Introducing ‘Chronicum’—An Update on MS2

With a new title and a fresh hook, it’s finally time to send MS2 out into the world.

If you’d told me seven months ago I’d be starting the querying process for a new novel this fall, I might’ve retorted with something like “You’re the one who should be writing fiction!” We’d have laughed as I poured you a glass of wine and asked you to spin another good yarn.

And yet, everything fell in place this time around. The first draft seemed to write itself. During the second draft, I stripped away the excess with ease. Insightful beta readers helped shape a solid third draft by showing me where to plug the holes when I thought things were water-tight.

Sure, there have been plenty of speed-bumps along the way. Life keeps marching forward. I had another grueling season of summer camp with its 13-hour days. We travelled to the west three times since my last post. Oh, and we adopted the cutest Australian Cattle Dog this side of the dateline. But all that distraction and distance made the time spent with MS2 more focused. Valuable. Precious.

And it’s all led to this moment. Armed with a short, curated list of agents I’d be honored to work with, I’ve begun sending queries out into the universe. There’s a lot of work still ahead, but MS2 is now one step closer to landing on a bookshelf (or Kindle) near you.

Oh, and it has a title now. Let’s start calling it Chronicum.

I don’t want to give too much away, but for you—my most loyal and patient readers—here’s the hook:

After the murder of her parents and a devastating flood in 1959, a little girl vanished without a trace. In 2019, eighteen-year-old Elliot has six days to change the past, and save her future.

What’s Next?

Glad you asked! Mostly, a waiting period. I’ll be diligently keeping my inbox clean as I wait to hear from the agents I’ve queried. I’ve got a stack of books I’ve been meaning to read, but haven’t had time to while I was working on Chronicum, including five—FIVE—by my amazing and supportive author friends.

And I’ll be back on the blog a bit more regularly, though not with the same rigor as before. There are other irons in the fire, including the specter of a plot line for MS3. This next one is going to take some research, so I’ll be starting to read up on the subject matter later this fall.

Of course, joining my mailing list is the best way to stay up-to-date with the goings-on around here. So if you haven’t done so already, join using any of the forms on this page.

Tell me what you think! How do you feel about the title? Does the hook leave you wanting more? And most importantly, how have you been since my last post? Let me know in the comments below.

Thanks as always for reading! More soon!

Gregory