Progress Report

Been busy with edits for Cassidy's War and haven't had much time to post blogs, but I wanted to post a progress report.

I'm halfway through edits, with two weeks left to go, so think I'm doing very well. I'm also making real headway with the plotting out of my new Civil War set novella and hope to finish soon, so I can start writing the first draft.

I also have two short stories I plan to give final edits and submit this week to True Romance magazine.

In the meantime, I'll leave you with the blurb for Cassidy's War.

The Civil War is over, but Cassidy’s War is just beginning.


Cassidy Stuart longs to attend medical school. Her training under her physician father and her time serving as a nurse during the war, have only increased her desire to be a real physician with a practice of her own. When the man who’d left her at the altar five years before, returns, she’s determined not to let him upset the plans she’s set for herself.

Unknown to his former fiancée and her family, George Masters is now a Pinkerton agent sent to investigate a physician now living in George’s former hometown. When he finds Cassidy hasn’t married, he hopes he can have another chance with her, but can’t reveal his real reason for returning, at least not until his mission is accomplished.

Can love be rekindled with a doctor bent on revenge against them both?

Later, I'll post a few unedited excerpts from the novel.

Very productive week in writing

I'm happy to say I've completed the first 100 pages of edits on my newly contracted novel, Cassidy's War. Fortunately, since I've already gone through two revision requests with this manuscript, these mostly seem to be line edits and I have three weeks to finish up.

I also completed the first draft of a short magazine romance story. I'm putting that aside for a week before doing edits and polishing a bit before submitting.

Besides all that, I researched, wrote and posted a history blog at Slip Into Something Victorian on the Baltimore Raid at the start of the American Civil War.

I think the contracted edits are helping to get me right into my writing tasks. Before the contract, I'd sometimes have a hard time deciding which project I wanted to work on, since I always seem to have several in the works. While trying to decide, I'd waste time checking email and websites, instead of writing during my scheduled writing time.

Hopefully, I can get even more organized now. No fooling around when you have to complete edits on a deadline that's not self-imposed.

150 years ago

Come join me at Slip Into Something Victorian for my second Civil War timeline post. I'm talking about the Baltimore Riot at the start of the Civil War when the Sixth Massachusetts Regiment was attacked by an angry mob.

Edits are in!

I got the first round of edits for Cassidy's War on Monday. I was worried that I'd have to push my other projects aside to work on them, but figured if I can edit 20 pages per day, I'll meet my deadline with a couple of days to spare.

I did most of the work on this book pre-contract when I did two full editor requested revisions, so I'm hoping most of the work is already done. I'm hoping to complete the first 100 pages by Friday.

So, I should have time to complete the first draft on a short contemporary story that's nearly done, as well as plot out a new Civil War set novella.

Having solid deadlines somehow makes me feel more productive and efficient.

Not only did I complete the first 40 pages of edits, but I researched and wrote a Civil War blog for Slip Into Something Victorian that will be up on Friday and wrote another 500 words on my short story.

It might be because, now I have a deadline for the edits, I'm getting right to work instead of fooling around online or checking emails.

I'm at Caroline Clemmens blog today

I'm talking about the 150th Civil War anniversary again, plus info on all my Civil War set books and stories.

Join me at http://carolineclemmons.blogspot.com/ and tell me what you think of stories set in this period of conflict.

And the winner is...

Vonnie Davis is the winner of my contest and I’ll be sending her a copy of Confederate Rose once I hear back from her! A big thanks to everyone who commented.

Win a copy of Confederate Rose!

I'm doing the Weekly Excerpt post today at Slip Into Something Victorian. If you leave a comment, you'll be entered to win either, an autographed print copy of Confederate Rose, or if you live outside the U.S., an e-book copy.

The War Begins!

I'm over at Slip Into Something Victorian today talking about the big American Civil War anniversary and how the war began. I'll also give you a sneak peek at my newest upcoming contest.

Awesome news!!!

I just signed and mailed back the contract for my post-Civil War romance, Cassidy's War. If you've read my past posts, you'll know it's taken a lot of work and determination to get this book published. After finishing the first draft in the summer of 2009, I went through three revisions and three submissions before getting a 'yes'.

Here's the blurb:


The Civil War is over, but Cassidy’s War is just beginning.

Cassidy Stuart longs to attend medical school. Her training under her physician father and her time serving as a nurse during the war, have only increased her desire to be a real physician with a practice of her own. When the man who’d left her at the altar five years before, returns, she’s determined not to let him upset the plans she’s set for herself.


Unknown to his former fiancée and her family, George Masters is now a Pinkerton agent sent to investigate a physician now living in George’s former hometown. When he finds Cassidy hasn’t married, he hopes he can have another chance with her, but can’t reveal his real reason for returning, at least not until his mission is accomplished.

Can love be rekindled with a doctor bent on revenge against them both?


This story was based on a book I had published years ago called "Under the Guns". It was a young adult coming of age story set during the American Civil War that is currenly out-of-print. This new story takes those characters a few years ahead into their adult years.
 
I'll post more on the contract details as they occur.

Finished first draft!

The first draft of my time travel novella is finished...so, I'm putting it aside until at least June.

Now, my problem is deciding which project to work on next. I have a partially written short story, another one I want to go over one last time...and I've started plotting out a new novella that will be set during the Civil War.

I think the hardest part of writing, for me, is finishing a project, then deciding what to work on next. Finishing a project seems like letting go, even if it's only a first draft that I'll be revising later. And with so many projects in the works to choose from, picking one to get back to is the hardest task of all.