What I Wrote in April

Something most authors never talk about is writing the sequel. How writing a sequel is so much harder than the first book, because now your readers know your characters and then you also have to up the ante. Then you get to a second sequel and you have to do it all again. Working on Justice and Lies, it’s dawned on me these past few weeks that this is part of my problem.

I don’t want to give anything away, but Cassie sees a lot of her life fall apart in this book, and it’s wonderful. However, I’ve definitely felt the struggle of this third book. I want it to be true to the first two books, but I also want it to kick their asses. Part of that was a major plot twist that takes place in the first third of the book (this is a plot twist for the whole series).

In April, I finally wrote this damn plot twist! And I felt like I was on top of the world, and it was a good twist. It was built up well and I think one of the best scenes I’ve probably ever written. I finished that up one night and then I was sick for a week, thus ending my writing streak.

I’m getting back into it now, but being sick for a week really threw me off. Then again, in everything in this pandemic is throwing me off. Writing is hard, and I know the updates this year have been dismal, but at least there are updates to be had.

I will say, with the way my writing has been picking up (before I got sick), I do think I can finish this by the end of the quarter. Here’s to hoping the second half of 2021 is a little more consistent with everything.