When I first heard the idea from a friend, four years ago, about a book premise that publishers said they were looking for, I was intrigued. For days it sat in my mind, like a small flickering ember. I tried and tried to blow on it and make it grow. But it didn’t work. Finally I settled on just not letting it die out.
But after a couple of weeks, the embers still glowed and I got an idea. I got a bit of kindling and sat it on top. Those idea kindlings caught fire! And the embers glowed brighter and brighter. Before I knew it I had more ideas, and I placed the sticks ideas on the fire. When those caught fire in my brain, I was hooked.
Log upon log I stacked on top of my now brightly burning idea, until I had a complete framework of ideas, strung together and burning brightly in my mind. That framework became my book Dead Awakenings.
And now, four years later, I have taken that framework, structured it, pounded it, nailed it all together into a house surrounding my initial fire.
I received my first Beta reader edit on my book a few months ago. It was scary, and amazing at the same time. I received the review and quickly when through the grammatical problems, noting where I had missed a word, misspelled a word (cringe) or had other problems, and thought, Great! I made it through!
Then came the plot analysis and character analysis session, and it seems that there are a few leaks in my roof, but my foundation is solid and the walls are still intact!
So onward and upward I go! Now to patch up the leaks and furnish my house a bit better, making it as grand and glorious as possible before I set it in the hands of my next group of Beta Readers!
Now, several edits later I am finally ready for a line editor. I have been through an amazing group of Beta Readers. My SVC Writer’s group, as well as others. I am excited and nervous for what is coming next for Dead Awakenings.
A special Thanx To author Darin Calhoun, who has been my first set of eyes on my novel! As well as authors, Katane Duarte, Mike Bryant and Toni Floyd. And Therese Calhoun!