Plotting New Projects

So the other day in my Writing and Cookies post . . . okaaay . . . now I'm desperately trying to maintain derriere in chair and not run off and make a big batch of cookie dough with oodles of chocolate chips and eat it straight out of the bowl right this very minute . . .

Okay. Whew. Not thinking about cookies . . . not thinking about them at all . . .or that soft, delicious, sweet, chocolaty dough . . . and milk. Don't forget ice cold milk.  

So. I alluded to a new writing project in the Cookie Post. I allude to a lot of writing projects and works-in-progress and upcoming books, but I never go into much detail.

I thought y'all may want some clarification.

First, I have a new book coming out with Scholastic October 1 of THIS year! *cheering*, *clapping* and *general excitement*. At least from the other side of my computer screen, *cough*, *cough*.

Anyway, the new book, titled, CIRCLE OF SECRETS is written, revised, copy-edited, and proof-read. As of the end of January, it's done, finished, and off to become ARCs. This is also the book I refer to as my Armageddon Book Deadline Manuscript since last July Scholastic asked if I could write a book for them in about 6 weeks. This request came on the very same day that I was leaving town for 2 weeks and The Healing Spell was launching! Silly me! I said yes. Got back from vacation and a million launch parties and postcard mailings and blog tour and started writing like a crazy person!

And I did it. The first draft was written in about 2.5 weeks, 4,000-5,000 words per day, and I revised over the next 4 weeks, adding another 18,000 words, and even got someone to read/crit. It was nuts. I practically left home to get it done. I didn't do much else but live and breathe that book. Lots of fast food dinners. No blogging. No nothin'!

Scholastic doesn't let me share cover art until it gets closer but I've seen the cover for Circle of Secrets and I can tell you that it is very cool (illustrated in case you're wondering, not a photograph) and fun and intriguing and spooky with a super cute girl for my main character, Shelby Jayne Allemond. I love how cute she is!

First Pass Pages were proofread and off by end of January so what do I do after writing a complete book and getting it through production in 5 months? Why, I start thinking about a new middle-grade novel!

I really should take a mental break since I'll be getting the editorial letter for my Young Adult novel by the end of March (this YA was drafted about 3 years ago but scheduled for editorial work after my two MG books) but I have this INSANE idea to draft an entire new book in 6 weeks again. Yeah, I should probably have my head examined.

At the moment it's called Memoir of a Girl, and I have 3 chapters done. And I finally got a rough outline and the main plot figured out while driving 8 hours in the car last week. On a stack of 3x5 cards which is something I love to use when plotting. I'd post a picture but I can't from this computer at the moment . . . just imagine about 50 white 3x5 cards with purple writing all over them indicating scenes and plot points and ideas spread all over a desk. I know you all have good imaginations.


All I can tell you is that the new story has some of these in it . . .

Yes, I have an Obsession with Butterflies . . .

And it has some of these . . .

Cool, huh?

So how do y'all plot a new book? I'd love to hear your techniques.