Camino Child – The Next Phase

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How is your springtime shaping up? In northern California it has been beautiful. Too beautiful in fact. We need rain. But we’ll enjoy this for as long as it lasts.

Last week, I posted this on Facebook:

“I’m just back from my first ever writers conference. If you are a writer, and have not been to a conference, you owe it to yourself. I went with a bag full of questions. But the main query in my mind for the weekend was, what’s next? What do I need to learn, write, stretch myself at in the weeks and months ahead?”

The post went on from there.

It’s been a while since I’ve updated you about the new novel Camino Child. The story is complete. I’m very happy with the storyline, the main character, Summer, and the many people she meets on El Camino de Santiago as she walks across Spain to unravel a family mystery.

As a reminder, or if you haven’t seen this before, here’s the hook: Mystery pulls fifteen-year-old Summer Darling to Spain for a pilgrimage with her grandmother. When Grandma Pat dies, Summer is left to seek her family’s past.

(Click here for previous post about the novel.)

At the conference mentioned above, I pitched the story to agents, publishers, writers, and friends. A few asked that I submit the story to them or suggested others who might be interested in looking at the manuscript.

Now, I’m working on a proposal and cover letter to do just that. Wish me luck. Someday (patiently hoping), Camino Child will see the light of day and will be on bookstore shelves everywhere. I especially hope the novel finds a home in school libraries and becomes part of teacher curriculum.

Yes, Camino Child is a coming-of-age story. Yes, Summer is not your average fifteen-year-old girl. And indeed, Summer’s time on Camino has many hurdles and discoveries. She has to negotiate and odd young man’s clumsy advances, deal with weather, mud, blisters, and walking five-hundred miles. And she must learn to trust. None of it comes easy, but I think you’ll be happy with her story.

Next week begins a four-week course that I’m participating in called Book Launch Blueprint. I’ve already learned a lot in preparation for this class.

Listening to what I’m told, the launch of Camino Child will take some time. But I believe in Summer’s story with all my heart, and I know it’s worth the wait.

While sketching out the backstory and family history for Camino Child and our lead character, Summer Darling, I wrote a novella about her grandmother when she was a young woman backpacking through Europe in the 1980s with her older sister Georgia. Signup for a free copy.

Questions or comments, give me a call at 707.809.5888.