Sent "Snaked" back to the publisher. Interesting experience. My first 'directed' rewrite.

I have to admit most of AJ''s suggestions were right on. The hardest part was moving the chapters around, but since she gave me instructions on that, it was doable. I don't really have that much trouble cutting things or adding things. But moving things around or changing the basic understructure--that's hard, if not impossible for me to do without losing focus.

Cohesion really wanted more snakes, bigger snakes, and they were probably right to do so. I tried to do as they asked.

I hope they like it. It always seems like I'm making massive changes, but when I'm done, it's pretty much still the same old story. Which is good and bad, I suppose.

Now I'm going to get to work on another rewrite of "Deadfall Ridge," which will probably take a couple of weeks. The publisher who I was going to send this to has been non-responsive, so I'm not sure what's going on. I've learned that is more the editor's way than any reflection on me, heh.

I thought this editor was going to send me back a manuscript to rewrite, which was my next project. I'm worried that I'll start something new and then have to drop it to get on the rewrite. But I also don't want to wait around too long before writing again.

I'm also not sure what to work on next. I think I'll probably try to pick up "Mother Sali" the third "Tales of the Thirteen Principalities." Three novellas add up to one book, whereas two comes up a little short.

I've thought of an idea for the next "creature" book. I seem to be getting better known for these books (Tuskers, Snaked) than my other books, and they are fun to write. This new idea will allow me to set it in Central Oregon, which is always an advantage.

So if I alternate between the "Butcher's Cut," the next Strawberry Mountain Mystery, and the new creature book, that pretty much takes care of the rest of the year.  In both cases I'm hoping to do a bit more outlining than I usually do. I really need to avoid getting halfway through a book before I realize it doesn't work.

I'm at the mercy of the marketplace right now. But that doesn't need to stop me from writing. I just need to act as if what I want to happen is actually happening.