Choosing What to Write Next

With last week's release of Lovecraft’s Curse, I am faced with a dilemma I haven’t encountered since I began my writing journey a few years ago:

What do I write next?

Courting the King in Yellow was my first book, and my first real attempt at taking my prose writing seriously (I was already working on some comic projects). Before that book even saw the light of day, I had taken the idea for Lovecraft’s Curse from a comic pitch to a prose project. Between those two books, my short stories (which I had written pitches for long ago) and the podcast book (Making Ear Candy), I’ve had a pretty clear idea of what I would be working on for the past few years.

But now that Lovecraft’s Curse is out, I have a decision to make. I now have three stories that exist in the world of the Parted Veil, and my horror stories moving forward will all tie into that world. At this point, I have four options:

1. Write a direct sequel to Lovecraft’s Curse (this is definitely happening, but doesn't necessarily have to be my next project).
2. Write a direct sequel to Courting the King in Yellow (this was never a guarantee, but I already have an idea of what I would do for the next story).
3. Write a new standalone novel set in the Parted Veil universe.
4. Write another short story similar to private showing, that either continues Nita’s story or provides more insight into one of the characters from the first two novels.

This is a good problem to have. I’ve now created enough of a foundation with the first two novels and the short story that I have options. And while I’d love to make a quick decision and use NaNoWriMo as a means to crank out a first draft, I’m not sure I want to rush the decision (we are only three days from NaNoWriMo).

So, as I celebrate the release of Lovecraft’s Curse, I am letting the ideas for my next project marinate. I’d love to hear from readers if they have a preference, as I will eventually be writing all four of the projects outlined above, it’s just the order that’s up in the air.

I’ll keep you posted!