Thursday, September 06, 2007

The Books Are Arriving

Commenters have commented here that they have received their books. (Thank you very much. It was good to know folks are getting them.)

I have now received my copies. Yes, they are beautiful. I might even read it. I read my very first two books when I got them. (They were short.) I read Compass Rose. I only got about halfway through Barbed Rose. So--given how many times I read Eternal Rose through the revision and re-revision and paring-down-to-size process, I'm not sure I'll be able to get all the way through it. I might go back and re-read Barbed Rose again.

I have found that when I create characters and a story that I like, I still like them when I go back and look at them again, even if it's just a fragment I came up with ages ago that has no business even thinking about publication. I usually pick apart the prose when I read back over the story, but I still like the characters and the story. Or at least the intent of the story. What I wanted the story to be...I might realize how the story ought to be better told.

This is kind of what I'm doing now with Thunder. I came up with the idea so, so long ago--but I still like the idea and the characters and the story. I just know more about story-telling now, so maybe I can do them all justice. I hope. I've done more research, and I'm having a little trouble reconciling the emotional numbing symptoms of a PTSD sufferer with my character's need to locate her family...but an overprotectiveness of loved ones is also a symptom, so maybe I can balance it that way. There's apparently a wide variation in behavior--and given that my character is not so very "post," I think I can make it work. It's some of the hardest writing I've ever done, though.

Oh, there's a nice review of The Eternal Rose if you're interested, and in response to the comment about the bit that left the reviewer scratching her head, let me just say: It's a fantasy. And leave it at that. :)

Nice slow week this week. Not much experimenting in the kitchen (I made Mediterranean Salmon with white beans last week...pretty good, even if salmon isn't a Mediterranean fish--is it?). The steaks were awesome though, and we had leftovers. Then I found some sweet corn in the fridge to have with the leftovers, so they were awesome twice.

No beach visits so far this week--my walks have been around the neighborhood--and I'm going to have to get up earlier and get out the door earlier to beat the heat. But if nothing else gets planned--and if it doesn't rain--I think I want to at least go to the beach to swim for my birthday Saturday. (Dang, but I'm getting old.)

They did call me to interview for the part-time job I applied for, but that's two weeks away. I think it will be an interesting job, and still leave me time to write. Which I need to get busy and do. I need to earn my charm for September. August turned out to be just impossible. I'm probably 6 pages up right now, but that leaves me with 18 to go. I'm having to do as much thinking and researching as writing though... Have a research book I need to go buy.
Better run...

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ordered directly from Wildside press. Already received & read, loved it. My only complaint, it was too short! Was that the final installment, or are further adventures upcoming? -dl

Irian said...

Amazon's still telling me I won't get mine till Halloween. :(

Anonymous said...

Consider cancelling? Ordered mine from Wildside when it became available, received 5 - 7 days.

Earlier this summer I placed an order for Black Lace through Amazon. I was later notified it would be delayed 6 to 8 weeks due to availability. So I opted to wait. A few days before the much delayed ship date, the entire order just disappeared out of my account like it had never been. No info from Amazon, no cancellation, regrets, or appologies...just gone, never to be seen again. -dl

Chari-Dee said...

Yes, yes, I realize it was fantasy. And honestly, I got over it and broke out the fan. BUT, I did stop and scratch my head, so I would have been remiss not to mention that :)

Take Care

Anonymous said...

Has anybody gotten it not-from-Wildside yet?

Anonymous said...

Any chance it will come out in e-book? I'd love to have it in an electronic version.

Gail Dayton said...

I have absolutely no idea about an e-book version. I guess I could ask...

Gail Dayton said...

Oh, and I can't believe you're saying it's too short!! First draft was 714 pages. Published draft was 585! (I'll send some of the deleted scenes to my newsletter, so if you're not signed up--see the web site to do so.)

This is the end of the story about Kallista, Torchay, Obed, etc. If I have the opportunity to write more in this universe, I'll probably write about the next generation. There are ideas...