Prequel Updates

Hey guys, I just wanted to give you all some updates on the prequel to Corrupt Idol!

FYI for new peeps:

Currently posting: Raw draft of the prequel to Corrupt Idol

Weekly Postings: Tues-Thurs, Sat & Sun (8am PST)

Discussions: Most prefer to chat on our Discord server

Cover Update:

I hired a designer to do the prequel and re-do the Corrupt Idol cover so the series is cohesive. I'm going with discreet covers because I don't need another reason to be banned. (Corrupt Idol was just banned from Smashwords this week.)

I gave the designer some ideas, but she has creative license to do whatever she sees fit. Though this is pretty common, I decided to go with a bitten apple for the prequel, representing Violet's lost innocence and it's also a nod to the religious undertones in the book. For Corrupt Idol, I decided to have military dog tags as the object on the cover. For some reason, I kept thinking about the cover of 50 Shades and how it has a silk tie. It really has nothing to do with the story, it's just a nod to the character, so I kind of went with that. After all, Jesse is the "idol" and he's supposed to be this disciplined, honorable solider so that's why I chose that. How my designer is going to make those covers interesting, I have no idea. LOL. But, I'm excited to see what she comes up with!

Those covers are supposed to be done the week of the 20th.

Oh! And, I decided to name the prequel, Corrupt Obsession for obvious reasons 😈

Book Update:

I re-read Corrupt Idol and jotted down quite a few notes for me to incorporate into the prequel. And I just finished reading through the prequel after almost 3 weeks of letting the book marinate.

I have a lot of tweaks and nips and tucks I want to do on inner monologues and motivations, etc. There's also certain passages I'd like to rewrite.

I took out quite a few scenes at the end because I wasn't sure if they were enhancing the story and the book was getting too long. Now, that I've re-read it, I do think some of them are necessary. The ending I have right now is a bit too abrupt and their year together is more of an overview. I think showing more scenes/fights would be beneficial and would make Violet's behavior in Corrupt Idol more understandable and relatable if we dig a bit deeper.

So...

I'm putting back about half of the scenes, which are currently just fragments that I need to flesh out and fit within the framework of the story. I actually summarized a lot of things that I've decided to show instead of tell.

This will take me more time and may delay the release to February, but I think the extra chapters and fuller story will be worth it. The first draft was: 63,234. Just by adding those extra scenes the word count is now: 73,854. By the time I write everything in its entirety, this book will probably be between 78 - 82k words? This is pretty ridiculous, considering Corrupt Idol was: 56,734. BUT, I don't know when I'll have time to come back to Violet and Jesse and I'm not sure if I would write in this age range again, so I'm taking advantage of the opportunity and putting in the salacious scenes that made me want to write the prequel in the first place. 😉

Just remember, the draft that's being posted on Patreon and Ream is the raw/first draft and is already evolving so please forgive any iterations, mistakes, etc. They'll be cleaned up in the three passes I will be doing. During my re-read I was cringing so hard over what you guys are reading, but I promise the final will be much more fluid and fleshed out!!

Writing Violet and Jesse has been such a rollercoaster. Jesse at the end of the story is 😳 To have him start off so sweet and by the end, he's this villain is kind of crazy. That line in Corrupt Idol keeps coming back to me, “Love can make monsters out of men when it’s not returned.” That fits Jesse to the tee and is quite tragic, actually.

Anyway, I wanted to give you guys an update. I was waylaid by some New Year events and things I had to take care of so am only now finishing reading both books. For the next day or two I'll be sketching out these new scenes. Then, I'll be completing these new chapters. Once those are done, I have to go to the beginning and do those rewrites. Then, a final read through/polish. Ahh! I'm trying to go as fast as I can!

I hope you all are enjoying their story thus far & Happy New Year!

❤️ Mia/Dinah