After the usual two years of work, I’ve finished the fifth complete draft of the next Mae Martin mystery, tentatively titled Wounded Healer. The mystery centers around a missing birder. The bird in the picture, the desert cardinal, plays a role in the story.
I’m currently going through the manuscript for words I use too often. Most can be cut. Some require revision. I’ve analyzed the plot, the level of tension, the variety in types of scenes, the pacing, the sensory detail, my characters’ process of solving the mystery, and how the red herrings are working. Next, I need to complete the cleanup and send it to my beta readers. They will notice problems and make suggestions, and then I’ll revise it and clean it up yet again. And that’s the status of the book. I’m so fixated on getting it finished that I haven’t been blogging, despite many inspirations for posts. I’ll get around to them once the book is with my betas!
Amber Foxx Mysteries 