I’m currently working on the 4th draft of chapter 16. There is quite a bit of pointless drama to cut out this time. It’s mostly romance between characters and explicit displays of affection. You know, the kind of stuff people hate reading about. Kim told me it was all unnecessary, so it’s gone now. Whew! Close one.

But I couldn’t just leave it at that. I replaced the cut scenes with the kind of drama that everyone loves: character-driven emotional outbursts! I really like this one. And remember: I wouldn’t add something unless I thought it was an improvement over what I cut out. But… I can’t go into detail without spoilers.

So as usual, here’s another vague poem to describe chapter 16:

A horror thought slain emerges once more;

trumpets the return of malady lost;

The truth is now told as make-believe lore;

A nightmare reminds of victory’s cost.

Did you figure it out? Probably not. Just remember to look up these poems when the finished novel comes out. I’m sure it will be a worthwhile effort.

Now I think it’s time for a fun real-life story. Guess what? I met another person who writes books!

There I was: waiting at a restaurant for a Father’s Day meal with Dad and my brother. Before our food came, Dad pulls out his phone and starts scrolling through Facebook. Then he says ‘Look, this girl that goes to our church had a book-signing.’

I was like ‘Huh!? Who is it?” Because as far as I know, no one writes books at church.

Then Dad shows me his phone. It’s someone I’ve seen around church, but never met in person.

I ask “What’s the book called?”

Dad scrolls down. The next picture is someone’s dirty socks. I’m not joking. Then he goes: “I don’t know.”

Not wanting to tax my poor Dad too much on Father’s Day, I proclaim: “Then I will go ask this person myself!”

So next Sunday I go to the church service and wait. You see, after the sermon I always stay in my seat and watch the people leave. Then I go out into the hall and watch them some more. No, it’s not creepy. I need to observe people and their behavior in order to bring you, the reader, the most realistic characters possible! It’s for my writing! 😉

Anyway, the ‘writer girl’ always sits at some sort of control panel booth across from the stage. Not sure what she’s doing. Sound management? Proof-reading the song lyrics that appear on the screens? Beats me. When the service is done, she immediately leaves the booth she’s in and takes a right turn toward the exit. Only this Sunday… I was waiting.

In a non-creepy way I followed her until I was able to ask “WHAT BOOK DID YOU WRITE!? TELL ME!”

She seemed a bit surprised, but she was able to say that she wrote the book: Return to the Ship of Dreams: Sinking the Unsinkable. She self-published like I did.

I’m like ‘And what ship is that?”

‘Titanic. A girl goes back in time to the Titanic.’

Great! I told her that I love time travel stories and that I would order the book. Also, that we would be good friends from now on.

So of course I forget to mention my name or find out HER name. And then I left without exchanging contact information. Whoops.

The book should arrive on July 3rd, so stay tuned for a review! I’m great at making friends! 😁