The Silverton Chronicles, Book 2
The already titled, not yet announced sequel to Guarded is in full swing. It’s about to go to the editor for content editing. That involves dissecting my chapters individually, plus looking at the book as a whole to check for voice, consistency, pace, etc.
Sadly, the editor doesn’t do the work for me. She provides reports and gives general suggestions which I may or may not approve. Implementing the changes is a time consuming endeavor.
Once I’m happy with the content, I will beef up the book. I’m not an observant person by nature, so the details you encounter in my books come from a dedicated revision where in just about every scene I must ask myself, where are we? What does the room or person look like? This could be something banal as adding a flower pot in the corner, or adding spice to the fight scenes by giving the characters props they might find in the room. And we’re not just talking about visual clues either. Smells, noises, tactile sensations need to be included for a full-surround experience.
At this point I will send the manuscript to my first beta reader. I’m referring to a beta reader in the traditional sense, i.e. someone who looks at my book with a writer’s eye. Call it a third opinion.
Once I have included their suggestions, I will do two more revisions to pretty up the language. In a first draft, I tend to use vocabulary that is readily available to me, for example “very, large, seems to, push, pull, etc.,” repeated words or clichés. Let me give you an example. If I push a character to the side, you get a general idea of what’s happening. But how much more 3D is it to shove the character, or just nudge her? I will also trim the prose. You deserve to get plenty of story for your buck, but you don’t want a flabby read with unnecessary words. Trust me.
Think we’re done? Yeah. Not quite. Next comes the copy editor. A copy editor tightens the language. Another set of eyes, certainly, but also a different vocabulary. I prefer certain words and often overuse them. Like a teenager who’s just discovered the word ‘whatever.’ A copy editor employs their whole vocabulary to add zest to the book.
Now it’s time for the other beta readers, actual readers who look at my book from their points of view. I have a small pool of lovely readers who ‘get’ my characters and me. Not just that, they’re also incredibly reliable. They are the ones who get first whack at the finished product, at swag and news. Most will simply say “yay” or “nay,” but a few might point out things they liked and things they didn’t.
We’re nearly there. Now that I’ve had some distance from the book, I’ll subject it to one last read, because fresh eyes might spot something I missed earlier, like minor inconsistencies or typos.
Finally, the book goes to the proofreader. Now, it is impossible to eliminate all mistakes, but at this point I have done all I can to ensure you receive a well edited product. If you do have comments or mistakes, please get in touch. I don’t bite, and most changes are a doddle.
Next comes the cover design. In reality I will have commissioned the cover months ago. I begin with a mock-up of an idea that works for me. My awesome cover designer will turn this into a fabulous book cover you’ll want to lick all over. Note that I don’t go for men’s naked chest as a matter of principle. I pick covers that reflect the theme running through the book. Guarded shows a confident woman in a standoff with a wolf. Both are ‘guarded.’ The skirt tells you it’s going to be sexy. Their stances indicate conflict. And there’s going to be werewolves. Book 2 will tie in both with its theme and share some elements of Book 1.
Now it’s time to get the book ready for you, dear readers. The hardcopy and paperback formatting will be done by my lovely formatters who also formatted Guarded. If you haven’t seen the print copies, you should. They’re gorgeous.
I do the formatting for Kindle and Nook/Kobo myself. Sadly, formatting a book sometimes introduces errors that aren’t always caught. I do my best to avoid them, but if you spot one, please let me know.
Finally, I upload the books to the various retailers, make it available for pre-order, and start promoting. Smart Heart Publishing, the outfit with which the books are released, helps with that. As part of my promotion you can expect to find Guarded (Book 1) at a discounted price. Book 2 most likely won’t be discounted for at least four months. I work hard to give you the best book I can, and it takes money to put out the next publication (editors and formatters and designers aren’t cheap). Promotions will also include a Facebook launch party and an extended blog tour.
Hopefully you will enjoy my book(s). If you do, I’d love a review. I read them all, good or bad. If you haven’t yet perused my books, you can find a sample chapter on my website. That way you know what you’re getting into.
That’s it. By now I will have started Book 3, and soon the process starts anew.
