Some people have asked me if my stories ever evolve into something different than I was expecting. Or if my stories ever change as I’m writing them. Sometimes they do slightly, other times quite a bit.

Did you want to see what the changes for one story look like?

I give you By Paths Unknown

This started out with just a vague idea. I wrote the first few scenes and then was stuck. No clue what was coming or going to happen.

Then I worked at a slow election and decided to see if I could get my fellow election judges to give me some ideas. I gave them the basics of what I had so far and then waited.

Ideas started coming. Suggestions, plots, twists, and questions. I pulled out my paper and started jotting ideas as fast as I could. Sometimes we’d hash out an idea which would lead to another idea. Most of the time I just sat and listened and took notes. Here are a few of their ideas which made it into the book.

All in all, this story didn’t end up with many unexpected twists or changes mid-stream, but I liked how it turned out.

The cover took a bit of looking to find. There were many cowboys on a horse but not many had the right feel. I did do a bit of photoshopping, and it was the first time I’d ever done a frame around the image like that.

What about you? Have you read By Paths Unknown? If so, did you enjoy it? Do you have a favorite scene or character? Let me know.