My Unexpected Writing Detour
My journey as a pre-published author has been a wild one. Every time I connect with someone in the writing, editing, or publishing industry, they are kind and supportive. However, lately, every conversation about my novel seems to end with a big “But…” or “Before you publish, you should…”
It reminds me of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie—that comical picture book where one simple task spirals into an endless chain of unexpected chain of events and activities, ultimately complicating this simple task and almost rendering it impossible.
That’s exactly how my life has felt lately. Each new suggestion or requirement pulls me further off my original path, making publication feel both thrilling and exhausting (much more on this in a later post).
One request, however, felt doable: creating a “pre-publication piece.”
What is a Pre-Publication Piece?
Essentially, it’s a way to build excitement before my book’s official release—a teaser to generate interest and maybe attract a few new readers. Many authors write a novella or a prequel, but I didn’t feel there was a story worth telling before Chapter One of my novel. So, I took a different approach.
A Funeral Home Short Story Collection
When I talk about my book, people are most intrigued by the father’s role as a funeral director. That curiosity sparked an idea: instead of a novella, why not a collection of short stories centered around a funeral home?
For three days in early March, I locked myself away at Michigan State University (yes, even though I bleed maize and blue for the University of Michigan, their instate rival). I told my husband my goal was to write 10,000 words in those 72 hours. But with no distractions—just me and my laptop—I surprised myself by writing 25,000 words.
By the time I left East Lansing, I had a complete first draft of my short story collection.
Perhaps I’ll pre-release one of the stories in a future newsletter or on my website. But for now, here’s a sneak peek at the titles:
- The Stolen Flowers
- The Secret Room
- The Unknown Mourner
- The Last Goodbye
- The Tense Reunion
- The Call from the Casket