The Summer of Para

To all fans of Thirty Minutes to Heartbreak, I have some good news! I have decided to declare Summer 2014 as “The Summer of Para” on my writing calendar, where I will spend a few months working on the final three books of Thirty Minutes, back-to-back. I will also be updating the book covers, like I did for the Sacred Breath series. They will be sexier, darker, and more romantic. I will be a bit sad to see the covers go, because I do love these, but it is necessary for marketing.

I can see the ultimate end of Thirty Minutes so clearly in my mind, and I know all of the big events that will occur in the next few books. Because the end is so close, I have been scared to write it to completion—I was worried it would mean letting go of the series forever, saying goodbye, and closing an important chapter of my life. However, I am now prepared for that to happen. I have never finished writing a giant book series, but I realize that it does not mean goodbye. Completing a story does not mean killing it. It means that my little baby is growing up, and moving out of the house; going off to college or starting its own family.

I’m setting the story free into the world. I can’t suffocate it and cling to it forever by avoiding finishing it. I need to let go. After a few months or years, maybe I can even go back and read over the stories, and experience Thirty Minutes again in a different way. I have often re-read many of my favorite book series—Terry Goodkind’s "Sword of Truth" series, and Jack Whyte’s “A Dream of Eagles.” And I also re-watch my favorite TV shows—Buffy, Firefly, Dragonball Z, Smallville, Xena, Charmed, Breaking Bad. It’s always sad when something you’ve been following for years finally comes to an end. Especially since it’s not usually the end of the story—the stories are limitless, but production budgets and time are not. 

I feel that I need to reach the end of Thirty Minutes so that I can move onto bigger and better things. I currently have a vague idea of how the Sacred Breath series will end, but I have no idea how long it will take. I originally thought the series would have seven books, back when I started writing it in 2012, but now I know that there is no possible way I can end at Book #7. We’re going to get at LEAST ten books in Sacred Breath. I hope I can write another one or two this year. 

I hope you're excited to read the final books of Thirty Minutes! I will post more about it here, once I have the new covers and tentative release dates.

Tides of Tranquility: Release Date

      I need to apologize to all my readers for the delayed release of Sacred Breath #5. I was almost sure I could finish it by the end of 2012, but some unexpected obstacles have slowed me down in these past few months. =( However, I promise that I will give it my everything, all day, every day for the next several weeks until it is completed. I really want to dive into the world of Adlivun and lose myself there. Abyssal Zone will be a hard act to follow, but I want this book to be amazing. To push myself harder, I’m going to say that I want it finished and edited before the end of January.

      To be honest, I have been a bit nervous about Visola. After such a huge victory, I was perplexed by figuring out how to write her character in peacetime. I thought that I would no longer be able to relate to the general. I understood her when she was constantly on edge, distrustful of the men closest to her, and making lewd and inappropriate jokes to promote an air of confidence and distract from the fact that she was miserable. But Visola happily married with wonderful young children? How could I possibly understand that? Has she really become a soft and satisfied person? I must have driven around aimlessly for dozens of hours, stressing over this question. How will the events of the last book change her? Could it be that I don't know her anymore?

      Then the answer struck me. Visola doesn't know -herself- anymore. If I'm uncomfortable with this peaceful world, then she is even more uncomfortable. Visola doesn't forget, and she doesn't forgive. This woman was separated from her husband for two hundred years. Her daughter was murdered. It doesn't matter how many years go by between the end of Abyssal Zone and the beginning of Book #5-- Visola is still on edge, and in fact, her anxiety is increasing with every second of tranquility. Here's a snippet of what's to come:

"I'm so happy. I've never been this happy in my life. Frankly, I’m freaking terrified. I just know that something’s going to go wrong at any minute and rip him away from me.” Visola turned and gestured to the two children on the beach who were building an elaborate sandcastle. “Or rip them away from me.”

      I got this! =) And I think I’ve also got my title: Tides of Tranquility. What do you think? 

      If you'd like to follow the triumphs and frustrations of my writing process, I will be posting almost daily updates on my Facebook page.