Now that A Case for Love is all squared away and turned in, what’s next? Take a break? Um . . . not really.

In case you haven’t noticed, I took the word-count widget for A Case for Love off yesterday, and I reset the counter for Ransome’s Crossing to zero. That’s not because I’ve trashed the bits and bobs of scenes I’ve written that may (or may not) be used in it. It means that I now need to start at the beginning writing it. And that means that starting next Monday, July 6 (the day I’m driving to Atlanta, as a matter of fact), I need to average at least 1,500 words per day to reach my goal of having the first draft finished before the beginning of October. With a due date of December 1—which really means I have to get it turned in before I leave for Hot Springs for Thanksgiving—the month of October will be a vital time for me to be able to have people read RC to give me feedback. (And no, that’s not a call for volunteers. I already have my readers lined up.) Because of the nature of writing a historical novel, feedback is vital. I have to make sure I’m not over- or under-explaining things—especially since this book takes place in large part aboard ship. Because it’s the second book of a story that takes place over three books, I have to make sure that it gives a full, satisfying story while making the reader yearn to read the third book. And I have to make sure all of my research is accurate and that I’ve filled any holes that I didn’t research while writing the book.

So how am I getting started with this project?

Well, my first step, I’ve already started—which is re-reading Ransome’s Honor. Yes, I’m actually reading the printed book. I’ve also made a calendar/list of events that need to happen in the beginning of the book while they’re still in Portsmouth, before they set sail. But before I start writing, I need to figure out where I’m starting this story. Do I pick up the moment that the first book leaves off? The next day? A few days later? I only have them in Portsmouth about seven days before the ships leave, so I can’t have too much of a time gap. Then, once I do start writing, how much backstory do I include? Do I write it assuming that the reader has read the first book? Do I try to make it a stand-alone and pretend like I didn’t write the first book and just pretend like I’m starting a brand-new story with this one? And do I need to spend more time plotting this one out to make sure once I get started that I’m going to have enough story to fill 105,000 words?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m excited about delving back into the Regency world, especially since there’s more opportunity for some action scenes and to really explore the workings of the Royal Navy as well as delve deeper into certain relationships from the first book. But it’s also a daunting thing to realize that in less than five months, I have another book manuscript due—one that takes a whole lot more work than just writing the story and revising it to make sure it works (okay, yes, there is research that has gone into all three of the contemporary novels—but nothing like what goes into the historical). And I already know there are going to be a lot of distractions while I’m trying to get it written: going to Atlanta next week to speak at a booksellers’ conference, ICRS the week after that, a few book signings I’m already talking to people about. Teaching at MTCW every month, interviews and marketing, spending time with friends, the ACFW conference in September (if I can afford to go), working on the edits I get back from Barbour on Case, football season starting in September, and…what am I forgetting? Oh yeah, let’s not forget, the freelance work I need to be doing every week to be able to support myself without taking a full-time job so I can have the time to write.

Can you tell I’m stressing myself out needlessly before really even getting started on the next book? Which is why I’m taking the holiday weekend to do things like go around to the bookstores, Wal-Marts, and Sam’s stores around down to see who has MFR and RH out like they’re supposed to. Packing up books to take to the post office to mail out to contest winners. And watching movies. Over the next three or four days, I plan to watch all eight of the Hornblower movies, every single Austen adaptation I own (which includes all of the old BBC adaptations from the ’70s and ’80s), and Master and Commander. (Okay, no, I really don’t have time in four days to watch all of those movies, but I’ll do my best!) I’m going to pull out all of my research notes and start reviewing them. I may even pull out a couple of my favorite research books and start flipping through all of the Post-it Note marked pages. And I’m going to try to get back on a more regular sleep schedule. This staying up until three or four in the morning and then sleeping until eleven or twelve may have worked for cramming to get the book finished, but I must get myself back on a normal work-write-play schedule so that when I do have plans—such as the Saturday MTCW meetings every other week—I’m not having to set four alarms just to make sure I get up in time to go and then drag through the rest of the day. Plus, if I’m going to start walking again and take off this five or six pounds I’ve gained this month from eating take-out and fast-food while finishing Case, it’s better to do it earlier in the morning before it gets too hot outside.

So that’s what’s next for me.