Periodic State of the Elfyverse (2012 Version)

Folks, I just realized I hadn’t given a status update regarding the Elfyverse in a while — for shame.  So, here we go:

ELFY is complete, hasn’t found an agent, and while I’ve had a few nibbles, most want me to split the book sight unseen as it’s 240,000 words long.  That just doesn’t feel right; if someone read it and felt there were good split points, that would be different.  But not reading it, then saying it should be split three ways (that’s what I’ve heard; two, I could almost see)?  Why should I do this if someone isn’t willing to read a synopsis, much less the first chapter or two of ELFY, before they say it must be split?  (I know it’s not the ideal length for a debut author to get a book over, that’s for sure.  But I do want someone to know what they’re dealing with before he or she tells me the “only way to go.”)  By the way, if you’re wondering what ELFY is about, please go here and read more about it.

Now, the sequel to ELFY, AN ELFY ABROAD, will definitely need to be split as it’s grown to a humongous 320,000 words.  (Yikes!)  But I do see a good split point halfway through, there . . . also, the final edit obviously hasn’t been done as I haven’t completed the work yet.  (I’ve known about where I’m going for the last year and a half, but it’s proven to be quite elusive.  I don’t get a chance to talk writing much with anyone these days, much less someone who completely understands what I’m trying to do; that doesn’t help.)

Anyway, the good news there is that I’ve written about ten thousand words into EA since the last time I mentioned anything about the Elfyverse (when was that?  November of ’11, I think; a bit before my friend Jeff died).

As for KEISHA’S VOW, which is an ELFY prequel set in 1954, I’ve written a new chapter there and am at work on the next one.  KV now stands at about 50,000 words, plus some deleted scenes.

Now, in case anyone here was waiting for a CHANGING FACES update (more about CF is available here) — a non-Elfyverse urban fantasy, which I was working on in November (I had to put it aside for a while after my friend Jeff died quite suddenly) — I’ve written a couple thousand new words there in the New Year (how odd that sounds to write in March!).  I’ve also planned out the next chapter, and believe I have an ending that just might work.  Things are looking up in that quarter.

Novellas?  I have one in progress; it’s called “The Gift,” and it’s a spiritual romance/urban fantasy.  I have looked at it, realized it needs to be restructured, but can’t figure out what would serve me best.  So aside from planning, not much has been done there since November of ’11.  But I’ll keep working at it.

Short stories?  I have a few in the works, but nothing that I’ve started since January 1, 2012, is anywhere near completion.

Otherwise, I do intend to enter the Writers of the Future contest again if at all possible; the next quarter’s deadline is March 31 (end of this month).  (I guess this is my way of saying I haven’t given up on short story writing, even though I find it much, much more difficult than writing a novel or even writing a poem.)

That’s about it; still writing and working away, as per usual.  (And you?)