Life as an author . . .

I’ve received the latest assessment on the next novel and the report said:
‘I think there are a lot of readers out there who would adore the magical realism of this novel and become hooked on your combination of the painfully real and the dreamlike escape. It has a Dunnett-like addictive quality . . . You’ve written an imaginative, original and . . . successful novel and your distinctive writing style should really help this one stand out.’

Of course, in the report there were things I had to address, important things, and I have spent all of Dec till now doing just that. But they ask to re-visit the first 50 pages with a view to potentially selling the novel on and so the first 50 went back yesterday morning and I am sooooo nervous as so much hangs in the balance!

Someone once said that the best way to view life is to expect nothing (or the worst) and then anything else is a bonus. Good idea . . . but there are those moments when you just bust with a wish or desire and that’s what it was like yesterday as I pressed ‘send’ on the computer.

In addition, I found a review on Goodreads for The Last Stitch by a very sympathetic reader and that actually made my day along with the fact that Liviu of Fantasy Book Critic is ramping up to review my last two ‘indy’ books, the afore-mentioned The Last Stitch and its prequel The Stumpwork Robe.  Now that really scares me to hell.  FBC and Liviu are so highly respected within the genre in which I write and one hopes for such good things.  But then again, maybe I should be expecting the worst (Really?  Do I have to?).
In the meantime, it’s summer and as my final edit is finished (Is it ever?  Really?) I’m off to have a swim

From Fairy Tales on Facebook

. . . more later.

Post Script:  Three hours or so later.  The air temp is 26 degrees, the water temp about 20 degrees and there was just me on the beach.  It smacked of Robinson Crusoe at the very least.  Three swims, back home and believe it or not, am reading that 50 pages again . . . just to make sure!