Limbo Land

Just posting that title sounds like I'm at some new spot in Disneyland or something.  "Welcome To Limbo Land, Happiest Place On Earth!"  Except it's not if you're an overachiever like me.

So you know, I've crossed all the things off my list:

1. Finished last Terris draft and sent to my proofreader (Who will be done literally any second now. Eep!)
2. Set up everything online to publish Terris
3. Finished Second to last draft of WIP and am waiting for feedback
4. Write draft of query letter for WIP
5. Write draft of synopsis for WIP
6. Compile comprehensive list of agents for said querying
7. Finish Bellarke Fanfic

So yeah, I'm in a holding pattern.  Everything I've been working on is in someone else's hands right now and I'm stuck here twiddling my thumbs, waiting. Perfect time for a blog entry, right?

Let's talk about a few of those list things.  I didn't add that I'm outlining for the next Five Tribes book.  I can even tell you its name, because when you publish your own stories, you don't have to call things "untitled" if you have an actual title.  Which I've had for like a year.  The next book is Ignis, of course, because of the tribe in which it's based.

That's right, Astra Cida (after which this blog is secondarily named) is coming up after Terris and Nikka is supposed to be hanging out with the Ignis during that time of year.  I won't spoil anything, but it's never that simple.  :)

I'm also outlining for the 5th (and final) book, because these two last book are going to be tightly entwined, and for the sake of continuity, it would be helpful to make sure everything is connected properly.  Seriously, guys, series are hard.  Don't do them!  

Other things on the list.  Yes, I'm going to be querying something.  If you don't know what that means, I'm going to try and find an agent for this new side project book I wrote.  This is a weird thing for me.  I never pictured myself trying to get something traditionally published, but there are a few reasons for that.

The first is that Five Tribes has from the beginning been something that I conceived of as self-published.  When I wrote the very first words, I always pictured these books as something I would take care of myself.  I was approached by an agent about the series, but I believe my exact words were, "I don't know what I'd do with an agent right now."  And I didn't.  I was also approached by a really great small publishing house about the series, but they were ebook only and I couldn't see what they could do for me that I couldn't do for myself. (This is what happens when you are an independent and highly motivated person.  You learn to do things for yourself.)

But then I wrote this other thing and suddenly, I knew that it was something that might be appropriate for the whole publishing industry rigmarole (and believe me it is definitely rigmarole).  So I've been revising and revising and revising and revising... there is a part of me that knows I have to stop trying to make it perfect, but until that part of me starts kicking and screaming, I probably won't listen.

I will soon have something else to occupy my time, though, because nano is coming up and that's when I plan on starting the next Five Tribes book.  Until then, I'll just work on keeping myself busy... somehow... :)