The Giddiness of a New Project

I finished the third draft to my YA fantasy novel mid-September (working title: Replacing the Princess) and I'm so happy to be done that I'm giddy.

I am not a very fast writer, and I like to take breaks between drafts which often results in projects stretching out over years. According to my notes I wrote the 1st draft in Fall 2016, the 2nd draft from March to Sept of 2018, and the 3rd draft from Feb to Sept this year. Nor, sadly, am I completely done. There's still at least a 4th draft to go, after I get crits back from my writer's group, but those usually take less time. The brunt of the work is done.

But for now I don't  have to think about the novel for a little while. I already have my October goals set out: I want to plot out a sequel novel to Path of Power and get it to the synopsis and sample chapter stage, and I've promised my fans that I'd finish the first draft on Mike & Angel book five which I've been stuck on forever. That should take me to the end of October. And then (rubs hands gleefully) I have choices to make.

Several New Shiny Ideas have popped into my head: The Moon is Falling and Big House in the Jurassic Woods are the frontrunners. Then there's Mage in a Coma, book three in a planned  but unpublished paranormal romance series. I have a kickass first chapter for it on my hard drive, but no more. Seeing Eye Boy is an idea I've been kicking around for years... I'm itching to write first drafts for all of these.

Then there are a few first drafts out there that I'd like to revise sometimes soon-ish: Unscripted, my androids-in-love novella, and By Glamour Deceived, book two in the aforementioned paranormal romance series.

Plus, there's a trunk novel of mine, Jayne's Keeper, which may be due for reviving. (If my friend Barb is reading this, she's saying Yes, pick that one.) And Distant Beating of Wings which used to be book one in the paranormal romance series, but which has.... problems. (It was my first stab at a romance and I got some fundamental things wrong.)

And, of course, I can actually write either the Path of Power or the Replacing the Princess sequel...

So many choices, so little time. But for now I'm having fun with the possibilities!