Well, I’m vexed.

This week, I received the comments back from my beta-reader and editor for Tupperman’s story. I glanced them over and thought it would be easy to address them all. But as soon as I started to make changes, the story did that horrible thing – it began to unravel right before my eyes. It became a can of worms – or, maybe more accurately, a nest of vipers.

I hate when this happens. It leaves me quite vexed.

But stories do this when editorial questions – usually the ones that seem minor – uncover a structural flaw in the book. I’ve learned over the years that these kinds of issues are often resolved elegantly, but never quickly. I will dream the answer – the trick is that I don’t know when I will dream the answer.

See why I’m vexed?

So, Tupperman’s story has been put aside. I’ve loaded the questions and issues into my dream buffer, and we’ll just have to wait and see when the answer comes to me. (I will encourage that process as much as possible.) On the upside, you would vexed if I published the story today and you weren’t satisfied with it. And the beauty of indie publishing is that I can ensure that the book is right. Beyond our mutual expectations, there are no hard deadlines.

(I’m still vexed. Are you?)

Another reason I’m vexed is that this story has consumed far more time in the writing than I’d expected. Now I not only don’t have a completed novella for you, but I’m behind on the writing of Annelise’s book. ARGH! Major vexation here!

So, I need to have a plan to ensure this doesn’t happen again. It’s one thing to get behind once, but I don’t want to do that again.

The Plan goes like this:

1. I am determined to publish the Dragon Legion novellas on time, which likely means that…

2. Annelise’s story will have a spring publication date.

3. And, as of this minute, I’m not giving any more projected publication dates for any stories. I’ll show you the covers when they’re done, but they’ll be “Coming Soon” until they are being uploaded. Now I’m off to write about Drake and his dudes, to ensure those deadlines are kept.

I’m sorry to disappoint those of you who have been waiting for Tupperman’s story. When I work out the plot kink, it will be a better story – and trust me, I’m far more vexed than you!