Updates

Whew! Getting unpacked from the trip is finally done, and I’m back to regular work. In this case, that means editing “Strangers Among Us” for Laksa Media. What an amazing array of beautiful stories. The anthology is invitation-only, and there were only about 1-3 stories we didn’t accept. A few needed a bit of work and a few were practically perfect as submitted. Will have first round edits done this weekend, and they we stop and take stock on Monday: ordering the stories, doing final line edits, and all the publishing stuff like blurbs, etc. Wonderful experience working with Lucas Law.

Second draft of the novel is done, and off to beta readers. Whew! Two weeks to do the back-and-forthing, so it is still rough, but hopefully all the logic inconsistencies have been addressed. They will let me know if there are still plot holes in 2 months. As well as all the other things that need fixing. Thanks, beta readers!

Got back from Europe to a flurry of activity. My paintings are now on display at the Calgary Stampede, and I was invited to Stir’Up, a reception for the artists, which was very classy! Now, I have 2 weeks to revise my novel before submitting it to my critique group. That’s 2 chapters a day, which is do-able. Except I am already behind.

“Strangers Among Us” has received 15 submissions so far and I have completed my edit notes on 5 of them. Hope to have a few more finished before I leave for home in a week.

Today, riding from Ft. William to Edinburgh, I dictated the last 5 scenes of the novel. It didn’t end just exactly the way I thought it was going to–nice surprise at the end. Once I transcribe these last 5 scenes, I can start on revision–and this novel will need lots because about 60% of it was dictated, so there are gaps in the story, changes in character backstory, place-holder names, etc. that I would normally have changed with ongoing revisions as I wrote, but are now still raw. I have a month to get it in shape for my beta readers.