Good morning to both of my loyal ROYAL readers! Here is a quick update on this month’s episode of The Recipients of the Years of Amelia Layne.
When I decided to publish ROYAL as a free online series, the first three episodes were written and mostly polished and ready to go, and the fourth episode was in draft form. The remaining episodes were/are loosely plotted to help provide some sense of linear planning, which means I already know how this story ends (and no, I won’t tell you.) I also didn’t realize how difficult writing a series–in real-time–for monthly publication was going to be, as opposed to writing everything out first, editing, polishing, and THEN posting in a serial fashion online.
I know you must be wondering, “What does any of that matter to my need to read the next episode NOW?” Mostly, it just means I’m now having issues getting Episode 6 to play out the way I want it to within the word limit I’ve set for myself (roughly 4000 words, because anything more is daunting to read through, I think . . .) in a way that I am satisfied with. Most of my weekend was spent writing, deleting, writing, editing, deleting, undeleting, considering, and re-deleting various sentences and scenes with the same end thought going through my mind: I SUCK AT WORDS. That’s a fairly common sentiment for writers at every stage of the process at every stage in their careers. To be a writer is to wallow in constant self-doubt.
I’ve also been preoccupied with my other major writing project–a full-length middle grade superhero novel called COLOSSA AND THE BIG KIDS. I’d intended to finish up final edits and begin the agent query process by mid-February. Once that target date slipped by, I set a new target of March 1st. I hit that target, and my second book baby is now in the inboxes of two agents on my submission list, awaiting their consideration.
Anyway, episode 6 is coming along, and I’ll be dedicating my evenings this week to it until it’s ready to go. My new publication target date is Friday, which coincidentally, is also the due date for my next Luna Station Quarterly column post. Am I feeling the pressure? Yes, but I’m a Virgo. I THRIVE on pressure.
Also, I don’t plan to readjust my self-imposed publication schedule for ROYAL going forward. My intention is still to post one episode at or around the first of each month. Now that Colossa is off my plate, I should have time to work ahead a bit on Amelia’s story. In the meantime, here is a taste of the story in progress (my way of bribing/thanking you for staying patient):
Once Aasma left for the bar, Amelia pulled Morty from her purse and read the information on the screen:
Name: John Fielding
B: June 30, 1967
D: September 13, 2019
Doctor Fielding had nearly an entire year left, longer than Amelia herself. Would that time be enough to finish his research? Likely not. She didn’t need a degree to know that medical research took years. Based on first impressions, she was loathed to grant him more time, but his work could save countless more lives.
Either way, she had his number and an invitation to call. She could at least determine if his death might come from an undisclosed illness and then figure out what to do from there.
D.M. Domosea 