First Step Done

This past week, I was on vacation with my family visiting friends in Virginia. On
one beautiful 80-degree morning, I was sitting on their back deck surrounded by the chatter of beautiful bird song, and -- big news -- dah-da-da-daaaah... I finished the first draft of Periphery.

That sounds like such a huge accomplishment, and it is, but remember, a first draft is just you telling yourself the story. And even though I was just trying to tell the story, the last few chapters were a struggle. I had to craft battle scenes, which I had never written before. There are a ton of characters, and as a writer, I had to make sure they were all accounted for. Then there is the denouement, which has to tie up all the loose ends. 

And so I finally reached an end with which I am satisfied.

Tomorrow, I start revising: making sure there are no contradictions, making sure travel times between settings are accurate, making sure I let my readers experience my character's emotions. This is my first fantasy novel, and I want it to feel epic.

Now the real work begins.

Publishing Series: # 14 They Will Judge!

There is an old saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover." But they will. Your cover is your book's best advertisement.

At this point in the publishing process, thought should be given to your cover. There are many options. If you are using KDP or a similar independent venue to publish, you will have to figure out how to produce a cover. There is help on the KDP website to pull together a cover on your own, but you have to be realistic with yourself. Do you have the talent to produce a good cover? You can also search the web for people from whom you can purchase cover making talents. You can purchase art and do the layover of the type yourself.

Sometimes you know a talented friend. This was my luck. My first two covers were designed by Aaron La Porta, who is a professional graphic designer. He was knowledgeable about computer layout, so that he could help me produce a cover that fit into the dimensions required by the program.

For my latest project, Periphery, I am embarking on a new venture, which is truly exciting. I will be working with artist Erin Ruffino. This is a totally new experience for me. Erin will be producing the art for the cover and, hopefully, Aaron will once again be adding the graphic elements to produce the cover. Erin and I met virtually last week and began talks so that she could begin to see the characters and fantasy world I've spent two years creating. She is an amazing artist and I can't wait to see the results, but I expect it to be quite a process. I'll keep you posted!

Spaghetti and Books

This Sunday, February 5, I'll be selling and signing copies of Relic and Eye of the Peacock at what sounds to be a very fun event!

Boy Scout Troop #40 will be hosting a spaghetti dinner at the Wrights Corners Fire Hall on Lockport Olcott Road, New York, from noon to 6 p.m.

In addition to the dinner, guests will be able to meet local authors and peruse and purchase books. A local country group, Reunion, will be providing entertainment for the afternoon. There will also be a basket raffle and a 50/50 raffle. The spaghetti dinner is $10.

This sounds like my kind of fun! Join the Boy Scouts for a fun afternoon. And bring questions about writing -- I always love to talk about that!