Shout-out

I wanted to give my critique partners a shout-out today. I just finished my latest book. Like--finished, finished. All I have to do now is a bit of editing, a blurb and synopsis, and I’m ready for it to leave my loving embrace and face the cruel world, lol.

Anyway, my CP’s have always been invaluable. We’ve been together for years, they know my writing, they know my voice, and have no issue taking me to task when I’ve screwed up a plot. It was no different with this book.

BUT I can honestly say this book wouldn’t have ever been written if it hadn’t been for my CP’s.

You see, I originally started this series I’m working on with a different character. In my head, everything made sense. It wasn’t until I posted the first two chapters of that book, I realized that it only made sense to me. I had them so freaking confused. Questions bombarding me from every directions. I don’t get its. The whole nine yards.

After some head scratching, because I really couldn’t grasp how they didn’t get it, I accepted their words of wisdom and almost shelved the series all together. But one night, not long after I’d gotten my feedback, I started thinking about how I could make it so everyone understood. A part of me really, really didn’t want to give up on this series.

Then it hit me. I’d been so excited over one characters story, that I’d totally overlooked the fact that he wasn’t supposed to be the first book. Aidan was. Aidan was how I would be able to answer every one of the questions they’d tossed at me.

I’ve spent the last five months writing this book. What was supposed to be a novella length, quickly became a novel length. The world just took a life of its own in a way in never did with the 25k I'd written in the original story.

If my CP's had kept their reservations to themselves, I would have continued on the path I'd originally taken and potentially destroyed this series. Now I’m sitting on something I’m extremely proud of and I’m looking forward to diving into the next character’s story.

So my words of wisdom for the day is listen to your CP's, lol. You have no idea what kind of story will unfold by just being open to their feedback.

So thank you Alison, Christyne, Maggie and Tina. You guys are truly the best!

Esme