Celebration!


I’m celebrating tonight. For more than two weeks I’ve been like a bear with a sore head (yes, I did have a few of those too)!

By mid-Feb, I’d hit my target of over 140K words, but got stuck on a plot issue. It was dragging me down – my crossword performance was falling off, which is a sure sign of a problem. It wasn’t writer’s block – it was more like I’d been painting a floor and painted myself into a corner. Know what I mean? Anyway I managed to square the circle this evening (maybe the paint had dried a bit)? Blimey, how I do mix my metaphors!

I’ve spent my time working with the publisher about book cover designs and sorting out all the other minutae that goes with publishing. I’ve still got to get some agreement for a couple of quotes I’m including. The reference section is completed, the publisher has registered the ISBN for Gate of Tears and we’re lining up now for actually having publication by early May.

We’ve been working on the marketing plan – that’s a major load of work, but at least I know what I’ll be doing. I’ve also been working on my next book, with the plot shaping up in my head, at least.

The first draft edit is done. By the end of this week, I’m hoping to see galley proofs printed, and then I need to find some credible reviewers. Do you know anyone who might be interested? The micro-publisher I’m using hasn’t yet got heavyweight contacts, but we’re talking about Amazon reviewers.  Looks like we’ll have to revise the cover.

Right, where’s that wine?