It’s nearly time for National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) – November 2014. I’m chomping at the bit to get started, taking notes, thinking about —– Shawna Charity and what happens next to her after On A Life’s Edge.

[Spoiler alert — if you haven’t read the book, you may want to stop now, go get a copy, read it and come back later.]

When we left Shawna in On A Life’s Edge, she was set on a new path by a generous neighbour and friend, Max. She’s essentially been granted a new beginning. So that’s the title of the next book in the series: On A Life’s Beginning.

Where might we go with that? So far, I’m going to focus on her college experience. She has moved into Max’s house, no longer having to share with her Mom, Lorraine. The backyards are joined so the kids can get easily back and forth. I’m thinking a dog will join the family, a rescued greyhound. Lorraine is a full-time carer for the kids now, no longer working at the Ready Market, loves spending time with her grandchildren, watching Leo develop.

Although sad about the loss of Max, Shawna is grateful for this reboot of her life. She may even forgive Randy a little. But that will take time. He is still Boone’s father and the other kids’ uncle. And in Life’s Edge, he had started to consider how he could do better.

College life is good for Shawna. She starts to learn new things, and though she started with the hair-dressing idea, she finds she has a knack for something else. I’m not sure what that is yet. She has begun writing in the journal Max has left for her, so maybe it’s writing. Or poetry. Or sketching.

I know that she makes friends with  Alan. Remember him? Helps her in the first class? Well, Alan is a big part of this book. Hold onto your hats on that one.

Also coming back are Vanessa, the whiz of an investigative chemist who analysed the contents of the syringe in Life’s Edge. She is now a teaching assistant at Tahooche County Vo-Tech due to budget cuts at the University.

Gordon is also back. He’s sweet on Lorraine after all. We saw that coming when they met in Lorraine’s kitchen in book 1.

Life’s Beginnings is about relationships and trying again. But how they turn out, I’m yet to find out!

I can’t wait to start writing. Bring on November 1.