The Tenth Circle

Finished my first ever copy edits today!

And on a note that you guys might find interesting: The Editor on Twitter yesterday said that at least for first-person books, she prefers voice to trump proper grammar. (this in answer to me be-wailing how awkward true grammar sounds)

Good for you, Tas. It's a feeling of relief, with a feeling of having learned bunches in the process. I just got finished with chapters 11--16. I've never seen so much red in all my life. After it was over, my sister asked me why my eyes were swollen and red. I told her I'd been crying. In a good way, of course.

Who am I fooling" ACK.

Tri

Yay Tas, and I think Yay for Tri? You finished up to 16 right?

Well, I got a release date, but I didn't completely understand the email, as I continue to discover my total ignorance of this process. The books will be shipped from the warehouse August 11th, with a release date of September 1st. I'm not sure why I was told about the shipping date, but still-WooHoo! I'm glad it's September, because the original August date was going to conflict with kids' summer camps of all things.

I am especially Hearting my editor today -- she told me I could still add people to the dedication! Now how cool is that?!

But now I need to start thinking about...get ready...a reader's guide. Yes, my book will have a reader's guide. EEK!!!! HALP!!!!!!

Melia said:

Yay Tas, and I think Yay for Tri? You finished up to 16 right?

Well, I got a release date, but I didn't completely understand the email, as I continue to discover my total ignorance of this process. The books will be shipped from the warehouse August 11th, with a release date of September 1st. I'm not sure why I was told about the shipping date, but still-WooHoo! I'm glad it's September, because the original August date was going to conflict with kids' summer camps of all things.

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Yea, I'll start off next round on 16. Good news about your release date. I think it's just standard info about the shipping date, since authors are prone to ask about every little detail sometimes, so they often include it. What might be more important is when you go on pre-order, unless that's happening right now. But you should prepare for this by arranging some local interviews and articles, about your famous lil old self. You want to hit the ground running when you go on sale--in a support type of way.

Anyway, huge congrats on that milestone.

Tri

callalily61 said:

Lisa, the word-geek in me loves the fact that your book will have a reader's guide.

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Cool - you wanna help me write it?

callalily61 said:

Yay, Melia!


My editor worked on FoH over the weekend and sent back "nitpicks". *whew* But she said to be prepared for the production editor's comments. *prays*

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Do you think the production editor is the same thing as a copy editor?

Other Lisa said:

I am especially Hearting my editor today -- she told me I could still add people to the dedication! Now how cool is that?!

But now I need to start thinking about...get ready...a reader's guide. Yes, my book will have a reader's guide. EEK!!!! HALP!!!!!!

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Congrats! That means they're thinking the book club market will be big. I remember seeing a reader's guide in Life of Pi, and I'm sure there are other ones you can use as references.

The Agent called last night just to check in. We chatted about the copyedits, about my revised plan for Book 2 (yes, I know my deadline is August 1, I can make it easily. Rawr!)

He also mentioned discussing UK rights, and I thought you guys might find it interesting. He said that sometimes rights sell right away, and other times, they wait until there are several books out before they offer on it. Especially in the UF genre, where things are just exploding right now, sometimes they want to see how things do here in the US before they offer on it. He did say, however, that results seem to be just as good whether they bite immediately or hold off, so it's really just a matter of timing and not so much of money.

There were more emails about who to approach for blurbs yesterday, and I finally gave a list, but told my agent I didn't want to know who she and my editor decided on because it made me ill to think about it. She wrote back about how funny I was, but I wasn't trying to be funny! So, Tas and Otherlisa and anyone else out there, did you know who was reading before you got blurbs?

Melia said:

There were more emails about who to approach for blurbs yesterday, and I finally gave a list, but told my agent I didn't want to know who she and my editor decided on because it made me ill to think about it. She wrote back about how funny I was, but I wasn't trying to be funny! So, Tas and Otherlisa and anyone else out there, did you know who was reading before you got blurbs?

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I only found out about two of them, beforehand, and that was only through happenstance. One of them contacted me, and I saw another mention it on Twitter.

My thought on the first one was "OMG, someone I love is reading my stuff!" My thought on the second was, "OMG, I haven't read any of their books yet, hie thee to the library!"

Lessee...one of the authors was one I contacted, another was through my agent, and I knew the list that the publisher was considering (and after seeing said list, my response was, "If they hate it, please just don't tell me," because there are some pretty heavy hitters on it). So anyway, I had a rough idea, though not which ones they were going to approach for the pre-pre-pub stuff (the quotes that ended up on Amazon and on the back of the ARC). So, yes, apparently I'm "funny" too, because I know exactly how you feel, Melia!

Melia said:

There were more emails about who to approach for blurbs yesterday, and I finally gave a list, but told my agent I didn't want to know who she and my editor decided on because it made me ill to think about it. She wrote back about how funny I was, but I wasn't trying to be funny! So, Tas and Otherlisa and anyone else out there, did you know who was reading before you got blurbs?

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Melia said:

So, Tas and Otherlisa and anyone else out there, did you know who was reading before you got blurbs?

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My editor asked for my dream list, and two of the three authors I listed I'd had previous contact with (one is an AW member, another I knew from a group blog). I had no idea any of them had actually been asked or agreed to read it until the blurbs showed up. The fourth blurb was an absolute surprise, because she wasn't a name I'd ever dreamed of getting to read me.

In a way, I'm glad I didn't know who'd been asked. What if there are six other authors we agreed to read and hated it so much they didn't send a blurb?

Book two update: galleys are here and due next Thursday. I love seeing my words all formatted and stuff. And my agent wants an outline and three chapters for a third Dreg City book to send to my editor. We are expecting "news" on Monday. *squee*

I need some good news. December/January kicked my ass, and so far February isn't looking any better (stolen debit card = ).

*sprinkles Good News Fairy Dust on everyone in the thread*

Hello, circle X. Quite hopeful and sunny for a ring of hell - congrats all you published authors. And Kelly, book 2 is looking good!
*goes off to nom on 3D2D some more...*

ChaosTitan said:

Book two update: galleys are here and due next Thursday. I love seeing my words all formatted and stuff. And my agent wants an outline and three chapters for a third Dreg City book to send to my editor. We are expecting "news" on Monday. *squee*

I need some good news. December/January kicked my ass, and so far February isn't looking any better (stolen debit card = ).

*sprinkles Good News Fairy Dust on everyone in the thread*

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Can't wait to hear your news! I think becaue this is such a solitary professsion and we go so long between news bits for ourselves, that I really look forward to hearing what's going on with everyone else.

calla - I learned so much from my first round of copy edits. I made way fewer of those mistakes on the second book.

mario -

Melia - The possible news can be any number of things, because my editor has a new proposal in her possession. Loooooong weekend. Looooooooong.....

ChaosTitan said:

calla - I learned so much from my first round of copy edits.

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I was just thinking this myself! I'm trying so hard in my current WIP now to eliminate (or incorporate) some of the things, thinking it'll save me time in the long run.

Hi all!


Haven't been around much. Been trying to get the first fifty pages of my novel into shape for my agent before my revision notes arrive because once i get started with those, new WIP will be in suspended animation.

Just sent off my lawyer's comments on the first draft of my contract. Hoping we can wrap this up soon. My June 1 revised MS deadline is looming and I still don't have my revisions notes from my editor. Sigh...