It's been awhile since I've posted an update, so here goes...
My summer officially begins on Friday afternoon, and I'm ecstatic. Summer not only means no more grading of essays (yay!), but it also means I will finally have time to finish Book 4 in my Chilton Crosse series. I've been pecking away at this manuscript for two semesters, and I'm currently on page 327. I think I have about six more chapters to go. After that, I'll do some fact-checking and polishing and several read-throughs. Then, it's off to the publisher!
I have to say, this book might be my favorite of the series so far. Each book seems to have a different tone, a different flavor, and this one is no exception. Before I started writing the novel, I wondered if I'd end up liking the main character, Julia. She's a bit stand-offish, keeping to herself, but it's partly because of her taxing job (owning/running the bakery). As I've written her, I've discovered she has a lot of heart. She also takes excellent care of her aging father, Mr. Bentley (the elderly man who sits outside the bakery). Julia is deeper than I'd imagined, and there's a reason she's not very prominent in the other novels. I hope readers will really respond to her and her situation.
As I get closer to THE END, I'll post more updates. Plus, I'll spend part of this summer brainstorming Book 5!
I hope 2016 is another exciting year for this Chilton Crosse series!
