Now it begins...

Hello readers!

There is a considerable amount of news I wish to relay today; therefore, I will start in order of importance. The first and most notable event is my completion of the second draft of Fallen Love. My new novel has been revised significantly—plot points have been simplified and streamlined, character voice has been rethought, and numerous improvements to the fluency of the writing have been made.

The second draft is what I consider to be “ready for viewing”: that is to say, it is significantly more polished than the first draft, and its overall plot structure and character arc closely resembles the final product. (Or so I hope, anyway!) It will, of course, still have to be edited: I am hoping to receive editorial guidance from the publisher who ultimately accepts it for publication. My agent may also have some changes to propose.

Speaking of agents, I have queried several. They are, of course, slow to reply—and by the nature of the modern publishing industry, most of them will reject me. That’s okay; I only need one, after all. Even Stephenie Meyer, author of the Twilight series, received 14 rejections from agents before being represented.

This is why I’ve chosen to title this post “Now it begins...” I have completed another major milestone in my journey—but the way is long. From now on in, it’s a waiting game. So to help you wait, I have updated the page named “Fallen Love” with the new blurb and revised first chapter. Enjoy! (And if you wish to give me feedback, look to the “Contact” page for ways to get in touch with me.)

In other news, I am currently in Romania for the winter holidays. I am soon to return to Amsterdam, where I shall begin learning Spanish before starting my second semester.

To be perfectly honest, this year’s first semester was not easy going. Despite my rather good grades (A, A, A- and B+) it came at a considerable personal cost—to my health especially. My frequently-melancholy self was too stressed, and too preoccupied, with the substantial number of exams, essays and papers. I even developed a minor drinking problem: thankfully, my appetite for alcohol has diminished, and I have drank only a little this holiday period.

But enough about that. I will get through this degree one way or another (it is really only a question of whether I will do well or exceptionally well).

Fallen Love is where my passion really lies–it is the product of more than a year’s work, not to mention the year and a half I spent working on its abandoned predecessor (the Ark, if you recall). There were times when I never thought I’d finish it; there were times when the rest of my life seemed too pressing, too difficult, and overwhelming.

So let me start 2018 with a promise: it’s time to have some fun and relax. Now it begins...