Zooming Towards A Deadline

   It’s hard to believe spring is almost here. It will soon be time to shed those heavy winter coats and flannel pajamas. Hallelujah! In Ohio, if you don’t like the weather, just stick around for another five minutes—it will change. March is especially crazy. One day it might be 70 degrees and the next barely passing for a high of 30. But there is hope! Warmer days are on the horizon.

   The deadline for my current work-in-process, “Bay Hideaway”, is zooming in quickly. God has been good to help me finish this within this time. It’s a matter of editing now. I’m not sure how other authors handle editing, but mine is in constant motion. Every time I write on a chapter, I first go through what has already been written for that chapter and make changes. That could happen 20 times in a week. The material becomes stronger and better focused.

 Last night, I read the manuscript in its entirety. It’s amazing to see how it all pulls together. Sometimes I have to rewrite portions for continuity. If it has taken me two weeks to write a five-minute scene, it seems like the characters are stuck with these feeliings and emotions for such a long time. Then, I read through it later and see how fast the scene moves and wonder what took them so long.

   Editing also involves a few good friends who are willing to catch those typos my brain just glosses over without a thought or sentences that might flow better when written another way. So, thanks to Becky Rickard for looking over each chapter as it was being written. I’m sure it’s hard waiting for each new chapter when she really wants to see what is happening next. Another friend, Becky Nelson, who will give it the final car-wash-scrubbing-action has also been invaluable. Then we’ll let the REAL editors have a go at it. They always do a great job!

Keep warm thoughts and let the southerly winds make their way north.

Beth 

Bay Island Series

    I’m nearing completion of the third book in the Bay Island Series. Two emotions happen when a book is this close to the end: Relief and sadness. It’s hard to explain. Sometimes writers have to keep pushing themselves to finish and panic sets in when a deadline is looming so close. Yet, when the last word is written it’s like having to move away from the location and people you’ve been with for several months.

    At least I continue to visit the place often with editing and rewrites. Then I wonder how many times I can read my own writing (like watching the same movie 100 times) without getting bored with it. The ”Bay Island” books have been anything but boring. Several readers have written that they love the real characters and the constant action. One reader, however, found the action too much and it stressed her. That’s okay! It’s so much better than finding out one of my books bored someone into an early grave.

That’s all for now. I’m so very new to this blog stuff. A year ago I didn’t even know what a blog was. See how progressive I’ve become?

Keep smiling because God loves you!

 Beth