Talks and Admin, Recording and Editing.

It's been another busy week, with a bit of back and forth with The Editor about edits, creating paperback proof copies, attending one of the Sturminster Newton Literary Festival author talks, and finishing and then recording a new short story.

First to the work in progress 'Death on the Village Green', the second book in the Yvonne Parker Mystery series. As usual the communication with The Editor has been friendly, supportive and enlightening, and I always feel these interactions are better than any 'How To Write a Novel' workshop. We have now finished our partnership for this book, and I am preparing for the next stage - the Beta Readers. These are a lovely group of readers, many of whom have been with me from the start, and who voluntarily read a proof copy of the book noting errors as they go. My aim is not to have any errors. I am yet to succeed. These may be a query about an equestrian term they are unfamiliar with, clarity about a scene, mistakes in the plot, and also characters and plot twists they enjoy. Their feedback is so valuable, and I would be lost without it! After a little mistake with the sizing as shown in the photograph, I have now ordered the proof copies for them as everyone prefers to review the book in paperback form, and look forward to hearing their thoughts in the next few weeks.

I always find it useful to hear from other authors about their writing process, and last week I popped down the road to Stur for a talk with an author who has written many more books than I have, has thousands of online reviews, and who is 'only' publishing five books next year, as opposed to the nine this year! Lots of hints and tips picked up from that session, and I am looking forward to discussing them with one of my beta readers next week who also attended.

'Farmshop Trauma' is the second short story I have now written and recorded for Alfred radio, and was inspired by a true story involving my little dog Spider ... more on that if it is broadcast in the next few weeks!