Get off Those Tenterhooks

Grandpa Spiers. I like the hat. He'll be a character in the next book.

I'm sure there are many out there in Blogland waiting on tenterhooks to find out if I've decided what the name of my next novel will be. There's probably a larger group out there in Blogland wondering if I'll ever finish editing the first novel and getting it out to agents for possible publication.

I'm here to answer both of those questions.

First, I'll take on the second question. Yes, I'm still editing away. It is my goal, remember, to have the novel edited and a ready-to-go query letter, uh, ready to go by the end of the calendar year. Finding an agent is not going to be fun, but I'm going to do it. Pity that the agent I was going to test my query letter on is now no longer in the agenting business, but, perhaps since he's no longer in the business, he won't be as inundated with queries and could possibly maybe want to help a budding novelist put his thing down.

As for the first question, yes, I have decided on the title for my next novel, which will continue the story of Seth and Altus and the rest as they try to figure out this whole Messiah business and, who, technically became a Messiah at the end of the first novel.

Drumroll, please.

The title will be "Their Hearts Run Cold," (following up "Considering How to Run," and will focus, again on mainly Seth's struggles to come to grips with his learning and power and the defection of Altus to the dark side of the Scwartz.

No, I don't really understand it that much, either. I'm exploring the characters and premise along with you.

So to keep my mojo working, I'm going to do a two-fold project. I'm going to start writing the second book in the series. At the same time, I'll edit and polish the first.

From what I understand about agenting and writing, this is a good practice. Firstly, for the writer, it keeps us in that creative groove, thinking and putting the Bradbury Postulation to the test. The postulation, of course, is that most of the stuff a writer produces is crap, but it has to be removed from the system in order for the good stuff to come out. If I can get the bad stuff out and invite the good stuff along, well then, I'm that much more ahead of the game.

And I'll edit the first along as well, reminding me of little plot things that I hinted at that can be addressed in further novels. This is good all the way around.

And since basically the entire state of Idaho is closed by a blizzard today, I'll have plenty of time to work on things. As long as the kids don't realize I'm home.