Thursday, April 3, 2014

On the road to publishing....

First let me say that Paula, my editor at Astraea Press, is AWESOME.  I was afraid at first...wondering what sort of person I would be assigned, or rather, whose hands my baby would be placed into for dissection.  Paula took my manuscript, and me, by the hand and led us down the unfamiliar path.  There were times when I did want to cry...STOP!  When I didn't want to hear another word about POV (there will be a LOT more about my views on POV during blogs to come), and a time I just wanted to say, NO MORE!

I found I had to do some re-writing of scenes or conversations that I didn't want to do, but I had agreed to follow the contract, so I had to abide by it.  Warning....if you cannot turn loose of your manuscript and place it in someone else's hands and step back and let it go...then reconsider this whole publishing thing.  It will invariably happen to you... you will be asked to make changes you don't want or agree with.  If you can't be flexible, the road will be very rough for you. Publishers will also share the fact you are an author who is difficult with other publishers....YES, they do talk to each other.

In the end, I learned SO MUCH from Paula.  It has made me a better writer and that is always the goal... to improve with each book you write. I had an editor who cared not only about my book and my characters, but about me too. I was blessed!

Now, that book, Under Texas Blue Skies, has passed through the editor stage and is now in the Proofing stage.  I am certain there will be more lessons to come my way.  Bring them on!

Writing is my happy place....

Yes, it has been almost a month since I last blogged.  However, in my defense, a LOT has happened in my personal, non-writer life.  My husband's health issues went into high drive and to a critical stage. Thankfully, we can see a light at the end of the tunnel and it is a good one!  We must take it one day at a time, but we will do it.

As for my writing, I have made a discovery during all this medical crisis... it is my happy place to go to when I need to get away from people and things.  Sitting in a hospital waiting room, or a doctor's office, or even in a car waiting on a pharmacy order to be filled...you can write!  Some people think writers are an odd lot.  Perhaps we are... but I know writing keeps me sane in the most insane of moments in my life.

My prescription for you.... keep writing.