Why “Deadgirl: Daybreak” is Delayed

Because I suck.

END OF BLOGPOST

Okay, But Seriously Why is “Deadgirl: Daybreak” Delayed?

At the end of “Deadgirl: Goneward,” which is also the last book, there’s a little tag saying “Deadgirl: Daybreak” will drop in Spring 2018. As you may or may not be aware, it’s Spring 2018. And as you also may or may not be aware, you don’t own “Deadgirl: Daybreak” because it’s not possible to own it. Why? Well, mostly because I failed.

I failed to finish the book on time. I failed to figure out the story. I’ve written and re-written and re-re-written about four times now – throwing away about 50k each time and starting over from scratch.

The fact is, Deadgirl is insanely important to me. The first book in the series was my first published book. This last book will be the first time I’ve ever finished a series. This convergence of import is, unfortunately, taking its toll on me.

I owe you, all six of my fans, the last Deadgirl book. I owe it to Lucy, too, and Morgan and Zack and all the rest. But, I owe you a good book, too. I owe you an end to the series that I can be proud of, and that you can feel closes the loop on the story and the characters in a satisfying way.

The first attempt had Lucy basically riding shotgun to Morgan’s story and doing nothing interesting herself. The second attempt had Lucy spending most of the book as a useless rag lamenting the death that occurred at the end of “Goneward.” The third attempt became an action movie.

The current version I’m working on, is, I believe, the truest version.

Excuses, Excuses

I can claim other reasons for not finishing the book, and they’re not all unbelievable – this October we birthed a second child, and it turns out parenting a toddler and a newborn is literally one of the hardest enterprises fools can undertake. I’ve had day-job issues, mental health issues, therapy and anti-depressants. All of these reasons are perfectly functional for the delay of the book, but the fact is, they’re not the real reasons.

I could have finished “Deadgirl: Daybreak” by now. I had the time. I have the word count, several times over.

But I don’t have the words. I promise you I’m looking for them, and when I find them you’ll be the first to know.

My hope is to finish and release “Deadgirl: Daybreak” by Fall 2018.

Lucy means the world to me, and she won’t be left sitting on a beach, watching the grey waves roll and the sky darken and her memory crumble to cold, grey sand.