I've never set out on a project without the intent to finish it, and when it came to the Jardine saga, I had to outline the entire story from start to finish just to get approval to begin it (ironically, because Loren didn't want to see me start a serial with no promises of seeing it through). So Book 3 was mainly sitting, half-finished thanks to a VERY detailed outline, since even before Book 2 came out on BattleCorps. Other projects just got in the way. And then I was dumped. And I started on other things. But the story of Book 3 didn't let me forget it, so I would turn to finishing it any time I hit writer's block on my own work.
And here we are!
As to CGL buying things and not publishing them... Oh, it can happen!
Very glad you've enjoyed the story to date. It actually DID deviate from my original plans oh so many years ago. But then, hell, my original outline had Marissa Borefijn surviving the entire saga, and I ended up killing her off back in Book 1. So, sometimes the characters and the story flow change your plans. It's kind of amazing, that way. Guess that would make me a "plantser" writer, the kind who plans the plot out, but occasionally yields to seat-of-the-pants changes during execution.
- Herb