I have my new cover! (Spoiler, it isn't either of the ones I posted last week!) I will reveal all after Thanksgiving.
In the meantime, I've begun work on Epitaph 3. It's a strange feeling for me, since my books are usually published more quickly. Epitaph 1 is complete, Epitaph 2 is "all but" complete (still working through the editing process), and Epitaph 3 has been tapping me on the shoulder.
Starting a new book is always an exciting time for me. It's like making new friends (even though most of the characters in this series flow through all the books). The spotlight shines on different people and their individual lives, so I'm getting to know the supporting characters from the other books more "up close and personal."
When I start writing, some books take several chapters before the characters really "talk" to me and open up. Often, that means reworking some of the earlier chapters to show their personality in more depth. In the Epitaph series, I already have a good sense of who everybody is since they were introduced in the first book (siblings of the main characters in Epitaph 1), which makes writing this series easier. It will still be a challenge to manage the plot points, the victories and pitfalls they will encounter along the way.
One of the toughest things is trying to decide what my characters do for a living. This often leads me to research, asking people what their average workday looks like (which reminds me I need to pick one of my girlfriend's brains! Get ready, Sarah!)
Do you work in an occupation you never see in a book? Or is there a segment of the work force you enjoy reading about more than others? Maybe one that is underrepresented?
I always wonder about occupations. Books tend to focus on "heroic" or "noble" professions. But what makes someone decide to drive the UPS truck, or repair electrical lines, or pick up the garbage?
ReplyDeletesounds like something you need to write into one of your books! I've seen less elevated professions in books, although you're right, the blue collar ones tend more toward "secret millionaires" or something along those lines. Books do seem to lean more toward white collar heroes/heroines.
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