Comatose is finished…Now what?

Comatose, for the most part, is finished.

So now what?

That was the first thing that slipped out of my mouth when I realized I’d written the final word. “Now what do I do?”

I tried reading another book, but I think I need to wait a bit. Right now every book sounds better than mine—or maybe I just chose the wrong one to start with. I probably shouldn’t have jumped straight into the book everyone says “made them think and look up definitions for the first time in years.” Anyone would feel a little small after that.

So instead of forcing myself to read, I decided there’s no time like the present to start the next piece of the Awake world: Dystortia—the standalone that was never supposed to be.

Dystortia, like Comatose, has lived in countless notebooks over the years. Longer than Comatose, actually. It’s the story I started writing at twelve years old, rewriting it over and over only to feel like it kept falling short of what I wanted it to be. But this time feels different. This time, I know I’m ready.

And to help bridge the gap between these worlds, I’ve decided to bring her into the Comatose universe as Book 1.5.

Since making that decision, I’ve realized something else: my characters have evolved into entirely new people. So today, I’m at my coffee shop, getting to know them again—something I promised myself I’d do for every story moving forward.

So don’t mind me while I toss my headphones in and have a conversation with some people who don’t exist.

At least, not where you can see them.


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