Menu
Update on Book Three; this is what the process has looked like so far!
I began reading my rough draft manuscript of Betrayed, book three in The Pure Line Series, shortly after Trapped was published in September of 2021. This story didn’t have as much of a skeleton to work with and I ended up writing in a lot that wasn’t in the original draft.
At the turn of 2022, I took an extended break.
God works in people before He works out of them. God had a lot to work in me and my spiritual journey was a long and arduous one.
Aside from spiritual growth, I did speak at an online homeschool summit, our family farm grew, and my siblings made leaps and bounds in other ways. I also met one of my friends that year and she has been an added blessing to me.
Late in the year of 2022, I finally got serious with my writing and finished up the new manuscript. Mom and Aynsley read it through, gave me some edits, and I made the changes.
We really wanted to go with a printer this time around, rather than a self-publishing company. Dad found a good printer while I formatted the book and Aynsley finalized the cover. We sent it to the printer in January of 2023 and he sent back a beautiful proof copy. We were thrilled that everything lined up so much easier!
However, the first printing would have cost us WAY too much. Without a solid audience to sell books to, we could not step out and pay the cost. So, we reluctantly went back to beating the KDP system.
I was discouraged, so I didn’t work on it right away. I hoped to build my audience, to share my books with more people, before publishing the third book.
Meanwhile, Ezekiel made the trailer. To his credit, he made two book trailers and I liked the second one better. Thanks for sticking with me, bro!
For the next several months I focused on God, my family and friends, the farm, and building an audience. I spoke at two more online homeschool summits, shared free copies of my books with authors for honest reviews, and chatted with a Christian author about my goals.
I also put out more book reviews, blogs, Facebook posts, and kept my Caravan Buddies in the loop. All the while, Betrayed was sitting there, tugging at my heart to finish and publish it.
Eventually, I sat down and wrung it through the KDP system, which meant destroying the previous work I had done to align with the new system’s criteria. Poor Aynsley had to do the same with the book cover.
Right now, Betrayed is poised for publication. One click of a button and I could put it out there.
But, I haven’t.
Friends, when God says, “Wait” – you wait! Oh, yes, I had to learn to trust God even more. I’ve learnt to remember that God is orchestrating everything in the world, not just my life. He is working in the lives of all those around me. He has a good, pleasing, and perfect will (Romans 12:2) and a perfect time for Betrayed to be released.
Now, several months since book three started sitting, I can look back and see some good reasons why I have waited.
I learned to trust God more.
I began to rely on His understanding, not my own.
I was needed to help my family through difficult seasons of sickness, fatigue, and grief.
I was humbled and shown more clearly how God wants me to share the books.
I was challenged to speak the truth and God used it, proving once again His faithfulness to me.
There is so, so much more!
You’re probably perched on the edge of your seat now, waiting for me to tell you the release date for book three.
I’m still waiting.
Again, I don’t know specifically why God has me waiting when it appears to be ready. But, looking back and seeing His faithfulness and seeing that He had a very good plan in all those things…I trust Him.
God has given my heart peace in this season. I will have no peace moving forward until I know Jesus has opened the door. I sincerely hope you are willing to wait with me, to see what else God has planned for these days. Maybe Jesus Christ will return! But if not, will we live our days trusting in God’s timing and bringing Him glory? I hope so!
That’s my update on book three. I most likely won’t mention it much until publication. But, if you haven’t already, you can join the caravan and read a free sneak peek!
Thanks for being here!
Hidden with Christ in God,
Alyson Jensen