Yesterday I wrote the last line of Gardens of Eden. It felt good because I’d been struggling with the epilogue. After a couple of days letting it simmer in my mind, it bubbled up and flowed onto the page with ease. This is the first draft, which I’ll let sit for a week before going back to re-read and adapt. It’ll be going to my editor in February so I have time to get it just the way I want it.

So what’s’ next?

I’ve started developing my characters for The Girl from Nowhere. Brigid Frazier’s been part of every story in the series, so anyone who’s been reading the books knows she’s the storyteller of the tribe, who ‘s a child at heart, loves fairies, and cheers on the elementals who live in her garden, playful and mischievous in spite of her upbringing. She’s been working on her fairy tales for years, since she was a kid trying to escape her situation in life. Once upon a time leads her to all kinds of what if’s, some good, some more real than she wants.

I’ve yet to introduce the man who’ll be arriving in Eden very soon, one whom she knows, has a history with but hasn’t seen in ten years. Gabriel Bresnahan comes in like a typhoon, and creates a whirlwind of emotion Breet’s not sure she’ll survive.

As I fill out my character chart, I’m finding that they are exact opposites: Brigid is cautious, tentative, imaginative, inhibited, gentle, and believes in make believe, where Gabe is reckless, inflexible, bold, uninhibited, analytical, and doggedly pursues the truth. The only things they have in common other than their past, is their curiosity and intelligence.

I can’t wait to get started on their story but I have a few books to read first, about foster care and investigative reporting. Then I’ll be better able to answer the dozens of questions I still have about the past, their relationships, attitudes, beliefs, accomplishments, goals and dreams.