I thought I’d give monthly updates on my progress with my next novel, Born in a Treacherous Time:
A band of early humans struggle to survive a world where violence and chaos rule. Think Man vs Wild rather than National Geographic.
With a planned publication date of May-June, here’s how I’m doing.
- I’ve completed substantive changes like checking timelines, plot points, and character development.
- I’m self-editing using Grammarly and Autocrit, in preparation for submittal to my editor. This includes spelling, grammar, word use, adverbs, dialogue tags, and more.
- I haven’t even considered a cover yet. I have no idea what it would be and I need to provide some sort of idea to the talented folks at Paper and Sage.
- I’m considering calling this a spin-off of To Hunt a Sub which has a secondary plot about a paleolithic female (named Lucy) who the main character (Kali) turns to for mentoring and support as she struggles with her modern-day problems. Born in a Treacherous Time is Lucy’s story, how she copes with the same problems we all do though with very different tools at her disposal. But, most of the reviews on To Hunt a Sub don’t mention Lucy so I wonder if she’s relevant enough to be considered a spin-off. Any thoughts?
- I have a few writers I’d like to contact for recommendations who wrote wonderful books in this genre–paleohistoric fiction. If you have ideas for me on that sort of writer, let me know!
This is a start. I’ll let you know how it goes next month!
More on Born in a Treacherous Time:
My Research at the Library of Congress
Jacqui Murray is the author of the popular Building a Midshipman, the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy, and the thrillers, To Hunt a Sub and Twenty-four Days. She is also the author/editor of over a hundred books on integrating tech into education, adjunct professor of technology in education, webmaster for four blogs, an Amazon Vine Voice book reviewer, a columnist for TeachHUB, monthly contributor to Today’s Author and a freelance journalist on tech ed topics. You can find her books at her publisher’s website, Structured Learning.
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I like how you make yourself accountable to readers regarding your book writing progress. That’s great. I just finished reading “Twenty-Four Days” and I don’t recall Lucy as a character so I’m thinking she appears only in “To Hunt a Sub.” So sorry I can’t help with that feedback but I did fall in love with Otto!
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Thanks so much, Ann. Yes, Lucy is in To Hunt a Sub, as a recurring cameo. I wrote her story long before Kali and Zeke’s adventures but am just getting around to publishing.
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You could unquestionably call it a spinoff, and it may be a smart thought to display it that way. You have gained incredible ground
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Thanks so much. I have been reviewing other spin-offs I’ve enjoyed reading. The fact that they’re related to the original that I liked does make me want to read it more.
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Wow, you a ploughing through your latest ms. Fabulous work, Jacqui 😀
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The pace is ridiculously slow, though. This historic fiction–it’s quite frightening as I try to get all the facts right! But of course, you know that.
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It’s worth it in the end 😀
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great story idea – how are you tackling the communication and language that they use?
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It is quite a challenge because much of their communication was silent–hands, body, facial expressions. They were communicative though not vocal. Maybe that’s why it’s taken so long!
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I see, it’s great that you are acknowledging that within the creation of your story, it would of course be easy to give them all modern slang and American accents!
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Ha! It’s a struggle–I admit–to keep them authentic to my research. Maybe that’s why I’m still working on it.
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You could certainly call it a spinoff, and it might be a good idea to present it that way. You have made great progress!
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I’d like for readers who enjoyed Lucy’s cameo-sort of presence to know they can find out more about her. I guess that’s what’s driving me.
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Exactly!
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Jacqui, you seem very organised with your latest novel and good luck with the editing. I’m process of going through my short story collection and want to use Grammarly which I have but doesn’t seem to work in scrivener…should it be usable there?
I definitely think this would work as a spin-off and it’s a great way to launch the latest book – bringing in your earlier ones and also bringing in readers already familiar with this series. Go for it!
Haha! paleohistoric fiction! Well, that is not a huge area of fiction…let us know how the hunt for any goes? 😀😀
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When I use Grammarly, I copy-paste into the web-based tool. I had it on Word but deleted it and really–that’s OK with me. Have you tried the web-based tool? You might like it.
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I have sort of been doing this by copying into a web based document which works well. Just wanted to see if I was missing something!
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I don’t find it terribly robust but it does identify problems I miss!
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You sound really organized. All the best. 🙂
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I don’t feel organized–so thank you!
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You’re doing great! I’m 45 pages into my most recent one and it’s slow going, but I don’t have a deadline. Just self-imposed ones, I guess!
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I’d love to read updates on your writing–if you’re ever inspired!
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Energetic to have another book in the works. As for a cover, how about your own photos of something meaningful to you? Happy writing and editing! Have a good week ahead.
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This one has been mostly written–as were the first two. Book 3 in the Rowe-Delamagente series is a whole ‘nother animal!
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I have a very rough draft of another which I put on the back shelf while I concentrate on music and singing. So it goes with this creative creature. Happy week ahead. 🙂
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Good on you Jacqui! 🙂
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I’m gettin’ there, Deb!
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You certainly are! 🙂
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Good fortunes with your work Jaqui… and holding up to see it in the entire shape 🙂
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I get a bit closer every day though I’m about to miss one of my deadlines. Sigh.
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Good luck with your work Jaqui… and waiting to see it in the complete form 🙂
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Thank you so much.
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Good luck. Little by little, it’ll all get done.
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For twenty years, I kept changing my mind on how to approach this book (can I blame my muse?). I have finally settled on an approach and I refuse to change again!
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Congrats on the progress.
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Baby steps. Or half-steps.
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You’ve gotten lots of advice from other fans about whether or not to promote this as a spin-off, and I don’t think I have anything more substantive to offer. I’m just excited for the book to be published, and am really hoping it will be available in paperback.
As for covers, maybe wander through the “book store” and see what other books in same genre capture your imagination. Don’t copy but consider what strikes you.
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That’s a good idea, Shari. I have many of them and they have helped but the bookstore would have a much bigger selection. Thanks.
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So great Jacqui! Hard work pays off – have a great weekend!
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Thanks, Susan. My son comes to visit Monday so I’ll be happily preparing!
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Dear Jacqui,
You might want to look at what I consider to be the two finest books on the same subject, both by anthropologist and novelist Elizabeth Marshall Thomas: Animal Wife and Reindeer Moon. They have recently, at my suggestion been put on Kindle. She is an amazing writer, now in her 80s. Incredibly scientifically accurate.
Mike Bond
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I just ordered them from the library. Good to hear you like them. I’ve spent a lot of time looking for the Margaret Meade and Jane Goodell of paleoanthro and am hoping that’s Thomas. Donald Johanson and Von Koenigswald are quite entertaining but also quite factual. They didn’t want to extrapolate too far from their discoveries. Of course, in fiction, that’s exactly what we do!
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Jacqui, who do you use as a publisher. thanks.
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I publish through a cooperative publisher, where all of my non-fiction goes. It’s called Structured Learning, not designed for fiction but, oh well.
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I think this sounds really up my street, Jacqui. I am looking forward to this book.
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It’s quite a change from my thrillers. I usually recommend authors stay in their genre which I’ve decidedly not done with this book. Sigh.
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Oh, I didn’t know that. I am writing two completely different novels right now and also another Silly Willy book. Variety is the spice of life.
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I’m moving over to your way of thinking as I find more and more authors mixing genres. And it works for them!
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Not a spin off. It’s too hard to sell the idea of a tangential plot line, especially if they occur in entirely different eras. Sub seekers would be disappointed, and you’d miss out on better paleo marketing. (But focus on what they ate and you might get paleo dieters.)
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That’s what I’m afraid of–that fans of my thrillers will read it and be so disappointed they rate the book poorly. Then the world will implode on me.
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Well, I don’t know about implode. I gather that your life is a good bit richer and more complex than the sum of a few reviews.
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I’m very thin-skinned. Sigh.
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I love the idea of giving updates on your work. You really impress me with your diligence and hard work.
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I love reading other people’s updates so thought they might appreciate mine. We all do things so differently!
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BTW, I think your name is linked to your old blog? I’m sure I’ve seen recent posts from you but now I can’t find them!
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Nic you
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Thanks, Dev.
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Good progress, keep it going.
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If I don’t, I’ll get bored. I don’t have a workshop like you do. Or an away-from-home job. Sigh.
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I think it works as a spin-off, Jacqui. There’s enough about Lucy in To Hunt a Sub to make her memorable. Great progress. 🙂
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Thanks for the feedback. I don’t want to mislead people so I appreciate your input.
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I think calling it a “sequel” might mislead, but a “spin-off” seems perfect.
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Sounds like you’re making great progress. I think Lucy factors in enough to call it a spin-off. That continuity would be nice for marketing I would think.
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That’s what made me think of that first though they’re entirely different genres. For me, it is a spinoff because I wrote one based on the other.
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I agree. Better Call Saul is very different from Breaking Bad, but it’s still a spinoff.
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Hunh. I hadn’t thought about those. Thanks.
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Wow I am suer duper impressed by the plot; is Kali inspired by the Hindu Goddess of the same name and fame? I am quite unaware of this genre of fiction and infact this is new for me to read up – hope to catch it when its published. All the best with the writing/ page design and other things! I am sure this will be a runaway success…
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The Hindu Goddess Kali has a cameo in To Hunt a Sub. My character Kali is told about the tie-in to her name by her antagonist. It’s a pretty interesting scene I think.
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Looking forward to reading the finished book! From what I’ve reviewed, I’d say this was a stand alone project, rather than a spin off.
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Thank you for sharing that. I’ve read spinoffs that take a character from a book into a new series though usually it’s the same genre. This is quite different.
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Ohhh, I understand what you’re going through. You’re doing GREAT! I’m working on my next novel As Lovely as a Lie. It’s difficult, going back to the writing, the re-drafting, the new outlining (I outline as I write chapters, crazy but seems to work for me). Anyway, my writing muse salutes your writing muse!
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I definitely get outlining. I do a massive outline before I start with the word processing. It’s in Excel and usually is just short of 1000 rows. So I get you, girfriend!
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Hi Jacqui – I was going to say it’s a long link ‘spin-off’ … but Ateafan has different ideas … and of course how you tag them together or not will make your cover decision not easy – unless it can easily be tied in with your present covers. Well done on doing as much editing as you can – must make editors life easier … cheers Hilary
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I’m still searching for an editor that would be comfortable in the paleohistoric genre. Not easy to find!
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A specialist … somewhat difficult – I’m afraid I can’t help … good luck – cheers H
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It sounds as though you’re moving right along, Jacqui. Wishing you the best as you press on. Have a great weekend!
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This is a story that lives deep inside of me. There’s no way I can NOT write it so I might as well finish!
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Those are the best stories to write, Jacqui!
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I’ve never used grammarly, though i always hear it’s pretty good. it feels like i’m missing out when i read about all these people using it. do you just upload the file then check the mistakes it points out?
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You copy-paste your writing into it. It’s pretty easy though not as thorough as Autocrit. That one–it takes me weeks to get through all of their suggestions!
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is auto crit free as well? you can always upload bits and pieces instead of the full novel, right?
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No, it’s not. It cost me about $150 for a lifetime membership but I believe that was a special sale. I count it as a cost of doing business.
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i’d like to start a one but..ohh there’s many buts (laughs)…Good luck
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Oh believe me, I understand. I didn’t start until my kids moved out. While they were growing up, I had an endless list of ‘buts’.
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Have you checked my site Mrs Murray
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I did and at first I thought it was under construction. Then I found the ‘blog’ button.
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I’d call that a spin-off. Fascinating how Lucy lives in her own time and in Kali’s computer in the future. Good luck.
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Thanks for the input. I am pleased so many think it could be considered a spinoff.
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