Tale Ends

I’m currently in the thick of “Nanowrimo” or “National Novel Writing Month”. I’ve taken up the challenge each year since 2010 to write 50,000 words in the month of November along with tens of thousands of other writers across the globe. It’s fun, exhilarating, and a little bit crazy as you strive to reach that word count with your sanity intact!

I’ve entitled this year’s project “Tale Ends” because rather than start a completely new novel, I’ve decided to finish several other Works in Progress. The ‘Nano’ gods aren’t choosey, as long as you hit the 50,000-word mark!

I started off with the last couple of chapters of Whispering Winds, the third book in my Wind Over Marshdale series. I started it many (many!) years ago, but just never got to the finish line for some reason. Other projects came along and I was easily distracted. I lost interest for a while. Life took over… I finally dusted it off earlier this year and had grand plans to release it in the fall of 2023. Alas, that did not happen. (Pressing things like my day job got in the way.) 

However, I am so pleased to report that I did, indeed, finish those last few chapters as the start of my 2023 nano project! Hooray! Expect a release date sometime in early 2024! The book is centred on Tanzi Lone Wolf, niece of Thomas Lone Wolf from the first two books. There are some important themes about racial prejudice woven throughout, plus a bit of intrigue and plenty of romance.

Next on my Nanowrimo roster is another novel I started as a nano project several years ago called Out of This World. It’s a romantic Sci-fi/fantasy and I have to say, upon picking up where I left off, I really LOVE this story! 

A mysterious abandoned mansion on the side of a mountain turns out to be inhabited when Cale Williams, the main male character, happens upon the occupants. It turns out, they aren’t from Earth at all but are a strange disembodied race who have been coming to Earth for centuries as tourists. Of course, he doesn’t find this out until after he’s already fallen for the somewhat naive “princess” who has run away from her home planet! This one needed more work than the first one I mentioned, so should take up a good third to one-half of my word count. I can’t wait to get to the second round of edits so I can release this one to the world!

I have several other projects on my list of “Tale Ends” should I need them: Christmas With the Neighbours, last year’s nano project, needs a few more scenes. I have a short Hanukkah devotional book I’m working on as well as an Advent book. I also have a Christmas play I’m reworking. Heck, I might even include this blog post in my word count if I need to! (As I said, as long as I get my word count in!)

If I really can’t make the mark with the above list, I also have an outline for a new project called The Test.  It is a “survivor” type mystery which may or may not include murder or some supernatural elements. I haven’t decided yet. If it turns out to be garbage, I don’t really care. Gotta get those words in! LOL!

So there you have it—this year’s “Nano” in the making. I’ll let you know how many Tales I was able to ‘end’ come December 1!