I’ve finished editing Chronicles of Marsh, well until the copies come back from the editors with all the crossings out and suggestions!
Obviously I fixed all the problems I found that I mentioned in the last update. The issue with the thing happening in the wrong time was relatively easy to sort out. I had to rewrite what they’d been talking about in the retrospective, and just convince myself that it couldn’t be fitted in any earlier.
Unusually for me, I sent out two passages to people who aren’t usually involved with my books. Both dealt with situations I thought my readers could have witnessed themselves, and I hadn’t experienced first-hand. You’ll know I’m a bit sniffy about authors getting details wrong when they could check with someone who might have that experience. So for once I listened to my own advice and found a couple of friends (non-writing friends, as it happened), to read these passages. I only had to tweak the paragraphs a little, but I can now face criticism of them if there is any!
I thought you might be interested in the Chapter titles, just to pique your interest! They are of course subject to change.
Princelings 9: The Chronicles of Marsh (provisional)
Chapter 1: Overdue
Chapter 2: Fred’s Yuletide Escape
Chapter 3: A Reality Check
Chapter 4: Pirates Ahoy!
Chapter 5: Time for a breather
Chapter 6: Zephyrs
Chapter 7: A Yuletide Interview with Queen Kira of Marsh
Chapter 8: How to Uncover a Vampire
Chapter 9: Revelations
Chapter 10: A Pirate Yule
Chapter 11: Comings and Goings
Chapter 12: The Darkest Hour
Chapter 13: A Laird in training
Chapter 14: Meeting of Minds
Chapter 15: A Legend in a Lifetime
Chapter 16: Flying today
Chapter 17: Fuel Cells for sale
Chapter 18: When the going gets tough
Chapter 19: Fire at the Granary
Chapter 20: The end of the beginning
So, the editors are at work, Dani is starting some initial sketches for the cover, and I must get around to doing 20 new chapter illustrations. Well, I might be able to recycle one or two!
The book is now on pre-order at iTunes, B&N and Kobo, at a special early-bird price. You can see the blurb at Smashwords, as they only sell on the launch day. The early date, if it all comes together, is 14th November. If not, I’ll move it to late January. I can’t list it for pre-order at Amazon without a cover, but I can put up a draft cover, so watch this space!