When something goes wrong, yell plot twist and keep going!
It’s only March.
How is it only March?
I, like many others, started out strong this year. I’d set some goals, was working towards finishing projects, had reached out for services I needed, when
BAM
the world was set on fire. How can so much and so little happen simultaneously? It boggles my mind.
I guess I should take a moment to fill you in…
The best intentions…
In an earlier newsletter, I’d mentioned a few changes that were coming to how I was structuring things this year. While some of those things worked well, I ran into issues elsewhere when life decided to kick me in the ass a few times. As such, I had to decide how to move forward, even when I wanted to throw in the towel and walk away.
Instead, I had to figure out how to pivot.
While I’m incredibly annoyed, and sorta sad, I am not helpless or hopeless. I had to take a step back, take a look at everything in front of me, and make some choices. This is what is meant by kill your darlings. Sometimes the best laid plans oft go awry, to paraphrase. While there are things that can still pull through, sacrifices must be made to reach the end goal.
It will all work out. It has to.
The good, the bad, and the ugly truth
The good: I will have new and revised titles dropping this year.
The bad: None of those titles are the ones I’d intended.
The ugly truth: I may have sabotaged myself. (Okay, so I did sabotage myself…)
My original goal was to publish The Awakening of Fate & Ruin this summer/fall, so I would have this shiny new baby available for some things happening later this year. I had taken off time in January to write/finish it, but ended up sick as a dog for three weeks. After that, we encountered a family emergency and the entire month of February was shot.
FML
March came…and I saw the time ticking by so fast. I knew I needed to face reality: TAFAR would not be ready. No, I can’t split it up so I have two books. No, I can’t take more time off to finish now. No, I can’t get it edited, formatted, beta/ARC read with enough time.
In short, it ain’t happening…
Fuck…now what? I can’t back out of my autumn plans, but I also can’t be empty-handed. How can I make this work? What else do I have at my disposal to fix this situation? Realization struck…
I have a backlist!
A few years ago, I had several books I’d published from when I was with my old publisher. I’d decided they needed a bit of a facelift so I could be more “on brand” with everything else I was working on, so I pulled all of them down. Since I’ve been more focused on TAFAR, I have neglected to update or revise any of them, so these little nuggets have been just chillin in my files, waiting to be dusted off. It was like a lightbulb went off.
After realizing that I’ve been my own worst enemy, and that I deserved to be fired as my own manager, a plan began taking shape.
The plan thickens…
I may not be a genius, considering *gestures around wildly*, but I feel like I’m at least a few brain cells ahead of where I was a month ago when all seemed lost. While my publishing/writing journey now looks different than I’d intended, I’m stubborn enough to keep going until there’s nothing left to give. Whether I like it or not, writing-being an author-is so far engrained in me that walking away feels like a part of me is dying. We can’t have that, now can we?
So here’s what things look like now…
The first two installments of Shifter Tales will be edited, revised, and re-released!
Thea’s Reawakening - Thea gets a second chance as she races against the odds to save herself and her tribe from an unknown enemy.
Leyla’s Vindication - Leyla seeks to clear her name and find the ones behind the plot to ruin her family’s legacy.
Everything about our way of life was marred by outdated and cruel ideologies, put in place by cheiftans of the past. It was pure politics and no one had had the courage to challenge them, not matter that our people were suffering—including me.
- Thea’s Reawakening -
The first novel of the Undercover Series will be edited, revised, and re-released!
Falling Undercover - Kris is in witness protection. Joe is an undercover NYPD detective. Their paths collide and more than one life is on the line as they’re thrown head first into a sophisticated network of organized crime. Can they keep their hands, and hearts, to themselves long enough to survive?
You can’t hide from love.
- Falling Undercover
**Last, but certainly not least, will be a novella prequel to The Awakening of Fate & Ruin, and a sneak peek at the Twisted Fate Series: Origins limited series. There will be an exclusive about this WIP and the Twisted Fate universe soon!!**
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Thanks for being part of the chaos that is my sorta beautiful life! I couldn’t do this crazy thing without you!
xoxo
Lisa
