Deadlines, Bluelines, Bloodlines And Print...lines.

Greetings.


Forgive my weekend absence but the beer world had my full attention between 2 major "fests" and a fund raiser and 3 nights of live music in my Tap Room.


Just a quickie update, hopefully with humor and without provoking any anger. Speaking of that (humor) I would point this out...






Now that's out of the way.


I am under a hard and fast print deadline working my way through Essence of Time, the Stewart Realty Not Realtors book 4. Print deadlines are that (hard and fast) and I have so far approved 2 of the 3 first book covers and they rock it.  Working in this business can be brutal on many levels. Between rejection, fellow author sabotage, editing that results in lightbulb moments requiring major rewrites (more on this later) and reviews you really gotta be tough. But the fact of the matter is it takes a village (read: "team") to put a book together. The writing of the thing is only a part. A big part, yes, but even if you self publish you no doubt have relied on some kind of team to get you through the cover art, upload, virtual tour, reviewing process.  
JERR Gold Star Winner!

I am loving my teams so far at all my publishers but the gang at Tri Destiny has gone above and beyond, getting my hot new covers, working hard to get those covers ready in time to meet that above mentioned hard and fast deadline, arranging book tours, and what not but most especially the Team Leader, one Jessica Warth. This person took a chance on a series that got roundly rejected across the board and now is nearing 700 total downloads for the month of May.  She is a tough editor at times, cheerleader/muse/kick Liz in the ass past herself team captain and great friend. Cheers to my team! 


As for that lightbulb, I had one, as predicted on a walk with the poodle muses in which the current iteration of Lust of Tap, my first Ellora's Cave acceptance will become an even stronger story. It means a re-write/revise beyond what many would consider viable. But to me, the fact that the story is flowing from my late night fingers like water from a faucet is a Clear Indication that all the "blue lines" (it's easier on the eyes than red, thank you Microsoft Word) of the original edit may have stopped me cold at first but gave me the opportunity to make a good book a great one.  I value the opportunity. Means that the story of Helena, Dustin and Erik will be a tad longer seeing light of day but it will be worth the wait.


Bloodlines are making up a part of that tale. For many families they still matter, including the fictional Prufrock one in the (non fictional) Grand Rapids, Michigan. I've beefed up the motivation for young, only-child Dustin to continue to rebel against his overbearing mother and successful but somewhat weak-kneed father. The Prufrocks have been in the prepared food business for three generations (think: GFS---that company with the trucks delivering bags of nacho chips, and huge jugs of ketchup to restaurants all over the nation daily). Dustin fell in love with beer brewing, dropped out of college in Ann Arbor and enrolled in the (slightly fictional) Munich Brewing Institute. His father bankrolled the tuition, he had to pay his living expenses for three years. His mother disapproved (but as Dustin says, "name something she doesn't) but he completed the degree and came back, used part of his now liquid trust fund to open a brewery. 


By the time we meet him, Prufrock Brewing is the 3rd largest in the state, thanks to his business and hiring savvy, producing and selling nearly 40,000 barrels of beer a year and about to open a new "brew pub" at a different location to expand their reach to a downtown crowd.  He's stressed, but happy. And engaged to a woman that comes with his challenging mother's seal of approval. Her pedigree, as heir to the Masterson family chain of successful restaurants, is impeccable. And Dustin is desperately trying to get out of the deal he cut with his mother...one wherein he marries "well" and she leaves him alone with his "project" no longer haranguing him to take over for his father as head of the larger company.  Of course, meeting the sexy, sassy, and utterly "unsuitable" Helena Turner on a beer-selling day does (or doesn't depending on your perspective) help his dilemma.


The whole bloodlines thing makes a difference based on some research I've done. But anymore it does appear to be a factor of environment. Children of wealthy families go to private schools, vacation with families of a similar wealth level and in general tend to associate with kids who would meet bloodline requirements. However, in this story, it's a big part of Dustin's need to both placate and rebel, to accept his role as head of a giant company vs. live his dream. And it nearly destroys him.


Thanks for listening. 
Make it a productive week.


Liz