It's been hard to transition to writing fiction. Sort of like when a person who used to be in good shape takes a long break and then suddenly gets the itch to run a few miles. I can do it, but it hurts that muscle like hell sometimes. Working constantly and embracing the pain is the only way to get past either one, and I'm finally starting to get conditioned to the cycle of pondering, stewing and actually writing.
The one that has come to center stage for now is my first collaboration project. I wrote with others on Dead Shuffle, but we each had our own story lines and styles. In this case, I was able to hear someone's idea and (I hope) execute a thoughtful story that is great on all levels. It will be a novella and if it does well it will be a series. I would love to have it on Amazon by the time we take our vacation (more about that later) but it's far more likely I will finish it on that trip while we drive for 5-8 hours a day. Hey, as long as it gets finished, I'll be happy.
Besides collaborating with someone, this has been a first in many ways. I'm really learning a lot about the editing and publishing process, and I have made some great connections that will let a lot of people have a hand in the finished product. From a special request in the artwork to hidden mentions in the story, I have taken a lot of things and thrown them into the pot. It's also a crazy story, my first departure from "plausible if not provable" fiction in over a decade. This is fantasy, and I haven't touched that since Shadow Men. I've had to break out of my comfort zone, because it gets scary to me when you leave the facts behind. But it's also been great. My characters are growing quickly and sometimes the magic really is there, if only for a moment.
I'm hooked and having a ball. Expect updates here, and of course on my author page on Facebook.
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