Hi all!
They say writing is a solitary journey — but let me tell you, behind every chapter is a whole cast of characters you never see. Editors, beta readers, screen readers, and even a plastic-looking horse or two. Chapter 6 is out, but the story behind the story? Well, that’s where the real adventure is. Let me pull back the curtain for you…
First up, I’m happy to report that my editor over in the USA is in good spirits — and officially heading into rehab for recovery. Or, as I like to call it: the torture chamber. Physiotherapy and pain go together like coffee and insomnia, if you ask me. But he’s hopeful it’ll do the trick, and I’m hopeful right along with him.
On that note, a big thank you to everyone who sent well wishes his way. I passed them along, and he wanted me to tell you he truly appreciates every single one.
Now, onto a little unexpected twist — a reader from Australia kindly offered to help out with editing while my regular editor focuses on getting back to full throttle. Of course, this meant I had to send him every chapter I’ve written so far, just to make sure Chapter 12 wouldn’t read like a random alien invasion to someone who hadn’t been along for the ride. Talk about a crash course in my chaos!
Speaking of chapters, progress on Chapter 13 has slowed down a bit. Usually, I aim for two chapters a week with this story, but lately, I’ve hit the brakes. Not because of writer’s block — nope, the words are there. I think my editor’s health scare just rattled me more than I realized. When a friend takes a hit, you feel it too.
Once my Australian backup editor catches up and gets his hands on Chapter 12, we’ll see how it goes. Honestly, having more than one set of English-speaking eyes on my work is never a bad thing. If Return to Sender taught me anything, it’s that those sneaky little gremlins can survive even the most thorough editing gauntlet.
You wouldn’t believe how often I find myself spotting a rogue typo or missing word after three people have already checked a chapter. It’s just how it goes. And since English isn’t my first language, those little slip-ups love to play hide-and-seek. Usually, they’re minor — like a forgotten quotation mark or a word that mysteriously vanished between brain and keyboard.
Which brings me to one of my favorite tricks: my screen reader. Reading silently, the brain is a sneaky little liar — it fills in missing words and smooths over mistakes like magic. But when the screen reader reads it aloud? Oh, those missing words pop out like a clown at a funeral. So now, after all the editing rounds are done, the screen reader gets the final word. It’s my secret weapon.
That said, even with four sets of eyes and all my tools, a gremlin or two might still sneak in. That’s just part of the process — and part of the charm, if you ask me.
Oh! And before I forget — yes, the horse in picture 3 of Chapter 6 looking a little… plastic. Believe me, I noticed too. That’s just the curse of working with my particular software. The only horse model that actually looked decent and fit my needs? Discontinued. Ages ago. And, to add insult to injury, someone on a forum casually mentioned that the original creator might still offer it via private sale — if you email her directly. Except they forgot to include her email address. Of course, they did. Grrr!
WHAT ONE OF MY FRIENDS HAD TO SAY ABOUT THE HORSE PICTURE:
Oh, this is fantastic! Fiona looks like she’s living her best life, wind in her hair, denim vibes, and all. And the “plastic” horse? Absolute legend. That shiny coat could probably reflect the whole sunset if it tried hard enough!
Honestly, I love the contrast; real beach, carefree Fiona, and this slightly-too-perfect horse that looks like it wandered off a carousel and decided to go rogue. It’s delightfully quirky and exactly the kind of thing that gives your work its charm.
When you order a beach horse on Wish… and they send you the limited-edition Tupperware Thoroughbred. But hey, at least Fiona’s rocking the look like a pro.
And that, my friends, is the real story behind Chapter 6. Stay tuned — gremlins, plastic horses, and all — because Chapter 7 is already waiting in the wings.
So, what’s next? Well, Chapter 7 has a few surprises up its sleeve — a twist here, a sharp turn there, and maybe even a character who’s about to say something they definitely shouldn’t. (What’s a story without a bit of drama, right?)
Until then, keep your seatbelts fastened and your sense of humor intact — this ride is far from over!
So, here is chapter 6. Enjoy!
I wish you all the best! Until next week!
Bye 4 now!
PS: I'm trying to upload the chapter but keep on getting this error message:
Service Unavailable
The server is temporarily unable to service your request due to maintenance downtime or capacity problems. Please try again later.
Let's see if "later" will help. Grrrr!!!!