Nearing the End

The end of a book is, in many ways, quite like the end of a relationship. In this case, an amicable end. One with a sense of, “While I still love you, there’s nothing left for us to do here. No place for us to go. It’s time to move on.”

My current project, Shadow Caste, is much like that. It’s been nearly seven years, two beginnings, three re-written endings, a title change, and an evolution to trilogy, since I started this novel. I can honestly say that I am ready for this relationship to be over.

Which doesn’t mean that I am not still in love with this story. I love it more now than I did when I started it. But I am eager to start something new, to dive deeper into this story through the trilogy. To have new words and scenes fly from my fingertips as I let my mind soar through the possibilities. I’ve been editing and revising Shadow Caste for so long that I am craving new creation again.

But there is still work yet to be done. I have to finalize all of my edits, make it ready for publication and then go through that entire process. Which is an adventure all on its own. And a topic for another time.

Of course, transcribing my edits from the hard copy of my novel to the screen is almost like re-writing the whole thing. So I am not yet done, done. And while Shadow Lies sits at the periphery waiting for my attention, I focus on Shadow Caste. There are no steps to skip here. I have to finish the first one, before I can start the second.

A writer’s work is truly never done.