PREPARING THE NEXT BOOK FOR PUBLICATION

For those of you that’ve been through this, “say no more, say no more,” to quote Monte Python, or at least paraphrase them. However, for those of you that have still not reached that point yet, this is mainly for you.

BEEN THERE, DONE THAT WITH BOOK ONE

Maybe you’ve published one book, maybe not. I’ve published two, so far, and each one has been a learning experience. Each time, a little more is brought to the table (and don’t even start shaming with the clichés. I’m going to use them if I feel like it. Save that criticism for my book editors).

Each book was the start of a different series, so of course, tweaks have ensued in the current (third) book for publication. It’s a return to the fantasy series, and the first sequel, as opposed to my adventure/thriller series which already has five sequels in the can, waiting for publication sometime in the future. Probably the next book published will be the first sequel to the adventure/thriller and I’ll keep switching off.

MELEENA’S ADVENTURES

I learned a few things from the publication of Treasure Of The Umbrunna, the first book in the Meleena’s Adventures series.

The majority of people that read it loved it.

I did not gain fans from those that didn’t, but that’s true with any writer. I don’t lose sleep over it. I got plenty of criticism for this and that. The rest? Well…I put it down to different tastes. Some of it was legit, which I’ve addressed.

People requested maps.

A few requested a glossary.

The cover needed work.

All of this summed up and converged into the work we did on the sequel, Gods Of The Blue Mountains.

GODS OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS

I wrote and read the entire manuscript of Gods to my writer’s group between 2014 and 2016. Treasure came out in 2015, amid that writing spell. We were working on my adventure/thriller Lusitania Gold after the publication of Treasure during which I finished Gods. Once Gold went live in 2017, we got going with the publication process for Gods.

The editing is now done and it’s been formatted. In keeping with the style of Treasure, upon the recommendation of my publisher, I went through and suggested graphics to head each chapter. In the meantime, based on requests from readers, I drew a semi-detailed map (badly, I might add!) and also added a progressive glossary.

The map and glossary are two new features I hope to continue with each subsequent book in the series. I think the glossary will become a natural part of the series and will continue to grow on the condition that readers will know of spoilers within it!

WHAT NOW?

If all goes well, both will continue to be permanent features of the Meleena series. I can tell you that researching and drawing that map wasn’t easy! Picturing it in my mind, but then going back and verifying directions from what I actually wrote in both Treasure, Gods, and the third book, which I’m currently working on, Across The Endless Sea was no easy task!

Aaagh!

I persevered, though, and got ‘er dun.

The “stick figure” drawing I made of the map was much improved by our artist in residence and I’m happy with it.

The third book, Sea, is a bit easier, as far as the map goes, because it takes place off the edge of the current world, so I have freedom to redraw it completely.

A few weeks ago, I received the first galley and proofed it. It included the map. Wow! It turned out great. However, during my proofing (which is on top of the other, regular proofer’s work), I found another flaw in the map, so the artist had to make a tweak. Good thing I caught it at this early stage!

During the proofing process, I found fifteen pages of minor tweaks which included mostly grammatical flaws, typos, but also a few glitches in wording that needed to be fixed due to logic conflicts. All very minor, but something that might jar a reader, and certainly jarred me!

Soon, it’ll be up to the public to decide.

Happy writing!