I have written a novel

I’m so excited. After years of failing to complete a book of prose, during the final two months of 2022 I finished the first draft of a novel.

This is a goal I set for myself at the beginning of the year, and I consider it a small miracle that I was able to see it through to completion, with so little time to spare. When I saw the NaNoWriMo posts begin online from others who were trying to write their first books, it spurred me to dedicate my efforts with my full attention.

I began my novel draft on November 3, and I finished it on December 23, just in time for it to be a Christmas gift to myself. The first draft was 42,000 words.

This morning, I completed work on re-writes and initial edits. The second draft is 52,000 words. I’ve sent drafts to beta readers to gain insights on what works and doesn’t work. Responses from the first draft were highly positive, and I feel that the second draft is a vast improvement in nearly every aspect. I look forward to hearing from readers on what they think.

The novel is a work of dystopian sci-fi, in the tradition of I Am Legend, Fahrenheit 451, and The Handmaid’s Tale. I’ve tried to marry my key influences into one cohesive style of prose that is not only readable, but compelling. I think this book succeeds in those goals, and at least one reader commented that it was “really original” and a “page-turner.”

Below is the cover I designed for the book. Be looking for it to come out this year. I can’t wait for you to read this.