What happened to book 5 in The Community Series, WITCH MASTER?

 

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The messed-up process:

 

Book 5 was good-to-go—character biographies written, basic scene structure down, story plotted. I started writing. Chapter one was awesome—but this was a terrifying opener that had nothing to do with the starring couple, Nicolae and Hadley. Moving onto Chapter two something happened—I got bored.

 

This is a very bad sign.

 

Because, believe you me, if I’m bored, you’ll definitely be bored. But I grappled and pushed onward, all the while wondering why I was having so much trouble.

 

The Muse angle.

 

I’ve been writing for over 20 years now, and by this point, I can recognize when my Muse is telling me that I’m heading in the wrong direction. In my younger days, I would often get too attached to scenes, and push to write them, anyway. Never worked. I’ve since learned that if I’m struggling and/or stuck—don’t push. Take a step back and go at it from a different angle.

 

My Muse, however, has always spoken to me about scenes. Never about an entire book. So this time I wasn’t listening.

 

The Ultimate Writing Challenge.

 

In the midst of my thrashing about, I got into a conversation with one of my editors about an ULTIMATE writing challenge I was considering undertaking. Now, see, my editor will say that she told me not to do it, but I have a distinct memory of her encouraging me to “Go For It!”

 

Admittedly, I might’ve heard what I wanted to hear in order to get out of writing WITCH MASTER, which wasn’t going well, and I still didn’t know why.

 

So, yes, my dear community fans…I veered off book 5. I wish I could say that I’m sorry I did, but I’m not. Not with what I know now. Space gave me the perspective I needed.

 

Turns out, I was trying to force my subconscious to write about Nicolae and Hadley when their story wasn’t ready to tell.

 

 

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Side note for curious onlookers—the challenge of the Ultimate Writing Challenge is that I’m trying to develop an entirely new way for readers to consume romance, and even though my next book fits in more with my military romantic suspense series, it should be fun for everyone due to the unique way it’s structured.

 

** I can’t give you more detailed info yet on this, because my marketing team wants to have a launch plan in place first. But expect more updates within the next few months.

 

For Pete’s sake, WHY isn’t it WITCH MASTER’S time??

 

I’m not entirely sure why, but I think it has to do with Hadley. Even though I can totally understand why Hadley flipped her lid over finding out that she’s really a changeling, the way she reacted made her reasonably unlikeable to me.

 

Now, don’t get me wrong, I love working with unlikable characters (in case you haven’t noticed that, yet, hehe). Redeeming such characters is the great stuff of writing. But I so much wanted Hadley to become worthy of Nicolae (who I really like), I was trying to force it, and so…

 

I wasn’t listening to my Muse tell me that something more needed to happen in Hadley’s growth arc first.

 

And meanwhile…other characters were clamoring at me to be heard.

 

Vasile Lazăr.

 

It is his time.

 

And he’s going to have a rough go of it.

 

I see Vasile as a man of stalwart pride and intense honor—traits he had to develop to endure a life spent under the oppression of prejudice. But I believe his foundation was deeply shaken when he failed to stop Dev Nichita’s torture (or paused very long before doing so).

 

Now he is lost among strangers, barely able to speak the language or understand the culture, and he doesn’t even know who he is anymore.

 

He needs the love of a good woman to help him heal his soul, and in the world of romance that means, of course, his special mate enters the community.

 

But he can’t have her. Nope. Of course not.

 

But then he gets her.

 

How?

 

It’s going to be so messed up! Ha! (this is an absolute in Tracy’s world…nothing is ever easy).

 

Vasile’s story is shaping up to be a great one, and along the way, Hadley will have more of a chance to heal, and, oh…

 

Expect a new Dragon male to join the community who’s going to stir up massive amounts of trouble and give the warriors all kinds of headaches.

 

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The end result:

 

The Ultimate Writing Challenge is now on the shelf—get set for that later this year.

 

I’m working on Vasile’s story now.

 

And…

 

I won’t let you down!

 

Trust my Muse on this—she’s always right.

 

 

 

 

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Actual Greek Muse bought on the Greek Isle

of Santorini over 10 years ago