This month I took a mini retreat for a couple of days to work on the fourth draft of my new Bayswater novel, The Roaring Seas. Just to set the scene properly I found some whispering palms, white sand, and menacing seas and skies—just the perfect fit for Andie and Mac’s new adventure on the Great Barrier Reef.

I am now working on the fifth draft and have locked in my editor for mid-April. People often ask me what I can possibly find to change in the fifth draft—and, by the way, why do I have to do so many drafts when I’m a planner and already know what I’m going to write.

I wish it were that easy. I do plan, but that doesn’t mean things don’t change as the novel progresses and new ideas emerge. By the fifth draft, I’m generally happy with the storyline, and it’s time to polish my work. I listen to my manuscript and work on the beginnings and endings of each chapter, as well as particular sections, to make sure they have the impact I intend for my readers.

In April, I’ll also send my blurb and cover ideas to my cover designer. That’s always an exciting time, because that’s when I feel my novel is really taking shape.

I’m looking forward to beginning a new project while my manuscript is with the editor.

What Is It?

Here’s a question for my readers: there is something that is mentioned in each of my novels and novellas. Does anyone know what it is? If you do, let me know at annette@annetteleigh.com—the first person to do so can name the cyclone in The Roaring Seas.