Heading into Christmas and there’s a lot of work to be done.

First off, finished the werewolf book “Breeds” just a few days ago. I had hoped to get this one done earlier, like two weeks ago, but life happened  O.O. Trips here and there and winter things needing to be done before the arrival of snow. Anyway, the first draft arrived at the 77K mark, or about 230 pages.

With “Breeds” out of the way, I’m going to start MM4 on Monday. Been gathering up notes and ideas of where the next book will be going and I think I’m ready to go back to that particular world/setting. Also, Gus will be returning. I’m planning on taking a week or two off around Christmas, so I’m going to try to get the first draft done before then.

Also, in the evening, I’m working on second drafts of books. These days “Savage” (sequel to “White Sands, Red Steel”) is being worked upon. I’m hoping the second draft will be fit for market. If it is, it should be available early in the first half of 2014.

You might be wondering why I write a first draft, wait a few months, and then go back and do a second draft (or even a third). Read about this in Stephen King’s “On Writing.” After working on a book for so many weeks or months, you really become blind to certain issues that might be plaguing the work. It might be repetitive words, time line issues, inconsistencies, or out-right errors. Also, after spending so much time on a novel, a break is really, really needed before going back over it a second time. In the time between drafts, new ideas might pop up which go into the second draft and (hopefully) improve the overall story. When you do go back to that first draft for second pass, the creative levels are back at full and you have new eyes on the work.

Or… at least that’s the hope.

Remembrance Day weekend here. Hope you all are well, comfortable, and with family.