#ROW80 is A Round of Words in 80 Days. It’s a quarterly writing challenge where you define your personal goals and blog each week about your progress. It’s made to be flexible and allow for tweaking.

I was a really bad blogger this month. I’ll own that and wear the hat that fits. I look okay in hats, so I’m not too upset about this. Part of the reason has been my full focus being on completing my surprise project, Hot Tango. My ROW journey this round was supposed to be pretty focused, but the best laid plans are meant to be destroyed, right?

Since ROW is wrapping up tomorrow, this is my last post for the party. I figured why not do a wrap up of where the projects are at?

Here’s the new short list of ROW80 goals:

• Finish writing Christmas novella, How the Zombies Stole Christmas
• Edit How the Zombies Stole Christmas
• Get through at least one round of edits on The Harder He Falls
• Write the rough draft of Hot Tango
• Begin writing So Inked #3

How Zombies Stole Christmas

This book has been written. It’s edited. It’s being critiqued. Things are well under way!

I’m really excited about this project. Not only will I get to explore self-publishing, but I’ve also revisited my love of zombies and Russian fairy tales. I’ve been writing contemporary so much lately that it was a breath of fresh air to get to write something magical, something with paranormal bite. I’ll be rolling out all the official information this summer as far as blurb, excerpt, cover art and the all important release date. I’m all ready considering a follow up story set in that world. It makes me super excited!

The Harder He Falls, So Inked #2

I believe I’ve seen the last of this book before it goes off to the final line editor.

This book still has the power to make me cry.

During my second round of revisions I added my dedication and I remember all the reasons I wanted to write this book and tell the story. I think good fiction not only entertains and moves you to feel, but makes you think about things. I hope I did that with this book. I can only cross my fingers.

That said, the process went really well, and I’m so happy with the result of this book.

Hot Tango

The book that wasn’t supposed to be written.

I’m going to blame my Citizen’s Police Academy courses for this. I wouldn’t have had the chops to write it otherwise, and I’m really digging where it’s going. I was able to set up not just one series I intend to write, but two. I wrote it. It’s been edited. Critiqued. And now I’m hip deep in edits again. I’m hoping to submit this to my editor in a week or less. Some books just have to be written and this was one of them, no doubt about it. Now I can only hope it’s good enough to interest my readers.

His Marriage Bargain, So Inked #3

I’m so excited to be writing this book! I’m not quite 20K into it, and I love the story. It’s going to be a hard one to write, just because I have to stop and do research or get ahold of resources to talk to them, but it’s a story I’ve wanted to tell for years. And I’m finally getting to tell it. I’m going to sit on any more news, but suffice to say, I hit my goal here.

It’s been a good, 80 day round. See you next time!