When Your Head Is Down Writing...

Hello Curious Readers,

So…this is embarrassing, it’s mid September and I’ve been completely swept up in my current manuscript draft I haven’t come up for air. Though when I’m writing, there are hundreds of ideas and research beaches I’ve landed on that I can’t wait to talk about.

I swore it wouldn’t happen to me ….

I’ve written three complete manuscripts since The Pelican Tide came out.

The first was based on a secondary character from a previous manuscript. Often, secondary characters want you to tell their story and this one - Trudie - was one of them. It wasn’t the book I had prepared for, but it’s what tumbled out. I loved it - still love it - but its time is not right. It was the story I needed to write to distance myself from the mood and world I had immersed myself in with The Pelican Tide.

Then… the next book of my heart arrived.

A dual point-of-view sister story. One sister is an airline pilot and the other is a wildlife biologist. I threw myself into the research speaking to female pilots (AMAZING) and biologists (also amazing.) This book I believed would be the perfect follow-up to Pelican.

I wrote one of the best chapters I’ve ever written about a plane crash thanks to one of the pilots I was working with. But… insert sad violin music, my editor at my publisher said she didn’t like it…for a variety of reasons. And my agent soured on it. And the book crashed.

I must pause for a shout-out to the amazing novelist, book mentor, friend, and literary font of wisdom and voice of pull your shit together — Camille Pagán who has a new book coming out in 2026 (Dog People), and who talked me off the ledge. And if you need proof, listen to her podcast, The Career Novelist. If you’re a writer, you’ll swear she’s talking about you.

If you’re a writer, and you don’t feel supported by other writers, find new writers.

The writers who I shared my tale of woe had grounded advice and encouragement. And those who didn’t at least offered up, “yeah, that sucks!” (You know who you are!!)

I began again, with a new idea #3. Actually an old one that didn’t feel like a “Sharon” story. But an idea that could/maybe/ ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ work in this market.

This book market where readers are overwhelmed by life crashing around us. Where in my backyard of Washington D.C. (just read the news — I don’t need to tell you), my local book group can’t stomach any angst and sadness even for my brand of happily for now endings.

I get it. I too am reading differently. My new manuscript is a lighter story, with two female characters who tell it like it is with humor and warmth and Tarot cards because it’s a fun element.

Honestly, I’m not sure and that’s not fun. I’ve sent the draft to a developmental editor for a market evaluation. I need an expert to tell me if this is saleable or just a cute idea. And if you’re asking, don’t you have an agent for that? All I can say is that’s another discussion and if you’d like to come by for a glass of wine…

Here’s another truth. Writing the end to this third book since Pelican gave me as much of a sense of satisfaction as any of the many, many books I’ve finished. I write because I don’t know how to do anything else. I can’t stop. Even when the publishing road no longer meets me at my door. I’m driving across country in the dark on a flat tire to find it.

Which means, if this book doesn’t make it for a whole lot of reasons, I’ll call my writers and find the place where I left off and begin again. I do have another idea already brewing and oh…the research will be so much fun, and maybe a little messy. Just like life!

If you’ve read The Pelican Tide and haven’t reviewed it yet, please post an honest review on Amazon or Goodreads, or where you review books.

My goal is to have 1,000 reviews by the end of the year.

If you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited, it’s free… download it and enjoy it or if you own a hardcopy, download it anyways and page to the end of the digital version — this is the crazy part of the digital Amazon literary ecosystem. Authors are only credited when the book is read.

Tell your reading friends and family about Pelican and invite me to your book club. My next stories will have a better chance if more people have my current book.

Continue to read and enjoy Research for Writers and Other Curious People. Your comments and shares remind me in a meaningful way that there are caring people beyond my MacBook screen.

This has also been a summer of books.

I do have a winner for Libby Klein’s last book and I’ll will contact you this week.

In August, I drove to Raleigh, NC for the launch of my dear friend Sharon Kurtzman’s book, The Lost Baker of Vienna. This beautiful story is worth all the hype and I will be giving a copy away soon. But don’t wait. Pick up your copy now.

Rebecca is one of my writing inspirations for her layered and masterful stories that like my stories have an ecological flavor. I haven’t read this one yet because I’m saving it for an upcoming plane trip. But I’ve adored! everything she writes and I will be giving a copy of this book away.

I was honored to blurb Chapel Bay Secrets by the talented Julie Snider. I don’t have this book’s release date but this would be a lively book club read. No spoilers!

Now that I have bared my writing truth, I have so much to share in the next few weeks. And with my book out of my hands for a while, I can return to writing about research.

As always, I love to hear from you. If you have some writing woes and you need support and encouragement please reach out. We write alone but that is all we should do alone.