Today, I got my craft room back and my office cleaned up as well. It feels odd not having every wall and surface covered with taped notes, research, questions, etc. But, my biggest job is done. My manuscript came back with major recommended revisions which I’ve been slowly working on. Yesterday I tore out the final scene and replaced it entirely. Earlier, I deleted most of the opening 44 pages including the prologue. It’s been a Slash and Dice project with a machete instead of a pocket knife. Ouch!

I loved some of my words, sentences, paragraphs and scenes. I miss them. But I also trust my editor. I’m still deciding on two more “suggestions” which may mean eliminating two characters completely. Ouch!

I’m headed to Minnesota for three weeks and the goal is to have this complete when I return and ready to go back out to her for final line edits.

This book has been difficult for me. I’m used to having a lot of history, historical characters, interesting events happening in their lives. It’s fun to research and fun to write. This time, the entire story is present day and the topic isn’t often playful either. In fact, pieces of it can be downright depressing. A story of resilience and strength.

I’m looking for a half dozen “beta readers” – I think this time the requirements will be: enjoys women’s literary fiction. Likes character driven story rather than plot driven. Empathizes with characters when they are well written and believable. Probably female themselves although that’s not an absolute. The manuscript is 370 pages (not nearly that in print form, but still …).

I can provide a flash drive, an attachment and am willing to print it off and mail it if needed. The benefit to having a hard copy is it’s easier to use your red pen and make margin notes along the way. The negative is you have to return it. If you have a program where you can edit as you read, that helps.

Let me know if you’d like to be a reader.

So—off to cooler climes and out of this ridiculous 116 degree weather. Stay tuned …