Wow, you guys! I can’t believe I finished up the first draft of Broken! This was a tough book to write, both emotionally and logistically since it’s book 2 of a trilogy. On top of that there have been some very emotional events going on in real life which have only made concentrating on this book more difficult. A week or so ago I had to request an extension from my (amazing!) publisher and they were happy to grant it. I hate having to do that. I’m one of those students that always liked to have their work in early if possible.

Now I have a month and a half to get the edits done, which I think is no problem. I know the beginning especially needs some serious work, but I’m very pleased with the ending. One of the troubles of writing book 2 is that it’s tough to know where to end the book. That’s certainly been the problem here. I can’t wait to share this rollercoaster ride with you all! Now I just need to fix some places, fix some characters, and get this beauty delivered to my publisher!

Project: Broken

A land has fallen. An escape was made. It’s a victory of sorts, but at what price?

Shaleigh has made a terrible mistake, one she may not ever be able to fix. Lost and in a strange land with anger and death all around her, she must navigate her way through treacherous lands on her quest for redemption. Along the way she’ll have to negotiate with the mercurial Queen of the Fae, survive the dangers of the Masked King’s realm, and seek out a terrifying fire dragon.

With two powerful beings hot on her trail, Shaleigh has no choice but to keep moving, or else face the dangerous magic of the Madness that has already caused so much pain and heartache. With her sights on helping her friends and her heart longing for home, Shaleigh is determined, but will it be enough?

BROKEN is Book 2 of the Stolen series

Words Written:
2/12 – 1,711
2/13 – 2,163
3/2 – 4,692 (!!!)
3/3 – 2,846 on Broken, 560 on Chosen

FINAL Word Count for Draft 1 of BROKEN: 67,485

Progress:
My goodness, this has been an emotional roller coaster for these poor characters. Then they end up facing one of the most ruthless and terrifying creature in the land, so you know it won’t get easier.

Next Up:
Starting Chosen with a very surreal encounter and some long-lasting decisions.

Commentary:
My gosh, you guys, I can’t believe the first draft of Broken is finished! I’ve been plugging away at this book since August 10, 2018, which means it took me 7 months to finish it. Considering that it’s the middle book of the 3-part sandwich of Stolen, I knew it would be a difficult project, but I didn’t realize how tough it would be. I’ve had a great time writing it, and I’m stoked to continue on in book 3, Chosen.

I can’t wait to share this book with you all! It’s definitely different from book 1, but it shares a lot of the same themes and ideas of course. That’s what you want in a trilogy, right? I’m so dang excited to finish up with fixing the structure so I can get it into your hands sooner!

Working on a really emotional scene right now and it always takes a lot of focus and prep time to really get into the right feeling. It takes prep work, it takes listening to the right music, it takes planning and being willing to dive into your emotions. For people who write, they understand how difficult this can be. It’s taken me about a week to find the time and ability to dive into this scene again because it can be so taxing. When it’s done though, that feeling of relief is amazing.

Project: Broken

A land has fallen. An escape was made. It’s a victory of sorts, but at what price?

Shaleigh has made a terrible mistake, one she may not ever be able to fix. Lost and in a strange land with anger and death all around her, she must navigate her way through treacherous lands on her quest for redemption. Along the way she’ll have to negotiate with the mercurial Queen of the Fae, survive the dangers of the Masked King’s realm, and seek out a terrifying fire dragon.

With two powerful beings hot on her trail, Shaleigh has no choice but to keep moving, or else face the dangerous magic of the Madness that has already caused so much pain and heartache. With her sights on helping her friends and her heart longing for home, Shaleigh is determined, but will it be enough?

BROKEN is Book 2 of the Stolen series

Words Written:
2/10 – 2,441

Current Word Count: 56,131

Progress:
Sometimes things don’t go at all like you plan. In fact they turn so much worse just when you think things will get better. The shock is tough to adapt to.

Next Up:
A journey to a very dangerous place with a very horrific companion.

Commentary:
Yay, I hit that 70% mark on my wordcount! This was easily one of the most intense scenes of this book, which is right where it needs to be in around the middle of book 2 of my trilogy. I always feel like my first drafts suffer from too little detail, but I’ll be coming back through in later drafts to add more meat to these scenes. This one in particular almost has all the detail it needs, but I’m sure I’ll see more when I come back to it with fresh eyes

I wanted to have this book done by the end of January, but that hasn’t happened. I want this book to be as powerful as I have it in my head though, and sometimes that takes time – more time than we expect. I’m pleased with where I am for now, but I can tell it’s going to take longer than I anticipated.

I know folks who have finished Book 1 of the Stolen series are clamoring for a Book 2, but I want it to be right too. Oh, the struggles of being an author! I think you all with enjoy this one though! It’s definitely darker than Book 1 though, so just be prepared!