Edits, charts, and the road to Mexico

Hello from the writing desk—September has been a mix of rewrites, a surreal chart moment, and pointing the whole book south.

✍️ Developmental Edit Back

The dev edit for Acapulco Gold landed, and it’s sharpened the book in all the right ways. The headline notes:

• Keep the comic–thriller voice tight.
• Lock the three POVs: Paul (chaotic survival), Alison (calculated momentum), Hank (bigger-picture pressure).
• Get to Mexico sooner; add new set-pieces there to replace stripped words.

I’m trimming, stitching, and adding just enough fresh chaos to make the story run faster without losing the fun.

🥂 A Charting Surprise

A short story of mine crept up to #89 in the UK Kindle Single Author Short Stories chart—and for a brief window sat above Dean Koontz. It didn’t last long, but it was a good laugh and a nice nudge to keep going.

🚉 Where the Book Is Heading

The early chapters are tighter, the ex-wives tribunal is nastier (and funnier), and Paul’s “plan” now slingshots him into the next act. Mexico becomes the pressure cooker: new scenes that will bring the word count back and raise the stakes.

🎯 What’s Next

• Finish the Part One pass and lock chapter order.
• Draft two new Mexico set-pieces (comic misadventure + thriller beat).
• Prep for beta readers later this year.

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