An Open Book

Photo by Henry Diltz

Welcome Readers!

July comes to an end this week and I am thrilled with were I am with the book. Edits were right on time and I clicked accept on the last of the changes at about 2:30 this afternoon.

One word, Exciting! I owe a big thank you to Ashley D. Kuhre editor extraordinaire. She did an incredible job of cleaning up my grammar and punctuation. She completely respected my writing and style and made interesting and useful suggestions most of which I gladly accepted. What I didn’t accept were a matter of voice and nothing more. So thank you Ashley! You rock! I can never thank you enough.

Four days ahead of schedule the MS is going back to Iuniverse for the next step. I have a few small details to look over tonight and I plan on sending the MS back to my contact in the am. Again one word, Exciting!

So you may be asking yourself what changed in the book? Well, the advice of the EE from Iuniverse was to tone done the sex scenes and bump up the descriptions of Wales. As I stated before I was not so keen on toning down the intimate scenes. But after doing some research and having a look at my target audience again and listening to the specifics that Ashley gave on the issue… I thought it might be best to do as suggested. Other than that all of the changes were straightening out POV and grammar. They went quickly and smoothly.

Now for the pod book update. I believe I have the tech stuff for the most part worked out. Three chapters are in the can and chapter 4 about halfway in the can, sucker keeps trying to crawl out. This will be a great week to record. I have a light schedule as I freed it up to do editing. And since I don’t have a lot of clients scheduled this week for the same reason. I can limit my daytime actives to fielding calls, marketing, maybe jumping on my favorite forum for a check in and doing my sister’s wedding gift. Nope, I’m not going to tell, I hear she reads this blog.

It never fails when I work on a project whether it is editing or just re-reading, the action of working on my joy, writing, always makes me want to write more. Ideas flood into my head. It is like waking up a sleeping chatterbox. I scribble notes for later. Writer tiny characterizations for later and time slips away. I hope it is like that for you.

Keep Writing! I Know I Will!

Rhonda R. Carpenter

Photo by Henry Diltz

Welcome Readers!

The big week has arrived. This week the edits for The Mark of the Druid will be in on Wednesday by midnight. I must say I am very excited to get on with the next step. I will have exactly 7 days to determined the changes that will be made and the final returned to Iuniverse for cover design and polish.

I would really like to have the book considered for Editors Choice offered by Iuniverse, but at this point, I have not made a decision. The cost is not the biggest concern for me it is about not slowing down the process. I guess after I see what the editor has come up with then I will make a choice if it is worth adding 3 weeks to the release schedule. I really would like to have this book be a fall release and at this point if you count off the 13 weeks on the projected schedule that would make the book release a Samhain for those of you who don’t know the Druidic feast days this is Halloween or there in abouts the Fall Equinox. When I have made a choice I will let you all know.

I have had a very successful week pod casting or should I say recording. The first chapter of the book is in the can and two should be done by tomorrow night. I am finding the process fun and challenging.

There is a lot on “the plate” for this week. I want to have chapter two firmed up and in the can, Chapter 3 well underway and then there is starting on the edits while keeping up with marketing and networking online.

Oh and clients. Grin.

Truth Slithers is on hold until the edits are in and I go back into wait mode for Iuniverse to do their job. I am still very happy with my choice to use them to publish this book. Enjoy your week!

Keep Writing I Know I Will!

Rhonda R. Carpenter

Photo by Henry Diltz

Welcome Readers!

Well, I am so excited to tell you all that one photo from Bubba’s Words of Wisdom has been chosen as a semi-finalist in the cutest Pet contest. It was actually a fluke that I entered the contest. Someone sent me their pets photo and I had been working on the translating for Bubba that day and it just made sense.

Bubba’s photo will be a appearing in a coffee table book ISBN#978-0-9770401-6-2 set for release fall of 2008. The Title of the book is Cutest Pet’s Around the Globe Photo Book

When Bubba got the letter today he was so shocked he had to laid down and take a nap. I on the other hand spent the afternoon giggling at the comedy of circumstances that took me on the road to entering him. This contest is put on by Cutestpetscontest.com. Grand prize is $1000.00 and runners up get $100.00 pet smart gift cards. So if you have a chance go vote for bubba to be on the cover with 9 of the other finalist. Click here to vote http://www.cutestpetcontest.com/bigpic.php?enum=100326190

Well that said it is time to recap the week. Chapter one of The Mark of a Druid for the podcast version is on the can so they say. I love learning new things. But I would not call myself one of the most savvy geeks our there. So this was a big accomplishment for me. Now that I have all the settings correct and I know how to do basic music mixing. I think that the chapters should move on pretty quickly. It took about 22 hours to cut, edit and mix the first chapter. So count it up folks 46 chapters to go. But I am only required to to have 5 in the can before I can start pod casting on Podio books and itunes.

I am hoping to time the release as close to parallel as possible. The release of the paper back is still not firm yet but it is looking more and more like an end of October event. For me that means a Samhain release. For you that may mean a Halloween release or close anyway. So we may have the pod casting started before if we can get the final cover in time.

This week I am also working on Truth Slithers and recording for Lifefirst.com. So this looks to be another busy week. If you haven’t heard the interview on Blog Talk Radio check out the link below.

I was interviewed by Dr. Sally Witt on Blog Talk Radio. If you would like to hear the interview or listen to any of her other shows click here http://www.blogtalkradio.com/drsallywitt Thank you, Dr. Sally for a great interview and a wonderful time.

I want to give out a big thank you to Neil Dixon author of Persistent Spirit for his inclusion of my promo on the end of his chapter 23 pod cast. If you are not listening to his weekly pod casts yet of the Table Rappers Series then you are truly missing out on a great piece of entertainment. Also I am happy to spread the word that Persistent Spirit has been nominated for the European pod cast awards. So go vote! Here is the link. Vote

Keep Writing I Know I Will!

Rhonda R. Carpenter