 5:45 AM and I revised.
I took Isabella to school and raced home and revised.
I worked until I had to race out the door for pick-up, and then as soon as she was asleep, I revised.
That’s been my life, but a week ago, I started getting emailed notes from my editor. Lots of emails. Of threads I’d forgotten. Of things that needed clarifying. And then the big one—the one I knew was coming—the email about the ending…
She gave me a great idea on how to fix it—and it’s going to be awesome—but after I read her email, I closed my laptop and took a breath and called her.
I need more time, don’t I?
Yes, she said. You need more time.
I’m going to have to push the release date.
You really should. The book is so close, but it’s not there yet. There’s no way you can finish in time.
And that’s the journey of writing. You can plan and work and write, but sometimes, you just need a little more time.
My deadline to launch in December is in 7 days, and there aren’t enough hours in the day and night for me to make this book sing.
The book is too long and too complicated and has too many threads to weave in and an ending that I just HAVE to write now. Because it’s going to be amazing, y’all. It’s going to be epic and dang, is it obvious now that she pointed it out to me. I’ve been setting this ending up for two books and most of the third. I’m not stopping until it’s right.
So, I’m doing what I absolutely HATE doing. I’m pushing the date and giving the book—and myself—a little more time get it to where it needs to be.
New release date for ON MISSION – 7/27/2021.