There were times I thought it would never happen, but I did recover my momentum and completed my 11th fiction title (I put it that way because two of my books are novellas, not novels).

As I mentioned in a previous post, I started this novel in December 2019. I decided to try “pantsing” this one for a change of pace. I’ve always outlined first. Pantsing just doesn’t give me the path I need to write as productively as I like. And then came the pandemic and everything associated with that. At work, we were thrown back into dealing with a new foreclosure crisis. It was a lot.

Last summer, I decided pantsing was just not working for me, and outlined the rest of the story. That made all the difference. I finally finished the first draft, then the various editing cycles, and finally turned it in to my publisher, Crossroad Press, recently. It still needs the editing/cover art and all that, so I don’t have a launch date at this time. But it feels good to finally have it out of my hands.

It’s called RAVENNA’s ROAD. To give you a little preview, here’s my draft of the back cover copy:

In the not-too-distant future, climate change wreaks havoc on agriculture, the economy, public health, and the very fabric of society. Everything is in short supply: food, water, money—and hope.

Convicted of a murder she did not commit, Ravenna opts for a work-based diversion program in place of prison time. She becomes a first responder in Chicago’s toughest and most desperate section. She faces violence, suicides, and danger on every shift.

One day, Ravenna learns the enormous personal sacrifice that led to her conviction was in vain. The discovery drives her to take a risky leap. Disillusioned at throwing away her life for nothing, she meticulously plans her escape to Mexico, then sets out on the road.

But she encounters far worse obstacles and dangers than she imagined—and there’s no turning back. Her plan in tatters, she has to find a way to reach a safe place to start a new life.

Will the road be Ravenna’s salvation—or her undoing?

(Good heavens, this platform won’t let me do something as simple as indenting it, so I went with bolding.)

Stay tuned for updates!