Back on track.

Took The Manic Pixie Dream Girl Murders to writer's group.

They liked the title, though they didn't really know what it meant.  They pointed out some things in the first two chapters that will make it better.  They wanted to know things that are explained later, but I think there are a few hints I can include earlier.

The sex didn't bother them.  In fact, they thought there were a couple of places where I could be even more sensual.

Anyway, I feel like I'm back on track.  Frankly, returning to monitoring the current book sales, rankings and reviews seems to have centered me.

Tuskers II is coming May 25.  So that seems pretty firm.

I will do the rewrite of The MPDG Murders first, and try to get a publisher interested.  Then, either very shortly after or at the same time, offer The Last Fedora.  I like both books, but am working on getting The MPDG Murders done first because it has more of a hook, what with the title and content.

Tuskers III is done but is going to take some work to get ready.

While all this is going on, I'm going to start planning The Darkness You Fear: Ghosts of the Blue Bucket Mine.  I'm thinking I'll be outlining this book much more than usual, because I have some ideas about how I want it to go in advance. (Whereas usually with a book, I discover these things through writing...)

I know, for instance, that I want Virginia Reed to be the POV character through most of the book, instead of only half the book.  I also am interested in using a journal format as much as possible, like I did in Led to the Slaughter.  I think that format lends itself to authenticity.

I also want to diagram the plot so that I can go do some research -- find the original locations in Eastern Oregon and describe them.  So that should take me into the latter part of the year.
I also want to write Tuskers IV (and V if necessary) by the end of the year.

One final thing: if an idea comes along that demands to be written, I will drop everything else and do that right away.  I haven't regretted doing that with Tuskers, The Last Fedora, or The Manic Pixie Dream Girl Murders.  They are gifts from the subconscious that I don't dare ignore.