ROW80: Editors, Cover Art and Delays

Well there haven't really been any major developments this week so far. I have spent a large portion of my time on Facebook…. no not farming or running a crime empire, but Networking. I created a new profile that is primarily about me as an author. Ok I will personalize it, but this is my public image profile. I also created a couple of pages, one for my novel and one for me. However, I'm not really sure how I am supposed to work with them so they aren't really doing much at the moment.

I have managed to find a way to convert my cover art into a format that can be uploaded – Yes, I am fairly computer illiterate – and as you can see it is pasted below. What do you think? It was made by my brother-in-law Eelco Wijnands

I have the basic outline for book 2 planned out in my head now, and am planning on getting started on the writing of the opening scene(s) in the second half of this week. I have in effect two plot lines in this book, running simultaneously for the majority of the novel, and then they begin to converge around the midway point, and then the final scene will see the two 'camps' come together and set things up for Book 3. …. I hope.

I wrote some of the opening scene for book two at the start of the year, when I wanted to incorporate it into Highway To Hell, before the idea spawned into a trilogy. I will read through this and see if I can salvage any of it, as the scene is still basically the same, the beginning at least.

In terms of where I stand with my goal of having Highway to Hell ready for upload onto smashwords.com, I have hit a slight curve in the road because my editor has had to take a week off.

I received an email from him last night asking my permission to take a week off to recharge his batteries. He said that if I said no he would work on. What an honest and all around good guy is he? Of course I said I had no problem with it. I don't, for many reasons. I would expect everybody to put their own health above my books, maybe I just don't have a ruthless streak, but I like to think that I am just a nice guy (pats self on back.) The second reason that I am happy for him to take a break is more selfish and I will admit it. I don't want a tired editor checking my book. I want one who is fresh and observant because I want my book to be edited well. I have complete faith in my editor and his company, and am therefore more than happy to extend my own target publication date accordingly.

I still anticipate to be read by the end of August..  now I just to decide who to use? I have now stepped back from Createspace due to their high book costs for my readers and the high shipping costs to Europe and my now investigating both Book Brewer and Lightning Source who have been recommended to me by several individuals, all fellow writers.