The Scrumptious Life of Azaleah Lane by Nikki Shannon Smith

I attempt to act like none of this is happening because I have a book to finish. Meanwhile, 17-year-old son is thrilled, because there is no school. So, yeah, school shut down while I had a substitute.ĭaughter who has come home from college for my birthday is stuck at home indefinitely-as in, still here. Note: This was my birthday and I took the day off. March 13: California Shelter-in-Place Order due to COVID-19 March 5: Manuscript Deadline Extended from 3/11 to 3/18 (long story, no big deal) January 29: Outline Draft 2 submitted to editor/outline approved January 17-27: Lots of email conversations to work on mystery plausibility and pacing

January 14: Outline Draft 1 submitted to editor (Due by 1/15) Warning: This ride travels at high speeds with twists and turns. That is brilliant, especially when you plan out a chapter book. Now the real work of developing the mystery could begin! I had also planted seeds in the previous books for why Azaleah would want to bake cookies for her parents. It helped that I had already established in the first book that Auntie Sam doesn’t cook. Then after an “aha” moment I knew that Azaleah’s mystery would be a cooking mystery. I sent their parents on a trip to a food truck festival (Mama is a chef and restaurateur). I was stuck.įor these books, I do 10-chapter outlines, so to get “unstuck” I asked myself why Azaleah and her sisters might stay at their auntie’s for the weekend. I had no idea what kind of mystery would pop up at Auntie Sam’s.

I knew Auntie Sam’s personality and lifestyle would add fun to the plot. This time I wanted the setting to be Azaleah’s Auntie Sam’s house.

The first book was set at Azaleah’s house, and the second took place at her big sister’s school. I wanted to find a fresh angle for the third mystery, yet be true to the series. In some ways that made developing the next book easier, but in other ways it presented a challenge.

THE SCRUMPTIOUS LIFE OF AZALEAH LANE is the third book in a chapter book mystery series, so the main characters and setting were already fleshed out. What is the story behind your story? What sparked your story concept? Nikki, thank you so much for sharing your revision journey! I’m especially excited and I’m sure other readers will be as well because you’ve published several chapter book series.

The Scrumptious Life of Azaleah Lane by Nikki Shannon Smith