Dress Rehearsal

Dress Rehearsal went well last night. Here is the famous revolutionary hat. My 'mother' here is totally dotty, and spends her days by the guillotine, revelling in 'traitors' blood!' We are greatly disturbing the woman of the house, to the left, and the whole thing goes very wrong. It is called "Idols" and was written in 1937 so has some charming inaccuracies.

All writing is re-writing

So I am getting on with the pre-editor editing. It's a while since I wrote Despite the Angels, so it's almost like reading it fresh! I've been sad all along that I was never going to be able to just read this story, it's just the sort of thing I'd like....
The easiest part to write was the spirit guides' conversations. All completely made up stuff, but just laid itself down on the page as though it was being dictated. Perhaps it was ! (spooky??)
My third book has no angels or spirit world in it, and although I'm enjoying my characters, I do miss my angel friends. So expect a third angel-y book in the future.

A Successful Author

Our class was visited on Monday by Lawrence O'Bryan, of the recently published 'The Istanbul Puzzle'. He got a three book deal largely because the publishers were impressed by his web presence. And his book is good - a mystery thriller which I am half way through, and enjoying. It was great to hear how he did it. He's now writing 'The Jerusalem Puzzle'. He knows Istanbul well, I wonder if he is travelling to everywhere he is curious about, to set novels there? Like I said, great excuse for some travel.

I gave my friend A my second novel to read a little while ago, and she dropped it back this evening. It is called 'Revisited Sins' and will get onto Amazon (and other places) once Despite the Angels is launched. She was very positive about the book, found herself turning the pages, and had one or two useful and constructive criticisms to make. Thanks to all friends who are prepared to help! A bit of re-writing can only make the book better.
On a drama note - I had no idea how difficult it is to make a rosette! (for my revolutionary costume)

My photo at last!

As I said, I am only learning all this digital stuff, and am climbing a vertical learning curve with my (rather good) fingernails... But at last I have worked out a)how to scan in this nice photo, and b) how to get it onto here/twitter/facebook. So I am feeling that little bit more confident in my eventual ability to get my books up there too!  As well as having bronchitis this week, and making a 'Phrygian cap' for my part in 'Idols', I have been re-writing the prologue for 'Despite the Angels'. It is now much clearer for those readers who will not have prior understanding of the concepts of re-incarnation. Next I must work my way through the whole book and do the same. There are sections about Lucy and David's past lives in Crete, the Médoc, and Dundee, all of which I visited to get it as realistic as I can. A great excuse for travel - now, where will I set my next one......

Coming of Digital Age

As part of the whole publishing exercise our course recommends not only this blog, but to be on Twitter. So last night I had twitter 101 from my wonderful daughter, and am trying my hand at it, so far so good. I am amazed at the information out there. Dasida, my Ancient Cretan scribe in "Despite the Angels", would be utterly astonished.  Alessia, a past life version of my heroine Lucy, tells Dasida her spirit must be trapped in the clay when she makes her marks in it. I wonder are our spirits anywhere on The Web? !!
I am writing a new prologue for 'Angels', to help readers who are not 'into' reincarnation get a foothold in the story. I am so used to the whole concept, I tend to forget that for some people it is just fantastic rubbish. It is quite a 'melange de genres', publishing a book about such an esoteric subject in such a high tech (esoteric?) medium.
As well as writing, I am keeping my other hobbies alive. I go to a rehearsal this evening, for my little part in 'Idols', a one-act play set in the French Revolution. I am the nasty revolutionary, and get to wear a red hat. The play is with Taney Drama Society, and will be on at the end of May.

Editing and 'subbing'

'Remember this is Self publishing' says Kevin, our tutor, as he gives us another bit of homework, or a bigger piece of work for one of our four assessments. So this week we are doing our own editing and proof-reading, or to give it a new name to me, 'subbing'. Apparently I have missed my calling, as my gimlet eye picks up all the spelling mistakes in other people's work. Actually, I'm just a spelling Nazi. And as for misplaced apostrophes, don't get me started.... or maybe that should be ''''' ?
There are 10 of us on the course, and some interesting writing will come out of it, I think. My own work is getting a real once-over, and will be much the better for it.