I spent two days this holiday weekend with my editor and finished the final draft of The Eternal Gateway: Requiem. The rest of the work is all up to me now. I have to format the book for Nook, Kindle as well as get it print ready for Lightning Source Direct. The only other bit left is a book cover.
It has been very interesting to go back and look at the first draft, to first edit, second edit and the final edit. It is so much better now than it was before. The only mistakes that we found in the final run through of the book were places that I had applied edits from before. Left out a word or had an extra space between words. I don't see any way to polish it anymore. The few real edits that we did were very very tiny subtle things. Like change one word in some dialog. The word "dirty" to "filthy" as well as changing "northern lights" to "auroras" because it was brought up that northern lights was too earth-term. I won't say why but it ended up being important. But only fans who end up reading all three books and go back to re-read them again will pick up on it. Even then they might not. Also my editors have chosen to remain in the dark about the overall story arc's. It will be neat to know their thoughts when its all finished. There is a lot of tricky dialog that took me a while to get correct and not have it stand out on the first read through the series. But once you know all the plot twists by the end of book 3, that dialog means something else totally. I am hoping people will like it.
So while I'm working on the formating bit, I plan to print out a couple of copies and let some trusted friends read them who have not had any part in its creation or edit. Think of it like a closed beta test before going live. I know they can be honest with me and tell me if it sucks, but I doubt it. Everyone so far has really liked it, and I hope to get a review out of them as well.
I spent a good deal of time outside this weekend and managed to get a nice sunburn on my nose and arms. My mother has mentioned several times that it must feel good to have simply gotten it written. When I think back, I can remember typing that last sentence. It was a little odd because I had not planned out how to have the end fight go. So on the second to last chapter, I stopped and wrote the last chapter, finished it and went back to finish the one before it. So when I finished chapter 29, it was a lot like finishing any of the other chapters. I do remember a delayed reaction though when I realized it was done. But the special feeling that my mom keeps bringing up hasn't happened yet. I think that moment will be when I finally get the book cover done and the final proof from Lightning Source is sitting in my hands.
It took 5 weeks to write the book and 4 weeks to get it edited. I hope to have it published in the next 2-3 weeks and end of June at the absolute latest. Attainable Goals!
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