I'm a bit depressed this morning. Five people, no less, have failed to get their reports to me by the deadline of last night.
So far, the feedback I've had from people who have read the drafts have included...
- "Stands up well against the ones I do buy - is longer and better crafted than many."
- "From that moment your book pulled me inside the story and I couldn't stop reading. It's excellent!!!"
- "And finally, FINALLY, a book about BDSM that isn't all fantasy and 50 shades style crap, but really relates the feelings behind it all and allows people to understand! You have no clue how much I love you for writing this one."
So, I sit here, ready to start the final polishing before it goes to the publisher, and I don't know where the final pot holes are so I can't fill them in. I've got a barrow full of hot tarmac and no idea where to put it.
One person, fair enough, I know her job is a tie, but I asked her because I enjoy her writing. But life is going to be, what life is going to be.
It is a bloody good job that I didn't wait for today. I've been polishing throughout, but there remain major challenges now and I'm basically direction-less. The only thing I know that needs doing is that the language needs to be made more natural and less stilted.
But I can't help it now. I'm depressed.
And yes. I asked these people, and they said, yes ... but nothing has come back; not even a "Sorry, I wasn't able to find the time." ... which is a perfectly reasonable thing. I'm grateful that they volunteered their time in the first place.
But silence ... just ... hurts.
I didn't include a chastity scene in this book. Maybe in the next, and it might be male chastity. Not sure. See how this book goes down first. It has been a real labour of love that has eaten my time over the last month or two.
This is going to affect the Germany trip for the C Belts. I turn in the book the day that I leave; and I know that it won't be as good as it could be. I know me ... as I settle in to driving on the E40, in the dark, my mind will be catching up with things and I'll be crying to myself ... because the book could have been better. This should be a happy time for me ... but there will be a deep sadness and depression at the back of my mind, throughout.
The Companion
Re: The Companion
Rome was not built in a day!. Have faith in your self and your abilities, as you are so involved in the scene you above many many other writers have a real EDGE !
Experience in real the BDSM world and all its facets.
Take a leap in faith in your own abilities and once the final draft is submitted forget it and DO NOT over think it as your driving!! Loss of concentration means possible accidents with all the trauma and disruption that ensues.
I am sure that you have done a really good job of the book. Enjoy your trip and when you get back you will have the choice of belts that you want and provided they are all produced in a sensible time your next big challenge will be which one first and then for how long.
Maybe you will be able to wear the best belt publically to your book launch and capitalise on the belt saying it will feature in your next book!
S
Experience in real the BDSM world and all its facets.
Take a leap in faith in your own abilities and once the final draft is submitted forget it and DO NOT over think it as your driving!! Loss of concentration means possible accidents with all the trauma and disruption that ensues.
I am sure that you have done a really good job of the book. Enjoy your trip and when you get back you will have the choice of belts that you want and provided they are all produced in a sensible time your next big challenge will be which one first and then for how long.
Maybe you will be able to wear the best belt publically to your book launch and capitalise on the belt saying it will feature in your next book!
S
Re: The Companion
Well, the later reviewers are coming back with much less to complain about! LOL! I do know one thing, I will not be using any "speed build" services. I don't want these belts made in a hurry. I want them to make a good job of them. And as you've seen in other posts, I'm capable of taking some really detailed photographs!!!fitherin wrote:I am sure that you have done a really good job of the book. Enjoy your trip and when you get back you will have the choice of belts that you want and provided they are all produced in a sensible time your next big challenge will be which one first and then for how long.
My only remaining concern is my weight. My weight is my responsibility, and I must get this right. I am really disappointed in myself that I haven't managed to make a serious dent in my stomach these last few months. However, with the hip belts (the ones that will really count) weight isn't too much of an issue as long as it is within reasonable parameters, I beleive.
Now there's an idea...fitherin wrote:Maybe you will be able to wear the best belt publically to your book launch and capitalise on the belt saying it will feature in your next book!
Re: The Companion
Ah well, feedback received yesterday, another one this morning and finally someone saying they had tablet troubles and will get their feedback to me this evening. I love the sound of deadlines, especially that "whooshing" sound they make as they go flying by.
Re: The Companion
"Just finished the book, apart from some typos which I'll send over tomorrow, I wouldnt change a thing. I loved it, and think you missed your vocation."
That was the last report. Gah! I could have submitted last night! Ah well.
Actually, large chunks got changed in the last couple of weeks. Loads of tense problems, you're and your, its and it's, etc., missing detail and the dialogue was made more fluid. So, unfortunately, more than just a thing did, indeed, get changed already! Oops! It also had to be re-tuned to the publisher's requirements which wasn't a quick job either.
I think the publisher will hang fire until I get back from Germany so that I'm here to be able to do stuff.
That's it! The submission buttons gets hit shortly. It is all prepped now.
And if anyone ever tells you that writing a book is easy ... please slap them on my behalf!
That was the last report. Gah! I could have submitted last night! Ah well.
Actually, large chunks got changed in the last couple of weeks. Loads of tense problems, you're and your, its and it's, etc., missing detail and the dialogue was made more fluid. So, unfortunately, more than just a thing did, indeed, get changed already! Oops! It also had to be re-tuned to the publisher's requirements which wasn't a quick job either.
I think the publisher will hang fire until I get back from Germany so that I'm here to be able to do stuff.
That's it! The submission buttons gets hit shortly. It is all prepped now.
And if anyone ever tells you that writing a book is easy ... please slap them on my behalf!
Re: The Companion
So, how are things going on the creative front?
The book has stalled because of a backlog with the reviewers. The big gun reviewers don't want to pick up the unknowns so that leaves the blogging community who seem completely overwhelmed with new authors. There seems to be a log jam. However, I have created a wordpress blog - http://therealslavel.wordpress.com/ - to support the book and allow discussion. The physical books should hopefully be with me next week so I can sign them and get them to the people that helped out.
The chastity belts are now all waiting. My-Steel should be here in a week or two. NeoSteel probably sometime in December. Fetish Ironworks appears to have dropped off the planet again. Walter of Carrara, despite the sudden "follow" on LinkedIn, has remained silent. Richard of Tollyboy still hasn't publicized a method of contact that he is actually responding to!
I did actually take the opportunity the other day, to nip in to an art shop and get some fresh 300gsm card for the photography of the belts when they arrive, so all is prepped.
The Fetters project continues and I'll be there tomorrow for the latest fitting, so new pics will be up in a few days.
Book number 2 for Companion has already been started. Telling the story from the submissives side is easy; but I'll share with you that book number two will tell the story from the dominants side ... and it won't be straightforward or quick, I can guarantee you that. However, I need feedback on the first book to be able to move forward, and that is where the reviewer log jam is not helping.
The book has stalled because of a backlog with the reviewers. The big gun reviewers don't want to pick up the unknowns so that leaves the blogging community who seem completely overwhelmed with new authors. There seems to be a log jam. However, I have created a wordpress blog - http://therealslavel.wordpress.com/ - to support the book and allow discussion. The physical books should hopefully be with me next week so I can sign them and get them to the people that helped out.
The chastity belts are now all waiting. My-Steel should be here in a week or two. NeoSteel probably sometime in December. Fetish Ironworks appears to have dropped off the planet again. Walter of Carrara, despite the sudden "follow" on LinkedIn, has remained silent. Richard of Tollyboy still hasn't publicized a method of contact that he is actually responding to!
I did actually take the opportunity the other day, to nip in to an art shop and get some fresh 300gsm card for the photography of the belts when they arrive, so all is prepped.
The Fetters project continues and I'll be there tomorrow for the latest fitting, so new pics will be up in a few days.
Book number 2 for Companion has already been started. Telling the story from the submissives side is easy; but I'll share with you that book number two will tell the story from the dominants side ... and it won't be straightforward or quick, I can guarantee you that. However, I need feedback on the first book to be able to move forward, and that is where the reviewer log jam is not helping.
Re: The Companion
It is here... now to get some of the blogger reviewers interested enough to read it and see what they think of it. If you know of a book review blogger who reviews erotic romance, give them the URL in the previous post.
Re: The Companion
OK - I heard back from the publisher yesterday. "The Companion" is going forward to the high street under the Silver Moon imprint.
I submitted the 2nd edition script on Sunday. The publisher will need to change the cover to something more muted and also change the size to traditional paperback dimensions. The paperback world moves very slowly, so it will be a while before the book is presented to the buyers of the major chain stores in the UK. It will need to be pitched properly for them to not only consider taking it on board for their stores, but also putting it on the shelves. - Heck, it will be possibly six weeks, potentially more, before I've got the 2nd edition paperback in my hands.
The next few months are going to be as nervewracking as all hell. The book is getting good reviews from the people who are reading it, so it will only take a decent review from reviewers who are well read ... and then it could start to gain momentum.
In the mean time, the Fetters suit project is nearly complete. I was with them on Monday. Obviously, in the shot below the waist belt needs a few extra holes and there wasn't any hair out of the hood holes ... but ... we're getting there! This thing is going to take something like TWENTY padlocks. Phew.
I submitted the 2nd edition script on Sunday. The publisher will need to change the cover to something more muted and also change the size to traditional paperback dimensions. The paperback world moves very slowly, so it will be a while before the book is presented to the buyers of the major chain stores in the UK. It will need to be pitched properly for them to not only consider taking it on board for their stores, but also putting it on the shelves. - Heck, it will be possibly six weeks, potentially more, before I've got the 2nd edition paperback in my hands.
The next few months are going to be as nervewracking as all hell. The book is getting good reviews from the people who are reading it, so it will only take a decent review from reviewers who are well read ... and then it could start to gain momentum.
In the mean time, the Fetters suit project is nearly complete. I was with them on Monday. Obviously, in the shot below the waist belt needs a few extra holes and there wasn't any hair out of the hood holes ... but ... we're getting there! This thing is going to take something like TWENTY padlocks. Phew.
Re: The Companion
OK .... so what's happening with the book.
Second edition was finished and handed to the publisher, who re-designed the book ready for it to go in to the "High Street" - for those who don't know, the British High Street is equivalent of the city or town centre, where all the shops are. Bricks and Mortar retail.
Firstly, Create Space would only supply the US High Street, so if you were outside the US and walked in to your shop, they wouldn't be able to order the book for you. So, that's caused some chaos in finding a new printer who will work internationally to book shops.
Secondly, the European Union did their usual trick of coming up with a new VAT rule which works at a, "high" level ... but they've done it while all member states VAT functions at a "lower", more fundamental level, are all different. So much chaos has reigned. This affects businesses that sell digital goods. Businesses that sell physical goods (even if the order process is on-line) aren't affected. This is mucked up small e-book publishers and has created merry hell.
So ... things are delayed. Hope to have 2nd Edition for the end of January.
The Companion is, however, being translated to German. Should happen some time in the first few months next year. My German friends think a lot of the story, so we'll see how well it is received by the public there some time 2015.
The second book is half way through completion; ie. first draft. I hope to have it finished to the point where it can be, "checked," by my friends, by the end of January, but there is still much to do.
So ... things continue.
Second edition was finished and handed to the publisher, who re-designed the book ready for it to go in to the "High Street" - for those who don't know, the British High Street is equivalent of the city or town centre, where all the shops are. Bricks and Mortar retail.
Firstly, Create Space would only supply the US High Street, so if you were outside the US and walked in to your shop, they wouldn't be able to order the book for you. So, that's caused some chaos in finding a new printer who will work internationally to book shops.
Secondly, the European Union did their usual trick of coming up with a new VAT rule which works at a, "high" level ... but they've done it while all member states VAT functions at a "lower", more fundamental level, are all different. So much chaos has reigned. This affects businesses that sell digital goods. Businesses that sell physical goods (even if the order process is on-line) aren't affected. This is mucked up small e-book publishers and has created merry hell.
So ... things are delayed. Hope to have 2nd Edition for the end of January.
The Companion is, however, being translated to German. Should happen some time in the first few months next year. My German friends think a lot of the story, so we'll see how well it is received by the public there some time 2015.
The second book is half way through completion; ie. first draft. I hope to have it finished to the point where it can be, "checked," by my friends, by the end of January, but there is still much to do.
So ... things continue.
Re: The Companion
To hold your own book ... crazy feeling ...