C S Brown

Signifying Nothing has hit a milestone. ARCs are going out right now.

 

For those of you not "in the know", and ARC is an "Advance Review Copy." It is used for A) get people to comment/review your book B) get a last quality check on the manuscript before it goes on sale. I am sending them to readers in paperback format. Everything is the same except the cover is grayed out and marked with "Advance Review Copy" in big red letters. This is to (hopefully) prevent people from reselling it. I price my books about as low as I possibly can (Amazon won't let me sell them at a loss), so resales of my "free" books actually cost me money.

 

I am currently waiting on a final decision from an agent, so the actual release date is not firm. Bear with me, I am trying to do this as quickly as possible. There is just a lot more to do than "upload to Amazon." It takes a good bit of work to publish a book. More than writing it, I'm afraid. Regardless, we are nearing the end. I will see you in the pages before long. 

 

Until then,

Keep dreaming

Here I sit, finishing up the last bits. Editing of the text is mostly done. It is being checked for mechanical problems now. I have to make sure that all my puctuation actually follows the rules. Periods, quotations, ellipsis, interrobangs (okay, none of those), and other marks are being scoured for inconsistencies and errors. This isn't a terribly long process, so I am getting excited.

 

Especially now that the text is finalized. Yes, pretty much done with the editing. There may be a very tiny edit here and there for readability, but the hard work is done. For now, I am taking a day or two to play with my cats. They have been feeling neglected lately, despite four or five hours of petting and playtime per day. I think it's because I won't give them two cans of wet food per day. They are having to suppliment with kibble. Just please don't call the ASPCA on me.

 

Currently, I am working my way toward publication. I have the cover design mockups in progress, and am working on the blurbs and advertising copy. Keep watch, as the story of the century* is imminent. It has been a hard road. I don't know why, but this book was actually more difficult than my previous works. But there is an end in sight. I hope that it will be one that makes you happy.

 

Until we meet again,

Keep Dreaming

 

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* Disclaimer: It may not actually be (probably isn't) the story of the century. No warranties are implied or may be inferred from the claim.

Christmas has come and gone, and we are quickly approaching the end of the year. 2025 has been a wild ride. I, for one, am hoping for a bit more sanity in my life in 2026, or at least a lot less medical need.

 

Coming up on the new year, I am taking the time to wish all of my readers a happy new year, and I hope that you all find peace and prosperity in the coming months.

 

Tradition holds that the new year is a time for new beginnings, but I am instead going to wish that all the endeavors you have already started finish with huge success. There is excitement in something new, but completion is pure joy.

 

May the new year bring you all that joy and more.

 

Keep dreaming,

I'm rooting for you.

Whether for you it be Christmas, Channukah, another holiday, or none at all; I want to wish you nothing but the best for this season and the upcoming year.

 

I am taking the holidays for a little downtime from writing. More truthfully, I am being forced to do so. My editor has my hopes and dreams in her hands (for the second time) and I am waiting to be roasted once again. Due to both the season and the desire to have my editor do the best job possible, I don't expect to have my manuscript returned until January. But I'm happy to wait. I am not worried about how long it takes, only how much it helps me to improve the final product. I feel that I deserve to put out something that I can be proud of, and I KNOW that you deserve a book that you can enjoy. So, it takes the time it takes. In the meantime, I'll keep trying to learn "Twinkle Little Star" on the guitar (I downgraded from "Twinkle, Twinkle" as it was too difficult).

 

So here is to hoping that all that your heart desires is coming to you. In the spirit of the season, I wish everyone out there a great holiday and a fantastic new year.

 

Until it's our time to curl up on the sofa together (you and my book, at least)

 

Keep Dreaming

and always remember, I'm pulling for you.

 

Not really, but they are not my favorite houseguests at the moment.

 

It seems that they figured out how to remove the drain cover in my shower. I'm sure that they had tons of fun kicking it around. That small piece of metal probably made the best hockey puck on the tile. That alone would have been a bit annoying, but it seems there is something more interesting than a hockey puck--a hole in the floor.  Yep, when you remove the little metal grate, there is a pipe. 1-1/2 inches, and nicely flush with the floor. In kitty terms, "Where do it go?"

 

Now, what do you do with a hole in the floor? Obviously, you drop cat toys down it.

 

Yes, I spent all day fishing cat toys out of my plumbing because my entire system was plugged. Sinks, toilets, and of course the shower. Water came in, but wouldn't go away.

 

I fished several things out of the drain today. In this order...

• 2 plastic balls (about 1-1/4 inch diameter)
• A stuffed mouse
• A bunch of feathers (ripped off the end of a string on a stick)
• Another stuffed mouse
• A small pillow filled with catnip

 

Finally, I managed to get the drains working. They still aren't perfect (it glugs loudly) but they drain. So, I cleaned up (including scrubbing the shower) and then... took a shower. I was filthy. After that, I sat down and started typing a blog... It goes something like this:

 

Anybody want two cats?

 

I'll be back on author duty tomorrow.

 

Until we meet again

Keep Dreaming

I have the first pass back from my developmental editor. As expected, I was raked over the coals. I'm not upset, however, because I deserved it. What is starting to emerge from the rubble is a much clearer storyline, with a massive reduction in noise.

 

My first pass over the comments wound up removing a bit over 5,000 words from the story.

My second pass is in progress. I have added about 2,000 words back, and expect to and another 1,000

 

Already, even though I am far from finished, I am much happier with the product. Things move along much more steadily, and a bunch of superfluous garbage has been hauled to the metaphorical curb.

 

I expect another week to get throug this pass. It is not a terribly easy thing to do. But nothing worthwhile is, right?

A second pass (to see where I screwed up while fixing my screw-ups) should be a bit easier. Mostly because I will have gotten rid of the worst offenders this time.

 

So progress is slow, but it is being made. Another tale is making itself ready, and sooner than you realize, we will once again be sharing and evening or two off in a far-flung land.

 

Until we meet again,

Keep dreaming

My favorite song (IYKYK)

 

I feel liberated, free, and somewhat nervous. I just shipped my manuscript off to my editor. Based on the feedback I have been receiving from my loyal readers (i.e. family who can't get out of it), my editor may never look at me the same. It is true that Signifying Nothing is a fantasy adventure, but it is also true to say that it is solidly within the genre of humor. My best description is that I wrote it to get all of my snark out in one swell foop.

 

But what a day. It feels like, after so long, that I am moving forward again. Editing is getting started, and I am waiting to hear back from my artist. I have some internal artwork commissioned, as well as the all-important cover. As to what text goes on the back, I haven't finalized that. But rest assured, it will probably be as odd as what is inside the cover.

 

I know there is still a lot of work to be done, but from here on out, it just gets more exciting. I find myself to be extremely motivated in this phase, putting in extra hours and making quick progress. I think it is because I can see the tunnel at the end of the light. Or maybe it is just my personality (I have none). Whatever it is, this part of the work invigorates me.

 

I don't have a date as to when this might appear in print, I am going to try and find an agent and see if I can get this one traditionally published. I feel like I have learned so much over the course of previous books that perhaps I have reached a point where that is possible. So, I'm going to give it a go. I will keep you apprised of the process as it happens. It's a new world for me, so I'm sure that I will make more than a few mistakes. Let's just hope some of them are chuckle-worthy.

 

I am now off to take a shower (it's been weeks - JK). I've been up since about 5am getting my work done, and now face an afternoon of relaxation and playing with my cats.

 

Until next time,

Keep Dreaming

Life is returning to normal. Okay, who am I kidding? I've never been normal.

 

Despite that, I am here to report a bit of progress. I have just completed the last of the action, and the manuscript lacks only the denoument. That's right, just wrapping it all up in a neat, tidy, little tangle--err... bow. I know what it is, but I also know that I need to stand up before the bloodfow never returns to my rump. But in only a day or so, it will be time to get this horrid mess off to the editor.

 

By horrid mess, I mean a script full of typo's and weird word selection. But it's normal for this stage. I have powered trhough this without editing what I have written. I have to. If I ever wanted to write half a story that never got finished, I would go back and re-work passages before it is complete. This would pretty much guarantee that I stagnate. Years from now, I would have a really good two or three chapters... and nothing else.

 

So, I have a tangle of tortured english. But burried in that morass is a story. One with a beginning, and middle, and--most importantly--an end. My editor will now take my mess and show me every place where a bit of work will bring the story out into the light. After many hundreds (twenty or thirty hundreds) of edits and rewordings, the story will be laying atop the rubble. Then, another editor will help me recognize where I can sweep the rubble away.

 

Once my thoughts are clean and fully exposed, a third editor will show me where to scrub and polish. By the end, a bright shiny tale of adventure will be ready to be double-checked for those last pesky misspellings and typo's that seem to breed every time I look away.

 

Fear not, intrepid reader, for this is not as time-consuming as it sounds. Sure, it's a lot of work, but I find it exciting. Each iteration brings the pictures in my head closer to life, and the end result is always something that I am amazed I had a hand in producing. 

 

So don't give up on me yet. There is another tale coming, and I am looking forwad to sharing it with you--soon. Until then,

 

Keep Dreaming

Not me. I actively avoid reality in all its forms. I find that denial is a valid method of dealing with life.

 

But my current manuscript... that is another story (pun intended). Almost 90,000 words and now building up to the last scene. As for what that is...

 

SPOILER ALERT:

 

     It is words, meant to be printed on a page or displayed on a screen and read for your enjoyment.

 

C'mon, did you really expect me to give it away on a blog? Give me a little more credit than that. Wait! Not that much credit, just a little. I wouldn't want to get a big head.

 

But seriously, folks. I have a few (read "few" with bolding and italics and multiple exclamation points) beta readers. I need more. I would like to have quite a few!! If you have ever wanted to get your hands on a book before everyone else, then take a look at my home page and check out the Call To Action section. I'm looking forward to hearing from you.

 

Other than writing, my life has been boring lately. My one item of interest is that I got my car's inspection completed. See, I told you it was boring. But it has left me a lot of time to get some things done. I can't complain, my life is wonderful--due in part to all of you who inspire me to keep going.

 

So until next time, remember that your dreams are more important than other's perceptions of you.

 

Keep dreaming

 

 

This has been a busy week. On top of all those chores that never seem to end, I had a few extra things to do. LIke updating my will and getting my brakes serviced. Of course, it hasn't been all bad. The STEM school here is getting into full swing, and I am volunteering my time working with the kids. Great fun.

 

The biggest one is that I am helping my friend with all the typesetting her new book. It is amazing how many details there are in just putting the words on paper. This is all on top of having written those words in the first place. She has been through this a few times before (it's not her first book), but it never really gets easier.

 

For those of you who are wondering just how complicated it can be, let me give you a breakdown.

 

First, you must decide on a trim size. Do you want 6"x9" or 5.25"x7.61" or... about five "standard" sizes are available, and custom sizes are possible (but more expensive). Next, margins. This sounds simple, but you have to remember a few things. Larger margins mean more pages, means more expensive to print. Smaller margins make it more difficult for a reader to hold, and too small can look crowded and cheap. Plus, the margin on the inside next to the spine (this is called the gutter) needs to be larger. The pages curl into the spine of the book, and if the gutter is too small, it is hard to read the words.

 

That's all well and good, but now we get to the text itself. First off, font. It seems crazy, but the look of the font on the page makes a difference in how the book feels. You have to match the visual to the tone of the book. Letters dripping blood and threatening violence simply don't fit if you are publishing a comedy. And what about the size of the font? Large print? Too big, and the reader is turning pages so often that it is difficult for them to remain engrossed in the story. Too small, and the reader is exhausting themselves before reaching the end of the page. Spacing between lines? Spacing between paragraphs? Spacing between scenes? All of this has to be taken into account for both feel and readability.

 

And what about chapters? Do they directly follow one after another? Or does each chapter start on a new page? And what is the font size for the chapter numbers/titles? How much space separating them from the text? Font decorations like italic, bolding, highlights? Centered, Left, Right, always to the inside or outside? Each of the details has to be answered one at a time.

 

Already it's starting to look like a daunting task, and we haven't tackled page headers, footers, page numbers, or some of the more difficult tasks--like making sure you don't have any pages with only one or two lines on them.

 

None of this even begins to touch on what to do if your text includes graphical elements.

 

This would honestly be a horrible task except for one small thing. You know that when you are done, with text all prettied up, title page and front matter laid out, back matter and extras included... you are ready to print!

 

Yes, the end of this is the whole reason you write. Your strory is going public. People are going to read what you wrote. THIS IS IT! That actually makes this kind of fun. Its the end of a journey, and if it is done right, the beginning of the journey for uncountable numbers of readers.

 

I am honored to have my friend ask me for my help with this, and we are almost ready to celebrate her amazing achievement. 

 

I'll let you know when it hits the market.