February Update (Patreon)

Good News: I'm going to start posting again. Extra good news: I'm going to post the raw draft.

Bad News: No release date. I'm still working on the first draft.

I considered posting more snippets, but considering every discussion is a spoiler and most of it refers to what happens in the first third of the book, it would be pointless of me to share. So, I thought I’d share the first portion of the book for context.

Posting Schedule:

Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday: 8am Pacific Standard Time

Regarding the raw draft:

The raw draft is the first draft, which means it hasn’t been revised. You may see typos or mistakes and the scenes you read may not appear in the final book. Chapters will be posted in parts. This is to discourage piracy by making it inconvenient to copy. This has happened in the past. The raw draft of Bitter Secrets was stolen and shared by a patron. Hopefully that won't happen this time around.

I'm going to caution everyone by saying this is the darkest book by far. The contents are super upsetting/trigger-worthy. I think people should know that by now when it comes to me, but I feel it needs repeating. This book goes into some heavy topics. The characters are all so broken, at times even I was at a loss as to how to put them back together. Honestly, I haven't quite succeeded in that yet. In my head, A + B = C but when you actually execute the scene that's been playing in your head, the characters or tone may be different than you anticipated and you find yourself at a loss on how to proceed. It's all such a beautiful mess, but I'll find a way through this.

Just a reminder, I don't read or respond to comments on snippet posts. Since I'm writing, I'm just focused on the book as a whole. You can discuss with other readers on Discord. Once in a while, I'll pop in and chat/check in with you all.

Book Update:

I backtracked a bit because I didn’t like the dynamic between Roth and Jasmine. It didn’t feel right. I tested out some alternative scenes, one of which resulted in that, “I’m not going to die, princess. You missed my heart” snippet. The scene was absolutely bonkers. I sat on it for 2 days because it came out of left field and seemed so out of character for both of them. But as this whole book has gone off script, I’ve decided to just go with it.

This book, like all the others, is turning out way different than I intended, but that’s the fun part. Stressful, but fun. Unfortunately, I got caught up in so much admin work this month that I wasn’t able to spend as much time writing. Hopefully, in February, I can catch up.

There’s so much I wanted to cram into this book. I know the ending, but since I combined books 4 & 5, the shit I’m supposed to fit in is ludicrous. I have to do some ruthless cutting and focus on what’s absolutely necessary rather than touching on some side plots I liked. Hopefully, this month, I can fully dedicate myself to the book and finish this first draft 🤞🏼

Once I finish the first draft, there are revisions. Then the manuscript is sent off to an editor. Once I know the date I’ll get it back from the editor, I can set a release date. At the moment, I don’t know when the release will be. All I can do is share my progress and what step I’m on. Unfortunately, I’m still on step 1.

Personal Update:

I’ve still had some ongoing health issues. In the first half of January, I was having some really bad days that kept me from working. But, those days have lessened with rest. I feel a lot better, so I am hoping to make quite a bit of progress this month!

As always, thank you for your patience and encouragement. This book is going to be the craziest of them all! It’s been so weird to finally spill the beans about everything and circle back to all the hints dropped in previous books to connect the dots. Also, the change in everyone is so jarring. Not just Roth and Jasmine, but her family as well. The stances some characters have taken shocked even me. I find myself treading lightly with Roth and Jasmine. Examining them more than I ever have to make sure it’s really them talking/reacting and not me. I guess once you guys read the first portion we can discuss how different things are from the original and why we’re going down a different path.

Most of the snippets I’ve shared were from the first third of the book, especially chapter 2, so a lot of it will be familiar. But you’ll get to see all the info/conversations in order and with context.

I don’t know if it’s just me (you guys can tell me later), but I feel like this one is the most emotionally draining. Probably because it’s a culmination of all the previous books and the climax. I originally wanted Bitter Confessions to end in Colorado, at the end of chapter 3. I thought it would have been more fitting, but I decided to end it in New York because it would have washed out what happened at the Trentham Ball and that in itself was its own climax so…

I’ve rambled quite a bit. If you have questions, let me know. I’m so sorry about the delays. I really thought I’d be ready to release around this time, but there’s been so many other things that have come up that needed tending to. Hopefully, the end is near! (For the book, not me. LMAO).