Locksmith’s Journeys

If this week’s post is a little late, it’s because I was saving it for this announcement. The first draft of Locksmith’s Journeys is complete. It has the usual problems of the middle story in a trilogy. It begins with a recapitulation of the previous book, goes in several different directions in the middle while filling in a lot of backstory and ends in a cliffhanger. Right now it’s 108,548 words long. Which, yes, is too long for a middle-grade/YA novel. There are probably some scenes that can be cut. I’m going to try to trim away about 5,500 words, so as to get it down to about the same length as Locksmith’s Closet (which started out at 125,000 words, so I'm definitely getting better at this). Still, I’m pleased with it. Like a good sequel, it broadens the story and takes it to the next level, introducing new characters and expanding on the old ones. And it sets everything up for the action-packed climax that will be Locksmith’s War, coming next year. And now, enjoy this book trailer.