Hello world!
Up to now, this blog has been a best kept secret. It appeared to be only read by me and my mate Rod Duncan (author of the 3 Leicester 'riot' novels; Backlash, Breakbeat and Burnout. All good bookshops - that's the last free advertising Rod matey!)
Today I had 14 hits from as far afield as India, Switzerland (home of the best Estonian girl band there is...), Phillipines, and 7 from the USA (not from my family either!). Hello guys, thanks for checking it out. Hope you enjoyed the ramblings and you really did make my day.
Oh yeah, you never know, one day I might have a book to tout!!!
I will post my synopsis in a week or so, the blurb one (ie what you get on the back of books) so if anyone drops by, they know what I'm up to!
wishing you all luck
Tension mounts
I have just submitted my complete manuscript to a publisher! On request as well!! They were surprised at the size of it. Also started the first hundred or so words of book 2. Funnily enough, they haven't relocated to a nice warm sandy beach yet...
More later, off to tenerife and will be taking my writing pad with me.
The Turn of the Wheel
Have just finished fine tuning my Manuscript, it is now ready I believe to go to the publishers. These were the people recommended to approach by the WBC and have asked to see it.
There's a few changes, I have tried to bring to life the start with more dialogue and there is a time when the bad men win. I also managed to write a patch to link the title , which is now the Turn of the Wheel.
95,000 words and 1.5 years of crafting. Here's hoping anyway.
My wife passed her driving test at the 5th attempt. She went to Bletchley for the first time, had only one lesson the night before and off you go.It's how I did it, I ignored driving for 6 months second time round, had 2 lessons 48 hours before and walked it.
Just goes to show, practice makes a nervous driver...
Onward...?
The publisher recommended wishes to see a copy of the manuscript.
It's a hell of a step on the journey and while it can't eb seen as the Holy Grail, is still on a path that may lead to it.
A quick tidy - there were one or two points made which i agreed with and I want to drop the use of the word winze, which I have been misusing! Then it's off and let's see what happens...
Encouraging news
I received a hefty package from the WBC today, my manuscript together with a letter.
It started positively;
'This is an interesting, moving novel, which I very much enjoyed reading. i think it is written at such a high standard that it should find a publisher...'
It does go on with many constructive points - it does point out that the market is not an easy one to reach and not suitable for all publishers, but it does go on to recommend some publishers to try.
This is wonderful! I say that with extreme understatement. Whilst not the end of the road, it is still a massive vote of confidence and re-energises me.
There are some interesting points made, developing the conflict more - the villain always loses, maybe he should win one. The refs to future events should be cut back - one to look at.
I have just got back into reworking the start. bringing in more action rather than telling the story and developing the female characters earlier, so there is a spot of work to do on the whole thing. I have been sitting back after the rejection letter, but was beginning to pick up the energy of the novel once more. this adds to the fuel and its full steam ahead to develope and resubmit.
Great news.
The cat story is coming on, but slowly. It is more charting of events involviong my cats, for my posterity. Written through the eyes of the cat, it's slow to write but fun also. I will be working on that, probably when I'm sunning myself in Tenerife on my hols. I don't see it as publishing work, so may add it to the blog as I go on.
