Whew.
Life really, well, lifed this summer and it left me with little bandwidth for extra. Which meant, I fell behind on a lot of things – like updates and newsletters.
THANKFULLY not writing and editing.
So! Let’s dive in.
Unraveling updates:
The Unraveling of Covens has been tweaked, adjusted, rewritten in a spattering of scenes that were a bit clunky, and consistency checked to the skies. I’ve just wrapped my last read through, and have a few more things to fix/change for flow and then it goes off to Brit, my amazing editor, for the start of the developmental editing process.
*slams the pause button*
Part of my job role in my day gig is editing. I’ve been at it for nearly two decades professionally, I’ve been writing stories since I could hold a pencil. Yet, I’d have the ego the size of Jupiter if I thought that meant my writing was perfect. That I’d shape scenes in immersive ways for readers in the first go. That my story would flow smoothly right out of the gate. Each em- or en-dash used in all the right places. That dang oxford comma. DIALOG TAGS!
I knew right away I was going to need help to make it sparkle. I enlisted writer and reader friends for Alpha and Beta read throughs to help (both books so far), and then started squirreling away money for editing services. All of those steps proved incredibly beneficial, along with the books that my editor has recommended for help writing POV, dialog, and emotion.
Daughters was so much more in its final than it was from that first draft, and even the draft I submitted to developmental.
I know getting an editor can be costly, and as indies, every penny feels more like dollars. But it will be worth it, TRUST me.
*hits play*
Unraveling is still slated for a spring 2025 release. The cover reveal is planned for October, but, if you’re subscribed to my newsletter, you’ll get in later this month (don’t miss it – subscribe here!).
Through the end stages of Unraveling, the third book in the series shifted its story shape. And, much like Unraveling did – has now become titleless.
ROC3 updates:
Is flowing. It currently sits at roughly 80k words. However, it is writing far differently than the first two.
Which, can be credited to learning and growing. Knowing after I write a scene, complete a chapter and walk away, that my brain is still working it out. Adjusting, shaping, giving it more emotion if its needed, more building if that’s what’s needed.
(Circles back to Alphas, Betas, and editors – pay attention to their feedback and use it, grow from it).
Much like Unraveling became a very emotionally charged book with themes of grief, alcoholism, among many others, ROC3 has that same emotional driver. Which means that it needs to be handled with care.
Especially because at this point, we’re invested in these stories the characters are showing us. We’re invested in them. And they’ve been through it (so haven’t we).
The release date is unknown at this point. There’s a lot of moving parts involved, and if folks would just stop pirating my books so I had to file takedown notices which has, at this point for Daughters, exceeded my small amount of earned royalties. Because the one goal I have outside of sharing this story with readers, is to break even each book. To make back what I’ve paid to my editor because I’m fortunate in my job in media giving me the experience and skill I need to do my own covers, layout, etc.
With that, I leave on this note: Please don’t pirate books. Especially indies. We’re not making big bucks. At most, a few dimes from each book sale. Support your indie authors.
H.S. Sillivan 