Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Journey to publishing update #5

The proofread is going well. I'm approaching 100 pages done out of 224 and finding few errors, which makes me quite happy. How do I know when to actually quit manhandling the manuscript? During each edit, I develop a "feel" for how things are going. When I finished the last one, I knew I needed the proofread, even though I wanted it to be done. Turns out my gut reaction was correct, but now it's also telling me this is it.

I don't want to do a countdown publicly, and it’s a little risky posting these updates and saying that I plan to publish by the end of the month. This is because I’m the publisher, not some big house that has a lot of people doing different things in a book’s production.

Let me say again that I love writing and I especially love writing the Sgt. Dunn novels. I’m writing the kind of story I like to read. Having other people enjoy it is a rather remarkable feeling.

I’ve received emails from folks all over the world (which simply amazes me) and some tell me why the book had a special meaning to them. Out of respect for their privacy, I will never repeat their stories to the public, but many were simply very moving. It made me understand that while I started out writing a story, it became more than that because my readers felt a connection to the characters, and the time and place.

I am emotionally attached to some of the characters, Dunn, of course, and Saunders, and Pamela and when I write certain chapters I am ALL in. It’s always every writer’s hope that the reader feels emotions, too.

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