Got my page proofs to review from the designers. I knew this was a thing. I was expecting it, but apparently… still not. It really hit me with this that I will be publishing my book soon. And it is going to look like a real book! Seeing these pages formatted as they will be in print makes me giddy as hell. And a little hyperventilatey (yes, I know that isn’t a word). I’m going to go review pages. And take lots of deep breaths. This is happening!
Tag: Book Editing
Imperfections
I have officially completed all edits and proofreading corrections on my book. Now I’m just waiting for my cover designer to request my files and get started. I will announce a release date as soon as I have a more solid confirmation as to when this will be ready.
Hanging Out
I’ll be working on cake the next several days. BG decided that she really did want the pointe costume cake so I’m all in on working on it. It will be another ambitious project, but having done a costume cake twice now, I have some confidence that this will turn out pretty good. I don’t have to have this done until the first of next week, but BG has a shopping thing with a friend over the weekend and I need to get as much done before then as possible.
Today’s to do list:
Make up 2 batches of fondant
Make batch of royal icing
Use royal icing to make tiara (template already drawn and ready to go)
Work on more sequins pieces if I have time
Non-Cake To Do: Run through L’s proofread notes and make any changes. Since she said there really wasn’t much, I don’t think that is going to take a whole lot of time (fingers crossed). Get it ready and send off to Hubby for the final read through. ALMOST THERE!!
Beauty In The Details
The snow we got the other day was so perfect. It was crazy cold and the snow wasn’t heavy and wet, so what fell was full of perfect snow crystals. This is one of several crazy cool shots that show the intricacies of snowflakes. The shot itself isn’t perfect, but I adore that snowflake in the middle. I kind of kicked myself for taking time out of working on edits to take photos, but… worth it! And… I GOT MY EDITS DONE!
Crazy Teen Dating Drama Pt. 2 & Laziness
I am supposed to be working on my last big round of edits. I’ve managed to get the first half done and was just starting on the second half on Friday when I got a rather distressing text from BG saying that she needs to talk to me about something really important, that she is probably going to be in trouble and I’m most likely going to get a call from the school. This from the girl that is obsessiveness about following rules and doing the right thing. Both her and MC are straight A students and just NEVER get into any trouble. The most I’ve had to do is yell at them for pestering each other. To say I was stunned is a massive understatement.
*Sigh* Again, Muse?!
Between working on my edits and dealing with both myself and MC being sick, the last several days have been… fun. The whole not feeling great thing had me taking meds that wouldn’t let me sleep. As is so typical for me, my brain simply would NOT shut up in that situation. So, sitting there at 3 or 4 am wanting desperately to sleep, my crazy Muse pops her head up and points out that BG’s point costume this year (a romantic length for the first time ever instead of a stiff, flat tutu design) would make a stunning cake.
Back to Crazy
As has been the pattern since I started my book project, everything is hitting all at once again. I got my final round of edits back from my editor the night before a family outing to celebrate MC’s birthday (not on the actual day). I still have the actual day to work on, which means making a batch of Death By Chocolate, again, along with fixing a massive pile of chicken fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy. That pretty much wipes out any time I’d have to work on edits that day. I also have MC’s appointment to get stitches out and his post-surgery check up later in the week along with a couple of other appointments.
So, I’m over the moon excited about getting my edits back, but beyond frustrated that I’m going to have very little time to actually sit down and work on them this week. I WILL make time to work on them though because this pushes me really close to being ready to work on the cover design and being done. I’m so close!
I’m trying really hard to stay focused on those things and not the fact that this is birthday #17 for MC. When the hell did that happen?! Or the fact that I’ll be adding another year to my age only a week later. But hey! Great birthday present, though!
2018 Book Totals & A Look Back
I didn’t set any reading goals for 2018. Not really. If anything, I wanted to cut back on the amount of books I read because I wanted to make sure I did other things besides just read. Based on my total numbers for the year, I think I did just that.
Edits & Revisions Round 1 Done!
I just hit send on my first round of revisions back to my editor! Now I’m back in sit and wait mode for round 2.
Christmas Program Week
This weekend kicked off Christmas Program week for BG at dance, starting with ballet. It is crowded and sometimes not easy to see because of that, but I love these programs. They are smaller and more intimate than the huge end of year recital. This year was even more interesting as BG had her boyfriend show up which made her a bit of a nervous wreck. We spent nearly the entire program, BG and I, making eye contact and faces at each other. Me, mostly to help her relax and have fun. There were a couple of times where the expression on her face was priceless as she was trying so damn hard not to laugh. It was perfect and she was beautiful as always.
Don’t Wanna!
I apparently can’t get my head into my book today even though I KNOW I should be finishing up on my edits. Instead, I’m finding way too many distractions in music. Apparently I’m grooving instead of writing today. These are just a few in the current rotation.
Book Editing – Revisions Part 1.5
I just finished up the final edits from my editor for this round. I still have another full read through I need to do to make sure all my changes work and that I didn’t break anything. I’m still feeling a little iffy at the moment because this ended up being such a choppy, broken up process with some rather big time gaps between when I was able to sit down and work that I’m not sure it all works like I think it should. At one point, I started second guessing the way I was writing certain things (more of a stylistic thing than anything), even going so far as to change how I was doing it, only to realize I was being stupid and had to go back and fix it.
There were so many parts moved around, added and removed that I’m worried I missed something and broke something in the timeline (a huge peeve of mine is to have those kinds of things messed up even if it is a tiny little element). That is one of my biggest reasons for the additional read through, but I’m worried that I’ve looked at this so much that I’ll still miss something. It is a little frustrating because I was so incredibly conscious of this as I was writing originally, I KNOW I didn’t miss anything. Now, I’m just not sure. Hopefully my read through will make me feel better about it.
Hubby is on standby ready to do yet another read for me. Can I just say how crazy awesome he is that he is willing to do this for me even though he kinda hates to read? I’m even more grateful because he is most likely going to be the only one putting eyes on this besides me before it goes back to my editor this time since my other beta reader is in no position to be able to read again with her still unable to return to her home after the fires. It makes me nervous, but I have to work with what I have.
Once I do finish and Hubby has added his dime to the mix, it goes back for another round, so I’ve still got lots of work ahead, but I’m almost over this bump.
Furry Chair Thief & Revisions Update
The kids are FINALLY back to school today after an extended Thanksgiving break thanks to a couple of snow days. Yay, right? Nope. They still get out early because that is what was already scheduled. Don’t get me wrong. I love having my kids home. It was especially nice because Hubby worked from home as well. The problem is that Hubby worked from home as well.
Revisions, Illness, Worry And The Start Of The Holidays
It has been one hell of a week and it doesn’t look to be stopping soon.
Continue reading “Revisions, Illness, Worry And The Start Of The Holidays”
Hanging In There
My maple is hanging in there, still full of leaves and color, with the core still being pretty green. I’m expecting that to change rapidly over the next few days with the crazy cold heading our way. One of the things I love about this tree is the range of colors we get from it throughout the season. Bright, vivid reds, deeper burgundies, oranges, all set against the darker looking branches and the central green (at least for a chunk of the time until we hit complete color). Maples are one of my top favorites for that very reason.
I didn’t get a chance to work on my revisions yesterday, but I spent close to 9 hours working on Monday and only got through the first two chapters. I’m not even completely certain I’m done with those. It isn’t flowing like it did when I sat down the first time to write. Or even when I did my first round of my own edits before sending it off. I’m still hoping that changes some when I get a little deeper into it, but I’m not expecting it to be easy. I still have a lot of work ahead of me, but I’m slowly chipping away at it. Progress, that is what’s important.
Book Editing – Revisions Part 1
I had a nearly three hour call with my editor last week. It was majorly productive, but it left me at a point where I have a LOT of work ahead of me. I’m grateful because I know that this process will make this better when it is all said and done, but… it is still a lot. It’s a little ridiculous how not prepared for that I was. I KNOW on every level that this isn’t an easy process just from what I’ve read about it from authors I read, but it still came as a surprise just how much work I have left to do.
Aftermath
Today is insane. I had a nearly 3 hour call with my editor (notes on that to come). Now I have to deal with the aftermath of having a haunted garage for Halloween and still wanting to put the cars in after it is all over (and that is only a small portion of what I still have to pack up). Having spent 2 days going in and out, then up and down on a ladder, my body is trying to revolt, but I still have to get everything packed up. So… I’m off to get busy. Then crash.
Book Editing – Round One
I am almost always an emotional person first. My initial reactions to things come from an emotional point rather than a logical one. I am also very logical, but that isn’t usually the basis for my reactions unless whatever situation is in play isn’t an emotional one for me. So, having my initial reaction to the first round of feedback I got from my editor be very emotional should have been expected. It still kinda wasn’t and, for a little bit, I felt a wave of not so great things.
Digging In
Now that the bake sale is behind me, I can sit down and focus on what my editor sent. I’ll be heads down working on that for the next few days. Fingers crossed it isn’t too ugly.
More Chaos? Sure, Why Not?
And again, everything seems to be hitting at once. At least this time it is all good stuff. Mostly. Hubby’s annual bake sale at work is coming up so I am starting on all the baking for that today. I don’t think I’m doing anything new this time, but I’ll be sure to repost any recipes.
Picking Pumpkins
We went over the weekend to get our pumpkins. It was kind of a perfect day for it. Even though the kids are in their teens, they both still love doing this, which makes me incredibly happy. Hell, I’m in my 40’s and I STILL love doing this. Sadly, I have zero clue what I’m carving this year.
It is going to be an insane next couple of weeks as Hubby’s annual bake sale is coming up, so I’ll be baking for that. The kids have things going on. I have a B-Day dinner to fix and then we have to carve those pumpkins followed by Halloween. Oh, and those edits are supposed to show up at any time. So, yeah, bring on the crazy times!
TJ Fox: Sharing the Experience 