Suspense Workshop. Working on three novels right now. Excerpts taken down.

I work very hard on the writing, writing and rewriting and trying to weed out the lumber. — David McCullough

I am editing The Timely Death of Maria del Pilar, a love story. I am deep in the edit of The Inn at Market Snodsbury (or The Bull and The Bush goes Bonkers.) And I have just reopened The Inn of the Star Crossed, which is at a publisher being considered. (I have heard from them and they are waiting for two more reviews to come in, we are down to the wire. Will they buy it or no?) Why have I reopened The Inn of the Star Crossed and why do I have no excerpts up?

I recently took a Suspense/Mystery/Novel Writing/Query Writing course with Sara J. Henry, and I have also bought her book, Learning to Swim. As many of you know, I do love (Murder) Mystery and grew up on them. My father was an Ellery Queen Fanatic. I was happy to introduce R. Austin Freeman to Ms. Henry.

She helped me with my queries. She also helped me with Chapter 1 of The Inn of the Star Crossed, a fantasy adventure set in the 19th Century Manhattan. She also (paraphrasing) said, Do not put sample chapters up until you are published, one way or another. I have followed all of her advice.

Now, I have a fresh approach to, and a fresh zeal with, my editing. I love editing. It is my second favorite part of writing. I love the rush of setting down story but I also love rewriting. All writing is after all rewriting.

The process of rewriting is enjoyable, because you’re not in that existential panic when you don’t have a novel at all. — Rose Tremain