"One Bad Apple" Update

So, as you may have gathered from things I've said here, in my author newsletters, and on Instagram... writing One Bad Apple has been a long road to travel.  I just completed my third round of pretty substantial revisions.  THIRD.  Cloaked and Dancing and Doughnuts took one.  Not because this book had more problems or because I rushed the first draft -- not at all.  It's just that this is a much more complex story.

I mean, I'm not just retelling Snow White as a western here, I'm retelling it with a mostly minority cast.  And twisting it up with Hamlet while I'm at it.  All of which has been tricky in ways I hadn't anticipated, but ultimately is creating a really satisfying story.  I think.  I hope.

I've sent it off to my editor yet again, and I'll also be sending it to my sensitivity readers this week.  That's a new step for me, but because I really want to do my African-American characters justice and write the most accurate, respectful story I can, I need input from people who actually share some of the heritage as these characters.  Which is exciting!

The Old West was an incredibly diverse place, as I keep highlighting with my "West of Yesteryear" column for the Prairie Times.  I want my Once Upon a Western series to reflect the actual diversity of that time and place in our nation's history, but I need help in doing that.  I've done more research for this book than for my previous three book-length retellings combined.  And I have more to do yet while my editor and sensitivity readers go over this draft.

But in other news, my cover artist is working on a cover for me, and I should get to see her ideas soon!  That's one of my favorite parts of this whole writing process, and I can't wait.

Meanwhile, if you'd like to get a peek at some of the visual ideas I've been working with on One Bad Apple, you're welcome to check out my Pinterest board that contains inspiration for it.  Enjoy!