Peter E. Fenton's Blog, page 10

The Woodcarver’s Model Has Already Travelled The World

The Woodcarver’s Model started its journey in Toronto
(photo credit Scott White)

I used to imagine that the life of a novel started with a writer holed up on their own, sitting at a typewriter plucking at the keys with two clean pieces of white paper and a carbon page tucked neatly in between. Over time, the pages would pile up in a tray and eventually amount to a novel. Once the tome was completed, corrections would be manually made with a red pen and the resulting collection of typed words and pen scratches would make their way to an agent in a manila envelope. The agent would read the dog-eared pages late into the night, and after determining it was a masterpiece, they would present it to a publisher who would send it to a printing press and turn it into a best-selling book that would be displayed on shelves of bookstores in Canada…and hopefully further abroad.

While this fantasy may be filled with romance, the way books are actually published and marketed is much more…technology driven. Books can now be distributed internationally as e-readers without ever seeing a printing press. But even more interesting, is the way that the creation of The Woodcarver’s Model became a truly international collaboration.

The journey for my novel started not at a typewriter, but at a computer. After my first draft was completed, there were no red pens involved. In the world of technology, my partner went through a draft I emailed him. He worked at his computer, put on the “track changes” setting and inserted comments on the side of the document by typing them in. At one point, it seemed there were more comments at the side of the document than there were words in the novel (Scott can be very detail-oriented).

After much time spent meeting, and going through the edits and trying to decide what to keep and what to edit … a solid draft was ready to send out. In the romantic version of this story, the manuscript would be printed, photocopied and mailed away in a large padded envelope. In reality, queries were made by email, with the manuscript attached as a PDF. Responses came into my inbox, not my mailbox.

When Pride Publishing (a division of the Totally Entwined Group) accepted the manuscript, there was no fancy dinner or a discussion of contracts over drinks. They are very nice people, and I would even have paid for dinner, but the publishing company is in Lincolnshire County in England some 6000 kilometres away. Just to give SOME of the romance back, Scott and I opened a bottle of champagne at home and made a nice meal while we looked at a map of The United Kingdom.

The Totally Entwined Publishing Group is located in Market Rasen
in the county of Lincolnshire, England.
(Image credit Lincolnshire Tourism)

Contracts were digitally signed, various social media platforms were organized and an author portal was set up through the publishing company where all of the stages of the book would be processed online.

The manuscript was then turned over to the primary editor Anna Olson (one of three who looked at the manuscript). We exchanged pleasant emails and edits were done on the document via computer using a similar process to what my partner had done. Anna was fastidious and truly made the book far better with her skill and knowledge. Some of the editing started to take a very specific turn in terms of particular locations in Canada mentioned in the book. Out of curiosity, I asked where Anna was working from and discovered that I had been assigned a Canadian editor who worked from Vancouver. In the world of digital publishing, anything is possible.

Editing of The Woodcarver’s Model was done on the opposite end of the country.
(Image credit Google Maps)

Various elements of the novel (including cover art etc.) were now bouncing between Toronto and Lincolnshire, England, while edits were bouncing between Toronto and Vancouver. But the global input wasn’t done yet.

Once the editing was done and the book was put to bed, it was time to move into the marketing of the novel. I was introduced to Lori Blantin who would be coordinating the launch of the book, blog tours (where the book is featured in blogs that have a high number of romance readers), cover releases, advanced reader copies for reviews … a whole host of new things to comprehend.

In our correspondence, I asked Lori where she was working from. I was curious because, in terms of time zones, the publisher was five hours ahead of me, the editor was three hours behind me and I wanted to know if there was a “best time” to send emails. Lori assured me that my emails would be handled right away, as we were both in the EST time zone. I asked if she was near Toronto. She explained she was just a little bit south of Toronto … in North Carolina. The publisher in England knows the European market well, and Lori has a thorough knowledge of the American market, so she would be handling the marketing on this side of the pond.

The scope of the marketing of The Woodcarver’s Model includes promotion coordinated from North Carolina.
(Image credit Open Source Maps)

To add to the global flavour, I augmented my outreach with another online promotion company recommended by the publisher. Once again our interactions were all via email and eventually I discovered that this promotion company works internationally and is based in Australia (13 hours ahead of me).

The Woodcarver’s Model leaps across the world to Australia
(Photo credit ttfs open source)

I recently signed a contract for the novel to be turned into an audio book and it is possible that the narrator will be recording from another locale in North America.

And if the book is successful, there may be translations into other languages, which may be done by people in other parts of the world.

So while in some ways it has a little less romance than the publishing days of old, there is something still rather fantastical about this process. I am getting to know people from all over the world, and in time, I hope to get to visit everyone who has had a hand in my novel.

Their expertise and knowledge has meant that The Woodcarver’s Model may be set in Canada, but is truly an international collaboration.

The Woodcarver’s Model will be available for pre-order on March 8th with a general release through Pride Publishing on April 19th.

An Interview With The Author of The Woodcarver’s Model

Peter E. Fenton talks about his writing process

I find it hard to talk about myself, so I decided it would be easier to have my partner Scott White (who is also a writer) interview me. What is printed below is the result of that interview.

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SW: So The Woodcarver’s Model is your first novel, but prior to that, you had written mostly on plays. So why the switch from plays to novels?

PF: Well, the pandemic certainly had a lot to do with that at first. People weren’t going out to plays, and writing something that people could access from the safety of their own homes seemed like a natural pivot. But after I started working on the novel, I discovered that I really like the way I can stretch out the writing. Plays are more compact because the visual elements of a play give the audience a lot of information. In a book the audience has only the words on the page. It means I get to write more descriptive prose and write in a longer format.

SW: Are there things that have transferred from the way you write plays to the writing of the novel?

PF: Definitely the rhythm of words. After I have written a draft, one of the things I like to do is read through the book out loud (or at least imagine myself doing so) to see if the passages flow. There is an audio-book version of the novel coming out later this year, so hopefully some of that work may pay off.

SW: Writing a novel seems like a big commitment. What would you say is the key to getting a novel finished?

PF: First of all, I write on a schedule. I write every day, although not always on weekends. This ensures that I keep flowing. One of the things that has made that possible is my retirement. Knowing that my pension will cover basic expenses has given me the freedom to write without worrying about the financial return. I acknowledge that this is an enviable position. Artists in all art forms often have greater success when financial burden is removed and they have the time to just practise their art. I feel lucky to be able to do that.

SW: And your writing process…where do you get your ideas?

PF: I overheard someone say that writing is equal parts observation, imagination and perspiration. I think that’s true. Even when writing plays, I’ve always been aware of things going on around me and written down ideas or phrases I hear. I also write down certain experiences I’ve had, or details about places I’ve been that have impacted me. For instance in The Woodcarver’s Model, the fictional island that the central character visits is very loosely based on a trip I took to Salt Spring Island. People who have been there, may recognize certain characteristics of the island. But after that base is established, that’s where the imagination comes in…and the perspiration is simply the act of writing every day.

SW: So you’re writing in the world of gay romance. What is that like?

PF: In some ways it isn’t much different from other things I’ve written. My stories have always been relationship-based. What is surprising is how wide-ranging the world of gay romance is. There are a number of niche markets that connect to varying types of relationships, and not just the idea that the relationship is between members of the same sex, but there are all of these sub genres. I am fascinated by the amount of vampire gay romance, werewolf gay romance, alien gay romance. The list goes on and on.

SW: Does your book have any vampires in it?

PF: Definitely not. Mine follows a more conventional arc with a man out of love, who falls in love, and when that relationship is jeopardized he has to decide if he can find a way to reveal the truth about his life in order to save the relationship (and save the life of his love interest).

SW: That sounds a lot like the movies on the Hallmark Channel or the W Network.

PF: Well not exactly. For starters, my romance does NOT have a Christmas tree lot in it, BUT, there are certain story arcs that readers expect from a romance novel. It seems to me that people read romance because they want to escape to a place where characters are looking for love and can overcome obstacles to find their perfect match. In fact, my publisher Pride Publishing insists that the ending either be ‘Happily Ever After’, or ‘Happy For Now’. But that doesn’t mean the journey along the way can’t be filled with twists and turns and sometimes ‘Happily Ever After’ can mean something different at the end of the book, than it seems at the beginning of the book.

SW: What are some of the big challenges gay romance writers face?

PF: There are certainly some stigmas. For some people the idea of gay romance is still taboo. When I write, I keep in mind that there are a huge number of gay men out there who are really just looking to see their own lives reflected in romance novels in a way that didn’t used to be so available in the mainstream. And that audience is quite large. To my surprise there is also a wide market among heterosexual women who simply enjoy romance. And many of the writers of male/male romance novels…are women. I also think that people assume that romance books will be filled with sex. Some people want more sex, some people want less. Pride Publishing ranks their books on a scale to ensure that readers know what they are in for in terms of sexual content before they buy the book.

SW: And where does your book rank on the scale they use?

PF: It is at a ‘simmer’ level, which means there are a few explicit scenes, and a lot of innuendo and romance. The central character is tough on the outside, but he’s also quite sensitive. Sex isn’t his driving ambition…finding someone to love is what motivates his actions in the book.

SW: So how do you get a book like this out to the target audience?

PF: Well, the publisher does a lot of that work. It is a brave new world now with various social media platforms and much of the marketing is done through the internet. A romance novel falls more in the category of popular literature, so it isn’t likely to be reviewed in a big newspaper. The engine that drives sales through the book platforms and stores is blog writers who read the book and give honest reviews. And since the readers of blogs are online, those readers often purchase their books online. The world of publishing is constantly evolving. E-reader publications are taking up a bigger share of the market. For me personally, I still prefer to read a book that I can hold in my hand, but some people like the ease of having the book land in their e-reader, and I suppose then it doesn’t take up as much space in the house.

SW: So when I think of The Woodcarver’s Model, one of the things that stands out is the cover. Did you create the design?

PF: That was all done by Pride Publishing. They work with each author individually. The artists asked me to describe what element of the book I’d like to see on the cover and what elements I didn’t want to see (so as not to give away something important in the plot). In my case, I knew I wanted the image of one of the characters modelling. Then I gave a detailed description of what the character looked like and let the artist team at Pride Publishing use their imagination. They came back with a few options, and then I got to select the image. It was a pretty exciting day when I first got to see the cover. It’s not every day when someone takes your words and creates a piece of art out of it. And I think the cover achieves the three key things that make up a good cover for a romance novel.

SW: What three things?

PF: For a romance, I think it’s essential that the cover image be sexy. The title is also important. And then the catch-phrase needs to make readers curious about the story.

The title The Woodcarver’s Model combined with the image of a man stripped naked to the waist posing in a provocative position indicates a certain level of vulnerability. Baring oneself to anyone is a very private act.

When you combine that with the catch phrase, “Sometimes the hardest thing to reveal is the truth.”…it hints that while being physically intimate may be easy for some, the hardest part of many relationships can often be about being truthful in a partnership. And the central characters in this book have a lot of secrets to deal with.

SW: What sorts of secrets?

PF: People will have to read the book to find out.

SW: So what comes next?

PF: Well, The Woodcarver’s Model is going into pre-order on March 8th. That means that people can order to be the very first to receive the book. I’m told that the amount of pre-order is important as it lets bookstores know if there is demand for the book and also helps the book get onto lists of recommended novels. I’ll let people know through the blog as well as through social media when that link goes live in a few weeks.

The book itself will be released on April 19th.

SW: And are you working on anything else?

PF: Oh yes. I’m working on a gay detective novel with a romance element. The Woodcarver’s Model will be a stand-alone book, but the next book will be part of a series. Plotting a series is a much more complicated process, but I am writing away every day, using my various computer script programs and when I get stuck…a packet of sticky notes and a note pad to play with plot, structure and character. I have to say…I am having the time of my life.

SW: I should let you get back to writing.

PF: Thanks for doing the interview. I love to write about almost anything but myself, so this has been a treat.

The Woodcarver’s Model will be released by Pride Publishing on April 19th. Stay tuned for details on pre-order and other promotions.

The Woodcarver’s Model Is Revealed

First of all, a heartfelt thanks to all of those who have subscribed to the blog.

As a reward for joining, I’d like to give you an early Valentine’s Day gift.

This blog is the very first public release of the cover of the book, and the image is only available today to subscribers.

Others will have to wait a little longer.

I hope this puzzle brings a smile to your face, and I hope you love the cover that the artists at Pride Publishing created.

So click the link below, and let me know how long it took you to reveal … The Woodcarver’s Model.

The Woodcarver’s Model Is Revealed

Warmest Regards,

Peter E. Fenton

The Woodcarver’s Model Welcomes You

The Woodcarver’s Model will reveal all in a few weeks

Thank you to all who have recently subscribed to the Peter E. Fenton – Gay Romance Writer site.

This blog will send you updates when the full cover for the book is revealed (in a few weeks) as well as excerpts, early reviews, the chance to get a free copy and so much more.

So stay as long as you like, enjoy the content and take a look around at the other posts.

If you ever choose to unsubscribe, simply go to the bottom of the email you receive and press unsubscribe … but I do hope you stick around.

Things are going to get interesting over the upcoming weeks as I move towards the pre-order on March 8th and the general release of the book on April 19th.

Best Regards,

Pete

Putting The Woodcarver’s Model To Bed

I knew the time would come eventually, but I wasn’t sure I was ready.

I’ve been with him for a long time now.

What started out as a passing fancy, turned into spending time with him every week, and then every day, and then I found myself getting up in the middle of the night … because I couldn’t stop thinking about him.

And now, after more than a year, the time had finally come.

Last night I put The Woodcarver’s Model to bed.

To be truthful I was a bit scared. What if I didn’t live up to my own expectations? What if everything that’s led up to this moment wasn’t good enough? What if …

But now isn’t the time for those questions. It’s too late for that.

Last night I put The Woodcarver’s Model to bed when I submitted the final edits to the publisher and pressed send. No more changes, or adding of commas, or rephrasing the book description, or swapping out a word for a better word.

The manuscript is now locked.

It’s time to let go.

It’s time to move on to something new.

Of course, I’m one hundred pages into my next novel already, so over the past months, while I’ve been giving the eye to The Woodcarver’s Model, I’ve also been losing sleep over a new leading man.

But today … I’m just going to celebrate, because last night I put The Woodcarver’s Model to bed.

And it felt good.

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The Woodcarver’s Model will be released by Pride Publishing on April 19th, with pre-orders available on March 8th.

To get all the latest news click here and subscribe.

Watch this blog for excerpts, the reveal of the cover and information on upcoming related events.

An Interview With Gay Romance Novelist Peter E. Fenton

Peter Fenton talks about romance, writing sex scenes and the cover of his new book.

Writer Scott White sits down with author Peter Fenton to find out more about his latest novel, The Woodcarver’s Model.

Scott: First of all, thanks for taking the time to sit down and do this interview.

Peter: It’s my pleasure.

Scott: So you’re writing a novel. Based on your previous creative work, I thought you were more of a playwright? I mean, you wrote on a family musical, a screwball comedy for the stage and a biographical musical … is it odd to add a romance novel to this mix?

Peter: Not really. For me, regardless of the medium, I love writing and telling a good story. Many writers tell their stories across a range of genres. The author Roald Dahl comes to mind. He wrote children’s stories such as Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, but he also wrote dark short stories that were turned into Twilight Zone episodes. He also wrote erotica. For me, this was simply a creative challenge and I was curious to see if I could do it. I still plan on writing on plays, but during the pandemic it seemed more productive to focus my creative work towards a place that wasn’t … shut down.

Scott: Writing a novel is a big undertaking. Where did you find the time?

Peter: In the spring of 2020 I was working full time at the Royal Ontario Museum. When the pandemic hit, I was very fortunate because I could still work at home, but in order to save our jobs, everyone in our department was bumped back to working only four days a week. That meant that I had Fridays off. And at the time, going out and socializing wasn’t exactly encouraged and I needed something to do. So I decided to write a gay romance novel.

Scott: Why a gay romance?

Peter: A friend of mine was talking about how the romance market in both film and novels was booming. During the pandemic in particular, people were looking for stories that would allow them to escape their troubles. This friend said that one of the biggest sectors of growth was gay romance, and so I thought … why don’t I give it a try?

Scott: How is a gay romance different than any other romance book?

Peter: Aside from the central characters being gay, I don’t think there is a big difference. I think some people assume that romances have a lot of sex in them. While sometimes that is true, it isn’t always the case. The key element is a character that is looking for love, and through the story finds that love. I think this book in particular will appeal to a wide audience, and if anyone is squeamish about the sex scenes, they can skim past them and still get a good story filled with heart and romance.

Scott: So you’d decided what type of book you wanted to write. Where did the idea come from for the story?

Peter: I actually started by looking at some of the formulas for writing romance novels, in terms of structure and story arc. I was missing travel, so the idea of writing a story that involved a travel writer going on assignment to a warm island and falling in love with an artist took shape and every Friday I sat down and wrote. And then eventually, I started writing evenings and early mornings, and in time … I had a rough draft of a novel. Of course, I broke away from the formula and wound up with a book that had the voice of a romance novel, but didn’t exactly follow the formulaic structure. And then I thought, “What do I do now?”

Scott: As I recall you gave it to me to read and offer some observations.

Peter: Yes. And you had a LOT of observations. I think working through the edits and notes on the first draft took almost as long as it did to WRITE the first draft, but in the long run it paid off.

Scott: How so?

Peter: It gave me the confidence to get a list of publishers for gay romance and start the process of sending the manuscript out for consideration. It’s a long process and at first, it was a bit disheartening to receive letters that politely declined the novel.

Scott: I told you they were “badges of honour.”

Peter: I saw them more as rejections, but after many many months, a company in England called Pride Publishing , a division of Totally Entwined Group sent me a different letter.

Scott: I remember the tone in your voice when you called and said, “They said YES.”

Peter: It was exciting. That was in July of last year and since that time, well, I’ve learned a lot.

Scott: In what way?

Peter: Writing a novel is much different than writing a play.

Scott: Can you give me an example of what you mean?

Peter: Well when I write a play, the action takes place in front of the audience and it’s always clear who is speaking. But in a novel, sometimes the reader needs a bit more information. So one way to accomplish that is through dialogue tags, like “he said” or “she said” which sounds so simple when you start out. But as I worked with the editor, passages that I thought were clear, needed more dialogue tags … and you can’t just always say “he said” or “she said” or it gets … repetitive. And then there’s where you place that dialogue tag. And then you start getting into what happens when you accidentally shift point of view in a section. As the writer, it was all perfectly clear in my head, but the editor worked with me to help me see the work with an outside eye and make sure the story was clear to a new reader.

Scott: Tell me a bit about the process of working with your editor?

Peter: My primary editor was Anna Olson and she is AMAZING. Prior to this, I had always thought of editing in terms of grammar, punctuation and spelling, but what she did was so much more … and the editing process is just that … a process. The editor doesn’t take one pass and ask for corrections. They go through the manuscript and fill it with notes, observations, and suggestions. In one case, it was suggested that a chapter be cut because it didn’t forward the narrative and the material was covered in a later chapter. In another case it was about where and how to break up chapters to fit the needs of the publisher, but also to fit the flow of the book. And with each set of edits, I would do corrections, and then another set of edits would come back which would result in a lot more work. In the final session, two other final line editors came on board to do a read and offer their comments. The process ensured the best possible outcome and the clearest story-telling for the reader.

Scott: In the editing process did you do much re-writing?

Peter: For this novel, there wasn’t a huge amount of restructuring, but there were lots of tweaks, and lots of finding stronger endings for sections and chapters. And every round of edits, I redid the sex scenes. Writing sex scenes is more challenging than one would think.

Scott: How so?

Peter: Well, this particular book is a romance, but there is also … sex. And the challenge is that I didn’t want the scenes to be too graphic, but I also wanted them to create some excitement. So at first, I kind of went at it from a more anatomical perspective. I sort of looked at the physical mechanics of what I wanted to depict and then figured out what was possible. But then … describing that in a way that would allow the reader to visualize it … I mean there are only so many ways you can describe body parts and positions. So my first attempts were rather clunky. My second attempts where I tried to make it steamy were … awkward. What I learned is that if you set up a scene and start the action, you don’t have to describe everything after that. You can let the reader’s imagination take hold, and it sort of helps. In some ways, when writing a sex scene, a good set-up can do a lot of the work. I’d never had to write a sex scene before.

Scott: Were you satisfied with the end result?

Peter: I think it was better than when I started. The sex makes up only a small amount of the book. There is a lot of romance though. The publishing company ranks the level of sex in the book so readers know what they are getting. My book wound up in the “simmer” category. The story of the central character, his journey to romance, the wacky cast of characters he meets along the way and the added mystery connected to the love interest’s past is really what makes the book fun to read. And I think the cover of the book is going to make a lot of people take an interest.

Scott: What’s so special about the cover?

Peter: Pride Publishing works with a skilled team of artists to come up with an image that is compelling and captures the tone of the story. The book is called The Woodcarver’s Model and the cover has a man modelling in a state of … partial undress. It is very tastefully done, but honestly … it’s pretty sexy. If the book doesn’t sell a lot of copies, I suspect sales of a poster of the book cover would make up for it. I was so excited when I saw the cover. It made it real.

Scott: So where can one find out more about the book?

Peter:  My blog page at www.peterefenton.ca. And if you subscribe to the page, the news will come straight into your inbox. Readers will be the very first to view the cover of the book, see advance reviews, have the chance to read excerpts. The site will arouse curiosity and also share news after the book comes out.

Scott: And what happens after the book comes out?

Peter: There will be some marketing work, but already I am working on something new. A gay detective series that I hope will be released over the upcoming years. I retired from my full time job last fall. Writing on the novels and then eventually getting back at the plays is how I hope to spend my time. And hopefully I’ll also fit in some travel again when that becomes a bit easier.

Scott: It sounds like you haven’t really retired, you’ve just switched to a different job.

Peter: I love to write, and retirement will afford me the opportunity to pursue my passion and hopefully bring some joy to a lot of people.

Scott: Thanks so much for the interview today.

Peter: My pleasure.

The Woodcarver’s Model will be released by Pride Publishing on April 19th. For details on pre-release and more information on upcoming novels, watch this site. For more information on other books by Pride Publishing, go to www.pride-publishing.com

The Excitement Is Building

The Woodcarver’s Model will be released on April 19th and the publisher (Pride Publishing) wants to create some intrigue around the book by slowly revealing information in small amounts leading up to the general release.

This site will post excerpts from the book, a partial reveal of the cover, a full reveal of the cover art (you are NOT going to want to miss that … the artwork is … sexy), early reviews and ways you can access the book (e-reader versions will be very inexpensive or you can also get a real book).

So to start … a few words to describe The Woodcarver’s Model.

A Travel WriterA MurderA Beautiful Canadian West Coast IslandA RomanceA WoodcarverA Devious DealA Vengeful ex-loverA Dog

These are the elements that make up some of the pieces of the novel. I can’t wait to share more in the upcoming weeks.

Stay tuned.

Introducing My New Novel

Coming in the spring of 2022, my latest venture … a novel. So what’s it all about?

Travel writer Rob Hanson has been from the summit of Mount Everest to the markets of Mogadishu. He loves adventure, he loves his job, and he loves the freedom of being single. At least that’s what he tells himself.

Everything changes when an assignment takes him to a small, idyllic west-coast island where he falls in love with the local woodcarver. From the first moment he sets eyes on Mitch, he feels like he’s found his perfect match. But things are never that simple for Rob.

Before long he finds himself involved with devious deals, jealous ex-lovers, and secrets from the past that refuse to go away. Rob knows that the only way to get what he needs is to reveal the truth. But does he have the courage to do what must be done in time to save himself and the man he loves?