Update on MOVING MAGGIE—And other writing stuff
MOVING MAGGIE (aka Midlife Moxie novel #3), so I thought I’d bring you up to date on where the book stands.
Originally I had kicked Alan, a character from Maggie’s past, out of the book. But just like in the story, Alan came back. After I made substantial edits to the storyline, including changing a relationship that Maggie had with her soon-to-be ex’s new girlfriend and eliminating the post-heart attack caregiving role she assumed after her ex’s heart attack (and that was really not Maggie’s style, anyway!), I was able to bring Alan back in because he did serve a useful role.
Not only did he provide a bit of tension as Maggie’s relationship with her landlord developed, he also led Maggie to think back to the person she had been in college: her singlemindedness and her willingness to choose her career over love.
So, Alan came back, and while he didn’t last clear through to the end, he was in it long enough to motivate Maggie to think about who she was and who she wanted to be, and how she wanted to navigate a possible (and very unexpected) romantic relationship going forward.
Now the manuscript has gone south to Florida for final edits with Ann Henry, and I’m back on TRANSFORMING TESSA. This is the part I most enjoy: the first drafts where synchronicities appear out of nowhere and new characters come into the story without me even planning for them. (Kind of like houseguests who show up on your doorstep without warning but far more welcome!)
