Hello there,
After a long conversation, my publisher will push back the publication of The Christmas Un-annual Vol 1. I wanted to have it ready for Cobbles and Cogs 2022, but I also want the best version of this book possible. Steven understands and recommended we take it a bit slower.
My dear friend and author of The Tree Speaker series, Sally Startup told me that you see all your mistakes in the first print run of your book. You get to fix them in your second edition.
So true. I am reminded that King Solomons Mines by H Rider Haggard had to put out a second edition because readers demanded that he had made a mistake with the solar eclipse timing in his first book. They wanted it correct.
I know I'll find mistakes in the Un-annual Vol 1. The beauty of electronic publishing is it can be corrected without creating another print run.
As I have been working with my publisher, I have learnt how to submit a manuscript and make life easier for the poor editor who has to spend A LOT of time uploading the book to Amazon.
There is another reason the book has been pushed back. The new skill I've learnt is recording audio on Audacity. I am a trained radio journalist. However, the skill of reading your writing out loud is a valuable editing tool and one that slows down the process of submitting a novel to your editor. I am satisfied this book has had a much better edit than my first. But now I want to go back and create the audio version of The Somewhen Chair Vol 1. Which, in turn, will knock back the start of writing The Somewhen Chair Vol 2. My publisher is confident I'll have the audio version of both books ready for Raising Steam. He's right, of course, but I will be working very hard.
The Christmas Un-annual Vol 1 audiobook, kindle version, and the paperback will come out simultaneously at Raising Steam 2023. You can book your tickets here
https://raisingsteam.bandcamp.com/community. Let me know if you are coming because I would love to sit with you and get to know you. After all, my stories are for you.
So sorry about the delay; however, good things are coming.