It's Almost Here

My fifth novel, The Life of Donovan O'Brien, should be available soon.

I started writing about him a year ago with no idea how his life would develop. I'm a pantser, not a plotter. So, I don't ever know what's going to happen in advance.

I started with a chapter about a six-year-old boy whose mother treats him to a special event the night before his first day of school. When the chapter ends, little Donovan has lost his mother and lost his childhood.

The critique group I'd joined in April of 2024 was hosted by Joan Johnston, a successful author of 65 novels. She guided me and three other writers, giving us advice and refusing to let us get lazy. It was fun meeting on Monday nights to hear what everyone had written, but there was always apprehension about what Joan and the others would think of my work. Comments were always constructive, but frank enough that I had to steel myself and remember that criticism is the best path to improving my craft.

We all benefited from those weekly meetings. And now, each of us has a novel ready to send out into the world. I hope you'll like learning about Donovan's life, his challenges, and his hard-fought victories. It was fun creating him.