Friends! I’ve taken my sweet time since I last posted here, and figured I was overdue for a quick update. As you may have read a while back, I have been writing my third multiverse romance this year, and I finished a first draft in late spring. I took the summer to send it out to four trusted beta readers (thank goodness for the supportive writing community!) and get their feedback.
Most of it was glowing, I’m very happy to report! Two of them said they thought it was my best book yet, one other hadn’t read my previous work but also loved it, and one enjoyed it but had some issues with the mind-bending nature of the premise. (I have to agree, it’s a problem if you don’t suspend your disbelief!)
For context, this new work is – again – not a sequel to my other books, but it fits in with the first two in terms of their multiverse/alternate-reality premise. This one pushes the envelope quite a lot further, though, in that it’s not a split-universe, Sliding Doors kind of deal this time. I’d say it has more in common with Everything Everywhere All at Once than Sliding Doors!
And, yes, I do have a working title, but I’m reluctant to share it yet in case it doesn’t get accepted, or revealing it might influence… anything. Let’s just say that my idea for a title fits in with the first two, both of which begin with the words “The Love…” – so I’m hopeful it will stick.
Anyways, over the early fall, I took in those beta readers’ various suggestions and edits (at least, the ones I agreed with, which was most of them), as well as editing the document myself a few times after I’d given it some space.
With a polished draft in place, it was time in late September to send it to my agent Victoria in New York. She took a week or so to read it and get back to me, and I know she won’t mind me telling you her reply: “I just finished reading this and, needless to say, enjoyed the hell out of it! … It’s interesting to think about how a first-time reader of your work will feel about this versus a reader who’s familiar with your first two books. This book fits in with the first two but is so different in key ways, which is great.”
What a relief! That means I have the same agency representation on this title as on my first two – and the team at Levine Greenberg Rostan always do such a great job, and support me so much in contract negotiations and so on. I then had a call with Victoria, just last week, to discuss a couple of little ideas I’d had to improve the MS further. She agreed – plus, she had two minor suggestions of her own – so I’ll spend this weekend and maybe next fixing those up.
After that… drum roll… it’ll be time for Victoria to send off the final version to see if we can get it published. And of course, pray that everyone likes it. Eeek!
I’ll keep you updated with any news after that. Wish me luck!
CJ Connolly 