What's Next?

The Ankulen is published. I can no longer pull up the document and make a small tweak or change. I'm done ...

Which means I must find a new project.

Considering my very long WIP list, this shouldn't be a problem.

And yet it is. So ... I'm going to sit back and do a run through of all of my books/ideas, tell you where I am with each, and the pros and cons of each book. BTW, this'll be a rather long post, so I won't blame you if you bail halfway through ... but virtual cookies to anyone who gets to the end.

First on my WIP list (see the link two paragraphs up) is The Ankulen. I really need to remove it from the list, but ... oh well. While I am finished with the book itself, I do have a list of spin-offs that I can talk about. First, Jen has a bunch of adventures she had as a kid, and I've decided to write them up and ad them to my short story collections. I'm about a quarter of the way through writing the first, "The Sun Jewel Adventure," and those of you who have read The Ankulen may guess what it's about. Second, Jen wants to write some original stuff that would occur after she got her imagination back. She says she's going to write her first book (which has yet to be titled, but will be about Princess Mynna of the Mermaids - which I think will make all of you very happy since she seems to be a favorite among my readers) during NaNo. I'm not sure how that's going to play out since I'll be writing my own book at the same time. Third, I am planning an official sequel, which will be entitled Anka Jenifer, and it will explain almost everything that I left hazy, and a certain character's sisters will make their appearance. But since this book takes place five years after The Ankulen I'm not in a hurry to get it written. Sorry, folks.

Second on my WIP list is Cayra. MY mermaid book. These mermaids are very different from the ones in Jen's imagination, even to their clothing. Cayra (what these mermaids call themselves) cannot breath air unless they use a special magic pill, which is available only to the royalty. The don't believe that humans (who they call Eamals) actually exist. Their clothing is more like what L. Frank Baum gave his mermaids in his book The Sea Fairies, (a book I highly recommend if you've read the whole Oz series and want to know the backstory of Trot and Cap'n Bill.) This is actually my only fantasy that is set 100% in the real world. I'm not sure where it is, but it's along a seashore - perhaps on an island. I like the logistics of this book, but while I've written the first chapter, bits and pieces of the middle, and most of the ending ... I can get the book to string together. Sigh ... maybe someday.

Ah, The New Division! Now that's a book that's making progress. It barely had any writing at the beginning of this year, but on whim, I decided to write it for 100-for-100 and I added a good 12,000 or so words to it. (Don't remember the official count, though I could probably look it up.) During July, I pulled it up and wrote another thousand words, and right now, a second 100-for-100 is going. What do you think I'm writing? Why The New Division of course! (Or at least I will until NaNo starts, and then I'll be allowed to switch it for my official NaNo novel. I'll get there later. I'm really liking this book, and I don't think I've ever really seen a book like it. I love all four of the main characters, even Alistaar (who really needs to be taken down a few notches, but that will come later.) It's a slow story, though, and it must be written slowly. I don't know when I'll finish it, but I've already decided that it'll probably need rewritten. I'd like to publish it before my Rizkaland legends, but if WP,FP gets out first, I really won't mind.

Speaking of rewriting, here's Infiltration, which DEMANDS a rewrite. Now, I love this story, especially since its set in my oldest world, but I'm actually not in a hurry to get it published. You see, it takes place after the Rizkaland legends in much the same way as The New Division takes place before. It also is one of the last of my sister's Mikada Chronicles, technically, so while it functions quite all right as a standalone, it will be much better if I wait and let all the history be written. Also, I'm not sure how I want to rewrite it. I really liked the journal/memoir format I used ... but I want to know the stories of more than just Tiger and Snap. Let me think on this quandary for another year or so, and maybe I'll figure something out. The book also has a sequel planned ... but while I've written an introduction for it, I'm not at all sure how the events should play out.

The Land of Numbers ... Truth be known, I haven't touched that book since I copied it off of facebook and into a word document. It's a delightful story about a pair of twins and a fairy girl who are trying to save an oz-like land of numbers ... but I'm stuck. Maybe I'll finish it someday ... but I'm not sure.

And now we come to Half-Hidden. "Wait" cry those of you who are reading through the WIP list with me, "This says 300 Dragons!" Yup. I know. You see, when I attempted the book for Camp NaNo back in July, I realized that 300 Dragons was the wrong name, despite how eye-catching and exciting it sounded. You see, I discovered that only the good dragons were called "dragons." The fallen dragons, which were the 300 that Jyson was supposed to hunt, are actually called Wyrmen. Not only that, but the official hunt only takes place in the first half of the book. So, why Half-Hidden? Well, you see, the people who hunt the Wyrmen are called the Hidden. They aren't human, but they are trapped in human form. Analyssa Stardrana, my leading lady, is half-Hidden, but she doesn't know what, exactly, the true form of the Hidden is. It's an exciting book, and I'd like to get back to it ... but I have a few facts wrong about Stardrana's mom, and I don't like the opening scene ... so I'd debating whether or not I need to restart it or just keep plowing through.

To Perfect a Fairy Tale ... this book has a started word document and about a page and a half of writing ... but I'm not quite sure where all I'm going with this book. I know what it's about ... but it's going to be a very haphazard book ... and truth be known, haphazard books kinda scare me. I like Anthea, she's a great main character ... so I'll keep chipping away at the story ... but I don't see it picking me up by the ears and making me write it any time soon.

I haven't really talked about Jessica's Summer, even though I think about it a lot. The problem with this book is that, while I know how it begins and have a vague idea how it ends ... I have no idea how to get from point B to point Z. I love the opening chapters, though, and I've written them several times. I love the banter between the Season sisters, especially since Jessica (aka Summer) thinks she's a mortal human. She and Winter are ALWAYS arguing. Maybe I should restart it for the fifth time and maybe I can get somewhere this time ... I'm actually thinking about turning it into a series, called the Cycle of Seasons. We'll see about that if I actually ever get the book written.

Unforgiven is actually a longish short story. I have the outline for this book in play format ... but I'm not sure how to get it started. I can see it progressing beautifully once I get it started ... but opening scenes are the bane of author's existences. But I do like this story, and all of its characters. I just need to get it written.

HaV Academy is probably my most unique book. I'm not really into superheros, or books about boarding schools, but this is a book about both. But I really like it, and the idea simply won't go away. I'm only on the second chapter of Roxanne's story, but I'm considering going ahead and writing Fiona's, since her's is technically first. (There is a reason I'm putting them in out of order, but I won't get into that here.) Lucy's story is last ... but I have written bits and pieces of hers and I might like her best as a main character. Not sure though ... Rox is fun too. And Fiona.

I'm not sure why I never talk about Part of the Family. It was a huge chapter in my writing journey. I have the basic outline in the form of four plays that I wrote for our church to perform ... but I'm not completely sure how to translate them into prose. I do plan to release them as plays as well for other small churches like my own to use for their own kids ... but I need to chase down the original scripts for two of the plays. I'll get back to all of you on this one.

Stolen Ideas probably won't be written for at least, oh ... five or six years, since I want a good supply of writing published. Can't say anything more.

I was considering writing The Nutcracker's Son for NaNo this year, since I've finally settled on a reason that the still-unnamed titular character was turned into a nutcracker like his father. However, since I've decided to write a new, shiny idea instead, I don't know when I'll write it. I do know that I want a Christmas publication ... whenever that happens.

RPS was another book that I was considering for NaNo. Unfortunately, not all of the plot is well thought out. I've decided on an ending, and I KNOW how it'll begin ... but there's a lot of uncharted middle territory that I haven't decided on yet, so I suppose it's just as well that I'm not going to write it yet.

The Faerie Realm was another huge chapter in my writing journey that I really haven't talked about. It's a very broad story with lots of plot. It may end up being a series, I'm not sure. I need to figure out how to twist together all of the plots. I really like my Fairies, so I really am looking forward to writing this.

I have talked some about Silivock, and have even introduced some of the characters. This is one of the early Mikada Chronicles, so it is high on the I'd-like-to-publish list. However I need to do some research into the workings of the computer. The main characters are inventing a computer, so I'd like to at least sound like I know what I'm talking about.

How to Grow a Tulip in Fifty Thousand Words can't be written until after it's first mention in my sister's book. I'll probably write it for a NaNo seven or so years from now.

League of Royals is a fun book that I'm really looking forward to writing. I've slowly been pulling pieces together for it, but I'm not quite ready to start writing it. I love it though, so the day when I can start it may come soon.

The Worth of a King, my co-write with Miss Jack, is currently in my court. I need to finish chapter five and give it back to her. We've been having lots of fun with this book.

I have started No Refuge for a Princess in a notebook, but I didn't get more than a paragraph in. I really like the idea so ... maybe I'll give it a word document soon. I need to do some world building .... though maybe I can slide it in as a different page of Bookania ...

And now we come to the end of my standalones. Technically, the tentatively titled Eternal Queen may end up being a series, or it may only have one book. I don't know yet. I've started writing it, but like No Refuge, I didn't get very far. I'm still open to World Building, so if you want to head over here and ad something new, I'd be much obliged to ye.

And now for my series.

First we have The Bookania Quests. I believe I've mentioned this series a few times, because the first two books are actually published, as is a short story. At the moment, I trying to stumble through My Kingdom For a Quest ... but it's not going too good at the moment. I'm also writing two short stories for my next collection. At the moment, I'd rather write books six or nine ... but I suppose I ought to take what I get ...

Now I know I've talked about The Rizkaland Legends. I've been working on this series for the last ... oh ... seven or eight years. I've completed book two four times, and it still needs a fifth rewrite. At the moment, I'm focusing on finishing writing the first book, Water Princess, Fire Prince, in notebook form. I'm very close to the end, just a few battle scenes perhaps. (Yay!!!! ... or not... I still don't like battle scenes.) When I finish, I'll start rewriting it on the computer for the fourth time. Fun.

The Tales of Ooladada are coming nicely ... except for the fact that I'm stuck at the moment. My sister isn't pleading for the book to be written at the moment, so I suppose I can be forgiven. Bookania's about to show up, so I'm looking forward to that. I have finally convinced my sister that this world doesn't have to be in the Andromeda Galaxy, and that it can be beneath our feet, so I'm happy again!

Dreams of History hasn't been touched or even thought about in a very long time. Sigh. I love Historical Fiction, and I've always wanted to write a Christian version of The Magic Treehouse, but I don't know when it's going to happen. Maybe I should try doing a different book in the series ... like the one where she's a Jewish Girl in WWII ... or the one where she's a Christian girl who becomes a Roman Slave ... Much thought will have to go to this subject.

I have decided that I need to start over with The Trilogy of Secrets. I'm not expecting brilliant word counts out of these books ... so maybe I'll write them all in one fell swoop for a NaNo at some point, then publish them boom, boom, boom. I'm not looking forward to the second book because it takes place in the real world, and I don't like the real world.

And now we come to the Trilogy of One, which I stole from my mom as we all know. She doesn't like all of my added ideas ... but she's the one who dropped the book. She should have had it completed before I got to it. Problem is, I'm having trouble getting into the characters ... but I think I've finally come up with a solution to the problem. I shall email the file to my kindle, and then I shall retype it into a new document and she shall keep the old one for her to finish with if she ever decides to and I shall finish mine.

Of course there's my top-secret, multi-genre series. At the moment I'm planning on writing the first book, which is Sci-Fi, for NaNo this year. I'm looking forward to it! I don't plan to release any of these books until I have the first five ready, which I will then publish in one month increments.

But what book is next on my publication list? The short answer is a Short Story Collection. It will contain two Bookanias, "The Woodcutter Quince" (which is Doranna and Casperl's Backstory) and "Gift Exchange", (which is sandwiched between Sew, and Take) as well as the Jenny Adventure that I mentioned earlier, and a Saffron Adventure entitled "Saffron's Even Bigger Plan." The first three have been started, and I've even made good progress ... but I'm not sure yet where I'm going to start with the Bigger Plan.

But after that ... well, what would you like to see? You've read the pros and cons from each. Which ones do you want me to crack down on and get written?