BAM!
One of the unexpected joys of writing the second Andy Truelove thriller, now titled The Darling Inheritance, was the moment, around Chapter 30, when I was struck with an amazing, irresistible idea for Book Three.
Until it became a problem.
A problem that began innocently enough a few months ago. I was halfway through writing Book Two, title undecided back then, and hinting at the secret identity of the chief villain. I’d even written a few thousand words of chief villain back story for my Andy Truelove Thriller reference library, that might become a short story one day. I was taking a tea break when the brilliant, beautiful, and stunning idea for Book Three hit me. Within half an hour I’d typed out the Book Three premise, and a short plot summary.
Then I got back to writing Book Two.
Which became tricky a couple of months and twenty chapters later. By then I’d decided on The Darling Inheritance book title, and I was close to the emotional peak, the final showdown. I found myself daydreaming the opening scenes of Book Three. And BAM! – it hit me. My amazing Book Three idea won’t work if I stick with my current Darling Inheritance chief villain. It has to be someone else with a much closer but hidden connection to Andy’s past. How the heck did I miss that? Do I abandon the brilliant, beautiful idea for Book Three? Can it be postponed until Book Four?
I grappled with this for weeks. Scribbling notes, new plot summaries, different twists. Then came decision time. Don’t abandon that fantastic Book Three idea. You’ll regret it if you do.
Thankfully a new villain kindly accepted the role, a choice I was very relieved about. It’s meant a heck of a lot of replotting, changing motives, new chapters, a murder and sending Andy off to St Kitts. Twice. He needed a break.
By the time I’m done, The Darling Inheritance will have a double identity as a sequel prequel. Something I joked about in my February blog. I’m sorry publication is delayed, but it’s getting closer. And my original villain is feeling very smug. They always said they were innocent.
