Janet's October writing update...
When I sat down to write The Honeymoon Hack (Will and Brie’s book, #5 in the Reynolds Recoveries series), I knew exactly where the story was headed. I had my outline, my timeline, my sticky notes—everything was neatly in place. (I mean, I've been teasing their friends-to-lovers story since the first book of the series, so they were ready!)
But as I drafted, a few threads refused to tie up neatly. The kind of plot threads that made me squint at my own outline and go: Wait… but why would that happen?
That “why” was bigger than book 5 could hold. Which is how I found myself doing the unexpected—I jumped ahead to draft The Protector’s Mark, Rav’s book and the series finale.
Why I Had to Write the Finale Before Fixing Book 5
Rav’s heroine makes her first appearance in The Honeymoon Hack, so in order to untangle book 5, I had to see book 6 through. I needed to understand who she was, why she (and her team! 👀) walked into the Reynolds world at that exact moment, and how her story would intersect with Rav’s.
Once I did? The pieces clicked. Suddenly, the “loose ends” weren’t challenges at all—they were stepping stones to the finale.
So I finished The Protector’s Mark. I wrapped up the draft, leaned back, and thought: Okay, now I can go polish both books.
Except… that wasn’t quite true.
The Forgotten Extras
Here’s the funny part. Somewhere in the drafting chaos, while wrestling with Will and Brie’s plot, I had written more. Not polished, not tidy, but full stories—a novella, a novelette, and a short story.
And then I… forgot about them.
Yes, really.
By the time I hit “The End” on Rav’s book, I opened up my files and there they were: three bonus stories that had spilled out of me while I was problem-solving book 5. Because apparently, when I get stuck, my brain doesn’t go take a walk—it goes write more words instead.
So now, instead of two manuscripts to revise, I have:
- The Honeymoon Hack (Reynolds book 5)
- The Protector’s Mark (Reynolds book 6)
- One novella about what happened to Joseph (the Reynolds siblings' dad) and how Evelyn dealt with it
- One novelette about Will and Brie's special history
- One short story that's just a couple of chapters when the Reynolds siblings confronted Evelyn after The Scarab's Game (because how could I not show you that?)
Five stories.
Working their way through revisions.
How did I do this to myself? 🤦♀️
(or why?)
The Silver Lining
Here’s the good news for you: all those “forgotten extras” are going to be free bonuses for my newsletter subscribers.
Are they necessary to follow the series?
No.
But do they make the finale even richer? I think so. (And I hope you will too!)
The Planning Myth
Here’s the part that makes me laugh...
I’m a planner. My books are carefully outlined before I ever draft a single scene. But as the saying go, the best laid plans often go astray!
That doesn’t mean the plan failed—it means the story grew. It means Will and Brie had layers I hadn’t uncovered yet. It means Rav’s heroine walked onto the page carrying more history than I first guessed. It means Reynolds Recoveries wasn’t quite finished with me, even when I thought I’d tied everything up in my outlines.
What Comes Next
So here I am with five stories instead of two. A lot of revising. Plenty of tea to be consumed. Probably some chocolate bribes to get myself through the long editing hours.
But also? A lot of excitement.
Because when the series finale comes, I’ll get to send you not just one story, but several. And that feels like the right way to close the door on Reynolds Recoveries—with a full, overflowing goodbye.
Don't Forget to Read the Other Books!
In case you haven't binged the rest of the series, be sure you grab them all before the final two come out!
You can find the series on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C1KY33Q9
And you can download the free prequel novella, The Phoenix Heist, here: https://bf.janetoppedisano.com/smbari40im
Happy reading,
- Janet