I’m taking a little pause from my “Blast from the Past” posts to give you a glimpse into the future. 🙂 As many of you already know, I tend to write what my muse (my heart and writing soul, basically) compels me to, but I make plans. Sometimes those plans get derailed for whatever reason (for instance, Tangled Web 3, Seal All Exits, got backburnered a ridiculous amount of times because my muse shoved another more urgent idea into my head–more times than I can remember). Still…I tend to have an idea of what I want to write and when, and it’s all ultimately decided by what’s swirling around in my head making noise.
I conducted an informal poll earlier this month–some of you might have seen it and some of you might have actually given me feedback. I worry that I have so many series in the air that readers might be tired of waiting and not trust me to finish out series. Many of you assured me that’s not the case, but I’m still concerned, mainly because sales of the Bullet series have dropped significantly–so either I’ve waited so long to publish the next book that lots of readers no longer care or they’re waiting until the series is done to read all the books. I’m not sure, but it’s led me to do a lot of thinking…and planning.
Of course, just when I start planning, my muse throws an idea in my head that can’t be denied. My next book, Savage, happened that way. It was an idea I had over a year ago, but over the summer it started knocking on the door and by fall I could no longer put it off. That said, I couldn’t put off Seal All Exits anymore and I had already set plans in motion for Slash and Burn, so I knew I had to write those first. Finally, I started writing Savage (which is coming along nicely, by the way, and is already shaping up to be a HUGE novel)…and, smack in the middle (so typical of my effed-up brain), I got an idea for another book, a standalone, and one that will not let me put it off. Just so you can say you heard about it early on, the tentative title is Vagabonds, and I’m aiming for a summer release date. I’m not willing to share any other details yet, but think Bullet.
That said, I feel the need to write some other books based on those informal polls I told you about. Readers told me they’re dying for more Nicki…and I understand that. The first six books came out fast and close together, and the seventh wasn’t too far off. You had to wait forever for Nicki #9 (again, thank Bullet for that), and I felt bad! But those same readers who said they wanted more Nicki also told me they’re not ready for her to end. I understand that too. But that tells me that I need to write the next Nicki book, one that has started shaping up in my head. It is going to be called Lies and I know the basic plot. This book is probably going to set in motion the beginning of the end, if that makes any sense, and what I fear is that, once it’s written, readers aren’t going to want to wait as patiently for the next book as they have for ones past. But…we’ll see what happens. 🙂
After that, I think I’m going to go ahead and finish out the Bullet series. I want readers to know and trust that I do have an end game in mind. I already know the plot for Zane’s book, and I envision some sort of wrap-up novella, something that brings the characters together again as a way to close the door to the series. The idea for that book is vague, but I know it will come to me when I get close. I’m thinking those will be fall/winter releases.
What that means is that I’m putting off other projects–the second book in the Wishes series that I’d wanted to write this year (Diesel’s book), the first book in the Bullet spinoff series (the Feverish series), and perhaps the next Tangled Web book…but I’m only one person and can only write so fast. 😀 I hope you understand and continue this journey with me because, in spite of it all, I’m here to stay.
So, to sum up, vague plans (but don’t hold me to them–my muse is a fickle bitch!):
March – Savage
Summer – Vagabonds
Fall – Lies (Nicki #10)
Fall – Bullet #6 (Zane’s book)
Winter – Bullet 6.5 (wrap-up novella to end the series)
Cross your fingers and wish me luck!
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