Two projects have kept me busy. It never ends. I just finished reading the book to Vivian's sister who is going blind poor thing. It is very sad for her. She enjoyed the book and said she didn't get too deeply involved emotionally because she knew it was only a story. I did try to recite it expressively and with emotion. That is hard not being an actor. She said I did a good job.
On Monday, I received the final layout files from Langdon Street Press. It is a good feeling knowing the book is laid out. I have to read it again carefully. and submit each revision separately by page and line. As I read through the story I recorded each revision on a word document that will be easy to cut and paste onto the publishers form. I want to send it back Monday but I don't know if I will make it. It is so routine now to read it over and over. I almost have it memorized-all 400 pages plus. I'm kicking myself for writing so much. It is harder now to catch errors. I found another omitted word (of). Most likely the reader's brain would insert it automatically and nobody would know the difference. I think most of these errors are mine and not the publishers. They did misspell a chapter heading. You have to watch!
The other project involved hiring a professional cartoonist to create my characters. I want two drawings: 1. Trevor & Shona and 2. The fabulous starting five of the "Bridger's" championship basketball team wearing their team jerseys. I'll throw in Travis' girl Katie Russell. I hardly described her in the book. I know she is cute or Travis wouldn't have fallen so deeply in love with her. She is a plain, innocent farm-bred girl. I can use the drawings on my website with the character sketches. I'm planning the website now but LSP won't assign me a webmaster until I approve the galleys hopefully by November. One step at a time. I need to keep focused on my reading. They can't proceed until they get my revisions. Then, do I need to approve the new layout again? I'm afraid so. This is too much work!
I wanted my book cover artist Mike, to do the drawings. His professor at Valley City State thought he could do the figure drawings but he was overly committed. After everyone in North Dakota reads my book (hic!) and sees his beautiful artwork, he'll be an even a busier man. So, I looked locally here and the artist that works with the gallery at our local Community Center sent my request to the Southern California Cartoonist Society. I found someone from there to do it. I can hardly wait to see what he comes up with. It requires the unique skill of a police artist. I have furnished the physical characteristics from the book: height, weight, hair color and style, nationality and more. I told the cartoonist that I didn't know what these characters looked like but I would recognize them when I saw them. That wasn't much help.
No comments:
Post a Comment