Maybe you noticed that I changed the title of book 3 already from A Full Cold Moon to A Full Harvest Moon. One of the hardest things to do is to come up with a name for a book. There are several ways to do it: 1.) Start with a name from the beginning and then write with the name in mind, or 2) write the book and then draw the name from what you have written. In the first case the name drives the story, in the second the story creates the name. I have used both methods and I'm not sure which one works best. Currently I like the first process.

Before I start to write I picture the storyline in my head and from that brief outline try to find several words that reveal the spirit of the book. Cooper's Moon started out as Miami Blues, then morphed into Hunter's Moon, and then finally into Cooper's Moon.

Blood Moon, started out as Harvest Moon. I finalized the name about halfway through the writing of the book. And so it may be with A Full Harvest Moon. That name may change as well.

Whatever happens, the name of a book is important, just as important as the names our parents have given us. Our name tells us who we are. The name of a book tells us who the book is; it is its identity.

Connie

I'm finally done with Blood Moon! I wrote a celebration note to Tris (my agent) the other day. The final word count was 102,000 words. I am editing the book now and have it down to 99, 100+ words. I hope to have it down to 94,000 words by the time I'm finished editing. This is the fun time now! I plan to have it in to Tris by the 18th of July, or thereabouts. I seem to work better with deadlines. I hope to post some excerpts from Blood Moon before the end of summer. Fingers crossed!
Happy 4th!
Connie

I am at 88,000 words now with Blood Moon. It has been a trip. I have written several different endings so far. I thought you would like to know--the ending is the hardest part of the writing process. I think I have it right now. Stay tuned to see how Cooper rescues the young Taisia from the dealers in body parts. It is an action-packed, violent ending with a surprise twist. 

I am now finished!  My trilogy is complete and I have begun the process of writing the second novel in a totally different series... nothing to do with blood.... moons.... or a very cool PI named Cooper.    

It's the new year, and I've been up every night writing--my New Year's resolution is to write at a decent hour. For me the best time is late at night--there are no distractions then. 

IBlood Moon Rising, my second novel in the Cooper's Moon trilogy, is finished. We are waiting for the artist to render her cover and interior work. Cathleen Elliott, the designer, is magnificent.   www.flyleafdesign.com -- Check out her book covers when she was art director at Oxford University Press, NYC.  Now she is doing indie work for various publishers. 


I'll be sharing with you experiences that I have on the way to writing the Cooper Series--the good, the bad, and the ugly.  Mostly it's been a good trip. I hope you'll enjoy it with me and share your ideas along the way. I will look forward to your comments. 

By the way, many thanks to my agent, Tris Coburn, for his hard work in shopping my books to selected publishers. He has always given me sound advice, and for that I thank him heartily.

Finally, a special thanks to my wife, my muse, as I write each evening to the music of Leonard Cohen. She is my inspiration and my untiring reader.   

Richard