Edits and Errors by Marilyn Levinson

The other day I received an email from a reader. I was pleased to learn that she'd started reading my Haunted Library series and was enjoying it. However, she also informed me that in one of the books she noticed three instances of a name change. Not good! I wrote back and said I was happy she was enjoying the series, and I apologized for the errors in the text.

How did these errors slip by and appear on the printed page? My books are carefully edited. I go over a manuscript three times before sending it to my editor. She goes over it, makes her comments and observations. I review the manuscript and make the necessary edits and additions. Then a copy editor combs through the manuscript, now in book format, editing and questioning. Once again, I go over the manuscript--sometimes twice--addressing these issues. These are put into the text,  and the manuscript is once again sent to me to read and make any final changes.

 Yes, my books are carefully edited. That said, the occasional error still may appear on the printed page despite the many eyes and read-throughs. There are a few reasons why this may occur. For one thing, our brains have a way of filling in a word that might have been omitted. Also, it is the unusual author or editor who can read through a manuscript of over 80,000 words in one sitting. Which is why he or she might not notice when a detail mentioned early on in the story is somewhat different when it's mentioned later on.

 Having just finished going through my copy editor's edits of Death on Dickens Island, I am grateful that she's caught some  name changes and has pointed out contradicting statements. But I also know that despite our very best efforts, there will be a few errors that will slip by. For these, I apologize in advance, and I promise to be even more vigilant as I write and eventually edit the next book in my new series.

 

When Is Enough Enough? by Marilyn Levinson

Phew! I am exhausted. Booked on Murder was released earlier this week. It's the eighth and final book in my Haunted Library series. I've written several guest blogs and interviews; I have a virtual book tour going. And I'll be speaking at my local Barnes & Noble. I've been posting some really wonderful reviews on Facebook; I've sent out a newsletter with all the sales info for my new book; I talk about my book when I do Author Takeovers. Still I wonder--am I doing enough to encourage readers to buy my new book?

One big problem is we authors never know exactly what part of marketing is drawing readers to our books. Facebook? Ads? Visiting bookstores?  When I see an author featured on a new webinar or a new platform, I shoot off an email to see if I can be a guest, too. Often the answer is yes, so I add that to my marketing regime.

Of course my previous books can't be ignored. They need to be nurtured and attended to, especially when they receive wonderful reviews. Or an older book is going on sale. This has to be spread far and wide on social media and via my newsletter. Many of my older books are being re-released and having cover reveals.

I must say, this recent bout of promotion has stressed me out. I tell myself next time I won't write as many guest blogs or do as many interviews. But my next book is the first in a brand new series. It will require all the attention I can muster.  And so the promotion bout will begin all over again. I wish some marketing guru could tell me when enough is enough.

My fellow writers, how do you feel about all the marketing we do? Readers, what encourages you to buy a book?

How Long Does It Take to Write a Novel? by Connie Berry

 

One of the questions I’m frequently asked is “How long does it take to write a novel?” I could answer “Ten years,” because that’s how long I tinkered with my debut mystery, A Dream of Death, before it appeared in print. 

True confession: I’m a serial reviser. Without a deadline, I could revise a book until the Second Coming. If possible, I’d follow my readers home from the bookstore with a red pencil. But now I have deadlines. The problem is telling my publisher how long I realistically need to finish a manuscript.

Some writers can turn out two or even three mysteries a year. I’m amazed by that because that kind of discipline has never been my gift. I usually think in terms of a year per novel. To me, that’s ideal—but not always possible. I published my first two mysteries in 2019 because when I got my contract, I had one finished manuscript and another partially complete. I  wouldn’t do that again because the two novels competed against each other for publicity and awards, and a debut novel always garners the most attention. Publishing two books in one year also meant I had absolutely nothing out in 2020. I felt like there was a party going on and I hadn’t received an invitation.

Publishers have schedules, and getting a book to your editor in time to make a deadline might mean shortening the writing process. Is that possible? I ask myself. Would it be better to take my time to produce the best book I can write—or should I buckle down, get my butt in that chair, and make the deadline, trusting that my skills, though rushed, won't leave me?

I wish I had answers! What advice would you give?

How long does it take you to write a novel? Have you ever been rushed by a deadline? 

WHAT DOES A PUBLISHING HOUSE EDITOR DO?

 By Korina Moss

Before I became a published author of the Cheese Shop Mystery series, I had only a vague idea of what a publishing house editor does. I’m sure I still don’t know all their roles, but I do know what my relationship with my editor is regarding my series. Take into account when reading this that not all editors are the same and not all publishing houses are the same. In this post, when I refer to an editor, I’m basing it on what I know about the role of editors in my larger publishing house (Macmillan Publishing). This may be very different than what editors do in smaller independent houses. It’s also different than a freelance editor you might hire to help you with your manuscript before you send it out for querying or self-publishing. I’m also aware that I’m simplifying the roles of a publishing house editor and likely leaving out many other important duties their job entails.

One of the roles of an editor is to read and evaluate manuscripts sent to them by agents. If an editor loves your manuscript and thinks it’s marketable and will fit their house, they will bring it to the acquisitions team to discuss whether to make an offer. In larger houses such as the one I'm with (Macmillan Publishing), it is never the decision of just one person.

Once you sign a contract with the publisher, your editor is the project manager for that book or series. It’s their job to shepherd that book to completion. They are in charge of making a lot of decisions about the book, such as the direction of the marketing team, the cover art, possibly the title, and keeping track of the production schedule. I've heard from my author friends that their editors have given them varying degrees of involvement with these parts of the book process. In my case, my editor has asked my input on the cover art, and we’ve bounced around cheese pun titles. All the book jackets in a series should be cohesive, so the designers are also involved in the titles and cover art decisions. People often judge a book by its cover, so I’m happy to leave it up to the professionals. However, with each book, my editor asks for a short summary from me about things that might be germane to the cover, such as plot points, locations, season, etc., so they can align the cover design with my story.    

Once I hand in my manuscript, my editor will go over it and do what's called a developmental edit. This is different than line editing, which is fixing grammar, word choice, punctuation, etc., which is taken care of by a separate editor, the copy editor. A developmental edit means she makes suggestions for changes to the content, such as the pacing, characterization, inconsistencies, etc. A misnomer is that an editor makes changes to your manuscript or demands the author make changes. In my experience, that has never been the case. What an editor will do is point out where she thinks the trouble spots are, and then leaves you to decide if you agree and make the appropriate changes or not. Because I write a series, she also keeps tabs on past books. For example, in my third book, Curds of Prey, she thought my original ending was too similar to one I'd just done in Gone For Gouda. I hadn’t been happy with the ending either, for other reasons, but I had to get it in by the deadline. Since several weeks had passed since then and knowing my editor thought the ending was lackluster as well, I was able to read the manuscript with fresh eyes and come up with a much better ending. Among all the other things my editor does, she’s made me a better writer. 

Last but certainly not least, an editor champions their authors’ books, presenting them to the publishing team, who determines things like promotion and, if applicable, the lifespan of the series. 

To sum up, a publishing house editor is a manager, a teacher, and your biggest cheerleader. 

For you yet-to-be published or self-published writers, is what an editor does different than what you thought? For traditionally published writers, is this different than your experience with your editor?  

KORINA MOSS is the author of the Cheese Shop Mystery series set in the Sonoma Valley, including the Agatha Award winner for Best First Novel, Cheddar Off Dead and the Agatha Award finalist for Best Contemporary Novel, Case of the Bleus. Her books have been featured in USA Today, PARADE Magazine, Woman’s World, AARP, and Fresh Fiction. Book 5 in the series, Fondue or Die, arrives on October 22nd. To learn more or sign up for her free monthly newsletter, visit her website at korinamossauthor.com.  

You can preorder Korina's next book, Fondue or Die, for 25% off online at Barnes & Noble with code PREORDER25 now through July 17th with a free or premium B&N membership. 

Using AI to Help Create a Book Cover

By James M. Jackson

My journey of using personal photographs in my book covers started with a traditionally published book, Cabin Fever. The publisher’s cover artist used a stock photo of a cabin that was much too ornate for Seamus McCree’s guest cabin and worse, since the story takes place in the dead of winter in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, he included snow . . .on deciduous trees that still had all their leaves. The coup de grâce was strings of lights hanging from the cabin (which has no electricity), you know, the ones that are supposed to make you think of icicles. After a good laugh, I sent him a picture of the actual cabin I had used as a model—which he incorporated into the final cover.

Once I became an Indie Publisher, I decided I would continue to use my photos in the cover creations. Empty Promises was my first try. In the story, Seamus’s granddog finds bones in a derelict cabin. I chose to depict that cabin on the cover. The actual cabin I photographed was in too good shape, so I Photoshopped the image to distress the cabin, sloping the roof and shifting the extension to look as though it were about to fall down. I added a couple of holes in the roof for good measure.

Next came my first novella, “Low Tide at Tybee.” I chose a picture of the Tybee Island beach populated by sanderlings, energetic small sandpipers described in the story.

The action in False Bottom returned to Boston, Seamus’s hometown and included references to cemeteries and a Celtic Cross. I incorporated a picture I had taken at the Gettysburg Battlefield of the monument commemorating New York’s “Irish Brigade.” The actual statue has a life-sized Irish Wolfhound lying on its base that I had to carefully remove. I merged fog from another photo to create the cover.

The novella “Furthermore” story follows immediately after False Bottom. It made sense to me to link the two covers. I used the same elements, but pushed the monument further to the back and more in the fog, which fits the story.

For both Granite Oath and the compendium Seamus McCree U.P. North, I picked photographs of Shank Lake, Michigan, where Seamus has his “camp.” Interesting fact on the Granite Oath cover: given Seamus’s camp faces west over Shank Lake, most people think the cover depicts a sunset; the actual picture was facing west, but of a sunrise reflected in the clouds and lake.

For the last several publications, I have enlisted the help of my Readers Group (newsletter subscribers) and Facebook followers to help select the cover. I present four or five alternative covers, give them a brief teaser about the story, and ask them to choose their favorite and tell me what they liked or didn’t like about each one. Hijacked Legacy takes place at Seamus’s camp in late fall. Light snow falls during a critical scene. Each of the five offered choices had strong proponents and equally strong detractors. All were terrific photos. The problem, I decided with them all, was they did not depict the suspense Hijacked Legacy incorporates.

I considered including the view of a sniper’s scope projected into each of the scenes. That didn’t work, and besides, we had used that visual for Cabin Fever. Instead, I began playing with incorporating a camouflaged individual with a rifle. I figured the next weekend my neighbors were up at camp, and I’d get one of them to pose in camo with a rifle in various locations: on the road and in the woods. Except they weren’t able to come north that weekend, and we were soon heading south,

I’d read about people using AI tools to create images and gave it a whirl. Using Google’s Bard (now Gemini) to create some alternatives, I tried describing the scene as well as I could: a camo-covered sniper with a rifle hiding behind a deciduous tree with its leaves off, and so on and so forth. Somehow, I never got Bard to understand the concept of “hiding behind a tree.” This is as close as I got:

Good enough to play with. First, I eliminated everything but the sniper and then merged him with my photo of the snowy woods. Should he face right or left? How much of him should I show? I came up with a few concepts, passed them by my Readers Group and learned that when they viewed a thumbnail, they knew something was there, just not what. I was also playing with fonts and colors given the neutral background and had mixed comments about those alternatives as well. Shucks.

So, I noodled, and noodled some more, and after many tries, I settled on the final version. In it, I leaned the sniper forward to make him clearer and display the barrel of the rifle. I modified the font and tucked the Legacy tight to the Hijacked, giving the visual impression that Hijacked (with its H and J) is grabbing the Legacy—visually, stealing it.

I hope readers find it intriguing enough to check out. The paperbacks are at the printer and pre-orders are available for both ebooks and paperbacks from my website at https://jamesmjackson.com/ 

* * * * *

James M. Jackson authors the Seamus McCree series. Full of mystery and suspense, these thrillers explore financial crimes, family relationships, and what happens when they mix. To learn more information about Jim and his books, check out his website, https://jamesmjackson.com. You can sign up for his newsletter (and get to read a free Seamus McCree short story).

Scams, Scoundrels, and Suckers by Connie Berry

"There's a sucker born every minute." P.T. Barnum is said to have coined the phrase, although there's no evidence he actually said it. Nevertheless, the statement is accurate. Human beings are prone to believe what they wish to be true.

Anyone old enough to remember the ad for Sea-Monkeys on the inside back cover of comic books? For a mere $1.25 (cash, check, or money order), you could own "a bowlfull [sic] of happiness." The ad featured human-like pink creatures with friendly smiles, tri-crowned head, and fish tails.

"Just ADD WATER!" we were promised. "In ONE SECOND your AMAZING Sea-Monkeys come to LIFE! Yes, they hatch instantly, right before your eyes! SO EAGER TO PLEASE, THEY CAN EVEN BE TRAINED." 

What kid could resist that? Not me. I sent off my five quarters in an envelope, and two weeks later, I received a packet of creepy flagellating organisms, in reality a form of miniscule brine shrimp, observable only through a magnifying glass. Not only were the critters strangely resistant to my training [deciding what I actually wanted them to do was my first problem], but they also promptly perished.

Harold von Braunhut, the entrepreneur who passed off brine shrimp as trainable pets, also patented X-Ray Spectacles; Amazing Hair-Raising Monsters, a card with a printed monster that would sprout hair-like mineral crystals when you added water; and Invisible Goldfish, imaginary fish guaranteed to remain permanently invisible (that one worked). 

The world of publishing has its Harold von Braunhuts as well, and they target aspiring writers. These scam artists promise to read your book, publish it, and sell it on Amazon, where it is sure to become the next best-seller. All for a fee, of course. Now to be clear, I am not talking about the reasonable fees charged by legitimate editors and reputable self-publishers who offer solid advice and provide quality services. I am talking about scammers and scoundrels who prey on naïve people who don't understand how publishing really works.

Several years ago, AARP The Magazine featured an article on vanity-publishing scams: "Five Self-Publishing Scams to Watch For." Their five warning signs are worth noting:

1. EXTRAVAGANT FLATTERY.

You know the kind of thing: "Share your story with the world! You could be the next break-out best seller!" Well, maybe you could, but if so, you don't need them.

2. GRAND PROMISES.

"Your book will appear in every bookstore in America." Ha! What they mean is your book may be listed on a book distributor database, available only if requested. That's not the same thing as actually selling the book into stores. HUFFPOST (7/29/17) said, "Although results are not guaranteed, and will never in fact be realized, vanity presses imply:

            * That your book has the potential to find itself on a bestseller's list (($1,999 fee)

            * That Julia Roberts could one day play you in a movie ($3,999 fee)

            * That you could get exposure from major media outlets ($5,999 fee)." 

3. INEFFECTIVE MARKETING

All-inclusive packages include editing, proofreading, printing, binding, distribution, publicity, and shipping. For an extra fee, they'll write a press release and email it to thousands of media outlets, where it will be promptly shunted into spam filters. The vanity publisher doesn't care. Their profit comes not from book sales but from the author. They can make as much money from a flop as a success.

4. CONVOLUTED CONTRACTS

Scam publishers typically sneak in clauses that sound good but actually deliver little and put all the risk on the author. For example, they may promise to deliver the books "in a timely manner," and yet they are not responsible for "circumstances beyond their control." Often the author is required to purchase a bunch of books in advance. Never sign a contract until you've taken legal advice. 

5. COPYRIGHT TRICKERY

While an ISBN number (International Standard Book Number) is easy to purchase ($125 from the U.S. ISBN Agency at Bowker), and an author in the U.S. automatically owns the copyright to his or her work, scam artists try to convince you that you need them to navigate this "tricky and expensive process"—which proves to be expensive because you end up paying the real fee plus their often-extravagant "administrative costs."  

Other scams include fake "agents," who charge a reading and/or an editing fee, and fake writing contests that charge exorbitant entry fees and may require the "winners" to pay for their slab of acrylic and chicken dinner at the so-called "winners' banquet." 

Thankfully, there are websites out there to help writers spot scam artists. Here are a few good ones: Writer Beware, Predators & Editors, Publishing Central. 

Have you ever been targeted by a publishing scam? What cautions would you pass along to aspiring writers?

Whose Words Are They? by Kait Carson

This is November. To most folks, that means Thanksgiving and the start of a hectic holiday season that doesn’t wind down until January. To writers it means NaNoWriMo. The National Novel Writing Month. Writers who participate challenge themselves to write fifty thousand words. They may not be good words, that’s not the point. The point is to get it on paper because you can’t edit a blank page. There is much to say for this philosophy. It’s successful, and many novels have been conceived in November.

 

In 2009 I took part in Nano, as it’s affectionally known, and I completed the word challenge. Diving Diva wasn’t the first book I’d written, but it was the first one I thought might be good enough to publish. Four years later, after extensive revision and a change of title to Death by Blue Water, Henery Press picked up the book, and I spent the next few days doing a happy dance. Thank you, Nano!

 

My Henery contract provided that all rights would revert to me after five years. The rights to Death by Blue Water reverted in 2019. Those to Death by Sunken Treasure contractually came home to mama two years later. Perfect timing. The pandemic that cost me my day job in July of 2020 opened the possibility of pursuing writing as a full-time job. How lucky was I to begin a full-time indie author career with two books “in the can.” By the time I finished setting Blue Water up for publication, I’d have the rights back to Sunken Treasure. Easy peasy.

 

I set my feet on the well-worn path of reviewing the books, omitting references to the traditional publisher and making necessary edits. The only major change was new covers for each book. I did not own the rights to the original artwork. Those rights stayed with the artist and/or publisher. Besides, I intended to continue the series. A new look helps create a new brand. Unfortunately, my artistic talent is limited to stick figures and turkeys drawn by tracing my own hand. I thank my lucky stars for Polly Iyer and her amazing talent. She prepared two outstanding covers for the existing books and a third for the now-in-edits Death Dive that -capture the atmosphere of the series.

 

Amazon provides basic formatting for e and paper books, but I wanted something a step above, and the opportunity to easily publish on platforms other than Amazon. A program named Vellum is and has been the gold standard, but it operates only on Apple products. I am a PC user. Fate intervened and last month Atticus was released. Atticus is the PC user’s answer to Vellum. Whew, saved by innovation! I have to master the program, but early indications are that it’s non-techy friendly. I typically know just enough about my software to be dangerous to myself. The support team has been great.

 

Do you sense a dark cloud looming on the horizon? I belong to the Guppy Chapter of Sisters in Crime and receive their self-publishing forum emails. One of my fellow Guppies had recently submitted her book for publication to Amazon--a previously published book to which she had received a rights reversion. Amazon questioned the author’s right to publish the work and publication day was delayed while the author proved her ownership. A wrinkle I hadn’t anticipated. After all, no matter the publisher, traditional or self, the author holds the copyright to the words. The problem arises at the production end. Amazon cannot afford to be seen as a pirate platform. That’s both understandable, laudable, and something that I must resolve before I decide on a publication date.

 

Whose words are they? They are mine. Forged in NaNoWriMo and buffed to a high sheen through revisions and editing. Amazon does not question that. What may be in question is whether having written the words gives me the right of re-publication. Amazon’s response to my query email glossed over the question of the return of rights. It focused on the suggestion that I publish using KDP and offered information on the mechanics of self-publishing. I wrote again to confirm that Amazon understands my question is not one of mechanics but rights. An unexpected wrinkle in an otherwise smooth process.

 

Pray that you live in interesting times. The life of a writer is always exciting!

Left High and Dry

by Kaye George

What to do when you’re left high and dry? That is, when your nice little small press goes away, the one that published the series that starts with the first serious mystery novel you deemed worthy. The mystery novel you worked on for ten years. The mystery novel that tells of an alternate life you might have led, had things gone differently.

Me playing an outdoor wedding in Dallas; daughter was my page turner

I’m a life-long classical violinist, from the age of ten anyway. So when I started out to write in this genre, I created a character who was also a classical musician, but a keyboardist, just so she wouldn’t be exactly like me. And I had her become a composer and conductor, two things I’ve dabbled at, but never did for a living. I guess you could say Cressa Carraway is my alter-ego. 

During the ten years I took to get the first novel in shape (never mind the two I wrote before that—they’re hopeless), I took classes, learned about critique groups, joined writers’ organizations locally and, eventually, online. In other words, it took me about ten years to learn how to write a mystery.

Then I started querying agents. I learned that classical music is not considered by them to be a popular hook. I ignored those who said that and kept querying. For a long time. I ran out of agents and started on small presses. Lo and behold, Barking Rain Press decided to take it. I was thrilled! (It wasn’t my first novel accepted—I wrote a few more during that ten years and had two others accepted by other small presses, but it’s my first baby.) It even became a Silver Falchion Finalist at Killer Nashville.

I wrote a sequel and Barking Rain published that one, too. The series even acquired some fans. Things were going well!

Then I got sidetracked on other projects, always meaning to get that third one written. Soon, soon. But, before that happened, things started getting out of kilter at BRP. Royalty statements were late. Payments were late. Communication was extremely poor. I had asked for my rights back from another small press where I had disastrous experiences and ended up self-publishing that series. So I decided to get my rights back for this series, too.

Just about the time the second book reverted to me, BRP announced they were going to shut down! Good timing on my part, for once. So, what to do next? 

morguefile.com by lauramusikanski

CreateSpace, the self-publishing tool I used, wasn’t there anymore. Oh brother! What a bother. I actually DID come up with an excellent solution, but I have to leave you with a teaser—can’t tell you yet what will happen. Tune in two Sundays from now!