So I’ve been working on Big Cat Magic. It’s a Halloween cougar/snow leopard shifter novella. I have the first 2,000. Hope to keep at it for the next couple of weeks. I need to get started on Roxie Wolff’s story too and have been mulling it over. Still haven’t come up with an idea yet.
I finished the book and turned it over to my beta readers. Then I was working on the long synopsis. Did I mention I don’t like having to write them? lol
Created with Daz3D, a number of light and glitter overlays and Jane Eden’s Big Cats. So much fun!
So the doctor said it wouldn’t help to have a cast, that the break could shift either in the splint or cast. Great. I asked if I could type and he said lightly. It’s still giving me a lot of pain, so I hope it will heal quickly, not shift, and stop hurting.
I got edits for a 385 page book, that’s due early September, and there goes making my Oct 1 deadline probably on this other book.
The new editor practically rewrote my book. Voice, voice, voice. If someone else rewrites your book, it no longer is your book. And your fans say, this is not Terry’s book. And they buy my books for MY voice. If she wants to write her own book, go for it. But don’t use my story to do it.
This has happened a couple of times to me in the past. I remember just going along with it for one of them, thinking the editors knew best, but when it came out readers didn’t think it was my book. My name is on the book, so I need to say no when I need to.
The last time some years ago, they threw out the editor’s work. But this time they don’t have enough time. As if I do!!!!! And on this book, they lost it for a couple of months even though I had turned it in a month early, so I was unhappy about that because I work my butt off to get my books in on time, early even so I can begin work on the next deadline book. Anyway, it’s a long book, and I’m 117 pages into it and I’ve come to yet again another whole made up scene that’s not my voice.
Some of it doesn’t fit with the story, definitely not the characters, and logically not even in real life. Sometimes she writes a comment that an editor needs to check the narrative to make sure what she has added is correct. This story ties back to the first in the white wolf books–Legend of the White Wolf–and she obviously hasn’t read it. So no, often the narrative doesn’t fit. I feel sometimes she has her own made up love story going on.
What to change as an editor? Mistakes! Cut repetitive stuff. If I haven’t explained enough of the wolf’s world, do it for new readers to the series. But don’t rewrite an author’s story! It’s not my voice.
Years ago, a writer friend of mine had written a number of books and published them and then she got an editor to really go over one to see if she could grow. A disaster. She has a unique voice. Once the editor rewrote the story, it was technically correct, but it had lost what made the author’s voice hers. It was a humdrum, boring book.
I’m not the only one who has had this issue. Not that I’d want to wish it on other authors, but I’m glad it’s just not me.
So I did manage the 117 pages yesterday and 1,000 words still on the new book. Off to work on the edits some more and hope to get another 100 pages done. I had to get dog food for the dogs yesterday, so no running errands today, which should help.
Have a fun day!!!! The more I get done, the more fun it is for me!
Cheetah Art created with background and water overlays, bird overlay from Oscraps, Cheetah from Renderosity, and textures from Heather the Painter, Jessica Drosnan, and Daily Textures.
Little one will be here soon, so off to try and get some writing done before she is! Maybe I can work on my bears while she’s here!
My daughter was telling me she could safely deliver a month earlier than planned, so ack, that means getting things done before that happens. I’ll be helping her with my granddaughter and with my newborn grandson at that point. So I expect a dive in word count goals.
It’s supposed to be in the 70s today and tomorrow, so we’re going to go for walks!
All I had to say to the cheetah to get that toothy grin was: Red meat!
That, and it’s all in the way you say it.
Off to write. Didn’t get any more than 241 words yesterday with the baby here. Couldn’t sleep last night. Was up pulling weeds in the muggy heat this morning, even at 7 am. I’m determined to get 4,000 words today. Will I? Heck, I was determined to get 1,000 words yesterday.
I just love this picture. These are juvenile cheetahs, and momma is in the background with another sibling. I love cheetahs, but to frame a smiling cheetah while a sibling stretches his body in front of him was pretty cool. The smiling cheetah reminds me of “Smiling Faces Sometimes,” by the Undisputed Truth. Yeah. “Smiling faces, smiling faces, sometimes they don’t tell the truth…”
Colorful Umbrellas Reflected in the Water, Riverwalk, San AntonioCheetah Chilling
I spent so much time pulling grass and weeds you’d think I had no grass left. Nope. It’s like a stimulant. Pull grass, five more pop up in its place. So every morning for a couple of hours while it’s cooler, I pull grass and weeds, put down bark mulch, return to house, and write. Which meant? I forgot to blog!
Something has to give. Today is my daughter’s last Friday off, so we’re having breakfast in a few minutes, and I couldn’t put down more bark mulch. So we’re off!
I love to take photos but it’s fun to get prompts on what to photograph. So I joined this Facebook group to do it. But had to post a bunch of pictures to kind of catch up.
In the meantime, I finished proofreading 100 pages of Silver Town Wolves and need to finish another 140 pages. So off to do that in a minute.
I had taken the first picture at a big cat reserve in Dallas where they take in cat rescues. Though they also had a pack of Arctic wolves and bears. The second version was using Photoshop’s Curves adjustment. I like the original photo, but the Curves adjustment helps to bring the color in line with what it really looked like. Not sure what settings I had my camera on that made it look so golden. And the third picture is an “oil” version with Topaz Studio.
This is from Ashe Designs. It really worked well with some of my animal photos.
Okay, I’m off to work! And back to exercising while I proof! Have a great day!!!
Wild grasses at the wetlands in Dallas, and a cheetah and an Arctic wolf pack at the Big Cat Org near Fort Worth. Love cheetahs!!! And the wolves were especially what I wanted to see, but they wouldn’t let us “see” them. Thankfully, my zoom lens was able to capture the beautiful pack as we were led through the park away from seeing the wolves. I’ve been to tons of wolf reserves, and none where the tour guide would say, “We’ll upset the wolves if we walk near them.”
We are enrichment to them, as long as you don’t have an obnoxious kid or adult in the group. But you can see how curious they were about all of us. One tiger had been in a circus, boo, so he didn’t like to be on display, and I don’t blame him. But “nobody” else minded–the tigers, bears, cheetah, or wolves. They came to drink their water, close to where we were, watched us. We were as much entertainment for them as they are for us.
Meeting deadlines: The thing about deadlines is they cometh and they goeth. So if you don’t get your act together, they cometh and goeth before you’re ready…and you can’t stop them!!! I always think, when I’m getting down to the wire on one, or several, that this too shall pass. Hopefully, when I’ve met them though!!!
I turned in Flight final proof and Billionaire marketing materials request. I spent all the rest of the day reading the other wolf book. And I just received one beta read back so will be spending all morning +, making changes on Billionaire Wolf Christmas. I HAVE to get groceries too. Still fighting this cold, coughed half the night. Ugh. But I’m nearly there!!!! On meeting deadlines. So close….
Hope you meet all your deadlines and have fun doing it!
Have a great deadline free day!!!
Terry
“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy is reality.”
