An Author's Fear - The Telling 2 - Losing Jimmy

Of all the stories I've written, The Telling is the one that seems to have struck the biggest chord with readers. I've received so many beautiful letters about that story, many from veterans who felt kinship with the characters of Michael and Ryan. I also received letters from readers who'd spent their whole lives in the closet. They told me their stories, and I'm so honored they felt such a connection to me that they could discuss things they wouldn't tell others. I encouraged them to write their stories, share them with the world. Some did, some didn't. But through The Telling I met many wonderful people, some I still correspond with.

That a story I wrote could be so special to readers is humbling. They've have been asking for a sequel about Ryan and Terry. That's where fear comes in. If possible, Ryan is even more broken than Michael, and has a long road to recovery before him. Am I skilled enough as an author to do justice to his story?

The answer has been a resounding no for the past four years, which is why The Telling 2 - Losing Jimmy stalled. I didn't feel I was ready. Time has passed, and even more readers now are asking about Ryan.

The time has come. This will be a slow process and require much research, but I need to give Ryan some closure. I'm currently 21,000 words into a manuscript that should top out at about 70,000. Wish me luck.