Friday, August 23, 2024

Sally's Story

I'm back. To be fair, I wasn't gone, just working away silently, on my series of books. The thing about writing is, it takes up all of my time. I don't want to be distracted from it. And while blog posts are also writing, they don't get the story written. Once I start on a novel, I get sucked into it. I'm obsessed with finishing it, finding out what's going to happen next.

Since my last blog post, way back in April, I've finished Sally's Story. Sally made the rounds of critique partners and beta readers. While I still have a few beta readers who haven't come back to me yet, I decided to stick to my original schedule. If they find time to give me feedback, I can decide if I should revisit and work on an update. The thing about feedback is, it's just suggestions. I get to decide if I'll use it or not.

As it is, Sally has been revised multiple times and finally, this month, I decided to polish and push her out the door. When I say, out the door, I mean what I hope is the final draft has been uploaded and will be available on Amazon in just a few weeks, assuming I'm happy with the final proof copy. I expect to recieve that on Monday. 

My last post had this picture of the keyring I had made, every one of the books in that image are now written. Soon, as I said, number three, the second in the Escape Route Series will be published, and I'll move on to revising Brenda's Story. At the same time, I'm busy outlining the fifth book in the series, Victor's Story. That doesn't appear on the keyring, perhaps I need to order a new one.

I find it useful to hop from story to story, the break allows me to return with fresh eyes. So, after I get a first draft of Victor done, I'll do a revision of Gerry, then perhaps, polish Brenda.

If you don't know the premise for the series, you really should read Caitlin's Escape Route. And, while this is a series, I've made every effort to ensure that you can read the books in any order and not be confused. 

Caitlin's Escape Route: Caitlin & Terri are twins. They were born in Californian. When their mother is killed in a car crash, their Irish father moves them back to Ireland. He works as a foreign correspondent and when he is killed in Iraq they inherit a large amount of money. After completing their degrees in Dublin, Terri marries and moves to California.

The book opens with Caitlin discovering that Terri is in hospital. Keith, Terri’s husband, attacked her and leaves her unconscious in their home, to which he sets fire. Caitlin returns to California. She convinces Terri to move from California to Texas, as she believes Keith will try to silence her.

Once settled in Texas, they work with the local battered women’s shelter. They set up an escape route, helping victims get away from their abusers. Meanwhile, in the background, Keith is closing in. When he tracks them down, all hell breaks loose.

The next book in the series, Sally's Story follows one of the victims to use the Escape Route.

The book opens when Caitlin meets Sally in a restaurant and, having observed her boyfriend being abusive, she gives her information on the Escape Route. Sally leaves her abusive boyfriend and moves to Cambridge, just outside Boston, where she had lived with her Uncle and Aunt while attending College. She gets a job, attends psychotherapy and starts to build a new life for herself. Her abuser, Malcolm, tracks her down and convinces her that he's a changed man, having attended anger management. She gives him a second chance. It doesn't go well.

As soon as Sally is published and available for you to purchase, I will let you know here. Naturally, I'll also tout each of the other books in the series, as they get pushed out the door. I expect Brenda's Story to be published next January.

To all of you out there who bought and read Caitlin's Escape Route, or even Peeling the Onion, my memoir published in 2013. Thank you. If you wrote a review, thank you very much. A special thank you to my critique partners and beta readers. You are invaluable.

Anyone interested in beta reading? Fill in the contact form to the right and I'll send you something to read and review.


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