I have been working to edit November Sunrise over the past week and have found that I’ve been able to grow the draft rather than cut it. I wrote a very lean 71500 words originally that did the job reasonably well, but now I am adding the texture and detail that make it pop. For a crime-procedural with a good relationship plot it’ll only help things. I hope to be querying it within a week or two.
In other news I have been getting my first beta feedback on Listen Closely and it has been positive. It’s always good when you hand someone a psych suspense novel and they tell you they find it “gripping” and “don’t spoil it but my theory is…”. So overall that has been excellent. I just handed out some beta copies to a book club the other day so that feedback should be very eye opening.
Anyway more to come. I’ve got the idea for book three turning around in my brain. Again a standalone novel but connected to the events that drove the first two. Still going to involve the good Detective Stephen Mercer though. Can’t get enough of him and Agent Halstead.