I am so beyond excited to share with all of you that ‘Where The Shadows Lie’, the first book in my ‘Shadows’ series, is finally finished! Well, the first full draft is. As of now, the novel has fifteen chapters, plus an epilogue, and stands at 78,875 words.
I’ve been writing stories for 15+ years now, but none of my projects has had the same feeling as this one.
This story took on a life of its own!
The characters grew by themselves, and I was just along for the ride. I’ve tried to write every detail that these characters have given me. Now it’s time for me to prove myself and start editing to ensure the story flows evenly. I don’t know why this particular story grew so wildly, but I’m glad it did.
Somehow, I managed to write the entire first draft in only four months (July 28, 2025 – November 27, 2025). Each chapter averaged about 4,500-5,000 words, and I feel like, for the most part, it was a decent size to separate the story. Some chapters went by quickly, but others seemed to drag. According to my notes, each chapter took an average of 8 days to write. With chapter 6 being the shortest at only 2 days, and chapter 14 being the longest at 14 days.
I already know I will add bonus material at the end of the book. One of the things being added is the story’s outtakes, meaning all the what-ifs that nearly happened. There was a major change between the original plot and what actually happened. It would be exciting to know if anyone could visualize the book in an alternate reality. Hell, maybe I’ll turn it into a short story of some sort in the end.
For now, as far as writing goes, I plan to edit and then write the second draft of Where The Shadows Lie until the unforeseen future. However, I’m going to need breaks from editing at some point, so I will officially be working on Shadows book 2 again in the background.
Book 2 has already started and currently has just under 20,000 words, and I estimate it will be around 75,000 when completed.
The Shadows series as a whole:
So, the first book was focused on the pairing Kai/Liam.
The second book is going to be strictly about Rowan/Grant.
HOWEVER, book 3 would be about the group getting together again for another adventure.
I can see a book 3 happening, but beyond that, I’m not sure if the series will continue. I don’t want the books to grow stale from repeated ghost-hunting. So, unless a plot line jumps out at me, I can’t promise that there will be a book 4.
So far, these characters have made me laugh, smile, and cry. I can’t wait to share them with you, and I hope you find them just as relatable once you get to read their story. In the meantime, I will be lugging around a 415-page double-spaced printed manuscript everywhere I go as I work as fast as possible to get this story in your hands. Keeping in mind I work not only a full-time job but an overnight one, at that, meaning even my sleep schedule is against me.
The ultimate goal would be to have this published by October 2026. No promises, though.
