Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Reviews, revisions and ghosts

My revisions for QI arrived yesterday. And they are what revisions should be -- challenging but achievable. They are going to help make this book so much better. Ultimately it is about giving the reader the best possible read and making sure their experience with that book means that they can't wait to read the next one.
My editors have done a fantastic job of detailing what works and what does not work. Quality editing. It is now up to me to find the solutions -- basically increasing the underlying emotion and making the hero more Alpha, so that the focus is firmly on the couple.

Why is it that I feel far more satisfied with a long revision letter than a short one?

Red Roses for Authors has done a lovely review for Taken by the Viking. Anne thinks my Viking books are even better than my Romans. Personally I think that my writing is still growing...

Today is Halloween which means it is the day that various spirits were supposed to walk the earth. This area of Northumberland is replete with its tales of grey ladies, burning eyed dogs, and mysterious knocks at doors. One ruined castle is supposed to have hidden treasure which a lady in white will reveal if only she can get someone to follow her. The son of one of the owners did try one night, but was discovered hanging on by his fingernails over a pit, a quivering wreck the next morning. He never fully recovered...
The Haydon cemetery is a peaceful place most of the year, and my walk with the dogs normally takes me past it. But with the great avenue of overlapping yews, and its quiet situation, it is a place to be avoided this evening. Cruel Sykes burn which runs quite near it once ran red with Scots blood when a battle was fought here. Some say that you can hear the cries of the dying in the murmur of the yews on Halloween. I have no wish to put it to the test!

2 comments:

Kate Hardy said...

Ah, I love a good ghost story :o)

Enjoy your revisions - I know you love that bit of a book.

Unknown said...

Lovely post, Michelle. Up until now I was feeling a bit resigned about the whole Halloween thing, but now I'm much more in the mood. Thank you!