My latest novel, Losing Dani Strumm, was supposed to be released earlier this year. My hope was late spring or early summer of 2022. Besides being a church pastor, my wife owns her own business, and I own an antique mall I run during the week.
The business picked up at the mall, and I was always super busy, which I didn't mind, except that I had not finished my book yet. Then, as I neared summer, I was elected vice-president of the ministerial association for our county, which added more responsibility to my plate.
I was trying to do too much and had to move things around. I wanted to do my best at everything, but that was impossible, and something had to go. There isn't enough time in the day to do everything and give your all. So I decided to sell the store to focus on the church, the association, and writing.
Now I am in what I refer to as "the transition," moving from my old schedule and developing my new daily routine. There was also a transition period with selling the store because I didn't want to leave the new owners to figure everything out, so I offered my services for a few weeks to help them get up and running.
I am 100% out of the store now, except for the occasional phone call for help with something. I have reorganized all of my files, wrote an interim itinerary, and started this week with my new schedule. So far, it is working out well.
I am pleased that I now have more time to study in the morning, write afterward, and plan the rest of the day. Without the overwhelming responsibility of owning and operating my own business, I have time for everything I need and want to do, including enjoying life.
I can now give my all to the church, ministry, and writing, which brings me to today's article, my novel Losing Dani Strumm.
I jumped back into Losing Dani Strumm yesterday. I have been free from the store responsibilities for about a week now. Over the next week, I will read and re-read, Losing Dani Strumm and go from there.
Everything was coming along just fine with the book until I got this new idea for an ending that drew me away from the original concept. That is when I wrote myself into a corner. It's tempting sometimes to go in a new direction with a story. However, it's not a good idea when you have already planned it out.
So, I plan to read it a few times and back up to where I took my turn, this will get me back on track, and I hope to have it published before the end of next month.
It is funny; October is when most of my novels are published. So I should start using that for my target date.
Losing Dani Strumm will be my first hardcover novel too. I am excited to see the dust jacket for this one. I think it is one of the best book covers yet.
I will be sure to keep everyone up to speed with the progress, and for those who have subscribed to my periodic newsletter, I will be sure to add an exclusive excerpt from the book.
October, here I come!
Comments