Book 3 update

Dear Reader and kindred spirit,

It’s been awhile since I shared with you a Book 3 update!

I hadn’t intended on there being such a wide gap between my last post and this one. So I’ll try to get you up to speed on what’s been happening!

Please note: I literally just found this a few weeks’ ago. I wrote it way back in November of 2024! I know. How could I lose my own blog post? But I did. I was shocked when I found it and realized I hadn’t posted it, and I considered just deleting it. However, after further reflection, I thought you’d have fun reading it anyway, despite the fact that I have some major revisions to share with you regarding my Book 3 update. I’ll share those updates with you soon, but for now, I hope you enjoy this one!

How far am I in the final editing stages?

For this Book 3 update, I’m actually farther than I anticipated, and it’s been a long haul. Let me tell you. I honestly believed it was going to take me quite a bit longer to get this far into the book.

I think it’s safe to say that my editor is more than 1/3 through Book 3. Technically, she’s fairly close to 1/2 of the way through it (47%). I’m a bit shocked at how quickly she’s read the chapters…a lot of which are excessively long. I didn’t realize quite how long some of them actually are until I started going through them, and there are definitely a lot more chapters than the preceding books. Mostly because this finale packs a punch!

Please don’t be fooled by how Book 3 begins. It’s a bit of a wild ride with all kinds of unexpected twists and turns. My editor is still guessing and guessing as to what will happen next, and if I haven’t already shared this much with you, she’s a hard one to fool when it comes to predicting plot lines and surmising foreshadowing. But she has yet to uncover what’s going to play out in Book 3, much to my elation.

I have high hopes this final installment of Finockt’s journey will keep you on the edge of your seat with anticipation and second-guessing at the plot the whole way through.

What’s been the hardest thing to edit so far?

Ooo, I’d have to Chapter 1, believe it or not. Pretty typical for a writer, I guess, but this one caught me by surprise since I’d edited Chapter 1 quite extensively in its last editing stages a couple of years ago.

I felt quite confident in how it played out and felt pretty satisfied with its flow…that was until my editor edited the first chapter. It was only minor things she felt needed corrected, but I realized something was off. A few weeks later when I had the time to participate in a final read-through, what I initially thought would be a cake-walk ended up being a “back to the drawing board” type of deal.

What did I do?

I started Chapter 1 all over again somewhere between 3-4x. At least the opening page. It just didn’t fit. I wasn’t happy with the flow or what was happening with Finockt. It all just seemed off, and it didn’t sit well with me. the first page needed revamped, and I was sweatin’ it a little bit on whether or not I could fully pull that out.

Thankfully, after saying a prayer, I just tried to envision what was happening and it all unrolled from there. I almost couldn’t type it out fast enough!

What happened then?

After I revamped Chapter 1 and cut it up into 2 chapters, the rest of the story just flew. I ended up cutting several additional chapters up into 2 separate chapters, which then almost doubled the number of chapters I’d gone over at that point. The story, however, flowed so much better that I couldn’t help but feel more at ease with its structure and cadence. I hope you’ll feel the same when you read it.

What else did I do?

I also ended up eliminating a bit more description, trimmed other descriptions down just a touch, and added some minor description elsewhere. I was quite surprised as well that there seems to be a lot more dialogue in Book 3. This intrigued me. I didn’t remember there being as much as there actually is. So, those chapters that carry more dialogue are a wee bit longer than the others, but for the most part, I tried to keep chapter length consistent in Book 3.

What am I currently doing?

Currently, I’m waiting to go over 2-3 chapters with my editor for final approval. I’ve already placed some final edits on a couple of chapters I’d given a final edit and wanted to ask her input before I printed those off and ran through them in one final, final read-through.

Once these items are checked off, I’ll be printing all the existing chapters I have done of Book 3 and reading them straight through for a final, final correction (you know me) of grammar/syntax, check character names, check flow of dialogue and sentences, and complete any final, little tweaks and such. I’m hoping that it all goes smoothly. It has thus far, and I pray it continues!

What am I most grateful for throughout this tedious process?

Throughout the process of writing and sharing this Book 3 update with you, I feel fortunate and am deeply grateful to have the editor I do and to have my prayers answered. It can be really stressful juggling editing a book, writing a new one, holding down a full-time job, and wrestling with the internal problems at my workplace, as well as pursuing additional certifications for my job. So I’m grateful to have an editor that gets me and understands me and is so patient and kind. She is truly a Godsend.

How do I deal with these stressors?

Simple answer: writing.

Writing is such an outlet for me; I’m grateful to have the opportunity to write and express myself, thus giving my mind, and hopefully yours, an escape from the rigors of daily life. It is definitely therapeutic to be able to sit down and release my thoughts on paper or the computer screen.

When will I be done with Book 3?

This is always a good question. I’m not quite sure. Publishing kinda has a mind of its own, at least in my opinion anyway. Particularly self-publishing. Oftentimes, that’s why it takes me a bit longer to write a Book 3 update. There’s so much I want to say, and yet I don’t want to disappoint you by missing the mark.

One thing I knew for absolute certain: I definitely don’t want to rush this final book.

If I’m truthful, I felt a bit more pressured to publish Book 2-The Heir and get it done within a certain time frame, and I wasn’t happy with some of the results. So, I’ll be very honest with you and say that I’m definitely taking my time with this final installment. It’s a lot of pages, a lot of chapters, and, the biggest factor is…it’s my favorite! I literally LOVE this final book. That being said, I want it to be as well done and as perfect as possible for you. That takes time and effort, all of which I’m willing to give.

But don’t be disheartened, I also want to assure you it will, for sure, be worth the wait! Ah, I can’t wait to hear your reaction to the end!

Can I give a hint about when it will be published?

Sure! Why not? My goal is 2025. Hopefully that eases your spirit a bit from the anxiety of knowing when to expect its publication!

It could be sooner, but that’s when I anticipate it most likely will be. I hope this only serves to ignite a greater desire within you to get to the end and get your hands on Finockt’s remaining story. It’s seriously so mind-blowing and touching. I can say this with ease because it’s like I didn’t write the story (I assure you I did, by God’s allowance and grace, but it reads like I didn’t, which is everything I hoped for). There’s something magical and beautiful about picking up a book and wondering who wrote it. If you’re a fellow writer, you’ll know exactly what I mean, and I’m glad you do.

Side note:

I can also be a bit silly when it comes to publishing deadlines. I like to have a trajectory in mind, but I also like to have a season in mind, which may be weird. However, I feel like Book 3 connects more of the special moments with a particular season. I wanted to be able to connect that for you. A lot like how The Lost King’s Daughter’s story started in the spring, and I published it in the beginning of spring. If that makes sense?

I wanted you to feel the full effects of Book 3 the best way I can. You’ll understand more when you read it.

Are you interested in reading the first 2 books in the series?

Start the adventure with The Lost King’s Daughter, and get caught up in the battle for the throne in The Heir. You may find Book 1-The Lost King’s Daughter and Book 2-The Heir at Amazon or at my store, where you can also bundle and save if you buy the first 2 books in the series together! Check it out!

I hope you enjoyed this Book 3 update! Be ready for another interesting Book 3 update soon. I will definitely try to be more on top of this one. I have so much I want to share, but life is a rollercoaster with a lot of twists and turns for which I’m unprepared. Yet rest assured, everything that’s packed in my head will eventually make it to the blog for you to read, and hopefully, enjoy!

Until next time…hope you enjoy a peaceful day no matter where you are and that you’re still eagerly awaiting Book 3’s debut. God bless xoxo