Autumn is here – my favourite time of year. It's a time for fireworks, raining leaves, fiery colours, layered clothes, TV under the covers, fluffy clothes and shoes, bobble hats, hot chocolate, fresh night air, the first sparkling frosts and powerful thunderstorms, plus a new alpha book swap.
Work on The Approach, the first book in my Courage Colony YA sci-fi series has spread the seasons of this year. I started the research and planning on boxing day 2017, finished the first draft (with some edits as I wrote) in May 2018, completed the first alpha book swap in June 2018, and finished the changes from the first swap in September 2018, just in time for a second alpha book swap.
I'm hoping this swap will make the book even better. Of course, I also hope the book needs fewer changes this time around but that's a common wish of creative types. I still plan on a beta swap after this round of feedback but after that I'm hoping the book will be ready for proofreading and publication.
These things always seem to take longer than I hope but, now that I'm working part time, writing is far less stressful and much quicker, which helps the lingering frustration over my naturally average speed. As my friend often says, at least I'm beating George R R Martin!