How many First tries make it?

That’s a good question.



Of course, I’m talking about writing first drafts and other literary attempts.How many times do we start a project that we think works, and then show a few people and they shake their heads, or smile forcefully and say, “That’s a nice story.” But you know deep down it isn’t and so you stuff it in your drawer because there are some passages in it that are genius but the rest of it…well, the rest of it kind of sucks.



I have some works like that. Most of them are filed away, some still on a floppy disk somewhere that will never be seen again unless I pick up an old computer at a thrift shop that can still read floppies. I’m not sure it’s worth it though.



I remember the very first try at Ian’s Realm. I sent it off to an editor who was so sweet and kind and encouraging she said she’d give me a critique. The manuscript came back with so much red on it my eyes burned, but the comments were helpful and I learned so much from just that one read through.



I recently pulled that manuscript out of its file and re read it and thought, you know, after ten years of honing my craft, I can fix this! It’s the same story, (sort of) of my best selling novel, but with a totally different twist and I like it. The characters are not as nice as in the final one. They’re actually kind of mean to each other. But it isn’t unrealistic at all. I mean, sisters and brothers fight. And older teens might manipulate. This story leans more to gaming than the final version and it has an appeal if only for that.






So I fixed it.



It’s called The Dragon Targe and I’m offering an illustrated paperback on my Kickstarter campaign if we meet the next stretch goal.



SEE IT HERE



AND WE ARE ONLY $500 AWAY FROM THAT GOAL!



Anyone who pledges a physical tier…(and the lowest is the $30 paperback of Cassandra’s Castle which comes with color illustrations and a special edition bookmark), will get an illustrated paperback of The Dragon Targe free! You’ll also get all the other rewards from four different stretch goals! Come take a look!











An alternate path from the Ian’s Realm Trilogy, two siblings who have traveled to the Realm use the software as a vendetta against each other, with Ian and Abbi paying the consequences



PLEDGE NOW



Here is Elisa taking her revenge out on her brother.