The beginning of the end...

Work has resumed full scale on the second book. I was maybe 100 pages in when I realized some major rewriting needed to be done, so that's being taken care of presently. The new scenes are much better, so even though I really dislike retreading old ground, I'm glad I'm replacing this stuff.

It can be difficult to throw out work you like. Sometimes it just has to be done. The "outtakes" file of this project is becoming quite robust in its own right. I plan on releasing a version with commentary at some point, so most of it should see print eventually.

The hardest part, after almost a year off, is reacquiring all my own slang. Luckily I built myself an encyclopedia as I wrote the first book.

In all, I'd have to say the time off was worth it. I've had a lot of insights into character interactions while we've all been on pause together.