Tammy Seley Elliott's Blog

 “Edit” is simply not a strong enough word to describe the degree of scrutiny, nor the number of times the extreme scrutiny needs to take place when it comes to preparing a novel for publication.  Let’s put it this way…let’s say your knee hurts.  You can 1) take Motrin, or 2) have a total knee replacement followed by a bunch of physical therapy.  Or you have a face full of unwanted wrinkles; you can 1) use Oil of Olay and a lot of positive thinking, or 2) have a complete facelift akin to ironing those wrinkles out.  And of course both of those examples have a broad range of options in between. 

On my literary version of the knee pain/wrinkled face things, I chose a treatment range “in between” to tend my need, the editing of The Unlikely Savior.  I had a large novel, and even after reading through a couple of times myself, I figured another set of eyes would be good (smugly believing my friend and confidant would only find few mechanical errors – after all, I used spell check!).  I swallowed my pride when she found lots of errors.  Then I gave it to my Mom to read, mostly to see how she liked it.  She gently pointed out a few problems.

I had to acknowledge the fact that my research had indeed revealed that as an independent/self-published author you can cut out a lot of expenses, but professional editing should not be one of those cuts.  After checking the cost of editing and patting myself on the back for being a better than average writer, I decided I could be the exception to that rule.  But still, when my cousin, a one-time editor, offered to take a look at my book for free (although I insisted a steak dinner should be the minimum fee), I took her up on it.  And she also found plenty of grammatical and spelling, as well as content errors.  How could this be!?  But I gratefully incorporated her edits and published that book.

 Now I know I’ve told a few of these stories in previous blogs as it was happening, but in light of recent developments, it bears re-mentioning.  Good and kind readers of the novel, some whom I knew, others, not so much (although we are now friends), gave me marvelous feedback about the novel, plot and characters, then slipped in the offer to inform me of a few errors they’d found in the text.  Really?!

So…fast forward to several months later after multiple re-publishings to fix new-found problems (that’s the beauty of being self-published in the digital age) and starting the next novel, I see that my reviews are very good and my book marketer has great plans.  I decide it’s time to get real about this.  I’m writing a sequel and if my marketer is any good, its publication will prompt more purchases of the first book.  Besides, there are several million – OK–billion, people who have not read The Unlikely Savior.  That means there are that many people who can still get a perfect product when they purchase the book.  The product everyone should have gotten in the first place.

So, I did it…I won’t tell you how much it costs to have a book professionally edited, but suffice to say, in my case, it’s more than I’ve made in total sales.  What’s the first thing the representative tells me when he hears my sad story?  “Don’t be so hard on yourself, did you know that even in the big publishing houses, they require 8-11 rounds of complete professional editing?”

No.  I did not know that.  Would have been very nice to know that months ago – it may have prevented the repeated self-flagellation.  But more importantly, I might have been more patient and delayed publishing the first – or subsequent times, till not only multiple edits, but a final paid, scrub was complete.  Not because I’m Monkishly OCD and need it to be perfect – but because people (some of you) paid for it and it should have been ready.  And because my name is on it.  OK, and also because just a little bit of Monk’s blood runs in my veins.

So, I got the book back after six weeks with a big, reputable company and received fabulous feedback on the general condition of the novel (although I’m certain they made several hundred “minor technical edits”) along with even better feedback about my writing and the story itself.  Yes, along with their final disclaimer to be aware that all novels need multiple editings, professional and otherwise, and even their finished product might have lingering flaws.  What?!  Alas, I was thrilled with their performance, however, and will use them for all future novels, after I have gone through the rigorous process I used before.

So, as I review their review – and sure enough, I’m catching a few things that could stand tweaking, it also prepares me to fully immerse myself in Part II; good idea since I finished writing Part I a year ago and it’s been almost as long since I read it.

In another body-book comparison, let me say that I always told doctors that if the term “voluntary” precedes the word “surgery,” I will opt out.  But in light of recent novel ailments, I’ve adapted a new philosophy.  I still will not go under the knife with my body, if given a choice, but all of my future novels shall.  They will receive the full knee replacement, the physical therapy and/or the total ironing, and I will sit patiently in the waiting room, even at the expense of delaying publication.  Patience is not my strong suit, but I swear, I’ll do it!

What I’ve learned for you?  If you write the perfect book and are ready to publish it…have your friend read it, have your mother read it, have a book club read it…have me read it, have the mailman read it.  Then find get out your checkbook for the real surgery…a professional editor.  And…read it again! 

Thank you to those of you interested enough to ask that question.  Or other questions, like,

“Haven’t seen a blog entry lately…everything all right?”

“Why are you reading books…shouldn’t you be writing books?!”

“I never did understand how you had time to write the first one.  How could you have time to do another anyway?”

Let’s see…in order, the answers are:

The book is coming along fine, it’s the author that needed tuned up!

I am absolutely fine…the blog was off on a short vacation with the beginnings of the second novel; I’m certain they had a hell of a time in the land of no guilt – all they have to do is reflect my effort and or enjoy the downtime when I’ve checked out!

I read because I love to read and it makes me a better writer, but also because it’s a great means of procrastination!

I have just as much time now as I did then…and the truth is, I don’t have any less time than anyone else on earth, some people just use it better!

I could give all kinds of excuses, like I needed to focus on the marketing and better editing of the Unlikely Savior (sounds impressive, but I finally hired out for both of those processes…). Or, the holidays were just so distracting (I guess everyone else out there with real jobs just quit working during the holidays too, right? Not!).  Or how about writers block?!  I hear it happens to everyone (except me, so far – and you actually have to sit down and do it to determine if it’s “blocked;” sat down this week, and guess what? No block!).

Bottom line?  I just didn’t blog and didn’t write.  Still love to write.  Still felt that “thing” inside that I’ve identified as my story screaming to get out; sometimes it caused more anxiety than the less subtle guilt I felt for putting it off.  And I’m very familiar with that guilt because I am a lifelong procrastinator.

Part of almost believed I stalled and didn’t produce, because I could make that choice; I could make it and not have to really answer to anyone.  Call it a mid-life rebellion or maybe a nose-thumbing to my thirty years of joyful military regimen.   With this career, I only have to answer to me and maybe I was kind of getting off on that.  But even though that explanation helps me feel kind of cool and self-aware, I know it’s hogwash.  I was procrastinating (see a theme here?).  Besides, I do, indeed, have to answer to someone else – like those folks who really enjoyed the first book (God bless you!) and genuinely want more.

I have no idea why we procrastinate, particularly when it comes to things we love and things that love us back.  It’s like having the best friends in the world and totally ignoring them.  I’ve been shamefully guilty of that too.

I realize I sound like I need therapy…probably true.  But since I like being motivated by quotes more than therapists and Googling quotes is much cheaper than therapy, I looked and found my motivation…short but profound.

For writing:

“If you don’t write when you don’t have time for it, you won’t write when you do have time for it.”

― Katerina Stoykova Klemer

Got it, Kat!  Well said, and I wish I could make profound points as succinctly as you.  I shall write, time notwithstanding.

For time management:

“The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.” -”

― Michael Altshuler

Thank you Mike!  I am my pilot…and on this week I created my flying schedule and have been on course for three whole days now and I feel better than I’ve felt in months!

So, strap on your indulgence – spamming regarding my novel-writing via this blog, Facebook and, God Forbid, Twitter, shall commence.

Thank you for those of you who were caring enough to ask; it was about time I became caring enough to answer.

Dickens: The guy that did “write” right!

If you can tell stories, create characters, devise incidents, and have sincerity and passion, it doesn’t matter a damn how you write.  – Somerset Maugham

So true.  Until today, I had no idea who Somerset Maugham was…and now I wish I’d known him; his books are now on my “want to read list.”  A little stumped for a blog subject (shocking for someone that is usually all worded up with nowhere to go), I did what any self-respecting person would do and turned to Google — “Quotes about Writing,” to be specific.  Maugham’s words not only stood out, but spoke to me.

If you aren’t familiar with Somerset Maugham, he was a British playwright who also wrote novels and short stories (thank you Wikipedia!). He was very popular, in fact, was reportedly the best paid author in the 1930s.  What amazes me about his quote is not only the truth it speaks, but that he spoke it almost a century ago.  The world can – and does – change at terrifying speed; everything around us has become so technology-dependent, materialistic and, frankly, scary.  But people haven’t changed that much, nor has the love of a great story, awesome characters…things we can relate to and believe.  The medium may have changed since Maugham wrote these words…movies have largely replaced books and real paper, bound books are rapidly becoming a thing of the past.  But the story, the people, what they say and do and what it means to us?  Well that hasn’t changed much at all.  We all love being swept away.

Even in a disappointingly superficial world, when it comes to the written word, our radars are still pretty well tuned, don’t you think?  As Maugham points out, how one writes isn’t as important as their sincerity and passion.  There are extraordinarily literate folks out there who can pump out thousands of pages (and do, every day – just look at the glut of blogs – and I make that analogy with a pained expression), yet say nothing.  Or what they say simply doesn’t ring true.  Or you just can’t feel it.  A true communicator who believes in what he or she says, breathes their characters’ breath and is fuelled by passion and inspiration (as opposed to ego and caffeine), creates a product that will touch his or her audience in a way like no other. 

I have to go there…have to build a quick and easy bridge from Maugham to the amazing Charles Dickens.  If anyone wrote with the tenants referenced in the above quote, it was Dickens.  Ironically, I was writing my own stories before I ever read any of his books, but once I started barely over a year ago, I was hooked.   There have been thousands of authors before and after him who are nothing short of amazing…but Dickens nailed it every time, and it just doesn’t matter that he was born over two hundred years ago and wrote with a quill under candlelight; you read his work and relate immediately.  Why?  Because he could tell stories, create characters, devise incidents, and had sincerity and passion!  He was a known social critic and it comes through loud and clear in his work – but not through preaching or over-the-top insinuations, but woven into the fabric of his characters…he showed his story in addition to telling it.  When you turn the pages, you are there…the story will consume you, you walk amidst the characters …and, very importantly, you feel the fact that human nature hasn’t changed so much after all.

I read a book this past week that was so painful that it was a labor to simply finish it.  I finished only because the subject was compelling to me and I wanted to learn all I could.  But once I read this quote today, I realized that nearly every element was missing in my most recent read…all that touched me was the obvious research that went into the book; facts and fair speculations.  While those things were impressive enough to keep me reading, when I closed the book I felt so hungry for substance (and in my humble opinion, there are thousand other feelings you should have after reading, but hungry is not one of them unless the book was so good you forgot to eat!), so desperate for anything substantial that I immediately set about to fill the void.  I ran to Dickens and I am barely into Great Expectations, but I am so, so satisfied.  Already.

So if you long for good reads but aren’t sure what to look for, maybe a short checklist that looks a lot like Maugham’s quote would help.  Read reviews, ask friends and check the story and author out.  If nothing else, just hold your nose and jump in–start a new book.  But the story doesn’t reach out and grab you, or at least lead you by the hand…if you don’t feel the characters are utterly real even though you know it’s fiction…if “stuff” isn’t happening either in the pages or in your mind…then you probably don’t even have to worry about those last two items (you know – sincerity and passion).  Because it takes all those elements together to make it worth your very valuable time.  Put that thing down and find another book!

Let me know if you want a suggestion…

Even while I still worked away on my first novel, the comments and questions began…

“I’ve always wanted to write a book…but I just don’t know how to get started…”

“I have so many ideas for stories…how do you actually do it?”

“I really want to write a book and I have great ideas, but I can never find time…
                “How did you do it?”

 “Just tell me how to get going and I’ll do it!”

Here it is…ready?  Drumroll please…

The magic formula for writing a novel is, Step One, start.  That sounds so very simple, but I guarantee it’s the biggest stumbling block that stands between wannabes and those that succeed. Just do it!  There’s more to that little phrase than the Nike commercial, but there’s a reason their million dollar advertising executives chose it – it’s short, to the point and nothing says it better. The second step is, finish it!

Key to that first step is, of course, it is fairly crucial that you have an idea (duh!) – and a game plan. But then, you wouldn’t start many trips without a destination and you won’t start your book without a story, at least one would hope.   If you think you can start without an idea, you might want to hang onto your day job!  Some authors develop and advocate detailed outlines prior to starting while some just use basic ideas – even words laid out like maps.  There isn’t a right answer because we all process differently and think in our own way.  I assure you, you don’t want to know what goes on between my ears – but even for me, the challenges of organizing were secondary to the biggest challenge of all: starting.  And once I started…it took off like wild fire.

 Interestingly, I began writing with just an idea then planned later when the need arose for more specific direction.  I did not do a detailed outline – but I did buy a medium sized dry erase board which helped me shape the direction of the story as it formed.  I ended up buying a bigger one and eventually my office looked like a command center with these boards all over with what surely looked like word-schematics to anyone else…but it helped me tremendously as I went along.  But again…this method and any other would have been moot had I not done the most important thing: start.  I just did it.  And the rest came.

I can hear it already….

“Yeah…of course you can just do it, Tammy…you’re retired and have time!”

Granted, I never found that time when I was on active duty, although I can now argue that I could have if I tried.  I may be “retired” from the military but I didn’t retire from life!  I care for my mom full time, take care of two households, work out religiously and actually have friends and family and stuff.  Time seems to evaporate just as quickly as it did when I had to go somewhere else to spend it each day.

So, how do you find time?  You have to make time, kind of like working out (or having kids); the time to do it and do it right won’t magically appear, you have to decide on a priority then make it one.  Sadly, it may have to replace something you love to do, like watching Duck Dynasty, playing Candy Crush Saga (I still don’t really have a clue on that one), or sleeping.  No kidding – sometimes sleep is the only thing you have left to sacrifice and if something is that important to you, you’ll stay up later or get up earlier.  Make a schedule and honor it as if your life depended on it.  I’ve invested in gallons of midnight oil over the years and suspect there’s more coming.  You make time or you don’t do it.  That’s not harsh, it’s just reality.

Many, many, many extraordinarily talented and well-meaning people “get” that first step and have actually tackled it with one great running leap or attempted with multiple jumps – but never get there.  And while their efforts are admirable, in some cases with genius initial results, their problem is the omission of Step Two: Finish!

Before typing the first word of my novel, I read an article by an author and writing teacher named Raymond Obstfeld.  It was extremely helpful to me about how to make my way through writing a book – but his main point and one I took deeply to heart was the fact that the book is not a book if you don’t finish.  He eloquently pointed out that he has had some extraordinarily gifted students and some that were just satisfactory…and that their abilities had way less to do with their success as published authors than a more critical factor.  He said the difference between who became published and who did not often boiled down to something more basic than talent: the prize went to he/she who finished.   

At about the same time I read Raymond Obstfeld’s wise words, I found a great idea from yet another successful writer – I wish I could remember who it was because I adopted his own act of keeping himself moving.  Like him, I made a sign, framed it and placed on my wall over my desk – and the sign says, “You must write.  You must finish what you write.”  Some days it’s the one thing that gets me in front of the computer.

Obviously I haven’t maximized the use of this magic formula or I would have already completed my second novel.  How do I know that?  Because when I do use the formula – just do it, make the time and focus…I finish.  There is no trick to the equation, like math, it just works whether you understand it or not.

So.  What are you waiting for?

Get your coffee…this is a longer than average blog—need to make up for a few missed entries!

What does that title mean? The name would be my “writer’s” name and the cover would be for my novel, The Unlikely Savior.  The “Innocent” should probably be “Ignorant”… which best describes me as a fledgling independent author marketing (or attempting to market) her book.  But, alas!  Innocent/ignorant no more, as I now have a marketer– at least for short term, and the man has educated me with a fire hose on the ins and outs of marketing!  David Lieder is his name, getting me straight to market this and future novels is his game and it’s one he takes very seriously.

Changing my writer’s name from “T.S. Seley Elliott” was not a hard sell.  Although I have no ill feelings toward the far more famous, accomplished and proven writer, TS Eliot, I, at no time, intended to ride on his coattails with a similar name.  Not only would that be pathetic, but I’m certain it would be ineffective.  After all, what self-respecting reader would run across my name, responding with, “Say!  That new author has a name just like T.S. Eliot…I’ll give ‘er a try!”  That would be like a chocolate-lover assuming if chocolate covered something vile (like, maybe, slugs?) it would automatically be delicious; flawed logic at best. 

I also have to add that after only a few months of the novel being “out there,” I was threatening to take the gas pipe if one more (albeit well meaning) person noted the similarities between my name and that of the late, great writer.  My marketing man cut right the real problem with the name issue – it’s all about media, and literally, all about the acronym or term that rules the world of all marketing ventures: SEO – search engine optimization.  It simply boils down to where your name or product rates and how unique it is when plugged into the web.  As David eloquently, but directly, put it me, “Well, if you surf T.S. Seley Elliott…there will be infinite hits on that other guy.” 

OK, I got that.  Then he went on to let me know how completely ineffective a plain ol’ name like Tammy Elliott would fare in the SEO world…who knew how many of us there were? (And frankly, who would care unless you’re me, trying to sell a book!?).  Go ahead…try it.  Google “Tammy Elliott”…as long as you have twelve and a half weeks to scroll through the hits…none of which, consequently, are related me.

Ah…but Tammy Seley Elliott…that’s a rare name, one we can use.

Try it… I dare you.  Google “Tammy Seley Elliott” and you will get a few hits, but they are all yours truly!    An SEO dream.  Done deal.  On the new cover of my book and all subsequent novels shall be the name Tammy Seley Elliott.  Ta Dahhh!  David earned his money there.

The cover, however, was a slightly harder sell.  If you know me or have read previous blogs, you’ll know that the first cover bore a childhood image of my late sister, Rhonda.  It was perfect when I needed a cover… I honestly think she nudged me to use her image when I most needed an idea.  The decision was emotional, yes…and it was a great honor to her and a thrill the family.  All noble considerations. And they were considerations of no interest whatsoever to a marketer. 

I give David credit for being gentle on this subject once he understood the significance of the picture I had used on my cover.  But, I didn’t pay him to tell me what I want to hear or to crawl into my psyche, adopt my emotions and try to make them a marketer’s dream.  I paid him to compensate for my innocence (ignorance!) and give me the benefit of his knowledge.  And he did.  While he agreed he could have his artist work with the photo, its presence on the cover was “what we call a spoiler in the industry,” he said.  For those of you who have read the book, it’s obvious why a child’s photo could be deemed as such.

“Well.  Yes.” I said.  Still holding out.

Then he explained the importance of a cover in the world of e-books, or any books…folks see an image at a glance, at best, and it must grab them. It must enhance their curiosity.  It must be clear and prominent.  And, very importantly, it must appeal to one’s target audience.  My target audience is the Human Race (a fairly lofty goal), and in all honesty…the sweet image of my sister’s young face will appeal to very few prospective readers.  Many gentlemen acquaintances who read the book only because I wrote it (groovy, enough, right?) or because it was recommended to them told me outright that, although they enjoyed it and rated it highly, they never would have picked it out of a pile based on the cover. 

“Well, David,” I said after assessing his words and remembering my forthright guy-acquaintances’ comments, “You have good points there.”  Damn the fellow, doing his job so well! 

Thus, the project was handed over to his cover artist and while I got to choose the predominant image which best depicted my story, the artist finished the job.  You and every potential reader out there will be the ultimate judge, but I must say – I wouldn’t pass this new cover if I saw it on Amazon, or God forbid, eventually on a book store shelf.  It does a much better job of representing the entire story, it will appeal to broader range of folks, and it just may compete better with them big ol’ publishing houses than my first sentimental choice.  And I’m quite sure my dear sister would be OK with it all…she never was a grand stander or big on spot light time – but was always the one who was a solid support, there when you needed her.  And she still is.  Thank you, Rhonda, and I’m proud your face graced the first edition of my first novel!

And the final update is based on the feedback of my readers and advice from my new Yoda of Marketing. 

I’ve said repeatedly, “No, there won’t be a sequel…or at least not soon,”

I meant it, or at least I thought I did. But some well-meaning readers became quite defiant about the subject.

 “What? You can’t end a book like that, especially a book that size, and not offer more!”

  But I thought I could.  Until David pointed out, more than once, that particularly for new writers, sequels and series just do better.  And I had to admit, I had read this in many sources as I researched self-publication; I simply hadn’t applied it to myself.  Besides, I had already started my second unrelated novel, Billet Doux from a Dead Prisoner.  So I figured it was a done deal.

Until, that is, I was walking the dogs last month and my brain did what my brain does as a writer…had kind of an unexpected spontaneous combustion, explosion thing, out of the blue.  And once it blows, it pretty much creates an opening for stacks and piles of ideas just waiting to be freed (kind of like when you open that hallway closet – if you have one of those, you know what I mean).  This particular door was the one that had blocked the connection between The Unlikely Savior and Billet Doux from a Dead Prisoner.  And a second door subsequently gave in…making room for a third novel, to boot.

And there I was, a dog leash in each hand, realizing The Unlikely Savior…with its new cover and revamped author name, would be a trilogy.

Check out my website or Facebook author page (links are to your right!) to see the new cover…it will go into effect on the actual book very soon.  And stand by for Part II to The Unlikely Savior Trilogy! 

TS Seley Elliott, The Unlikely Savior, Contemporary Fiction

via TS Seley Elliott – The Independent Author Network.

             After the newness wears off, most of us face the fact that although our children are not perfect and often not particularly beautiful, but we never quite lose that thing that blinds us to aspects about our own kids for which we’d be less forgiving in the offspring of others.  Sometimes it is denial, sometimes it’s hope for things to be different…and sometimes I believe we simply don’t see the flaws; after all, we made them, we’ve labored over them.  We love them.

                In my humble opinion, being a serious writer is not so different from being a committed parent, particularly when it comes to seeing the true state of the end product.  Clearly, the creation process is radically different between creating a person and novel (that would have to be a subject for a rated-blog),  but, the labor, the love and certainly – for the purposes of this blog, the blindness of end product flaws, are quite similar.

                As our kids grew up, we would reel them in here and there, sometimes very strictly, sometimes trying the kinder, gentler approach…after all, who really knows what they’re doing in this parenting business?  Writing, at least that first book, is no different.  While writing The Unlikely Savior, I frequently went back before going forward, not just to ensure flow, but to edit as I went.  I wasn’t too concerned about mistakes during the writing process…just like you aren’t as worried about your kids getting a little dirty when they play or their bedrooms being trashed.  I believe it’s called picking battles.  Unlike parenting where your grown children cast from the nest are truly on their own, you have a fantastic opportunity as a writer to completely edit the end result of your novel.  You can correct mistakes, change directions and even rewrite, if necessary. 

                Once the last word was typed, I literally read it, beginning to end – all 166,000 plus words, editing to my heart’s content.  Particularly with the advent of spell check, once finished, I thought it was as good as it would get.  I sent it to my best friend to edit content, I trusted her…I had even trusted her with my children.  And of the few people who would tell me the ugly truth about anything…Mary Waddell would be the one.  Gently, of course, and she’d do it if she thought I needed to hear it.  Guess what?  My baby wasn’t necessarily ugly– it was less than perfect and she wasted no time in letting me know what I needed to do before throwing it out of the nest.  I did it all; but I didn’t read it again to makes sure it all worked.

                Like a proud parent, I thought it was perfect, or close, anyway–I’m talking about mechanics, not the quality of the story – only you, the reader, would determine that.  So I printed the entire book out and my elderly mother read it.  Mind you, although she suffers from Parkinson’s Disease and reading is a challenge, she loves to read.  When she experienced some confusion regarding certain elements of the story, I leapt in to gently explain what she must not have understood; Parkinson’s can be so insidious.  Imagine my surprise when, as I looked at the areas of her confusion and discovered I was equally confused.  Part of my major editing effort, per Mary’s guidance, had been changing of key characters’ names…I used the “find and replace” method on Microsoft office.  Suffice to say, there are certain technical aspects of using such a blanket method which are not at all 100% reliable.  The result was a very confusing situation when characters’ names were not consistent – oh no!! My “baby” was not only ugly, but appeared to have a personality disorder!  I rolled up my sleeves and gave it therapy.  And…apologized profusely to my poor mother.

                My novel, my child, and become so unpredictable and although I still loved it, still maintained accountability, I was losing confidence in my ability to see past the story.  Kind of like with my kids… I love them and will always feel responsible for them – but love is just blind.

                At that moment, my cousin Linda, suddenly and from afar, let me know she has professional editing skills; a miracle intervention!  I sent the manuscript to her lock stock and barrel, thinking she might find one or two grammatical errors, certainly no misspellings and I was very grateful for even that.

             Oh my.

             If she’d edited a paper copy instead of an electronic document and had used a red pen…well, it would have looked as if she’d hemorrhaged all over it.  But I accepted, once again, that my baby might be a little, well…unattractive, and this time, I performed major plastic surgery.  I have utter faith in Linda, to have caught it all, but I have less faith in myself to have fixed everything she found.  Kind of like when a relative wants to discipline your child and you want them just to see them for what they really are…perfect; so you don’t crack down like you should.

                The good news was, of course, that all of my editors enjoyed the story of The Unlikely Savior, it was its looks they took issue with.  I told myself that would be like having a kid with a great character but a few physical flaws…better than the other way around, right? 

                At last, I published my “perfect” product.  Even after editing, re-editing and re-editing and each time being shocked something could have “slid through,” I was naïve enough to be certain it was, at last, flawless.  It had to be.

                The first kind message came via Facebook, gently letting me in on a few typos or words that were spelled correctly, just not in the right place, you know – like “hears” instead of “ears” (we’re talking about Betsy, the three-legged dog, of course).  Spell check didn’t catch it and neither had I.  The next, very kind, well-meaning tip came by e-mail.  This kind soul had found the same errors as the last…and few more.  I thanked them both and introduced myself to the post-publication editing process and made the corrections (the beauty of self-publishing in the digital age).  It wouldn’t do a thing for the books that had gone out, already purchased, but those ten or so corrections were cast in stone for all future readers.   Finally, just before I started looking into serious marketing efforts, I felt pretty good about having that perfect child ready for the world. 

                This week, my husband read the book.  Like my previous editors and the many readers so far, he loved it.  (Yay!) Loved the story and the story telling….this from a guy that hates to read and hadn’t read a book in years.  That moment of glory was one in and of itself, the fact that he agreed with the great reviews so far was very validating.

                That was until a couple of days into it when I heard from across the house,

                “Honey?  I think I found a mistake…”

                Like taking a another call from the school principal, I was that parent again. 

                My advice to future writers?  Just assume that the editing process will be harder and more painful and longer lasting than writing the novel!  Like parenting…making it is easy and even fun (yes, I said that).  The real challenge is in the honing, the guiding, the sweat and sleepless nights of getting it ready to go out into the world.  Is it worth it?  Obviously I believe it is as I work on the next book…and look forward to many grandchildren.

“A book is made from a tree. It is an assemblage of flat, flexible parts (still called “leaves”) imprinted with dark pigmented squiggles. One glance at it and you hear the voice of another person, perhaps someone dead for thousands of years. Across the millennia, the author is speaking, clearly and silently, inside your head, directly to you. Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions, binding together people, citizens of distant epochs, who never knew one another. Books break the shackles of time ― proof that humans can work magic.” – Carl Sagan

Dia Blake, a friend…actually, a “fan”-turned-friend, posted this quote by Carl Sagan on my Facebook page this week.  Mr. Sagan was brilliant American – an astronomer, astrophysicist, cosmologist, author and predominantly a scientist, of course.  But, based on this quote, he was a scientist who also believed in things created outside of a lab, outside of the black and white fences which often border scientific thought.  In this quote, specifically, he supports his belief that we mere humans can, with thoughts and words, create magic.

In The Unlikely Savior, during at least one character discussion, the concept of the entire universe operating on one continuum is mentioned.  In certain areas of quantum physics, it has been suggested that the human psyche truly does not know the difference between what’s real and what is in one’s mind when registering a physical or emotional reaction–and that when we go somewhere in our mind – conscious or otherwise, we are as good as there and can gain the same benefit.  Some even believe the continuum knows no time, thus you can go or be anywhere, anytime and even manifest your desires.  I spend a lot of time in my future (and yet nonexistent) cabin in Alaska during meditation and I assure you, it’s way cheaper than the real thing–but I could describe every nook and cranny of that place!  But that’s another book(s).  But for the purposes of this blog, the quantum physics stuff works very nicely with the Sagan quote and I am, after all, at the wheel on this!

Whether or not you believe in Sagan’s brand of “magic” or the suggestions of quantum physics, I hope you would agree that a book – or more specifically, a story, should take you away.  I love books because of the escape and adventure they provide.   For me, the characters are easily the most critical part of any work of fiction.  You may be interested in a situation or a plot, but if you relate the characters, you are there.  A friend who recently finished The Unlikely Savior posted, “The hope of any author is to captivate their readers. I was captivated and felt the emotions of each of the characters in the story, and at times felt like I was “in” the story!”   Others suggested similar experiences…and that tells me that they and I found ourselves in that place Carl Sagan so aptly described; that wonderful place where people enter one another’s minds, breaking down barriers.  I think we can go so far as to add the minds of the characters to the minds of real people – because when you are with them, aren’t they just as real?

I can tell you that that “place” exists for the writer as well as the future reader.  It’s difficult to explain, but I am certain other writers know that place and that it is the location from which worlds are created.  If I sit at the computer to work on a story and the world around me doesn’t simply disappear – just like it does for you when you read a captivating book–then I need to switch gears or walk away for a while. 

Is the world the writer goes to, the world they “create,” and the one you enter when reading the story the same?  If you listen to Sagan and the millions of believers in a connected universe, then perhaps it is.  Or maybe it’s all speculation by people who just don’t believe what we see and touch can’t be all there is.  Or maybe it’s a bunch of hooey.  Maybe it all depends on the limits of your own heart and imagination.

As for me?  As a reader, I always knew I could go away on wings of a great story.  Now I know that through writing, I can spread my own wings and create the trip and destination – and those who live there.   But all journeys are best when shared. 

I know what I believe.  I hope you read The Unlikely Savior, Billet Doux from a Dead Prisoner and the many more worlds waiting for me and you.  And when you do, I’ll see you there.