The Future of DARE ME
I had a Cunning Plan. Last summer, just for fun, I’d written the first few chapters of a contemporary romance novel. I’d never written in that genre before, so it seemed like a challenge and a nice palette cleanser before going back to Pink.
But then, while I was in the middle of it, I got a call telling me that not only did my old publisher want two more Pink books, but St. Martin’s Press wanted the Kenya-set 1920s book I’d been working on and another stand alone historical novel on top of that. Suddenly, I had deadlines coming out of my ears (if deadlines can be said to do such a thing) and I reluctantly put Dare Me aside. It was just for fun, anyway, and who knew if it was any good?
The problem was that I’d kind of fallen in love with those characters and I didn’t want to let them go.
Here comes the Cunning Plan. In an ideal world, I was going to finish Pink X, Miss Gwen’s book, by the end of July. That would leave me the month of August to follow up on my half-written chapters of Dare Me before starting in on my next historical stand alone for St. Martin’s. In the meantime, I would post the chapters in serial form here on the website and if they got the thumbs down, they would go gently into that great file cabinet in the study, and if they got the thumbs up, I’d use August to power through the rest of the book. I already had a bunch of the later chapters partly written and an outline that took me through most of the book. I could pick up seamlessly where I’d left off and give you more chapters than I’d promised, keeping the serial going through the fall.
As with all Cunning Plans, there was an unexpected hitch: I hadn’t accounted for Miss Gwen. As those of you who follow me on this site and on Facebook know, I’m still in the midst and Miss Gwen is leading me a merry (well, sometimes merry, other times just plain mad) dance through the plot of The Passion of the Purple Plumeria. Instead of having an open August, I’m in a desperate deadline crunch.
BUT. Your response to Dare Me has convinced me that it would be wrong– wrong!– to leave Kristy and Jack hanging. This isn’t a File Cabinet Situation. It’s not going to happen this month, or even next month, but I am going to do everything I can to find a clear space to finish their story. (Right now, I’m thinking February, once I hand the manuscript of the next stand alone in.) So stay tuned– I’ll post more as soon as I’m done wrangling Miss Gwen!
Lauren, we absolutely love you for being such a generous writer. You give us even more than we ask for!!!!
I’m so glad Jack and Kristy are going to have theit HEA after all!!!!
Fingers crossed that you can free this precious time for them…
Yay! Can’t wait, 2013 will be a good year and hopefully time will go by fast. Thank you Lauren!
Yay! Such great news!
So much wonderful news in one post ! BTW, Dare Me is not your first contemporary, you’ve been writing a serial one for years. I for one hope to see more of Colin and Eloise. You mentioned once a stand alone mystery for them, a la Nick and Nora. And another historical is in the works, great news indeed !
Yay! I really enjoyed the Dare Me chapters. Can’t wait for more!!!
Yay yay yay!! I am so grateful to you for saying this! I am so excited to read the rest of it when it is done.
“…my next historical stand alone for St. Martin’s…”
Wonderful news!! Can’t wait to hear more details about the time period and setting!!!!
And thanks for being so generous with all of us by sharing your works-in-progress and just-for-fun creations. 🙂
Can’t wait! Just love it!
Hooray! Because I was loving it, and I’d hate to see Kristy and Jack vanish into the ether. 🙂
Hallelujah! 🙂
YAY!!! I’m so glad to know that we will be seeing more of Kirsty and Jack! 🙂
Yeah!
I’m so glad. I’ve really enjoyed it.
Thanks for coming along with me on the seven chapter experiment! I can’t tell you how happy it makes me that you love Kristy and Jack, too….
Oh good, I’m SO glad to hear you’ll be finishing it! I love this story so far and was a tiny bit devastated when the summer serial was over. Love all your books, but I can’t wait for the full of Dare Me!
Whoo hoo! Thanks Lauren! Can’t wait to read the rest of Kristy and Jack’s story 🙂
I hadn’t weighed in yet (for a variety of reasons), but I am DELIGHTED that DARE ME is going to continue. I’m hooked!
Thank you so much, Lauren! I’m also excited about the next two Pink books and the two stand alones.
congrats!!! and good luck! ur an amazing author!!!
I’m glad to hear it! Dare Me is great.
That’s fantastic!
Hooray!! I can’t wait to read more about Kristy and Jack! (Kristy is especially wonderful, in my opinion :))
Oh thank you! Loved Kristy and Jack as much as Geoff and Letty (first Lauren Willig I read, hence the favourite)
Fantastic Lauren! I am so happy to know I’ll be able to read the rest of the story about Kristy and Jack! I love this contemporary novel.
I have looked forward to Saturday mornings with Jack and Kristy enormously for the last two months! I am very happy to hear that there will be an ending, no matter when it happens! Thank you for keeping me engrossed!
Just read this a few weeks ago. Loved it! Hope you are able to get back to someday…