Excited (and Nervous!) About the Writing Year Ahead
Recently, my award-winning author friend Marilyn Levinson announced she had not one but eight books coming out that year. I was astonished and incredibly impressed! I knew my prolific friend wrote both for young people and adults, but eight books? She explained that several had gone out of print and were being republished—but still!
Illustration by Veii Rehanne Martinez on Unsplash
I also write books both for young people and adults, but I’m a slow writer and feel great if I can write one book a year. Yet this year, I find myself in a position I’ve never been in before with three books coming out.
First to appear is the spring publication of my identity-swapping middle grade novel, THE BIG SWITCH: VARNEY AND CEDRIC. I wrote the novel a couple of years ago and am thrilled that it’s finally coming out. I had so much fun writing it, especially about the character of Varney, a kid vampire who’s convinced he was born in the wrong body and has a terrible case of V.A.D. (Vampire Adjustment Disorder). When a friendly witch gives him the chance to swap identities on a trial basis with Cedric, a troubled human boy, he jumps at the chance. Needless to say, the switch has its complications.
Also this spring, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN YOU, a young adult novel, is coming out with a new publisher, White City Press, after I got my rights back from the original publisher. This novel is close to my heart, as it was my thesis project for my MFA at Seton Hill. I loved writing about Clara, who is dealing with an online stalker in the wake of her piano prodigy twin’s unsolved murder.
Finally, in May, a sequel to MISSED CUE comes out called DEATH IN THE END ZONE. Lieutenant Caitlin O’Connor is once again faced with a difficult case, the murders of two star football players whose bodies are left in the end zone of their high school’s football field in a compromising position. I’d never written a sequel before. All of my previous novels have been stand-alone projects. I discovered that I really enjoyed returning to a flawed but determined character like Caitlin.
Whenever I have a book coming out, I remind myself that I have no control over how it will be received. But I feel nervous anyway. Also very excited and grateful as well. Sending books into the world is a good problem to have.
Meantime, I wish all of you a Happy New Year in which you have many “good problems”!
Lynn,
Thank you for mentioning me in your blog! Speaking of nervous, I get nervous every time I sit down to write.
Me too, Marilyn! I always have to light a candle and read from my book of meditations for writers (WALKING ON ALLIGATORS by Susan Shaughnessy) to get myself going!