As those of you who have been following my blog know, I've been in the editing phase of my first novel for quite some time now. Unfortunately, due to factors beyond my control, the process is moving very slowly, and there's simply not much I can do to speed it up. Beyond that, I'm also finding that, as I'm reading the story aloud to my wife, most of what I've written is quite satisfactory (excitingly so!), yet I'm also finding several passages that need a significant amount of attention, perhaps even total rewrites (depressingly so). (Side note: reading your work aloud to a trusted individual is great exercise. Not only do you get their thoughts on your story, you get to hear your words for yourself as you read them. Doin this, you can often determine if something works or not before your listener does.)

While the slow and tedious nature of the editing process can get frustrating at times, I'm doing my best to not let it get me down. One of the ways I'm spending my excess time is by continuing to write new material. I've recently written and submitted a new short story to The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction (rejection letter pending lol). I've also started working on the next book in the Find Your Truth series, Truth Be Damned. While it's only in the beginning stages, I like where the story is headed.

I've also enjoyed doing more blogging, and expanding my social media networks. I've been especially surprised and gratified by the response I've received via Google Plus. It's been a much better platform for me than expected—certainly better than either Facebook or Twitter.

Finally, while I will never claim to be an expert on the subject of writing, I have found that sharing the lessons I've learned while writing my book with others who are currently in the process of writing theirs has been quite uplifting. Hopefully it is helpful for those who I share with, as well.

Until next time, keep writing...always keep writing!

Cheers!