After what feels like forever, I have finally managed to get past the first battle of book 3. I'm not necessarily happy with everything that's been drafted out, but hey, at least we kinda sort maybe can get things churning.
My goal was to have this thing drafted out and book 3 done by the middle of October. It is still possible. Not likely, but possible. The biggest drawback I have at this precise moment is that my grasp on what's to come is still a little shaky. Now, that didn't stop me back in college. In fact, shaky ground was all I had then. I just blundered my way in a rushed marathon to the finish line of each book and stumbled out "yay it's done" before barreling through the next book.
I'm hoping to the high Heavens I'm not doing the same thing this time. I like to hope the mediocre progress I've made over the last month proves that I'm actually using my noggin this time around and will have something with proper weight and 'gravitas' when I go to print out this draft of book 3.
If my edits while rereading book 2 are any indication, that won't be the case. I mean, yeah, I'll have a more solid manuscript, but it'll still be a sorry excuse for the story it's going to be.
In theory, I've reached the halfway mark of book 3. There's still a lot of expositing to happen and another large battle with some major 'what the hey-dandily-day is going on here' moments. And hopefully those times won't leave me groaning and trudging through the murky waters.
Also, total aside, I am in dire need of a new mouse. Mine is totally phantom clicking and doesn't want to highlight or select things properly anymore.