The Writer’s Diary: Draft One, Audio Deals, and Groundhog Days

Moving Forward: Round Three and Spanish Sunshine

​It has been a whirlwind fortnight, but I’m coming out the other side with some fantastic news. If you’re reading this on or after Monday, 13th April, then the wait is finally over... I am thrilled to announce that Memory Letters has officially made the cut for Round 3 of the Open Novella Contest!

​Qualifying for Round 2 was a massive boost, and it clearly lit a fire under me. I’ve been typing away at a frantic pace to stay ahead of the game; though I have to admit, a few days away in Spain certainly helped clear the head and keep the inspiration flowing. There’s something about a change of scenery that makes the words come a little easier.

​Knowing that I’ve secured my place in the next round is a brilliant feeling. However, regardless of the official lists and milestones, the work hasn't stopped. My fingers are still flying over the keyboards as I move from drafting into the all-important polish. We’re into the final stretch now, and I’m ready to see Jane’s story through to the end.

​Memory Letters: The First Draft is In

​I am also incredibly pleased to say that I’ve officially completed the first full draft of Memory Letters!

​What started as a claustrophobic idea in my head has blossomed, thanks to a prompt on the ONC, into a 17-chapter techno-thriller. It is currently sitting at just over 32,200 words, and I’m now deep in the editing phase. The final count will likely fluctuate as I tighten the screws on Jane’s story.

​If you’ve been following along on Wattpad, Chapters 1 to 12 are already live and ready for your eyes. I’ll be releasing the final chapters soon as the "polish" is finished.

And then on to the next phase for this story...

​A Voice for the Story

​In some rather unexpected and exciting news, I’ve already secured an audiobook partner for Memory Letters.

​We’ve verbally agreed on a 50/50 royalty split, with the ultimate goal of publishing the story on Audible. This is a huge step for me, though we’re holding off on production until the ONC has officially wrapped. There’s something special about hearing your characters come to life, and I can’t wait to share more as this develops.

​Something Free: "Only Three Pills Left"

​While the novels take up a lot of my headspace, I’ve also been tidying up my shorter works. I’ve decided to update my author website with a free, downloadable version of my short story, Only Three Pills Left.

​It’s a high-concept sci-fi story that plays with the "Groundhog Day" trope—but in true diary fashion, it has a much darker twist than Bill Murray ever faced. You can grab it in both ePub and PDF formats right now.