And there you have it, folks. Apocalypse, the third book in the Rapture trilogy, finished. Done. Complete. A newborn baby book weighing in at 94K. Of course now I have to edit, edit, edit and then edit a little more, but hey, it's done! Whoop, whoop!

Of course, this won't be the final cover but I felt I had to put a picture here just to make this a little more interesting.

Well, here I am, 82k into Apocalypse, the final book of the Rapture Trilogy. The last two weeks have been intense. I've written almost 40k in that time, averaging out 4k per day. It's the last day of the school holidays tomorrow, so I'll be back to my day job next week. I'll manage to finish it off (the finished product will probably be around the mid 90k's or possibly 100k) in the next couple of weekends and so looking forward to a much needed break after that. Of course, that won't be the end of it. There's editing, quotes to find, more editing and then probably some more editing. Then it gets sent off to the publisher, who will edit it, suggest changes and so forth and then a whole series of back and forths in a seemingly endless game of tennis.

Not only that, but Tribulation is coming out in December. That means being proactive and approaching book bloggers and reviewers and spending a great deal of time on social media sites. Sigh. It's exciting of course, but I wouldn't mind just burying myself under a rock for a few months in an attempt to recharge my batteries and spend some much needed time reconnecting with my family. I'm not asking anyone to pull out the world's smallest violin and start playing it for my benefit but I can't help but think what bliss it would be to not have to work full-time. I love teaching but it would be amazing to be in the position to say, teach 3 days a week and write the other two. Perhaps one day but I'll leave that in the hands of my agent.

What’s the working title of your WIP?

Apocalypse, book 3 of the Rapture Trilogy. Note: the cover you see will not be the final version.

Where did your idea come from for your book?

I’m a little obsessed with post-apocalyptic tales but I wanted to do something that hadn’t really been done before. The concept of the Rapture had been used before, notably in the Left Behind series. But not with my spin on it. I took a half-demon teenager, trained him as a samurai and tasked him with helping those who had been left behind during the seven years of the Tribulation, culminating in the final battle – the Apocalypse.

What genre does your book fall under?

Definitely post-apocalyptic for YA readers. Some readers have called it dystopian but it’s more post-apocalyptic than dystopian.

Which actors would you pick to play your characters in a movie rendition?

How about Cam Gigandet? (Easy A, Twilight, Pandorum). He’s got that rough, brooding look I envisaged for Sam. In terms of Aimi, there’s Keiko Kitagawa (from Fast and the Furious – Tokyo drift). Aimi is only half Japanese though.

What is a one sentence synopsis of your book?

Apocalypse:

A half-demon teenager battling the forces of the Antichrist to save the world.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

Been working on Apocalypse for the last couple of months. I’ll have it finished in another month so three in total.

What other books would you compare this story within your genre?

There’s too many to mention. Any YA book that deals with the end of the world, whether it be a zombie apocalypse or other disaster.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

As I think I’ve mentioned elsewhere, I love post-apocalyptic tales. I wanted to do something different and somehow combine my interests. I also wanted to explore the theme of nature vs nurture.

What else about your book might pique the readers interest?

I had to do a lot of research, not only about Christian dogma but also geography, weapons, uses and limitations of military hardware such as tanks, submarines, aircraft carriers and the like, latin and Japanese, sword forging techniques – the list goes on. I even looked at some of the battlefield tactics in WWII. I want everything I write to sound authentic.

I now tag these awesome authors:

Anaru Bickford

William Esmont

Kate Avery Ellison

Suki Michelle

Melinda Szymanik

I’m tired. Don’t get me wrong – I’m not complaining – just stating the facts. These last two years have been a challenge to say the least. I have (or will have in a few short weeks), written three novels in that time as well as several children’s educational books and teacher guides. Not to mention having a full time job as a school teacher. My son, Jack, was also born during this time (he’s sixteen months old now) which has been amazing but also a challenge in its own right.

The third book in the Rapture trilogy, Apocalypse, will be finished in about three short weeks. I’m on school holidays at the moment and churning out 4k per day. At the end of each of these days, I’m a shattered wreck, sucked dry of all creativity, feeling like a piece of me has been transferred onto the page along with the words. I imagine that I emerge from the garage in the evenings looking a little vampiric – one that hasn’t fed for some time.

The subject matter is, of course, draining. I am writing about the end of the world after all. Saying that, I have mixed feelings about finishing the trilogy. I’ll be saddened to see the back of Sam, but elated to have finally completed such an achievement. I imagine all authors feel this way – especially when they complete a trilogy or a series of books. The characters and the worlds that have been built are a part of them. Like me, they have taken on their characters emotions, their hopes and fears.

Even now though, I’m starting to think of new projects. In fact, I’ve already started a new YA novel that I aim to finish next year. Of course that project is also competing for attention with a host of other ideas floating around my noggin.

I have to stay focused though and do Sam and his world justice. I won’t fail him now, not when I’m so close. Sam deserves nothing less from me, especially after all he’s been through. He doesn’t give up or settle for mediocrity when only excellence will do. I can do no less.