by jphilo | Mar 27, 2025 | Book Updates, West River Mystery Series
Jane is going non-linear for now. And yup, it’s complicated. So complicated that the linear lady behind Jane and her hijinks has yet to add recent changes to the wall calendar that usually makes her heart go pitter pat.
Jane is going rogue for several reasons. The reason behind her reasons were the subject of my March 2025 newsletter, which you can read here if you haven’t already. With the background reasons out of the way, you can join me for a tromp through the non-linear weeds that are Jane’s existence, at least for a while.
Weed one–– that phrase may hold a meaning quite different from what I want to convey if you live in a state where marijuana has been legalized––is the See Jane Ride! (Book 5) cover reveal in January of 2025. At that time, See Jane Ride! was still slated for publication in October of 2025. It has now been moved to October of 2026 due to the changes outlined in the March newsletter.
Are you with me so far? Good.
Weed two––again, this has nothing to do with legalized cannabis––is The Plot Thickened post that went live in February. In it I was giddy to announce that the plot outline for See Jane Stop, Drop, and Roll! (Book 6 in the series) was a done deal. The plot outline is done indeed, but that book’s release date has been moved to October of 2027.
Still with me? Then let’s keep going.
Weed three––refer to the previous two weeds for a disclaimer refresher––is where it gets complicated for Jane’s highly linear and calendar-loving creator. If you’ve lost track, I’m her creator, and I’m making pretty good progress on the first draft of See Jane Stop, Drop, and Roll! Nine chapters are already completed and it’s still March.
Now for a recap, which is where things get mindbendy for me. Maybe you as well.
- It’s March of 2025 yet I’m writing the first draft of a book that comes out in October of 2027.
- In a couple months (hopefully shortly after the current first draft is finished), the publisher will send the concept edits for the October of 2026 book that used to be the October of 2025 book, and revision process for it will begin. Probably through the summer so the revised book can enter the publication pipeline by early 2026.
- In early 2026, I’ll begin preliminary research for Book 7, which will come out in October of 2028. I have a title in mind, but don’t want to confuse you until I’m less confused. We’ll see how that goes.
- In February of 2026, the whole process starts all over again with a plot thickening workshop for the 2028 book and then the writing of the first draft.
- Rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat until the eleventh and final book in the series comes out shortly before the apocalypse.
Are you still with me? That’s amazing because I’m not. I am not pleased that Jane is going non-linear for now. However, my editor assures me that I will adjust to their new publication schedule and like it. I hope that’s case. If not I may have to move to a state with legalized marijuana and take up a new hobby.
by jphilo | Jan 29, 2025 | Mystery Update, South Dakota, West River Mystery Series
Yesterday the plot thickened.
You may be asking yourself how can that be? Just last week, Jolene revealed the See Jane Ride! cover and said the manuscript was now in the concept editor’s hands for review. Does that mean the editor wants a total plot revision? Say it ain’t so!
Rest easy readers. It ain’t so.
The plot being referred to in this post’s title is for the yet-to-be-written sixth book in the West River Mystery series. To stay on track for its release in October of 2026, my handful of notecards about a mystery that takes place during prairie fire season needed a lot of thickening. That handful of cards was also intended to contribute to the overall arc of series and its overarching mystery. That needed some thickening too.
Yesterday afternoon’s plot workshop with Midwestern Book’s concept editor and I was thick enough to accomplish both aims.
I’m not gonna lie. It was a brutal afternoon. Mainly because the concept editor kept asking hard questions like:
- Why would such-and-such a character do that?
- What possible reason could there be for Velma to stay overnight this time?
- Is that concern big enough for Jane’s mom to get her underwear in a bunch?
- How will Jane’s students contribute to solving the mystery?
- What spiritual growth will Jane experience?
- What’s the community event that gathers the town together?
- What about Dick and Jane?
My initial answers to such unreasonable questions were:
- I haven’t thought that through yet. I just thought it would be funny.
- I’m not sure yet, but Dick is going to agree with Velma.
- Everything gets her Mom’s underwear in a bunch.
- Still working on that, but they will.
- Still working on that, but she will.
- I assumed coming together to fight prairie fires was a community event.
- What about them?
To which my diabolical editor replied:
- Think harder.
- Let’s brainstorm until we figure it out.
- True, but be more specific.
- We’re not moving on until you come up with something.
- Ditto.
- Wrong assumption.
- Time to brainstorm again.
Thanks to the editor’s uncanny ability to spot plot holes and not move on until they were plugged, we worked on thickening the plot for almost 4 hours.* The picture at the top of the page shows that by the end of the 4 hours, my handful of notecards had expanded to almost 50 and categorized into 5 “acts.” The feat is actually more impressive considering the number of cards we torn up and rewrote. They’re the messy pile visible in the bottom middle of the table.
At that point the diabolical editor abandoned me, citing a flimsy excuse. Something about frosting a birthday cake for her daughter who turned 7 yesterday. After she left I used the calendars ,also visible on the table, to fit the plot into a three week mid-September 1978 through early October 1978 timeline. Then I stacked and rubber banded the cards for each act in chronological order and then banded the acts together into one thick and beautiful plot outline.
Oh, the burden the brutal workshop afternoon lifted from my shoulders!
Oh, the joy!
Oh, the freedom!
Oh, to begin writing the first draft of Book 6** and doing research to keep the story historically accurate!
All this because yesterday, the plot thickened.
*Minus 1 potty break per person and 1 session each at the espresso machine.
**The name of the next See Jane book will be announced in a few months.
by jphilo | Jan 7, 2025 | Book Updates, See Jane Run!, West River Mystery Series
Midwestern Books lost its renaissance man and founder, Tom Walker, this past December. Tom succumbed to pancreatic cancer just two months after his diagnosis. Those who knew and loved him––his wife Kris, his three children, his eight grandchildren, his siblings, his nieces and nephews, and many more––are still reeling.
Our family was among those who attended his funeral. Tom’s brother-in-law gave the eulogy and described him as a renaissance man, a person who is educated and knowledgeable in a number of fields. That was certainly true of Tom. He assembled his own computer when they were just coming onto the scene. He was a musician, an athlete, a theologian, a pastor, and an avid fisherman. He operated a sawmill, constructed several buildings, read widely, was an IT director, and founded a publishing company. He was a lover of books, and was both a reader and a = writer.
He wrote sermons, seminary curriculum, and computer code. He created elaborate Dungeons and Dragons back stories in his role as a Dungeon Master. He helped his parents write books about their lives and wrote children’s books for his grandkids. When he retired, he started Midwestern Books to showcase writers who represented the values and stories from a poorly represented area of the United States. See Jane Run! was the first manuscript he acquired.
Tom was more than the renaissance man who published The West River Mystery Series. He was also my husband’s cousin and an appreciator of my daughter’s editorial talents. To that end, he asked her to become his partner at Midwestern Books. She accepted and they worked closely together for five years. After his cancer diagnosis, he signed the business over to her at no cost.
Midwestern Books lost its renaissance man and founder. In the midst of our grief, Anne and her husband, as well as Hiram and I, are aware of the opportunity he created for our daughter’s family before he died. Our hearts testify that Tom Walker exemplified more than a renaissance man. He exemplified Christ. We were blessed to know him and grateful beyond words.
In loving memory of Thomas “Tom” Hayes Walker,
November 7, 1953 – December 22, 2024
