Hello and Happy Frigid Friday,

It’s cold as all get out in Ohio and every where else from what I’ve read making this great weather to stay in and write and read. I have a lot of writing to do—to finish—though I’ll probably not get too far. As you well know I’m a very, very slow writer and even though I've dead lined the second Owen Story novel by the end of February, it won’t be completed until the end of March or possibly the beginning of April.

I feel badly because I've told folks the second novel would be ready by February and it’s not going to happen though I feel I have good reasons why not. First, I want to have this novel terrifically edited as if it had a 600,000 run with Simon and Schuster; edited for every wrong word, inconsistency, continuity problem, character development issues and any other problem the writing could have that I easily missed or didn’t know how to correct. A great editing job could make a good book better; it’ll be less trial for the reader so he can concentrate on story and not stumble over irritating writing mistakes that would sink his enthusiasm for the work.

Second—and last—I want to make sure the story is worth reading, that on every page I give the reader a reason to turn to the next one: an exciting story, developed characters, action and adventure, an unforgettable mystery, an intricate plot worth delving into and I have to say it again—can’t say it enough-- a terrific story worth reading in one sitting possible and all this takes me so much time to do. I love the story and I’m confident it ‘ll be done in the next few months, I just need to make sure its done right and this takes time.

“There’s nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and open a vein.” – Walter Wellesley.

If you have any comments or suggestions please e-mail me at my new address: shabazzl@adasbcc.org.

Until next time, God willing,

Lori