So I have been doing a lot of pondering lately, with my work.  Trying to figure out where I am going, what I want to do with it, and what is going on!  Dead Awakenings is currently under contract with Etopia Press to be published this next year.  The Society was submitted to a few publishers and I got a few contract offers, but in the end decided to do more work to it before sending it back out. I also sent out Red to a few publishers and decided to do a bit more work to it as well.

So what’s going on at this moment?  Well, The Society and Red The Were Hunter are both with freelance editors and I am both terrified and excited to see what they come back with.  I have been working on editing Snow The Vampire Slayer in the meantime. Taking it to my critique partners and writer’s group and getting it ready to go to a freelance editor when I get the other two back.

Now, you may be wondering why I decided to send my work to a freelance editor on my own dime.  The answer is simple, and two fold.  If I decide to start submitting to agents or publishers again, I want it to be as tight as possible, as well as having any problems worked out before hand; and I feel that sending it to a freelance editor is the best way to go.  If I decide to self publish them, I will need to have them professionally edited anyway.  And I am still trying to decide if I am going to self publish.

I have been to so many conferences, taken so many workshops and spoken to numerous people about all the options, and I have discovered that self publishing is great for some people.  The Self Pubbed authors I have spoken to, love having gone that direction.  You control the cover, formatting, marketing and what goes into the book.  It has its appeal for a control freak like me! Initially I was scared. But as I have been in contact with cover artists, formatters, bloggers, reviews, and book marketing sites, I have come to realize that it is easier than it appears.  The downside is, it is a lot more work than it appears.

I still love the idea of going mainstream as well.  Not having to find an editor, or fight over a cover, or having to contact marketers etc.  I know that even if I go mainstream I will need to do my own self promoting and a lot of other things, but not quite as many as self publishing.

So, with no real decision as to what I am going to do, I know one thing for sure. I want to put my best work forward.  I want to put my stories out there and see them soar, or plummet, whichever direction they take.  But I want to do it within the next year.

So, what’s going on?  In a nutshell, editing.  Editing, editing, and more editing.  I am getting four books ready to get out into the world.  I’m sure I should be doing it one at a time, but when you have as many finished manuscripts as I do, sitting in your computer, waiting to come out, you have to be a multitasker!

I am enjoying time with my children and helping judge a contest, as well as volunteering as moderator for my critique group.  I have offered to help out with my LARA RWA group and will a writing website.  We will see what all I end up doing, but right now I am taking it a bit easy.  Because in a few short weeks, I am going to be slammed with edits.

Have a great Labor Day Weekend!