Basic timeline of the creative process - it's been a long and wondrous path.
When I've told friends and colleagues that I've been writing -- often their first question is "How and when did you start?"
Early 2015-I began writing The Milner Bridge - expecting to tell the entire story in one go - starting in the middle of the plot while filling in the beginning along the way.
Mid to late 2015-I finished the ending of The Milner Bridge - I was at 100,000 words. Granted - that was pre-edit where I'd go back through and tighten it up but I hadn't addressed the start.
Late 2015- I shelved The Milner Bridge and started writing Finding Shelter from the Storm from scratch -- the beginning of it all needed to stand on its own merits.
Early 2016-By Easter, I had the first draft finished and handed off a tablet to Joanna to read Finding Shelter from the Storm. Although the draft was rough, she thought I had something -- with her endorsement I dove in full time.
Through out 2016 I cleaned out dead plot lines, tightened dialog and revised Finding Shelter from the Storm.
Through out 2017 I continued to tighten the plot and dialog while also researching technical issues with embedding fonts within epub and converting to mobi formats. Lidia sometimes leaves notes or writes critical letters in calligraphy -- so it had to be right. I also researched all the copyright challenges regarding music within the book (the original Finding Shelter from the Storm contained mp3 files - it was cool but a licensing nightmare).
By late 2017 - I gave Joanna and several family members the first real offering and waited for feedback. It was all favorable - that with some grammar fixes it could really go somewhere.
December 2017 through March 2018 - I worked with my talented editor to find and provide recommended fixes for all my numerous grammatical mistakes. She also offered feedback - areas where it would be worth it to add a paragraph or mini-chapter to address a few questions she had. I was so worried about adding 1,000 more words I had lost sight of the big picture!
While my editor was working through Shelter, I began writing from scratch The Milner Bridge. It was a predominantly different story now. I got about 25% of the way through it.
By Easter 2018 - I had a final draft of Finding Shelter from the Storm. I had incorporated most proposed grammar changes while also adding a few sentences and in some cases I wrote a couple of paragraphs.
I again handed the book to Joanna and a few family members. It was done!
Through out March and April of 2018 I feverishly worked on LidiaUnderwood.org. It was always my intent to build the site as if the characters are real people and the events actually occurred.
May 2018 - Site goes live with sales.
May 2018 - Continue rewriting The Milner Bridge
Hopefully - Release The Milner Bridge by September 2018 and By Any Other Name early 2019
It's been a long and wondrous path.