In 2021 I had two books released the same month. Wasn’t necessarily my choice as they were with two different publishers. But, after that crazy month, I swore I’d never do that again.
Never say never, right? In 2023 I’m facing the same issue. My first book with Chrism Press, Royal & Ancient, will be released on October 2 and the fifth book in my Civil War series, A Faith Such as Heaven Intended, published by Full Quiver Publishing, comes out sometime not long after that.
How did this phenomenon happen twice in two years, you ask? Let me show you the timeline and you’ll see for yourself…
The cover for A Faith Such as Heaven Intended was shot August 2, 2021. I don’t remember what compelled me to add another book to my Heaven Intended series, but the idea was already percolating even two months before book #4 in the series, A Freedom Such as Heaven Intended, was published. I do remember the rush for the cover shot as my long-time photographer Brad Birkholz was critically ill and wanted his last photo shoot to be the cover for a book of mine featuring his lovely daughter Autumn. Sadly, Brad passed away a couple months later.
Chapter I of A Faith was completed by August 30, 2022, and the whole book was turned over to Full Quiver Publishing on March 2, 2023. The first round of edits came back March 13. The corrected manuscript went back to them on April 6 and the next round of requested edits will be on my desk next week. The publication date could be anywhere from late fall 2023 until early winter, 2024.
Royal & Ancient is a time-travel manuscript I started in 2014 and finally completed late winter 2022. At the Catholic Writers Guild Live! conference the last week of July 2022, I pitched the book to Chrism Press. They were interested and on August 12, 2022, I sent them the entire manuscript. October 25 I signed a contract with them. The first rounds of revisions were sent to me on November 18. Those issues were addressed and the manuscript went back to them on December 16.
Developmental edits arrived in my inbox March 27 and on April 27 I sent back the manuscript with all the fixes complete. That same day I received another offer from Chrism Press to write a book for their White Crown imprint (royal historic fiction). What’s one more book to add to my docket? Of course, I said yes! Consequently, the first draft of that book is due September 1, 2023, with a publishing date set for September 2024.
On May 23, I received the next round of edits for Royal & Ancient from Chrism, with a deadline of June 13. The next day John and I headed to Jeffersonville, Ind. for the Beatles festival Abbey Road on the River for five days (see the picture of John and I standing alongside the Ohio River with Louisville in the background) and on the way back John dropped me off in Chicago for the 2023 CWG Live! conference. Consequently, that gave me 10 days to do three weeks of work fixing the manuscript. With a lot of prayer, coffee and too little sleep, I turned the completed manuscript back in on June 12.
I took a half day off to catch up on e-mails, household chores, issues for my mom’s care, bill paying, etc. and jumped back into the manuscript for the White Crown book. Currently I’m wrapping up Chapter V of about 50, so I’ve got my writing plotted out for the summer as I’m working around the four weeks of vacation John and I have scheduled between now and the end of August.
No rest for the weary, as they say. But, here’s my philosophy. You need to make hay while the sun shines. God’s given me the ability and the opportunity to write books and an audience that appreciates my work. I’ve retired from my two journalism gigs that I’ve had for close to 20 years to dedicate time to writing books. I’ve got four books that I’d like to complete before John retires next year. After that, who knows what direction we’ll be going in. Maybe John will help me with the technical end of marketing my books while I continue on the creative side. Or maybe we’ll be on some set watching one of my books be transformed into a movie or series.
Whether my latest novels take off and I’m a nationally known best-selling author, the movie dream comes true, or John and I just decide to retire and chill out, I’m grateful for all the blessings that have come my way from the career path I’ve been on all these years. And grateful for all the amazing people in my life who’ve been so supportive. If you’ve read this far, I’m talking about you! Thank you for being there for me. I can’t tell you how grateful I am to have you in my life and I’m looking forward to sharing my latest works with you!