I had a niggling thriller idea fermenting in the back of my mind. So with Prompt 32 in the Open Novella Contest, I started this novel. I had no intention of entering but @NodaOrtiz insisted and my daughter helped me choose the prompt that best suited my idea.

A detailed purpose for Nate. He plays a critical role in the plot, but yet, his day to day life feels mundane compared to what Gibs is going through.

It's my first foray into thriller/mystery, so defining the crime scenes, the subtle clues and the killer's hidden intentions was more fun than I expected.

4

Better than I had hoped. Especially since it's an Ambassador pick for the ONC 2020's Round 1.

Standalone. I might spin off with other cases Gibs can solve but I haven't thought about it.

an escape from the real world. A sense of excitement and an enjoyment of the journey.

7

Set daily word count and meet it. Badly written words can be edited.

Gibs' cynicism and love for good coffee.

9

The worldbuilding (Bladerunner-ish) and the unique premise.

Always. I have two sci-fi romances in progress, I also need to finish Lost in London, The Last Amazon and Shadow Forged. On the back burner is a fantasy MG and an adult fantasy based in Africa.