Stuff to do: the rest of the big battle, the disaster — actually we’ve already had that, so I mean the worse disaster — various people heroically saving the day, and (naturally) ultimate victory. Plus the dénouement, which is often my favorite part and I expect that to be the case for PURE MAGIC, too. A lot of that is already written in detail, in my head.
I’m thinking this will all take another fifty-sixty pages. Not sure if I’ve ever learned to judge that kind of thing accurately, though, so it could be a little more (very unlikely to be less). I could easily bring this one in with five or six uninterrupted days, which alas I do not have, so it will take longer and writing it will be both less intense and less fun. : ( But the chance I will get this one in on my personal deadline, just about 100%, yay!
I’m guessing the rough draft will come in at about 110,000 – 115,000 words, which for me is excellent — I may even be able to cut it back to no more than 100,000 words, which would be fabulous. You know, I actually had to ask for the maximum length specified in the contract for BLACK DOG to be extended, because there was no possible way I could have got it under 120,000 words. That may not be such an issue for the sequel!
And if you’re wondering whether I know what I’ll be working on next: Yes. I have a short story to write that takes place before BLACK DOG and another one that takes place after PURE MAGIC — I have no idea why it is that this universe seems to lend itself to short stories, which as you all know I basically never write.
And after that — not sure! But I will have to decide because I read a ton of books while writing PURE MAGIC, way more than usual, so I don’t feel like I need a break and will probably pick up a new project to work on before the end of September, with plans to finish another rough draft by the end of January.
But I will take a little break to read some longer books / series and some titles I have particularly been waiting to get to: Kate Elliot’s Spiritwalker trilogy, UNDER THE LIGHT by Laura Whitcomb, SARAPHINA by Rachel Hartman, CROWN DUEL / COURT DUEL by Sherwood Smith. Really looking forward to it!