As January quietly slides into February, my writing is picking up again after a foot-dragging time after Christmas. Dancing in the Dark is now pirouetting gracefully towards its final bow. In fact, the last chapter is written - I often write the best bits first. The novel is turning out to be a little longer than orginally envisaged, so I still have two or three chapters to fill in the gap. They are rather like those creams and toffees that everyone leaves in the bottom of the tin of Quality Street - not quite the treat I would like but being fairly satisfying to finish.
After overcoming a little bump in plans for Losing Face (my original marketing lady is going on maternity leave!) all is ready to run smoothly under the expert guidance of my multi-tasking editor. Now is the time for a lull before the rising whirl of activity as we work towards the publication date of 25th May. I am toying with the idea of having a big launch party on 26th, at my home. There is some uncertainty about this because I would like all my friends and family to populate the readings I will be doing in various bookshops, so I don't think I can expect them to attend both. Or perhaps a party will stimulate their interest in seeing me doing a reading and book-signing?
But what next? With Dancing in the Dark reaching the editing stage, I need to be making decisions. I have other novels waiting to be finished - only one of those is for the young adult market and that is extremely complicated. The one with the most written so far needs some research which may be beyond me unless I travel very widely and the final one is only about 10,000 words so far, but is taking me on an interesting journey into crime fiction.
So who knows? Only the great Creator and Author of all Things. There may be a new novel just bursting out of the wings of my imagination to take centre stage.
Happy writing for those who are entrenched in that noble art and enjoy your reading to those who join us in our imaginery dance.
Annie
