Flying the nest and finishing a series...
Today, I helped my oldest finish packing for a trip overseas. I’m excited for him. Proud that he’s up to the challenge. Realizing this is one more step toward leaving the nest.
Yesterday, I sent draft chapters of the final Quints book to one of my favorite beta readers. Likewise, I’m excited to see what feedback they have. Proud that I rose to the challenge of writing this series —it wound up being longer, harder, pocket-emptying, and often times came with a lot of heartbreak. Sort of like parenting. No wonder they call these our book babies.
Filling my child’s suitcase, I’ve been unpacking similar emotions about the Quints. Trying to make sure that I’ve given my son the last-minute instructions he needs to be safe, while ensuring that I’ve written for you all the things that have to go into a last book has woken me early many mornings.
I don’t often look outside of myself to find my own value. Nonetheless, I have all those “mom” worries. I have all those “writer” worries. My kids seem to lack manners at our table. Yet, someone random complements my children for being personable or polite. Amazon’s Terms of Service strips my books’ reviews, but one new reviewer comments on my writing style. It makes that little gut-wrench that less readers will find out about the Quintuplets worthwhile.
My kids are growing up, diverging more than I expected from who they were when they were little. Seeing them through other’s points of view is eye opening. And while the overarching plot for the Quints is exactly how I’d imagined, the path it’s taken to get there is different. 8 books instead of 5. Many twice as long as the original plan.
Colton’s book is on the way—spoiler alert: He is alive!— it should be off to my editor about the time that my son returns from his trip. If how much work it took to finish Adam’s story is an indicator of every trial and tribulation MJA and I have endured parenting, then the ease of Colton’s story is tantamount to the best times; The moments when you watch your kids soar.
I can’t wait to hear the stories that my son will come home with. And soon after that, share one last trip to Kingsbrier and the book you’ve been waiting for.
❤Jody
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