Time to stack the wood for my next book!

It took me nearly five years to complete my first book. The initial draft filled the pages in seventy-two hours yet the revisions, additions and rewriting took five years. It was a wild and adventurous journey. As I worked on my final revisions and prepared to submit my entire manuscript for the first time, it dawned on me – strangers are going to read my story! This may seem like common sense yet as I wrote, I was writing for God so others can know the power and healing open to them through a relationship with Jesus. It didn’t dawn on me this required me to share my innermost thoughts, fears, and emotions with complete strangers. While this concept took my breath away I was also encouraged, it was only with God’s help I was able to do it.  

I shared this revelation with my mother. She smiled and with a nonchalant tone, “I thought that was the goal.” Of course she was right yet my brain hadn’t comprehended the depths in the publication of the book. My prayer was and is for lives to be changed and drawn to Jesus. I want others living in the darkness of grief to know they aren’t alone and God is right there. Once the shock settled in, I hit the send button with a prayer.

Less than twenty-four hours later, relaxed and lost in the aroma of the breeze coming in from the lake my mother asked a question that caused me to shutter. “So what is the next book about?”

With eyes of a child on Christmas morning I reply, “What? You’re kidding, right?” 
“No. I’m serious. I know you and the way you think, what is it?”
“I don’t know Mom. I have a couple ideas but haven’t settled on the direction.”

I was dumbfounded at the number of times I heard this question after people heard I had submitted my first manuscript to the publishers. I didn’t have a contract or published book for my first book, yet people are asking about the second one. This has to be a good thing, right? Good or bad, it made me nervous. School starts in less than two weeks and the idea of beginning the next book took my breath away.

As I pray for God’s guidance to carve some writing time in my schedule. I should have more time than last year since I cleared my schedule yet of past commitments. So then the big question is “What is the next book?” while I wait for the publishers and edit the first.

You will have to wait and see…a few ideas running through my head as I pray for His direction. Maybe I could put them in a survey, hmm…that is something to think about.