Novel Manuscript Submitted… Now What?

I finally did it. I completed my revisions of The Warden of Everfeld: Memento and sent it off to my book designer for formatting.

I feel… anxious? I don’t know. I’m glad to have it done, and on deadline, but suddenly the reality of publishing this thing is washing over me.

I think I’ll settle in once my book designer sends back a sample of what he’s thinking for the interior design. Until then, I’d like to remain productive. Continue reading “Novel Manuscript Submitted… Now What?”

Manuscript: Alpha is a Go – and it has a title!

manuscriptWell, it is actually finished now, at least for the current moment. Manuscript: Alpha has been revised, printed, bound, and sent off to my four lovely, devoted, selfless alpha readers. 176,000 words, plus a glossary, and a crudely drawn map to guide their mental wanderings as they read. Continue reading “Manuscript: Alpha is a Go – and it has a title!”

Creativity Sessions: Cliffhangers as a Narrative Device

I enjoy cliffhangers in novels. As someone in the marketing profession, I also understand why they are often used at the ends of novels. I’ll be just finishing up the story when the author throws a curveball, making me go Oh shit, how can you leave me hanging like that?! And then Book 2 comes out and I buy it immediately, because obviously I have to see what happens. It’s good business.

But as a narrative device? I’m becoming more and more skeptical of the end-of-book cliffhanger. Continue reading “Creativity Sessions: Cliffhangers as a Narrative Device”

Almost Near the Near End: March Goals

February was pretty good for me. I’m about 100 pages from finishing Lionheart and have the makings of a draft review sitting in my dashboard. I realize that I did not meet either of those goals, but that’s mostly because I was focused on writing… and occasionally watching Justice League on Netflix. Continue reading “Almost Near the Near End: March Goals”