Even though my literary agent, Liz and I signed to work together on THE RABBIT & THE SPARROW, which some of you have read, I actually went back to the drawing board this month and thought more deeply about what the Oxherd Boy's world looked like... And about what story would be best to first introduce it to young readers.
I ended up writing some pretty in-depth character studies for the boy, the rabbit, and the ox -- their personalities, their backgrounds, what makes them tick (or not!) -- and solidified the environment and secondary characters who might play a role in their future.
All of it was a necessary exercise for me to fully immerse myself in this universe and think about stories that would develop organically in their lives and how each character would respond in a consistent, believable way. It also paved the way for new story ideas to surface as the dynamic between the characters became more real.
As a result, I've finished my first draft of a BOY MEETS OX story, and will continue to refine it with Liz over the next few weeks. I'm feeling OK about this draft as a starting place, though there's much work to be done to get it into shape.
Looking forward to where this story takes me, and hoping for the best. 💛