As we begin, please understand that this is stuff I do NOT normally talk about. It’s not an excuse, but an explanation as to where my mind has been and what has been going on.  My editor – Kate – actually recommended I put a post up to give peeps’ a head’s up so all of you would know that there were things that were rather beyond my control.

Again, this is simply an explanation.

So, remember at the beginning of the year, I was bragging about how I Survived 2016?

In summary, my mother and my sister both were diagnosed with cancer last year.  Surgeries, complications, more surgeries… It was a fun time.  The treatment for my mother carried into this year.  She had her last surgery in June, and just wrapped up her last radiation treatment (huzzah!)

It was like a tremendous wait was lifted from my shoulders in June, and suddenly I could concentrate on writing.  I made serious (and significant) forward momentum on it.

Got the rough knocked out, what?  Late July/early August?

I knew already I was going to be going to grad school, and the plan was to have the rough draft knocked out, sent to my Beta readers and my editor both.

Before I continue, first and foremost, I AM OK

So a nudge over 3 weeks before I started back to school, I ended up in the ER with abdominal pain.  All the symptoms were telling me it was appendicitis.  So after spending 7 hours with some very lovely doctors and nurses (oh yes, they adored me…. what?? You don’t believe me?? I’m HIGHLY entertaining, even when I’m in pain, by golly!!), found it was NOT my appendix, but my gallbladder.

And they wanted to remove it.

I had already given my two week notice, so I couldn’t very well take off time then to have surgery.  My new employer at the university was very understanding, so I schedule the surgery for Thursday before returning to school.

In the interim, I was in a great deal of pain that never quite abated. That meant the occasional hydrocodone, and almost no editing to be had. I wasn’t in a good state to be doing ANYTHING.

So surgery was had, and I even attended LibraryCon two days later….

…. on more hydrocodone.

And then it was time to begin grad school.

Can’t take hydros while I’m driving, so guess who was only taking the occasional Tylenol?

Guess who also SUCKS at having physical limitations and managed to injure herself several times during those first couple of weeks after the surgery?

That’s right – Devlin.

*sighs*

Ok, it was me.  Shocker, there.

So now, not only am I finally (FINALLY) feeling better, but I’m also starting to get a fair grasp of this whole “going back to school” thing.  hence why you are seeing significant forward movement on my editing.

I’m significantly behind because of this, but my hope (HOPE) is still to have this puppy out by the end of the year.  My Betas (who are all beautiful, amazing, wonderful people) are in the process of reading it as I go – I figure that was the best way to proceed by giving it to them in chunks.  Once it’s done-done, it will be sent to both of my editors.

Once I get feedback from my Betas, I will begin incorporating their feedback, and make adjustments accordingly.

For my editors, please understand, this DOES TAKE TIME.

I want this to be done right, and I truly enjoy this story. I want to make sure it is the story each of you DESERVE for waiting so dang long.  Give it a few more weeks, and I’ll put up a sneak peek in the form of Chapter 1 for everyone to read through and squeal over.

…. hopefully squeal….

As soon as I’m done, I will begin working on Book 4 outline, and will start hammering away at that until I have everything back from my various people.

I’ll then be able to give you a more definitive idea as to just WHEN book 3 will be released!!

Thank you again for all of your patience.  Murphy just as a way of kicking as while we’re down, hm?  But everyone is healing well, and I have a firm “no more hospitalizations” rule for my family (extended and biological) so we should get at least a good year or so out of that, right?  Because health moratoriums totally work….