I’m perilously close to finishing. Aren’t you excited? You should be. I’ll be making the announcement either tonight or tomorrow, which will no doubt trigger a massive celebration. I’ve only about ten or fifteen more pages to write to get the story told. Of course, that’s what I said thirty pages ago. I’ve now written about 170 pages, and have finally covered everything I needed to cover. So it looks for real this time.

Tying up loose ends is possibly the hardest part of writing a book, but also the most enjoyable. You have to read and reread your work so many times to make sure that A) you’re familiar with your work, and B) you cover all your bases. For example, if you say someone did something, and then later in your book you say they didn’t, you’re obviously not familiar with your work. You haven’t read through it enough to check for stuff like that. Like if someone is a smoker, then quits, but later on in the book you say “he crushed out his cigarette with the heel of his black boot.” Well? Is he smoking again, or did you screw up?

Covering all your bases means making sure you didn’t bring up something exciting or grand, and just leave it dangling there. For instance, you mention some new invention that may change the way mankind deals with the whatever. Then later in the book, nothing ever happens with it. You have to have a reason for bringing it up. Chapters that end in cliffhangers are often dumped this way. Jack says, “Well, well, well. What have we here? An open panel that leads into a secret part of the basement?” And then you never mention it again. Nothing is more annoying.

Anyway, to get back to my point… I am finished tying off the loose ends, and have only one more to wrap up, which will be the climax. Those of you in my Ideal Readers club will have access to the eBook by Monday at the latest – barring any unforeseen anomalies. Thanks to those of you who have supported me through this endeavor. It’s finally coming to a close.