Making Progress

(Deathlayer, one of the Just Us Chickens)

I'm racing the end of the summer to at least get my first set of books drafted.  My teenage boy has now drafted his part of the bonus books, the first three of his zany super chicken series, Just Us Chickens, his backstory for his Supermanish chicken, Impeckable, and the first of his other series, Keylime Python, the swashbuckling snake.  He's now just taking some time off and enjoying summer vacation.  I'm almost done with illustrating the Just Us Chickens trilogy.

[Illustrations from Doomimals: Book 1]

Meanwhile, I am wrapping up book 7 of my 9-book set.  I'll then write a back story to a major character.  I'm shooting to have it all drafted by mid-August.  I'm a little behind but am still hoping to catch up and finish on time. I've finished a draft in a few days before.  I can do it again, especially now some of my other obligations are done for the moment. 

Most excitingly, book one's illustrations are now complete.  Huzzah!  Thanks again, Gostelle. 

Of course, now we get to the hard part: revising to the point where readers will enjoy reading them.  I always seem to stall there.  I have an editor's review of book one, which I hope will be useful on the others.  I have friends reading a couple of them and finding major issues on which I need to work.  But I need a way to have outside eyes go over the rest.  I'm working on formulating a plan for that.  Oh, and the rest need illustrations, too.  So, on one hand, it feels like I'm getting close.  But if I really think about it, the hardest parts are yet to come. 

Sneak Peeks: Updates Toward My Series

[A sneak peak at my niece, Gostelle's, beautiful art for Doomimals]

 As I've said before, I have a hybrid publisher standing by, waiting to help me get my chapter books and my boy's chapter books published.  The plan is to include the first nine books from the Doomimals series, about three kids and their animal companions protecting the human race from the evil Dog of War and her animal armies.  I will then include several bonus books. 

[My illustration from book 1 of Just Us Chickens]

One will be a backstory to a critical character, which I will write soon.  Another three will be the first three books from my boy's spinoff series, Just Us Chickens about a zany group of super chickens, as written by my 14-year-old.  Another will be his backstory for one of those chickens.  The last will be the first in his other spinoff series, Keylime Python about a swashbuckling, world-traveling hero snake.  We'll also include games and such to get readers immersed in the world. 

[My concept design for Cat-a-clysm.]

We've been working hard on these series.  I just finished book 5 and am starting book 6 of Doomimals.  My niece is almost done illustrating book 1.  I have drafted CockadoodleDOOM, Cat-a-clysm, Goatyphoon, Hisstruction, and Kangaruin and have four more to do.  I will then revise and edit them all. 

[Another illustration from Just Us Chickens]

My boy, meanwhile, has the first three books drafted from Just Us Chickens, and I'm halfway done illustrating through book 3.  He's also drafted a shorter backstory for one of his main characters and is close to the halfway mark in drafting Keylime Python book 1.  We're closing in on our goal to be done with at least drafting the books by the end of the summer. We've had beta readers of various ages reading them (kids in the target age range up to adults with families) and have gotten fairly positive responses.  We look forward to sharing them with you.