THE NIGHTMARE COLLECTION Blog Tour: Even Editors Need Feedback by Cherie Reich & G1veaway!

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The lovely Cherie Reich hijacks visits my blog today as part of her blog tour to promote her latest book, The Nightmare Collection. Here’s her guest post about manuscript editing and the importance of beta readers/critique partners.

***Read on to find out how you could win signed copies of Cherie’s books, or an Amazon gift card!***

Even Editors Need Feedback
by Cherie Reich

As a writer, I know the importance of feedback on my manuscripts. We writers are way too close to our work, and what sounds right in our head might not translate to the reader. As a freelance editor, I try to edit like a reader. So you’d think I’d have an edge when it comes to editing my own manuscripts, right? Wrong! I still get caught up in things that work for me, but not for the reader.

For example, here is a brief scene in my first draft state from Nightmare Ever After:

“Did you alert the State Police?” Although the FBI had jurisdiction in the Jefferson National Forest, the State Police often would be involved too.

“I did. Called them right after you, but they haven’t arrived yet.” He motioned to the body. “What do you think?”

Tim scratched his chin. From his viewpoint, the area looked deserted, undisturbed, despite the dead body in its midst. Not even a bird chirped. “It’s possible the hiker could’ve died here. Heart attack, heat stroke, something of that nature. There’s no drag marks.”

He circled the body. “Not much blood. Dead before the animals got her, I suppose. The ME will be able to tell more.”

“So you think this is an accident?”

Here is what my critique partner Cher mentioned to me in her notes:

“I’d love to see a little more description concerning the area and the body itself. No maggots? No flies? This would make me think something has recently been close to the body, like an animal or something. Or it hasn’t been there long. Maybe for spook factor, you could insert an animal, maybe a bird to startle the men?”

Good ideas, and things I don’t know if I would’ve come up with, if she hadn’t mentioned them. Here is the same scene with the changes in place:

“Did you alert the State Police?” The FBI had jurisdiction in the Jefferson National Forest, but he wouldn’t be surprised if the State Police would be involved too. The Bureau was trying to get along better with the local and state police. They did know the land better, even if Tim sometimes thought they got in the way too much.

He tiptoed closer to the body, so he wouldn’t disturb the scene. Something shifted along the body’s upper torso. He squinted as he leaned closer.

“I did. Called them right after you.” Jones motioned to the body. “What do you think?”

“Something’s moving.” Tim scratched his chin. The odor shoved him back, but he drew closer to the corpse.

“Probably bugs.”

Tim removed a pen from his shirt’s pocket and lightly lifted up the neck of the tank top. Worm-like shapes writhed under the body. Then, a fat maggot popped out from the jagged tear along the victim’s throat.

Caw-caw! A crow flew from a tree branch, and Tim jerked upright. His heart thudded in his chest. He had to almost laugh at himself. Maggots were normal. So were birds in the woods. He was almost as bad as the barfing deputy.

“Agent O’Conner?” Sheriff Jones gave him a smug, slightly amused smile.

Great, the sheriff noticed his reaction as well. Tim slipped his pen back in his pocket and took a few steps away from the body. His gaze traveled up the slight incline. No signs of a struggle. The leaves and dirt appeared undisturbed, so he didn’t think she had fallen. A few animal markings—some scat and clawed tree bark — dotted the area.

“It’s possible the hiker could’ve died here. Heart attack, heat stroke, something of that nature. There’s no drag marks.” He circled the body. “Not much blood. Dead before the animals got her, I suppose. The ME will tell us more.”

“So you think this is an accident?”

Much better, I hope! I couldn’t imagine writing without some feedback.

If you have critique partners or beta readers, how have they helped you improve your writing?

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About the Author

Cherie Reich

A self-proclaimed bookworm, Cherie Reich is a writer, freelance editor, book blogger, and library assistant living in Virginia. Her short stories have appeared in magazines and anthologies. Her e-books include the horror series Nightmare, a short story collection with authors Aubrie Dionne and Lisa Rusczyk titled The Best of Raven and the Writing Desk, the futuristic space fantasy novelette trilogy Gravity, and The Foxwick Chronicles, a series of fantasy stories. She is a member of Valley Writers and the Virginia Writers Club.

Contact: Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

The Nightmare Collection

The Nightmare Collection
(Cover art by Nicemonkey at Dreamstime.com; cover design by Aubrie Dionne; Bookworm logo for Surrounded by Books Publishing created by Cherie Reich)

A legend is hungry tonight.

A child monster will get its first taste of blood in Nightmare at the Freak Show. Four friend will enter the forest on December night, but only one can survive in Once Upon a December Nightmare. Almost ten years after Cassie’s December nightmare, the monster awakens to hunt again in Nightmare Ever After.

Purchase Links

E-book: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble US | Barnes & Noble UK | Smashwords | Kobo

Print book: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Createspace

Giveaway!

As part of her blog tour, Cherie is running a giveaway, with prizes including signed copies of her book, including The Nightmare Collection, and a $10 Amazon gift card. This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL, and all you have to do to be in the running is to fill in the Rafflecopter form below.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Source: J.C. Martin, Fighter Writer