When the words start to flow...

Nothing can stop a dedicated writer!

Between The Bookendz: Book #38

Check out this book blog for reviews and news, and to follow Eve on her journey to read 50 books in a year.

Between The Bookendz: Book #38

The book is moving through the publishing process and we're making progress. Here's the final cover. Cool, huh? It should be released in the next few weeks.

I know when people read it, they'll want to know how much of the story comes from my real life experiences. My answer: While the book is indeed fiction, my protagonist, Elizabeth Reilly-Hayden and I do share one important element in our lives -- I, too, have been blessed with the friendship of a group of women I first met in high school. We call ourselves, The Wilson Family, (for reasons I won't discuss here), and this book is dedicated to them.
Link to website: judithmarshall.net

Update

No, I didn't die! I've just been overwhelmed with preparing for the release of my debut novel, "Husbands May Come and Go but Friends are Forever," out in a month or so. There's so much to do, working with the publisher on cover design, interior fonts, where to put the page numbers -- you wouldn't believe how much is involved. Anyway, I promise to be more attentive to this blog from now on and will keep you abreast of all new developments. Promise....

My Bad...

Okay, okay. Now it's been even longer since I posted anything; so long I almost forgot I had a blog! Anyway, obviously a lot has happened since last November, we have a new President, the market has tanked, thousands have lost their jobs (including my son), and a bunch of other mostly bad stuff. But in my writing world, some good things have happened. I invited the volunteer readers I mentioned in November to lunch. Four out of six were able to attend. The two absent sent their handwritten comments to me separately. We then had a discussion about what worked and what they thought could be improved. To my delight, all of them genuinely enjoyed the story and saw no major flaws, just a few adjustments. They liked it! They really liked it!

So.... I made the suggested changes, corrected some typos, and once again began to query agents. At present, the entire manuscript is being read by an agent connected to the film industry in Los Angeles. I hope to hear back in the next week or so. Keep your fingers crossed.
I promise to tell you what happens.

Have a Happy Easter!

Okay, I know it's been months since I've posted an update, but I've been exceptionally busy. First, I finished the second complete revision (with my critique group's invaluable help), of my novel "Staying Afloat," and second, I hired an editor to do a hopefully final revision to "Husbands May Come and Go but Friends are Forever, which is now complete. Not bad for eleven months! My current endeavor is to have a small group of people read "Husbands" and provide me with feedback -- what they liked, what they did like, etc. Then assuming there aren't too many major changes to be made, another round of queries.

In preparation for the "book club" exercise, I've had the book published in a standard 6X9 format on www.lulu.com What a kick it was to see it in actual book form! Can't wait to hear the feedback from my group of volunteer readers -- writing just leads to more writing!

A new year, a new opportunity to commit! The holidays can be such a distraction to my regular writing schedule. I don't believe in making new year's resolutions, but I do believe in renewing commitments. I have about 75 pages to review and revise of my second novel "Staying Afloat," the story of a 40-something stay-at-home wife and mother who morphs into a sex-crazed adulteress, before I can go back to my first novel for another read-through.

I find I can't work on two projects at once, so will press on with the editing of the second novel, so I can get to my goal of strengthening my first novel -- then, back to querying agents. Perseverance is the key, and if I commend myself on nothing else (which isn't true, I know I'm a good writer), I will persevere! You can count on it!

Happy New Year and may 2008 bring all of us health and prosperity!