So, last week I turned in my revisions to A CURIOUS BEGINNING, the first Veronica Speedwell mystery, and then my editor responded with a quick list of tweaks–very small stuff which I insisted on making into BIG stuff by rewriting two scenes in a pretty major way and tweaking several others. I’ve never done this…

Reader Nancy has another question–and it’s a great one! What happens when you entirely disagree with your editor? Especially for you since you have a degree in English, you’ve taught it, and are the embodiment of prose itself. On the other hand, how do you not freak out because what if it means you’re just…

We’re carrying on with Nancy’s questions–which are so good I’m giving serious consideration to letting her choose all our blog topics. Forever. My question here is what if they want you to cut something you think is essential, but they apparently are not naturally seeing the importance of it? Does that mean I didn’t make…

I  made my deadline, peeps–A CURIOUS BEGINNING, the first Veronica Speedwell mystery is revised and in my publisher’s hands with a bow on top. I turned it in with three hours to spare which is much closer than I like to cut it, but there you go. Since I turned it in, I’ve been digging…

This is D-Day, chickens–Delivery Day, the day the final version of the first book in Veronica Speedwell’s adventures gets turned in to the editor. The time for changes is past. Everything from here on out will be limited to the odd word or phrase. No rewriting allowed. I will have the book turned in by…

So with two days left until deadline, there’s a lot of hyperventilating, a lot of “OHMYGOD, WHY ISN’T THIS BOOK EXACTLY WHAT I WANT, WAIT THIS PART ISN’T SO BAD”, and a fair bit of tearing of hair. At this stage, the hard work is done and the rest is all tweaking–the sort of tweaking…

I know you know. But I feel compelled to point out that I am revising like a FIEND right now, and completely fresh bloggery is beyond me. (I have some superb entries planned about process once the book is turned in!) Anyway, my deadline is January 15, and this book is coming along swimmingly, but…

Hello, chickens–and happy 2015! I hope all of you enjoyed the guest blogging during December. A HUGE thank you to all the fine folks who participated. It gave me a much-needed break to focus on the revisions of my new novel and spending the holidays with my family. As of today, husband–who only had to…