Hello, all!
Both good news and (potential) unhappy news to report for this month. For the first, I'm pleased to tell you that work has begun on the structural edits for Discarded, with the help of SF writer and editor Gary Gibson. Most of the minor grammatical edits are complete as of this post, and I've been pinpointing all the sections where more drastic changes/cuts are needed, with a finish expected by tomorrow or Wed (5/20). Actually making these alterations will take a bit longer; current time estimate is stretching over most to all of June, given demands from PhD and other work. On one hand, it's exhilarating to find where the story can be slimmed down or made better in some other way---and yet, on the other, it's daunting and even depressing. So...a typical editing experience, then :D .
For the second bit of news, given the amount of time likely needed for the overall editing work, it's increasingly looking like there'll be another shift in the publication date. Best guess right now is still in spring of 2021, though that's undoubtedly going to change again depending on the pace of further edits, cover and design work---all of which, of course, COVID may still throw another monkey wrench into. Fear not, however---with every day, this book comes closer to digital and physical shelves! More updates will follow as the editing proceeds; till next time, stay safe!