The original plan was to publish Brave Beginnings on May 1, Return of the Aliens on June 1, and Life Mate on June 1.  Well, I’m ahead of schedule on Return of the Aliens, but I’m behind on Brave Beginnings.  I am way behind on Life Mate.

Why?  Family emergency popping up in March, my kids getting sick in April, and proofreading a friend’s book.  So those have pushed everything back.  I’m not complaining.  The thing is, I refuse to rush a project.  So here’s the update on my books and when to look for them to come out…

Return of the Aliens

I just finished my second readthrough and polishing up of this book.  Most of it has already passed through one editor and one proofreader.  I am making my final changes to it today.  Then I will send that out to my final proofreader.  The editor who is looking at overall content and making sure all of my plot points are resolved is a few chapters away from being done.  My proofreader who is almost done is also a few chapters away from being done.  Then I have my last proofreader who hasn’t even started it yet.  But I will send him the manuscript to read through tonight.  By this time, there should be minimal problems with it.

Depending on how my final proofreader does, I might possibly have the book published as early as May 1 to 15, but we’ll see.  So that would push me forward on the Return of the Aliens publication goal.

Brave Beginnings

This has been sent to three proofreaders.  Two have gotten back to me.  I have read and polished the book, but after I make the proofreaders’ changes, I want to go back one more time for a readthrough of it.  I know all the plot points connected, so I don’t need a content editor for this book.  I don’t really need a content editor for any of my romances.  I enjoy my romances, but I have to admit that doing a sci-fi thriller with Biblical prophecy requires a lot of intersecting plot points that weave in and out and around each other, so for Return of the Aliens, a content editor was a must.

So plan on this book being out more aroung June 1.

Life Mate

I’ve had to stall on this one numerous times for one reason or another.  Frustrating?  Of course, but it’s the Kate Page books that will get put on hold.  I am getting closer to the end, and I need to find a good cover for the next book in the series because, despite my best intention, this has become a series.  I plan to write about Mark (Chris’ friend who also came from the same planet he did) who will elope with Caitlyn’s sister Lexie who is supposed to marry another man.  Then I want to write a book for Sandy, Caitlyn’s friend, and I’m thinking of pairing her up with Caitlyn’s brother, Blake.  So we’ll be seeing more of these characters.  I’m not sure what to call this series.  Sandy and Blake are not from another planet, so it can’t be a series about aliens looking for love, unless I ditched Blake and went with another guy from the planet.  We’ll see.  I won’t even get around to writing these other books until next year at the rate I’m going, so I have time to think about it.

Anyway, Life Mate is now anticipated to be out around August or even as late as September.

As for writing new books….

Bride of Second Chances

So far, this one is going really well.  I am worried, though.  You see, Jeremy is supposed to feel guilty for falling in love with Jane (who is his second wife).  I am not sure if he does or not.  I thought everything was going as planned as I started writing out the book on my first draft blog.  Now I’m up to 23,000 words (not bad since I started this on April 1), but the scene I wrote last night is making me wonder if it’s Jane who is going to have the conflict instead of Jeremy.  

Eeks, guys!  Eeks.  This is not the way it’s supposed to go.  I am fine if Jane wants to feel guilty as long as Jeremy feels guilty too, but I am not fine if these characters do the switch on me and decide it’s okay for Jeremy to embrace the notion of falling in love with Jane.  So I’m trying to talk these characters into sticking with the original plot.  I’m not sure if they’ll listen or not.  I’ve learned to go with the flow and let the story lead, but if these characters are leading me off track, then I have to go back and change the synopsis for this book on the website and at the end of Bid for a Bride (on Smashwords, Kindle, and paperback).  I’m telling you, this is a lot more work than I want to do.  So maybe if I have everyone sign a petition telling these characters to stick with the original plot, they’ll listen.  😛

Instead of writing Bound by Honor, Bound by Love next, I will write Just Good Friends.

Why?  Because Just Good Friends is going to be my holiday book.  It starts around Thanksgiving, goes through Christmas and finishes around the New Year.  So I want this published by October.  To do that, it has to be written around May to June and maybe finished up in July.  So I have some intense writing to do before my husband comes to visit from Korea in July.  Busy times, people.  Busy times.  😀