I put the finishing touches on Cant’ Be Tamed last week and I am now immersed in research for the next book in the series, Remains to Be Seen.

There is nothing I like better than digging in and learning new things.

Cerridwen Moore is a forensic anthropologist who works out of the Medical Examiner’s office. I bought Anthropology for Dummies, Sapiens, Forensics, and I’m making my way through Working Stiff,  a book written by a medical examiner. It’s an interesting take, well-written and I’ve got sticky tabs hanging out of the pages that contain mind-set, descriptions, and autopsies. I’ve also done some reading on archeological sites, in order to understand the life Cerri would have led had she stayed in the field. But tragedy struck and she had to shift gears.

I spent time over the weekend, creating more fully developed characters. Jotting down emotions, quirks, attitudes, fears, and strengths of both Cerri and Zain Bishara, the new hire. I tweaked the plot a bit as I went, creating a better way to bring them together.  It was the aha moment I needed to smooth out the story line.

I promised myself I’d take my time with this but eager to get started, I’ve already typed away on a first chapter. It’s the trickiest one. I’ve got work ahead of me, but for now I’ll stay in my happy place, where I can envision, imagine and develop complex people, learn where they came from and where they are going.

I’m sure there’ll be some surprises along the way, as always.

It happened to me in the last chapter of Can’t Be Tamed. I never saw that end coming.