Mondays Theme: The Edits Are Almost Done.

Hurray. I’ve completed chapters 1 – 36. I will head over to the printers today to print out the last installment my editor has scent. She only has thirteen chapters left to edit and send me. Fortunately, there are not an overwhelming number of changes.

Thank you for all your comments last Monday about the opening paragraph and which sentence was better. I picked one. If you’d like to read Chapter one of The Treasures of Carmelidrium, it’s located under pages. Just click the title and it will take you there.

Have a great Monday everybody. If you have any questions go ahead, ask.

Cool update: Late last night my editor sent me seven more chapters. So today I will print out 13 chapters. She has only 6 left.

Whatever Tuesday: Brief Editing Surprises.

Now that I have completed my search and destroy mission to obliterate as many “ly” and “ing” words as possible, a funny thing has happened. My editor has sent back a few pages and added them back in. Wow…stop the presses. Yes, it is true, on rare occasions an “ing” word makes the sentence flow better or breaks up a series of “s/he” at the beginning of the sentence. Another example of learning the rules and now you can break them.

At this writing I have completed chapters 1 – 22 in the final edits my editor has sent me.

Another interesting fact: No matter how hard you try, you’ll never please everyone. So follow your voice and do your best.

I’m off the do more final edits. Do you have a question? Go ahead, ask.

Whatever Tuesday: e-publishing, blogfest and news.

I read last week on The Blood Red Pencil blogspot about a company that will take your word document and format to fit any e-publisher for $50.00. Wait…hold your horses, (oops, I don’t have any), can you believe it? Oh it gets better, do you have the e-rights to a book that was previously published but is out of print, or even in print, but you got the rights baby. But you don’t have the document anymore, just the printed book. This company will format that book for e-publishing too. They don’t show the price, I suspect it depends on the size, but don’t know for sure. Head on over folks to…drum beat….booknook. Also browse last weeks post on The Blood Red Pencil and continue this week for e-publishing news. You can format your own book, if you don’t mind learning how to.

Ever heard of EPICA? Check them out for the latest news, contest, etc. on e-publishing.

In other news. A couple weeks ago I adopted a dog from a friend’s daughter who could no longer care for her. I was a little worried. How would a dog fit into my lifestyle, or more importantly, how would a dog take to my two 3 year old grandchildren? Especially my grandson who is rough and rowdy. The dogs an Austrian Cattle Dog by the name of Dinga. Yes, an ‘a’ at the end. She comes with a prepaid vet plan. So I brought Dinga home and found that rescued dogs (yes she is one) make the best pets on earth.

Take a peak at all those blogfest and contest on the side bar. Have I lost my mind? Maybe.

Edits: I have completed Chapters 1-8.

I didn't even notice. This is post 101!

Do you have a question? Go ahead and ask.

Mondays Theme: Edits

It’s Monday…at least in Colorado. On Saturday my strep throat returned. This time I got on medication immediately and I’m better already. For my right shoulder injury the Doctor put me on muscle relaxants. While visiting a few blogs, my eyes got crossed and I couldn’t comprehend what I was reading. So, long story…I couldn’t continue. Sorry.

Since that is the case, I am proud to announce that I’ve completed chapters 2 - 6. I’m still waiting on my updated Chapter 1 from my editor. I would have gotten another 6 to 10 chapters done if it weren’t for my medications. Oh well.

I can’t remember a more miserable fall health wise. It’s not my normal condition. I look forward to visiting all of you this week and I’m going to get started on my blogfest submissions. Take a peak at my side bar if you want to join the fun.

Mondays Theme: Writing

CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.

I did it! I made my goal for the week and have finished searching my ms. for ‘ly’ and ‘ing’ words. I sent the last 6 chapters to my editor last night. Now I will start with chapter one and implement her suggestions. I don’t have the completed manuscript from her yet, obviously, since I just sent her the last of it last night. But I am giving myself the remainder of this month and the first week of next month to finish. I am so excited.

Don’t forget my contest. Take a moment to give me your suggestions if you haven’t done so already. I will announce the winner tomorrow and keep you abreast of my continued edits.

My contest: I am adding two to three paragraphs to chapter one of my high fantasy to have a character interact with my heroine so that the reader will have a better sense of who she is. This character will only live in chapter one and can be any nationality or sex. Is a gifted pianist. Name the character, your name or a name you invent. Both first and last. Leave it in the comments through Monday Nov. 8, 2010. Prize: You will receive credit on my credit page and a voucher for a free e-book when it's published in December.

I almost forgot. I promised to answer a question last week.

Joan asked: Sounds like you've got a great plan going on. After these November revisions, will you be querying the project?

No. I have queried in the past. I have also pitched this manuscript to numerous editors and agents in person. I have had the manuscript requested and in every instance I have been told that “we love it, but it won’t fit.” The last time I had it requested I was very hopeful since I knew numerous writers in Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers had been published through this publisher. Imagine my distress when after two months I learned that they were no longer representing fantasy.

The fact is, that in today’s terrible economy, publishers are very limited in their funds. They are taking on less and less new writers. Unless you are writing a ‘hot’ topic like vampires, your chances are slim. So, encouraged by the success of numerous author friends, I am self publishing on kindle. I have read some blogs where established authors are no longer going through main stream publishers. They can control their work and make more money online. The publishing industry is changing my friends. I think this is good news for those of us who write. Still, we must maintain a professional quality. That is why I’ve hired an editor and why I paid for a professional book cover.

Thank you for your support.

Don’t forget to give your suggestions. Can you think of a name?

Mondays Theme: Writing

On Monday I talk about the writing craft. Some aspect that I am struggling with myself or something new I have learned or something I think would be a benefit to all my writer friends out there. I think learning about the craft of writing is beneficial to everyone regardless of their profession. Writing and writing well is a valued commodity. It is part of the way we communicate with one another.

If you have never heard of NaNoWrMo, then I am surprised. I think 90% of the bloggers I visit our participating. I am not. I am buried in edits. However, I am going to take advantage of the same type of goal setting as NaNoWrMo produces in our friends who are participating. My forum will be, GetThatEditDone Month.

True confession: In October I was very sick. First a sinus infection and before I was well I got strep throat. I still have a soar tongue, if you can believe that. I was literally in the fog mentally for three weeks. That meant, for three weeks I didn’t get any editing done. So starting today, I am focusing on my edits big time. I need to get this book done.

My editing is taking a two part course. Part one; scour my manuscript for ‘ly’ and ‘ing’ words and fix them if at all possible. I have currently completed 24 chapters. Part two; implement the suggestions that I receive back from my editor.

You will be able to see my progress on the side bar and I hope you will cheer me on.

Goal: My goal is to finish my edits in part 1 and then to finish the suggested edits in part 2 by the end of November 2010. So on Mondays in November, I will share the progress that I have completed and I will update the side bar as often as need be during the week. I have no idea if any of you will find this interesting, so to keep it less of an; I did this today blog post, I will ask you to tell me what you want to know about my WIP. (Work in progress). You may ask anything, I will answer it if I can.

It is a high fantasy.

So folks, what would you like to know?