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Despite having to go back and to some revisions (yes boys and girls, you should *always* cruch your numbers *first*) I broke 15,000 words on the first Meredith Mackenzie novel. This one is going much more smoothly that Homefront (which will get revisions after I've had a bit of a breather).

I think, given that they're meant to be a bit lighter in tone, that the Meredith Mackenzie novels are going to be a lot more fun to write. Being in first person certainly helps the process along. As long as I know where I'm going (which I do) and keep and mind what needs to be foreshadowed, I have a bit more freedom to play.

Meredith is a bit more somber than I expected, but I've put the girl in a difficult spot. Still, we're having a lot of fun finding out where the toilets are.

The first person perspective does have one other advantage. One of the things I had a problem with in Homefront (although in that case, it ended up making a much better novel) can't happen here. It's pretty hard stealing a novel from a first person narrator.

On the whole though, the experience is turning out to be a very different one that Homefront, but get the feeling that series starters are always going to be a bit harder, because you do have to spend time finding the toilets and learning which end of the gun the mule kicks out of (believe me, this comment will be funnier once you've read the book. Meredith is having a time with that damn mule).

One thing I am finding though is it's difficult to be up beat and cheerful when someone is facing the enslavement of their homeworld. Flash Gordon and John Crichton apparently have much better stress management skills than I realized.