Hey, did anyone miss me? Please don’t answer that, I’m joking. Seems like forever since I actually wrote a blog post.
Guess what? Yep, I’ve been busy finishing book two. I swear! Honest—book two is finished in first draft. It only happened a couple days ago.
A little while ago I touched up my website again, adding some information about the second book. My website has a page for Howdy, Ma’am and now a page for Bull Rider Series #2. You’ll find a couple excerpts for each book. Trust me when I tell you how difficult it is to choose an excerpt for the second book. It’s so important not to give anything away about HM.
I’ll leave a link to visit, and you can read those excerpts if you’d like. The page for book two on my website explains my plan for the book layout as far as what I want the cover to say. I can tell you it’s one darn long story.
Not long ago I asked for opinions from friends and on my Facebook Author Page.
- Break it up into two books
- Make it one long book
- Create a bundle/ Omnibus
- Whatever else.
Lots of comments said, “Write the story that needs to be told.” Since I’m an Indie author, I can do this. But, I also want to write the book you like to read. Too long might scare you away? Maybe you can pretend it’s a Saga.
My intent from the beginning was to have a part one and two. There’s a reason for this— Part one is off season. Part two is when the second season begins. Remember, he hired her for the first season. Now that the season is over, what will become of them? I want to scream out— “I know! I know what happens…” I won’t. But, I want to! Squeeeee…
In the planning of book two, my intention was to go with the two parts, and this is what I did. I wrote the story that needed to be written.
I gave my characters what they wanted, and some things they didn’t. Tears of joy and sadness wracked my body and soul as I wrote this, ripping my heart apart at times. Oh, yes, I laughed and cried right along with them, and went through all the other emotions they endured.
So, readers, since I did write the story that needed to be written, you will find it’s really like getting two books under one title, with what I’d call “down-time” between parts one and two…
Take a break, ponder on what you had just read in part one, guess what will happen in the second part, or walk away for a few days. I promise you’ll be able to do this instead of have to sit through such a long story straight through.
But, I know you will come back for part two and the conclusion before long. You won’t want to miss the end of the Bull Rider Series—Velia and Caulder’s story—one way or another—whichever way it goes.
Yes, this is the final book. I don’t care how many times they get into my head and beg me for more; it “ain’t” gonna happen. Please, I have other cowboys to ride…I mean write. Oops.
FOR RIGHT NOW, I’ve set aside my manuscript to simmer awhile, and in the meantime I’ll be working on another manuscript. After all, I’m still in the 500K in 2013 group. I think my word count for the year so far is over 117K with the writing in all my works in progress since January.
To read those excerpts I mentioned, here are links to my website and the Bull Rider Series, pages.
Link to information about Howdy, Ma’am. Book One in the Bull Rider Series.
Link to information about Book Two.
I’d love if you subscribed to my blog to receive updates through email or by clicking Follow at the top of the page—a sure way to stay informed of news and updates. Also, there’s a Contact Page if you’d like to ask a question.
Ciao
Mary~
3 thoughts on “Where Have I Been?”
Christine Rice
Congrats on finishing your first draft of book two! I’m in the editing phase of my own work-in-progress. It’s a long process to publish a book, but the care we put into it makes the finished product a wonderful creation, and that makes it all worth it 🙂 Good luck when you begin revising!
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Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
Hi, Teagan,
Thanks! It feels like I’m moving so slow. Still need to revise and, EKK, eventually send to the editor. Have a great evening.
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teagan geneviene
Congrats Mary! You’ve been making progress on multiple fronts this year — and it’s only April.
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