In the months since I submitted, I’ve read three books that have influenced how I feel about the characters in the Neutral Zone. Out of the Pocket by Bill Konigsberg (read review), which I finished just last week. It featured a main character whose voice is so loud and clear that I’m re-looking at Simon to make sure he’s as strong.

Two other books that I’ve drawn inspiration from are Martin Wilson’s What They Always Tell Us (read review) and Power Play by J.M. Snyder (read review). Wilson’s book, among other things, featured a very strong, tight plot that I admired and as I’m re-editing I’d like to live up to his standards. Snyder’s book, though not classified as YA, does deal with young people. The emotional connection and passion between her main characters is also something I want to make sure comes through with Simon and Alex.

With all this swirling in my head, I’m working through the pages and making enhancements/edits. I also need to start researching agents who tend to work with YA/gay fiction and create the all important documents that I would send to them to entice them into looking at this work.

Meanwhile, in the midst of all this, I finished the first draft of a short story that is a sequel to Neutral Zone. It takes place two years after the events in the book. I realize it will be a while before that sees the light of day, but it was screaming to get on to the paper so I spent a few days to make that happen.

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By the way, there was a winner in the Delacorte contest this year: Something Like Hope by Shawn Goodman. It’s good to see that someone wowed the judges this year after two years of no winners. I can’t find any information on what the novel is about, but congrats to Shawn anyway.

I like what I’ve done to give the story a linear timeline that makes sense. The first person POV is also working pretty well. My biggest problem to date there has been that the lead character’s voice keeps evolving. That will necessitate some cleanup and editing and the end of this draft, but I’m optimistic that this will be the last complete re-write.

I’d love to be done with this draft before we go to P-town in August. After this draft I’m going to give it to my trusted readers to tell me what they think.

Off now for an hour of writing before I hit the gym…

Thanks to Brian for posting the call for submissions on his website and to Quinn for accepting me into PFANM!