Finished?

Leonardo da Vinci said that “art is never finished, only abandoned.” Fellow painter Francis Bacon must have felt that way; he frequently destroyed his own paintings, saying, “I think I tend to destroy the better paintings. I try and take them further, and they lose all their qualities.”

Famous filmmaker George Lucas applied da Vinci’s words to his first Star Wars trilogy when he went back and added digital enhancements to the films. Did the movies really need the additions? No, but Lucas felt he could do better, especially when technology finally caught up to his imagination.

I suppose most artists, no matter the medium, could relate to da Vinci’s idea. For writers, there always seems to be another way of saying something, and we get caught up in the “I could say that better” loop. Likewise, there always seems to be a more fitting word or phrase, or an even better piece of dialogue.

Done = Happy With It

Most artists seem to be perfectionists, and many of us become our own worst critics. I always say that if I can walk away from my writing for a while and still like it when I come back and read it again, then it must be good. That’s because I am the hardest person to please in regard to my own work. I’m my own worst critic. So, if I like my end product, I must have a real winner.

Well, I’m thrilled to announce that Planet of Eden has now reached my “happy with it” stage, meaning…it’s finished! I now have a completed manuscript that is ready for publishing!

Members of my Edenite Inner Circle have already received sample chapters of the book. (To join this exclusive group, simply donate any amount to my GoFundMe campaign.) Soon, a sample will be available on my website as well. I hope it will whet your appetite for more of Eden.

Project Eden Update

What’s next? Plenty, my friends. Before I can start the next book in the series, Planet of Eden needs to get into the hands of readers. But I’ve promised an immersive experience with this novel, so I must now turn my attention to adding visual elements that will enhance your reading. Yes, there will be a basic printed version of the book, but the digital versions will include a lot of exciting art. I am now determining what that art will be and am looking for artists who want to be a part of this awesome project. Through my GoFundMe campaign, I will raise funds to pay those artists, so from here on out I’m going to be heavily promoting that.

I’ll also be working on creating video updates for the Edenite Inner circle. That’s going to be a lot of fun because my whole family gets involved with my video projects—a house filled with artists that I love. Stay tuned, Edenites! Now that the manuscript is finished, I’m hoping to blast through this next phase and get a book into your hands as soon as I humanly can. In the meantime, keep being an awesome YOU! Nobody can do it better!