My Book
For those of you who have followed my journey in writing my book, here is where it is at:
I started writing in 2006.
I completed the first manuscript in 2010. I gathered a focus group of 6 people who had read it. They gave invaluable feedback which I put to use. I edited and edited and edited and edited for hundreds of hours. Year after year as I found the time and mental energy. I was battling from 3 heart attacks and diabetes which sapped my strength so it was slow going. Since the quadruple bypass in 2019, I have gradually improved. Little by little I have been sleeping better and many nights I am able to stay in bed instead of needing to switch to the recliner.
This past summer, 2024, I finished my final editing and sent it off to a publisher. I was accepted, and now the real work begins! After a number of weeks, they sent back the manuscript with hundreds of small editing suggestions. Most of them have to do with whether to use a hyphen or a comma and so on. I have to check each of their suggestions as well as send a few of mine as I read this again. The edit version is sent back with each line identified. There are 7,610 lines total. 112,347 words. 281 pages in the present format. (The formatting comes later when the page size will be determined). I have just completed checking line 2,019 and am taking a break. I knew some of you might find the process of interest.
When I have completed checking everything, it will be sent back for those changes. Then, we work on the cover, front and back, and the sketches. I have a URI student that I want to have do the sketches for me. I will see if the publisher will fight me on that, but I suspect not. When all is done, it will then be formatted as an e-book as well. Then, last, as an audio book. That will also be a tedious task.
My feeling is that it may be ready for the market by March.
I will plan a time here at the school for a gathering to celebrate and will have some stories that are not in the book, as well as some that are. Look for that.