A STORY'S JOURNEY

I'm taking a break from reading the last edit for Deadly Revenge before it goes to galleys. Have you ever wondered at the process a book goes through? I thought I'd share about that with you today using Deadly Revenge.

First, the book had to be proposed. Since this is book three, I only had to write a short paragraph. Here's what I proposed: 

Book 3:

It will feature Allison Quinn and a TBI agent assigned to a woman who is running for governor. The candidate is making a campaign stop in Russell County and Pearl Springs is chosen to host a campaign stop. Allison discovers a plot to assassinate her. She crosses swords with the TBI agent as well as the candidate.

As I read that, I have to chuckle. The only part of the proposal that is anywhere near what Deadly Revenge is about is the TBI agent. Here's the catalog copy:

 

Deputy Jenna Hart has only been working in her sleepy hometown of Pearl Springs for seven months when city officials begin to be targeted by a killer. Twenty years ago, the construction of a dam caused people to lose their land to eminent domain. That wound has not healed with time, and someone bearing a grudge is clearly set on revenge. With the former mayor of Pearl Springs now running for the US Senate, Jenna will have to call in backup to ensure his protection.

That’s where Agent Maxwell Anderson comes in. He and Jenna used to work together in the Chattanooga Police Department, and there was even a smoldering fire of attraction. Now they team up to track down the killer before a big political rally that promises not only to bring the former mayor into the crosshairs but hundreds of civilians as well.

As the sparks of romance reignite and the threads of the investigation get tangled when another suspect comes into play, Jenna and Max will have to draw on all of their skills to stay alive and prevent the wave of disaster poised to hit the community of Pearl Springs. The question is, can either of them fully trust that the other has their back?

After the book is written, it goes to my acquisition editor. She will read it and send it back with the changes she wants made. I usually have a couple of weeks to make the changes and get it back to her. 

Once that's done, I have a few weeks of breathing room, maybe even a month or two. During this time, I also get a preview of the cover, and I love the cover of Deadly Revenge!

Then the BIG edit will arrive in my inbox. I usually have two to three weeks to make the changes on this edit. This editor keeps track of the timeline, plot holes, and the places I'm not consistent. She also notes when I change the color of my character's eyes. :-) (I affectionately call her the Plausibility Police--it has to be plausible or she will catch it!)

Once I make the changes and send it to her, off the manuscript goes to a proofreader who doesn't just check for typos and misspelled words, but contradictions in it. When I get it back this time, I make the changes and then let Word read it back to me. That way I can catch the words I've left out, the rhythm, and any clunky structure. Not that I ever catch all of the typos, etc. My brain sees what I thought I wrote. Up until this point, any changes aren't too costly for the publisher. 

That's where I am now. Once I send it to my editor, it will go to the printer, and before it's actually set in stone, I'll get one more chance to make changes. By this time it's been a couple of months, and when I read it again, I catch more typos and left out words. At this point, each change I make costs more for the publisher to make, so I have to have a good reason to make the changes. 

A few months later a box of books arrives at my house, and when I open it, the thrill of seeing a story I created has me practically jumping for joy--it never gets old. 

And that is the process my books go through to get to you, the readers. Deadly Revenge will release November 5, 2024!

Here's the cover of Deadly Revenge: