Progress on My Latest Novel

Here’s a picture of my writing desk on a chilly and damp early December day as I write this. Our first measurable snow is predicted in a few days, just in time because I only yesterday finished cleaning up the dead leaves from the lawn (a fall ritual here in New England).

Some people hate the cold and inclement weather of winter. But I love it. The season gives me a chance to hunker down inside and devote more time to writing.

As we head into these final weeks of 2021, I thought it would be a good time to update you on the headway I’m making on my next work, Elthea’s Nemesis. It will become Book 4 in The Story of Elthea’s Realm series.

Early this year, I boldly proclaimed that I would release it before the year was finished. But, alas, storylines follow their own timeline, and this one is taking a little longer.

My one unbreakable rule about publishing is that my books will be the best I can possibly make them. That holds true today, as it did when I first began writing. And if I have to wrestle with it at times until I’m happy with the result, then so be it.

Completing a novel is a combination of something magical along with tireless perseverance. The writing becomes magical when a story comes together, and the characters spring to life on the page. Then I follow their lead as I race to put their exploits into words. And the other half of my time, I’m plodding forward even when I can’t see where a chapter or scene is going.

I know you’ll be happy with this next novel, as I hope you were with my others. Thanks for sticking with me. I’m incredibly grateful for the many favorable reviews. They inspire me to keep going.

I’ll let you know when this latest story is approaching publication.

Until next time,
John