The Writing Life: It’s All About Juggling
I’m often asked how I keep everything straight. Not my work schedule, mind you, or my kids’ activities, or even my grad school projects.
People, in general, ask about how I organize everything in my writing life — from character names and settings to story details and plot twists in multiple books. The truth? You have to love it. It’s truly a juggling act. Here’s the latest update:
Book #1 (Center of Gravity)
July 14th Release!
At present, I’m getting ready to launch book #1 (Center of Gravity), which means planning book signings (find the list here), answering Q & As, and writing guest posts for blog tours.
The book, set in Mobile, Ala., features 8-year-old Jack, his mother, Ava, his father, Mitchell, and attorney Graham Thomas. Center of Gravity releases (yay!) Tuesday, July 14th with a kickoff party at my favorite Mobile coffeehouse, Carpe Diem, on Tuesday, July 21st. Come one, come all!
‘Sister Dear’ Edits!
Book #2 (Sister Dear)
I’m also deep into the edits for book #2, due at the end of this month. Sister Dear, set in Brunswick, Ga., combines suspense, secrets, and family drama in a picturesque town built on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean.
Armed with 7 single-spaced pages of recommendations and thought-provoking questions from my lovely editor, Amanda, I’ve been working on the manuscript slowly but steadily, grabbing any snippet of time that I can over these past few weeks. I’ve re-acquainted myself with sisters Allie and Emma, Allie’s daughter, Caroline, and Glynn County Sheriff Lee Gaines. Sister Dear is scheduled for release in April of 2016.
Book #3 (Untitled – though I have a few ideas!)
New Orleans, La.
Meanwhile, I’m can’t wait to get back to writing book #3 (Currently untitled) and set in New Orleans, just two hours down I-10 from Mobile. This story centers on a foiled kidnapping attempt and involves 16-year-old Olivia, her grandmother, Victoria, Olivia’s stepfather, Theo, and his girlfriend, Kate.
Since January of this year, I’ve finished 33 chapters. The remaining 9 are outlined; I’m estimating that I’ll need about 14,000 more words to get to the finish line.
Here’s hoping I’ll wrap up the”first draft” of book #3 by Independence Day. After some time off with my family and boys, it’s on to more fun … outlining book #4!
xo, Laura
Photo Credit: Alex Demyan and NewOrleansOnline.com
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