Okay, I didn’t do it right. I was supposed to add the names of those who would carry on this blog chain of novels in progress, and I didn’t. Because no one answered my email requesting their posts. bookchain

Then Ruth Walker emailed me to ask if I’d like to participate. That’s strange, I thought. I asked her!

ruth

And then today, Dale Long posts his response to Ruth’s request to do a Next Big Thing entry, and I think, Hey! I asked him, too!

Dale

So I check my sent emails and sure enough, there’s the one I sent to all my friends… and I feel a little down at the mouth… I read it again, thinking that perhaps I hadn’t been clear… and then I see it: It’s still in DRAFT form! I had neglected to send the request.

It seems that we’re all bending the rules with this endeavour, but I reckon that the best writers break most of the rules. We are supposed to find five writers with unpublished manuscripts. Some have listed six, others have already published, some list people who haven’t answered the questions… but it’s all good reading, and leads us in a few unexpected and delightful directions. And gives us SO MUCH to look forward to, once these novels become available.

Ruth and Dale have posted their entries, and they are wonderful… They make you want to read their books. The good thing about Ruth’s is that you can read Living Underground because it has already been published by Seraphim Books. As for Dale’s two stories, we will have to wait. Hopefully, not too long. Lauren has Susan Swan as her agent, so we should see her novel, Swarm, on shelves before too long.

Ruth Walker’s blog: http://ruthewalker.ca/2012/12/30/the-next-big-thing/

Dale Long’s blog: http://drlong67.wordpress.com/2013/01/01/the-next-big-thing-the-ghosts-of-new-years/

Lauren Carter’s blog: http://www.laurencarter.ca/blog

Phil Dwyer’s blog (I love you, Phil): http://phildwyer.wordpress.com/2013/01/01/the-next-big-thing-a-blog-chain-of-works-in-progress/

BTW, mine’s at: http://deepamwadds.wordpress.com/2012/12/15/the-next-big-thing/