Charlie Foxtrot: Blog

Just a quick update to let folks know that I am making good progress on wrapping up Paul & Jeryl's tale. I have just finished writing chapter 37 and am shooting to have the ending within three more chapters. Once the story is complete, I'll get it to my wonderful proof-readers and then start posting as it comes back from them.

Thank you all for your patience and for reading.

-Charlie

I believe all my major plot points are finally fixed and I am on track to complete Paul & Jeryl's story soon. I'm still not sure when I'll finish all the writing, but I can see the end from chapter 36 which is what I'm currently working on.

Once I get the entire story finished, I'll get it off to my editors and then get it posted.

In the meantime, as a small present for all of my readers, I've posted chapter 28 and 29 for your holiday enjoyment. I did not send these through editing yet, so any errors or typos are all on me. Please be gentle.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, and thanks for reading.

-Charlie

Thank you for the continued interest in Paul and Jeryl's story. I am writing on a more regular basis once again and am finally getting the plot moving once again. I'm approximately 140,000 words into the second book and can see the ending coming up. Once it is written, I'll get it out to my proof readers and then posted. I won't make any promises, but am going to try and get it wrapped up before the end of the year.

Thanks for reading,


-Charlie Foxtrot

Sorry for the delay in updating....

I've been on the road for a bit with work and had only intermittent access to post an update.

On a positive note, I'm making good progress toward the next installment. I've learned my lesson and will not commit to a date yet, but I am writing on a regular basis and herding the characters in the direction they seem to want to go.

Thanks for the inquiries and encouragement, and thanks for reading.


-Charlie Foxtrot

Thank you all for the continued requests for updates and to get back on a regular posting schedule. I think I am making progress, but re-iterate my decision to not begin posting again until the story is finished.

My problem (and the reinforcement for my approach) is both simple and complex. I hate stories that go on forever, driving me to OCD behavior of checking slavishly for updates. I am a voracious reader and like to get through the entire story. I think some of you are of the same bent.

Now, with that context in mind, let me share a little of my recent plot problems. My story was veering dramatically from where I wanted it to end. That might have been alright, but it was turing into a vanilla, "hero has no real challenges" type of story, which I don't like that much. I had reached chapter 36 in draft form an realized the conflict that I thought was driving the story was too much of a cliche.

So I threw it out.

But that caused a problem. Every direction I took after that seemed to fall into a similar path. Coupling the writing doldrums with a new job made it difficult to focus the effort needed to actually get the story back on a path where you, the readers, should care about the conflict and resolution.

If I had posted along the way, I would literally be written into a corner now.

By being able to throw out sub-par work, I still have a clean slate for the direction the story is going.

Could I begin posting again?

Yes, but I won't until I've written the whole story so I know it is a complete tale, that I hope you will enjoy. I'm presently writing chapter 33 for the third or fourth time, but think I have a path forward that will be sustained through the entire adventure.

Thanks for your patience.

-Charlie Foxtrot


P.S. I've been kicking around an idea for a totally new story to write once "A New Past" is complete. I think you'll all like it, but let's get the first one put to bed before I begin an new tale.