Friends, for the first time in two and a half years, I have finished writing something longer than a short story! I'm so grateful that God allowed this to happen by giving me time with a (semi) clear mind to write and friends and family members who prayed for me and helped me brainstorm.
The story? It's the sequel to my springtime novella, The Prayer Garden, which was originally published in A Very Bookish Easter and is now a standalone. I had a sequel in mind ever since I finished it because I needed to see what would happen to Nyree and Connor, who ... well, unfortunately with sequels, they tend to give spoilers, so I might as well tell you. :) Nyree and Connor had just started dating at the end of The Prayer Garden. (You could see it happening, couldn't you, just from the book synopsis?) Anyway, relationships don't always go smoothly, and Nyree and Connor needed another book to figure things out.
Not to mention I needed a story set in St. Augustine, Florida, that explores this beautiful, historic city. The first draft, which I finished on Wednesday, November 12, is around 36,000 words, which makes it the longest draft I've finished since Suit and Suitability in 2017. There's a lot of work still to do (it's a first draft, after all!), but I'm so grateful to have the story on the page because you can't edit a blank page (I've tried; it doesn't work).
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| Castilla de San Marcos - Photo by MrsScala on Pixabay |
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| Anastasia Beach, St. Augustine, FL |
When I started it last year, I wanted to publish it in 2025, but I don't see that happening. It's a summer story, so the best time to publish may be in June 2026, but we shall see. I'm not too discouraged about the delay because it's for the best of reasons---being a mom to my baby girl, who was born in April. Between “Little Love" and my editing projects, my creative writing time is narrow. But as I've been learning, anything can be accomplished little by little.
I can hardly wait to share more with you in the coming months! There'll be a title reveal, mood photos, excerpts, and more as I prepare for launch.
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