Dear Friend,
Last Saturday, I was excited because I’d finished the final draft of Randy’s Dilemma. I walked around, grinning. About two hours later, I stopped grinning and got down to work. I still needed to edit, proofread, and format (my first-time formatting). Plus, finalizing the cover, and other front and back matter information (like the copyright page, dedication, etc.)
My husband has called this the book that never ends. It’s not that I wanted it to be long. After writing The Greatest Thing, which was about 120,000 words (about double the length of a short novel, or two novels in one), I swore that the next book would be a novella. (A novella is under 40,000 words.)
Randy objected. His story needed a lot told. Previously, he was the jokester, Louisa’s brother, in the Louisa’s Vineyard Series. So I set about telling the story with the premise that he was growing up and going away to college.
Things exploded from there! I honestly think I was channeling the characters.
But after persevering for almost six months, I thought I was really, finally, totally finished!
Think again. I was just about to call it at the place I’d ended, and devote my next few days to editing.
But then, I realized I needed to include the character of Kent, the family’s lawyer, into the wedding scene where all the characters were wrapping up an important plot. I could not believe he just wasn’t there!
And I figured out a way to insert him in a few lines and very few words. Joyful, again!
I’m holding my breath, hoping nothing pops into my brain that I absolutely must include.
Meanwhile, I am now back to editing, and also proofing my husband’s second book, and trying to make dinner, and other household tasks.
Thus, I implore you, please stay connected to see the glorious outcome of Randy’s Dilemma. I will also include a “Super Bonus Epilogue” that encompasses Randy and Samantha’s honeymoon, which you will only have access to if you read the full book and use the QR code included there.
My dilemma is getting it to you ASAP! I really do want it to be available to share! I promise. Also, please catch up with the Louisa’s Vineyard books you haven’t read. See,
Will’s Secret (Book 2), if you’d like a very romantic story with the secret only revealed near the end. Or, if you’d like to read the very long, very romantic The Greatest Thing (Book 4, my most recent book), click here https://shelleysommers.com/louisas-vineyard/the-greatest-thing/ and learn why Louisa and Will are grinning in a rowboat.
PS Please let me know, if you’re reading this and haven’t read any of the Louisa’s Vineyard Series, what keeps you from reading it? If it’s the cost, I publish the books as e-books. Would you rather read it as a serial book, where I publish pages or chapters at a time and you pay a small fee each time? (Mark Twain actually published his books that way!) The books make excellent holiday gifts! (And, for the future, I’m considering setting up boxsets.) You can let me know your answers to: Shelley@ShelleySommers.com
Have a great week and enjoy your reading!
Hugs,
Shelley