Edits and more

It has been a very busy week. I got my final round of content edits back this week and I'm really pleased to say that there was very little needing to be done. I was able to make the tweaks and get the manuscript back to Unbound within a week. It's kept me pretty much glued to my laptop though! I had a read-through of the novel while I was editing and, although at points my confidence was waning, I  did get a bit choked up reading the last chapter. I'm really pleased that I still have such an emotional connection with the characters after so much time and tweaks. The first couple of copies have been sent out for advance reviews (and hopefully cover quotes) so it's nail-biting time. Again. On Thursday of last week, I also received an e-mail from Unbound saying that they were ready to start working on cover design with a very detailed questionnaire for me to complete.

I'm pleasantly surprised to be so involved with the cover design, an area I believe authors usually have little say in. I am however panicking slightly - what if I mess up? I know nothing about design! What if I mis-judge the market? Of course, since Unbound have won awards for their covers, I'm sure they won't let me stray too far afield.

I spent some time over the weekend writing the acknowledgments for Ashael Rising and I was humbled when faced with how many people have helped me a long the way. Writing a book is a lonely task, but getting it published takes a village!

Last week, I also completed (I think) the map of KalaDene. on Friday I'll be giving you a sneak preview and talking about how I went about making it.

To celebrate Unbound's 5th birthday, they are holding a short-story competition. Details can be found here. I would love to submit something for it and I have a great idea for a piece but I'm so busy with edits that I haven't had time to sit down and write it. If you're a short story writer, I do recommend it. Let me know in the comments if you submit!